Hacking Confused with procedure to flash CFW for N2DS XL

[3dsdude21]

So I know that video tutorials are NOT the way to go, but I just wanted to be sure and I was confused at the very first step due to the differing instructions from 3ds.guide.

3ds.guide states that you should copy the necessary files onto the flashcart SD card, whereas the video's instructions were to take out the device's SD card and use that instead. I know that 3ds.guide's instructions are always the golden rule, but I just wanted to check here and make sure what I'm doing is correct.

Second question I have is, why are there 2 SD cards: 1 for flashcart and 1 for the device itself? I understand the flashcart one is more for DS games that you want to run on the flashcart. So does this mean that the SD card for the device is for the cfw and 3ds games that we wish to install on the device without using the flashcart? Because I understand that 3ds games do not require the use of the flashcart at all.

Any guidance would be much appreciated, thanks.

 

[gohan123]

where does it state that it need to be on the flashcard? the only part in which it says it needs to copy to flashcard sd, is to reflash your flashkart to a ntrboot card. if you already have one, you don't need that step.

to quote the guide:

• "This is the SD card from your 3DS, not the SD card from your flashcart"

 

[Kubas_inko]

You should copy everything to the 3DS SD, not to the flashcard SD.
For flashcard, so that you can put DS roms there. SD in 3DS is for everything else.

 

[3dsdude21]

where does it state that it need to be on the flashcard? the only part in which it says it needs to copy to flashcard sd, is to reflash your flashkart to a ntrboot card. if you already have one, you don't need that step.

to quote the guide:

• "This is the SD card from your 3DS, not the SD card from your flashcart"

The page that I saw the instructions from is here:
https://3ds.hacks.guide/flashing-ntrboot-(3ds-single-system)

Under section 1 (Prep work), it says

2.Insert your flashcart’s SD card into your computer

 

[Kubas_inko]

The page that I saw the instructions from is here:
https://3ds.hacks.guide/flashing-ntrboot-(3ds-single-system)

Under section 1 (Prep work), it says

2.Insert your flashcart’s SD card into your computer

That's only used for flashing the flashcard. Otherwise, you don't need anything on the flashcard SD (except kernel and the .nds to flash it)

 

[3dsdude21]

That's only used for flashing the flashcard. Otherwise, you don't need anything on the flashcard SD (except kernel and the .nds to flash it)

Sry, but I'm not too experienced in this area. Mind explaining to me what you mean by "That's only used for flashing the flashcard"? Also, I would like to follow the steps as far as possible, because I don't want to brick the system.

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

Sry, but I'm not too experienced in this area. Mind explaining to me what you mean by "That's only used for flashing the flashcard"? Also, I would like to follow the steps as far as possible, because I don't want to brick the system.

Ok wait, I think I get what you mean. I think the reason my tutorial does not show the flashing part is because mine is the r4i gold 3ds+ and it already comes flashed with ntrboot.

Sorry, I remember researching on this beforehand but I must have forgotten about it.

 

[migles]

Sry, but I'm not too experienced in this area. Mind explaining to me what you mean by "That's only used for flashing the flashcard"? Also, I would like to follow the steps as far as possible, because I don't want to brick the system.

i understand the little confusion.

that first part of the guide is to prepair your flashcart so it will trick the console.
if your flashcart has a switch inside to change into NTRBOOT mode, skip that part.
otherwise (if you dont own the r4i card with the switch inside) you need to flash the card, and this process is done entirely in your flashcart NDS mode

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r4i gold 3ds+ and it already comes flashed with ntrboot.

yeah, skip that part of the tutorial, that's the confusion part in the guide

everything you need to be done is in the console sd card
if your card dind't had ntrboot flashed, you would need to setup that part in the flashcart itself

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PS: to be absolutly clear:
since your flashcart is already in ntrboot mode, you can continue to this part: https://3ds.hacks.guide/installing-boot9strap-(ntrboot)
all the next steps (except the part that is reverting your flashcart to normal) is done in the console internal sd card

 

[3dsdude21]

i understand the little confusion.

that first part of the guide is to prepair your flashcart so it will trick the console.
if your flashcart has a switch inside to change into NTRBOOT mode, skip that part.
otherwise (if you dont own the r4i card with the switch inside) you need to flash the card, and this process is done entirely in your flashcart NDS mode

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


yeah, skip that part of the tutorial, that's the confusion part in the guide

everything you need to be done is in the console sd card
if your card dind't had ntrboot flashed, you would need to setup that part in the flashcart itself

Yep, turns out I was just confused.

