(Sorry about the delay in getting this guide up, work has been killing me and i havent had much time. I appreciate the patience )

NOTE: This is only possible on firmwares 9.0-9.2 sysnand at the moment. This is due to the fact that 9.2 is the highest GW supported version, and 9.0 is the minimum version if you are on a non japan 3ds as themes were introduced in 8.1.

As a baseline for each of the tutorials, you need to have a running copy of the homebrew launcher running in some way. This could be done by the web browser, cubic ninja, or whatever other entry point available. A full list can be found here: http://smealum.github.io/3ds/

This guide will assume you have the following files on your SD card and up to date with the latest homebrew starter kit available at http://smealum.github.io/3ds/ . It will also assume you have Gateway already running and working. This is not a support thread for ether of these. There are plenty of guides around on how to setup gateway as well as the homebrew launcher. If you have both of these running and working you are good to go.

YOUR EMUNAND AND SYSNAND SHOULD BE UNLINKED AND YOU NEED TO BE RUNNING THE HOMEBREW LAUNCHER FROM SYSNAND.

1. Homemenuhax Installation

You need homemenuhax for this to work, its a entry point for the homebrew launcher that runs whenever you boot your 3ds.

To install it, you need to use the entry point you normally use to get into the homebrew launcher. Once in you want to use the piece of homebrew that comes with the starter kit called "menuhax_manager". Use the install option and go through the prompts to install the hack. After, go to the configure option. This will determine when the hack boots into the homebrew launcher and when it wont. I prefer using type 2 and using the L button. This means when you hold the L button on boot, it will kick you to sysnand. And when you dont, it will boot into the homebrew launcher. Or in our case, it will be CTRBootManager which will automatically boot into emunand. Take your choice and then move onto the next section.

At this point you should be able to restart your 3DS and if you used the type and button i did for homemenuhax it should automatically boot into the homebrew launcher when not holding the button and kick you into sysnand when you are. If not, retry and make sure your setup is correct before moving onto the next step.

2. Gateway Homebrew Launcher

The first gateway release to have the gateway homebrew entry point is 3.6.1. The files are only available starting in this version.

In the release there is a zip file called GW_3dsx.zip Open it and copy the 3ds folder to the root of your 3DS SD card. Now boot your 3DS back into the homebrew launcher, you should see the gateway option in the list now. Try using it, if it boots you into emunand you are good to go.

3. CTRBootManager Setup

At this point your 3DS should automatically boot into the homebrew launcher and you have a gateway item in the homebrew list that boots you into emunand. If this is not so, go back and get that working before moving on.

Put your SD back into your computer and you should have the following files on your SD card

/3ds/GW/GW.3dsx - Gateway Homebrew
/3ds/GW/GW.smdh - Gateway Homebrew
/Launcher.dat - Gateway Launcher
/boot.3dsx - The Homebrew Launcher

So do the following in this order:
1. Rename /boot.3dsx to homebrew.3dsx
2. Download and extract CTRBootManager to the root of your SD. All files in the zip should be copied https://gbatemp.net/threads/ctrbootmanager-3ds-boot-manager-loader-homemenuhax.398383/
3. Copy the following into the boot.cfg file on the root of the SD. Replace everything in the file!

boot_config :
{
  timeout = 0;
  autobootfix = 2;
  recovery = 8;
  default = 0;
  entries = (
    {
      title = "Gateway";
      path = "/3ds/GW/GW.3dsx";
    },
    {
      title = "Homebrew";
      path = "/homebrew.3dsx";
    } );
};

The "timeout = 0;" can be changed to specify the amount of time before it automatically boots the default item. In this case it is 0 to specify that it should boot automatically,
The "autobootfix = 2;" Is a fix for auto booting when timeout is 0. I am on a N3DS and 2 seems to work best for me, play around with it and see what works best for you. 8 was the recommended value for O3DS and 3 for N3DS.
The "recovery = 8;" is the button used when you want to get to the boot menu while booting if you have timeout set to 0. 8 is the R button, so holding R will take you into the boot menu when booting. A list of keycodes that can be used can be found here: https://goo.gl/4XLDIL
The "default = 0;" is the index of the item to boot to by default. It starts at 0 with the first item in the list being 0, then 1, etc.
The entries section contains the list of boot items. My default config contains a entry for Gateway and one for the homebrew launcher. This can be customized but needs to have the same format. You can add items from the boot menu on the 3DS if you dont feel comfortable editing it by hand.

