Hacking Stuck in Fastboot3DS menu, cannot boot to regular 3DS Screen

valiantheart18 · Feb 6, 2019

OK, so my original SD card got corrupted, and I didn't want to go through and replace the CFW and homebrew software and I found this: 3ds CFW: Restoring functionality on a new SD card. Put it all on my SD card, and all worked fine.

After a few days, I wanted to update B9S. So I, being the naive person that I am, decided to launch OPENFIRMINSTALLER instead of SafeB9SInstaller. They looked the same to me, and at the time I didn't know Fastboot3DS was on the SD card. I installed it, and now I am stuck on the Fastboot3DS screen, with NO WAY OF LAUNCHING LUMA3DS! Not to mention that the SD card will not mount, and every time I try to get into the NAND, it freezes up completely.

So, yeah. I'm stuck.

TL;DR: I need help.

TurdPooCharger · Feb 6, 2019

You have to select boot.firm found on SD card and/or NAND.

valiantheart18 · Feb 6, 2019

TurdPooCharger said:
You have to select boot.firm found on SD card and/or NAND.

But the SD card will not mount. Also, the NAND freezes up the console when selecting it.

TurdPooCharger · Feb 6, 2019

valiantheart18 said:
But the SD card will not mount. Also, the NAND freezes up the console when selecting it.

Did you copy everything off your SD card, reformatted it in FAT32 + 32 KB cluster size, and full Write + Verify the empty card in H2testw?

If your SD card corrupted before using that CFW starter kit, that leaves open the question something is wrong with the card itself, and the 3DS can't read/write to it.

valiantheart18 · Feb 6, 2019

I did everything you said, and the card is still readable in Windows 10.

TurdPooCharger · Feb 7, 2019

valiantheart18 said:
I did everything you said, and the card is still readable in Windows 10.

Readable on Windows 10 doesn't equate to a fully functional SD card. If your 3DS cannot read or write to the SD card, try a different card.

Here's a more thorough instruction in formatting and checking:

Copy everything off your SD card.
Reformat the SD card with MiniTool Partition Wizard (free edition) with these settings:

Format: FAT32
Cluster Size: 32 KB
Partition: Primary
Disk: MBR

MiniTool Partition Wizard Software Tutorial Guide

Delete Partition
Initialize to MBR Disk -or- Convert GPT to MBR Disk (if it's in GPT Disk)
Rebuild MBR
Create a New Partition [ Create as: Primary | File System: FAT32 | Cluster Size: 32 KB ]

3. Full Write + Verify the empty card in H2testw (mentioning this again in the off chance you skipped this step).
4. If the card passes, delete the *.h2w test files. If an error was reported, replace the hardware failed card and go back to step 1. Do not use a faulty SD card.
5. Build a temporary setup again with the CFW starter kit, or create your own from scratch if you don't like it...

***

You have to somehow get fastboot3ds to read off your SD card or launch a *.firm like Luma3DS or GodMode9 off of the NAND.

Try this:

[+] Boot setup... → [✓] Setup [slot 1]... → [✓] Select [slot 1] firm → sdmc:/boot.firm (Luma3DS v9.1 - 182.0 KiB, if placed on card root)
[✓] Set [slot 1] autoboot

and similarly for Luma3DS v9.1 found on SYSNAND,

[+] Boot setup... → [✓] Setup [slot 2]... → [✓] Select [slot 2] firm → nand:/boot.firm
[✓] Set [slot 2] autoboot

***

If you did not scan and tested that emptied out SD card with H2testw, you can further softbrick the 3DS using a bad card doing the following.

If you're still using the CFW starter kit and you still have the boot9strap folder, you can direct fastboot3ds to boot SafeB9SInstaller and reflash B9S:

[+] Boot setup... → [✓] Setup [slot 3]... → [✓] Select [slot 3] firm → sdmc:/luma/payloads/SafeB9SInstaller.firm (v0.0.7 - 92.0 kiB)
[+] Boot menu... → [+] Boot [slot 3]...

There's also SysNAND restoration:

Turn on the 3DS and hold (HOME) button to access fastboot3ds.
Go to [+] NAND tools... → [+] Restore NAND → sdmc:/.../######_XX########_sysnand_000.bin → Press (A) and (LEFT) d-pad.
- This will restore the SysNAND while leaving alone the FIRM0/1, which contains fastboot3ds.

The [-] Restore NAND (forced) option isn't available unless you have dev mode enabled... If for whatever reason you wish to force restore a SysNAND alongside its boot9strap, it comes with the risk of super soft bricking the system if the SD card and NAND *.bin image are not perfect. Unfortunately (or fortunately as this can be misused), knowledge of accessing fastboot3ds dev mode is not publicly or widely known.

valiantheart18 · Feb 10, 2019

TurdPooCharger said:
Readable on Windows 10 doesn't equate to a fully functional SD card. If your 3DS cannot read or write to the SD card, try a different card.

