Creating CIAs is dependent on how much free space is available on the SD card.
(1) - If your source system's SD card is filled to near full capacity, you'll have to figure out how to create them in small batches.
(2) - If you have a spare SD card not shared or used by either o3DSXL and n3DSXL, you go about doing the shenanigans found below.
(3) - If you don't have a spare SD card, use the o3DSXL card with adjustments for some of the steps...
- Copy everything off that 3rd card over to a computer.
- Reformat it in FAT32 + 32 KB cluster size using Windows File Explorer or guiformat if bigger it's bigger than 32 GB.
- Full Write + Verify the empty card with H2testw. You don't want an unknowingly fake or faulty card corrupting data.
- If the card passes, delete the *.h2w test files. -or- Replace the card and go back to step 1 if a hardware error was reported.
- Make a super barebone SD setup:
- Luma3DS v9.1 : sdmc:/boot.firm
- GodMode9 v1.7.1 (or newer): sdmc:/luma/payloads/GodMode9.firm
- Copy and paste the Nintendo 3DS folder off the SD card from the o3DSXL (source system) over to a computer.
- Keep a copy of that folder on the o3DSXL card and leave that one alone.
Here's the tricky part. You want to fill up to a little less than half way on that 3rd card when creating the CIAs.
7. For the
Nintendo 3DS folder on the computer,
cut and paste by segments onto the 3rd card up to ≤ 50% capacity.
- Example: Let's say the 3rd card is a 32 GB. It has 30 GB of usable free space. You add in a little less than 15 GB of stuff.
Nintendo 3DS/<ID0>/<ID1>/title/
00040000/ <games>
00##1100
00##2200
00##3300
.
.
.
0004000e/ <updates>
0004008c/ <DLCs>
8. Build the CIAs for that batch run in GodMode9.
9. Cut and paste all the CIAs from the
sdmc:/gm9/out over to computer.
10. Delete the
Nintendo 3DS folder on that 3rd card.
11. Repeat the process by going back to step 7 until the entire titles collection has been converted and amassed.
As for installing the CIAs on the (target system) n3DSXL micro SD card, figure this out for yourself or upgrade to a bigger card (check my signature).