Hacking Resetting a hacked 2DS

BinarySoup

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Hi Guys (and Gals!)

I bought a used 2DS that appears to be hacked (holding start button while powering on brings up godmode9 explorer, and holding down select while powering on brings up Luma 3ds 9.1).

I want to set the machine up like a newly hacked device (without the custom theme that is barely readable and any other crap that the previous owner might've installed). Can I simply format the system to achieve this or should I remove the hack and re-hack from scratch? Basically I want to make the system as vanilla as possible.

Thanks
 

Shadow#1

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Hi Guys (and Gals!)

I bought a used 2DS that appears to be hacked (holding start button while powering on brings up godmode9 explorer, and holding down select while powering on brings up Luma 3ds 9.1).

I want to set the machine up like a newly hacked device (without the custom theme that is barely readable and any other crap that the previous owner might've installed). Can I simply format the system to achieve this or should I remove the hack and re-hack from scratch? Basically I want to make the system as vanilla as possible.

Thanks
Just take all content off card to pc and just place boot.firm on root of SD card
 

KleinesSinchen

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I want to set the machine up like a newly hacked device (without the custom theme that is barely readable and any other crap that the previous owner might've installed). Can I simply format the system to achieve this or should I remove the hack and re-hack from scratch? Basically I want to make the system as vanilla as possible.

Thanks
Do not remove B9S! This is useless and potentially dangerous.

Download boot3dsx and repeat the finalizing page of the guide on an empty SD. "Format System Memory" does no harm and does not remove B9S. However, if you want to keep any saves back them up before with JKSM and/or Checkpoint (and dump games with GodMode9).
 
Last edited by KleinesSinchen,

BinarySoup

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Thanks for such fast and helpful replies. It's much appreciated. :)

After I format the system memory is there anything else that I can manually delete from the actual 2DS? I.E. what files should be on a freshly hacked 2DS?
 

Shadow#1

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Thanks for such fast and helpful replies. It's much appreciated. :)

After I format the system memory is there anything else that I can manually delete from the actual 2DS? I.E. what files should be on a freshly hacked 2DS?
Boot.firm
 

KleinesSinchen

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I was referring to files that need to be on the 2DS not the SD card.
Just follow the finalizing page of the guide (and put boot.3dsx into the root of the SD).

The guide tells you everything you should download and will copy boot.firm as well as GodMode9 to CTRNAND as a failsafe.

"Format System Memory" does not delete system software. Misleading name – should be "Factory Reset".

I'd like to know what I can delete without bricking the system.

I can see there's a lot of stuff on the NAND, much of which I'm sure is unneeded.
Additional software and games are not installed to the (very small) NAND*. Randomly deleting titles on the NAND with FBI can and probably will lead to a brick.

With or without "Format System Menu" – inserting an empty SD with the files from the guide will leave nothing on the Home Menu but the normal system titles and following the guide installs FBI, HB Launcher and some others)


____________
*normally. DSiWare is installed to TWLN – and removed by System Format.
 
Last edited by KleinesSinchen,
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BinarySoup

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Thanks KS.

Will formatting system memory get rid of any non-essential files on the NAND then?

I just like to run a clean ship. :)
 

SCOTT0852

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There's a lot of system files and pre-installed system apps that need to stay on the device, surely...
Those aren't deleted in a system format, otherwise formatting even stock consoles would just brick them.
Will formatting system memory get rid of any non-essential files on the NAND then?
Yeah, that's kinda the entire point of doing one.
 

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Thanks KS.

Will formatting system memory get rid of any non-essential files on the NAND then?

I just like to run a clean ship. :)
There's no non-essential files on the NAND except for DSi games. This is like wondering if you should delete Windows from your computer to free up space. Sure you can but your computer will be unusable afterward. Stuff on your NAND is operating system software, all (most, besides DSi) user files are on the SD card.
 
Last edited by Quantumcat,

BinarySoup

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I 'formatted' the console and ran through the finalising guide posted here.

Unfortunately it still hasn't got rid of the unreadable custom font added by the previous owner. :shit:
 
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I 'formatted' the console and ran through the finalising guide posted here.

Unfortunately it still hasn't got rid of the unreadable custom font added by the previous owner. :shit:
Oh, to fix that..

