Japanese 3DS worth the hassle? (and other questions)

[Henzzle]

I also just bought a japanese 3ds and I am thinking of changing the region. After reading through this thread it looks like the best way to do this is by changing the region of the emuNAND while leaving the sysNAND intact. I think that is what I would do. However, I am curious if there are any downsides in always running with the emuNAND. Is the SD card going to handle that sort of stress for a long time? Also if something happens to the SD card, will I be able to create a new emuNAND (with a new SD card) using the sysNAND again?

 

[binkinator]

I also just bought a japanese 3ds and I am thinking of changing the region. After reading through this thread it looks like the best way to do this is by changing the region of the emuNAND while leaving the sysNAND intact. I think that is what I would do. However, I am curious if there are any downsides in always running with the emuNAND. Is the SD card going to handle that sort of stress for a long time? Also if something happens to the SD card, will I be able to create a new emuNAND (with a new SD card) using the sysNAND again?

I‘ve been running on Emunand since December and haven’t noticed any issues so far. I kinda like the fact that if I munge everything I can always take another snapshot of my Sysnand on a new card and I‘m good to go. Plus I can flip between LL and XL with nothing more than a reboot. How cool is that?

I‘ve been running my V1 Switch with an Emunand for 2 years and again no issues. I have two SD cards for each system and swap them out every couple of weeks after taking a snapshot as a form of backup. I also keep hard disk copies of everything I install on my own CIA server so I can recover all my tools, configs and games with just a few clicks.

 

[Henzzle]

I‘ve been running on Emunand since December and haven’t noticed any issues so far. I kinda like the fact that if I munge everything I can always take another snapshot of my Sysnand on a new card and I‘m good to go. Plus I can flip between LL and XL with nothing more than a reboot. How cool is that?

I‘ve been running my V1 Switch with an Emunand for 2 years and again no issues. I have two SD cards for each system and swap them out every couple of weeks after taking a snapshot as a form of backup. I also keep hard disk copies of everything I install on my own CIA server so I can recover all my tools, configs and games with just a few clicks.

Wow, that's great! So it looks like there are no downsides to running with the emuNAND. I also really like the fact that the sysNAND would be intact in case I mess something up. I really like the idea of swapping two SD cards every couple of weeks. Is that hard to do? Or is it just a matter of copying and pasting all the files in one SD card to the other? Are there any extra steps?

Also, what SD cards would you recommend? I am looking to get either a 64GB Sandisk Ultra or a 64GB Samsung EVO Select, are these good quality SD cards to use for the 3ds emunand?

 

[binkinator]

Wow, that's great! So it looks like there are no downsides to running with the emuNAND.

I’ve read that it can be slower. I don’t have a lot of history with my 3DS prior to using Emunand so I guess it’s possible I don’t know what I’m missing.

I also really like the fact that the sysNAND would be intact in case I mess something up. I really like the idea of swapping two SD cards every couple of weeks. Is that hard to do? Or is it just a matter of copying and pasting all the files in one SD card to the other? Are there any extra steps?

I do a bit for bit copy using Minitool Partition Wizard (mostly because it’s free.) Not much to it…just say copy everything withou resizing before heading to bed and wake up to a backed up card.

Also, what SD cards would you recommend? I am looking to get either a 64GB Sandisk Ultra or a 64GB Samsung EVO Select, are these good quality SD cards to use for the 3ds emunand?

Both are good brands…just make sure you buy from a reputable seller. The larger you get the faster you want them to be. I splurged for u3 cards vs the slower u1. Check your cards with h2testw before hand just to be sure And you should be all set.

 

[Henzzle]

I’ve read that it can be slower. I don’t have a lot of history with my 3DS prior to using Emunand so I guess it’s possible I don’t know what I’m missing.

As long as it is not annoyingly slower I think it is worth the trade. It's been many years since I last had a 3ds and from what I recall the home menu was already pretty slow, so maybe I won't notice any slowdown.

Both are good brands…just make sure you buy from a reputable seller. The larger you get the faster you want them to be. I splurged for u3 cards vs the slower u1.

Do you think u1 is good for a 64gb card? What's the size of the sd card you use?

Also, I didn't quite understand the problem with extended memory games on region-changed systems. Will I run into any problems playing those games on a region-changed emunand? My 3ds is the first version non-xl.

