Hacking Any way to backup saves from retail 3DS carts to use with Sky3DS?

[MelonGx]

Well, it is 512kb save so you must have 512kb save from 3ds/3dz (if you dumped the real card with R4i, several cards have Toshiba cards which dongle can't recognize and dumps 1mb of repeated data)
Second, did you use CardID from the Sky save/template when created .3dz? Have you tried to load converted save in Gateway?

1. I don't use retail cart raw save. I just use a converted .3DZ save in .SAV format.
If it's different from Save Dongle .bin format then it may be the key problem of this failure.

2. I assume your "CardID" = 3DZ ROM header. If not, I'd like to ask you to explain what CardID is.
Tested save recognizable in executing .3DZ ROM.

 

[duke_srg]

1. I don't use retail cart raw save. I just use a converted .3DZ save in .SAV format.
If it's different from Save Dongle .bin format then it may be the key problem of this failure.

2. I assume your "CardID" = 3DZ ROM header. If not, I'd like to ask you to explain what CardID is.
Tested save recognizable in executing .3DZ ROM.

cardid is 16 bytes also called online header for gateway. If you transferred those 16 bytes from 3dz to sky template before writing ROM and getting sky save for injection then you did everything right.

 

[McSquid]

I signed up just to say thank you for all the information in this thread. Thanks to all of you I don't have to redo the REALLY boring beginning of MH4U OR carry my retail cartridge around.

Just to attempt to summarize to try and save someone similar to me some time (Sky3ds, Retail cartridge, access to an old 3ds, no gateway card, New3DS with latest firmware) This will assume you have done some research but should take some trial and error out of it. This will let you play your rom online and use your save from your retail cart.

1. Dump your retail cart
Download the latest gateway firmware, add Launcher.dat to your SD card (in the normal SD card slot, big enough to hold your game) and the contents of the blue card folder to your sky3ds sd card (formatted with a normal PC) and insert it into your old 3ds (firmware <9.2). Open your 3ds browser, and clear your cookies from the settings menu, then browse to go.gateway-3ds.com. Your 3ds screen will flash white, when it does hold down the L button to launch the gateway menu. From here, change to your retail game cart then choose backup game cartridge, then backup save.
2. Make your template
download the Gateway rom patcher (I used v1.1) open it, then open your dumped rom (from your normal SD card) to get your card ID and chip ID. Download SkyTempIdEdit and the latest sky3ds template and put them in the same folder. press windows+r to bring up the run box, type the following and replace each <> with your info: <path>SkyTempIdEdit.exe <CardId> <ChipId> You can also check the instructions that come with the tool for reference. Rename the new template to something you will remember.
3. Flash your personal rom
Open the sky3ds disk writer and format your microSD for your sky3ds. change template to your newly created one. Then drag your dumped rom to the card.
4. Convert and load your save
rename the .SAV file you dumped earlier to anything else. Download and install ActivePerl on your machine. Download duke_srg's awesome Perl script and delete the .txt extension to leave you with a .pl Open a command prompt and browse to the folder where you have been putting all this 3ds crap (templates, roms, etc. you put it all in the same folder right?) type: perl skysave.pl <template file name.txt> <save file.SAV> <cart code (4 letter code. Monster hunter is BFGE)> This will create a .SAV named with the 4 letter game code
If you have been using your sky3ds, make sure your private rom was NOT the last selected game.
In sky3ds disk writer, right click your private rom name and choose load save file. Point it at the new .SAV
Load up your game in sky3ds, enjoy your backed up save from your retail cart AND online play since you are on a personal header.

 

[crimsonnight]

I signed up just to say thank you for all the information in this thread. Thanks to all of you I don't have to redo the REALLY boring beginning of MH4U OR carry my retail cartridge around.

Just to attempt to summarize to try and save someone similar to me some time (Sky3ds, Retail cartridge, access to an old 3ds, no gateway card, New3DS with latest firmware) This will assume you have done some research but should take some trial and error out of it. This will let you play your rom online and use your save from your retail cart.

