Hacking EmuNAND9 and A9LH/Luma Questions

[Skeet1983]

I have an N3DS with A9LH and Luma installed on it, but I don't have an EmuNAND because someone said EmuNAND is not needed with an A9LH/Luma setup. NOW, I heard that EmuNAND is recommended to have with an A9LH/Luma setup. I have EmuNAND9 on my N3DS, but not sure how to go about creating an EmuNAND with it, not sure what to select. Can someone walk me through doing all of this? I have a few other questions as well:

1. Someone earlier said to select boot EmuNAND in Luma Settings. If SysNAND is no longer booted, how and when is it safe to update System Firmware?

2. I also have and use Gateway. If EmuNAND is booted, how do I boot into Gateway Mode?

3. Can I still use the following with this setup?
- Gateway
- SC DSTwo (DS Cart)
- CIA/Freeshop games
- FBI, Pokehex for Pokemon Sun/Moon games

Thoughts and help GREATLY appreciated

 

[x65943]

First of all, you are totally safe to keep using sysnand on a9lh, but if you really want emunand for a second friend code or something, here are my answers.

1. You can boot sysnand whenever you want and update it, just hold L at start to boot sysnand once you have emunand. It's always safe to update.
2. I'm not sure, I think the gateway payload always boots sysnand
3. You can still use all of those things.

 

[Skeet1983]

First of all, you are totally safe to keep using sysnand on a9lh, but if you really want emunand for a second friend code or something, here are my answers.

1. You can boot sysnand whenever you want and update it, just hold L at start to boot sysnand once you have emunand. It's always safe to update.
2. I'm not sure, I think the gateway payload always boots sysnand
3. You can still use all of those things.

Ok, thanks for the info

I think I will just stick with my current SysNAND setup. But if future games require newer System Firmware, how/when is it safe to update?

 

[x65943]

Ok, thanks for the info

I think I will just stick with my current SysNAND setup. But if future games require newer System Firmware, how/when is it safe to update?

You can always update sysnand. Luma blocks patches to the native_firm. I'm on 11.2, and most luma users are too.

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You can always update sysnand. Luma blocks patches to the native_firm. I'm on 11.2, and most luma users are too.

According to this link, if you have emunand, the gateway payload will automatically boot it
https://gbatemp.net/threads/tutorial-using-luma3ds-with-gateway-on-v2-a9lh.431691/#gateway-logo

So you can continue using gateway with the same payload if you ever decide to switch to emunand.

 

[Skeet1983]

I do have a side question related to using Gateway:

I plan to pick up Dragon Quest 8 when it comes out in a few weeks and am going to put it on Gateway. When I dump game cart, how should I go about dumping it? I usually use the Gateway method to dump games (Through Gateway Menu), but heard that using Decrypt9 is better to use? Also, would game need to be converted between Card1 and Card2 like I had to do with Pokémon Sun/Moon? Thoughts and help appreciated

 

[x65943]

Decrypt9 makes it really easy to dump games. Just boot its payload with luma, and go to gamecart dumper options. From there you can select dump cart full, and it will save it to your sd card.

Doesn't gateway handle card1 and card2 games natively now? Would pokemon not boot before you did that?

Edit: I looked into it more. Gateway does support both save types, but sometimes some card1 games don't work with gateway. A link between worlds, animal crossing etc work without the conversion - pokemon sumo don't.

So we'll have to wait and see about dq8.

 

[Skeet1983]

Decrypt9 makes it really easy to dump games. Just boot its payload with luma, and go to gamecart dumper options. From there you can select dump cart full, and it will save it to your sd card.

Doesn't gateway handle card1 and card2 games natively now? Would pokemon not boot before you did that?

Ok, thanks

For me to get Pokémon Sun dump to work, had to convert to card2. Anyway in Decrypt9, I want to dump full, not trim, correct? Also, when I did my last game dump, game was in 2 parts... Is that normal?

 

[x65943]

Ok, thanks

For me to get Pokémon Sun dump to work, had to convert to card2. Anyway in Decrypt9, I want to dump full, not trim, correct? Also, when I did my last game dump, game was in 2 parts... Is that normal?

You can try trimmed, but that doesn't always work. It's different for every game.

The game will only be in two parts if it's over 2GB because FAT32 can't support files larger than 2GB.

Also check my edit on my last post.

 

[Skeet1983]

You can try trimmed, but that doesn't always work. It's different for every game.

The game will only be in two parts if it's over 2GB because FAT32 can't support files larger than 2GB.

