Hacking Questions about Gateway + CFW + A9LH

[Surfi]

Hello,

As I mentioned a few days ago in another thread I own a New 3DS in 9.0.2 with Gateway 3.7.1 and emunand 10.6. I use MSET method.

Currently everything works perfectly.

My situation now is that I have been recommended to install A9LH + AuReinand because it has better load times, compatibility with GBA and DS, have a safer N3DS to be able to better solve the bricks, restore NAND, avoid mistakenly update ... etc. Is all this true? With sysNAND in 9.0.2 and Gateway with emuNAND in 10.6 is it worth installing the hax and any CFW?

It gives me a little scare to start modifying more and lose everything for any possible error. I've never had problems following the guidelines but who knows ... I prefer to be sure it's worth the risk.

Finally, and if it is worth putting the hax and cfw, I must have something in mind knowing that I have the emunand created with the gateway? And for having the 3DS in 9.0.2 instead of 9.2? Should I update to 9.2 to follow the tutorials?

**Edit** Another less risky possibility is to put the Menuhax (now I use MSET) with GW by default in the boot and a CFW (AuReiNAND).

Thank you very much!

 

[Logan Pockrus]

A9LH is VERY worth it. Take it from me, I took the plunge and I can boot CFW in mere seconds (as fast as the system boots regularly) plus (unlike MenuHax) A9LH boasts a 100% boot rate! You won't have to worry about mistakenly updating because it auto boots to emuNAND, but if you must get back to sysNAND then all you must do is hold L or R while booting - it depends on which of the two versions of A9LH you're using. Another thing on the topic of different versions is the dark_samus build has screen_init for *anything ported to it* (meaning not some random .bin file renamed and used - an actual port) including a build of Decrypt9 in which you can use to restore and backup emuNAND/sysNAND before the 3ds even starts up. The other version is the delebile build. This version has (in my experience) faster load times for AuReiNand (which, by the way, is ALL THE DELEBILE BUILD IS COMPATIBLE WITH). All you must do is downgrade to 2.1, grab the OTP, restore back to where you were, and then you can compile A9LH and install it with the Homebrew Launcher.

Click here for help finding the 3ds OTP Guide http://lmgtfy.com/?q=OTP+Guide+3ds. Once you've followed that EXACTLY install DevKitPro, then install Python 2.7 and add it to your $PATH (tell me your OS and I can tell you how to do this). After that's all done just download the source code for either A9LH version you want, delete the pre-existing otp.bin in the data_input folder (FAILURE TO DO THIS WILL RESULT IN A BRICK --- USING ANYONE ELSE'S OTP BESIDES YOURS WILL RESULT IN A BRICK) and put your otp.bin where it was. Open CMD or a terminal in the directory with the makefile. Run "make" (no quotation marks) and it should compile.

Now all you must do is enter the Homebrew Launcher and run the produced arm9loaderhax.3dsx. If it hangs on "Exploiting Arm9" download and run MiniPasta, then get back into the Homebrew Launcher after you've been kicked back to the home menu and runarm9loaderhax.3dsx again.

 

[Surfi]

Thank you very much Logan Pockrus for such a detailed explanation. Only 2 questions more:

1. Will I be able to use Gateway with A9HL? What I mean is, can I launch the Gateway menu and load the backups I have in the Gateway in .3ds? I prefer rather than having a full of CIAS console. If it´s not possible directly, is there something I can do for it to work?

2. You must be in 9.2 to install it or 9.0.0 is enough? Maybe I have to upgrade from 9.0.0 to 9.2.

Thank you!

 

[Logan Pockrus]

Thank you very much Logan Pockrus for such a detailed explanation. Only 2 questions more:

1. Will I be able to use Gateway with A9HL? What I mean is, can I launch the Gateway menu and load the backups I have in the Gateway in .3ds? I prefer rather than having a full of CIAS console. If it´s not possible directly, is there something I can do for it to work?

2. You must be in 9.2 to install it or 9.0.0 is enough? Maybe I have to upgrade from 9.0.0 to 9.2.

Thank you!

