Hacking 3DS NOOB PARADISE - Ask questions here

[Doble-J]

I need some help with a couple of things about A9LH:

-Someone on this thread said that I can still play my GBA cias after doing certain things. For the record I was able to play them without installing them to both Nands nor using the special patch, I assume it was because of my linked Nands. Can someone tell me how to fix this?

-Also apparently after I install A9LH I can't play out of regions games, just realized yesterday when trying to play an EUR version of VVVVVV on my USA 3DS. I assume there is also a way to fix this, if not I can just look for the right Cias. Is there anything I can do?

Those are my only two problems at the moment, I'll probably post again if someone explains to me what to do.

 

[Alphageek89]

I would like to be able to run GBA/DS emulator on my 3DS XL. However, I know latest system patches are hard to break. I am currently on the latest(11.0.0-33u). I would like to know if it would be possible for me to do this with my system. I do not wanna spend a lot but the least involved way would be nice as well. I am also interested in learning. Would I need a flashcart for this objective? Or since I only wanna be able to run GBA/DS games can I get away without one? While this is my primary goal I would also like something that would give me plenty of features and room to grow. Like installing homebrew apps I may find in future and maybe even running 3DS games.

Thank to anyone that can answer these questions for me.

 

[Baptmario]

It freezes in 11.0 EmuNAND rxtools

 

[Swiftloke]

I would like to be able to run GBA/DS emulator on my 3DS XL. However, I know latest system patches are hard to break. I am currently on the latest(11.0.0-33u). I would like to know if it would be possible for me to do this with my system. I do not wanna spend a lot but the least involved way would be nice as well. I am also interested in learning. Would I need a flashcart for this objective? Or since I only wanna be able to run GBA/DS games can I get away without one? While this is my primary goal I would also like something that would give me plenty of features and room to grow. Like installing homebrew apps I may find in future and maybe even running 3DS games.

Thank to anyone that can answer these questions for me.

A dstwo could probably help you out here, unfortunately at this time there are no software-based solutions avalible.

 

[kylster]

Luma3DS is the defacto standard. Everything else is no longer developed. There is also SaltFW for a9lh only, and Corbenik for developers.

What's is the benefit/disadvantage to having a CFW vs just downgrading and using a flash card or will I need both technically? I noticed flash cards work with CFW or at least that's hat I read on the wiki.

 

[Temptress Cerise]

What's is the benefit/disadvantage to having a CFW vs just downgrading and using a flash card or will I need both technically? I noticed flash cards work with CFW or at least that's hat I read on the wiki.

You are starting to confuse things, I think. So let me see if I can clear things up.

We need to downgrade so we can setup CFW. Whether that's by Menuhax+RedNAND//EmuNAND or by A9LH. The choice comes down to the user and how much time the user wants to invest into it. With A9LH taking longer to setup, but having benefits such as 100% bootrate, brick protection, etc. With Menuhax, the bootrate isn't 100%, on some systems it can be horrible (I've had a 10~% menuhax system) or it can be average or good enough, but you need to maintain an EmuNAND//RedNAND, to be able to play online, the benefits to a menuhax+rednand//emunand setup, are pretty much that you could keep your SysNAND clean, and that it should be easier to setup than A9LH, but that's really where the benefits ends.

Now on to flashcarts. For DS Games, we need DS Flashcarts, since we have no real reliable way of playing DS Games out of the box, there is a DS Emulator in the works, but it'll probably end up being exclusive to New3DS only. So why might the wiki mention DS flashcarts? Well, some of them won't work without CFW, as they are too old. Newer flashcarts should work right of of the box without the need of CFW. But older models, if you have any, you'll probably need CFW to get them to work.

Then we have 3DS Flashcarts, for you guessed it, .3DS rom dumps. Now, probably the only 2 you should concern yourself with are Gateway3DS and Sky3DS+, with Gateway3DS requiring you to be on an exploitable system firmware such as 9.2, thus making it pretty pointless. While Sky3DS+ works out of the box on stock//vanilla firmware, up to 11.0.0-33. So the Sky3DS+ does not require or need CFW at all.

