Noob question.

[dehydrated_lemur]

I have only recently dabbled in 3DS CFW so please forgive me on this. I have stumbled across something that confuses me. I have read about ntrboot and boot9strap but I can't really figure out what the point of it is.

I have a R4 Flash Cart that works when I insert it into my 2DS. The icon pops up on the home menu and I press it and I can play my NDS games on my N2DSXL. I know ntrboot/boot9strap have something to do with with the flash cart. What exactly is bootstrap? What would someone want it for? Is it only to simply use your R4 without the actual cart inserted in the console? Does it flash the cart as a .cia?

 

[Lacius]

The flashcart is for DS games. CFW is for 3DS games, homebrew, brick recovery, and many more things. With CFW, it's possible to play DS games without the need for a flashcart. CFW also allows for older flashcarts to work when they otherwise wouldn't.

The CFW is called Luma3DS. Boot9strap, also known as B9S, is the exploit used to run CFW. Ntrboot is a method of installing B9S using a DS flashcart that is compatible with ntrboot.

If you already have B9S installed, you have no need for ntrboot.

It should go without saying, but installing B9S and Luma3DS is highly recommended.

 

[dehydrated_lemur]

The flashcart is for DS games. CFW is for 3DS games, homebrew, brick recovery, and many more things. With CFW, it's possible to play DS games without the need for a flashcart. CFW also allows for older flashcarts to work when they otherwise wouldn't.

The CFW is called Luma3DS. Boot9strap, also known as B9S, is the exploit used to run CFW. Ntrboot is a method of installing B9S using a DS flashcart that is compatible with ntrboot.

If you already have B9S installed, you have no need for ntrboot.

It should go without saying, but installing B9S and Luma3DS is highly recommended.

I have followed the 3ds hack guide. I was just didnt know what ntrboot is. I thought ntrboot was for playing ds games natively without a flash cart.

Thank you for the explanation also.

 

[Lacius]

I have followed the 3ds hack guide. I was just didnt know what ntrboot is. I thought ntrboot was for playing ds games natively without a flash cart.

Thank you for the explanation also.

You can use TWiLight Menu++ to play DS games if you have CFW installed.

You probably confused ntrboot with nds-bootstrap.

 

[dehydrated_lemur]

You can use TWiLight Menu++ to play DS games if you have CFW installed.

So I don't need my r4 cart anymore?

 

[Lacius]

So I don't need my r4 cart anymore?

You may want to test your DS games with TWiLight Menu++ first. Most games work great with TWiLight Menu++, but flashcarts have better game compatibility.

 

[wormdood]

So I don't need my r4 cart anymore?

No if you have a flash card you should stick to it even though it's possible to play DS ROMs without a flash card the rom compatibility on a flash card is much higher, a flash card uses its own SD card thereby saving you room on your consoles SD card, you can use Twilightmenu to boot your flash card and take advantage of any perks that come from Twilightmenu while using your flash card, and lastly a flash card will keep your game card slot clean and Free of dust

 

[dehydrated_lemur]

No if you have a flash card you should stick to it even though it's possible to play DS ROMs without a flash card the rom compatibility on a flash card is much higher, a flash card uses its own SD card thereby saving you room on your consoles SD card, you can use Twilightmenu to boot your flash card and take advantage of any perks that come from Twilightmenu while using your flash card, and lastly a flash card will keep your game card slot clean and Free of dust

Thank everyone very much. I will look into booting twilightmenu alongside with the R4

 

[Yrouel]

I have only recently dabbled in 3DS CFW so please forgive me on this. I have stumbled across something that confuses me. I have read about ntrboot and boot9strap but I can't really figure out what the point of it is.

The gist of it is that some years ago when the 3DS was being actively hacked (basically the groundwork for what we can enjoy now) it was discovered that at the very beginning of the boot sequence boot9 (called as such because it operates on the ARM9 CPU compared to boot11 which is for the ARM11) checks if Start + Select + X are being pressed while the shell is closed (you use a magnet to simulate that) and if that happens it tries to boot from a DS cartridge (hence the name NTRboot NTR comes from NiTRo the codename of the DS).

That knowledge enabled the creation of special carts that you can use to then install boot9strap which is basically the implementation of the exploits of bugs in the bootrom to enable arbitrary code execution and taking control of the console. Basically the wedge to keep the door open once you got your foot in with that special cartridge (or with some other exploit method)

So to recap ntrboot is booting from a special DS cartridge and boot9strap is the bootloader that enables us to install CFW and do all the things.


If you REALLY want to learn the history of how this has been possible here the relevant CCC talks and a "compendium" presentation:

32c3 Console Hacking - Breaking the 3DS
33c3 Nintendo Hacking 2016 - Game Over
33.5c3 SigHax and Boot9Strap - Presentation by SciresM

 

[dehydrated_lemur]

The gist of it is that some years ago when the 3DS was being actively hacked (basically the groundwork for what we can enjoy now) it was discovered that at the very beginning of the boot sequence boot9 (called as such because it operates on the ARM9 CPU compared to boot11 which is for the ARM11) checks if Start + Select + X are being pressed while the shell is closed (you use a magnet to simulate that) and if that happens it tries to boot from a DS cartridge (hence the name NTRboot NTR comes from NiTRo the codename of the DS).

That knowledge enabled the creation of special carts that you can use to then install boot9strap which is basically the implementation of the exploits of bugs in the bootrom to enable arbitrary code execution and taking control of the console. Basically the wedge to keep the door open once you got your foot in with that special cartridge (or with some other exploit method)

So to recap ntrboot is booting from a special DS cartridge and boot9strap is the bootloader that enables us to install CFW and do all the things.


If you REALLY want to learn the history of how this has been possible here the relevant CCC talks and a "compendium" presentation:

32c3 Console Hacking - Breaking the 3DS
33c3 Nintendo Hacking 2016 - Game Over
33.5c3 SigHax and Boot9Strap - Presentation by SciresM

I am definitely interested in the history of this. I think it's amazing how it was discovered in the first place. The whole sequence. Being able to exploit it at the boot sequence and discovering how to manipulate the booting of the console is amazing. Thanks for this information.

 

[retrospect]

Since no-one has mentioned it in this thread, I'll add that TWiLight Menu++ can't play all DS games at this time. Golden Sun Dark Dawn notably only works off a cart (flash or retail).