Hacking B9s internal usd card full. Can we use another one?

[Aglae Pheryl]

Hi,

One of my kids has his N3ds console running b9s (11.6 Eur). The internal Usd card is full (too many games or whatever). It is a 64 GB card. he doesn't want to delete anything.
1. Can the N3ds accept bigger Usd cards? What's the max size then?
2. Can I pop in a new blank Usd card and then what should I do (what to copy from the cards he is using now and what to leave out - the games I suppose) ?

Extra questions: My daughter is using a O3ds XL running B9s (or A9hl I'm not sure) and can also boot on Gateway (Dpad down at startup). Can she update the 'regular' system (max version to not 'loose' the use of GW carts please)? regular being B9s or A9hl here. She also wants to play her old nds games. Can she use Gateway's blue card? From the Gateway mode or CFW mode? Any risks? BTW, can this blue card be used also with my son's N3ds only running B9s?

Dumb question: I know Luma is a cfw. B9s is also a Cfw right? So why 2? What's the use case for Luma?

Thanks,

 

[GothicIII]

They are called MicroSD (µSD cards for short), not USD, this is the american currency...

128GB is confirmed to be working. Bigger cards could work but the filesystem (fat32) has limitations and will make problems if you have many files on it (use the highest clustersize of 64KB when formatting).
Keep in mind that with a 128GB the boot times of the 3DS will be much slower (due to the builtin sd-controller) and the 3ds has a limitation of 300 titles inside home menu. So if you install many small games you will reach the limit pretty quickly and old games get deleted without notice.

It will be unlikely to completly use the 128GB without reaching the aforementioned limitations but if you desperately need more space, go for it.

To use the new card just copy all files over. If you use emunand (which is unlikely today) you need some extra steps to get it working (extract emunand and inject it into the new card).

Extra: No you can't. Max version gw supports is 11.2. Newer version require to downgrade some system titles and have a hybrid firmware with older and newer titles together (sometimes called frankenfirmware). Blue card should work with luma cfw. But using it with gw cfw you need to install a whitelist patch. I wouldn't recommend it because it caused already problems in the past. Better ditch gateway (extract all saves from your .3ds games first with JKSM/SDF) and go with luma+cia installs completely.
Dumb: No, Luma is a cfw; b9s is the payload you use to load cfw. Two completly different things with different uses.

 

[Aglae Pheryl]

Thanks, So I'll get my son another 64 GB card (cheaper and hopefully he won't be filling it too quickly). I will copy all files to it but then it will be full as well. I just want to leave out the games so he instals whatever he wants afterwards on the new card. What folder holds the games, and can I leave it out when copying all the other ones?

My daughter's O3ds XL is running 9.0 I think so I will tell her not to go over 11.2 (or not to do anything actually since she and her younger brother are still using Gateway cards).

What about Gateway's blue card, can it be used with b9s/Luma or only in GW mode? Do I have to reinstall anything after they have played a nds game?

Should I be updating Luma from time to time or should I just install updates from the console's menu?

Thanks.

 

[Shady Guy Jose]

Thanks, So I'll get my son another 64 GB card (cheaper and hopefully he won't be filling it too quickly). I will copy all files to it but then it will be full as well. I just want to leave out the games so he instals whatever he wants afterwards on the new card. What folder holds the games, and can I leave it out when copying all the other ones?

My daughter's O3ds XL is running 9.0 I think so I will tell her not to go over 11.2 (or not to do anything actually since she and her younger brother are still using Gateway cards).

What about Gateway's blue card, can it be used with b9s/Luma or only in GW mode? Do I have to reinstall anything after they have played a nds game?

Should I be updating Luma from time to time or should I just install updates from the console's menu?

Thanks.

Do not do that. You need to get a bigger card and move everything to it, not multiple cards. Gateway's blue card works under Luma, at least the most recent versions of it (booted through B9S). Using Gateway's red card is risky if you don't know exactly what you're doing. I use an 11.6 SysNAND with an 11.2 EmuNAND for Gateway, but you're most likely not using EmuNANDs, and honestly shouldn't. If kids are handling those 3DSs and are used to installing games under CFW, you should move everything to that setup and ditch the red card entirely. Else, the risk of bricking is quite high. If you do decide to set up EmuNANDs, then bricks won't happen, but it's not a simple process.

