Homebrew installed a9lh and 3ds doesn't turn on anymore

[Giodude]

Goddammit. You / your friend (1) didn't use the guide (at least not from the beginning), (2) have no backup and (3) apparently like to use deprecated tools (some of these caused by each other). You even managed to use an outdated version of SafeA9lhInstaller for the second install, which surprises me as you started using the guide at this point. What you got here is very near the worst case scenario. You also actually made it worse, cause when you got the console it still was in a perfectly saveable state, now I'm not so sure anymore -_-. Okay, what to do about this mess...


With all that happened to that 3DS so far (old tools and stuff), it is not in a defined state. If it were just two proper A9LH installs, no problem. That would still lead to a working A9LH installation. I fear there is something else wrong with this, though.


Try this, @PudimEXTREMI. Empty SD card, only arm9loaderhax.bin on it. Get GodMode9 from here, rename the GodMode9.bin from the archive to arm9loaderhax.bin, put it on the SD card root. Try to boot with this SD card. If it doesn't, rename arm9loaderhax.bin to arm9loaderhax_si.bin, try again. If it still doesn't work, maybe try another SD card and repeat (try both names). Follow these instructions exactly. After you tried this, let us know if you had success.

EDIT: Also make sure you use a SD card that actually works. Maybe a known working one from another console or the one that came with this one? It has to be formatted as FAT32.

If nothing of that leads to GodMode9, you won't be able to save this console. In that case, it might be broken beyound repair, or it might be saveable via hours of work and a hardmod. You'd need to find someone who'd do that for you.

But wouldn't the console be 100 percent guaruntee'd bricked of it stays on a block screen with the LED on without an sd card?

 

[d0k3]

But wouldn't the console be 100 percent guaruntee'd bricked of it stays on a block screen with the LED on without an sd card?

Not if that guy managed to put an arm9loaderhax.bin into CTRNAND. Otherwise, yup.

 

[munnimann]

But wouldn't the console be 100 percent guaruntee'd bricked of it stays on a block screen with the LED on without an sd card?

It's a different situation and I didn't investigate it, but after I used my 3DS SD card in my Wii U and put it back in my 3DS it wouldn't boot up. It would also not boot up after I removed the SD again, only black screen and blue LED. However with inserted SD card I was able to get to the CTR boot manager. Loading Luma didn't work, however the Gateway mode worked. After starting into the Gateway mode and turning the 3DS off again, it worked all fine again.

TL;DR: No, strictly speaking it's not a 100 percent guaranteed brick.

 

[PudimEXTREMI]

Goddammit. You / your friend (1) didn't use the guide (at least not from the beginning), (2) have no backup and (3) apparently like to use deprecated tools (some of these caused by each other). You even managed to use an outdated version of SafeA9lhInstaller for the second install, which surprises me as you started using the guide at this point. What you got here is very near the worst case scenario. You also actually made it worse, cause when you got the console it still was in a perfectly saveable state, now I'm not so sure anymore -_-. Okay, what to do about this mess...


With all that happened to that 3DS so far (old tools and stuff), it is not in a defined state. If it were just two proper A9LH installs, no problem. That would still lead to a working A9LH installation. I fear there is something else wrong with this, though.


Try this, @PudimEXTREMI. Empty SD card, only arm9loaderhax.bin on it. Get GodMode9 from here, rename the GodMode9.bin from the archive to arm9loaderhax.bin, put it on the SD card root. Try to boot with this SD card. If it doesn't, rename arm9loaderhax.bin to arm9loaderhax_si.bin, try again. If it still doesn't work, maybe try another SD card and repeat (try both names). Follow these instructions exactly. After you tried this, let us know if you had success.

EDIT: Also make sure you use a SD card that actually works. Maybe a known working one from another console or the one that came with this one? It has to be formatted as FAT32.

If nothing of that leads to GodMode9, you won't be able to save this console. In that case, it might be broken beyound repair, or it might be saveable via hours of work and a hardmod. You'd need to find someone who'd do that for you.

Tried everything, both names, different sd cards, even different sd adapters but nothing worked :/ one thing i figured out is that the sd adapter i was using in my friend's 3ds wasn't working because i tried putting my sd with my games in my console using that adapter and it would just do the same: black screen and blue light (don't worry tho, my 3ds is still fine afther this).

Well anyway, thanks for all the help guys but if it bricked i guess it just can't be helped.

 

[d0k3]

Tried everything, both names, different sd cards, even different sd adapters but nothing worked :/ one thing i figured out is that the sd adapter i was using in my friend's 3ds wasn't working because i tried putting my sd with my games in my console using that adapter and it would just do the same: black screen and blue light (don't worry tho, my 3ds is still fine afther this).

Well anyway, thanks for all the help guys but if it bricked i guess it just can't be helped.

Yeah, this is bad. Use the Guide when you try this on the next console, and get help before you try anything dangerous. You could have saved this console.

If you still got a NAND backup, you can save this console via a hardmod. If not, it may still be possible to save it, but will take hours of work. You can try sending it in, but big N will most likely notice what you tried and refuse any repairs. You can also wait for SigHax, but even then, a hardmod will be required.

 

[d0k3]

@PudimEXTREMI - be aware that you f****d up pretty bad, your case it pretty unique. As such it piqued the interest of a friend of mine, someone who may be able to fix this console. Take note of 'may'. If you ask me, chances are pretty good, around 80...90%, to get this back up and running. DSiWare and DS carts will most likely never work again, though.

You'd have to send in the OTP and all other relevant data you have (for example the data you used for the last A9LH install), and FIRM XORpads would highly increase the chances of this being fixed. More info may also help. You'd also have to pay for shipping to europe, and you'd have to pay for shipping back to your country, and that is without any guarantee that you will receive a fixed 3DS back (we can't tell).

