Hacking A9LH vs Menuhax - Is the risk worth it?

[Ryu X]

I have menuhax. But to me that isnt going through sysnand. So you mean I can use menuhax to access HBL and OTPHelper for the backups I need to make before I start the actual downgrading process? Thats basically my only concern left at this point lol. The guide clearly says to do it from sysnand. But if going through menuhax to HBL and OTPHelper works.. then im cool with that. Just need some validation.

Nvm - I guess technically my definition of sysnand isnt accurate enough haha. When I think about it.. Its not emunand until rx boots. So yeah the wording just confused me a bit. Backing up everything now - then hopefully taking the plunge soon

Sorry for the edits... But one thing thats had me worried :

Every time ive previously formatted my Emunand/SD card, Ive lost my menuhax. Which led to me having to reinstall it through HBL.. but currently menuhax is my only access method. Will I lose my menuhax during any of this process?

Menuhax is basically a a hacked theme that loads the hax payload, as long as you backed up your SD card it will be back on your system when you format or make a new emunand.

 

[Just Passing By]

Menuhax is basically a a hacked theme that loads the hax payload, as long as you backed up your SD card it will be back on your system when you format or make a new emunand.

I'm pretty sure that if you format your system, you'll have to reinstall menuhax. You can't just backup your sd and call it good.

 

[nickwhit]

Actually nowhere in the process do you have to format sysnand... so menuhax stays intact.
Just had to get far enough to realize that lol. Currently performing last backup of emunand (formatted).
After this its all the actual fun stuff. But from what I see, it seems pretty straight forward.
The only part im scared of is restoring the sysnand using the 2.1 emunand file. Thats scurry.

 

[Raylight]

Actually nowhere in the process do you have to format sysnand... so menuhax stays intact.
Just had to get far enough to realize that lol. Currently performing last backup of emunand (formatted).
After this its all the actual fun stuff. But from what I see, it seems pretty straight forward.
The only part im scared of is restoring the sysnand using the 2.1 emunand file. Thats scurry.

best of luck dude because there is no way to know if the unbricking worked or not so unless you have a hardmod there is no turning back

 

[Just Passing By]

Actually nowhere in the process do you have to format sysnand... so menuhax stays intact.
Just had to get far enough to realize that lol. Currently performing last backup of emunand (formatted).
After this its all the actual fun stuff. But from what I see, it seems pretty straight forward.
The only part im scared of is restoring the sysnand using the 2.1 emunand file. Thats scurry.

Na man that's the best part. The feeling of hopelessness as the percentages keep rising, ever ticking away, higher and higher it goes until. It stops. The ever growing fear of a brick creeping upon you as you reboot your system like a spider crawling up your leg as dread floods through your body. And then, it turns on. And your heart begins to beat once more and time begins to flow smoothly across the once haunting, and merciless world.

Mmn sorry I felt like writing something deep before I go to bed.

 

[nickwhit]

best of luck dude because there is no way to know if the unbricking worked or not so unless you have a hardmod there is no turning back

I dont have the unbricking issue. Im on o3DS not new. From what I see that issue only relates to those.
Emunand is successfully downgrading to 2.1. Im just worried I might lose menuhax when restoring that as my Sysnand.

 

[Raylight]

I dont have the unbricking issue. Im on o3DS not new. From what I see that issue only relates to those.
Emunand is successfully downgrading to 2.1. Im just worried I might lose menuhax when restoring that as my Sysnand.

when you downgrade to 2.1 themes were not on 3ds at the time so you will lose that entrypoint but once you have a9lh i do belive you can do a normal update and your good

 

[nickwhit]

when you downgrade to 2.1 themes were not on 3ds at the time so you will lose that entrypoint but once you have a9lh i do belive you can do a normal update and your good

Oooooh this makes sense. So then wait.. after I have created my 2.1 emunand backup.. and restore that as my sysnand..
Ill have 2.1 sysnand and lose menuhax. But then how do I restore my original sysnand backup after I have obtained my OTP? (Last steps of part 4 of the guide)
Wouldnt I then be locked out of HBL/OTPHelper without any other entry point besides menuhax?
This has me terrified lol. Ive gone too far to wanna turn back now, but if I lose menuhax on my sysnand im essentially done and over.