 

[Giodude]

Thanks, So I'll get my son another 64 GB card (cheaper and hopefully he won't be filling it too quickly). I will copy all files to it but then it will be full as well. I just want to leave out the games so he instals whatever he wants afterwards on the new card. What folder holds the games, and can I leave it out when copying all the other ones?

My daughter's O3ds XL is running 9.0 I think so I will tell her not to go over 11.2 (or not to do anything actually since she and her younger brother are still using Gateway cards).

What about Gateway's blue card, can it be used with b9s/Luma or only in GW mode? Do I have to reinstall anything after they have played a nds game?

Should I be updating Luma from time to time or should I just install updates from the console's menu?

Thanks.

Considering you have children using this, or really anybody in general, I would suggest making the full switch to luma. It's just as seamless as using the vanilla 3ds fw and you can update and play online without any worries.

 

[Aglae Pheryl]

Considering you have children using this, or really anybody in general, I would suggest making the full switch to luma. It's just as seamless as using the vanilla 3ds fw and you can update and play online without any worries.

Thanks. I know I should have moved them to B9s/Luma. I did for my eldest son but the young ones, they share/swap their games easily with their MicroSD cards in Gateway's red cards. Sometimes they use one another's. They have different games on it and find it very easy to change games (copy the .3ds files from the home computer to the microSD cards). No need to install them with FBI or FreeShop. I have shown them Freeshop and FBI but it's too complex they say (especially FBI).

 

[Shady Guy Jose]

Thanks. I know I should have moved them to B9s/Luma. I did for my eldest son but the young ones, they share/swap their games easily with their MicroSD cards in Gateway's red cards. Sometimes they use one another's. They have different games on it and find it very easy to change games (copy the .3ds files from the home computer to the microSD cards). No need to install them with FBI or FreeShop. I have shown them Freeshop and FBI but it's too complex they say (especially FBI).

I get them, since that's the main reason why I still use Gateway as well. But using them with updated SysNANDs is a no-no, so you'd need EmuNANDs set up on every console.

 

[Aglae Pheryl]

I get them, since that's the main reason why I still use Gateway as well. But using them with updated SysNANDs is a no-no, so you'd need EmuNANDs set up on every console.

I believe Emunand is setup on both consoles. They need to go to user settings or something like this to trigger the gateway mode.

 

[Shady Guy Jose]

I believe Emunand is setup on both consoles. They need to go to user settings or something like this to trigger the gateway mode.

That means nothing. Gateway mode always has to be triggered with an exploit (I believe someone mentioned using B9S with the down key earlier, and the one you're talking about is the old MSET for 4.0-4.5 firmwares). It will then boot whatever NAND is available. EmuNAND if it's there, SysNAND if it's not. You need to make absolutely sure there is an EmuNAND in every console. Only then should you install the latest hacks and update SysNAND. If you swap internal SD/μSD cards, like you said in the first post, then you need to set up EmuNANDs in the new ones before updating stuff.

 

[Aglae Pheryl]

That means nothing. Gateway mode always has to be triggered with an exploit (I believe someone mentioned using B9S with the down key earlier, and the one you're talking about is the old MSET for 4.0-4.5 firmwares). It will then boot whatever NAND is available. EmuNAND if it's there, SysNAND if it's not. You need to make absolutely sure there is an EmuNAND in every console. Only then should you install the latest hacks and update SysNAND. If you swap internal SD/μSD cards, like you said in the first post, then you need to set up EmuNANDs in the new ones before updating stuff.

Thanks again. How can I make sure Emunand is setup (can you point me to a guide to install it in case it's not)? With that said, the limit to 11.2 will still be there in Sysnand correct?

 

[Shady Guy Jose]

Thanks again. How can I make sure Emunand is setup (can you point me to a guide to install it in case it's not)? With that said, the limit to 11.2 will still be there in Sysnand correct?

You can check versions before and after triggering Gateway mode. If they're different, there's an EmuNAND there for sure. If they're the same, you might not be able to tell. As for the limit, nope. As I said earlier, I have an 11.6 SysNAND with an 11.2 EmuNAND. Having set up an EmuNAND, Gateway always uses that, so that's the one limited to 11.2. I honestly don't know of any good guides, since the main one has done away with that, in favor of a simple Luma setup. Maybe check the versions first and we'll go from there.

