Hacking Luma3DS - Noob-proof 3DS Custom Firmware

[Aurora Wright]

No version has payload files. They are optional. I don't use any. Of course, I'm using BootCTR9 defaulted to Luma3DS. Decrypt9 boots a little faster, I can hotkey over features I don't use, etc. Besides, I'm a firm believer in having an app that does one thing and does it well (especially if it's going to be the first thing that runs).

There's no right or wrong way to set them up. You can place whatever wherever you want it. I like having Decrypt9 on up, Godmode9 on down, EmuNAND9 on left, Uncart on right, ReiNand on X, and Cakes on Y. But that's me. Note that you'll have to cut off the first 12000 hex bytes of the Cakes.dat file (easiest way is to load it in a hex editor, hit Ctrl-G, tell it to go to 12000 hex, hold shift, hit end, goto File, New, paste, then save it) and save it as something like "y_Cakes.bin" i.e. you want to run that from the Y button. Almost everything else comes with an "arm9loaderhax.bin" that can just be renamed (if, for example, I did want to use Luma to launch Decrypt9, I'd simply copy the "arm9loaderhax.bin" from it to the "payloads" folder and rename it to "up_D9.bin"). I'd say it's a good idea to have a backup plan. You never know when your favorite CFW will break something (case in point, DS mode not working in 5.4 on O3DS) and you might need to use something else temporarily for that until they get it fixed.



You shouldn't have needed a firmware.bin just to get it to run. Maybe your EmuNAND isn't completely updated (or your SysNAND wasn't completely downgraded if it's a fresh EmuNAND install) and is running a mix of files from different firmwares? Oh well, it won't matter once you have A9LH installed -- it will be running a fully updated 10.7 after all (except for those firm partitions, of course).

I really can't understand... "Decrypt9 boots a little faster": placebo, or show that two ifs and ors slow things down in a measurable way
I can hotkey over features I don't use: yes, but this can be also confusing for most other people
I'm a firm believer in having an app that does one thing and does it well (especially if it's going to be the first thing that runs): it's not like chainloading a payload (load into memory, jump to it) is such a tedious task, or requires complicated code... And I promise, it doesn't brick the device.
Also, DS mode works on stable 5.4, there was a derp in a nightly that made it stop working but that's solved by now.

 

[Kazuma77]

I really can't understand... "Decrypt9 boots a little faster": placebo, or show that two ifs and ors slow things down in a measurable way
I can hotkey over features I don't use: yes, but this can be also confusing for most other people
I'm a firm believer in having an app that does one thing and does it well (especially if it's going to be the first thing that runs): it's not like chainloading a payload (load into memory, jump to it) is such a tedious task, or requires complicated code... And I promise, it doesn't brick the device.
Also, DS mode works on stable 5.4, there was a derp in a nightly that made it stop working but that's solved by now.

Well, the guide gave me two options. It was obvious that one used a boot manager I was familiar with. I can't explain it, but it does seem a split second faster. Nothing major. Your chain loader seems to work well, and I would advise any noobs to go with the Luma option.

Well, DSiWare isn't working on any O3DS XL I try it on. I hadn't played Four Swords in a while, so I hadn't noticed, but my mom wasn't happy when "Brain Age Express - Sudoku" stopped working. I had to revert it to 5.2.

 

[DragLeben]

I'd suspect it was an incomplete update to 9.2 then. Japanese units tend to have the most problems with that from all I've read. You should be fine. You'll be restoring a 10.7 EmuNAND to SysNAND after all. You can restore SysNAND_original.bin to EmuNAND instead of deleting EmuNAND if you need a 9.2 to run Gateway (in which case, you might want to try to straighten it out at that point if it still won't boot when you hold L). Otherwise, just delete EmuNAND as the guide says. Your 10.7 should be fine. If you've already grabbed OTP, the most dangerous part is already behind you.

Thanks, that's surely been helpful!