If you're going to downgrade, then you are basically looking to setup CFW, regardless of what method you choose. Menuhax+EmuNAND//RedNAND or A9LH. In the case of a Gateway3DS flashcart, you'd have to downgrade. While in the case of a Sky3DS+ you don't, but then you'd have to worry about your Private Header, and you are limited to retail cartridge dumps only. So no eshop only titles or any of the benefits of having CFW.

As for DS Flashcarts, if you buy a recent one, it shouldn't need CFW, but if you have an old one, more than likely you'll need CFW to see if it works.

 

[Arithmatics]

can anyone just quickly confirm or dispel my understanding about A9LH? I posted earlier but it drowned


1)A9LH is an exploit that turns your sysnand into cfw-sysnand
2) a9lh allows you to update your cfw-encrusted sysnand to the latest Nintendo firmware no matter what and when and you don't have to worry about compatibility issues like if it was updating emunand.
3) a9lh requires you to be on 9.2 to start the process, but, when successfully completed means that you can just press update firmware in sysnand settings.
4) a9lh doesn't have a "layer of cfw" like emunand is to sysnand
5) this means that when booting it will ALWAYS be booting cfw sysnand and no longer and never ever a stock Nintendo sysnand


Thanks

 

[SS4]

I was looking to buy a power saves on amazon.ca but i found different priced versions, will they work just as fine to dump the rom?

This is the regular one i believe: https://www.amazon.ca/3DS-Action-Re...ef_=asc_df_B00CQ9L1Z64377386&tag=shopbotca-20

Now there is a pro version that is cheaper : https://www.amazon.ca/Action-Replay...ef_=asc_df_B017CEKYFM4374366&tag=shopbotca-20

And even cheaper with a different name though: https://www.amazon.ca/Datel-Action-Pokemon-Customisation-Nintendo/dp/B015NMEWFI/ref=pd_sim_sbs_21_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=51GspID9FWL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR109,160_&refRID=YPP34698H2J1543FWNHK

All 3 are made by Datel and say they are action replay for the 3DS so anyone know for sure if the 20 bux one would serve my purpose of extracting private headers for my Sky3ds+ ?

 

[ihaveahax]

1)A9LH is an exploit that turns your sysnand into cfw-sysnand

pretty much. a9lh runs at boot time (less than 1 second after pressing power)

2) a9lh allows you to update your cfw-encrusted sysnand to the latest Nintendo firmware no matter what and when and you don't have to worry about compatibility issues like if it was updating emunand.

yes, most custom firmwares prevent updates from overwriting a9lh in the NAND

3) a9lh requires you to be on 9.2 to start the process, but, when successfully completed means that you can just press update firmware in sysnand settings.

9.0/9.2 yes. you'd be able to update sysnand at the end.

4) a9lh doesn't have a "layer of cfw" like emunand is to sysnand

it does; you would use Luma3DS or whatnot. a9lh is just an exploit that runs a payload from the SD card. later it will actually be able to run standalone, without anything on the SD card (or without an SD card at all). but that's better for special cases.

5) this means that when booting it will ALWAYS be booting cfw sysnand and no longer and never ever a stock Nintendo sysnand

it will always boot sysnand (since that's "the way to go" apparently) unless you choose to boot emunand, if you still have an emuannd.

 

[Temptress Cerise]

can anyone just quickly confirm or dispel my understanding about A9LH? I posted earlier but it drowned


1)A9LH is an exploit that turns your sysnand into cfw-sysnand
2) a9lh allows you to update your cfw-encrusted sysnand to the latest Nintendo firmware no matter what and when and you don't have to worry about compatibility issues like if it was updating emunand.
3) a9lh requires you to be on 9.2 to start the process, but, when successfully completed means that you can just press update firmware in sysnand settings.
4) a9lh doesn't have a "layer of cfw" like emunand is to sysnand
5) this means that when booting it will ALWAYS be booting cfw sysnand and no longer and never ever a stock Nintendo sysnand


Thanks

1) It's more of an entrypoint exploit, but with CFW that now live on the NAND such as Aurora Wright's MiniCFW in the latest commit of her A9LH fork, and projects like ShadowNAND and KGB, it's def becoming harder to divide the lines, I guess.
2) So long as you use a CFW that has FIRM protection, you can safely update to the latest Nintendo firmware without worry. (Gateway's a9lh.bin payload is a good example of a CFW that doesn't offer FIRM protection on A9LH)
3) Well, if you follow Plailect's A9LH Guide to the letter, you'll be on the latest firmware by the end. Again, assuming you follow that guide.
4) I am not sure what you mean here.
5) I guess. I mean you could just place an arm9loaderhax.bin payload of Decrypt9 or Uncart, and all you'll boot into just that payload. So as long as you have CFW a9lh.bin payload or a bootmanager, you'll just be booting into a CFW SysNAND.