I'll make this offer only one time (won't offer it to anyone else), and you don't have to take it. I guess I should have enough streetcred by now that you know I can be trusted and your 3DS won't simply vanish. If you're interested, send me a pm.

 

[nillesguidetips]

Hi

PLEASE delete all contents in the "Nintendo 3DS" folder and then try again, with SD card inserted.
what does happen?

edit: instead backing up data, it would be better

 

[Pyra]

Hi

PLEASE delete all contents in the "Nintendo 3DS" folder and then try again, with SD card inserted.
what does happen?

edit: instead backing up data, it would be better

I don't think that's a good idea, deleting the contents of that folder.

I mean I suppose you could back the folder up and try it, if you really wanted to.

Honestly though, at this point I think the best idea is to not do anything to it, out of risk of breaking it more, and just take d0k3's offer.

Sent from my SM-G360T using Tapatalk

edit: deleted a part of the post that was unnecessary, and added the last sentence, and fixed a typo.

 

[nillesguidetips]

@Pyra
hi, it isn't dangerous.
that is often one of the first attempts to look out, before changing any other files or methods
to recover or restoring or whatever.

 

[Pyra]

@Pyra
hi, it isn't dangerous.
that is often one of the first attempts to look out, before changing any other files or methods
to recover or restoring or whatever.

I mean, I guess it isn't dangerous if you back up the folder.

Sent from my SM-G360T using Tapatalk

 

[nillesguidetips]

i have to add something:

i had an example with an OLD3DS wit Sys 11.0.0.33e, of course the masterworking guide by Plailect, but used to success arm11, first with
Fasthax, instead of udsploit.
after a9lh installation, exact the same problem. i think there were corrupted settings in the Nintendo3ds folder on SD.
i backed up and then delete the contents of this folder an tried it one time, and it worked. it loaded into homemenu

 

[d0k3]

Well... @PudimEXTREMI already tried with a completely empty SD card, and without an SD card. Without, it should at least have turned itself of, but it didn't.

With an SD card, it should have loaded the arm9laoderhax.bin payload - it didn't. You know I'm actually the dev behind OTPHelper, SafeCtrTransfer, Decrypt9WIP and GodMode9? I know my 3DS hardware inside out, and this is a hard brick, which won't be revived by software alone. There is also no backup available, so it's basically the worst possible case.

 

[Giodude]

Well... @PudimEXTREMI already tried with a completely empty SD card, and without an SD card. Without, it should at least have turned itself of, but it didn't.

With an SD card, it should have loaded the arm9laoderhax.bin payload - it didn't. You know I'm actually the dev behind OTPHelper, SafeCtrTransfer, Decrypt9WIP and GodMode9? I know my 3DS hardware inside out, and this is a hard brick, which won't be revived by software alone. There is also no backup available, so it's basically the worst possible case.

I'm Surprised something like this even happened. The chances of this specific scenario are over 1 in a million.

 

[BL4Z3D247]

What kind of 3DS is it? If it's an O3DS, have you tried holding A+R+L+Up(DPad) while you power up? This is the only thing I didn't see anyone recommend so I figured I'd ask. Not that I don't think you know what you're talking about @d0k3.

 

[The Catboy]

Hi

PLEASE delete all contents in the "Nintendo 3DS" folder and then try again, with SD card inserted.
what does happen?

edit: instead backing up data, it would be better

I don't see how that could fix the problem nor even be related. A9LH isn't depend on the "Nintendo 3DS" folder being present and deleting it doesn't create a clean system. A9LH is installed deep into the system itself, not the "Nintendo 3DS folder."

As for the OP, it sounds like a soft brick caused by either missing or corrupted files. Something that more than likely requires a NAND backup and hardmod to fix. Something we don't have.

 

[Quantumcat]

I don't see how that could fix the problem nor even be related. A9LH isn't depend on the "Nintendo 3DS" folder being present and deleting it doesn't create a clean system. A9LH is installed deep into the system itself, not the "Nintendo 3DS folder."

As for the OP, it sounds like a soft brick caused by either missing or corrupted files. Something that more than likely requires a NAND backup and hardmod to fix.

He's probably thinking in terms of theme data that can prevent a system from booting. Also, again, read a thread before replying to it. He has no NAND backup.

 

[BL4Z3D247]

He's probably thinking in terms of theme data that can prevent a system from booting. Also, again, read a thread before replying to it. He has no NAND backup.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking they meant too. I remember when I did a DSiWareHax downgrade deleting the 0000008f folder(for USA consoles) was necessary or it would result in a black screen and you would only be able to boot without the SD card.

 

[The Catboy]

He's probably thinking in terms of theme data that can prevent a system from booting.

I do believe that throws out an actual error code in the theme manager. I vaguely remember corrupting my sysNAND theme way back in the menuHAX days and just spit out an error code in the theme manager.
Looking up, I found a thread that mentioned theme corruption
https://gbatemp.net/threads/home-menu-themes-broken-any-way-to-fix-this-other-than-a-backup.392827/

 

[Quantumcat]

I do believe that throws out an actual error code in the theme manager. I vaguely remember corrupting my sysNAND theme way back in the menuHAX days and just spit out an error code in the theme manager.

I think the problem is having theme data associated with a later firmware (if you have just downgraded) not because it is corrupted. It gives you a black screen on boot. I don't think there's any error?

 

[BL4Z3D247]

I think the problem is having theme data associated with a later firmware (if you have just downgraded) not because it is corrupted. It gives you a black screen on boot. I don't think there's any error?

Nope, no error when it's not corrupted. Just a black screen on boot, blue light stays lit. It's not that anyways because as d0k3 mentioned the OP tried it without an SD card and still had a black screen on boot.