Hacking Benefits of arm9loader over rxtools emunand?

[VaiCorinthians]

Menuhax

Pros:
- a easy process to install and setup it

Cons:

- runs on sysnand
- low bootrate, maybe 75%
- it was made to homebrews not to cfw

A9LH

Pros:

- load ARM9 payloads
- runs before sysnand
- a emunand is not required
- dont need a hardmod to unbrick
- faster boot to cfw
- 100% bootrate
- Fix 3D bug on n3ds

Cons:
- long process to install it and with a certain risk of brick

 

[porko]

how hard/easy is it to go back to full stock with a9lh? just in case i ever decide to sell my 3ds for whatever reason.

currently i'm using reinand and menuhax, crashes are very rare, is the bootrate really that bad for other people?

 

[yoshinatsu]

I've been thinking about going with the whole A9LH thing on my O3DS XL (currently on menuhax).
But here's the million dollar question. I'm using Gateway. And I'd like to keep using Gateway.
Because I'm not a huge CIA fan. I like swapping games easily (and yes, I have my own private header that I inject in online multiplayer .3DS games)
Will I be able to do boot my 10.7 GW emuNAND with A9LH? Or is this what we're waiting for on the next GW update?

 

[Salamencizer]

DO NOT ASK QUESTIONS HERE. ONLY WRITE GUIDES TO HELP OTHER USERS

 

[Fugelmir]

how hard/easy is it to go back to full stock with a9lh? just in case i ever decide to sell my 3ds for whatever reason.

currently i'm using reinand and menuhax, crashes are very rare, is the bootrate really that bad for other people?

It would be as easy as flashing your backed up SYSNAND back to the 3ds. I can't see any reason for doing so at this point in time, though. I had it crashing at boot 3/10 times -- which is a big deal since it would crash while i was trying to inject snes games. I really didn't like having to hold the power button for 8 seconds every time.

 

[HenryLeonheart]

I've been thinking about going with the whole A9LH thing on my O3DS XL (currently on menuhax).
But here's the million dollar question. I'm using Gateway. And I'd like to keep using Gateway.
Because I'm not a huge CIA fan. I like swapping games easily (and yes, I have my own private header that I inject in online multiplayer .3DS games)
Will I be able to do boot my 10.7 GW emuNAND with A9LH? Or is this what we're waiting for on the next GW update?

You can keep an updated emuNAND side by side with a 9.2 sysNAND with A9LH. Let's say you want to boot GW. You install AuReiNand and check the "Autoboot SysNAND" option. You'll always boot into 9.2 sysNAND and from there you can launch GW from your prefered metod of choice (I recommend this one: https://gbatemp.net/threads/release-hb-launcher-mod-cia-for-gateway.416449/)

Really, A9LH is the best thing you can do for your console. The process can be lengthy but if you follow the guide to the letter, you won't brick. Users brick because of not following it correctly. On the off chance you update sysNAND, you can always go back into your 9.2 backup using Decrypt9.

 

[yoshinatsu]

Hmm... Yeah. I may be getting brick protection (that I don't really need because I'm only messing with emuNAND) and 100% boot rate, but I'll lose the autoboot to GW.
So it may not be that worthy in my case.

 

[mgrev]

I think if you are bothered by the CIA install times, a Gateway or Sky3DS+ might be a good option for you. Out of the two the Gateway is the cheapest and most capable. You basically get all the features you'd get in CFW (no a9lh support yet, but it's coming) as well as a robust cheat system and the ability to load .3DS roms off the Gateway cart, no need to wait for games to install. It will cost you $60-$70 though (plus the price of a microSD for the cart itself if you don't have one)


You can improve boot rate further by using lesshax: https://gbatemp.net/threads/release-lesshax-cfw-optimized-9-2-payload.415077/

A9LH GW support is coming soon™

 

[VirusX2]

I've just gotten my 3ds set up on rxtools emunand, and upon doing more research it seems arm9loader is the new, improved way of doing things. However, the only benefits I'm seeing everybody talk about is the faster boot times. Really, the longer boot time doesn't concern me. What does concern me right now is the amount of time it takes to install .cia files. Even with bigbluemenu, bigger .cia files might take 45 mins+. Does have the arm9loaderhax improve this? If not, what other benefits are there for an end user besides the shorter boot time?

cia installing slow means you're using a class 4 memory card. Get a Class 10 sd card. That problem will be solved.

 

[Deleted User]

Less space on sd- only one nand instead of two

 

[Swiftloke]

Obligatory-
Nice tutorial.

