Hacking New 3DS with Luma: blue screens, black screens, sometimes it works...

[Gladson_MF]

I'm really noob when it comes to console hacking but I was able to follow 3ds.hacks.guide about 2 or 3 years ago. For months everything worked perfectly until I moved to something else. Hadn't touched my 3DS since last year but yesterday I decided to play some of its games. Charged it up to 100%, turned it on and... Blue screens.

BOOTROM 8046
ERRCODE: 00F800EF FFFFFFFF
00000022 00000000

I had to hold power for 10 seconds to turn it off. I did some research and read that is means the system is bricked, so I got scared to death. Tried again, and again, and again, and it worked! Home screen loaded as if nothing had happened. I played a little bit, turned it off, when I tried to play again... Blue screens. After many tries it worked again so I took this opportunity to upgrade Luma, Luma Updater and the system firmware. But nothing changed, it still works sometimes but most of the times I get the blue screens. Sometimes I get black screens instead. I'd say if I try 10 times, I get 8 blue screens, 1 black screen and 1 working home menu.

What should I do? Is my system dying? I changed the micro SD to a new one (but it was faulty) but nothing changed.

PS: I've noticed that the battery is draining VERY fast. I had it charging the whole night, after many attempts of getting to home menu I finally made it and started playing Star Fox 64 3D. After 40 minutes of gameplay, red battery light. Is it possible that a dying battery may be causing those blue screens?

 

[BaamAlex]

Is it possible that a dying battery may be causing those blue

I don't think so.

 

[Gladson_MF]

I don't think so.

Well, I'm hopeless then.

Any clues about what might be happening here? I really like my SNES-themed New 3DS XL, I don't wanna see it die

 

[lone_wolf323]

Well, I'm hopeless then.

Any clues about what might be happening here? I really like my SNES-themed New 3DS XL, I don't wanna see it die

BOOTROM 8046
ERRCODE: 00F800EF FFFFFFFF
00000022 00000000 is this correct or was that first part perhaps 00F800FE?

 

[Gladson_MF]

BOOTROM 8046
ERRCODE: 00F800EF FFFFFFFF
00000022 00000000 is this correct or was that first part perhaps 00F800FE?

It's EF, not FE. Here's a picture:

 

[lone_wolf323]

It's EF, not FE. Here's a picture:

View attachment 220640

No hardmods or any tinkering to the motherboard yes?

 

[Gladson_MF]

No hardmods or any tinkering to the motherboard yes?

Nope, never opened it or did any kind of hardware change. Got it new from Amazon, followed the 3ds hack guide and that's all.

 

[TurdPooCharger]

That bootrom error has been encountered in failed hardmods.

• [Question] Is my 3DS recoverable? Hardmod mistake.
• Please help with The blue screen on 3ds!!
• 3ds XL brick

Where, when, and how did you store that n3DSXL? Assuming yours wasn't a preowned unit where a previous owner took apart that n3DSXL and attempted a hardmod, storage conditions might have made it ideal for tin whiskers to form on the motherboard, causing intermittent shorts.

 

[Gladson_MF]

That bootrom error has been encountered in failed hardmods.

Where, when, and how did you store that n3DSXL? Assuming yours wasn't a preowned unit where a previous owner took apart that n3DSXL and attempted a hardmod, storage conditions might have made it ideal for tin whiskers to form on the motherboard, causing intermittent shorts.

It's been stored for a year inside its case within a closet. Humidity is pretty high here, I've actually noticed a little bit of mold on the bottom of the case, I don't know if that could be a factor for those tiny whiskers to form.

Assuming that that's the problem, can I fix it? Should I open it and clean the motherboard of isopropyl alcohol?

 

[fmkid]

NVM... Keep going!

 

[TurdPooCharger]

It's been stored for a year inside its case within a closet. Humidity is pretty high here, I've actually noticed a little bit of mold on the bottom of the case, I don't know if that could be a factor for those tiny whiskers to form.

Assuming that that's the problem, can I fix it? Should I open it and clean the motherboard of isopropyl alcohol?

Only an airtight or waterproof case can slow down or prevent exposure to moisture damage if the environment conditions aren't ideal (dark, dry, cool). If you noticed mold on the bottom of your case, then it's likely your n3DSXL's motherboard was constantly subjected to the same humidity over the year it was put away.

