Hardware Random freezes, stuck on "Preparing to start HOME menu"

jorsh

New Member
OP
Newbie
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
1
Trophies
0
Age
35
XP
61
Country
United States
Hello friends.

My first post here.

I bought a few "for parts" units for repair. One of them, allegedly, had only a broken screen and hinge and everything else worked.

I replaced all and every time I tried to access anything from the menu (setting, game, et-cetera) the system would freeze.

I then tried to "reset" the home menu, (holding: L+R+B+Down(keypad)) hoping that this would fix it. It didn't and now it's stuck on a "Preparing to start HOME menu screen" with a progress bar that just never fills up.


Is the unit bricked?

I tried resetting every cable and connector and everything looked fine
 

Merpephony

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
4
Trophies
0
Age
58
XP
79
Country
United States
I can't help, but I can say that I am the exact same situation. 3ds bought broken, wouldn't load apps, now stuck on "Preparing to start the HOME Menu..."
 

Merpephony

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
4
Trophies
0
Age
58
XP
79
Country
United States
I realize that it is probably a little late, but I found the solution to this problem.
You need a ds flashcart (I recommend r4 gold, which can be bought for as little as 10$)
and a second 3ds running boot9strap

basically you use the first 3ds to prep the flashcart, then use the flash cart to install godmode9, and then use godmode9 to manually update.

First you use the second 3ds to flash ntrboot to the flashcart with this guide
3ds.hacks.guide/flashing-ntrboot-(3ds-multi-system)

second, you follow this guide with the first 3ds
3ds.hacks.guide/installing-boot9strap-(ntrboot)

then this guide
3ds.hacks.guide/ctrtransfer

then you finish with this guide
3ds.hacks.guide/finalizing-setup

this should be able to fix any 3ds that is incapable of running recovery mode
 
  • Like
Reactions: TurdPooCharger

cHiLLz747

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Feb 12, 2024
Messages
10
Trophies
0
Age
34
XP
78
Country
United States
I realize that it is probably a little late, but I found the solution to this problem.
You need a ds flashcart (I recommend r4 gold, which can be bought for as little as 10$)
and a second 3ds running boot9strap

basically you use the first 3ds to prep the flashcart, then use the flash cart to install godmode9, and then use godmode9 to manually update.

First you use the second 3ds to flash ntrboot to the flashcart with this guide
3ds.hacks.guide/flashing-ntrboot-(3ds-multi-system)

second, you follow this guide with the first 3ds
3ds.hacks.guide/installing-boot9strap-(ntrboot)

then this guide
3ds.hacks.guide/ctrtransfer

then you finish with this guide
3ds.hacks.guide/finalizing-setup

this should be able to fix any 3ds that is incapable of running recovery mode
Post automatically merged:

Is there any video tutorials on this ? I have this problem now but I’m not a savvy person when it comes to reading all the instructions that you offered.
Thanks in advance.
Post automatically merged:

Hello friends.

My first post here.

I bought a few "for parts" units for repair. One of them, allegedly, had only a broken screen and hinge and everything else worked.

I replaced all and every time I tried to access anything from the menu (setting, game, et-cetera) the system would freeze.

I then tried to "reset" the home menu, (holding: L+R+B+Down(keypad)) hoping that this would fix it. It didn't and now it's stuck on a "Preparing to start HOME menu screen" with a progress bar that just never fills up.


Is the unit bricked?

I tried resetting every cable and connector and everything looked fine
Have you found a solution for this problem?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_5996.jpeg
    IMG_5996.jpeg
    4.4 MB · Views: 55

cHiLLz747

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Feb 12, 2024
Messages
10
Trophies
0
Age
34
XP
78
Country
United States
Hello friends.

My first post here.

I bought a few "for parts" units for repair. One of them, allegedly, had only a broken screen and hinge and everything else worked.

I replaced all and every time I tried to access anything from the menu (setting, game, et-cetera) the system would freeze.

I then tried to "reset" the home menu, (holding: L+R+B+Down(keypad)) hoping that this would fix it. It didn't and now it's stuck on a "Preparing to start HOME menu screen" with a progress bar that just never fills up.


Is the unit bricked?