Here's a more thorough instruction in formatting and checking:

Copy everything off your SD card.

Reformat the SD card with MiniTool Partition Wizard (free edition) with these settings:

Format: FAT32

Cluster Size: 32 KB

Partition: Primary

Disk: MBR

MiniTool Partition Wizard Software Tutorial Guide

Delete Partition

Initialize to MBR Disk -or- Convert GPT to MBR Disk (if it's in GPT Disk)

Rebuild MBR

Create a New Partition [ Create as: Primary | File System: FAT32 | Cluster Size: 32 KB ]

3. Full Write + Verify the empty card in H2testw (mentioning this again in the off chance you skipped this step).
4. If the card passes, delete the *.h2w test files. If an error was reported, replace the hardware failed card and go back to step 1. Do not use a faulty SD card.
5. Build a temporary setup again with the CFW starter kit, or create your own from scratch if you don't like it...

***

You have to somehow get fastboot3ds to read off your SD card or launch a *.firm like Luma3DS or GodMode9 off of the NAND.

Try this:

[+] Boot setup... → [✓] Setup [slot 1]... → [✓] Select [slot 1] firm → sdmc:/boot.firm (Luma3DS v9.1 - 182.0 KiB, if placed on card root)

[✓] Set [slot 1] autoboot

and similarly for Luma3DS v9.1 found on SYSNAND,

[+] Boot setup... → [✓] Setup [slot 2]... → [✓] Select [slot 2] firm → nand:/boot.firm

[✓] Set [slot 2] autoboot

***

If you did not scan and tested that emptied out SD card with H2testw, you can further softbrick the 3DS using a bad card doing the following.

If you're still using the CFW starter kit and you still have the boot9strap folder, you can direct fastboot3ds to boot SafeB9SInstaller and reflash B9S:

[+] Boot setup... → [✓] Setup [slot 3]... → [✓] Select [slot 2] firm → sdmc:/luma/payloads/SafeB9SInstaller.firm (v0.0.7 - 92.0 kiB)

[+] Boot menu... → [+] Boot [slot 3]...

There's also SysNAND restoration:

Turn on the 3DS and hold (HOME) button to access fastboot3ds.

Go to [+] NAND tools... → [+] Restore NAND → sdmc:/.../######_XX########_sysnand_000.bin → Press (A) and (LEFT) d-pad.

This will restore the SysNAND while leaving alone the FIRM0/1, which contains fastboot3ds.

The [-] Restore NAND (forced) option isn't available unless you have dev mode enabled... If for whatever reason you wish to force restore a SysNAND alongside its boot9strap, it comes with the risk of super soft bricking the system if the SD card and NAND *.bin image are not perfect. Unfortunately (or fortunately as this can be misused), knowledge of accessing fastboot3ds dev mode is not publicly or widely known.

Sorry that I took so long to respond.

I finally fixed it. Thank you for your help.

P.S. The way to get to Dev mode is to go to the credits screen, and do the Konami code.

TurdPooCharger · Feb 10, 2019

valiantheart18 said:
Sorry that I took so long to respond.

I finally fixed it. Thank you for your help.

P.S. The way to get to Dev mode is to go to the credits screen, and do the Konami code.

Thanks. I like how it says you're now a dev when you punch in the code. LOL.

What was preventing your 3DS from booting a *.firm payload? I hope your first run in with fastboot3ds didn't put you off from using it. You can make it function like boot9strap by using quiet boot and pointing SLOTS 1 and 2 towards the SD and CTRNAND Luma3DS boot.firm.

valiantheart18 · Feb 10, 2019

TurdPooCharger said:
Thanks. I like how it says you're now a dev when you punch in the code. LOL.

What was preventing your 3DS from booting a *.firm payload? I hope your first run in with fastboot3ds didn't put you off from using it. You can make it function like boot9strap by using quiet boot and pointing SLOTS 1 and 2 towards the SD and CTRNAND Luma3DS boot.firm.

The SD card turned out to be broken, as you said. I ordered a new one and it worked perfectly.

fastboot3DS is what I'm using now. I set it on quiet mode, so it will boot up like boot9strap.

TurdPooCharger · Feb 10, 2019

valiantheart18 said:
The SD card turned out to be broken, as you said. I ordered a new one and it worked perfectly.

I'm a stickler for the long term reliability of SD cards. When you got your replacement card, did you check it with H2testw?

valiantheart18 · Feb 10, 2019

TurdPooCharger said:
I'm a stickler for the long term reliability of SD cards. When you got your replacement card, did you check it with H2testw?

Yep. All tests worked out okay.

Hacking Stuck in Fastboot3DS menu, cannot boot to regular 3DS Screen

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