If this was a (1) software-only -OR- (2) hardware-only bootrom 8046 brick, your n3DSXL wouldn't be able to boot to HOME Menu ever (0 out of any number of attempts). The few times that it managed to under normal booting [ie, pressing the (POWER) button] without the assistance of ntrboot meant the ARM CPU (bootrom) did manage to successfully communicate with the NAND (3DS firmware).

Cleaning the motherboard with isopropyl alcohol + toothbrush and low heat+low fan speed hairdryer will only remove tin whiskers that formed on the surface. These can't reach and get rid of those underneath the chips' BGA solder points. Keep in mind some of the motherboard's metal pins and contacts might have accumulated corrosion past the point of whiskering... Your chance of success in reviving or fixing that mobo depends if all the components are still intact.

A possible way to solve the problem points to use NTRBoot + GodMode9, in order to reinject a NAND copy/backup from your console (of course, if you have anyone), or inject a donor CTRNAND (according to the same model and region of your console) throught CTRTransfer (normal or D9).

Those will only fix software bricks, which @Gladson_MF's n3DSXL might not have as the underlying problem.

(software only) Blue Screens of Death

• SafeB9SInstaller via ntrboot only fixes bootrom 8046 caused by corrupt FIRM0/FIRM1 partitions.
• GodMode9 and SysNAND Restore will fix any softbricks as long as the sysnand *.bin image that's used is available and is a good backup. However, your user profile and progresses made up to the point of the brick will be permanently lost.
  
• Standard CTRTransfer doesn't fix any forms of BSoD softbricks.
• No comment on alternative CTRTransfer (Type D9).
• Please don't use the older Decrypt9 CTRTransfer. (This too doesn't fix BSoD btw.)
  
• Lazarus3DS will revive the 2DS/3DS from any softbricks... BUT, what the $%^& are doing to your poor 3DS system where it needs the nuclear option?

Edit: Oh, almost forgot that trying to uninstall B9S from your console (using GodMode9 of course) perharps can solve the problem directly (because uninstalling process involves an original NATIVE_FIRM restoring)

No. This is a horrible advice. Why do people keep recommending this?

Uninstalling custom firmware *almost never fixes softbricks.

• About removing B9S and the safety test

Edit - * Please see Kleines' post #15 below in the one rare scenario where running the uninstall B9S script fixes a BSoD. This can only be made possible if you can access GodMode9 via ntrboot.

 

[fmkid]

Ok, NVM... I've not read that OP's console problem is another that a simple BSoD caused by softbricking.

My bad!

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Well, I said that because uninstalling process normally restores the original NATIVE_FIRM (which is one of the main causes for BSoD). But in this particular case maybe not a good sugestión, perharps. I accept that

I also knew about uninstall method is not recommendable at all (if your modified console have an easy solvable problem), but again, if you have a BSoD brick, ntrboot in hand and you don't have any NAND copy from your own console, then why not to try it? Do you prefer Lazarus then?

Well… If I corrupt FIRM0 and FIRM1 on purpose (which already technically uninstalls B9S and surely gives blue screens of death) and then ntrboot into GodMode9 to run un-install hax script this might actually repair the damage (if there are no other errors). But the same is true for – instead of overwriting the FIRM partitions with the stock firmware – reinstalling B9S. This gives a clean method of reliably starting with troubleshooting in case something else is wrong additionally.
I can't do right now… but as GBAtemp's testing Sinchen, I will test that once I feel better.

Uninstall B9S is not troubleshooting. It's locking away all tools that could potentially help debugging an issue.

Most severe softbricks can be repaired with Master Poo's CTRTransfer Type D9 script. Lazarus is ultima ratio. Really the last thing to try before giving the motherboard to the recycling center. If a 3DS is so severely bricked that only Lazarus3DS can potentially revive it… the uninstall script will not do any good.