I tried resetting every cable and connector and everything looked fine
Have you found a solution?
Post automatically merged:

I realize that it is probably a little late, but I found the solution to this problem.
You need a ds flashcart (I recommend r4 gold, which can be bought for as little as 10$)
and a second 3ds running boot9strap

basically you use the first 3ds to prep the flashcart, then use the flash cart to install godmode9, and then use godmode9 to manually update.

First you use the second 3ds to flash ntrboot to the flashcart with this guide
3ds.hacks.guide/flashing-ntrboot-(3ds-multi-system)

second, you follow this guide with the first 3ds
3ds.hacks.guide/installing-boot9strap-(ntrboot)

then this guide
3ds.hacks.guide/ctrtransfer

then you finish with this guide
3ds.hacks.guide/finalizing-setup

this should be able to fix any 3ds that is incapable of running recovery mode
It didn’t work.
 

cHiLLz747

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Feb 12, 2024
Messages
10
Trophies
0
Age
34
XP
78
Country
United States
Hello friends.

My first post here.

I bought a few "for parts" units for repair. One of them, allegedly, had only a broken screen and hinge and everything else worked.

I replaced all and every time I tried to access anything from the menu (setting, game, et-cetera) the system would freeze.

I then tried to "reset" the home menu, (holding: L+R+B+Down(keypad)) hoping that this would fix it. It didn't and now it's stuck on a "Preparing to start HOME menu screen" with a progress bar that just never fills up.


Is the unit bricked?

I tried resetting every cable and connector and everything looked fine
Just figured it out ! I watched a YouTube video from tech James called “ old 3ds black screen of death (simple fix) 2018” just save my 3ds xl.
 

Kwyjor

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
May 23, 2018
Messages
4,863
Trophies
1
XP
4,933
Country
Canada
I guess that it's nice that it happened to work for you, but no one is ever going to recommend that someone watch a six-year-old Youtube video to fix a 3DS problem.
 

DarKRat0s

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Mar 16, 2024
Messages
11
Trophies
0
Age
30
XP
36
Country
Mexico
hi

hope someone could help me, i have the same issue im stuck at "preparing to start the home menu" i already did the ctrtransfer with godmode9 and decrypt9, also i did the lazarus trick and even i try the gamecoin brick trick, but again, same issue
my old 3ds xl is USA region, i dont have any backup
i try renaming the data folder and deleting the data folder, but again, same screen
 

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    Every console has shovel ware which most agree are all poo
    +1
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Switch 2 will be your most powerful handheld (most likely) but Nintendo has always been a generation behind Sony/ Xbox, so doubt it will get the newest of games, n if it does, will be a watered down version, like Switch 1 got
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    Most powerful hardly series x specs will still crap on it
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Most powerful handheld I said. I imagine it won't last long tho, ROG or Steamdeck 2 will prob overpower it. I will prob buy a switch2 tho, gotta have that Mariokart 9.
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    I kinda doubt that also Asus will keep releasing or if Xbox doesn't come out with some handheld by then
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    Og switch was kind of the first most powerful option for it's portability time
    +1
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Yea Sony and Xbox working on a handheld now even.
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    Going to be good times for the portability market though I could see some type of vr/handheld hybrid device
    +1
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    That would be cool
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    Same old stuff gets so played out kind of like smartphones now
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    I'm thinking of selling my current drum machine, piano keyboard, and few synthesizers, and buy a new $699 drum machine/ workstation. Downsize but upgrade. But like any device, ill never get the money I paid into it. Hard to let stuff go for half what you paid.
    +1
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    https://a.co/d/cUeVFEO lol brother p touch
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    @Skelletonike, I only played Digimon world ds
  • Pae @ Pae:
    anyone know if the cmd resistor exists on a v1 switch
  • Pae @ Pae:
    thanks
    +1
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    @Pae, you're welcome
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    Something I don't like about playing on my game tv stick is that theres sometimes an input lag of 1 entire frickin second.
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    Good night
  • Psionic Roshambo @ Psionic Roshambo:
    @K3Nv3, just my opinion but more games on the platform does increase the odds of some of them being awesome
    +1
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    A 12,000 in one odd of finding not a shit game good luck
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    Just like how og Xbox has about 3tb worth of games and only 500gb worth of goodies it's not going to be any different
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    It's realistic thinking not that I don't want good ones
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    A double negative
    BigOnYa @ BigOnYa: A double negative