Hacking Otpless a9lh Brick strikes again!!

[Selver]

... Is it because I have a bad Nand dump or I broke a pad? I noticed one of the clk pin is not connected to the other 4 clk pins.

All four tiny CLK pins are electrically connected. Thus, connection to one is connection to all four.
A bad NAND dump would result in a brick on hardmod restore.
It's possible to get a corrupt dump when using a hardmod.
Sadly, this same type of corruption is possible when writing the hardmod back.

In other words, the only safe way to use a hardmod appears to be:

• Dump: Create 3+ images via hardmod w/o power cycling, merge those three dumps
  • e.g., merge utility source at https://github.com/Selver-gba/MergeImages
• Restore: Write the image via hardmod, then repeat dump process, then compare new vs. old dump

Finally, if you've created the XORPADs for the NAND, such as via Decrypt9, you may have additional options. None of these would be automated, but you have a chance to restore it with a few hours work (and lots of time learning, if you don't know how it'll help you yet).

 

[brentblend]

I did the OTPless method on my SuMo N3DS, no problems at all. Worst parts were just waiting for the system transfer, took 9 damn hours, and then partial downgrade stuff. Everything afterwards was smooth sailing.

I'm guessing you used a Wi-Fi transfer.

Why not a PC based transfer?

 

[animex2k9]

I've successfully installed OTPless A9LH on my N3DS XL FE Fates Edition (previously emunand via Reinand) without formatting my N3DS XL and the sysnand. Just went directly to install OTPless A9LH via HBL from Sysnand. I've also used the 64GB with all my games (emunand) installed and cloned the emunand to sysnand afterwards.

 

[Hyoretsu]

If I downgrade a brand new 3DS (10.7, hasn't been booted once), should I format it before proceeding? Also:

1)If I format it, will I lose any pre-installed games? (with no NNID linked)
2)Should I do a SysNAND backup before attempting to downgrade? (through Gateway)
3)If I system transfer a 11.2 O3DS to a 10.7 N3DS, will it override the N3DS version? (Will it update to 11.2?)
4)If I system transfer, will the target console receive all the software that the original console had? Or do I need to change the microSDs later?

 

[RustInPeace]

I'm guessing you used a Wi-Fi transfer.

Why not a PC based transfer?

I read it was less safe and I didn't want to risk it.

 

[brentblend]

I read it was less safe and I didn't want to risk it.

Ah, I haven't heard that. Where did you read that?

 

[RustInPeace]

Ah, I haven't heard that. Where did you read that?

I asked in an FAQ on r/3dshacks, so it's just one person's answer, but that was enough to make me not risk anything. Also the last system transfer I did was faster so I thought it'd be similar, but it wasn't. Only because I should've uninstalled and deleting everything and redownload and install afterward. What's done is done though, still leads to the fortune of a hacked console.

 

[WeedZ]

well.. after knowing that an acquaintance had his new 3ds (galaxy edition) console bricked during optless install while using 2.5 SafeA9LHInstaller(you can read about it in this post), i became very distrustful of it, and keept doing the old crtransfer method.

however, after a couple of weeks and few updates fo the installer and the payloads, and beeing no other reports of any issue, i decided to give it another go, and it worked fine with another 2 consoles.

However.. tonight, while using the all the correct files, and even an sd that came in a console a flashed a few days ago (with optless as well without any issue), the console Bricked.. the same way it did to my acquaintance, after pressing select it did the reboot that does in 9.2 optless, but instead of saying that it all went successful, everything stayed black , with the powerled on, removing the sd an rebooting didnt change a thing.

so the console is bricked... thankfully i did make a nand backup, and i will attempt to perform a hardmod, with the help of a friend that has more experience with soldering.

this post is to report my situation, and hopefully so that we will find a better fix to whatever causes this bricks.

i for one, will no longer even think of using optless install ever again.

Did you say you installed a9lh then removed the sd. are you sure it's just not turning on because you took the sd out.

 

[Sheimi]

That has to suck OP. After the minor downgrade error on my n3ds us model. That 3ds is the last one I put a9lh on it.

