Hacking How to completely factory reset my 3ds (remove all hacking stuff)

[Igniis]

Hi there,
A long time ago, after I hacked my 3ds, idk how but the SD card broke into 2 parts. So when I was trying to boot it whitout the SD card I had this error message (I still have it today if I try to boot whitout the SD card):

[PANIC] Could not find config file.
Press any key to shutdown

I didn't know what to do, so I just let it in a cardboard box, thinking it was bricked for ever, since I had no backup of anything.

Today, by copying some files I found on my old PC to a SD card, I somehow (very luckily) managed to boot the 3DS to the home screen (I can play my cartridge games again). However all the programs related to CFW and hacking stuff are gone. When pressing start when booting, I can go to godmode9 v1.4.2, and go to Luma3DS v8.1.1 configuration when pressing select when booting. When I go to the 3DS settings the firmware version I see is 11.7.0-40E.

I say I was really lucky to manage to boot it because I forgot ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING about 3DS hacking stuff and I just put the files I found on the SD card and it worked flawlessly.

I don't know if my 3DS still has a CFW or is still hacked so I don't want to completely brick it by trying to factory reset it in the 3DS settings.

What I want to do is to completely remove all the hacking stuff and rehack my 3DS on a good basis to avoid any problems.

I know it's pretty different but if you compare a 3DS to an android phone, for me a CFW for the 3ds is like a custom ROM for android, and if you have any problem with your android phone all you have to do is to flash the stock ROM and your phone is brand new. So maybe there is something similar to do with the 3DS, like restoring the stock 3DS firmware ...

Any ideas ?

 

[Hayato213]

https://3ds.hacks.guide/uninstall-cfw

You can follow this if you want to uninstall CFW.

 

[Igniis]

Is it safe to follow this guide since in the 3DS settings before the 11.7.0-40E I don't have "Sys" but I have "Ver." I understood that if you don't have the Sys, it means that the 3ds is not hacked.

In any case, since I have godmode9 I can do a backup and restore it if something gets wrong ?

 

[Hayato213]

You can only backup and restore if you have CFW, if you remove CFW you can't use godmode9.

 

[livid_hen]

Is it safe to follow this guide since in the 3DS settings before the 11.7.0-40E I don't have "Sys" but I have "Ver." I understood that if you don't have the Sys, it means that the 3ds is not hacked.

In any case, since I have godmode9 I can do a backup and restore it if something gets wrong ?

Once you hit that uninstall button any way to restore a nand backup is GONE (besides a hardmod). Run the safety test and check all the things. I beleive that safty_test.gm9 just boots the stock firmware (not luma) so that is exactly how your device will act once cfw is gone.

 

[Igniis]

OK thanks, I'm going to try the safety test.

 

[cearp]

You can only backup and restore if you have CFW, if you remove CFW you can't use godmode9.

you can use it via bootntr if you really want to

 

[CoolMe]

Hi there,
A long time ago, after I hacked my 3ds, idk how but the SD card broke into 2 parts. So when I was trying to boot it whitout the SD card I had this error message (I still have it today if I try to boot whitout the SD card):

[PANIC] Could not find config file.
Press any key to shutdown

I didn't know what to do, so I just let it in a cardboard box, thinking it was bricked for ever, since I had no backup of anything.

Today, by copying some files I found on my old PC to a SD card, I somehow (very luckily) managed to boot the 3DS to the home screen (I can play my cartridge games again). However all the programs related to CFW and hacking stuff are gone. When pressing start when booting, I can go to godmode9 v1.4.2, and go to Luma3DS v8.1.1 configuration when pressing select when booting. When I go to the 3DS settings the firmware version I see is 11.7.0-40E.

I say I was really lucky to manage to boot it because I forgot ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING about 3DS hacking stuff and I just put the files I found on the SD card and it worked flawlessly.

I don't know if my 3DS still has a CFW or is still hacked so I don't want to completely brick it by trying to factory reset it in the 3DS settings.

What I want to do is to completely remove all the hacking stuff and rehack my 3DS on a good basis to avoid any problems.

