I had previously modded my 3DS, and then I moved the files over to a 64gb SD card when I got it. But I kept getting errors regarding the SD card, and someone told me 64gb SD cards don't work in 3DSs, so I moved everything over to a 16gb card - but now my 3DS won't turn on - the blue light turns on briefly, but then turns off again, so I'm pretty sure it's an issue with the 3DS and the SD card. I tried it with another, a 4gb card, and the same thing happened. Does anyone know how I could fix this? I modded it a while ago, so it's stuck on Luma 9.1 and GM9 1.8.0. I tried replacing the gm9.firm, boot.firm and boot.3dsx with the latest ones from the githubs, but that didn't change anything. Can anyone help?
Hardware N3DS not recognising new SD card
- Thread starter moonBright_halcyonDays
- Start date
- Views 1,608
- Replies 5
- That's not true: 64 GB sized SD cards (and even above that size) are totally usable on a 3DS.
- Possibly the actual trouble with all your SD cards is because the format. Have in account that FAT32 format is mandatory. If you don't know how to format a SD card for 3DS, read this guide.
- On the other hand, I recommend to follow this exactly post.
*Sigh*
Where does this come from? Why do we get the "only blue light for a short time"-thing so often? Do people skip the CTRNAND Luma3DS part of the guide? Or does this come from shady YouTube/video guides? (Though the video guide authors, who shamelessly reproduce 3ds.hacks.guide, should be able to include this crucial step as well).
@moonBright_halcyonDays Have you tried without SD? If you followed a decent guide your 3DS should turn on without SD (while a defective SD or SD reader might cause B9S to shutdown even if boot.firm exists on CTRNAND).
Since you mentioned trying more than one SD… the problem might be worse (unless you formatted all the SDs wrong).
If the above method, quadruple reformat and testing the SDs with h2testw or F3, does not make your 3DS turn on with boot.firm on the SDs (try each card containing nothing but latest Luma3DS boot.firm after freshly formatting to FAT32), the console SD reader might have a problem like dirt or bent pins, in short: contact issues.
Cleaning the reader or even a replacement reader might be needed.
Try the software methods above first
If you are able to turn on the 3DS again, please copy latest boot.firm to CTRNAND like explained on the guide.
Lastly: The blue light on → off → nothing can have hardware reasons as well. On hardware damage (ribbons worn, bad connection) sometimes a popping sound can be heard when the console shuts off. The blue LED goes dark immediately while B9S shutting down lets it fade off. The difference is not easy to spot if you haven't seen both.
Where does this come from? Why do we get the "only blue light for a short time"-thing so often? Do people skip the CTRNAND Luma3DS part of the guide? Or does this come from shady YouTube/video guides? (Though the video guide authors, who shamelessly reproduce 3ds.hacks.guide, should be able to include this crucial step as well).
@moonBright_halcyonDays Have you tried without SD? If you followed a decent guide your 3DS should turn on without SD (while a defective SD or SD reader might cause B9S to shutdown even if boot.firm exists on CTRNAND).
Since you mentioned trying more than one SD… the problem might be worse (unless you formatted all the SDs wrong).
If the above method, quadruple reformat and testing the SDs with h2testw or F3, does not make your 3DS turn on with boot.firm on the SDs (try each card containing nothing but latest Luma3DS boot.firm after freshly formatting to FAT32), the console SD reader might have a problem like dirt or bent pins, in short: contact issues.
Cleaning the reader or even a replacement reader might be needed.
Try the software methods above first If you are able to turn on the 3DS again, please copy latest boot.firm to CTRNAND like explained on the guide.
Lastly: The blue light on → off → nothing can have hardware reasons as well. On hardware damage (ribbons worn, bad connection) sometimes a popping sound can be heard when the console shuts off. The blue LED goes dark immediately while B9S shutting down lets it fade off. The difference is not easy to spot if you haven't seen both.
Stick with 32gb micro sd if you can manage to install only what you actually want to play, it should be enough and spare you the errors... Had that constant hassle with legit eShop downloads failing here and there with 64gb once the card had been filled more than half the capacity three times in my "correct" 3DS formatting ordeal until called it QUIT. (Tried mini partition wizard, another easy something and finally on startup godmode formatting tool...)
at that point id of used H2testw to of made sure the 64gb card wasnt faulty or a fake card.
