Hacking Am I bricked?

[TurdPooCharger]

Didn't wait until next days. Followed your workaround..

Removed battery and hold down power button for a minute. 4GB Micro SD Card with Adapter formatted as primary FAT32 with 32KB, MBR, run test until end, card is ok, no errors, deleted files from test, copied CFW starter kit to the card, booted several times, no luck. Still the same.

Try a different micro-to-standard SD adapter. My guess is that either your 3DS cannot communicate with that SD card because of that adapter or its SD card slot reader is broken.

Edit - Did you make sure to unpack the starter kit? Just checking as *.7z by itself won't do anything.

 

[Jimmm]

Tried 3 different adapters, no one works in the 3DS, but all in my laptop. All files and folders from the archive are extracted in the root of the SD Card. Before the crash there has been no problem reading any SD Card.

 

[TurdPooCharger]

Tried 3 different adapters, no one works in the 3DS, but all in my laptop. All files and folders from the archive are extracted in the root of the SD Card. Before the crash there has been no problem reading any SD Card.

Take out the battery, let the 3DS discharge, and try swabbing the SD slot with a thin brush wetted with 70% or 91% rubbing alcohol. No pouring fluids in the slot, lol. Don't use a cotton q-tip as this can rip the stuffing, and that'll get stuck inside. Use a blow dryer to dry it afterwards.

If you don't have a brush, take one of the card adapters and wet the contacts with the alcohol. Reinsert several times to try to clean the pins. Once everything is dried, try reseating the SD card and turning on the 3DS. You may need to jam a piece of note card or paper to get a better contact.

***

If that doesn't work, here are repair guides for replacing parts:

• [iFixit] Nintendo Handheld Device

o3DS SD card reader:

• [eBay] New Inner SD Memory Card Reader Holder Tray Flex Cable For Nintendo 3DS

o3DSXL SD card reader (requires soldering):

• [eBay] Original OEM Nintendo 3DS XL SD CARD READER SOCKET 3DSXL SD Card

 

[Jimmm]

@TurdPooCharger: thank you very much for these very good advises. But i am sure, it's not the reader. I opened the 3DS bottom case, put the sd card in and press with moderate force on it while pressing start buttom. Still the same behavior, nothing changed. The contacts look all fine and every one of the conatct is fully functional.

 

[TurdPooCharger]

@TurdPooCharger: thank you very much for these very good advises. But i am sure, it's not the reader. I opened the 3DS bottom case, put the sd card in and press with moderate force on it while pressing start buttom. Still the same behavior, nothing changed. The contacts are all fine, i measured the contact to the board, they all have good contact.

After mulling about this for some time, I have to agree with you.

Are you the original owner of this 2DS or 3DS system? If you are, do you remember how the firmware was updated to 4.2? Was it through System Settings or a gamecart?

 

[KleinesSinchen]

What is going on with that 3DS?

Is this an expected behavior of the 3DS systems if something is corrupted – in this case: Something with the B9S installation went wrong?

I always thought if there was garbage in FIRM0/1, it would show bluescreen/bootrom error and this blue LED on and off again was only from B9S if boot.firm is not found. Is there any other reason for this? (I don’t think anything hardware related is a possibility here.)

This is so frustrating!

If the SD-reader is fine (would be a remarkable coincidence if it failed just after the B9S installer for no apparent reason) it would be interesting to see if ntrboot is still possible.

 

[Jimmm]

Are you the original owner of this 2DS or 3DS system? If you are, do you remember how the firmware was updated to 4.2? Was it through System Settings or a gamecart?

Yes, I am. The last update has been 5 years ago and i don't remember for sure which way, it could be throught a gamecard, Super Mario.

 

[TurdPooCharger]

Yes, I am. The last update has been 5 years ago and i don't remember for sure which way, it could be throught a gamecard, Super Mario.

In the Installing boot9strap (Soundhax) guide, it states that otherapp.bin has two versions depending on the range of the 3DS firmware.

• otherapp1.bin, for firmware 4.0 - 9.2
  
• otherapp2.bin, for firmware below 4.0

There is the possibility that your 3DS was on a firmware lower than 4.0, and that it was updated to version 4.2 through a game cart. Updating the firmware through a cart isn't the same as in System Settings as only the bare minimum in system titles are installed to get the game running. This means you may have accidentally used the wrong *.bin without knowing. On the pre9otherapp GitHub page, it states:

On Pre 4.0 firms we use usr2arm9ldr to gain arm9 code execution

I don't know if using the wrong *.bin doesn't allow SafeB9SInstaller to launch or whether the installer runs but causes incorrect flashing.

***

If this is what happened to you, I'm terribly sorry that you fell through the cracks in 3DS hacking.