 

[Baggy Scraggy]

Is there any way to keep all my games on my emunand when trying to get A9LH? It says you MUST format it it twice.

 

[Just Passing By]

Oooooh this makes sense. So then wait.. after I have created my 2.1 emunand backup.. and restore that as my sysnand..
Ill have 2.1 sysnand and lose menuhax. But then how do I restore my original sysnand backup after I have obtained my OTP?
Wouldnt I then be locked out of HBL/OTPHelper without any other entry point besides menuhax?
This has me terrified lol. Ive gone too far to wanna turn back now, but if I lose menuhax on my sysnand im essentially done and over.

Don't worry, I haven't looked at the guide in a while but after you downgrade, the browser is used to get your otp and to restore sysnand.

 

[nickwhit]

Is there any way to keep all my games on my emunand when trying to get A9LH? It says you MUST format it it twice.

You create a backup of your original emunand when starting.. you should be able to restore that emunand and use it as your sysnand at the end of the guide.

 

[Just Passing By]

Is there any way to keep all my games on my emunand when trying to get A9LH? It says you MUST format it it twice.

Backup your emunand. When I did it, you could just restore your emunand right after you finished.

Edit: oof Ninja'd

 

[Raylight]

Oooooh this makes sense. So then wait.. after I have created my 2.1 emunand backup.. and restore that as my sysnand..
Ill have 2.1 sysnand and lose menuhax. But then how do I restore my original sysnand backup after I have obtained my OTP? (Last steps of part 4 of the guide)
Wouldnt I then be locked out of HBL/OTPHelper without any other entry point besides menuhax?
This has me terrified lol. Ive gone too far to wanna turn back now, but if I lose menuhax on my sysnand im essentially done and over.

i havent done a9lh but once you get a9lh installed you can restor your old nand AFAIK

 

[Baggy Scraggy]

-deleted-

 

[nickwhit]

I just realized that that webpage launches the OTPHelper, so yeah Im officially no longer scared haha.
Which is good cause my sysnand is already restoring from the emunand_unbricked.bin
I feel that terrifying tingle and I love it. Whoever called this a rush is accurate.

 

[Ryu X]

I'm pretty sure that if you format your system, you'll have to reinstall menuhax. You can't just backup your sd and call it good.

Format system yes, but not format sd card, or have it formatted due to installing emunand partition. Or like in the OTP guide they have you format sd card because it tells you to delete emunand off it. Your backed up card you have before sd formats still lets menuhax work.

 

[nickwhit]

So now that Ive successfully completed the A9LH on my 3DS..
How can I regain my region free abilities that I had in rxTools?
Cakes doesnt seem to have that option.
Is switching to the other CFW mentioned in the guide an option?
I need out of region games in my life lol

BTW. Anybody wondering - This is 100% worth it.
And while the idea of it is scary.. if you follow the guide everything will go fine.
The perfect boots and Emunand-less-ness just feel right in my hands.

 

[Ricken]

i pity myself. im among 34%

i like the control i get from Menuhax+CTRBootmanager, and you can still use homebrew asw if you just edit to Menuhax payload to search for a different 4 letter word that you rename your CTR boot.3dsx to...

Then again, im one of those people that still have a use for SysNand

 

[Baggy Scraggy]

I want to do this since downgrading gives me a rush, but is there any way to retain all my installed CIA files and save data? It seems like it isn't possible.

 

[nickwhit]

I want to do this since downgrading gives me a rush, but is there any way to retain all my installed CIA files and save data? It seems like it isn't possible.

Yes. Very much possible. If you follow the guide.. everything currently installed on Emunand will be present on your Sysnand.
I was worried about this too. But even my save games are intact - without even a backup of those. I was surprised.