Hacking I have successfully downgraded about 40 o3ds/n3ds. Here's what I do:

[ArmoredGuns1]

Hopefully this thread will clear some confusion that maybe some guides aren't alleviating.

1) I check if the 3DS user has an original SD card. Fake/counterfeit SD cards can lead to read/write errors during the downgrade process, leading into a soft/hard brick.

2) The first thing I always do is to install themehax, to launch Sysupdater from there. It is not recommended to launch Sysupdater through Browserhax. If the user has a firmware within 9.9-10.1, I install menuhax through an Ocarina of Time cartridge.

3) If the user is in the firmware 10.1 or lower, I update to 10.3 first and then downgrade to 9.2, using the same version of Sysupdater, provided in the guide here: https://gbatemp.net/threads/simple-guide-to-downgrading-your-3ds.407888/. Why should we do this? Because Memchunkhax2 runs most stable in 10.2 NATIVE_FIRM.

4) I use the update packs that can be downloaded on that iso site that everyone knows. There is a thread over there created by the user Pakrett that provides safe update packs for old/new3DS. Be sure to double check which version you're downloading.

5) I use SafeSysUpdater just to check the file integrity of the 9.2 update files.

6) For n3DS users, I open FTPbrony and close it before using Sysupdater. Apparently this for some reason improves the boot rate for Sysupdater (somebody please correct me if I'm wrong).

Now, here's some common errors that can occur:

1) Sysupdater freezes before launching. This is perfectly normal, it's because Memchunkhax2 (the ARM11 Kernel exploit that allows us to downgrade) is unstable. You gotta keep trying.

2) Sysupdater freezes after you press Y to downgrade. Again, this is pretty normal due to the nature of MCH2. Just turn off and keep trying.

3) Failed to get CIA file info. This can happen if you use OSX to move the update files to the SD card, if this is the case I recommend to get a PC to move the files. If you're not using OSX and you see this error, you can try formatting the SD card and moving the files again. If the error keeps popping then I recommend you to format the 3DS (especially if it's a n3DS) or use another SD card.

4) Freezes after displaying "Update sucessfull, rebooting in 10 seconds". This is pretty normal too. Just wait about two minutes and if it's still stuck, power it off. You should be in 10.3/9.2 after you turn it back on.

When you succesfully downgrade, please, please, please make a backup of your NAND before setting up a CFW. Use the Gateway Launcher with o3DS or Emunand9 with n3DS to do this. I hope this thread can be useful to many

 

[artur3004]

Upgrading to 10.3 is unecessary, I've downgraded various n/o3ds that were between 9.2 and 10.3. on 9.4 once downgrading worked on the first try!

 

[tony_2018]

Upgrading to 10.3 is unecessary, I've downgraded various n/o3ds that were between 9.2 and 10.3. on 9.4 once downgrading worked on the first try!

Than share you guide instead of trying to point out flaws in another.

 

[artur3004]

already have one, everything what people screamed that we already have a downgrading tut. But mine was explicit for the memchunhax2 version of sysupdater

 

[James310]

I don't get why people update to 10.3 first to downgrade , there's no proof in the files to show 10.3 is safer then 9.X

 

[weatMod]

another thing is to make sure you go to eshop and let it create data before running sysupdater

also if you can't get it to run you could try to rename sysupdater.3dsx to boot.3dsx and have it bypass the HBL altogether and boot directly to sysupdater

 

[The Real Jdbye]

3) If the user is in the firmware 10.1 or lower, I update to 10.3 first and then downgrade to 9.2, using the same version of Sysupdater, provided in the guide here: https://gbatemp.net/threads/simple-guide-to-downgrading-your-3ds.407888/. Why should we do this? Because Memchunkhax2 runs most stable in 10.2 NATIVE_FIRM.

That doesn't make sense. You need memchunkhax2 to update to 10.3 as well. Seems like it would just increase the risk since it could fail during the upgrade too.
It kind of makes sense that it's more stable on 10.3, as it was probably developed/tested on that version, but still, wouldn't the added risks from updating negate any lowered risk during the downgrade process?

 

[James310]

That doesn't make sense. You need memchunkhax2 to update to 10.3 as well. Seems like it would just increase the risk since it could fail during the upgrade too.
It kind of makes sense that it's more stable on 10.3, as it was probably developed/tested on that version, but still, wouldn't the added risks from updating negate any lowered risk during the downgrade process?

Finally some who gets me what I'm trying to say to people!

 

[Urbanshadow]

That doesn't make sense. You need memchunkhax2 to update to 10.3 as well. Seems like it would just increase the risk since it could fail during the upgrade too.
It kind of makes sense that it's more stable on 10.3, as it was probably developed/tested on that version, but still, wouldn't the added risks from updating negate any lowered risk during the downgrade process?