As @KleinesSinchen mentioned, you can try using NTRboot with a compatible DS flashcart. However, I'm not sure if the 3DS limbo state will allow you to launch NTRboot with magnet and button combo.

Lastly, if NTRboot doesn't work, the only option left in trying to save it is hardmod. This one will suck in that you have to be super careful in soldering.

 

[KleinesSinchen]

If this is true, ntrboot should be possible:

...while ntrboothax allows for ARM9 arbitrary code execution on any 3DS-family console regardless of system firmware version (or even its presence at all).

Additionally, if the shell is closed and a special key combination (Start + Select + X) is held, boot9 will attempt to boot from an inserted NTR cartridge before booting from NAND.

I even read at some point you could desolder the NAND-chip, throw it out of the window and still use ntrboot. So it should be important what is on the NAND.

May rough idea was booting GodMode9 and try to repair; reinstall B9S or maybe CTRTransfer.
I can only repeat: Really frustrating.

I don't know if using the wrong *.bin doesn't allow SafeB9SInstaller to launch or whether the installer runs but causes incorrect flashing.

***

If this is what happened to you, I'm terribly sorry that you fell through the cracks in 3DS hacking.

This really should not have happened. If your assumption is true, there is a hidden risk involved. Is it possible to try that out with a working (but in bad condition; so it is not real loss) O3DS?

• CTRTransfer to 2.1 or similar.
• Remove cfw.
• Update with a cartridge to 4.x
• Soundhax according to the guide

If this even works. Cartridge updates supposedly can break Soundhax. I don't really understand the brown box on the guide. So many question marks.

 

[Majickhat55]

So it happens to me too. I followed the instructions on 3ds.hacks.guide step by step, i was on firmware 4.2. First i did the Soundhax soundhax-eur-o3ds-pre5.0.m4a and this works so far. Everything was fine, i did the combination to start and after that was finished the O3DS went to restart. Now it's not working anymore. I can press the start button, but only the blue power LED turns on for a second and directly off again, display keeps dark. I tried another SD Card, copied all the files again on it, but still the same issue. Even with the GodMode9 on the SD Card it won't start. Starting safe mode doesn't work too. Is there someone out there who can help me please?

Post a pic of the root of your SD card.... In addition try using an older version of Luma preferably 7.1. This doesn't seem like a hardware issue at all but a software incompatiability issue. It can be fixed with the right files, for the right setup. Seems from what I've read you have mismatched files for old and new *hax* and they most likely aren't playing nice.

 

[Jimmm]

I really thank you all for your excellent support The firmware was on 4.2, i'm really sure, so i think i choosed the right otherapp.bin. I believe i have a DS flashcard, but didn't try it and don't know for sure, f it is a right one. I think about the hardmod, i have a backup of the NAND, i used all the time a Gateway 3DS card and the first thing i made with the gateway 3DS was a nand backup . But for that i need time, i don't have it in the week, maybee i try it at the weekend. Until, i try again your advices. I'm a little bit experienced with softmods, did it with PS3, Wii, WiiU and 3DS. This is the first time, that something went wrong. But i can soldering too.

Post a pic of the root of your SD card.... In addition try using an older version of Luma preferably 7.1. This doesn't seem like a hardware issue at all but a software incompatiability issue. It can be fixed with the right files, for the right setup. Seems from what I've read you have mismatched files for old and new *hax* and they most likely aren't playing nice.

The root of the SD Card is the extracted content of CFW starter kit - 09.30.18.7z.

I tried also the starter.zip.
DS Card

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Your card is in this thread under "Beta unofficially supported cards"
https://gbatemp.net/threads/the-ultimate-list-of-ntrboot-compatible-flashcards.492234/
Doesn't look to good but also not totally bad.

Good luck!

 

[wormdood]

i used all the time a Gateway 3DS card and the first thing i made with the gateway 3DS was a nand backup

great you have a nand backup . . . but do you still have that gateway blue card? if so you can use that for ntrboot and even in the event you cant restore your nand backup (fried nand chip) you could still run your backup as an emunand from your sd . . .

 

[Jimmm]

Sounds great. Yes, I have the blue Gateway card.

 

[wormdood]

Sounds great. Yes, I have the blue Gateway card.

you will also need a working 3ds/ds/dsi system to install ntrboot on your gateway blue card

edit . . . you will only need the console for less than 1 minute . . . i once flashed ntrboot to an ak2i in gamestop while "testing" one of my cartridges in a used ds console i "wanted" to buy then removed my flashcard and "changed my mind" about buying a console that day . . . true story

 

[Jimmm]

A second 3DS is no problem, I can get one.

 

[Jimmm]

Yesterday I got a used 3DS with a broken display. I changed the display from my old one and i installed luma 9.1 and all the other apps. Now everything works fine. I will try to repair the broken 3DS next time.
Thank you all for your very excellent support.