Hacking A9LH vs Menuhax - Is the risk worth it?

[EverythingTriggersMe]

I'm currently using Menuhax to boot CakesFW emuNAND. I have a 98% boot rate right now and I only mess with things in emuNAND. I don't touch sysNAND at all. Is it worth risking bricking my n3DS when downgrading it to 2.1 for OTP? Why do you use it?

 

[Expliciate]

#A9LHMasterRace

 

[BMO]

I did because my boot rate was horrid with Rxtools/autoboot menuhax on my O3DS and got tired of it.

I was in it for the 100% boot rate and faster load times(I now get into my home menu in 8~9 seconds compared to menuhax which took 25~30 seconds. Having a safenet with being able to restore my nand should I ever brick and more space on my SD due to getting rid of emunand were only pluses

If you have something that works I wouldnt really bother because it is really tedious to set up

 

[funnystory]

Man ive been contemplating it. I just can't get over the fact that I have to have an sdcard installed at all times

 

[Raylight]

faster loading of cfw and 100% boot rate plus a recovery menu if you brick but no it's not worth the risk...yet. Im happy with menuhax and emunand it gets the job done. if im going to risk bricking my system it better be for more perks than the above.

 

[stl25]

If you do not want to run the risk of brick and are not interested in a hardmod, I would say keep using menuhax if it works well for you. If you don't mind taking a little risk and follow the guide correctly there is a high probability that you will have no issues downgrading to 2.1 getting otp.bin upgrading back to 9.2 and installing A9LH. @d0k3's OTPHelper and @Plailect's OTP guide makes the process much easier than previous. It is really up to your comfort level. Good luck whatever you decide and if you go for gold and try A9LH there is a whole community here to help.

 

[uribemaster]

Man ive been contemplating it. I just can't get over the fact that I have to have an sdcard installed at all times

If youre going to be installing cia's. You'll need to have the sd inserted anyway

 

[Svaethier]

well with the newly improved guide I hear has been made then it should be no problem getting your OTP now.

 

[stl25]

Man ive been contemplating it. I just can't get over the fact that I have to have an sdcard installed at all times

Once CFW is setup correctly the 3DS will boot just fine. It will look like a brick if you do not have the files setup correctly. Menuhax is still a viable entrypoint for those on the fence and for sure there is no need to rush into A9LH. Do your research and look for further developments in A9LH to make it more appealing. Good luck whichever way you go.

Also as a side note, if you take the A9LH plunge, follow the guide and make sure you keep good sysNAND backups of pre-A9LH and post-A9LH sysNANDs as well as otp.bin. Burn it to removable media, backup to flash drive, keep on 3DS SD if space is not an issue. Research A9LH CFW to see proper install and use (there are multiple options and each needs to be fully understood to avoid confusion and potentially doing something without thinking). The respected devs make guides for a reason, so please utilize them and though there is some risk, everything should work out fine. A9LH is like the McDonald's slogan "I'm lovin' it.

 

[hobbledehoy899]

well with the newly improved guide I hear has been made then it should be no problem getting your OTP now.

Care linking it?

 

[Svaethier]

Care linking it?

https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki

 

[Ronhero]

To me it's scarier to go from 9.3+ to 9.2 then 9.2 to 2.x

People blindly downgrade with no nand backup to 9.2 but fear 2.x with a nand backup

 

[Bu2d85]

- snip

 

[stl25]

Decryp9WIP, OTPHelper and https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki are your friends. @Ronhero you are correct the scariest part of the whole process for me was downgrading my Hyrule Edition N3DS XL from 9.9 to 9.2. After that I felt I could do A9LH due to making a sysNAND backup allowing me to at least get a hardmod and restore if anything went awry.

 

[Ronhero]

Decryp9WIP, OTPHelper and https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki are your friends. @Ronhero you are correct the scariest part of the whole process for me was downgrading my Hyrule Edition N3DS XL from 9.9 to 9.2. After that I felt I could do A9LH due to making a sysNAND backup allowing me to at least get a hardmod and restore if anything went awry.