 

[fmkid]

@KleinesSinchen

Thanks for your support and explanation! But it seems the OP's problem is not about a soft brick at all

 

[KleinesSinchen]

@fmkid Lookie what I did:
I injected random garbage (small homebrew CIA files) into the FIRM0 and FIRM1 partitions ignoring the fact that GodMode9 told me in no uncertain terms, that my idea was… not the best one. And after a reboot the 3DS console did not find that funny and agreed with GodMode9 while asking for a "dislike" button in GBAtemp for machine abuse.
Result:

There we have a perfectly software caused 8046 BOOTROM Error



Now to your idea. "Uninstall B9S" with the script (although B9S is already dead).

Result:

Works. Given the 3DS has no other software problems we are now back to stock software and I can't launch any homebrew titles because of missing signature patches.

Reinstalling B9S either with GodMode9 or SafeB9SInstaller would have had almost the same result – the only difference being the presence of B9S and access to GodMode9 and everything. My test machine is "castrated" for now.

 

[fmkid]

@KleinesSinchen Awesome test, dude

Edit - * Please see Kleines' post #15 below in the one rare scenario where running the uninstall B9S script fixes a BSoD. This can only be made possible if you can access GodMode9 via ntrboot.

Yes. I knew it and I said it (on my edited post), indeed.

I have a lot of experience (at least, I think that) about 3DS Scene support (I am a moderator on a spanish well-known gaming forum). My intention was only try to help here, but my mistake was a misreading about the OP real problem

PS: I respect you, obviously. You are a great developer (CTRTransfer D9 Type is your creation) and supporter

 

[Gladson_MF]

Sorry I couldn't reply before, busy days here.

Anyway, since I don't have anything to lose, I tried to restore my Sysnand backup using gm9. I made this backup back in 2017 by following "3ds hack guide" so I supposed it was a good backup.



However, when I try to load it, I get this:



I don't know if the file is corrupted since its creation or somehow incompatible with current gm9 releases, fact is I can't use it. I tried CTRtransfer but it didn't work either, I get an error message "operation could not be completed".

I can't find it now but I read a thread explaining how sysnand and emunand work, there's a picture showing that gm9 actually loads before sysnand. If that's true, then trying to restore the sysnand would be useless: I can't go into gm9 100% of the times, most of the times I get the blue screen even when I turn the 3DS on while holding "start", so I suppose my issue happens earlier than the sysnand boot or else I would be able to get to godmode9 every time.

I really don't know if I have any options here, being a complete noob doesn't help. Is there anything I could try? I really don't care about the installed games or saved data, I have it all properly backed up.

 

[TurdPooCharger]

Sorry I couldn't reply before, busy days here.

Anyway, since I don't have anything to lose, I tried to restore my Sysnand backup using gm9. I made this backup back in 2017 by following "3ds hack guide" so I supposed it was a good backup.

-snip-

However, when I try to load it, I get this:

-snip-

I don't know if the file is corrupted since its creation or somehow incompatible with current gm9 releases, fact is I can't use it. I tried CTRtransfer but it didn't work either, I get an error message "operation could not be completed".

I can't find it now but I read a thread explaining how sysnand and emunand work, there's a picture showing that gm9 actually loads before sysnand. If that's true, then trying to restore the sysnand would be useless: I can't go into gm9 100% of the times, most of the times I get the blue screen even when I turn the 3DS on while holding "start", so I suppose my issue happens earlier than the sysnand boot or else I would be able to get to godmode9 every time.

I really don't know if I have any options here, being a complete noob doesn't help. Is there anything I could try? I really don't care about the installed games or saved data, I have it all properly backed up.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Attempt software repairs with CTRTransfer (Type D9) - CTRTransfer. Carefully read and follow the Instructions. Don't you dare skip steps 1–4.

If the reflash is not successful, attempt to restore the sysnand with the image created from step 8.

If restoring the sysnand is not possible, check the hardware condition of the NAND chip (eMMC) with CTRTransfer (Type D9) - eMMC Status Checker. This will check if the SysNAND can be written to, read from, and whether its nand cells are intact.

• Be forewarned there's a risk of super softbricking the n3DSXL with this function. It's advised you have a ntrboot compatible ds flashcart on the ready in case this happens.

If the eMMC Status Checker returns a FAILED result in the eMMC_test_report.txt, refer to tin whiskers in post #11.

• [iFixit] Nintendo 3DS XL 2015
• Luma crash [post #9] - screwdrivers