Need help for preparing for eshop closure and potential broken 3DS

[M97]

So in the situation where the 3DS breaks after the ehsop closes, could someone link me to a guide on what to do to restore save files found on my 3DS' SD card so that it can be moved on another 3DS (since apparently they are encrypted)?

Also if such a thing happens, would I still be able to use something like Pokebank on a new 3DS system with the same or new Nintendo ID after having copied the app?

I'm new to this so it would be very helpful if someone could direct me on how to do it.

 

[Kwyjor]

could someone link me to a guide

There isn't always going to be a "guide" for things like this. Sometimes you're just going to have to Google things for yourself and figure them out. If you can't figure things out, then you can make a post that carefully explains the particular questions you have.

Checkpoint runs on your 3DS and decrypts your save data; you can then copy it off your SD card and use it elsewhere. To copy things off your SD card, you can use 3DSync or FTP. microSD Management is another option on New 3DS units, but it uses a very insecure protocol and us usually not recommended. Or you can just insert your SD card in an SD card reader on your PC, but things tend to go wrong if you repeatedly move your SD card around.

Checkpoint requires CFW to be installed. JKSM is an alternative that can be run through "userland" exploits that are not persistent, but almost no one does that anymore.

Mii Plaza is a major stumbling block. No one that I know of has come up with a good solution for fully saving and restoring Mii Plaza data. (I would love to learn the alternative.)

If you have SD card data that you haven't backed up with Checkpoint, it can still be manually decrypted on a PC using ninfs or threeSD. (ThreeSD is considerably more user-friendly, though it is still much easier to use Checkpoint if your 3DS is still fully operational.) Both of these options will require movable.sed, your 3DS encryption key, which is usually generated when you install CFW or can be extracted from a NAND backup.

Pokemon Bank is tied to your NNID. NNIDs can only be moved to a new unit by System Transfer or by calling Nintendo technical support. If you have installed CFW, you can also use PKSM as a completely offline alternative to Pokemon Bank.

 

[M97]

If you have SD card data that you haven't backed up with Checkpoint, it can still be manually decrypted on a PC using ninfs or threeSD. (ThreeSD is considerably more user-friendly, though it is still much easier to use Checkpoint if your 3DS is still fully operational.) Both of these options will require movable.sed, your 3DS encryption key, which is usually generated when you install CFW or can be extracted from a NAND backup.

I see. I'll look into both Checkpoint and CFW. However for the 2nd option how would you extract NAND backup and could you explain to me what it is?

Pokemon Bank is tied to your NNID. NNIDs can only be moved to a new unit by System Transfer or by calling Nintendo technical support. If you have installed CFW, you can also use PKSM as a completely offline alternative to Pokemon Bank.

By calling Nintendo and changing IDs would I still be able to used a backed up version of Pokebank? Alternatively would a new ID and account work in using a backed up version of Pokebank?

Also can backed up versions of 3DS games and apps be detected as "illegal" and get me banned. Either while using a game online or offline?

 

[AmandaRose]

Also can backed up versions of 3DS games and apps be detected as "illegal" and get me banned. Either while using a game online or offline?

Nope playing backed up games is fine. On 3ds Nintendo only ban you for cheating online or for using a stolen credit card in the eshop.

 

[M97]

Nope playing backed up games is fine. On 3ds Nintendo only ban you for cheating online or for using a stolen credit card in the eshop.

Thanks

So I'm guessing this basically also answer my question for Pokebank as well.

 

[AmandaRose]

Thanks

So I'm guessing this basically also answer my question for Pokebank as well.

Not sure as I am not a fan of Pokemon so have never used Pokebank and know absolutely nothing about it

I'm sure someone else will be able to answer this for ya.

 

[Kwyjor]

I see. I'll look into both Checkpoint and CFW. However for the 2nd option how would you extract NAND backup and could you explain to me what it is?

A NAND backup is a backup of the internal memory of a 3DS. It is useful for certain rare recovery scenarios. You can't really make a NAND backup without installing CFW, however, so the only reason you would be extracting your encryption key from a NAND backup is if you misplaced your encryption key in the first place. (Don't do that.)

You do not have to install CFW to get your encryption key; that is typically generated with Seedminer. (Alternatively, you can use an ntrboot flashcart for the sole purpose of obtaining your encryption key and doing a NAND backup without installing CFW – but almost no one does that.)

By calling Nintendo and changing IDs would I still be able to used a backed up version of Pokebank? Alternatively would a new ID and account work in using a backed up version of Pokebank?

There is no "backed up version of Pokebank". Pokemon Bank exists entirely on Nintendo's servers and you log into it with your NNID. If you lose your NNID, then you lose access to whatever you've stored in Pokemon Bank. (And yes, there is a lot of concern about what will happen to Pokemon Bank with the imminent shutdown.)

I see. I'll look into both Checkpoint and CFW.

I forgot to add: don't follow video guides, ever. They are often out-of-date, incomplete, or otherwise brazenly incorrect.

 

[M97]

A NAND backup is a backup of the internal memory of a 3DS. It is useful for certain rare recovery scenarios. You can't really make a NAND backup without installing CFW, however, so the only reason you would be extracting your encryption key from a NAND backup is if you misplaced your encryption key in the first place. (Don't do that.)

