Hacking 3ds bricked with no NandBackup

Arsal

Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Sep 11, 2021
Messages
10
Trophies
0
Age
33
XP
34
Country
United States
Hey so i have a 3ds that has been bricked quite a while back and i just stumbled upon it again this morning. It does not have a nand backup and the reason was I think when I was trying to install cfw a while ago I did not have enough space on the sd card and ended up trying to install without a nand backup which caused me to panic and most likely deleted some things on the 3ds sd card. Anyways it turns on but does not play any games when I put a game in the card slot. It brings up a message saying, "An error occured please turn off the power" Anyone got any ideas if this is fixable or not? If need be I can provide more details.
 

KleinesSinchen

GBAtemp's Backup Reminder + Fearless Testing Sina
Member
GBAtemp Patron
Joined
Mar 28, 2018
Messages
4,385
Trophies
2
XP
14,772
Country
Germany
Can you open GodMode9 by holding (Start) on power on?
Do you have access to Luma3DS settings by holding (Select) on power on? If yes: What version?

Do errors pop up for both DS and 3DS games?
How about installed software on SD (homebrew applications and commercial games)?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Alexander1970

Arsal

Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Sep 11, 2021
Messages
10
Trophies
0
Age
33
XP
34
Country
United States
Can you open GodMode9 by holding (Start) on power on?
Do you have access to Luma3DS settings by holding (Select) on power on? If yes: What version?

Do errors pop up for both DS and 3DS games?
How about installed software on SD (homebrew applications and commercial games)?

I do have access to Luma3DS on selecting start while powering on the version is 7.0.5. I do not have access to godmode by holding start. Errors do pop up for both 3DS and Ds games. Errors do not pop up on installed software, I do not however have any homebrew applications on the 3DS but software such as eshop or mii plaza work
 

KleinesSinchen

GBAtemp's Backup Reminder + Fearless Testing Sina
Member
GBAtemp Patron
Joined
Mar 28, 2018
Messages
4,385
Trophies
2
XP
14,772
Country
Germany
Please test your SD with h2testw or F3 to make sure you don't have a bad or fake SD.

Before attempting any further troubleshooting please upgrade to B9S:
https://3ds.hacks.guide/a9lh-to-b9s

After that backup the NAND, even if you suspect the software to be damaged.


Next would be testing SD installed titles (the finalizing part will install certain homebrew CIA files). You should install a small 3DS game for testing purposes. Try dumping a 3DS game with GodMode9.

I'll log out for today.

Good luck and have fun!
 
Last edited by KleinesSinchen,

Arsal

Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Sep 11, 2021
Messages
10
Trophies
0
Age
33
XP
34
Country
United States
I updated to Bs9 I also forgot to mention my firmware for the 3ds which my 3ds is currently stuck on is 2.1.0-4U and will not update to a higher firmware. I probably should have said that before as that might be what is the causing the issue. But if anyone can help out with this that would be great.
 
Last edited by Arsal,

Arsal

Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Sep 11, 2021
Messages
10
Trophies
0
Age
33
XP
34
Country
United States
Another update, I tried to do some steps the 3ds hack guide said about updating the firmware from 2.1.0-4U, I clicked on connections and then suddenly both my top screen and bottom screen turned black. The system shut off I then proceeded to boot it again, it goes to the home menu but the screen is still black. I feel like this 3Ds maybe a lost cause I'm not sure but if there is any ways to fix this issue which I'm 90% this isn't a hardware issue as well as the firmware update please someone contact me.
 

lone_wolf323

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
May 27, 2011
Messages
5,461
Trophies
2
XP
4,886
Country
Canada
Another update, I tried to do some steps the 3ds hack guide said about updating the firmware from 2.1.0-4U, I clicked on connections and then suddenly both my top screen and bottom screen turned black. The system shut off I then proceeded to boot it again, it goes to the home menu but the screen is still black. I feel like this 3Ds maybe a lost cause I'm not sure but if there is any ways to fix this issue which I'm 90% this isn't a hardware issue as well as the firmware update please someone contact me.
Its a problem with being half way done a a9lh install. That guide mentioned needing a proper nand backup which would get installed once done with the 2.1.0 firmware. You may need to try one the 11.5 ctrtransfers as a troubleshooting for this.
 

