Homebrew Downgrading from 10.3E. Partial Downgrade. Options?

[Salamencizer]

Hi all,
Pretty new to the whole scene, just getting to grips with everything. I've flashed or chipped every console I've ever owned so I thought i'd try my hand at the 3DS. I started off with a 10.3.27E? I believe, I followed a couple of tutorials and managed to get it all running the homebrew launcher. I used Safe System Updater, checked all files and it all looked good.

SSU started installing the files, then the dreaded Nintendo "An Error has occurred message popped up" I shut it down and put it back on and despite holding L it booted straight into the Home Menu, I checked firmware number and it states it's on 9.2, obviously I've read up on partial downgrades. But through all the advice I'm reading I'm not sure what my next step is. I have checked using Downgrade Check and it doesn't check out so it's definitely a partial (frankenfirmware) as someone referred to it ha!

I've got back up to being able to boot The Homebrew Launcher, I'm wondering what my options are. Do I attempt to continue the installation of 9.2? Do I use SSU or SU to do it?

Do I reinstall 10.3 and start again? If so how do I go about this? In the same way using SU/SSU? Or do I have to get a game card that has the 10.3 update on it?

Help would be appreciated in this regard, as I am bricking it (Excuse the pun ha)

Try downgrading once again.

 

[Blue]

Try downgrading once again.

Check a few posts back.

 

[Reecey]

I had the same problem m8ty just yesterday on my new 9.5x N3DSXL. I was using this guide> https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki/Part-2-(Downgrading). I used the PlaiSysUpdater instead of the normal SysUpdater because it runs a check first and then downgrades after you don't need to run SafeSysUpdater first. Mine nearly completed first go around but the screen errored black out at the last install of the .cia file so all I had to do next was reinstall menuhax again go through the configs and also do the theme change again make sure you pull your micro sd card out and back in again first and then run the PlaiSysUdater and it finished the last file off with all OK results everything now works as it should. So yes I suggest follow that guide or just reinstall your homebrew entry and run the updater again. Goodluck!

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I had the same problem m8ty just yesterday on my new 9.5x N3DSXL. I was using this guide> https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki/Part-2-(Downgrading). I used the PlaiSysUpdater instead of the normal SysUpdater because it runs a check first and then downgrades after you don't need to run SafeSysUpdater first. Mine nearly completed first go around but the screen errored black out at the last install of the .cia file so all I had to do next was reinstall menuhax again go through the configs and also do the theme change again make sure you pull your micro sd card out and back in again first and then run the PlaiSysUdater and it finished the last file off with all OK results everything now works as it should. So yes I suggest follow that guide or just reinstall your homebrew entry and run the updater again. Goodluck!

It crashed on the last file for me as well, seems that is the most likely point where it will crash. It finished fine the second time for me as well.

 

[Reecey]

It crashed on the last file for me as well, seems that is the most likely point where it will crash. It finished fine the second time for me as well.

The other minor issue I did have was when it crashed on the last file if I went back into menuhax asap and then tried to run the updater again it would just hang on the INIT HAX... message. I got a little bit stressed trying to work out why but soon as I pulled the MSD out and put it back in again did the theme change installed menuhax manager again, it worked first time, installed the last file and it was a relief tbh when it did. Did you get that at all?

 

[The Real Jdbye]

The other minor issue I did have was when it crashed on the last file if I went back into menuhax asap and then tried to run the updater again it would just hang on the INIT HAX... message. I got a little bit stressed trying to work out why but soon as I pulled the MSD out and put it back in again did the theme change installed menuhax manager again, it worked first time, installed the last file and it was a relief tbh when it did. Did you get that at all?

I had to boot without the SD card in as it wouldn't boot with it, and reinstall menuhax.

 

[Reecey]

I had to boot without the SD card in as it wouldn't boot with it, and reinstall menuhax.

Yeah just the same as me, I forgot that bit!. If I left the sd card in I would get a black screen which I thought for a minute I had bricked it but soon as I pulled it out it went to the main menu and then I could slot it back in and reinstall the menuhax. I was quite relieved for a minute when I pulled the sd card out and the main menu popped back up ok!

 

[Deleted-236924]

nah, that's normal, it's because these 3 titles didn't existed back in 9.2

No no no

GPIO system module, DSP system module, those existed in 9.2; all N3DSes shipped with the 8.0 version of GPIO and DSP, so they were never part of the actual system update responses until 9.5 and 9.7 respectively, when they were updated to a more recent version. Meaning, most people who downgraded a N3DS, are missing those two components, which are mismatched and still on a higher version than intended. This can cause problems.

Those mismatched things nothing to worry about then?
Jeez that was so stressful there for a minute. I've been out of the game since FW4.5 when I had my 3DS stolen. Either way going to pick up a Gateway! Thanks everyone yet again! Much appreciated for the assist.

@drnkbeer You need to get those two CIAs from an O3DS 9.2 update pack.

I don't know the specifics, but GPIO handles input-output and DSP is for audio. I don't think the 3DS could even function without GPIO system module, and you would have no sound if you didn't have DSP system module (if the 3DS even booted without it.)