 

[Aurora Wright]

Well, DSiWare isn't working on any O3DS XL I try it on. I hadn't played Four Swords in a while, so I hadn't noticed, but my mom wasn't happy when "Brain Age Express - Sudoku" stopped working. I had to revert it to 5.2.

https://github.com/AuroraWright/Lum...-downgraded-from-the-gateway-menu-in-the-past

 

[Kazuma77]

https://github.com/AuroraWright/Lum...-downgraded-from-the-gateway-menu-in-the-past

I've recently re-installed TWL_FIRM (straight from 3DNUS) on mine because I tried downgrading to 5.3.1. first on mine, and that seemed to corrupt it completely (so I went straight to 5.2 on mom's). So I'll see if Four Swords runs now on 5.4. As for my decision to use BootCTR9, I've clarified it in that post now. I would definitely recommend any noob go with the Luma option. I was familiar with BootCTR, and I saw that the other option used it. Also, I wasn't aware that I didn't need an offset option to boot Cakes at the time (and I like to keep my options open -- it's all free, might as well set it all up). Enough said.

 

[Aurora Wright]

I've recently re-installed TWL_FIRM (straight from 3DNUS) on mine because I tried downgrading to 5.3.1. first on mine, and that seemed to corrupt it completely (so I went straight to 5.2 on mom's). So I'll see if Four Swords runs now on 5.4. As for my decision to use BootCTR9, I've clarified it in that post now. I would definitely recommend any noob go with the Luma option. I was familiar with BootCTR, and I saw that the other option used it. Also, I wasn't aware that I didn't need an offset option to boot Cakes at the time (and I like to keep my options open -- it's all free, might as well set it all up). Enough said.

Fine, just don't go saying it's "faster" because it's simply untrue.

Anyway, everyone...
http://www40.zippyshare.com/v/6gxzRWcg/file.html
I need testing for the latest commit, specifically for people with a non screen init a9lh. You need to test going to the config menu, saving, and seeing if the screens shutdowns correctly (then maybe, just after saving boot a payload, or turn the splash screen option on and see if the screen shuts down again after the splash screen). Testing is only needed as soon as one quits the config menu

 

[9thSage]

Fine, just don't go saying it's "faster" because it's simply untrue.

Anyway, everyone...
http://www40.zippyshare.com/v/6gxzRWcg/file.html
I need testing for the latest commit, specifically for people with a non screen init a9lh. You need to test going to the config menu, saving, and seeing if the screens shutdowns correctly (then maybe, just after saving boot a payload, or turn the splash screen option on and see if the screen shuts down again after the splash screen). Testing is only needed as soon as one quits the config menu

Seems to be turning the screen on/off right for me (I'm using your non-screen init fork of a9lh).

 

[Cortles]

https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki/Part-5-(arm9loaderhax)

I'm on part 5 of the guide. I configured Luma3DS after supposedly installing a9lh. I can load Luma3DS settings by holding select from boot, but I can't load decrypt9 from boot by holding start and none of my apps launch in homebrew launcher. What's wrong?

 

[pbanj]

https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki/Part-5-(arm9loaderhax)

I'm on part 5 of the guide. I configured Luma3DS after supposedly installing a9lh. I can load Luma3DS settings by holding select from boot, but I can't load decrypt9 from boot by holding start and none of my apps launch in homebrew launcher. What's wrong?

Do you have the decrypt9 bin file in the payloads folder and what is it named?

 

[Cortles]

Do you have the decrypt9 bin file in the payloads folder and what is it named?

Yes. Named start_Dec9.bin

But would that issue also relate to me not being able to load any apps in homebrew launcher?

 

[pbanj]

Yes. Named start_Dec9.bin

But would that issue also relate to me not being able to load any apps in homebrew launcher?

No. Is your nand 10.7? If so that why homebrew isn't working. As for d9 when are you holding start?

 

[Cortles]

No. Is your nand 10.7? If so that why homebrew isn't working. As for d9 when are you holding start?

Nand is 9.2 I'm holding start before even booting. And when I try to load any app via the homebrew launcher, it goes to a red screen on the bottom twice then goes back to homebrew launcher. This wasn't a problem before part 5 in the guide. I did all of the preparatory work in the guide correctly... as far as I know.

Edit: I can launch random apps such as super brony and TinyFormat no problem

 

[pbanj]

Figured I would see how the latest commit runs and found this issue

The line moves each boot.
This is with a screen init fork of a9lh

 

[Kazuma77]

Fine, just don't go saying it's "faster" because it's simply untrue.