I see that my 2ds sd card is 4gb. How many games from freeshop can I fit, after downloading all the cfw stuff? I most probably don't see myself using the ds for anything else other than freeshop games, except maybe trying out some themes etc.

Secondly, and this is a question I forgot to post in my original post. I'm actually recycling a 32gb sandisk micro sd card to use for the flashcart. I think the best way to go about it would be to just wipe everything off the microsd card. Can I just delete everything off? Or should I reformat it and stuff?

Thanks again, really appreciate the explanation.

 

[migles]

I see that my 2ds sd card is 4gb. How many games from freeshop can I fit, after downloading all the cfw stuff? I most probably don't see myself using the ds for anything else other than freeshop games, except maybe trying out some themes etc.

i would really suggest to upgrade your card, 4GB can hold you like 1-2 games if you go for the big titles
you can transfer the nand backup over to your pc (but keep a copy of it) that will save 800MB
the cfw and programs files don't occupy that much.. but you will be very limited

I'm actually recycling a 32gb sandisk micro sd card to use for the flashcart. I think the best way to go about it would be to just wipe everything off the microsd card. Can I just delete everything off? Or should I reformat it and stuff?

you can do either, doesnt matter much
i would suggest to format it and use that 32 gb card in your 3ds... (copy everything from your 4gb card if you want to use it for the 3ds)

if you want to use it for the flashcart, keep in mind you need the firmware files for the flashcart in the sd card inserted in it (it depends on which one you got)
and you will need to restore back its NDS function
if the card has a switch inside, just flick it,
if its an akaio you don't need anything,
if other kind like a regular r4 you very likely need to flash it back as explained in the end of the guide


if you want to format cards, i suggest you: fat32 with 32k cluster size

 

[3dsdude21]

i would really suggest to upgrade your card, 4GB can hold you like 1-2 games if you go for the big titles
you can transfer the nand backup over to your pc (but keep a copy of it) that will save 800MB
the cfw and programs files don't occupy that much.. but you will be very limited


you can do either, doesnt matter much
i would suggest to format it and use that 32 gb card in your 3ds... (copy everything from your 4gb card if you want to use it for the 3ds)

if you want to use it for the flashcart, keep in mind you need the firmware files for the flashcart in the sd card inserted in it (it depends on which one you got)
and you will need to restore back its NDS function
if the card has a switch inside, just flick it,
if its an akaio you don't need anything,
if other kind like a regular r4 you very likely need to flash it back as explained in the end of the guide


if you want to format cards, i suggest you: fat32 with 32k cluster size

In other words, I should just swap the two? 4gb for the flashcart to hold the ds games (which I believe are smaller in size), and 32 gb for the device itself for the 3ds games?
If I want to transfer over, I just need to transfer over everything from the 4gb card to the 32gb card yeah? Should I keep a copy of the contents from the 4gb card in case things go wrong?

Do you mind explaining this line?

if you want to use it for the flashcart, keep in mind you need the firmware files for the flashcart in the sd card inserted in it (it depends on which one you got)

Do you mean downloading the wood kernel onto the sd card that I wish to use in the flashcart?

I'm sorry for all these questions, I'm just really worried of bricking the console, so I rather get all my shit sorted out first before I go through this.

