Hacking N3DS on CFW freezing in games / corrupting itself

gekk0s

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Hey,

I was hoping to get some input on how to fix my N3DS on CFW.

I recently got this system, used and updated to 11.8 firmware. Then I followed the Frogminer/seedminer guide to install the newest version of Luma3D.

The issue is that after a while, playing whichever game, will result in an arm11 exception crash. Also, sometimes it will simply freeze on the homescreen. Finally, often before the freeze / crash occurs there will be graphical glitches on both screens which flicker on and off and increase in frequency until the system freezes. The screen glitches are hard to capture but I attached some photos, it happens most often in FBI, while installing or browsing files.
After such freezes the system will not boot for a while (LED flashes on and off), but after 10 mins of waiting it will again boot normally.
Once one of these crashes caused the CTRNAND to become at least partially corrupt (simply looking at the filenames with GM9).

I have tried:
- check SD card health
- try new SD card
- reinstalling FBI
- restore sysnand with gm9 - sysnand backup was from just after completing frogminer guide
- different battery from another N3DS

some pictures: 1) ARM11 error during game 2) CTRNAND contents corrupt (see weird file names) 3) CTRNAND cant boot 4) screen flicker mild 5) screen flicker intense, just before crash

arm11 error during game.JPG CTRNAND contents gm9.JPG CTRNAND corrupt.JPG screen_flicker.JPG screen_flicker_intense.JPG

This also happens on the system when it is freshly restored to the earliest sysnand backup I have, without any CIAs installed other than FBI, homebrew, Anemone, checkpoint, rosalina updater.
Is this a hardware problem or is there some other restore option I could try? I realize now I should probably have tested the system for a couple of days before putting CFW on it to rule out a hardware fault on stock firmware..

Id really like to salvage this as it is a Hyrule edition and has a nice screen, so any advice would be great
cheers!
 
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Woah.

1) ticke4 and fixda4a folders in [1:] SYSNAND CTRNAND.
What? Those folders should be named ticket and fixdata. This is really weird.

2) Failure to mount CTRNAND.
Uhh... This is an extremely atypical error. It should almost never occur.

3) Demonic graphical glitches.
Unless your PICA200 GPU is failing, WTF is going on in that FBI picture‽


Here's what you can try.
  1. Take a spare micro SD card and copy everything off it.
  2. Reformat the card in FAT32 + 32 KB cluster size with Windows File Explorer or guiformat.
  3. Unless you already done so before on that card, do a Full Write + Verify Test in H2testw.
  4. If the card passes, delete the *.h2w test files. If an error is reported, stop the test.
    • If the card was found faulty, replace it and go back to step 1 or 2.
  5. Build a test custom firmware setup. Do not use anything from your main setup.
    • If you wish, you may use the CFW starter kit found here.
  6. Attempt recovering using CTRTransfer.


Sir, you hit the unlucky jackpot!

You might just be the first known 3DS user who has a failing or dying NAND from normal usage.

This is such a super rare occurrence, it's basically unheard of.

It's technically possible to fix and replace the onboard NAND with an eMMC sourced from an SD card; see working proof of concept here.
  • However, this repair is basically impossible for the everyday, average Joe's and Jill's out there.

You may also be the first person, that is not dev or someone who messes around in the CTRNAND, with an actual good excuse in why they would need to use EmuNAND.
 

SCOTT0852

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Uh, that might be actual hardware failure. If h2testw says your SD card is good and when you copy everything back on the card this stuff still happens, then sell that 3DS for parts.
 
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E1ite007

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The graphical glitches shouldn't happen, not even if the screen's ribbons are misconnected. The PICA200 GPU is definitely failing.
The error is possibly a hardware failure as SCOTT0852 said. The possibilities of this happenin' because of a failing SD card would be like one in one million or so.

But wait a second...
Then I followed the Frogminer/seedminer guide to install the newest version of Luma3D.

So... did you used Frogminer to update Luma3DS? Or to install it?
I'm asking because... not that trying to use Frogminer to update Luma3DS could cause this... heck, Frogminer cannot work when CFW is already installed.
But I'm curious of what did you do.
 
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gekk0s

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I installed Luma fresh with frogminer, no cfw before. This is all fairly recent. I alsd tried everything with regards to the SD cards - h2testw and new ones or the original the N3DS came with all have this problem.

About the screen glitches, i have yet to see them in an 3d rendered actual game. In the games it will simply crash between cutscenes with an ARM11 error after a while or freeze in some cutscene transition. The screen glitching only occurs (so far) sometimes in the home menu or in FBI.
I remember a couple of times it started to happen just as I switched the screen angle, but maybe that is just coincidence.

It might be fun to try to replace the mainboard, but I would like to be sure that it is some problem which will be fixed by attempting that. Do you think switching the mainboard is feasible?

For now I guess I will try a CTRtransfer. Would the nintendo recovery mode be of any use or is that to be avoided on CFW?
 
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So even if the PICA200 isn't failing, the NAND still would be corrupting itself.
If the CTRTransfer doesn't work Turd, could the use of an EmuNAND would be feasible?

Due to how strange the symptoms are, assuming @gekk0s' GPU isn't failing, and whether the firmware is correctly flashed on the SysNAND CTRNAND, then yes. He would have a legitimate reason in using EmuNAND if his actual NAND on the motherboard is failing or dying.

If and *big if* this is the reason why his 3DS is acting super funny, we got to see a ridiculously rare fault.
 