 

[DocKlokMan]

well.. after knowing that an acquaintance had his new 3ds (galaxy edition) console bricked during optless install while using 2.5 SafeA9LHInstaller(you can read about it in this post), i became very distrustful of it, and keept doing the old crtransfer method.

however, after a couple of weeks and few updates fo the installer and the payloads, and beeing no other reports of any issue, i decided to give it another go, and it worked fine with another 2 consoles.

However.. tonight, while using the all the correct files, and even an sd that came in a console a flashed a few days ago (with optless as well without any issue), the console Bricked.. the same way it did to my acquaintance, after pressing select it did the reboot that does in 9.2 optless, but instead of saying that it all went successful, everything stayed black , with the powerled on, removing the sd an rebooting didnt change a thing.

so the console is bricked... thankfully i did make a nand backup, and i will attempt to perform a hardmod, with the help of a friend that has more experience with soldering.

this post is to report my situation, and hopefully so that we will find a better fix to whatever causes this bricks.

i for one, will no longer even think of using optless install ever again.

If you get it hardmodded please dump the broken NAND first before restoring the backup you have. Once you have access to Decrypt9 again, dump the firm0&firm1 XORpads and send the the broken NAND image and XORpads to @Aurora Wright for study. Your NAND and XORpads may help find and squash this bug once and for all.

 

[brentblend]

If you get it hardmodded please dump the broken NAND first before restoring the backup you have. Once you have access to Decrypt9 again, dump the firm0&firm1 XORpads and send the the broken NAND image and XORpads to @Aurora Wright for study. Your NAND and XORpads may help find and squash this bug once and for all.

Seconded
Also, take two if you want. There is always that slim chance that the nand could be corrupt.

 

[Altairseven]

@Altairseven My New too was bricked thanks Plailect and her guide for "OTPless" (Thanks Plailect): https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/issues/621

i' just checked it out, I hope the new version of the installer proves to be a succesful fix for the issue, but I'm not gonna risk it for a while.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

All four tiny CLK pins are electrically connected. Thus, connection to one is connection to all four.
A bad NAND dump would result in a brick on hardmod restore.
It's possible to get a corrupt dump when using a hardmod.
Sadly, this same type of corruption is possible when writing the hardmod back.

In other words, the only safe way to use a hardmod appears to be:

• Dump: Create 3+ images via hardmod w/o power cycling, merge those three dumps
  • e.g., merge utility source at https://github.com/Selver-gba/MergeImages
• Restore: Write the image via hardmod, then repeat dump process, then compare new vs. old dump

Finally, if you've created the XORPADs for the NAND, such as via Decrypt9, you may have additional options. None of these would be automated, but you have a chance to restore it with a few hours work (and lots of time learning, if you don't know how it'll help you yet).

If you get it hardmodded please dump the broken NAND first before restoring the backup you have. Once you have access to Decrypt9 again, dump the firm0&firm1 XORpads and send the the broken NAND image and XORpads to @Aurora Wright for study. Your NAND and XORpads may help find and squash this bug once and for all.

I'll do all of this as soon as I get the hardmod done, unfortunately i have to wait for the damn card reader, the mail in my country is a little slow, should arrive in a couple of days.

 

[ScienceBETCH]

Well i was expecting that.
Also dont go mad on the developers because you bricked. Its not their fault if you brick because YOUR decide using their tools so YOU take the responsibility. They are humans not gods. They dont have to create flawless stuff but they try just because your selfish asses want. Do these tools yourself if you can and I will give you a fucking medal (I WONT LOL). Also machines arent flawless too. Its a machine, it can suddenly power off, sdcards can get corrupted for nothing etc etc (My computers motherboard died for literally no reason). So if you are going to cry and hate on the devs just because you bricked dont even try.
Pls thx lol.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

i' just checked it out, I hope the new version of the installer proves to be a succesful fix for the issue, but I'm not gonna risk it for a while.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------





I'll do all of this as soon as I get the hardmod done, unfortunately i have to wait for the damn card reader, the mail in my country is a little slow, should arrive in a couple of days.

Well good luck on that. (srsly)

 

[Altairseven]

Well i was expecting that.
Also dont go mad on the developers because you bricked. Its not their fault if you brick because YOUR decide using their tools so YOU take the responsibility. They are humans not gods. They dont have to create flawless stuff but they try just because your selfish asses want. Do these tools yourself if you can and I will give you a fucking medal (I WONT LOL). Also machines arent flawless too. Its a machine, it can suddenly power off, sdcards can get corrupted for nothing etc etc (My computers motherboard died for literally no reason). So if you are going to cry and hate on the devs just because you bricked dont even try.
Pls thx lol.