1.) If you decide to go with the delebile version, then you can boot into sysNAND (by holding L while booting or rebooting), then you can launch Gateway (and all other exploits) from there - just make sure you never update sysNAND. That may sound silly to say (because it's pretty much drilled into everyone's head at this point), but A9LH will continue to function as normal, so your 3ds still functions but many things are no longer accessible (like Gateway). The worst thing here is that Decrypt9 doesn't work if you do, so no restoring NAND back to before you updated. To conclude this (very lengthy) answer, the dark_samus version cannot - under any circumstances - boot any other CFWs except for ones that are ported to it (which currently is more than delebile has; AuReiNand and CakesFW, rather than just AuReiNand) while, again, the delebile version can boot anything your standard 9.0.0 3ds can in sysNAND mode.

2.) 9.0.0 is definitely enough to get the job done, so long as you have an entry point to the Homebrew Launcher.

I'd like to stress to you the importance of being careful throughout the entire process. I successfully installed A9LH, which is why I would advise you to do it, but I've also read some horror stories of those who weren't as lucky, though, most bricks are the person's fault because of the fact that the process is for the most part very safe (and they can be very small errors; like, DON'T FORGET TO FORMAT YOUR EMUNAND TWICE WHEN IT TELLS YOU TO, unless you'd like a brick).

And if you do decide to go through with it, don't cut corners! That's a one-way trip to brick town if you don't have a hard mod; so be prepared for a lengthy process, especially on the New 3DS! And when all is said and done, you can always just restore your NAND using Decrypt9 (whichever way you need to, depending on the version of A9LH you have).

I apologise for the lengthy responses, I'm just trying to cover as much ground as possible with a single response!

EDIT: If you TRULY feel the need to, you can download the 9.2 update pack from that ISO site and use sysUpdater to update to it - but two things, use the latest build of sysUpdater so you don't have to deal with MemChunkHax2 (for it wouldn't be necessary, 9.0.0 is widely exploitable as is!), and make sure to press UPDATE, not DOWNGRADE! That being said, this is completely not needed and could be adding risk to this whole process when it isn't even necessary!

 

[Surfi]

Thank you very much again, Logan. I appreciate so much those lengthy responses, because they make me see more clear what´s the best option for me.

I would like to install A9LH, but I prefer so much to use my Gateway to launch my .3ds backups from GW sd card instead of getting the 3ds sd card fully of installed cias. So I think the best for me is stay like I am now, with N3DS on 9.0.0, menuhax and GW with emuNAND on 10.6.

The risks of installing the A9HL is something that I am aware of, and I don´t think I would have any problems, I always follow the guides step by step

 

[Logan Pockrus]

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear enough in my post (or better yet, rambling), I'll make this post clear and concise.

If you use delebile, all you must do is hold L while booting then launch Gateway as per usual (but you must have AuReiNand set up)

If you use dark_samus, you'll have to wait for a port (but wouldn't 100% boot rate Gateway in a much shorter time be awesome? I'll hand it to gateway though, their CFW is already quite fast).

I see what you mean, though. Why would you install A9LH with no use for it (until maybe Gateway gets ported over in .bin format for A9LH)? It's not like you're being forced at gunpoint to install it!

Anyway, that's pretty much it.

 

[Surfi]

Okay! Now it's very clear! Thank you very much. I will think about it and maybe I will try to intall it if I see that it´s useful for me.
You were very helpful Logan, I cannot show how grateful I am!

 

[Logan Pockrus]

Okay! Now it's very clear! Thank you very much. I will think about it and maybe I will try to intall it if I see that it´s useful for me.
You were very helpful Logan, I cannot show how grateful I am!

Thank you very much, I'm glad my rambling helped someone for once!

 

[lolboy]

Thank you very much, I'm glad my rambling helped someone for once!

Ur rambling also helped me

I had the same question and after reading your clear answers, I have decided to install A9LH.

Thanks from me aswel

 

[lolboy]

Just finished. I installed A9LH + AuReinand

 

[Just3DS]

Just saying, that if your plan is to use GW only (GW red card 3ds rom support) then there will be little to no advantage at the moment in regards to boot rate or boot speeds (if you compare A9LH setup with MenuHax setup). Because you basically still going to use GW.3dsx through MenuHax.

 

[wiiuser2]

Hi, I just did the same myself last weekend (getting the OTP is a hassle but the rest is easy).
MY setup: A9LH, Emunand 10.6, sysnand 9.2 and using GW card.
On my sysnand I had installed ctrbootmanager to autoboot Gateway after 4 seconds amongst others.

