Hacking 4.4 O3DS XL + Gateway... Should I install Luma?

[pokefan92]

Well, one day I tried to play pokemon sun online. This day was the same day that 11.3 updated was released. As there was no information about compatibility with 11.3 emunand I took the risk... And well you know what happened.

Gateway team said they think they're going to solve it in a couple of weeks. I don't think so.

Then, I'm thinking about the possibility of going through the Plailect's guide. But I have some doubts...

• Can I keep my sysnand at v4.4? I mean, when I bought my O3DS then it was pretty important not go past 4.5, so I don't think I should update sysnand because I think it's safer to keep it at v4.4.
• Can I keep using gateway if I install Luma? Cias are great to play online as you don't have to deal with the headers. But in general, loading 3ds with gateway it's a lot faster.

I am looking forward to reading your opinions. Thanks in advance!

 

[Lacius]

First, you should follow this guide to install A9LH. Everyone here is going to tell you the same thing. https://3ds.guide/get-started

We can discuss your options after that. To answer some of your questions, you can (if you choose) stay on sysNAND 4.4, but it is not recommended, and there's no reason to. You can also continue to use Gateway, but that's not recommended either, and there's no reason to.

 

[StarTrekVoyager]

• Nope, with Luma3DS it's much better to update your SysNAND to v11.3, as A9LH primarily uses SysNAND. EmuNAND isn't required anymore. But you can still keep your EmuNAND if you want to.
• I know there is several methods to do a "dual-boot" between GateWay and Luma, you can search the temp for this.

 

[AxlSt00pid]

I know there is several methods to do a "dual-boot" between GateWay and Luma, you can search the temp for this.

I won't reccomend this too much since you could lose A9LH if you're not careful, but if you're VERY careful then yes, you can do that OP
And I don't recommend you either that you keep your A9LH'd SysNAND at 4.4, you can update safely once you have A9LH

 

[mikefor20]

Just follow the guide in the previous post pokefan92. Gateway is broken for now on 11.3 so you wont be able to use it but the GW team is promising and update SOON. I have a gateway and use it from time to time but follow my advice, go full A9LH and worry about GW when they fix it. I know you want to use Gateway and a lot of people here will shit on you for it. You are still better off going full A9LH for now.

• GW Team is going to release a way to use 11.3 SOON so youll have GW back. Who knows about 11.4, so might as well do it now while 11.3 is on the server. (your bullets looked so nice)
  
• A9LH is the new standard and even GW has a payload for it.(wont work now but SOON)
• A9LH is faster,more stable,safer,100% compatible.
• CIA games have no header issues.
• Luma has cheats too.
• If you get in to it then ,corbonik ,skeith, saltysd, etc etc. you cant do this in GW(IIRC been a while since I ran in GW mode)
  
• Cias are just as easy to install as .3ds Just drag and drop in to boop and send it over to the 3ds in FBI's network install mode.

First before you do anything follow this!!
https://gbatemp.net/threads/importing-gateway-saves-to-cia-games.425743/
This will show you how to move your .sav files over from gateway to the cia files. Once you go to 11.3 there is no way to import them without another 3ds on GW until the gateway update at least.

Then do THE 3DS.GUIDE guide. Follow it to the letter.
https://3ds.guide/get-started
Make sure to read everything. Last time I did it there was a blurb about GW users who downgraded need and extra format. Just read everything and you will be fine.

Then if you must use gateway there is this tutorial right here on the temp.
https://gbatemp.net/threads/tutorial-using-luma3ds-with-gateway-on-v2-a9lh.431691/
remember not functional yet on 11.3 but you can set it up.

There is a payload that points to the GW launcher for use with A9LH. GW is currently dangerous because it doesn't have the modern firmware protection that Luma and kin do. Please
DO NOT UPDATE IN GATEWAY MODE.

Then enjoy 100% boot rate,faster loading times, online without spoofing, up-to-date features and the piece of mind to know you are running the safest most reliable and secure method out there.

