Since I've seen so many threads about people having trouble using Gateway alongside A9LH, I thought that I'd finally pop my guide cherry to provide the information in a centralized location. This guide assumes that you've already followed Plailect's OTP guide up to at least Part 5, Section III.

Until Gateway comes out with their A9LH payload, there are pretty much two ways to boot into Gateway Mode while using Luma3DS+A9LH. They both involve the use of EmuNAND, so the choice really comes down to which would you like to be more convenient: booting into GW Mode (10.7 EmuNAND) or installing GBA/DSiWare (10.7 SysNAND). Make sure that "Use SysNAND FIRM as default" is turned off and "Autoboot SysNAND" is turned on in either setup for it to work properly.

1. If booting straight into GW Mode is of importance, then you will need a 9.2 SysNAND and a 10.7 EmuNAND. On the 9.2 SysNAND, set up MenuHax with Trigger 1 (no-buttons) and CtrBootManager to autoboot GW.3dsx.

The drawbacks to this setup are that you're still relying on MenuHax and GBA/DSiWare have to be double installed to work with EmuNAND. However, I find this build to be far more user-friendly for everyday use. Want to boot into GW Mode? Insert GW card and press the power button. Want to play GBA/DSiWare? Hold L while turning on the console.



2. If ease of installing GBA/DSiWare is more important, then you will need a 10.7 SysNAND and 9.2 EmuNAND. On the 9.2 EmuNAND you can either use MenuHax+CtrBootManager as above or the GW Launcher cia file. If using MenuHax+CtrBootManager, you should use Trigger 1 (L) for your MenuHax trigger and set the CtrBootManager recovery to any button other than L. Regardless of method chosen to launch GW.3dsx, you have to access the Gateway Menu by holding L at launch or not having the GW card inserted. Then, you have to hold B to bring up the Gateway SysNAND option and press X to confirm.

The tradeoff here is having to install GBA/DSiWare once in exchange for steps added to launching GW Mode each time you power on the system. With this setup, you'll have to hold L while booting to get into GW Mode. To boot into Luma3DS to play GBA/DSiWare, just turn on the 3DS.

Regardless of which method you choose, I recommend installing Quick Reboot to make switching between GW and Luma3DS easier. It saves you from having to turn the 3DS off and on whenever you're switching.

 

[zhdarkstar]

So unless I have any use for GBA/DsiWare there's no benefit on using sysnand only?

There's currently (official update will likely support it) no "SysNAND Only" option for GW+A9LH, unless you are using a 9.2 SysNAND and have no need for being on a higher firmware. It would pretty much be the same as Option 1, but with no EmuNAND.

If you want to be able to boot to 10.7 and have access to your GW, you're going to need an EmuNAND. You can go with the 9.2 SysNAND/10.7 EmuNAND route if you want booting into GW Mode to be automated. Going the 10.7 SysNAND/9.2 EmuNAND method is for when you want to make installing GBA/DSiWare easier.

 

[Timburpton]

There's currently (official update will likely support it) no "SysNAND Only" option for GW+A9LH, unless you are using a 9.2 SysNAND and have no need for being on a higher firmware. It would pretty much be the same as Option 1, but with no EmuNAND.

If you want to be able to boot to 10.7 and have access to your GW, you're going to need an EmuNAND. You can go with the 9.2 SysNAND/10.7 EmuNAND route if you want booting into GW Mode to be automated. Going the 10.7 SysNAND/9.2 EmuNAND method is for when you want to make installing GBA/DSiWare easier.

What if I have no intention of using GW cart anymore?

 

[zhdarkstar]

What if I have no intention of using GW cart anymore?

Then this guide isn't for you. This is for GW Users. Sell your GW cards and be happy with a 10.7 SysNAND via A9LH+Luma3DS.

 

[Timburpton]

Then this guide isn't for you. This is for GW Users. Sell your GW cards and be happy with a 10.7 SysNAND via A9LH+Luma3DS.

Ahh, that makes sense. So this really is just a stop gap measure before GW releases their al9h solution.

 

[zhdarkstar]

Ahh, that makes sense. So this really is just a stop gap measure before GW releases their al9h solution.

Exactly. Once GW releases their A9LH update, then I'll have this thread removed to prevent confusion.

 

[Timburpton]

Exactly. Once GW releases their A9LH update, then I'll have this thread removed to prevent confusion.

But in your opinion, the only benefits that GW now have is .3ds roms loading and cheat support right? Compared to vanilla Luma3ds?

 

[Jayro]

But in your opinion, the only benefits that GW now have is .3ds roms loading and cheat support right? Compared to vanilla Luma3ds?

I think luma can you n Hans for cheats, and .cias are much better to play than a .3ds ROM. I think traditional ROM loading days are pretty much over.