At this point your 3DS SD Card Should Have The Following

/3ds/GW/GW.3dsx - Gateway Homebrew
/3ds/GW/GW.smdh - Gateway Homebrew
/Launcher.dat - Gateway Launcher
/boot.3dsx - CTRBootManager
/boot.cfg - CTRBootManager Config File
/homebrew.3dsx - The Homebrew Launcher

If all of this is good, you should be able to put it back into your 3DS and boot it.

With my default configuration the following happens:
No buttons held: Will automatically boot into emunand
L button held: Will boot into sysnand.
R button held: will boot into the CTRBootManager menu with options to boot into gateway and the homebrew launcher.

This is a initial version of my guide and i may have missed things or messed something, if you find anything wrong please feel free to let me know so i can fix it.

PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE POST BEFORE REPORTING ISSUES OR ASKING QUESTIONS!

 

[Chrisssj2]

I'll look into it, if menuhax manager isn't detecting a button press there's not much I can do. That's an issue with the back and I'm not the dev behind it. Mess around with it a bit. Make sure your L button is fully functional. Try other buttons instead.

I tried any button. gives always the same result.. rofl..

Also I read on https://github.com/yellows8/3ds_homemenuhax

The user can override the default PAD-trigger with multiple configuration options in the menuhax_manager app. The data for this is stored in SD file "/menuhax_padcfg.bin".

So probably if you or someone could upload his
menuhax_padcfg.bin ... it might do the trick for me ...
Or tell me it's notepad contens..

EDIT:
This file is btw totally empty for me.. just a "-" when I look in notepad

 

[VeryCrushed]

I tried any button. gives always the same result.. rofl..

Also I read on https://github.com/yellows8/3ds_homemenuhax

The user can override the default PAD-trigger with multiple configuration options in the menuhax_manager app. The data for this is stored in SD file "/menuhax_padcfg.bin".

So probably if you or someone could upload his
menuhax_padcfg.bin ... it might do the trick for me ...
Or tell me it's notepad contens..

EDIT:
This file is btw totally empty for me.. just a "-" when I look in notepad

Ill upload mine in a moment, could you upload yours?

 

[Chrisssj2]

Ill upload mine in a moment, could you upload yours?

Thanks for your efforts bro.
Here you can see for yourself it's basically empty.
www.mediafire.com/download/jfi7u76e30ec74h/menuhax_padcfg.bin

 

[VeryCrushed]

Thanks for your efforts bro.
Here you can see for yourself it's basically empty.
www.mediafire.com/download/jfi7u76e30ec74h/menuhax_padcfg.bin

Actually, your file is correct. Its not empty, you were viewing it in a text format. You need to open it in a hex editor to see whats really in it. I attached a picture showing the difference between our files. Leftmost is yours. Also attached is my bin file, you will have to change the extension from .txt to .bin as GBATemp doesnt allow the bin extension.

 

[alkar]

When doing so my New 3DS 9.2.0 is stuck in a menuhax boot loop if i don't see a key to press. It boot Gateway launcher, then it's supposed to boot to the 3DS menu but it loops back to menuhax.

Maybe because I don't have emunand set up and I'm stuck in a sysnand boot loop ? Do we need EMUNAND to have auto boot working else it boots loops to menuhax ?

 

[VeryCrushed]

When doing so my New 3DS 9.2.0 is stuck in a menuhax boot loop if i don't see a key to press. It boot Gateway launcher, then it's supposed to boot to the 3DS menu but it loops back to menuhax.

Maybe because I don't have emunand set up and I'm stuck in a sysnand boot loop ? Do we need EMUNAND to have auto boot working else it boots loops to menuhax ?

You must have a emunand set up, and you must have it unlinked from your sysnand otherwise you will get a loop.

 

[Chrisssj2]

Actually, your file is correct. Its not empty, you were viewing it in a text format. You need to open it in a hex editor to see whats really in it. I attached a picture showing the difference between our files. Leftmost is yours. Also attached is my bin file, you will have to change the extension from .txt to .bin as GBATemp doesnt allow the bin extension.

Thanks!
Now homemenuhax is autobooting if I press no button.. and I see gateway being loaded(the logo and card flash)
Then... homemenuhax start again.... LOL.. and I get a black screen.

 

[VeryCrushed]

You both need to have emunand set up and unlinked. This is stated in the tutorial. I specifically said in red text to read it all over.

 

[anhminh]

Is there a way to update from 4.5 to 9.x with GW?

