Hacking GW N3DS user looking into Pasta+RX

[mooglazer]

GW owner here, my primary system is a US N3DS 9.2 sysnand with downgraded MSET and 9.5 emunand. I currently use the downgraded MSET to launch GW, but this requires the cartridge at boot. I download/apply patches by hand (don't use eShop) and don't need/play VC on my N3DS. I only ever play installed CIA games (both EUR and US). I just had a few questions; used the search function and have some background but needed some clarification.

I've been messing with Pasta+RX on the 2DS (for fun, picked one up on sale) and really like being able to boot without the GW cart. I own a Sky3DS, DSTwo and a copy of CN.

* Can I simply install FBI and CN CIA to sysnand and then use that to boot Pasta+RX to emunand?
* Can I use my existing GW emunand with Pasta+RX?
* Are there different MSETs specific to GW, Pasta+RX, etc?
* I read something about having a downgraded MSET on N3DS can cause a brick if you format your sysnand?
* I'm assuming I can revert my MSET to stock (9.2)?
* Any recommended version of Pasta+RX? (and firmware)
* Will the EUR CIAs still work under Pasta+RX on a US system?

I'd rather not mess with sysnand any more than is required. I know the expression, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", but I would really love to not have to carry my GW cart with me everywhere.

Thanks for any suggestions or recommendations. Things have changed a lot since N3DS release!

 

[codychaosx]

im gna do the best i can answering these for now


* Can I simply install FBI and CN CIA to sysnand and then use that to boot Pasta+RX to emunand?

no. the cubic ninja cia wont run unless youre in a cfw.

* Can I use my existing GW emunand with Pasta+RX?

yes

* Are there different MSETs specific to GW, Pasta+RX, etc?

yes. if you have installed the bluecardfix.cia on your n3ds you can use the bluecard with the rxtools rop loader to install the ndg 4.x mset installer

* I read something about having a downgraded MSET on N3DS can cause a brick if you format your sysnand?

that is actually not true. i was freaking out over this for a long time and then I found several posts by reputable people (like cearp) saying that formatting your sysnand with a downgraded mset on a n3ds is ok. just not on a 2ds with a 4.x mset. anyway no formatting your sysnand will not cause a brick. i have done it myself to unlink my sysnand and emunand.

* I'm assuming I can revert my MSET to stock (9.2)?

no idea. id assume with a .cia from that iso site you could.

* Any recommended version of Pasta+RX? (and firmware)

im using a nightly release and ive had no issues. however im using homemenuhax to launch rxtools and not mset.

* Will the EUR CIAs still work under Pasta+RX on a US system?

yes. rxtools actually shows out of region .cia files and plays them. where as reinand wouldnt show them for me. but i could launch them from bigblue manager

 

[mooglazer]

Thanks @codychaosx - good info. I think I have the info I need, may give it a go this evening. Appreciate the assist.

 

[ShadowOne333]

* Can I simply install FBI and CN CIA to sysnand and then use that to boot Pasta+RX to emunand?
* Can I use my existing GW emunand with Pasta+RX?
* Are there different MSETs specific to GW, Pasta+RX, etc?
* I read something about having a downgraded MSET on N3DS can cause a brick if you format your sysnand?
* I'm assuming I can revert my MSET to stock (9.2)?
* Any recommended version of Pasta+RX? (and firmware)
* Will the EUR CIAs still work under Pasta+RX on a US system?

I want to give it a go too.

1. Can I simply install FBI and CN CIA to sysnand and then use that to boot Pasta+RX to emunand?
   Like @codychaosx said, you can't run Cubic Ninja as a CIA because there is no Legit CIA of it, so you are stuck with MSET to boot up GW.
   You can, however, install Home Menu hax to make it autoboot to rxTools emunand like I do.
   
   
2. Can I use my existing GW emunand with Pasta+RX?
   Yes you can.
   THe emuNAND that you have with GW is shared with rxTools, only without the additional patches that GW does like firmware spoofing and such.
   
   
3. Are there different MSETs specific to GW, Pasta+RX, etc?
   If by MSET you mean the ROP install, then yes. Gateway has its own MSET installer which searches for a Launch.dat file and boots that.
   The rxTools ROP makes it so that you can launch a file called rxtools.dat from the root, although I think the latest nightlies changed that.
   
   
4. I read something about having a downgraded MSET on N3DS can cause a brick if you format your sysnand?
   Not at all, I've done so and didn't have an issue.
   Better safe than sorry, I suggest to make a NAND restore instead of a system format, but in either case you are good to go.
   
   
5. I'm assuming I can revert my MSET to stock (9.2)?
   If you backed up your NAND before doing any further modifications to your N3DS, you can restore your NAND using the Gateway menu and your N3DS will have its original System Settings back.
   I wouldn't screw around with CIAs to restore the version since it's not safe, you could get a bad CIA of it and end up in a bad place.
   Restoring the NAND is the best way for it.
   
   
6. Any recommended version of Pasta+RX? (and firmware)
   If you simply want to play 3DS CIAs, you are good with the latest Nightly which is the December 5th one.
   However, if you want to be able to play DSiWare and GBA/VC games from emuNAND, you would want to get the October 2nd nightly since it is the only one of the nightlies that has TWL/AGB support for N3DS emunand.
   
   
7. Will the EUR CIAs still work under Pasta+RX on a US system?
   Yes, they should work without any issues at all.

 

[mooglazer]

Thanks @ShadowOne333 awesome icon btw *thumbsup*

Backing up my SD card with dd now

 

[ShadowOne333]

Thanks @ShadowOne333 awesome icon btw *thumbsup*

Backing up my SD card with dd now

You're welcome, friend.
Hope it all goes well!

 

[Ericss]

If you backed up your NAND before doing any further modifications to your N3DS, you can restore your NAND using the Gateway menu and your N3DS will have its original System Settings back.

I wouldn't screw around with CIAs to restore the version since it's not safe, you could get a bad CIA of it and end up in a bad place.
Restoring the NAND is the best way for it.

I don't think there should be any risks of restoring it with a cia if he gets it via NUS3D, which downloads the cias directly off the Nintendo servers.

 

[mooglazer]

EDIT: see last post.

 

[Zidapi]

Will the EUR CIAs still work under Pasta+RX on a US system?
Yes, they should work without any issues at all.

I'm pretty sure only the latest Nightlies provide Region-free for new3DSes.

Any pre-December build, including the oft suggested October 2nd build will require OP run FreeMultiPatcher before out of region games show up on the homescreen.

 

[mooglazer]

What a nightmare. So many weird/bad/incomplete/outdated docs everywhere.

N3DS 9.2 sysnand, 9.5 emunand (from GW), all CIA games (EUR & US), no VC games.

Installed ROP (MSET) as "4.x NDG rxTools" using rxinstaller.nds (via DSTwo) from the archive. Seemed to install and run fine from Profile > DS Profile.

Rxtools directory:

rxTools_2015-12-05_08.48-a08cfdd (stock, via lavanoid)

rxTools\data
0004013820000002.bin (md5 006559E2567DC7DF6C0F1AF17EDD9CE8 - from rx3.0-Native-Firm.bin(decrypted)_n3DS aka native-firm.bin (rxTools3.0)

rxTools\firm
0004013800000002.bin (md5 AA6300DED1540C6687982C5BFB7C6C62)
0004013800000102.bin (md5 DC9D4BDA46E4F893006F8C2492D946B1)
0004013800000202.bin (md5 90FEF0AB353CBD706B51538099A2F152)

These three files above are generated from cdn_firm.py.

Finally everything is working again. All save games are intact. WHEW

I hope this helps someone else looking to move away from GW!