 

[Aglae Pheryl]

You can check versions before and after triggering Gateway mode. If they're different, there's an EmuNAND there for sure. If they're the same, you might not be able to tell. As for the limit, nope. As I said earlier, I have an 11.6 SysNAND with an 11.2 EmuNAND. Having set up an EmuNAND, Gateway always uses that, so that's the one limited to 11.2. I honestly don't know of any good guides, since the main one has done away with that, in favor of a simple Luma setup. Maybe check the versions first and we'll go from there.

Sys9.2.0-20E (booting normally - not touching any button) and after booting with Dpad down GW3D 11.2.0-10E

 

[Aglae Pheryl]

Sys9.2.0-20E (booting normally - not touching any button) and after booting with Dpad down GW3D 11.2.0-10E

So does that mean I can go ahead and update the b9s/luma part? If so how? I guess it will also have to make another update as it seems to be running an outdatd version of freeshop (I don't recall what to put for step 2/ Put an URL linking to the encTitleKey.bin file on the freeShop's Settings > Update > Auto-update title keys from URL. (but if this info cannot be shared easily for whatever legal reasons, I will most certainly find it on my other kid's console.

BTW, part of the initial question was to copy the stuff from the original internal microSD card to a new blank one but leave out the games so my kid can use different games. What folders are the games located so that I do not have to copy this over?
Thanks again for your patience.

 

[Shady Guy Jose]

So does that mean I can go ahead and update the b9s/luma part? If so how? I guess it will also have to make another update as it seems to be running an outdatd version of freeshop (I don't recall what to put for step 2/ Put an URL linking to the encTitleKey.bin file on the freeShop's Settings > Update > Auto-update title keys from URL. (but if this info cannot be shared easily for whatever legal reasons, I will most certainly find it on my other kid's console.

BTW, part of the initial question was to copy the stuff from the original internal microSD card to a new blank one but leave out the games so my kid can use different games. What folders are the games located so that I do not have to copy this over?
Thanks again for your patience.

1 - Yes, you can update the SysNAND without worrying about it, as long as you're using B9S or A9LH to boot Luma/Gateway. Since you're in 9.2, you might be using something older, like MenuHax.
2 - Changing the internal card is gonna be a lot harder. Since you have an EmuNAND, you're gonna have to find a way to move it to a new card. It can be done with GodMode9, but it would take quite a while to explain it, I don't know the process by heart, and I don't have access to my 3DS right now.
3 - As I said earlier, I believe you cannot leave the games and copy the rest. You need to get a bigger card (128GB) and move everything to it. The 3DS doesn't do SD swapping, as far as I know. If I'm wrong, someone will correct me, though.
4 - As for FreeShop, you probably need both the new version of the app itself (search GBATemp for "Community FreeShop") and the new URL, which can't be shared here.

 

[Aglae Pheryl]

1 - Yes, you can update the SysNAND without worrying about it, as long as you're using B9S or A9LH to boot Luma/Gateway. Since you're in 9.2, you might be using something older, like MenuHax.
2 - Changing the internal card is gonna be a lot harder. Since you have an EmuNAND, you're gonna have to find a way to move it to a new card. It can be done with GodMode9, but it would take quite a while to explain it, I don't know the process by heart, and I don't have access to my 3DS right now.
3 - As I said earlier, I believe you cannot leave the games and copy the rest. You need to get a bigger card (128GB) and move everything to it. The 3DS doesn't do SD swapping, as far as I know. If I'm wrong, someone will correct me, though.
4 - As for FreeShop, you probably need both the new version of the app itself (search GBATemp for "Community FreeShop") and the new URL, which can't be shared here.

Great. Thanks.
1. How would I know whether I'm using MenuHax, B9s or A9LH, and does it matter in case to update SysNand? So if I wanted to update SysNand to 11.2 or even 11.6, would it brick the console or make Gateway unusable?
2. How would I go about updating sysnand then, through the settings menu just like I would on a non patched console?
3. Thanks, I will either purchase a bigger SD card or tell my kid to delete some games if he wants to play different ones.
4. I installed the latest cia for freeshop and typed in the link from the other console. Works fine I believe. Thanks again.