 

[migles]

In other words, I should just swap the two? 4gb for the flashcart to hold the ds games (which I believe are smaller in size), and 32 gb for the device itself for the 3ds games?

exactly, but even tough ds games are smaller in size, they can still go easily over the 4GB if you play several games, i would suggest to get a bigger card later, but it depends on you gonna use it of course, but try it with the 4gb for the flashcart, if you need more you can always upgrade

If I want to transfer over, I just need to transfer over everything from the 4gb card to the 32gb card yeah? Should I keep a copy of the contents from the 4gb card in case things go wrong?

just copy everything from the 4GB to the 32GB (clean the 32gb card first, by formatting as fat32\32cluster or deleting everything)
dont need to keep anything in the older card or keep a copy of contents except for the nand (which is a big file about 800MB) you should keep a backup of this in case your console bricks
its explained in the guide which files you need to keep a backup (it says to copy into a safe place in your pc)

Do you mean downloading the wood kernel onto the sd card that I wish to use in the flashcart?

yes, if your flashcard uses wood, you need it in the flashcart sd card

I'm sorry for all these questions, I'm just really worried of bricking the console, so I rather get all my shit sorted out first before I go through this.

its kinda hard to brick it, if you have the nand backup i told earlier, you can't trully brick it (can easily recover with ntrboot)

 

[3dsdude21]

exactly, but even tough ds games are smaller in size, they can still go easily over the 4GB if you play several games, i would suggest to get a bigger card later, but it depends on you gonna use it of course, but try it with the 4gb for the flashcart, if you need more you can always upgrade


just copy everything from the 4GB to the 32GB (clean the 32gb card first, by formatting as fat32\32cluster or deleting everything)
dont need to keep anything in the older card or keep a copy of contents except for the nand (which is a big file about 800MB) you should keep a backup of this in case your console bricks
its explained in the guide which files you need to keep a backup (it says to copy into a safe place in your pc)


yes, if your flashcard uses wood, you need it in the flashcart sd card


its kinda hard to brick it, if you have the nand backup i told earlier, you can't trully brick it (can easily recover with ntrboot)

I see that the backup of sysnand is right at the back, under finalizing setup. However, it seems a bit pointless to me. If I screwed up and bricked my system before this point, what is the point of having the option of backup of sysnand if I can't even get to this part?

Also, right at the bottom, it gives instructions for upgrading to a bigger sized sd card, which was exactly what you said. Based on the placement of this advice in the guide, do you recommend I copy the contents of the 4gb to the 32 gb sd card, before I proceed with the guide, or after I finish installing cfw onto the system?

 

[migles]

I see that the backup of sysnand is right at the back, under finalizing setup. However, it seems a bit pointless to me. If I screwed up and bricked my system before this point, what is the point of having the option of backup of sysnand if I can't even get to this part?

the point is, in case you do something later, maybe updating stuff or even install bad cias, you can recover from the brick.
the actual process of installing the cfw is right at the begginging (when you boot the console with the magnet) the next steps in the guide is to install stuff, like fbi and the homebrew channel, which are needed for homebrew and install stuff. godmod is also needed for backup the nand, clean the sd card from install files and its a very handy tool

in the last page there is totally optional stuff in the guide, i am not really sure why they have it like the custom themes program or checkpoint (it manages saves)
you can skip theese 2, and even the luma updater you can also skip it...and just updating luma manually

the point of having a nand backup is in case you later install stuff, that may result in the console bricking, like a bad cia, or you borrow your console to your cousin and he decides to poke in system files in godmode for example
in the wii if you install a bad theme, it results in the console bricking..
so nand backup is just a safety feature for the future

Also, right at the bottom, it gives instructions for upgrading to a bigger sized sd card, which was exactly what you said. Based on the placement of this advice in the guide, do you recommend I copy the contents of the 4gb to the 32 gb sd card, before I proceed with the guide, or after I finish installing cfw onto the system?

doesn't really really matter, check if there is 2GB left in the card and do it after you are done with the guide
in the guide end it will tell you to backup the nand file into the pc and run the sd card cleaner, i would do it after everything is setted up