Hacking [Help/Question] Prepping up to do DSiware Downgrade of a 2nd hand system

[Kaneco]

As the question already states. I'm prepping up to do a DSiware downgrade on one of my friend's New 3DS XL and I'm using my single already-hacked Old 3DS with a9lh already installed as a method to transfer a DSiware (modified) title with a modified savefile to get this done.

My question is: What is the safest way to format a a9lh system without deleting or getting rid of any of the a9lh protection? Is formatting your system safe through System settings, does it get to keep everything a9lh in place? Is using the Tinyformat method safe, so I can keep everything on SD card undeleted?

What I'm trying to do is use a secondary NNID without transferring my main one to set up on my already softmodded/hacked 3DS which would require to format my previous setup with my main NNID, which is fine because I will be backing up my Sysnand+Luma+a9lh setup so I can get back everything I've already done with my system before doing any of this.

I already know that formatting your system auto-unlinks your NNID, so I would technically be unlinking my secondary NNID on my friend's system once I'm done with the entire process.

I would also most likely make a NAND back up of my secondary NNID set up with everything set up on my 3DS in case I need to repeat everything with another 3DS I may hack in the future.

My fear & question stems from Hourglass giving you the option to restore a backup & restore a backup while keeping a9lh, so it makes me feel and wonder that if I were to do a regular format it would do away with everything...so I'm trying to be extra careful with proceeding in using my own hacked 3DS to this.


Any feedback & suggestions are highly appreciated. Want to make sure I do everything right.


Thanks in advance!


EDIT: Just noticed that this wasn't the right forum to post this one. If a mod can move this thread to the more appropriate forum, I would highly appreciate it. I could do it myself, but I can't seem to find any of the tools that would allow me to do so, or delete the thread. Apologies in advance.

 

[jefffisher]

regular format is safe, tiny format is preferred just back up your nand with hourglass9 tinyformat and when you're done restore your nand back up and your 3ds should be back exactly as it originally was.
when it says keep a9lh it is referring to if you made a nand backup without a9lh and restored it the normal way a9lh would be lost you dont need to worry about it now.

 

[Kaneco]

regular format is safe, tiny format is preferred just back up your nand with hourglass9 tinyformat and when you're done restore your nand back up and your 3ds should be back exactly as it originally was.
when it says keep a9lh it is referring to if you made a nand backup without a9lh and restored it the normal way a9lh would be lost you dont need to worry about it now.

Very much appreciated. Thanks for the feedback.