Actually it does lower the chances of soft-brick on new3ds systems as it prevents one type of soft-brick. I did read why somewhere on the forums, but I don't remember exactly where (was it on the "random problems after downgrade n3ds" thread?)

 

[nobody231]

Recently downgraded my N3DS using your steps, and it worked perfectly! I was scared, because N3DSs ate one time bricked on the SysUpdater downgrades...

 

[Yepez666]

I twice also had problems downgrading new 3ds from lower than 10.3 ,both got softbricks, also got a frankenfirmware once, now i update to 10.3 and everything then goes fine , it seems the update process it's safer than the downgrade ,and the downgrade in 10.3 it's better

 

[TheDuckMan64]

3) Failed to get CIA file info. This can happen if you use OSX to move the update files to the SD card, if this is the case I recommend to get a PC to move the files. If you're not using OSX and you see this error, you can try formatting the SD card and moving the files again. If the error keeps popping then I recommend you to format the 3DS (especially if it's a n3DS) or use another SD card.

This can be fixed by creating the "updates" folder on the sd card, dragging to CIA's in, then opening terminal and typing in "dot_clean " and then dragging the updates folder into the terminal window. You should add something along the lines of this to your original post

 

[Deleted User]

Very useful guide; it's informative and gives people some know how and assurance.

3) Failed to get CIA file info. This can happen if you use OSX to move the update files to the SD card, if this is the case I recommend to get a PC to move the files. If you're not using OSX and you see this error, you can try formatting the SD card and moving the files again. If the error keeps popping then I recommend you to format the 3DS (especially if it's a n3DS) or use another SD card.

I will say in my experience of downgrading a total of 1, count 'em, 1 N3DS (impressive I know), this was pretty much the thing that kept sysupdater from going through with the process. I got this message more than anything else but never formatted my SD card or 3DS and at one point it worked. Now, I have no idea how filesystems really work, either hard drives or removable storage, so do you have any idea about this? I have no doubt it would have worked better had I done the above.

 

[xihx]

Wow! You can follow downgrade tutorials. You can read!

 

[TheDuckMan64]

Very useful guide; it's informative and gives people some know how and assurance.



I will say in my experience of downgrading a total of 1, count 'em, 1 N3DS (impressive I know), this was pretty much the thing that kept sysupdater from going through with the process. I got this message more than anything else but never formatted my SD card or 3DS and at one point it worked. Now, I have no idea how filesystems really work, either hard drives or removable storage, so do you have any idea about this? I have no doubt it would have worked better had I done the above.

This is caused by the extra files that OS X uses (hidden files the start with "." e.g .DS_Store). You can clean these files from a folder/volume by using the "dot_clean" command in terminal. Or, you can just keep trying heaps of times and get lucky

 

[Jiro2]

This is caused by the extra files that OS X uses (hidden files the start with "." e.g .DS_Store). You can clean these files from a folder/volume by using the "dot_clean" command in terminal. Or, you can just keep trying heaps of times and get lucky

If these extra files stop sysupdater, can they cause sysupdater to stop at a spot which bricks the machine? Or do they just stop the process from even starting? If it bricks the machine, trying until you get lucky might not work.

 

[axemurderer]

so. did you ever have a softbrick on n3ds when the whole downgrading process seemed to go just fine? did that system continually have softbricks? that's the only problem that needs solving (with a solution that's not "delete everything by system formatting"). if you don't have a solution to that, you don't have much to contribute tbh.

 

[TheDuckMan64]

If these extra files stop sysupdater, can they cause sysupdater to stop at a spot which bricks the machine? Or do they just stop the process from even starting? If it bricks the machine, trying until you get lucky might not work.

No, if the downgrade starts I believe the files are ignored from that point on.

 

[Deleted User]

This is caused by the extra files that OS X uses (hidden files the start with "." e.g .DS_Store). You can clean these files from a folder/volume by using the "dot_clean" command in terminal. Or, you can just keep trying heaps of times and get lucky

Not if you don't have a Mac... Really my question was just why it worked all of a sudden without me doing anything The files were all transferred to and fro the Windows OS.

 

[TheDuckMan64]

Not if you don't have a Mac... Really my question was just why it worked all of a sudden without me doing anything The files were all transferred to and fro the Windows OS.

This is caused by the extra files that OS X uses (hidden files the start with "." e.g .DS_Store). You can clean these files from a folder/volume by using the "dot_clean" command in terminal. Or, you can just keep trying heaps of times and get lucky