 

[Searinox]

As a former Gateway user on o3ds 4.5 with MSET(Nintendo DS profile launch) I recommend Luma for the following reasons:

-runs on boot
-100% boot rate, no more random hangs on blackscreen at launch every 1/20 tries
-current firmware support and much faster community updates than GW team
-one less cartridge; now you can instead use the GW blue card for DS games while playing your 3DS games from the SD slot
-DS and GBA games work in Luma mode
-firmware protection that Gateway's A9LH doesn't provide
-you can keep using emuNAND if you want to, you don't have to give it up

To start, I recommend starting on a separate SD card keeping your GW card aside, and doing the following:

https://3ds.guide/get-started

If like me you don't really care about sysNAND, you could even simply stop on 2.1. You can then use Emunand9 to set up an EmuNAND partition. Then use Hourglass9 provided in the guide to copy your GW emuNAND to the new SD card and continue with where you've left your system off.

All the games you had as 3DS, get their CIA installers and install them on your new SD card. Then use this guide with the old GW SD card to convert your saves from GW to CIA.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/importing-gateway-saves-to-cia-games.425743/

And by this point you should be fully migrated to A9LH. If you don't want to keep separate systems, you can set up a boot manager: https://gbatemp.net/threads/release-ctrbootmanager-ctrbootmanager9.431647/ and set up a dual boot to either A9LH or GW emuNAND. You'll basically be booting the same emuNAND but in either A9LH or GW mode.

One boot entry would be a renamed arm9loaderhax.bin(to which you'll have to also set a custom path, instructions on A9LH's project page but you can ask here). The other entry will have to boot this https://gbatemp.net/threads/tutorial-using-luma3ds-with-gateway-on-v2-a9lh.431691/

By the way GW currently won't boot emuNAND 11.3. Personally I used dual boot only for a while until I moved everything over to A9LH because it isn't worth the hassle. As you can see GW dual boot is a hassle and I can't find any real benefit.

 

[Distrance]

There is a payload that points to the GW launcher for use with A9LH. GW is currently dangerous because it doesn't have the modern firmware protection that Luma and kin do. Please
DO NOT UPDATE IN GATEWAY MODE.

.

There's been several reports of users losing A9LH simply by launching GW on 11.3. Right now you should not tell people that GW is even an option .. It simply should not be used on 11.3 A9LH systems.

Even when 11.3 supported payload is released if the above is true then it means Nintendo did something which removes A9LH if you launch GW because GW has no FIRM protection, and I seriously doubt that GW's new update will have FIRM protection.

 

[CoolAlpha]

just install luma and sell your GW

 

[mikefor20]

There's been several reports of users losing A9LH simply by launching GW on 11.3. Right now you should not tell people that GW is even an option .. It simply should not be used on 11.3 A9LH systems.

Even when 11.3 supported payload is released if the above is true then it means Nintendo did something which removes A9LH if you launch GW because GW has no FIRM protection, and I seriously doubt that GW's new update will have FIRM protection.

I used gateway until the 11.3 update. It breaks gateway. I have had GW since it was the only option. I continue to use it. No issues and its an extra SD slot.Use it on both my o3ds and n3ds. Works awesome. Don't update in GW mode. I don't believe the random reports. Something else is to blame. Might be their existing setup,faulty hardware,faulty brain IDK. No issues for me. OP REMEMBER you have to decrypt your saves before anything else or you'll be unable to get access to them until either an update of GW or you have another 3ds with GW. Then follow the guide. Next thing is get the biggest SD you can for CIA files and wait for GW update and wait and see what they fix. Do your due diligence and don't listen the cheap sour assholes who couldn't play roms on 4.x-9.1 and complained about it the whole time too. They are mad they didn't have a gateway then and shit on it now. Nothing wrong with using it if you are careful. Just don't update in GW mode and know GW wont work at first until the update. Or sell it and get a BIG SD.

And don't stay on 2.1. That would be incredibly dangerous. maybe you can just restore your pre A9LH backup using keep a9lh . I would ask around first as IDK if 4.3 and A9LH play nice. Might be okay with emunand for now until the GW update. I would just go full A9LH and say screw gateway at this point until they add firmware protection or a feature that doesn't work on luma. Hold on the the cart or sell it. Using my TT instead with a 16gb sd. Good times.