Hacking Confused which method to install a9hl

[iceaco]

Hey GBAtemp, it's been a while since I picked up my 3ds and I lost track of the 3ds scene.
What I have:
- 9.2 N3DS
- gateway card with like 9.8 emunand
- CN cart

What I found out
- arm9loaderhax
- some kind of automated gw installer for that in their 4.0 beta
- some cfw called luma3ds which sounds like the most reliable one now

What I want to know
- should I do the downgrade + extract etc manually and install the luma3ds cfw, or should I let everything be automated by gw tools? Is there a reason I shouldn't?

Pretty confused because I'm not sure how much the GW method does and the thread on it were full of shitposting.

If I misunderstood anything, do point it out. i haven't finished my research and caught up with the scene yet.

Thanks!

EDIT: Apparently this thread is relevant to my question too
https://gbatemp.net/threads/lets-say-my-gw-card-breaks-or-i-lose-it.431157/

 

[Deleted member 370671]

1) DON'T use GW's method. That's (one of) the best decision you'll make in your entire life.
2) Follow this guide


(Why you shouldn't use GW tools? Well, to keep things simple, if you lose / break your red card, your 3DS will be just a really nice piece of plastic. And also, you won't be able to use any other A9LH tool with GW's install.)

 

[iceaco]

1) DON'T use GW's method. That's (one of) the best decision you'll make in your entire life.
2) Follow this guide

Welp thanks for pointing out the main issue.
Does the Luma3DS work with gateway? (My SD already has a GW emunand right now and I'll have to clean that up for the Luma3DS?)
I skimmed through the threads and it seems information is changing every week.

 

[Deleted member 381889]

ShadowNAND is kinda cool.

 

[Deleted member 370671]

Welp thanks for pointing out the main issue.
Does the Luma3DS work with gateway? (My SD already has a GW emunand right now and I'll have to clean that up for the Luma3DS?)
I skimmed through the threads and it seems information is changing every week.

Well, I've heard something about Luma working with GW payload or something so I'm not sure if that Luma can work *with* Gateway (at the same time).
However, you can install A9LH using SafeA9LHInstaller, and then use CTRBootManager9 to choose between booting Luma3DS or Gateway.

 

[iceaco]

ShadowNAND is kinda cool.

Not for people like me who don't really know what they're doing, right

Well, I've heard something about Luma working with GW payload or something so I'm not sure if that Luma can work *with* Gateway (at the same time).
However, you can install A9LH using SafeA9LHInstaller, and then use CTRBootManager9 to choose between booting Luma3DS or Gateway.

Hmm, thanks, let me continue my research from that point then.
Indeed I wasn't clear whether GW can work on top of Luma, but if they can be booted separately, that would scare me less.
Somehow my gut feeling tells me I should observe a bit longer..

 

[Deleted member 381889]

Not for people like me who don't really know what they're doing, right

Not really, if you know how to follow instructions correctly and don't throw your 3ds at wall while doing it, you should be fine. However, its only really necessary if you're going to be installing a stage2 cfw (cfw which boots off the nand, not sd card) in the future, so dont worry about it I was just throwing it out there

 

[astronautlevel]

ShadowNAND is kinda cool.

ShadowNAND is a glorified a9lh implementation and there is 0 reason to be using it right now.

 

[Haymose]

ShadowNAND is kinda cool.

Why recommend when the creator is warning people it's unfinished and has no use for regular users like the op? Strange.

 

[Deleted member 381889]

Why recommend when the creator is warning people it's unfinished and has no use for regular users like the op? Strange.

ShadowNAND is a glorified a9lh implementation and there is 0 reason to be using it right now.

I know, I posted that without thinking, I explained later in my other post.