ROM Hack Need Help Saving My N3DSXL

[THOMI]

Its been a long time since i've used my n3DSXL. So after booting it up, i was prompted with a 'System Update' notification.
After the update i immediately saw this:



After some googling, i learned about the 11.14 update issue. i then downloaded the luma updater 10.2.1 boot files and saved them to the root of the sd card.

after turning on the 3DS, the screens were still black. the blue light was on, but there was nothing.
i put the sd card back into the PC, but when i tried to access it i was met with these two messages:



so now i have a bricked n3DS and a corrupted sd card.

Is there a way for me to recover the necessary files without formatting the SD card? or am i screwed?

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Provide another micro-SD containing only latest Luma3DS boot.firm (and the HB Launcher boot.3dsx) but nothing else at first. Should be enough to start your N3DSXL again.
(If this works you can then get all essential homebrew software again by the finalizing setup page.)

Please check any new or old SD with h2testw before trusting it. → Quadruple reformat
==========

I've no clue about data recovery from corrupted SDs (I'm more "the backup… and restore on error" type of person). If the thing is still readable data recovery software maybe will be able to retrieve things. Try a different reader/different computer. Maybe it works there? If the SD is really corrupted this is not going to be easy. Other members might be able to assist you with that.

Good luck!

 

[IC]

You can put the same new Luma boot files on a new SD card, and the 3DS should boot with that.

 

[fmkid]

Before you use a new SD card, have in account the next format recommendations:

• Use FAT32 format only
• Recommended cluster size: 32kB (up to 64GB total memory size) or 64kB (for 128GB or above)
• Always marked as primary partition and using MBR type allocation table

For that, you can perform a simple format process, but is always better if you perform the quadruple reformat technique to be sure about a realiable and healthy SD card.

PS: About the corrupted SD card, you can try with this, if you will

 

[Kwyjor]

In addition to Easus (mentioned in that thread), some people have reported success with Testdisk.
https://www.reddit.com/r/3dshacks/comments/96kg4v/my_3ds_sd_got_corrupted_and_i_successfully/