Arsal

Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Sep 11, 2021
Messages
10
Trophies
0
Age
33
XP
34
Country
United States
I updated to Bs9 I also forgot to mention my firmware for the 3ds which my 3ds is currently stuck on is 2.1.0-4U and will not update to a higher firmware. I probably should have said that before as that might be what is the causing the issue. But if anyone can help out with this that would be great.
Its a problem with being half way done a a9lh install. That guide mentioned needing a proper nand backup which would get installed once done with the 2.1.0 firmware. You may need to try one the 11.5 ctrtransfers as a troubleshooting for this.
Do you have a link for the guide?
 

Arsal

Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Sep 11, 2021
Messages
10
Trophies
0
Age
33
XP
34
Country
United States
Its a problem with being half way done a a9lh install. That guide mentioned needing a proper nand backup which would get installed once done with the 2.1.0 firmware. You may need to try one the 11.5 ctrtransfers as a troubleshooting for this.
Is making the 3ds become a black screen also a problem with a9lh being halfway installed?
 

lone_wolf323

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
May 27, 2011
Messages
5,461
Trophies
2
XP
4,886
Country
Canada
Is making the 3ds become a black screen also a problem with a9lh being halfway installed?
Ya. you need to stay on 2.1.0 and restore the nand backup that was made. Im not sure if this will get it fixed. If anything, There will be ntrboot that you may need to look at.
 

Arsal

Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Sep 11, 2021
Messages
10
Trophies
0
Age
33
XP
34
Country
United States
Ya. you need to stay on 2.1.0 and restore the nand backup that was made. Im not sure if this will get it fixed. If anything, There will be ntrboot that you may need to look at.
thats my issue the nand backup, I do not have one so i cannot leave the 2.1.0 firmware
 

lone_wolf323

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
May 27, 2011
Messages
5,461
Trophies
2
XP
4,886
Country
Canada
thats my issue the nand backup, I do not have one so i cannot leave the 2.1.0 firmware
thats what the ctrtransfer is for. Its one where its not console unique which would cause problems otherwise. if it dont work, then I am not sure what else to say about the console.
 

Arsal

Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Sep 11, 2021
Messages
10
Trophies
0
Age
33
XP
34
Country
United States
Ya. you need to stay on 2.1.0 and restore the nand backup that was made. Im not sure if this will get it fixed. If anything, There will be ntrboot that you may need to look at.
Also the Old 3DS or 2DS - 11.5.0 - USA - CTRTransfer link does not work. Doesn't take me anywhere

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

thats what the ctrtransfer is for. Its one where its not console unique which would cause problems otherwise. if it dont work, then I am not sure what else to say about the console.
Oh alright the link on the website does not work however.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

thats what the ctrtransfer is for. Its one where its not console unique which would cause problems otherwise. if it dont work, then I am not sure what else to say about the console.
Sorry realized my mistake with the link
 

Arsal

Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Sep 11, 2021
Messages
10
Trophies
0
Age
33
XP
34
Country
United States
thats what the ctrtransfer is for. Its one where its not console unique which would cause problems otherwise. if it dont work, then I am not sure what else to say about the console.
So i'm at the part where I turn my 3ds on while holding start but the screen is still black.... Guess its a no go then as I can't see where to do the steps.
 

KleinesSinchen

GBAtemp's Backup Reminder + Fearless Testing Sina
Member
GBAtemp Patron
Joined
Mar 28, 2018
Messages
4,385
Trophies
2
XP
14,772
Country
Germany
What happened here??
Updating a 2.1 downgraded device does not work, especially if it is from the "new" series (it is the firmware for old devices and will not update correctly). You should have mentioned the downgrade before – I would have told you not to try online update.