After installing A9LH it boots within 10 seconds into emuNand without pressing any button. One comment: out of region CIA's will disappear because AuReinand doesn't support region free CIA's and the GW red card is not working in this mode.
to use GW card: press L directly after switching the 3DS on for a second or so, it then boots sysnand with the old ctrbootmanager and Gateway starts fine as usual. The out of region CIA's will appear again as gift to be unwrapped (saves are still there)

So far I am very happy. EmuNand boots as quick as a normal 3DS (but without GW functionality). Most of my games I installed as CIA anyway so it doesn't bother me too much. One of the other advantages is that you can go into system settings and quickly be back in the homemenu again.

Take some time for getting the OTP and do the rest but believe me, you will never want to go back. So far my boot success rate with AuReinand has been 100%
EDIT: I just see above you did it already :-)

Further advantages: full proof protection against potential bricking or sysnand updates. Starting Decrypt9WIP from the A9LH loader always gives you the option to restore a working sysnand/emunand backup again

 

[Surfi]

Hi, I just did the same myself last weekend (getting the OTP is a hassle but the rest is easy).
MY setup: A9LH, Emunand 10.6, sysnand 9.2 and using GW card.
On my sysnand I had installed ctrbootmanager to autoboot Gateway after 4 seconds amongst others.

After installing A9LH it boots within 10 seconds into emuNand without pressing any button. One comment: out of region CIA's will disappear because AuReinand doesn't support region free CIA's and the GW red card is not working in this mode.
to use GW card: press L directly after switching the 3DS on for a second or so, it then boots sysnand with the old ctrbootmanager and Gateway starts fine as usual. The out of region CIA's will appear again as gift to be unwrapped (saves are still there)

So far I am very happy. EmuNand boots as quick as a normal 3DS (but without GW functionality). Most of my games I installed as CIA anyway so it doesn't bother me too much. One of the other advantages is that you can go into system settings and quickly be back in the homemenu again.

Take some time for getting the OTP and do the rest but believe me, you will never want to go back. So far my boot success rate with AuReinand has been 100%
EDIT: I just see above you did it already :-)

Further advantages: full proof protection against potential bricking or sysnand updates. Starting Decrypt9WIP from the A9LH loader always gives you the option to restore a working sysnand/emunand backup again

Hello!

I finally installed A9LH and I am in a situation mostly like yours.
I don't understand very well how my NANDs are distributed now but this is a little description:
-I installed CtrBootManager9, so when I turn on my New3DS, a boot menu appears, where I can choose between AuReiNAND or Decrytp9Wip.
-If I choose AuReiNAND, it loads the emuNAND that I was using with Gateway (10.6) but without GW functionallity (can't use GW red card from here). I don't have any cias installed here.
-If I press L while loading AuReiNAND, it loads my old MenuHax with bootmanager, where I can choose between Gateway Launcher or Homebrew Launcher. The problem here is that if I launch GW Launcher, I get blackscreen and I have to shutdown the console. Same thing happen if I try to launch Gateway from Homebrew Launcher with the GW.3dsx.
-Finally if I press L while old ctrbootmanager is launching, I get into my 9.0 sysNAND. If I use Cubic Ninja exploit in here, I can get into old ctrbootmanager and Gateway/Homebrew Launchers and I can get into Gateway emunand succesfully. I don't understand why I can in this way and not in the other one without Cubic Ninja.
Another thing, if I modify something in Gateway emunand (like for example, create a folder), when I start my 3DS again and load AuReiNAND the folder appears in this emuNAND too, but again, I can't access Gateway menu or use the red card from here.

Is there any way to fix this? How do you do to launch Gateway directly from ctrbootmanager without using Cubic Nija, OOTor MSET exploits from sysnand?

And last question, can someone explain me which is my NAND scheme? I haven't got it very clear. Do I have 2 emuNAND and a sysNAND. Or do I only have one emuNAND and one sysNAND, or what?

 

[Logan Pockrus]

Hello!