I forgot to add: don't follow video guides, ever. They are often out-of-date, incomplete, or otherwise brazenly incorrect.

Good to know.
I found this link. Is it any good?
https://3ds.hacks.guide

There is no "backed up version of Pokebank". Pokemon Bank exists entirely on Nintendo's servers and you log into it with your NNID. If you lose your NNID, then you lose access to whatever you've stored in Pokemon Bank. (And yes, there is a lot of concern about what will happen to Pokemon Bank with the imminent shutdown.)

Yeah I know, I just mean if there was any issues outside just login in. Using Bank as storage never bothered me, It's mostly the transferring function that I use. If worse thing comes I could always make/use a new NNID and use the NNID from there, right? (obviously with nothing stored inside)

 

[Kwyjor]

Good to know.
I found this link. Is it any good?
https://3ds.hacks.guide

There wouldn't be links to it all over the forum if it was not good.

Using Bank as storage never bothered me, It's mostly the transferring function that I use.

The "transferring function" still requires you to log in and temporarily store your pokemon online.

If worse thing comes I could always make/use a new NNID and use the NNID from there, right? (obviously with nothing stored inside)

I don't even know what this means anymore.

 

[M97]

I don't even know what this means anymore.

I mean nothing's stopping me from making a new/different NNID which creates a new profile on Pokebank if I just want to transfer.

 

[M97]

There wouldn't be links to it all over the forum if it was not good.

After reading the guide, I have to ask. Will Pokémon Picross still be usable after using mods?

 

[Kwyjor]

I mean nothing's stopping me from making a new/different NNID which creates a new profile on Pokebank if I just want to transfer.

Yes, there is: the only way to make a new NNID is to do a System Format on your console. And there are restrictions on how often you can move an NNID from one console to another.

Also, it's "Pokemon Bank", not "Pokebank". (I think there is something else old and outdated that might have been called Pokebank once.)

Will Pokémon Picross still be usable after using mods?

All you have to do is delete the Pokemon Picross save data with the exploit and you can keep using Pokemon Picross. (If you already have Pokemon Picross save data, you can probably back it up before putting the exploit on your SD card. Or you can just use one of the other methods that doesn't affect Pokemon Picross.)

 

[M97]

All you have to do is delete the Pokemon Picross save data with the exploit and you can keep using Pokemon Picross. (If you already have Pokemon Picross save data, you can probably back it up before putting the exploit on your SD card. Or you can just use one of the other methods that doesn't affect Pokemon Picross.)

This reminds me. Is save data seperate from game data of downloaded or backed up games? Like are files for patches, DLC, saves and game data all separate? And if not, can they be separated?

 

[Kwyjor]

Is save data seperate from game data of downloaded or backed up games? Like are files for patches, DLC, saves and game data all separate? And if not, can they be separated?

No, by default save data is not stored separately from anything else. As I said above, by far the best way to safeguard your save data is to export it with Checkpoint and then copy it somewhere else.

 

[M97]

No, by default save data is not stored separately from anything else. As I said above, by far the best way to safeguard your save data is to export it with Checkpoint and then copy it somewhere else.

Okay so basically save data, DLC, patches and the game data is all stored under the same file which is the save file?

What happens if I play a cartridge game where the 3DS already has game data, save data, a patch and DLC?

 

[Olmectron]

Okay so basically save data, DLC, patches and the game data is all stored under the same file which is the save file?

What happens if I play a cartridge game where the 3DS already has game data, save data, a patch and DLC?

When you install backed up games from CIA files, you get a file for the BASE GAME, another file for the UPDATE and another (or some other, depending on the game) files for the DLC. And the SAVES are stored somewhere else.

A save file only contains your data saved in the game. Not BASE GAME, not UPDATE, not DLC. You have to back up each of those separately.

 

[M97]

When you install backed up games from CIA files, you get a file for the BASE GAME, another file for the UPDATE and another (or some other, depending on the game) files for the DLC. And the SAVES are stored somewhere else.

A save file only contains your data saved in the game. Not BASE GAME, not UPDATE, not DLC. You have to back up each of those separately.

Thanks, will do that as well.

 

[Kwyjor]

What happens if I play a cartridge game where the 3DS already has game data, save data, a patch and DLC?

Then the game will read the save data from the cartridge. But in that case I think it will read the update and DLC from the SD card. (I'm not entirely sure, but I can't imagine how else it would work.)

 

[Olmectron]

Then the game will read the save data from the cartridge. But in that case I think it will read the update and DLC from the SD card. (I'm not entirely sure, but I can't imagine how else it would work.)

Since cartridges can't store large amounts of data outside of its ROM partition, yeah. All of the updates and DLC data is read always from the SD Card.

Saves are very small for 3DS Games. The ones that need a lot more than 1 Megabyte ask you to let them save data to the SD card. For example, Terraria uses up to 25MB of data, and asks for saving that extended data on the SD Card.

 

[M97]

Then the game will read the save data from the cartridge. But in that case I think it will read the update and DLC from the SD card. (I'm not entirely sure, but I can't imagine how else it would work.)

Can checkpoint also be used to make backups of 3DS apps and DLC?