 

[binkinator]

As long as it is not annoyingly slower I think it is worth the trade. It's been many years since I last had a 3ds and from what I recall the home menu was already pretty slow, so maybe I won't notice any slowdown.

Do you think u1 is good for a 64gb card? What's the size of the sd card you use?

I use 400gb because that’s what I use on my Switch but 64gb is fine for 3DS. I only just switched to u3 because they came down in price.

Also, I didn't quite understand the problem with extended memory games on region-changed systems. Will I run into any problems playing those games on a region-changed emunand? My 3ds is the first version non-xl.

I heard about it…haven't run across it yet but figure I’ll just install those few titles in native LL mode.

 

[Henzzle]

I use 400gb because that’s what I use on my Switch but 64gb is fine for 3DS. I only just switched to u3 because they came down in price.

I heard about it…haven't run across it yet but figure I’ll just install those few titles in native LL mode.

Great! Thanks so much for answering my questions man!! It really helped!!

 

[Henzzle]

I then initialized everything with this [link] so my Sysnand and Emunand wouldn’t have the same movable.sed and NNID.

Did you format both the emuNAND and the sysNAND? Which one do you recommend I format? I don't have any important saves or anything, so I'm not worried about formatting either one.

I was thinking that ideally I would format both, so I could have the fresh sysNAND and the formatted emuNAND capable of running extended memory games, but I am not sure if I can do that since all tutorials I've seen recommend that you format one of the two.

 

[binkinator]

Did you format both the emuNAND and the sysNAND? Which one do you recommend I format? I don't have any important saves or anything, so I'm not worried about formatting either one.

I was thinking that ideally I would format both, so I could have the fresh sysNAND and the formatted emuNAND capable of running extended memory games, but I am not sure if I can do that since all tutorials I've seen recommend that you format one of the two.

I only formatted the Emunand. My Sysnand is bone stock atm. No reason to mess with it. It just runs.

Be sure to reverse the (L) button behavior so just booting puts you on Emunand but holding (L) during boot puts you on Sysnand.

edit: found a post that explains the reverse thing…

https://gbatemp.net/threads/gateway-gw3d-11-10-b9s-and-cfw.550040/page-10#post-9753166

 

[CoolMe]

GBA VC games will not work with Emunand, and there's no way getting around that. You can install the same GBA cia file to both the sysnand and emunand and make it boot when you're on emunand, but it's kind of pointless since it'll switch to the sysnand version after booting it and the created save file will be on the sysnand too.
Other than that it should work fine.

 

[binkinator]

GBA VC games will not work with Emunand, and there's no way getting around that. You can install the same GBA cia file to both the sysnand and emunand and make it boot when you're on emunand, but it's kind of pointless since it'll switch to the sysnand version after booting it and the created save file will be on the sysnand too.
Other than that it should work fine.

Are GBA VC games those you create like this or something different? I have one that shows up as a VC title but I realized I initially installed it on my Sysnand so when I copied my Emunand I likely “installed” it on both. Hmmm.




edit: or is it just these titles directly from Ninty?

oh weird. When I exit out of the one I had installed…it takes me back to my Japanese Sysnand when I exit the game and it takes a good 30 seconds to quit.



Installed a different title and it plays fine, but when I exit it kicks me out to Sysnand even though I started it in Emunand. Definitely a weird ”feature”. Feels like it’s completely rebooting…

 

[CoolMe]

Are GBA VC games those you creat like this or something different?

Yes, i was referring to the official ones by Nintendo, and i assume GBA VC injects would behave the same way too..

I have one that shows up as a VC title but I realized I initially installed it on my Sysnand so when I copied my Emunand I likely “installed” it on both. Hmmm.

oh weird. When I exit out of the one I had installed…it takes me back to my Japanese Sysnand when I exit the game and it takes a good 30 seconds to quit.

That's what i was referring to, it reads from the installed sysnand version instead of Emunand, to test, delete the game from sysnand and launch the one from emunand, it won't work, for GBA games that is.

Installed a different title and it plays fine, but when I exit it kicks me out to Sysnand even though I started it in Emunand. Definitely a weird ”feature”.

And you don't have that installed on sysnand? If so, launch it again (the one installed on emunand) and see if the starts with your last created save.