I finally installed A9LH and I am in a situation mostly like yours.
I don't understand very well how my NANDs are distributed now but this is a little description:
-I installed CtrBootManager9, so when I turn on my New3DS, a boot menu appears, where I can choose between AuReiNAND or Decrytp9Wip.
-If I choose AuReiNAND, it loads the emuNAND that I was using with Gateway (10.6) but without GW functionallity (can't use GW red card from here). I don't have any cias installed here.
-If I press L while loading AuReiNAND, it loads my old MenuHax with bootmanager, where I can choose between Gateway Launcher or Homebrew Launcher. The problem here is that if I launch GW Launcher, I get blackscreen and I have to shutdown the console. Same thing happen if I try to launch Gateway from Homebrew Launcher with the GW.3dsx.
-Finally if I press L while old ctrbootmanager is launching, I get into my 9.0 sysNAND. If I use Cubic Ninja exploit in here, I can get into old ctrbootmanager and Gateway/Homebrew Launchers and I can get into Gateway emunand succesfully. I don't understand why I can in this way and not in the other one without Cubic Ninja.
Another thing, if I modify something in Gateway emunand (like for example, create a folder), when I start my 3DS again and load AuReiNAND the folder appears in this emuNAND too, but again, I can't access Gateway menu or use the red card from here.

Is there any way to fix this? How do you do to launch Gateway directly from ctrbootmanager without using Cubic Nija, OOTor MSET exploits from sysnand?

And last question, can someone explain me which is my NAND scheme? I haven't got it very clear. Do I have 2 emuNAND and a sysNAND. Or do I only have one emuNAND and one sysNAND, or what?

The very fact that CtrBootManager9 works means you need the other version of A9LH (delebile), then you can use gateway (in sysNAND). All you must do is restore a NAND dump you hopefully made before installing A9LH (using Decrypt9WIP that was ported to A9LH). Then you can build delebile A9LH and install it.

 

[Surfi]

The very fact that CtrBootManager9 works means you need the other version of A9LH (delebile), then you can use gateway (in sysNAND). All you must do is restore a NAND dump you hopefully made before installing A9LH (using Decrypt9WIP that was ported to A9LH). Then you can build delebile A9LH and install it.

Thanks Logan for that quick reply. I already did that, my A9HL is compiled with Delebile version, that's why I don't understand that I can't boot GW directly from my old ctrbootmanager (not ctrbootmanager9), and I have to load first sysNAND, then Cubic Ninja exploit and finally ctrbootmanager again to finally launch Gateway.

 

[Logan Pockrus]

Thanks Logan for that quick reply. I already did that, my A9HL is compiled with Delebile version, that's why I don't understand that I can't boot GW directly from my old ctrbootmanager (not ctrbootmanager9), and I have to load first sysNAND, then Cubic Ninja exploit and finally ctrbootmanager again to finally launch Gateway.

Oh, okay. Sorry for this late reply, I just ate dinner. What you could try and do is launch the Homebrew Launcher in sysNAND, then uninstall menuhax, delete all of its previous payloads, and then re-install it. I misunderstood what you said, which is why I said ctrbootmanager9. Also, make sure that the menuhax trigger button is set up as L (do this in sysNAND --- sysNAND is NOT what auto boots with A9LH). I'll do some looking around and some testing in the mean time. If you're SURE A9LH is installed PROPERLY, then you can power on the system while holding nothing at all to boot emuNAND, then update that to 10.6, so the whole menuhax/ctrbootmanager is sure to be done in sysNAND, for menuhax doesn't function on 10.6.

 

[Surfi]

Oh, okay. Sorry for this late reply, I just ate dinner. What you could try and do is launch the Homebrew Launcher in sysNAND, then uninstall menuhax, delete all of its previous payloads, and then re-install it. I misunderstood what you said, which is why I said ctrbootmanager9. Also, make sure that the menuhax trigger button is set up as L (do this in sysNAND --- sysNAND is NOT what auto boots with A9LH). I'll do some looking around and some testing in the mean time. If you're SURE A9LH is installed PROPERLY, then you can power on the system while holding nothing at all to boot emuNAND, then update that to 10.6, so the whole menuhax/ctrbootmanager is sure to be done in sysNAND, for menuhax doesn't function on 10.6.

Yes, I have my emuNAND on 10.6 so I am sure that I am launching it from sysNAND 9.0.
Anyways, I reinstalled the menuhax and it seems to work now, I don't need to launch Cubic Ninja exploit or getting directly into the sysNAND 9.0 Home Menu. Now it works by holding L while AuReiNAND is loading from CtrBootmanager9, then it loads old ctrbootmanager with menuhax and now yes, I can get into Gateway emunand from here to play my .3ds backups (that is the only thing I want my GW for at this point).

Thank you for your help once again Logan. I am very happy now, I just have to assimilate my new situation and understand how it works to try some other things.