0. Copy stuff off your card, reformat, hardware test it, and build a temporary reference setup.
  • Here's a CFW starter kit & preliminary instructions for the sake of convenience.
  • Keep in mind if your SD card happens to be fake or faulty, continuing the steps below can backfire and brick the firmware.
  1. Backup your SysNAND (for safety).
  2. Download the CTRTransfer *.bin image that matches the region and old/new series.
  3. Dump all the CTRNAND image's system titles.
    • GodMode9 → press (A) on 11.5.0-38X_ctrtransfer_x3ds.binCTRNAND options...Mount image to drive.
    • Hold (R)-shoulder and press (A) on titleSearch for titles.
    • Hold (L)-shoulder and press (RIGHT) d-pad to highlight all *.tmd in yellow.
    • Press (A) → TMD file options... → Build CIA (legit) → etc.
      • Do not use Build CIA (standard).
  4. Go to sdmc:/gm9/out and relocate all the *.legit.cia files to the sdmc:/updates folder.
  5. Attempt downgrading the firmware to 11.5 using sysUpdater followed by updating back to 11.10 with Recovery Mode or System Settings → Other Settings → System Update.
If the 3DS softbricks after using sysUpdater,

6. Restore the SysNAND with the image made from step 1.
7. (Now) attempt firmware repair with CTRTransfer (guide in step 2) + update back to 11.10.
Still no bueno?

8. Restore the SysNAND again.
9. CTRTransfer (Type D9) + update back to 11.10.

You might be wondering why not just skip steps 2–6 and go straight to step 7 or 9.
Eh, beats me. Give yourself a challenge.
 
Last edited by TurdPooCharger,
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BinarySoup

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Oh, to fix that..

0. Copy stuff off your card, reformat, hardware test it, and build a temporary reference setup.
  • Here's a CFW starter kit & preliminary instructions for the sake of convenience.
  • Keep in mind if your SD card happens to be fake or faulty, continuing the steps below can backfire and brick the firmware.
  1. Backup your SysNAND (for safety).
  2. Download the CTRTransfer *.bin image that matches the region and old/new series.
  3. Dump all the CTRNAND image's system titles.
    • GodMode9 → press (A) on 11.5.0-38X_ctrtransfer_x3ds.binCTRNAND options...Mount image to drive.
    • Hold (R)-shoulder and press (A) on titleSearch for titles.
    • Hold (L)-shoulder and press (RIGHT) d-pad to highlight all *.tmd in yellow.
    • Press (A) → TMD file options... → Build CIA (legit) → etc.
      • Do not use Build CIA (standard).
  4. Go to sdmc:/gm9/out and relocate all the *.legit.cia files to the sdmc:/updates folder.
  5. Attempt downgrading the firmware to 11.5 using sysUpdater followed by updating back to 11.10 with Recovery Mode or System Settings → Other Settings → System Update.
If the 3DS softbricks after using sysUpdater,

6. Restore the SysNAND with the image made from step 1.
7. (Now) attempt firmware repair with CTRTransfer (guide in step 2) + update back to 11.10.
Still no bueno?

8. Restore the SysNAND again.
9. CTRTransfer (Type D9) + update back to 11.10.

You might be wondering why not just skip steps 2–6 and go straight to step 7 or 9.
Eh, beats me. Give yourself a challenge.

Ouch! :sad:

Thanks for the effort. I guess I'll have to wait for a rainy day to try and work through all that.

There's no other way to recover the default system font?
 
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Ouch! :sad:

Thanks for the effort. I guess I'll have to wait for a rainy day to try and work through all that.

There's no other way to recover the default system font?

When you mount the CTRTransfer image, you can selectively dump just the legit CIA copy of the EUR system font found at:
You should get 0004009B00014002 (CTR-P-CTAP).legit.cia.

You should also be able to download that specific title using 3DNUS.

Not knowing what other edits or mishaps were done to that 2DS firmware, it might be better off installing fresh CIA copies of all the system titles or reset with CTRTransfer.

If the CTRTransfer(s) or sysUpdater don't go as planned, you'll have the backed up SysNAND *.bin image from step 1 to fall back to the o2DS current state.
 
Last edited by TurdPooCharger,

BinarySoup

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When you mount the CTRTransfer image, you can selectively dump just the legit CIA copy of the EUR system font found at:
You should get 0004009B00014002 (CTR-P-CTAP).legit.cia.

You should also be able to download that specific title using 3DNUS.

Not knowing what other edits or mishaps were done to that 2DS firmware, it might be better off installing fresh CIA copies of all the system titles or reset with CTRTransfer.

If the CTRTransfer(s) or sysUpdater don't go as planned, you'll have the backed up SysNAND *.bin image from step 1 to fall back to the o2DS current state.

I downloaded the 11.5.0-38E_ctrtransfer_o3ds.bin image and used GodMode9 v1.8.0 to mount to drive 7. Browsed to the path you gave and tried to build legit CIA but I just get an error saying "Legit ticket not found". :(

I tried a few times and also tried building CIAs for all the .tmd files as you previously suggested. All appeared to build fine apart from 0004009B00014002
 

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