 

[The Catboy]

Some of the Pros of A9LH

• 100% Boot rate
  
• Boots in seconds
• Boots perfectly into emuNAND
• Allows CFW's to use sysNAND
• Allows recovery for sysNAND if you break your sysNAND
• Loads A9 homebrews (such as Decrypt9, emuNAND9, ect.)

Cons:

• Takes forever to set up with a minor risk of bricking
• RXTools doesn't support it

Menuhax + RXools

• It's easy to set up

Cons:

• RXTools is basically dead at this point
• Very low bootrate
• Still requires an emuNAND for CFW protection
• Provides zero forms of protection when booting CFW's into sysNAND mode
• Installing DSi/GBA games requires them to be installed twice
• Editing the theme on your sysNAND causes you to loss menuHAX until you re-install it again.

 

[Fugelmir]

I just want to point out that a9lh allowed me to use my r4sdhc 3ds to work on my N3ds.

So it's nice to have DS games as well!

 

[chaosrunner]

more fester boot speed more fasfer than sanic

 

[Chrushev]

What the hell are you people doing that you are worrying about "brick protection" ? Very few benefit from this "feature". The very few that dont just play games on their 3Ds's benefit from it. Yes its a feature, but to most its about as useful as the "dev" mode. Not to mention that you kind of have to go through a risk of bricking your console in the first place to get this feature. So its like, Im going to jump over this fire, if I make it.. then Ill always be able to jump over it... but then ask yourself... would you otherwise jump over the fire, like.. do you plan to jump over the first in the future? Or do you just want your epeen to grow by gaining a feature that is useless to you?? So why risk it to gain an ability that you will likely never use?

If you do things beyond playing games then by all means its a better environment to "experiment in"

Otherwise there is only 1 reason to get A9LH:
100% boot rates vs like 95% boot rates on menuhax (my experience on two different consoles both using 32GB SD cards and AuReiNand. Its usually once every couple of weeks that it will fail to boot). If occasional failure to boot doesnt bother you A9LH isnt really worth it. It will take you a night to set it all up... good 6 hours, maybe more if you have to reinstall CIAs and move save files. There is no way you will ever gain that back via the time saved during boot (5 to 10 seconds per boot) and occasional failure to boot (extra 5 seconds to turn off and retry).

If you power on your 3DS once a day it would take you about 12 years to match the 6 hours you lost by converting, and that is if it takes you 6 hours, most take longer. Even if you are a super guru and and do it in 2 hours, and your load times used to be 20 seconds and now are 10 seconds it would still take you 2 years of booting it up every day to match the time lost. Realistically you probably dont play every day and/or dont power cycle every day so these numbers are very optimistic.

there is only one case where I would say you should do it.. and that is setting up an unhacked console that has nothing set up on it at all. But if you already have menuhax, just enjoy that. A9LH is really not any better for someone who just plays games.

For the record I have 2 menuHax O3DS consoles and 1 N3DS A9LH.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

more fester boot speed more fasfer than sanic

GO HOME SANIC... U DRUNK!

 

[wormdood]

I just want to point out that a9lh allowed me to use my r4sdhc 3ds to work on my N3ds.

So it's nice to have DS games as well!

i just want to point out you are incorrect sir. all you needed was aurareinad or to manually patch twl firm . . . al9h had nothing to do with it

What the hell are you people doing that you are worrying about "brick protection" ? Very few benefit from this "feature". The very few that dont just play games on their 3Ds's benefit from it. Yes its a feature, but to most its about as useful as the "dev" mode. Not to mention that you kind of have to go through a risk of bricking your console in the first place to get this feature. So its like, Im going to jump over this fire, if I make it.. then Ill always be able to jump over it... but then ask yourself... would you otherwise jump over the fire, like.. do you plan to jump over the first in the future? Or do you just want your epeen to grow by gaining a feature that is useless to you?? So why risk it to gain an ability that you will likely never use?

If you do things beyond playing games then by all means its a better environment to "experiment in"

Otherwise there is only 1 reason to get A9LH:
100% boot rates vs like 95% boot rates on menuhax (my experience on two different consoles both using 32GB SD cards and AuReiNand. Its usually once every couple of weeks that it will fail to boot). If occasional failure to boot doesnt bother you A9LH isnt really worth it. It will take you a night to set it all up... good 6 hours, maybe more if you have to reinstall CIAs and move save files. There is no way you will ever gain that back via the time saved during boot (5 to 10 seconds per boot) and occasional failure to boot (extra 5 seconds to turn off and retry).