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E1ite007

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It does seem like a GPU issue though, I don't think a failing NAND would cause those weird graphics issues.
But that's apart from the NAND.
Yeah, the glitches of the screen obviously doesn't happen because a corrupted NAND... but the NAND is still a problem though.
I'm trully assumin' that the PICA200 is failing, but OP says that it only happens on FBI and on the Home Menu, so we should wait if it happens in other app than aren't those, because... well, I'm thinking on computer side, but graphical glitches could happen 'cause the corrupted apps... I dunno actually, but... it could happen, I guess it could...
OK, it couldn't happen maybe (it would be too ideal), but the NAND is still a problem aside of the graphical glitchness.
 

gekk0s

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I really dont know what is going on, it would also be a very strange way of a GPU to fail. Ive seen GPUs fail multiple times on PCs and once they do there is no more launching or rendering of 3d application possible. On this 3ds, i can run Ocarina of time (which is graphically pretty intense) for 10-15 minutes before getting an ARM11 crash. No screen glitches at all during this time. Screen glitches I have only seen in FBI / home menu.

is it possible that I installed a corrupted CIA and the corruption this caused can persist through sysnand restore? Is there any NAND on the mainboard which is not restored by gm9 sysnand restore (safe) / anything a CIA installation has access to?

Another quick question, should I use this guide for CTRtransfer: 3ds.hacks.guide/ctrtransfer.html ?

Thanks for all the input so far!
 

Shadow#1

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I really dont know what is going on, it would also be a very strange way of a GPU to fail. Ive seen GPUs fail multiple times on PCs and once they do there is no more launching or rendering of 3d application possible. On this 3ds, i can run Ocarina of time (which is graphically pretty intense) for 10-15 minutes before getting an ARM11 crash. No screen glitches at all during this time. Screen glitches I have only seen in FBI / home menu.

is it possible that I installed a corrupted CIA and the corruption this caused can persist through sysnand restore? Is there any NAND on the mainboard which is not restored by gm9 sysnand restore (safe) / anything a CIA installation has access to?

Another quick question, should I use this guide for CTRtransfer: 3ds.hacks.guide/ctrtransfer.html ?

Thanks for all the input so far!
Yes that's the official guide use it
 

gekk0s

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one more note, I fergot to mention: This also happens with my original game cartridge version of Zelda OoT (ARM11 error after 10 mins). So not isolated to SD-bound titles.
 

gekk0s

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I did a CTRtransfer. It worked to begin with and I was on 11.5, then updated to 11.8.
Then I reinstalled FBI, etc, but after a reboot I got the error again: Unable to mount CTRNAND. After 5 mins of waiting i could boot again, but then immediately got screen glitches in the home menu and the system froze.

I guess i need a new mainboard, is that correct? At least the GPU and/or CTRNAND are messed up, and both of these are located on the same PCB, right? So switching the mainboard should fix it?

Am I ok to get a US mainboard off ebay, even though the console is EU?

Thanks for the help
cheers
 
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I did a CTRtransfer. It worked to begin with and I was on 11.5, then updated to 11.8.
Then I reinstalled FBI, etc, but after a reboot I got the error again: Unable to mount CTRNAND. After 5 mins of waiting i could boot again, but then immediately got screen glitches in the home menu and the system froze.

I guess i need a new mainboard, is that correct? At least the GPU and/or CTRNAND are messed up, and both of these are located on the same PCB, right? So switching the mainboard should fix it?

Am I ok to get a US mainboard off ebay, even though the console is EU?

Thanks for the help
cheers

Although the others here will probably disdain what I'm suggesting, I would like to know if the NAND on that 3DS motherboard is failing.

Can you create and make an EmuNAND setup? To do this, either use 3DS Multi EmuNAND Creator with the SysNAND *.bin image or in GodMode9:
  • (HOME) button → Scripts... → NANDManager → <RIGHT> Transer Sys to Emu
or
  • (HOME) button → More... SD format menu RedNAND size (min) 32KB Clusters

Once you make that on the SD card, hold (Select) when turning on the 3DS to access Luma3DS v9.1 configuration. Select these two options and nothing else:
  • (x) Autoboot EmuNAND
  • (x) Show NAND or user string in System Settings
Boot to HOME Menu and go to System Settings to check for Emu 11.8.0-41E. Use your 3DS and see if it still crashes.
 
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ccfman2004

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NANDManager - Transfer sys to emunand: Emunand not found.

Do I need to do some prepwork on the SD card?
The sd card needs to be reformatted using a 3ds app that can create an EmuNAND partition on it like GodMode9. Back up all SD contents as the card will be erased.
 

gekk0s

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@TurdPooCharger : I installed an Emunand, like you said - checked that it is displayed in System Settings. Still getting arm11 crashes 5-10 mins into a game.

about my previous question, is there any reason a new mainboard wouldnt fix this, and can I get a US mainboard if the rest of the system is EU?

cheers
 
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@TurdPooCharger : I installed an Emunand, like you said - checked that it is displayed in System Settings. Still getting arm11 crashes 5-10 mins into a game.

about my previous question, is there any reason a new mainboard wouldnt fix this, and can I get a US mainboard if the rest of the system is EU?

cheers

Okay, so not NAND failure. That sates my curiosity. Just checking to make sure!

It's not that you can't use a native USA region n3DSXL motherboard and region change the firmware to EUR. It's just that you'll be locked out of Nintendo eShop of Europe and won't be able to purchase or update EUR titles online. This means all your acquired titles, DLCs, and updates will have to be done with another EUR 3DS system or you'll need to look around the Internet with Google. :ph34r:

***

After backing up all your saves + extdata, titles in *.cia, movable.sed and *.db files on the NAND, another thing you can try is to salvage the 3DS motherboard. Reflow the GPU with a electronic oven or workstation heat gun. You might be able to get away with a require heat gun (not hair blow dryer, heh). This is if the GPU has borken joints and not by premature transistor death.
 
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