The amiibo one is fine, because that really didn't exist until 9.3; either delete it with FBI or leave it, as it won't cause problems.

 

[driverdis]

once I had A9LH so I could recover from a brick, I was able to download the proper New3DS GPIO and DSP CIAs that the downgrade checker said I should have. I hsd no trouble uninstalling them with FBI (one at a time, not all at once) then installing the correct New 3DS version that I grabbed off NUS . I now no longer have any mismatched versions of anything now.

EDIT: I had a NAND backup just in case to use with A9LH, without a NAND backup. A9LH is useless as brick prevention.

 

[Deleted member 373223]

No no no

GPIO system module, DSP system module, those existed in 9.2; all N3DSes shipped with the 8.0 version of GPIO and DSP, so they were never part of the actual system update responses until 9.5 and 9.7 respectively, when they were updated to a more recent version. Meaning, most people who downgraded a N3DS, are missing those two components, which are mismatched and still on a higher version than intended. This can cause problems.



@drnkbeer You need to get those two CIAs from an O3DS 9.2 update pack.

I don't know the specifics, but GPIO handles input-output and DSP is for audio. I don't think the 3DS could even function without GPIO system module, and you would have no sound if you didn't have DSP system module (if the 3DS even booted without it.)

The amiibo one is fine, because that really didn't exist until 9.3; either delete it with FBI or leave it, as it won't cause problems.

IT'S NORMAL THAT THIS HAPPENS WHEN DOWNGRADING! YOU DON'T NEED THAT!

 

[Viri]

Ugh, I've downgraded at least 6 o3DSes, and A9LHed 3 o3DSes, and never once had an issue with a downgrader. My sister plans to buy a n3DS this weekend, are downgraders a bigger hassle on n3DSes? Do they fail more often, and which downgrader should I use this weekend? I plan to downgrade it from some firmware above 9.2 and A9LH it.

 

[Deleted-236924]

IT'S NORMAL THAT THIS HAPPENS WHEN DOWNGRADING! YOU DON'T NEED THAT!

The only reason it is "normal" is because the update packs are NOT downgrade packs. They are update packs.

They are fine when updating because you will always have everything that's necessary. But in the N3DS's case, a few key system titles are not in the update packs, and so you are left with mismatched titles. This is NOT normal.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/potential-reason-for-random-errors-on-n3ds-after-downgrading.410075/

Please stop spreading blatant misinformation. You can type in all caps all you want, it doesn't make you more right.

 

[artur3004]

Let me sum my experience - Downgrading will downgrade all system titles. Native_firm is the first title that will be downgraded, as I know. Always check the checksum of the downgrade titles.
So there are the solutions after a failed downgrade.
Case 1: 3DS will boot, hax will start
Start your *hax and continue with the downgrade process. Once downgraded titles won't be downgraded again, of course, only the missing one.
That's whtat the "Getting CIA info" process will do - Imagine, sysupdater creates a "list" with all installed system titles and their version and compare them with the provided one in sd:/updates. If installed is newer than the provided one --> downgrade this title (downgrade= Delete and install, that's how downgrade works, because NS won't allow installing a older title than installed one)

Case2: 3ds boots, but hax won't
Check the current firmware version, once I had a case that I downgraded from 10.x.0-X to 9.2.0-20 but after downgraded failed, i had a frankenfirmware with 9.2.0-X(eg 32). Most of the time you just need to use the proper payload

Case 3: 3ds won't start
First try to remove SD card and try to boot. If that doesn't work, try to start your 3ds with holding L+R+A+Up. You should start safe mode, that's a emergency partition that will allow to use system updater in MSET (Settings). Usually sysupdater won't touch any safe mode title because between 3.0 and 10.x all firmware version have the same safe mode versions of them already installed, they won't updated so much usually so safe firm wil stay untouched and safe. The N3ds even had never received a update for safe mode titles.
But if even safe mode won't start only way to unbrick is a nand restore via hardmod. If you don't have a nand backup there is no other chance to unbrick

I hope I could help someone with this

 

[Deleted member 373223]

. Native_firm is the first title that will be downgraded

last title that is downgraded

 

[artur3004]

last title that is downgraded

wut really? I thought that otherwise because native_firm is the first line if dowgrade process start.. oh well

 

[Deleted member 373223]

wut really? I thought that otherwise because native_firm is the first line if dowgrade process start.. oh well

it was in the old sysupdater

 

[artur3004]

it was in the old sysupdater

ah, so I'm not wrong, I used most of the time a older version back then. What are the benefits of downgrading native firm title as last title?

 

[Deleted member 373223]

ah, so I'm not wrong, I used most of the time a older version back then

well, that one is even risk and has higher brick chanche

 

[Deleted-236924]

They downgrade native_firm last, because having a higher native firm than what the system expects won't brick the system, whereas having a lower native firm will.

Downgrade + replacing native firm first = if the process messes up, you are bricked because native firm is bad
Downgrade + replacing native firm last = if it messes up, it may still work and you can either update through safe firm, or try the downgrade again, because you will still be on the higher native firm.

 

[artur3004]

Well I thought a lower firm can handle a newer system, because that's what many cfw can do, eg. 10.2 firm and 10.7.0.