1. Dump your retail cart
Download the latest gateway firmware, add Launcher.dat to your SD card (in the normal SD card slot, big enough to hold your game) and the contents of the blue card folder to your sky3ds sd card (formatted with a normal PC) and insert it into your old 3ds (firmware <9.2). Open your 3ds browser, and clear your cookies from the settings menu, then browse to go.gateway-3ds.com. Your 3ds screen will flash white, when it does hold down the L button to launch the gateway menu. From here, change to your retail game cart then choose backup game cartridge, then backup save.
2. Make your template
download the Gateway rom patcher (I used v1.1) open it, then open your dumped rom (from your normal SD card) to get your card ID and chip ID. Download SkyTempIdEdit and the latest sky3ds template and put them in the same folder. press windows+r to bring up the run box, type the following and replace each <> with your info: <path>SkyTempIdEdit.exe <CardId> <ChipId> You can also check the instructions that come with the tool for reference. Rename the new template to something you will remember.
3. Flash your personal rom
Open the sky3ds disk writer and format your microSD for your sky3ds. change template to your newly created one. Then drag your dumped rom to the card.
4. Convert and load your save
rename the .SAV file you dumped earlier to anything else. Download and install ActivePerl on your machine. Download duke_srg's awesome Perl script and delete the .txt extension to leave you with a .pl Open a command prompt and browse to the folder where you have been putting all this 3ds crap (templates, roms, etc. you put it all in the same folder right?) type: perl skysave.pl <template file name.txt> <save file.SAV> <cart code (4 letter code. Monster hunter is BFGE)> This will create a .SAV named with the 4 letter game code
If you have been using your sky3ds, make sure your private rom was NOT the last selected game.
In sky3ds disk writer, right click your private rom name and choose load save file. Point it at the new .SAV
Load up your game in sky3ds, enjoy your backed up save from your retail cart AND online play since you are on a personal header.

Great guide. What if you don't have access to an old 3DS though? I've managed to dump the saves (using an R4i save dongle), but don't see how I'll be able to dump the full games.

 

[Monty Kensicle]

What about Powersaves? Anyway to use that?

 

[Claod]

Hi all, sry for my english i'm french. I add a success injecting my game cartridge's save (Pokemon ROSA) into my sky3ds. Without any conversion.
I just have the powersaves device/software.
My 3DS in 9.4... (yes I know it sucks)
My Pokemon Rosa official cartridge.

I followed this guide to play online, replacing the public header by mine:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/tutorial-get-your-private-header-using-powersaves.385511/

After I changed the header in the template.txt for ALL games having ECLA (ROSA code) after the "**: ctr-"

In my SD card newly formatted, without any other game in it, I put Pokemon ROSA's ROM via DiskWriter.

#Here I tried to decrypt the save of my game via the powersave, and I did... but the result was a .bin file... And no matter what I did trying to import it in sky3ds I couldn't have any luck.#

So, there, i decided to try using directly the powersave, to importe my cartridge save into the sky3ds... It did it. So I have a 100% clone of my ROSA in my sky3ds. Hope it helps.

PS: It may not work if u put others games into your sd card. And if you don't have a matching header.
Hope it helps

 

[xile6]

Claod

Powersave is known to work with pokemon and animal crossing, but nothing else.
I try the header trick with smash bro long time ago and it doesnt work.
It reads the game correctly for a few seconds then it says put in game. Then it starts to cycle between the two screens.

 

[Metalroses]

Did anyone try this with a original .sav from a digital downloaded game? ive been reading looking for information about it but no luck at all. i dont have a GW to start the conversion tho. is there a way to do this? or can i send my sav file to somenone to convert it for sky3ds? i already used the 3dssavtool but it doesnt work everytime i load the game it just reformat the save data. i downloaded the game from the shop so its a digital save format. Edit: just converted the save but when i start i just get this error "this save data cannot be used" so i guess i have to find the ID for this CIA game....

 

[reeZZer]

Hello,

is there a way to convert Powersaves Backup's from Original Games (they are saved as xxx.bin) to Sky3DS with your Perl tool or is there a way to make a Tool specially for Powersaves to Sky3DS ?

I've got a N3DS with Firmware 9.9 and would like to use my save of Zelda with my Sky3DS Cart.

Thank you in advance and keep up the good work

greeTz,
Markus

 

[chronosvrs]

Hello,

is there a way to convert Powersaves Backup's from Original Games (they are saved as xxx.bin) to Sky3DS with your Perl tool or is there a way to make a Tool specially for Powersaves to Sky3DS ?

I've got a N3DS with Firmware 9.9 and would like to use my save of Zelda with my Sky3DS Cart.

Thank you in advance and keep up the good work

greeTz,
Markus

+1 to that question, I'm in the same situation with Fire Emblem