 

[Logan Pockrus]

Yes, I have my emuNAND on 10.6 so I am sure that I am launching it from sysNAND 9.0.
Anyways, I reinstalled the menuhax and it seems to work now, I don't need to launch Cubic Ninja exploit or getting directly into the sysNAND 9.0 Home Menu. Now it works by holding L while AuReiNAND is loading from CtrBootmanager9, then it loads old ctrbootmanager with menuhax and now yes, I can get into Gateway emunand from here to play my .3ds backups (that is the only thing I want my GW for at this point).

Thank you for your help once again Logan. I am very happy now, I just have to assimilate my new situation and understand how it works to try some other things.

Just finished. I installed A9LH + AuReinand

Hi, I just did the same myself last weekend (getting the OTP is a hassle but the rest is easy).
MY setup: A9LH, Emunand 10.6, sysnand 9.2 and using GW card.
On my sysnand I had installed ctrbootmanager to autoboot Gateway after 4 seconds amongst others.

After installing A9LH it boots within 10 seconds into emuNand without pressing any button. One comment: out of region CIA's will disappear because AuReinand doesn't support region free CIA's and the GW red card is not working in this mode.
to use GW card: press L directly after switching the 3DS on for a second or so, it then boots sysnand with the old ctrbootmanager and Gateway starts fine as usual. The out of region CIA's will appear again as gift to be unwrapped (saves are still there)

So far I am very happy. EmuNand boots as quick as a normal 3DS (but without GW functionality). Most of my games I installed as CIA anyway so it doesn't bother me too much. One of the other advantages is that you can go into system settings and quickly be back in the homemenu again.

Take some time for getting the OTP and do the rest but believe me, you will never want to go back. So far my boot success rate with AuReinand has been 100%
EDIT: I just see above you did it already :-)

Further advantages: full proof protection against potential bricking or sysnand updates. Starting Decrypt9WIP from the A9LH loader always gives you the option to restore a working sysnand/emunand backup again

Well, I'm glad everyone here is all nice and happy with A9LH!
And now, a confession:
I actually bricked my New 3ds XL while downgrading to 2.1, but I didn't want to say that because I thought it would spook people and turn them away.
I did successfully install A9LH (before this thread appeared) on my Old 3ds XL, which is what I referenced every time I said I have A9LH in my previous posts (so I wasn't lying!). I think what happened when I bricked the new 3ds is I got arrogant and thought, "Oh, well I did it perfectly on my O3DS XL, so what could go wrong?" and we all know how that turned out....*cries*

 

[wiiuser2]

Hello!

I finally installed A9LH and I am in a situation mostly like yours.
I don't understand very well how my NANDs are distributed now but this is a little description:
-I installed CtrBootManager9, so when I turn on my New3DS, a boot menu appears, where I can choose between AuReiNAND or Decrytp9Wip.
-If I choose AuReiNAND, it loads the emuNAND that I was using with Gateway (10.6) but without GW functionallity (can't use GW red card from here). I don't have any cias installed here.
-If I press L while loading AuReiNAND, it loads my old MenuHax with bootmanager, where I can choose between Gateway Launcher or Homebrew Launcher. The problem here is that if I launch GW Launcher, I get blackscreen and I have to shutdown the console. Same thing happen if I try to launch Gateway from Homebrew Launcher with the GW.3dsx.
-Finally if I press L while old ctrbootmanager is launching, I get into my 9.0 sysNAND. If I use Cubic Ninja exploit in here, I can get into old ctrbootmanager and Gateway/Homebrew Launchers and I can get into Gateway emunand succesfully. I don't understand why I can in this way and not in the other one without Cubic Ninja.
Another thing, if I modify something in Gateway emunand (like for example, create a folder), when I start my 3DS again and load AuReiNAND the folder appears in this emuNAND too, but again, I can't access Gateway menu or use the red card from here.

Is there any way to fix this? How do you do to launch Gateway directly from ctrbootmanager without using Cubic Nija, OOTor MSET exploits from sysnand?

And last question, can someone explain me which is my NAND scheme? I haven't got it very clear. Do I have 2 emuNAND and a sysNAND. Or do I only have one emuNAND and one sysNAND, or what?

did you copy the firmware90.bin file to the /rei folder of your sd card?

 

[Surfi]

did you copy the firmware90.bin file to the /rei folder of your sd card?

Yes! I did