A9LH installation worked this way (hope I got this right, I came later to 3DS modding):
  • Using exploit chain for getting access
  • Backup NAND
  • Downgrade to 2.1 with CTRTransfer in Decrypt9
  • Use exploit for getting A9LH installed (requiring the OTP that was accessible by a bug in 2.1)
  • Safe NAND restore preserving A9LH bootloader but restoring the firmware
The last step is important as a normal update doesn't work. Any A9LH guide should have mentioned the importance of the personal backup which must not be skipped under any circumstances.
================

Please clarify:
Was the upgrade to B9S successful? Could you access GodMode9 at some point?
Do Luma3DS settings still come up by holding (Select) on power on – hopefully latest version?
If B9S is installed it should boot into latest Luma and GodMode9 (which needs to be in SD:/luma/payloads) no matter how damaged the official firmware is.

:!: Whatever you do, don't try to run the uninstall CFW script. That would be the worst at this point.

A normal 11.5 CTRTransfer with GodMode9 will most likely not fix the issue. CTRTransfer Type D9 should do. The script expects the (in your case non-existent) NAND image from before the A9LH installation for easy recovery but should be able to fix the brick anyway (if treated like 8046 bootrom error).
 
  • Like
Reactions: lone_wolf323

Arsal

Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Sep 11, 2021
Messages
10
Trophies
0
Age
33
XP
34
Country
United States
What happened here??
Updating a 2.1 downgraded device does not work, especially if it is from the "new" series (it is the firmware for old devices and will not update correctly). You should have mentioned the downgrade before – I would have told you not to try online update.

A9LH installation worked this way (hope I got this right, I came later to 3DS modding):
  • Using exploit chain for getting access
  • Backup NAND
  • Downgrade to 2.1 with CTRTransfer in Decrypt9
  • Use exploit for getting A9LH installed (requiring the OTP that was accessible by a bug in 2.1)
  • Safe NAND restore preserving A9LH bootloader but restoring the firmware
The last step is important as a normal update doesn't work. Any A9LH guide should have mentioned the importance of the personal backup which must not be skipped under any circumstances.
================

Please clarify:
Was the upgrade to B9S successful? Could you access GodMode9 at some point?
Do Luma3DS settings still come up by holding (Select) on power on – hopefully latest version?
If B9S is installed it should boot into latest Luma and GodMode9 (which needs to be in SD:/luma/payloads) no matter how damaged the official firmware is.
Well the 3ds actually had a hardware issue, it powers to home menu but the screen is black on both screens. I've had someone else help me out with it and it determined the 3ds was most likely on its last leg as the backlight seemed to be working fine but another issue with the screen in general is present.

:!: Whatever you do, don't try to run the uninstall CFW script. That would be the worst at this point.

A normal 11.5 CTRTransfer with GodMode9 will most likely not fix the issue. CTRTransfer Type D9 should do. The script expects the (in your case non-existent) NAND image from before the A9LH installation for easy recovery but should be able to fix the brick anyway (if treated like 8046 bootrom error).
 

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • A @ anotherthing:
    Online was free on the 3DS as well, and it worked well.
    +1
  • S @ salazarcosplay:
    I can't help but think nintendo switch online is the reason we did not get a gameboy/n64/gamecube
    mini classic edition
    +1
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    @salazarcosplay, i think it would have been impossible to see anything in a gameboy mini
  • S @ salazarcosplay:
    well I meant that as a figure of speech
  • S @ salazarcosplay:
    they could just rerelease a modern gameboy
  • S @ salazarcosplay:
    like the pocket analogue
  • S @ salazarcosplay:
    but nintendo licensed
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    dammit that thread got moved from offtopic to edge, well since that happened
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    @LeoTCK, atleast it's still avaliable
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    yes but it wasn't meant to be a comedy thread
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    and edge of the forum is mostly comedy and games
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    so I don't get why it got moved at all
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    @LeoTCK, mods are probably hating you
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    on most sites mods hated me, sooner or later, but usually over time I get either banned or the mods get used to me
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    sometimes to the point of thanking me for my quick actions etc against spam and other stuff, but yea...its either they come to respect me or outright hate me
    +1
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    If it's not game related, it will be moved to the Egde of the forum. Mods have moved a few of my threads also.
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    @BigOnYa, it was in the off topic chat forum
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Well atleast they didn't delete it completely.
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    hmm
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    uoiea
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    huh?
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    Aeiou backwards
    Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty: Aeiou backwards