Hacking Newb question about a9lh backup nand

[DevilzCY]

Dear GBATEMP community,

I just bought a used new3ds xl and it has a9lh installed. The owner told me that he also bought it from another guy, so yea, it's third hand not second hand. And he mentioned that he doesn't have backup nand for it, sounds important.

I haven't touch a9lh before, I only use cfw and this is the first and it looks more complicated than cfw. I have google and read a few threads but couldn't figure things out. I would like to try but the previous owner told me that I might brick the system so I'm here hoping for some advises from the pioneers.
*****
My current console: New3dsXL black US version, running a9lh fw 11.1
My question are:
1. Can I still backup my nand? I heard that it is important, what are the worst cases that I will need it or my 3ds die?
2. Previous ownser said that its best to remove a9lh and reinstall it to backup nand? Is it true?

Thank you for your time

 

[Tomy Sakazaki]

Dear GBATEMP community,

I just bought a used new3ds xl and it has a9lh installed. The owner told me that he also bought it from another guy, so yea, it's third hand not second hand. And he mentioned that he doesn't have backup nand for it, sounds important.

I haven't touch a9lh before, I only use cfw and this is the first and it looks more complicated than cfw. I have google and read a few threads but couldn't figure things out. I would like to try but the previous owner told me that I might brick the system so I'm here hoping for some advises from the pioneers.
*****
My current console: New3dsXL black US version, running a9lh fw 11.1
My question are:
1. Can I still backup my nand? I heard that it is important, what are the worst cases that I will need it or my 3ds die?
2. Previous ownser said that its best to remove a9lh and reinstall it to backup nand? Is it true?

Thank you for your time

1 - Yes, you can. Use hourglass9 as Luma3DS payload. Hourglass9 download here: https://github.com/d0k3/Hourglass9/releases
https://github.com/AuroraWright/Luma3DS/wiki/Other-features-and-notes - section Payload Chainloading, essentially, check your 3DS microSD card, it should have a luma directory, inside it a payloads directory. In there you put hourglass9.bin renamed to something like start_hourglass9.bin or any other name as per the wiki I linked. Inside Hourglass9 you can dump your NAND backup by going to:
SysNAND Backup/Restore --> SysNAND Backup. It will save the nand backup either to the microSD root or files9 directory (if you made one).

2 - Nope. Maintain the A9LH as it is. Since it's working to you there is no actual reason at all for now to touch the A9LH installation itself.
Some will say ShadowNAND, "A9LH V3 with mini CFW" or DNANwodahS, all of them are ways to get mini-CFW running in the 3DS without installing Luma to the SD card (or even without SD card inserted in the 3DS) but all of those aren't actually out of beta yet and may present some bugs and are missing some features that Luma3DS have. In case you really want to use them, make a NAND backup using hourglass9 and search up on the release thread of your choosen A9LH implementation on how to update your A9LH (most of times copy the installer to SD, copy A9LH payloads data to the installer directory, launch the installer as luma payload and choose to install) there are no need to redowngrade, no need to start Plailect Guide from the very beginning (actually in https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki/Updating-A9LH it'll teach how to update A9LH using Aurora Wright's fork of A9LH).

If I made any mistake, specially about the A9LH forks people may correct me.

 

[DevilzCY]

1 - Yes, you can. Use hourglass9 as Luma3DS payload. Hourglass9 download here: https://github.com/d0k3/Hourglass9/releases
https://github.com/AuroraWright/Luma3DS/wiki/Other-features-and-notes - section Payload Chainloading, essentially, check your 3DS microSD card, it should have a luma directory, inside it a payloads directory. In there you put hourglass9.bin renamed to something like start_hourglass9.bin or any other name as per the wiki I linked. Inside Hourglass9 you can dump your NAND backup by going to:
SysNAND Backup/Restore --> SysNAND Backup. It will save the nand backup either to the microSD root or files9 directory (if you made one).

2 - Nope. Maintain the A9LH as it is. Since it's working to you there is no actual reason at all for now to touch the A9LH installation itself.
Some will say ShadowNAND, "A9LH V3 with mini CFW" or DNANwodahS, all of them are ways to get mini-CFW running in the 3DS without installing Luma to the SD card (or even without SD card inserted in the 3DS) but all of those aren't actually out of beta yet and may present some bugs and are missing some features that Luma3DS have. In case you really want to use them, make a NAND backup using hourglass9 and search up on the release thread of your choosen A9LH implementation on how to update your A9LH (most of times copy the installer to SD, copy A9LH payloads data to the installer directory, launch the installer as luma payload and choose to install) there are no need to redowngrade, no need to start Plailect Guide from the very beginning (actually in https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki/Updating-A9LH it'll teach how to update A9LH using Aurora Wright's fork of A9LH).

If I made any mistake, specially about the A9LH forks people may correct me.

Thank you so much for your detail reply. I really appreciate it.