Anyway, everyone...
http://www40.zippyshare.com/v/6gxzRWcg/file.html
I need testing for the latest commit, specifically for people with a non screen init a9lh. You need to test going to the config menu, saving, and seeing if the screens shutdowns correctly (then maybe, just after saving boot a payload, or turn the splash screen option on and see if the screen shuts down again after the splash screen). Testing is only needed as soon as one quits the config menu

I'll run the comparison again and time it with a stopwatch. If it's slightly faster (not significantly, mind you), I'm not going to lie. No need to be so defensive. It's not like I think yours is sloppily coded or would brick a device (it's my understanding that it's based on Arm9Select, and I consider that no less solid a choice than any other boot manager). Probably just the result of loading 50K vs 9K at boot.

Apparently re-installing TWL_FIRM did something, because I was able to get "Four Swords" to run on my red/black in 5.4 now. Still, it makes no sense. I never had modified TWL_FIRM on my EmuNAND. TWL_FIRM downgraded to 4.0 in SysNAND, sure, I've got an AK2i after all. However, that should have been overwritten when I restored my 10.7 EmuNAND to SysNAND. Even if the 4.0 TWL_FIRM somehow did survive a NAND restore, it was still an original TWL_NAND that had not been patched in any way (and it worked with 5.2 for whatever reason). I'm at a loss for explanations, because TWL_NAND should be current and unmodified on all of these. Well, I'll just have to e-mail TWL_FIRM to everyone I've installed A9LH for, since I can't find a rational explanation.

I would offer to test the new version, but I'm running a screen init version of A9LH (that's what the guide has us install after all). I tend to have an "if it works, don't mess with it" policy, but if you recommend switching, I could try it on one device and see how it goes (I've only got 4 after all).

Thanks, that's surely been helpful!

It's also possible there were lingering remnants of a GW downgrade causing problems. Regardless, when you updated EmuNAND to 10.7 online, well, that tends to clean everything up.

 

[pbanj]

Nand is 9.2 I'm holding start before even booting. And when I try to load any app via the homebrew launcher, it goes to a red screen on the bottom twice then goes back to homebrew launcher. This wasn't a problem before part 5 in the guide. I did all of the preparatory work in the guide correctly... as far as I know.

Edit: I can launch random apps such as super brony and TinyFormat no problem

Ah its the firmware file in the luma folder causing that. If you don't want to use ntr get rid of it

 

[pbanj]

Yes. Named start_Dec9.bin

But would that issue also relate to me not being able to load any apps in homebrew launcher?

Remove the .bin from the name and see if that fixes it. I have a feeling its really named start_Dec9.bin.bin

 

[Cortles]

Remove the .bin from the name and see if that fixes it. I have a feeling its really named start_Dec9.bin.bin

Did this as well as the previous message. Still can't start up decrypt9 from a9lh, but I can now load any app from the homebrew launcher.

 

[Xenosaiga]

Did this as well as the previous message. Still can't start up decrypt9 from a9lh, but I can now load any app from the homebrew launcher.

Here's an idea, download the newest D9. Take the one that ends in .bin and place it in the Luma payload folder.

Name it Down_D9.bin

Then try starting your system while holding down on d-pad.


If you are dead set on using start you have to hold Left trigger + start

So just try the d-pad first

 

[pbanj]

Here's an idea, download the newest D9. Take the one that ends in .bin and place it in the Luma payload folder.

Name it Down_D9.bin

Then try starting your system while holding down on d-pad.


If you are dead set on using start you have to hold Left trigger + start

So just try the d-pad first

Since when have we needed to hold L+start?

 

[Cortles]

Here's an idea, download the newest D9. Take the one that ends in .bin and place it in the Luma payload folder.

Name it Down_D9.bin

Then try starting your system while holding down on d-pad.


If you are dead set on using start you have to hold Left trigger + start

So just try the d-pad first

I may try this.

I should also mention: when I downgraded to 2.1, my graphics were completely trippy, I still navigated my way to using OTPHelper and getting the otp, but I'm wondering if something bad happened because of that? I got no errors when downgrading, though, nor when getting the otp. But when I booted up my N3DS, had those rainbow graphics until I restored my old sysNAND.

Also, I can't load any of the other payloads either. Emu9, Decrypt9 or Uncart. But I can load all of them via homebrew launcher. Based on all of this, would downgrading to 2.1 and re-doing the process be a plan or is that a bad idea?