Hello,
I hope one (or some) of you guys can help me sort out a few doubts and concerns I have before I embark on the process.
Before I continue, I'd like to mention that I don't have any game or flash cart of any kind (nor I would really like to get any either now or in the future - if possible). I'm trying to accomplish the whole process with just the main unit and SDcards.
So, I just received my new New 3ds xl yesterday, but I have been reading Plailect's guide for quite some time (and many, many times), and even got to the point of being comfortable with the idea of hardmodding the unit (when I started reading the guide, a month ago, it seemed impossible to find a new unit with a firmware lower than 11.0.0-33U). Anyhow, as I managed to find a new New 3ds XL on 9.9.0-26U, it would seem I dodged that bullet (or did I??).
So now, I went a few more times through the guide "with a different eye" to account for the fact that I don't need to start the process by hardmodding, and here is where a few doubts arise:
1) Follow this step in the guide as written (as my firmware falls with the range 9.9.0 - 10.6.0) to load Homebrew Launcher and install menuhax_manager.
As stated above, this step of the guide warns about a potential brick, possibly (if not certainly - and this is definitely one of the not-so-clear points for me) avoidable if the system has been formatted first. When doing so, I'm assuming you are effectively undoing everything done in 1), so the only logical conclusion (to me, that is), is that the formatting should be done BEFORE installing menuhax_manager (right??). If downgrading results in a brick, I get that I can, hopefully, update via recovery to 11.1.0-34U and then hardmod to downgrade, then hax with a cart; though, if I were to hardmod and dump my nand as the very first step instead, I'd be able to restore my untouched 9.9.0-26U, in the event of a failed downgrade and retry, instead of being stuck on 11.1 without options of running software-only exploits. Is that correct? I'm asking because if I'm going to end up needing to hardmod anyway, i might as well do it at a stage that can provide some benefits (like dump and restore a version of the firmware that can still be exploited without any cartridges), rather then as a last resort, which still forces me to go out and buy an exploitable game.
3) Follow this step in the guide to downgrade to 2.1.0-4U.
4) Follow this step in the guide to install arm9loaderhax/Luma3DS/Restore the System/Inject FBI/Finalize setup.
Apologies if the post is a bit lengthy and maybe, at times, requiring you to read between the lines to actually understand the questions I'm asking :-P
I'll keep my eyes peeled for your comments!
Cheers,
I hope one (or some) of you guys can help me sort out a few doubts and concerns I have before I embark on the process.
Before I continue, I'd like to mention that I don't have any game or flash cart of any kind (nor I would really like to get any either now or in the future - if possible). I'm trying to accomplish the whole process with just the main unit and SDcards.
So, I just received my new New 3ds xl yesterday, but I have been reading Plailect's guide for quite some time (and many, many times), and even got to the point of being comfortable with the idea of hardmodding the unit (when I started reading the guide, a month ago, it seemed impossible to find a new unit with a firmware lower than 11.0.0-33U). Anyhow, as I managed to find a new New 3ds XL on 9.9.0-26U, it would seem I dodged that bullet (or did I??).
So now, I went a few more times through the guide "with a different eye" to account for the fact that I don't need to start the process by hardmodding, and here is where a few doubts arise:
1) Follow this step in the guide as written (as my firmware falls with the range 9.9.0 - 10.6.0) to load Homebrew Launcher and install menuhax_manager.
This seems pretty straight forward, but since my unit is brand new, should I just format it again and right off the bat during the out of the box setup, set date and time to 01-01-2000 and 00:00?(should I, at the same time, format the SD using this, on my PC?) I ask this because the next step calls for a preemptive format of the system to avoid brick after downgrade to 9.2.0-20U.
2) Follow this step in the guide to downgrade to 9.2.0-20U (Hopefully successfully).
As stated above, this step of the guide warns about a potential brick, possibly (if not certainly - and this is definitely one of the not-so-clear points for me) avoidable if the system has been formatted first. When doing so, I'm assuming you are effectively undoing everything done in 1), so the only logical conclusion (to me, that is), is that the formatting should be done BEFORE installing menuhax_manager (right??). If downgrading results in a brick, I get that I can, hopefully, update via recovery to 11.1.0-34U and then hardmod to downgrade, then hax with a cart; though, if I were to hardmod and dump my nand as the very first step instead, I'd be able to restore my untouched 9.9.0-26U, in the event of a failed downgrade and retry, instead of being stuck on 11.1 without options of running software-only exploits. Is that correct? I'm asking because if I'm going to end up needing to hardmod anyway, i might as well do it at a stage that can provide some benefits (like dump and restore a version of the firmware that can still be exploited without any cartridges), rather then as a last resort, which still forces me to go out and buy an exploitable game.
This also seems relative straight forward except for a few things: It's unclear to me if "moveable.sed and SecureInfo_A" need to be supplied/extracted by me, or that's happening in the background as part of the process (though it still seems that at no point I'm left with said files to archive for safe-keeping/later use). Talking about saving files for safekeeping, I've seen various video tutorials that involve extracting xorpads using Decrypt9WIP while on 9.2.0-20U: is this step (not mentioned on Plailect's guide from what I can see) no longer need, or not needed to complete the process, though still useful to perform, for whatever reason? I seem to understand that Decrypt9WIP only works with 9.2.0, so I'd imagine that when fully updated at the end of the process, I wouldn't have a chance to retrieve the xorpads, and something tells me I'd want to have them instead. Am I wrong? What other useful dump of files for safekeep should I want to create, if any?
4) Follow this step in the guide to install arm9loaderhax/Luma3DS/Restore the System/Inject FBI/Finalize setup.
This ALSO seems pretty straightforward except: After I restore the system integrating A9LH(at point 10), I'm told to update (and to not ask if it is safe!), but it's completely unclear to me if after this update (from the net, so it will be to 11.1.0-34U) I will be able to run HBL etc, without an exploited game or flash cart (this is truly the MAJOR thing I have yet to understand). I'm REALLY confused by the commotion surrounding last-week loss of menuhax_manager support on the latest firmware, as, it would seem that once you are in a position to install .cia files, you would no longer need entrypoints and such as you are already in, right?
I guess one of the major bottom line thing to understand for me is: once the system is hacked, do I still care if hax/exploit xyz is being maintained, updated, etc, or does my interaction with any and all of them starts and ends after I reach the stage where I can install .cia files? Should I, for example, while on 9.2.0, install steelhax by using ctr-httpwn, since on 11.1.0-34 I won't have any primary exploit available to do so? Reading about secondary exploits, how they require a primary exploit to be installed, but work on their own afterwards, it would appear that I would somehow want to use an exploit after I'm on CFW, but WHY???
Apologies if the post is a bit lengthy and maybe, at times, requiring you to read between the lines to actually understand the questions I'm asking :-P
I'll keep my eyes peeled for your comments!
Cheers,