 

[Shady Guy Jose]

Great. Thanks.
1. How would I know whether I'm using MenuHax, B9s or A9LH, and does it matter in case to update SysNand? So if I wanted to update SysNand to 11.2 or even 11.6, would it brick the console or make Gateway unusable?
2. How would I go about updating sysnand then, through the settings menu just like I would on a non patched console?
3. Thanks, I will either purchase a bigger SD card or tell my kid to delete some games if he wants to play different ones.
4. I installed the latest cia for freeshop and typed in the link from the other console. Works fine I believe. Thanks again.

1 - It does matter, since MenuHax doesn't work on anything above 9.2, IIRC. Check the root of your SD card. If you see an "arm9loaderhax.bin" file, it's A9LH. If you see a "boot.firm" file, it's B9S. If you update a console that's only using MenuHax, you get an unhacked console. As for Gateway, it doesn't care about your SysNAND version, as long as there's an EmuNAND on your SD card. You just have to be careful and never boot it on a new SD card, before moving the EmuNAND from the old one, for example.
2 - Yeah, when you've confirmed it's safe to update, just update normally from System Settings.

 

[Quantumcat]

1 - It does matter, since MenuHax doesn't work on anything above 9.2, IIRC. Check the root of your SD card. If you see an "arm9loaderhax.bin" file, it's A9LH. If you see a "boot.firm" file, it's B9S. If you update a console that's only using MenuHax, you get an unhacked console. As for Gateway, it doesn't care about your SysNAND version, as long as there's an EmuNAND on your SD card. You just have to be careful and never boot it on a new SD card, before moving the EmuNAND from the old one, for example.
2 - Yeah, when you've confirmed it's safe to update, just update normally from System Settings.

1. Arm9loaderhax.bin doesn't mean it is running A9LH, menuhax used that file too, when Luma used to support both menuhax and A9LH.

 

[Aglae Pheryl]

1. Arm9loaderhax.bin doesn't mean it is running A9LH, menuhax used that file too, when Luma used to support both menuhax and A9LH.

I see arm9loaderhax.bin ; arm11.bin ; Launcher.dat ; Launcher.dat (Gateway) ; Launcher.dat (Luma) ; SafeA9LHInstaller.dat ; SafeCtrTransfer.dat and quite a bunch of other files.
So is this safe to update Sysnand through the settings menu?
Would I be loosing Gateway in the process?
If unsafe to update, how can I switch from whatever it is installed (A9LH I suppose) to B9S (keeping Gateway alive of course)?

Thanks,

 

[Shady Guy Jose]

I see arm9loaderhax.bin ; arm11.bin ; Launcher.dat ; Launcher.dat (Gateway) ; Launcher.dat (Luma) ; SafeA9LHInstaller.dat ; SafeCtrTransfer.dat and quite a bunch of other files.
So is this safe to update Sysnand through the settings menu?
Would I be loosing Gateway in the process?
If unsafe to update, how can I switch from whatever it is installed (A9LH I suppose) to B9S (keeping Gateway alive of course)?

Thanks,

According to @Quantumcat, apparently there's an old version of Luma that used MenuHax, yet still booted that arm9loaderhax.bin file at some point, so I can't really be sure if you're on A9LH. However, the arm11.bin file and the SafeA9LHInstallers point towards it. I'd wait for @Quantumcat to confirm that I'm right, though. If you don't care for the latest additions in Luma, and are indeed running A9LH, you can just update through system settings and keep everything you have, including Gateway. I believe A9LH Luma still works with the latest firmwares. If you need the latest Luma, 3ds.hacks.guide has a page detailing the update process from A9LH to B9S, which is required to boot the last few versions of Luma. You would have to redo your Gateway setup, though.

 

[Quantumcat]

If you have SafeArm9Installer then you probably have A9LH. What happens when you hold Select on boot? Does it tell you what version Luma you have? You will probably want to follow https://3ds.guide/a9lh-to-b9s, but before you update, open the config menu (Select on boot) and make sure boot emuNAND is turned off, and show version string is turned on. Press Start to save and go to System Settings. Make sure the version string starts with "Sys". Then you can update. You will have to set up Gateway again: https://gbatemp.net/threads/tutorial-using-luma3ds-gateway-on-b9s.431691/