 

[Chrisssj2]

You both need to have emunand set up and unlinked. This is stated in the tutorial. I specifically said in red text to read it all over.

I am sorry I thought I had done this before.. with reinand. and I think I lost all my files?? Not remember. I backuped my emunand just now.
Will my emunand be the same after format.. and I inject it back in again?
How do I know for sure if it is "linked or not"

 

[VeryCrushed]

Is there a way to update from 4.5 to 9.x with GW?

Rxtools has a way or you can find a game with a 9.0-9.2 update included on it. Those are your options.

 

[VeryCrushed]

I am sorry I thought I had done this before.. with reinand. and I think I lost all my files?? Not remember. I backuped my emunand just now.
Will my emunand be the same after format.. and I inject it back in again?
How do I know for sure if it is "linked or not"

To unlink a emunand you would create it then after format your sysnand. This would make the 3DS use separate data for sysnand and emunand off the SD. A loop occurs because its loading the hack in emunand as well thus causing it to try booting into gateway mode when you are already in it.

 

[Chrisssj2]

To unlink a emunand you would create it then after format your sysnand. This would make the 3DS use separate data for sysnand and emunand off the SD. A loop occurs because its loading the hack in emunand as well thus causing it to try booting into gateway mode when you are already in it.

Followed:
Now I have 3 folders in Nintendo3ds:
49dd6ed49a3a467cd445a4a508b7e9d8
2445a9802d5e0876b020566321ee3865
Private
Hmm I forgot to format emunand though... LOL and I already have 3 folders so... lol
The video didn't mention formatting emunand.. however im not getting into gateway anymore.. gateway logo starts, and homemenu starts.. but black screen..

Ill try formatting emunand and see what it does I guess?

EDIT: Nothing changed...after restoring emunand and copying all sd contents back I get homemenuhax after gateway but freezing..
What did I do wrong?
I can get into emunand by keep pressing L.. I guess the loop is still there.. but why I don't know.
Im starting to wonder. I think I always had 2 folders in Nintendo3ds. which means it already was unlinked like I said earlier..?

 

[alkar]

that's weird I'm pretty sure I unlinked sysnand & emunand since I have 2 folders now in the Nintendo 3DS folder but it still boots in a loop... WTF do i need to format again and again and again ?

 

[Chrisssj2]

that's weird I'm pretty sure I unlinked sysnand & emunand since I have 2 folders now in the Nintendo 3DS folder but it still boots in a loop... WTF do i need to format again and again and again ?

Same prob bro..

 

[alkar]

I reformated sysnand with my sd card out and it still does the same... Something is wrong and I'm pretty sure I did follow instructions one by one...

Now I'm trying something else and going back to stock... Unlinking Sysnand & Emunand without any trace of menuhax... I think that's our issue.

EDIT : yup that worked. Chrisssj2 feel free to PM me if you still can't fix it.

basically format your sysnand, then create emunand. Then format your sysnand having your 3DS sd card removed. Then finally put your sd card back. That has unlinked your NAND.

THEN finally set up menuhax. Our issue is that we set up menuhax before creating emunand, that's why.

 

[Thornhill33]

You both need to have emunand set up and unlinked. This is stated in the tutorial. I specifically said in red text to read it all over.

If you choose option 1 of MenuHax setup you won't get a loop, even with linked sysnand/emunand.
After setup, you'll have to press L to trigger menuhax, then release button before GW starts (if you keep L pressed you will go in GW menu).

 

[zorglups]

Thanks for this guide. I may have 2 questions and one "remark":

Question 1: If I follow your guide, will I need to keep the wifi on to use my red gateway card ?
Question 2: What about the blue gateway card ? Will I still be able to use it ?
Remark: I'm running 4.2 on o3ds and this thread says that updating using a card is not a good idea: https://gbatemp.net/threads/my-plan-to-update-to-9-2-via-cartridge-bad-idea.407687/

Again: THANKS

 

[Plunt]

Thanks for the tutorial!

 

[TheShadowRunner]

I have noticed some kind of bug, which is not directly linked to your method but it does exhibit it too:
when i launch GW emunand using MSET, the top screen is perfect.
when i launch GW emunand using your shortcut or directly loading the 3dsx from HBL menu, the top screen is overbright and all fuzzy/weird.
This is 100% reproducible and again doesn't occur when launching through MSET.
I know it can be fixed by putting the system in standby for a couple seconds but it's quite annoying.
This is on a JPN N3DS LL 9.1J.
Has there been any reseach into the cause of this bug?