I never implied that I was mad, i'm actualy quite calm about it, The only point of this post was so people know that there is/(hopefully was), a chance of brick, sure, in the original post I probably sounded a litle frustrated, but that was a couple hours after the brick happend.

and when i mean that I'm not gonna use the otpless method for a very long time, i'ts actually because I really am scared risking another brick, not because I was saying "f**k this s**t and all".

i wouldn't be mad at the developers, i think its absolutely amazing what they did in this last year.

 

[JayArRosario]

All four tiny CLK pins are electrically connected. Thus, connection to one is connection to all four.
A bad NAND dump would result in a brick on hardmod restore.
It's possible to get a corrupt dump when using a hardmod.
Sadly, this same type of corruption is possible when writing the hardmod back.

In other words, the only safe way to use a hardmod appears to be:

• Dump: Create 3+ images via hardmod w/o power cycling, merge those three dumps
  • e.g., merge utility source at https://github.com/Selver-gba/MergeImages
• Restore: Write the image via hardmod, then repeat dump process, then compare new vs. old dump

Finally, if you've created the XORPADs for the NAND, such as via Decrypt9, you may have additional options. None of these would be automated, but you have a chance to restore it with a few hours work (and lots of time learning, if you don't know how it'll help you yet).

I've discovered that it wasn't the NAND dump at fault, my soldering skills is the one to be blamed LOL. Anyways, I fixed it days ago by scratching the area where the broken pad is, and then I jumped it with another CLK pin. Luckily it worked. But still, I want to thank you for that information. Have a nice day

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

I bricked myselfy and N3DSXL using the OTPless method, corrupted SD card is the problem that's why I got a brick. It's still safe if you carefully read all the notes and the steps that might be done. But for me, I won't do it again. Hahaha

 

[Spore2]

Lesson here is not to rush into new techniques and wait for them to mature. For newbies, you should really make several nand backups and use nand checker to make sure you have a good nand before performing any of the hax.

Re: hardmods on N3dsXL

Use the alternative clk pin and not the 4 terminal cluster near the NAND. The alternative clk pin is larger so you can get a better solder onto it. I've always had problems with the original clk pin on the N3dsXL. However, you cannot attribute to a bad solder if you successfully wrote to the nand up to 100%. In that case, it is most probable that you have made a bad nand dump.

 

[gamesquest1]

i think you will find its the same issue i already reported, i fixed another console a few days ago with the exact same issue with the console failing to perform the *magic* during the soft reset and leaving the nand in a bricked state having key1 clones to keyslot2 in the nand keystore,

that step is a bit leap of faith for the otp install process, but its a totally necessary step too and where the magic happens that enables the otpless a9lh install but if the 3ds fails to wake up it never has a chance to self correct so i don't think the devs can really do much to fix it except try optimize how the reset is performed and hopefully make it a bit more stable, although at this point it may just be the quirks of the 3ds hardware and nothing the devs can do can stop it from very occasionally cropping up

 

[ArmoredGuns1]

Why not keep doing the 99% safe CTR transfer method? Yeah it takes longer but at least it's practically brick free, since you do a NAND backup during the process.

 

[gamesquest1]

Why not keep doing the 99% safe CTR transfer method? Yeah it takes longer but at least it's practically brick free, since you do a NAND backup during the process.

this method is also 99% brick free, both processes have a leap of faith moment, and both processes would have you make a nand backup before doing it, so why not just do the quicker one and this method also has less points of potential failure while the ctrtransfer method has a few different pitfall areas for people to fall into if they dont really know what they are doing

 

[ArmoredGuns1]

this method is also 99% brick free, both processes have a leap of faith moment, and both processes would have you make a nand backup before doing it, so why not just do the quicker one and this method also has less points of potential failure while the ctrtransfer method has a few different pitfall areas for people to fall into if they dont really know what they are doing

That's because at the moment there have been two attempts to make the OTPless process more stable, so that means it's currently not as stable as the developer may want and that probably indicates there will be another update to make it more stable too. So it might be better to wait.