Exactly my point.

 

[EverythingTriggersMe]

To me it's scarier to go from 9.3+ to 9.2 then 9.2 to 2.x

People blindly downgrade with no nand backup to 9.2 but fear 2.x with a nand backup

Most people aren't hard modded anyway.

 

[Ronhero]

Most people aren't hard modded anyway.

Yes but if you brick a 9.3+ dg you're usually fucked. With otp a nand backup is required so a brick is never going to completely ruined your system

 

[Gray_Jack]

• It makes emuNAND useless (though you can have it in A9LH);
• Theoretically you can have CFW in any system version till now;
• 100% boot rate;
• If using emuNAND you can run it faster than Home Menu;
• It can improve some homebrews there insn't 100% (like GBA emulator and other stuff);
• It creates a opportunity to create new kinds of homebrews (GodMode9 for example -> root 3DS file explorer -> there's a 3dsx version, but seen to be originally thought for A9LH)

You don't need to rush into A9LH, but it is the future of 3ds homebrew and hacking

 

[EverythingTriggersMe]

Yes buy if you brick a 9.3+ dg you're usually fucked. With otp a nand backup is required so a brick is never going to completely ruined your system

No, my point was if I made a nand backup and bricked. I'd still have no way to restore it.

 

[EverythingTriggersMe]

Yes buy if you brick a 9.3+ dg you're usually fucked. With otp a nand backup is required so a brick is never going to completely ruined your system

**weird triple post for some reason**

 

[stl25]

Most people aren't hard modded anyway.

Yes but with your sysNAND backup you should feel much more confident that you will get to A9LH. I will beat the dead horse yet again. If you would be crushed to lose your 3DS then do especially yourself a favor and have the sysNAND backup first before disturbing your fully functioning setup menuhax setup.

 

[EverythingTriggersMe]

Yes buy if you brick a 9.3+ dg you're usually fucked. With otp a nand backup is required so a brick is never going to completely ruined your system

**weird triple post for some reason**

 

[VinsCool]

Totally worth it.

It's a pain to dump the OTP, but once this step is done, everything else is beer.

 

[Ronhero]

But I don't have a hardmod so I'd still be boned.

I rather have a band bin and have to pay $20 for a restore then 200 for a new 3ds

 

[EverythingTriggersMe]

• It makes emuNAND useless (though you can have it in A9LH);
• Theoretically you can have CFW in any system version till now;
• 100% boot rate;
• If using emuNAND you can run it faster than Home Menu;
• It can improve some homebrews there insn't 100% (like GBA emulator and other stuff);
• It creates a opportunity to create new kinds of homebrews (GodMode9 for example -> root 3DS file explorer -> there's a 3dsx version, but seen to be originally thought for A9LH)

But you don't need to rush into A9LH, but it is the future of 3ds homebrew and hacking

Yeah, but I have to risk breaking my n3DS to do that.

 

[stl25]

But I don't have a hardmod so I'd still be boned.

You would need an entrypoint (menuhax, browserhax, oothax, ninjhax, other haxx I have forgot) to launch Decrypt9 as a .3dsx to make a sysNAND backup before proceeding further. Ocarina of Time 3D is $20 and can be found just about everywhere now (Walmart, Bestbuy, Amazon, Target). Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. You will be glad you did. And yes before I get flamed you will need another hacked 3DS to install OOTHAX on your cart.

 

[EverythingTriggersMe]

You would need an entrypoint (menuhax, browserhax, oothax, ninjhax, other haxx I have forgot) to launch Decrypt9 as a .3dsx to make a sysNAND backup before proceeding further. Ocarina of Time 3D is $20 and can be found just about everywhere now (Walmart, Bestbuy, Amazon, Target). Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. You will be glad you did. And yes before I get flamed you will need another hacked 3DS to install OOTHAX on your cart.

What? If I bricked, I would need a hardmod. It wouldn't start at all.