If you power on your 3DS once a day it would take you about 12 years to match the 6 hours you lost by converting, and that is if it takes you 6 hours, most take longer. Even if you are a super guru and and do it in 2 hours, and your load times used to be 20 seconds and now are 10 seconds it would still take you 2 years of booting it up every day to match the time lost. Realistically you probably dont play every day and/or dont power cycle every day so these numbers are very optimistic.

there is only one case where I would say you should do it.. and that is setting up an unhacked console that has nothing set up on it at all. But if you already have menuhax, just enjoy that. A9LH is really not any better for someone who just plays games.

For the record I have 2 menuHax O3DS consoles and 1 N3DS A9LH.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------


GO HOME SANIC... U DRUNK!

everything you said is so true . . . save for the part about sanic . . . . you take it back!

 

[CrispyYoshi]

What the hell are you people doing that you are worrying about "brick protection" ? Very few benefit from this "feature". The very few that dont just play games on their 3Ds's benefit from it. Yes its a feature, but to most its about as useful as the "dev" mode. Not to mention that you kind of have to go through a risk of bricking your console in the first place to get this feature. So its like, Im going to jump over this fire, if I make it.. then Ill always be able to jump over it... but then ask yourself... would you otherwise jump over the fire, like.. do you plan to jump over the first in the future? Or do you just want your epeen to grow by gaining a feature that is useless to you?? So why risk it to gain an ability that you will likely never use?

If you do things beyond playing games then by all means its a better environment to "experiment in"

Otherwise there is only 1 reason to get A9LH:
100% boot rates vs like 95% boot rates on menuhax (my experience on two different consoles both using 32GB SD cards and AuReiNand. Its usually once every couple of weeks that it will fail to boot). If occasional failure to boot doesnt bother you A9LH isnt really worth it. It will take you a night to set it all up... good 6 hours, maybe more if you have to reinstall CIAs and move save files. There is no way you will ever gain that back via the time saved during boot (5 to 10 seconds per boot) and occasional failure to boot (extra 5 seconds to turn off and retry).

If you power on your 3DS once a day it would take you about 12 years to match the 6 hours you lost by converting, and that is if it takes you 6 hours, most take longer. Even if you are a super guru and and do it in 2 hours, and your load times used to be 20 seconds and now are 10 seconds it would still take you 2 years of booting it up every day to match the time lost. Realistically you probably dont play every day and/or dont power cycle every day so these numbers are very optimistic.

there is only one case where I would say you should do it.. and that is setting up an unhacked console that has nothing set up on it at all. But if you already have menuhax, just enjoy that. A9LH is really not any better for someone who just plays games.

For the record I have 2 menuHax O3DS consoles and 1 N3DS A9LH.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------


GO HOME SANIC... U DRUNK!

You'd be surprised how easy it is for people to accidentally install a .cia to the wrong location or fail during a system update process. It certainly doesn't apply to everyone, but it could happen to some of us, and installing A9LH really is safe, as long as the directions are followed perfectly without skipping any steps. There is only a "slight risk of bricking" because of user error, so get someone to do it with you or read over the guide twice to understand what you are doing before attempting it.

Also, it takes about 3-5 hours to do the whole guide, and about 2-3 hours to convert to A9LH.

 

[teegeeack]

I thought that the whole point of emunand was to put the OS on the SD card so that you weren't risking anything on the sysnand...

the whole point of emuNAND is to protect your exploit (aka "hax" or "entry point"), and thus your ability to use a CFW, from being eliminated by a nintendo update.

a9lh loads earlier in the boot process than other exploits do, which enables the CFW to protect the exploit in sysNAND rather than relying on emuNAND (combined with an outdated sysNAND) for that protection.

the two methods accomplish the same goal, more or less, but one is a cleaner or more technically "elegant" solution than the other. besides some of the other little advantages of using a9lh which are frequently discussed.

 

[Chrushev]

You'd be surprised how easy it is for people to accidentally install a .cia to the wrong location or fail during a system update process. It certainly doesn't apply to everyone, but it could happen to some of us, and installing A9LH really is safe, as long as the directions are followed perfectly without skipping any steps. There is only a "slight risk of bricking" because of user error, so get someone to do it with you or read over the guide twice to understand what you are doing before attempting it.

Also, it takes about 3-5 hours to do the whole guide, and about 2-3 hours to convert to A9LH.

If you are the type of person that will accidentally install wrong .cia or do something for update to fail then you are probably the kind of person that will brick your 3DS during A9LH install in the first place.

Also Its hard to brick via installing wrong .cia, and you should be backing up emunand before every system update, so if that fails you can restore.

 

[SomeGamer]

you should be backing up emunand before every system update, so if that fails you can restore.

Or CTRNAND in case of updated sysNAND.