 

[kylster]

You are starting to confuse things, I think. So let me see if I can clear things up.

We need to downgrade so we can setup CFW. Whether that's by Menuhax+RedNAND//EmuNAND or by A9LH. The choice comes down to the user and how much time the user wants to invest into it. With A9LH taking longer to setup, but having benefits such as 100% bootrate, brick protection, etc. With Menuhax, the bootrate isn't 100%, on some systems it can be horrible (I've had a 10~% menuhax system) or it can be average or good enough, but you need to maintain an EmuNAND//RedNAND, to be able to play online, the benefits to a menuhax+rednand//emunand setup, are pretty much that you could keep your SysNAND clean, and that it should be easier to setup than A9LH, but that's really where the benefits ends.

Now on to flashcarts. For DS Games, we need DS Flashcarts, since we have no real reliable way of playing DS Games out of the box, there is a DS Emulator in the works, but it'll probably end up being exclusive to New3DS only. So why might the wiki mention DS flashcarts? Well, some of them won't work without CFW, as they are too old. Newer flashcarts should work right of of the box without the need of CFW. But older models, if you have any, you'll probably need CFW to get them to work.

Then we have 3DS Flashcarts, for you guessed it, .3DS rom dumps. Now, probably the only 2 you should concern yourself with are Gateway3DS and Sky3DS+, with Gateway3DS requiring you to be on an exploitable system firmware such as 9.2, thus making it pretty pointless. While Sky3DS+ works out of the box on stock//vanilla firmware, up to 11.0.0-33. So the Sky3DS+ does not require or need CFW at all.

If you're going to downgrade, then you are basically looking to setup CFW, regardless of what method you choose. Menuhax+EmuNAND//RedNAND or A9LH. In the case of a Gateway3DS flashcart, you'd have to downgrade. While in the case of a Sky3DS+ you don't, but then you'd have to worry about your Private Header, and you are limited to retail cartridge dumps only. So no eshop only titles or any of the benefits of having CFW.

As for DS Flashcarts, if you buy a recent one, it shouldn't need CFW, but if you have an old one, more than likely you'll need CFW to see if it works.

Ok that does put things into a more clearer perspective for me thanks. I was reading about setting up an (optional) bootloader with Luma3DS CFW but these (optional) bootloaders prevent you from playing games that require more RAM I.e. Smash Bro's, etc. What would be the purpose of these (optional) bootloaders? You're helping me out a lot thanks.

 

[Temptress Cerise]

Ok that does put things into a more clearer perspective for me thanks. I was reading about setting up an (optional) bootloader with Luma3DS CFW but these (optional) bootloaders prevent you from playing games that require more RAM I.e. Smash Bro's, etc. What would be the purpose of these (optional) bootloaders? You're helping me out a lot thanks.

In the case of A9LH, optional bootloaders allow you to more easily manager your a9lh.bin payloads. Luma3DS has it's own payload chainloader, but some people might not like that, so they might use one that fits their needs, such as BootCTR9, Arm9Select, Arm9LoaderHay, CtrBootManager9, etc. Again, they are optional, and you have to look into each one and see which one is best for you. Now, as for them preventing you playing those games, it doesn't really matter, Luma3DS's wiki shows you how to fix this by using pathchanger. I am also pretty sure that if you configure StarUpdater correctly, it'll patch Luma's a9lh.bin for you, so you won't have that problem (Not sure about LumaUpdater by Hamcha),

For Menuhax+EmuNAND//RedNAND users who use a boot-manager, I don't think they have to worry about this. I think. I am not sure, I'd have to test it. In a menuhax+RedNAND//EmuNAND setup, they are also used to manage your homebrew launcher stuff.

 

[SS4]

I was looking to buy a power saves on amazon.ca but i found different priced versions, will they work just as fine to dump the rom?