 

[zhdarkstar]

I think luma can you n Hans for cheats, and .cias are much better to play than a .3ds ROM. I think traditional ROM loading days are pretty much over.

CIA are not objectively better than playing a .3ds rom. Both have their pros and cons. Having a system that is capable of both is truly the way to go. Plus, it's .3ds roms that are being used for archival and emulation purposes. 3DS is the format that will have more use in the years to come as computers and 3DS emulators develop further. The worst thing that can be done to the community is to outright stop support of the file format.

CIA is useful for games that have online components and will be played frequently. However, CIA still has the downside of installation times based on game size. You also have to take storage space into consideration, as you need to have 2x the amount of free space for a game to install.

3DS is useful for being able to quickly try out a game without having to wait for any installation time. There's still the necessary pre-treatment for online games and the increased difficulty of decrypting saves.

 

[Jiro2]

CFW works by intercepting requests for SysNAND and redirecting them. So does Gateway. Can there be problems if I run Gateway on 9.2 EmuNAND and both the CFW and the Gateway try to redirect the same request?

Also, does running Gateway on 9.2 EmuNAND have any problems with incompatible games? I know that Gateway tries to spoof and runb a later FIRM but is that sometimes nbot enough?

 

[zhdarkstar]

CFW works by intercepting requests for SysNAND and redirecting them. So does Gateway. Can there be problems if I run Gateway on 9.2 EmuNAND and both the CFW and the Gateway try to redirect the same request?

Also, does running Gateway on 9.2 EmuNAND have any problems with incompatible games? I know that Gateway tries to spoof and runb a later FIRM but is that sometimes nbot enough?

I think that most CFWs (GW included) perform a softreboot when they load into SysNAND/EmuNAND, so I don't think that would be an issue.

I think you misunderstood Option 2, when it comes to the purpose of the 9.2 EmuNAND. It exists purely as an entrypoint for launching GW.3dsx, as it doesn't work when run from a 10.X NATIVE_FIRM. The end goal for Option 2 is load into a 10.7 SysNAND while in GW Mode. This is achieved by entering the Gateway Menu and selecting GW SysNAND Mode.

Think of it as the reverse of the way pre-A9LH EmuNAND loading worked. Instead of starting in SysNAND and loading EmuNAND, you're starting in EmuNAND and loading SysNAND.

 

[Timburpton]

One thing, what's the reason I can't have both 10.7 sysnand and emunand?

 

[zhdarkstar]

One thing, what's the reason I can't have both 10.7 sysnand and emunand?

Because GW.3dsx has to be launched from a 9.0 NATIVE_FIRM. You can't load a 10.x NAND with a 9.x FIRM.

 

[Timburpton]

Because GW.3dsx has to be launched from a 9.0 NATIVE_FIRM. You can't load a 10.x NAND with a 9.x FIRM.

Oh, what if you were to install the mset exploit or were to use OOThax to launch into GW?

 

[zhdarkstar]

Oh, what if you were to install the mset exploit or were to use OOThax to launch into GW?

Honestly, not entirely sure. I don't know much about the all of the technical details regarding how all of the exploits work. I simply know how to use the tools that we're given.

 

[Kioku]

That boot time though.. H O L Y H E L L

 

[zhdarkstar]

That boot time though.. H O L Y H E L L

I know that it takes a while to boot up, but that's just the way it is until Gateway releases their A9LH payload. When that happens, this guide will be obsolete (and probably deleted) anyways. Boot time isn't everything, though. I just leave my 3DS in sleep mode when not in use, especially because of Bravely Second these days.

 

[emuashui]

Before a9lh installation, i backed up GW emunand 10.7, then replaced it by setting up a new rednand using emunand9 ie. cloning sysnand 9.2 to the new rednand 9.2. Then i read this post.. GW cannot be launched by rednand?

Should i convert rednand to emunand? Is there a way to change rednand to emunand rather than restoring from the emunand backup?

P.S. Sysnand and emunand still linked.

Edit: i finally chose restoring a 10.7 GW emunand for use in the downgrade during subsequent a9lh installation.

 

[dodol]

just tested work fine. thank you
btw about the firm90.bin (can't seem to find file anywhere though) method, does it still usable ?

 

[emuashui]

I think luma can you n Hans for cheats, and .cias are much better to play than a .3ds ROM. I think traditional ROM loading days are pretty much over.

Some cards Hans cannot region change them can still be run by GW.
eg. running Shifting World US on a Japan console.

 

[zhdarkstar]

just tested work fine. thank you
btw about the firm90.bin (can't seem to find file anywhere though) method, does it still usable ?

It's been renamed to firmware.bin in the current releases. Go to Part 5 of the Plailect guide and download the firmware.bin for your 3DS model.