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Hacking 3DS CFW?

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Bing1093

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So I’m completely new to CFW and I’m not sure what I’m getting into. My ultimate goal is to inject GBA and GB/GBC for competent and accurate emulation, but how exactly does CFW present itself? I’m planning on buying one of the flash carts with the magnets to do it since my supercard DStwo has a subpar GBA emulator.

I’ve installed HBC on many Wiis, and I know how that works: it’s a menu that you can add and remove various apps from.

Is 3DS CFW the same way?
Does it just add a new option to the home menu where I’ll be able to access apps I have installed, or will it completely change the way my system works? Like will I still have access to the 3DS home menu and such? Can I still play games from cartridges? How do I go about injecting ROMs to my system? Is there a specific app for it?

I’m very new to all this and just don’t want to mess anything up lol
 
Here's the abridged version.

A 3DS needs CFW (custom firmware) because it has so many more security checks than the Wii operation system did, for example. You could install the homebrew channel to the Wii because its security was basically a No Trespassing sign. CFW disables these security checks on the 3DS, among other things, to make the 3DS behave more like a Wii would. That way, you can do things like install a homebrew launcher on the 3DS like you did on the Wii. Without CFW, the 3DS would refuse to boot the homebrew launcher.

CFW is mostly behind the scenes changes to how your 3DS works, so you will still have the same home menu and whatnot. You mostly won't notice the difference. The main difference is things like applications and games you install manually through homebrew will work instead of refuse to launch.

You will still be able to do what you were able to do before on your 3DS. You will have access to a homebrew launcher that looks similar to the one on the Wii to be able to do similar things.
 
Lacius said:
Here's the abridged version.

A 3DS needs CFW (custom firmware) because it has so many more security checks than the Wii operation system did, for example. You could install the homebrew channel to the Wii because its security was basically a No Trespassing sign. CFW disables these security checks on the 3DS, among other things, to make the 3DS behave more like a Wii would. That way, you can do things like install a homebrew launcher on the 3DS like you did on the Wii. Without CFW, the 3DS would refuse to boot the homebrew launcher.

CFW is mostly behind the scenes changes to how your 3DS works, so you will still have the same home menu and whatnot. You mostly won't notice the difference. The main difference is things like applications and games you install manually through homebrew will work instead of refuse to launch.

You will still be able to do what you were able to do before on your 3DS. You will have access to a homebrew launcher that looks similar to the one on the Wii to be able to do similar things.
Click to expand...
Ok that makes a lot more sense.
So it’s kinda similar to installing CIOS’ on a Wii to run USB loafers in that I shouldn’t have to meddle with the actual CFW itself once it’s installed?
I just get the homebrew launcher and from there, it’s whatever apps I want to use.
And I assume that GBA and GB/GBC rom injection is done through a homebrew app?
 
Bing1093 said:
Ok that makes a lot more sense.
So it’s kinda similar to installing CIOS’ on a Wii to run USB loafers in that I shouldn’t have to meddle with the actual CFW itself once it’s installed?
I just get the homebrew launcher and from there, it’s whatever apps I want to use.
And I assume that GBA and GB/GBC rom injection is done through a homebrew app?
Click to expand...
No, that's not a good comparison. CFW (custom firmware) just means an application that loads before your operation system and patches it before the operation system loads. So, for example, your 3DS normally boots like this (super abridged version):
  • Turn on 3DS --> operating system loads --> OS loads security checks --> home menu loads
With CFW, it goes like this:
  • Turn on 3DS --> CFW loads --> CFW loads the OS without loading the security checks --> home menu loads
The same 3DS software is being loaded when you turn on the 3DS. It's just that something loads first to disable parts of it.
 
Lacius said:
No, that's not a good comparison. CFW (custom firmware) just means an application that loads before your operation system and patches it before the operation system loads. So, for example, your 3DS normally boots like this (super abridged version):
  • Turn on 3DS --> operating system loads --> OS loads security checks --> home menu loads
With CFW, it goes like this:
  • Turn on 3DS --> CFW loads --> CFW loads the OS without loading the security checks --> home menu loads
The same 3DS software is being loaded when you turn on the 3DS. It's just that something loads first to disable parts of it.
Click to expand...
Ok that sounds exactly like what I need. Thank you so much for your abridged descriptions. I get so confused reading every detail sometimes lol :)

Are there different kinds of CFW (I think I’ve heard of Luma being one) or just one, and are there any tutorials you could show me on how to install the homebrew launcher and apps? I know with the HBC on the Wii you just put your apps in the “apps” folder, but I don’t know if it will be the same here. I’ve already located a VC injector program that will hopefully give me the results I need :)
 
Bing1093 said:
Ok that makes a lot more sense.
So it’s kinda similar to installing CIOS’ on a Wii to run USB loafers in that I shouldn’t have to meddle with the actual CFW itself once it’s installed?
I just get the homebrew launcher and from there, it’s whatever apps I want to use.
And I assume that GBA and GB/GBC rom injection is done through a homebrew app?
Click to expand...
once you have a cfw you only need to access the homebrew launcher if the homebrew app you want to run doesn't have a cia file (like an exe to install a program but for 3ds) version available for it, you need to install those files into your 3ds to run these apps by using a homebrew app called FBI (if you follow the 3dsguide you will have this app installed on your 3ds), the apps you install will look just like a normal app in your home menu, you need to make a cia file for every game you want to inject.
 