This is the regular one i believe: https://www.amazon.ca/3DS-Action-Re...ef_=asc_df_B00CQ9L1Z64377386&tag=shopbotca-20

Now there is a pro version that is cheaper : https://www.amazon.ca/Action-Replay...ef_=asc_df_B017CEKYFM4374366&tag=shopbotca-20

And even cheaper with a different name though: https://www.amazon.ca/Datel-Action-Pokemon-Customisation-Nintendo/dp/B015NMEWFI/ref=pd_sim_sbs_21_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=51GspID9FWL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR109,160_&refRID=YPP34698H2J1543FWNHK

All 3 are made by Datel and say they are action replay for the 3DS so anyone know for sure if the 20 bux one would serve my purpose of extracting private headers for my Sky3ds+ ?

I kinda posted in the middle of a conversation earlier so just in case i'll make it the last post again

 

[Temptress Cerise]

I was looking to buy a power saves on amazon.ca but i found different priced versions, will they work just as fine to dump the rom?

This is the regular one i believe: https://www.amazon.ca/3DS-Action-Re...ef_=asc_df_B00CQ9L1Z64377386&tag=shopbotca-20

Now there is a pro version that is cheaper : https://www.amazon.ca/Action-Replay...ef_=asc_df_B017CEKYFM4374366&tag=shopbotca-20

And even cheaper with a different name though: https://www.amazon.ca/Datel-Action-Pokemon-Customisation-Nintendo/dp/B015NMEWFI/ref=pd_sim_sbs_21_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=51GspID9FWL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR109,160_&refRID=YPP34698H2J1543FWNHK

All 3 are made by Datel and say they are action replay for the 3DS so anyone know for sure if the 20 bux one would serve my purpose of extracting private headers for my Sky3ds+ ?

I believe the Pro is the one marketed towards the NA region.
Link: https://powersaves3ds.maximummemory.com/support/

At the end of the day, if you buy the wrong region, just contact support and they'll gladly change your key to match your region.

 

[SS4]

I believe the Pro is the one marketed towards the NA region.
Link: https://powersaves3ds.maximummemory.com/support/

At the end of the day, if you buy the wrong region, just contact support and they'll gladly change your key to match your region.

Ok, i see. It makes a bit more sense now.
So the most important thing is to make sure its a NA model and everything should be fine as they all pretty much do the same thing and just use different branding for either region or marketing purpose.

 

[Temptress Cerise]

Ok, i see. It makes a bit more sense now.
So the most important thing is to make sure its a NA model and everything should be fine as they all pretty much do the same thing and just use different branding for either region or marketing purpose.

Yup you got it. Even if you buy the wrong region, just contacting them via support and providing them with your key and stuff, they'll just go ahead and change it to match the correct region. Of course, you'll lose a bit of time having to wait for them to straighten out your key, but the option is there if you happen to get the wrong region.

 

[SS4]

Yup you got it. Even if you buy the wrong region, just contacting them via support and providing them with your key and stuff, they'll just go ahead and change it to match the correct region. Of course, you'll lose a bit of time having to wait for them to straighten out your key, but the option is there if you happen to get the wrong region.

Well, i guess ill also be able to cheat in some games (if i ever feel like it . . .) so its not such a bad deal for extracting rom and getting my private headers.

I think i should be good now i might give u guys an update after i receive it on July 5th if i have time to play around with it.

Thx again.

 

[tombi]

I have read about DS games (not 3ds) compatibility through a DS emulator. I thought DS games are working directly on the 3DS by default? Or is this not possible with CIA files with a CFW? I have no experience yet so I just want to ask.

 

[Temptress Cerise]

I have read about DS games (not 3ds) compatibility through a DS emulator. I thought DS games are working directly on the 3DS by default? Or is this not possible with CIA files with a CFW? I have no experience yet so I just want to ask.

No. We cannot install DS games via CIA files. We need a DS Flashcart to run DS games on a 3DS. The DS Emulator project will probably end up replacing the need for DS flascarts, on New3DS systems.

 

[tombi]

But how is it working on the official side of Nintendo? I have read I can play official DS games on my 3DS. So why is it not working as CIA file? I don't understand this, what is the difference here to any 3DS game?