Also check my edit on my last post.

Is there a PC tool that is recommended for merging game parts? I think I already have one on my PC, but don't remember name of it

 

[x65943]

For gateway you actually don't want to merge the files, because a merged file won't transfer to your fat32 sd card. And if it can't be placed on an sd card, then you can't run it. Gateway supports using 2 files as the rom.

Edit: But if you really want to join them, this tool should work https://gbatemp.net/threads/simplesplit3ds-a-cross-platform-3ds-3dz-file-splitter.366397/

 

[Skeet1983]

For gateway you actually don't want to merge the files, because a merged file won't transfer to your fat32 sd card. And if it can't be placed on an sd card, then you can't run it. Gateway supports using 2 files as the rom.

Edit: But if you really want to join them, this tool should work https://gbatemp.net/threads/simplesplit3ds-a-cross-platform-3ds-3dz-file-splitter.366397/

I am not sure what my Gateway mSD format is, but if I remember right, I was able to put games that had 2 parts merged onto that mSD card. Does Gateway mSD card have to be FAT32? I think mine is exFAT, but not sure...

 

[x65943]

I am not sure what my Gateway mSD format is, but if I remember right, I was able to put games that had 2 parts merged onto that mSD card. Does Gateway mSD card have to be FAT32? I think mine is exFAT, but not sure...

No it doesn't have to be fat32, now that I think of it I think mine is formatted to exFAT as well (And I looked into it, and most people use exFAT for it unless they also use the same msd for ds flashcarts)

You can use that tool I gave you to join the pieces. The only reason d9 is spitting out the 2GB files is because the 3ds sd card does have to be fat32.

 

[Skeet1983]

Ok, thanks for all your help and info

 

[HyperT]

You can try trimmed, but that doesn't always work. It's different for every game.

The game will only be in two parts if it's over 2GB because FAT32 can't support files larger than 2GB.

Also check my edit on my last post.

*4GB

 

[x65943]

*4GB

Yeah you're right. I was mixing it up with FAT16.

 

[Hayleia]

someone said EmuNAND is not needed with an A9LH/Luma setup. NOW, I heard that EmuNAND is recommended to have with an A9LH/Luma setup.

That's not it. EmuNAND is indeed not needed with an a9lh/Luma setup.
But EmuNAND is recommended with an a9lh/Gateway setup, whether you have Luma or not.

If you're mostly living your life on Luma and only booting Gateway once a year, ok, sysNAND is still safe (you most likely won't update your firmware while in Gateway mode).
But it you use Gateway mode often, you can brick, that's all. Just by updating your firmware, thinking that you're safe on your CFW. But no, you're not safe when using Gateway mode on sysNAND.

 

[x65943]

That's not it. EmuNAND is indeed not needed with an a9lh/Luma setup.
But EmuNAND is recommended with an a9lh/Gateway setup, whether you have Luma or not.

If you're mostly living your life on Luma and only booting Gateway once a year, ok, sysNAND is still safe (you most likely won't update your firmware while in Gateway mode).
But it you use Gateway mode often, you can brick, that's all. Just by updating your firmware, thinking that you're safe on your CFW. But no, you're not safe when using Gateway mode on sysNAND.

Hayleia is right, because Gateway doesn't have firm protection - if you boot sysnand, and then boot the gateway payload to enter gateway mode - you need to make sure to NEVER update in this mode.

If you're careful in gateway mode, you're fine to continue using sysnand, but if you don't trust yourself to not update when you're in gateway mode - then set up an emunand.

 

[Skeet1983]

Ok, thanks for info guys

If I stick with just SysNAND, how do I know Gateway Mode is still active? I mean, does it say "GW" in front of system version string in system settings, even if I only have SysNAND and no EmuNAND installed?

 

[x65943]

Ok, thanks for info guys

If I stick with just SysNAND, how do I know Gateway Mode is still active? I mean, does it say "GW" in front of system version string in system settings, even if I only have SysNAND and no EmuNAND installed?

The system settings version string do not list GW if you boot it with sysnand (Just checked with my GW).

Just turn off your console and restart it without booting GW each time before you update. The most obvious indicator of GW mode running is a GW cart in the back of your 3ds, and the gateway game selector showing up if you press select.

 

[Skeet1983]

I have EmuNAND9 installed on my N3DS and just finished backing up my N3DS mSD card. Can someone walk me through creating EmuNAND and what to set for Luma Settings? Someone earlier (Hayleia) said to set Luma Settings to boot EmuNAND. Help appreciated