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Bing1093 said:
Ok that sounds exactly like what I need. Thank you so much for your abridged descriptions. I get so confused reading every detail sometimes lol :)

Are there different kinds of CFW (I think I’ve heard of Luma being one) or just one, and are there any tutorials you could show me on how to install the homebrew launcher and apps? I know with the HBC on the Wii you just put your apps in the “apps” folder, but I don’t know if it will be the same here. I’ve already located a VC injector program that will hopefully give me the results I need :)
Click to expand...
well its up to you on how you want to install cfw because currently for the latest firmware there is no entirely software based setup your choices are spend 2$ on a DSIWare game and do something called seedminer you could hardmod the system by taking it apart and making a nand reader/writer or finally you could use NTRboot which requires a compatible flashcart essentially it flashes a custom firmware on the cart itself which will allow you to boot into the B9S installer on the 3ds itself B9S is the thing that loads the cfw on boot

SeedMiner: https://jisagi.github.io/SeedminerGuide/
Hardmod: https://3ds.hacks.guide/installing-boot9strap-(hardmod)
NTRBoot: https://3ds.hacks.guide/ntrboot
 
Last edited by RyanTheArchivist,
I did mine a week or so ago and decided on the seedminer method. a couple of dollars is not a lot to spend on hacking it and purely software based hacks are harder to get wrong then messing about with flash carts and magnets.
 
Most of the gamecart emulators are quite good and run extremely well but not as good as what the homebrew launched or cia installed emulators do, what I would suggest is once you've finished installing lumacfw and homebrew etc... is that you install 3dsx emulators into the homebrew menu or as a cia and run them directly from the system menu.

Search for a thread "[Tutorial]The Homebrew Launcher Emulators all-in-one Noob's Guide (SNES/GB/GBC/GBA/NES)" specifically addressing homebrew launcher emulators

Installed onto the sysmenu I have virtuanes, snes9x and picodrive(master system and megadrive) via cia installs and have them in the 3ds folder on my sdcard with the 3dsx files to run through homebrew. I also have Genesis Plus Gx(Retroarch 3ds) in the homebrew folder to run game Gear emulation as picodrive doesn't support Game Gear for some reason.

I've no idea how well the GB/GBA emulators run as most of good titles are available through the Nintendo eshop and can be installed as "virtual console" titles.

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

f0xrolder said:
Most of the gamecart emulators are quite good and run extremely well but not as good as what the homebrew launched or cia installed emulators do, what I would suggest is once you've finished installing lumacfw and homebrew etc... is that you install 3dsx emulators into the homebrew menu or as a cia and run them directly from the system menu.

Search for a thread "[Tutorial]The Homebrew Launcher Emulators all-in-one Noob's Guide (SNES/GB/GBC/GBA/NES)" specifically addressing homebrew launcher emulators

Installed onto the sysmenu I have virtuanes, snes9x and picodrive(master system and megadrive) via cia installs and have them in the 3ds folder on my sdcard with the 3dsx files to run through homebrew. I also have Genesis Plus Gx(Retroarch 3ds) in the homebrew folder to run game Gear emulation as picodrive doesn't support Game Gear for some reason.

I've no idea how well the GB/GBA emulators run as most of good titles are available through the Nintendo eshop and can be installed as "virtual console" titles.
Click to expand...

Sorry can't link as I'm a new member and created this account to reply specifically to this thread!
 
f0xrolder said:
Most of the gamecart emulators are quite good and run extremely well but not as good as what the homebrew launched or cia installed emulators do, what I would suggest is once you've finished installing lumacfw and homebrew etc... is that you install 3dsx emulators into the homebrew menu or as a cia and run them directly from the system menu.

Search for a thread "[Tutorial]The Homebrew Launcher Emulators all-in-one Noob's Guide (SNES/GB/GBC/GBA/NES)" specifically addressing homebrew launcher emulators

Installed onto the sysmenu I have virtuanes, snes9x and picodrive(master system and megadrive) via cia installs and have them in the 3ds folder on my sdcard with the 3dsx files to run through homebrew. I also have Genesis Plus Gx(Retroarch 3ds) in the homebrew folder to run game Gear emulation as picodrive doesn't support Game Gear for some reason.

I've no idea how well the GB/GBA emulators run as most of good titles are available through the Nintendo eshop and can be installed as "virtual console" titles.

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



Sorry can't link as I'm a new member and created this account to reply specifically to this thread!
Click to expand...

Best bet for GBA is VC injection. That way you avoid emulation entirely and they run perfectly.
 
Last edited by spectral,
spectral said:
Best bet for GBA is VC injection. That way you avoid emulation entirely and they run perfectly.
Click to expand...

I’m just planning on doing gameboy gameboy color and GBA for now so as long as I can use VC injections I should be fine.

Is there any advantage in using the flashcart method vs the seeminer method? $2 is a lot cheaper than. $20 for a flash cart lol
 
Bing1093 said:
I’m just planning on doing gameboy gameboy color and GBA for now so as long as I can use VC injections I should be fine.

Is there any advantage in using the flashcart method vs the seeminer method? $2 is a lot cheaper than. $20 for a flash cart lol
Click to expand...
you can only choose the seedminer option if you have a second hacked 3ds with cfw and a legally installed dsiware.
 
goto 3ds hacks guide and start there, select your model/console and check what system version it's on and work out best method, never know you might be able to go easy route using soundhax method!

Can't post links sorry
 
Last edited by f0xrolder,
f0xrolder said:
goto 3ds hacks guide and start there, select your model/console and check what system version it's on and work out best method, never know you moght be able to go easy route using soundhax method!

Can't post links sorry
Click to expand...
That’s fine!

Btw, with the flashcart method, do I have to use that flash cart every time I want to use any homebrew apps?

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

Bing1093 said:
That’s fine!

Btw, with the flashcart method, do I have to use that flash cart every time I want to use any homebrew apps?
Click to expand...
Or does everything as far as apps just get installed to the systems SD card?
 

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