 

[binkinator]

Yes, i was referring to the official ones by Nintendo, and i assume GBA VC injects would behave the same way too..

yeah, just Tried, they do.

That's what i was referring to, it reads from the installed sysnand version instead of Emunand, to test, delete the game from sysnand and launch the one from emunand, it won't work, for GBA games that is.

And you don't have that installed on sysnand? If so, launch it again (the one installed on emunand) and see if the starts with your last created save.

Launched it again and I can see my save, but even though I can play my save it still breaks the illusion of Emunand and restarts in Sysnand.


I went to delete my original “dual installed” game (Kirby) from Sysnand and I see the new games (Mario advance 3: Yoshi) I just installed in memory…on my Sysnand.




I deleted the original Kirby game from Sysnand while I was there and now it’s gone from my Home Screen in Emunand as well.



That blank slot is where it was. This does not happen with any of the normal 3DS games.

It’s as if Virtual Console completely ignores the concept of Emunand and only knows about Sysnand.

I did find a work around. I installed the original .gba file in my DSTWO card and put the card in my 3DS and it plays without issue and exits back to the *nand I was using at the time I started the emulator.

Weird edge case. Thanks for going down the rabbit hole with me.

 

[Takokeshi]

@binkinator sounds like your sysnand and emunand are not unlinked.

 

[binkinator]

@binkinator sounds like your sysnand and emunand are not unlinked.

I hear you man but I formatted my Emunand with TinyFormat to get a new movable.sed. Let me do some tests though cause now you have me legit wondering.

 

[Takokeshi]

I hear you man but I formatted my Emunand with TinyFormat to get a new movable.sed. Let me do some tests though cause now you have me legit wondering.

If you ended up formatting sysnand later afterwards, they would have gotten re-linked. The movable.sed generation is deterministic and will always follow the same pattern.

 

[AkikoKumagara]

Im not 100% certain why this happens.

I have only installed US region CIAs but as an example the Pokemon games and even the Pushmo game

It's because those games are actually RF (region free) and contain all languages they support
I'm also in the Japanese 3DS crew, by the way. I use a Japanese New 3DS now and I love it.
Luma Locale Switcher helps when issues arise.

Really no need for a full region switch unless you *really* can't stand the Japanese menus.

 

[binkinator]

If you ended up formatting sysnand later afterwards, they would have gotten re-linked. The movable.sed generation is deterministic and will always follow the same pattern.

I confirmed that an Emunand install of Stella Glow shows up in my Sysnand upon reboot. Ungh.

I did install 3DS Bank. I wonder if that relinked me somehow.

 

[CoolMe]

Launched it again and I can see my save, but even though I can play my save it still breaks the illusion of Emunand and restarts in Sysnand.

It doesn't make sense if the game is not installed in emunand too, it should, and that save is for the sysnand version.

I went to delete my original “dual installed” game (Kirby) from Sysnand and I see the new games (Mario advance 3: Yoshi) I just installed in memory…on my Sysnand.

I deleted the original Kirby game from Sysnand while I was there and now it’s gone from my Home Screen in Emunand as well.

Sounds like both emunand & sysnand are using the same "Nintendo 3DS" folder, they should be 2 separate files inside instead of just one, you can check in either fbi or your pc. Thus both are linked..

That blank slot is where it was. This does not happen with any of the normal 3DS games.

It’s as if Virtual Console completely ignores the concept of Emunand and only knows about Sysnand.

The system is confusing itself when one title is present in both sys and emunand, and when it's deleted in sysnand, emunand would think this is where it supposed to be, despite it being removed on the sysnand, and that's because they're using the same folder (the 32 character folder inside the Nintendo 3DS folder on your sd card).

I did find a work around. I installed the original .gba file in my DSTWO card and put the card in my 3DS and it plays without issue and exits back to the *nand I was using at the time I started the emulator.

Nice. But that wouldn't much help for the person who wants to switch to emunand and wants to play GBA VC games..

Weird edge case. Thanks for going down the rabbit hole with me.

I repeat, this only happens for GBA VC titles, the other GB/GBC play fine on emunand and i assume the other titles nes/snes etc. work fine too.

 

[Takokeshi]

It might be a problem for DSiware too (including homebrew dsiware), I'm not sure if that has been solved since last time I messed with that though.