I know it's pretty different but if you compare a 3DS to an android phone, for me a CFW for the 3ds is like a custom ROM for android, and if you have any problem with your android phone all you have to do is to flash the stock ROM and your phone is brand new. So maybe there is something similar to do with the 3DS, like restoring the stock 3DS firmware ...

Any ideas ?

Hey, don't uninstall CFW, just get a new microSD card, test it with h2test to make sure it's not a fake, and put the proper Luma & GodMode9 files, and you're all set.

 

[The Catboy]

Uninstalling hacks is not the best means of troubleshooting. You should test your SD card before wasting your time removing any hacks
https://3ds.hacks.guide/h2testw-(windows)
https://3ds.hacks.guide/f3-(linux)
https://3ds.hacks.guide/f3xswift-(mac)

 

[KleinesSinchen]

What I want to do is to completely remove all the hacking stuff and rehack my 3DS on a good basis to avoid any problems.

Uninstall CFW is (potentially) asking for trouble (though it is pretty safe with all the tests and precautions on the guide). The "Start from scratch"-thing is just a detour and unnecessary work at best. There is even a nice page on The Guide for this:
https://3ds.hacks.guide/restoring-updating-cfw
And please don't skip the SD test mentioned above. Nobody feels like doing it, but it gives peace of mind.

I know it's pretty different but if you compare a 3DS to an android phone, for me a CFW for the 3ds is like a custom ROM for android, and if you have any problem with your android phone all you have to do is to flash the stock ROM and your phone is brand new. So maybe there is something similar to do with the 3DS, like restoring the stock 3DS firmware ...

A 3DS is not really comparable to an Android phone. You did not install a custom ROM - just a different bootloader that loads Luma3DS on each start automatically. Luma3DS offers new features and removes anti-features. Nothing but FIRM0/FIRM1 is touched by default on NAND (and some files get placed there to make the console still boot without SD.
There is no complete new operating system like LineageOS replacing the stock ROM. Wow, now it really pays off that I did something with Android despite I despise smartphones. Ahem. Back to topic: There is -- other than on Android -- no (intended) way for the end user to reinstall the operating system on a 3DS - consequently there is no (intended) way to overwrite it.

Factory reset ("Format System Memory") just throws away the user profile and installed games (and homebrew CIAs). This is basically useless unless you want to get rid of your games, saves, Miis, activity log...

 

[Igniis]

Hi again, thank you all for the advises, I managed to delete the CFW and rehack the 3DS. Now I'm wondering if there is a guide that tells you what not to do while running a CFW ? like don't uninstall this stuff or don't delete that thing, can I delete Pokémon Picross, etc ...
I can't find such a guide...

 

[Kwyjor]

I managed to delete the CFW and rehack the 3DS.

If you read @KleinesSinchen 's post, then you would know that this is one of the things you are not supposed to do. But it's too late for that now. Hopefully nothing got broken in the process.

like don't uninstall this stuff or don't delete that thing, can I delete Pokémon Picross, etc ...

Yes, you can remove Pokemon Picross. There aren't any guides saying that because it's kind of obvious. ;-)

Likewise, it should be kind of obvious that you shouldn't try to delete any system components. Never delete anything you don't recognize, even if it's named "?" or something similar.

As per @KleinesSinchen's useful signature, always back up your important files frequently. Use Checkpoint to export your save data. Try to avoid handling your SD card when it's not necessary; use wireless transfers instead.

In the unlikely event that Nintendo releases a new System Update, don't install it until you see confirmation online that it is safe to do so.

 

[Igniis]

Yeah it's too late but fortunately I tested my SD Card and followed the guide to the letter and nothing went wrong. I'm a stickler, that's why I prefer to completely restart from nothing rather than updating something I may had done wrong (even though there is no reason I would have done it wrong).

Also thanks for these additional explanations, I will be carefull not to delete unknown stuff.

 

[CoolMe]

Yeah it's too late but fortunately I tested my SD Card and followed the guide to the letter and nothing went wrong. I'm a stickler, that's why I prefer to completely restart from nothing rather than updating something I may had done wrong (even though there is no reason I would have done it wrong).

Also thanks for these additional explanations, I will be carefull not to delete unknown stuff.

Also don't mess around with stuff in either GodMode9 or FBI, other than the obvious stuff like installing/uninstalling a game etc.