Hacking Official ShadowNAND

[magusss]

Hmm, got the thing, even if such thing was possible, it could be useless because of low size of 3DS internal storage, 3DS games are larger than 3DS can handle...

I'll try a new class10 SD and see if i can at least to stop my read errors during gameplay. i'm have thi problem here because of the constant reading from SD card, but i'm suspecting about the SD being the culprit here, will try change it today and see what happens. thanks for reply me anyway.

No.
Most savegames would be stored on the game's cartridge. (Some games store it on the SD even with a cartridge)
However if you installed the game as a CIA (or loaded it from the eshop) you obviously dont have a cartridge. In that case it will be stored on the SD Card.
Gamed downlosded from the eshop or indtalled as CIA are saved on the SD Card as well (unique encrypted).
If you remove the SD Card you'll not have access to these. (Or themedata or any extdata).

They can't be stored on the NAND because the NAND would not have enough size to store it.
There are different NAND chips used with different sizes for 3DS systems.
The biggest NAND chip is 1888MB.
In case of a 2DS the actual NAND partition etc requires 942MB (N3DS requires 1238MB - and O3DS only has NAND chips below 1000MB).
This would give you about 900MB space with for a 2DS with the biggest NAND chip (let's call this "best case szenario).
And this would barely be able to hold 1 Game in this "best case szenario".
For comparison a Monster Hunter Game requires 1.5GB.

Not even talking about the accessability changes required to make it work.

This simply installs a small CFW setup onto the NAND so you have the most basic patches.
If you are a pirate this is not useful for you.
It's just nice to have if you forget your SD Card and have game cartridges. Then you can stil play.
Or in the case of the 3DS' SD Card reader breaking or something like that.


TL;DR: Savegames and Games are not stored on your NAND Chip. You still require a SD Card. But you are able to boot without an SD Card and play Cartridge Games.

 

[The Catboy]

I actually started using ShadowNAND along side Corbenik. Why? Because I actually prefer my files to be nicely tucked away in folders where I never have to see them.

 

[Ramzh]

I actually started using ShadowNAND along side Corbenik. Why? Because I actually prefer my files to be nicely tucked away in folders where I never have to see them.

100% agree me too same setup

 

[The Catboy]

100% agree me too same setup

It's made better with the Corbenik updater because then I rarely even have to deal with them. Unless I get sick of having back ups piling up.

 

[Skyshadow101]

How do I install it? I don't have a homebrew folder. Only 3ds. And if possible, can I backup my 3ds (with hardmod and with Hourglass9) that has A9LH v3 (the one that boots without sd), and if I install ShadowNAND, restore my backup of my original A9LH and have my original back? So I can easily switch between ShadowNAND.

In less confusing terms, here are my questions.

How do I install ShadowNAND? I don't have a homebrew folder, only 3ds.

Can someone maybe make a guide on how to install it?

Can I switch between ShadowNAND and A9LH v3 easily by restoring backups of each one?

Thank you!

 

[The Catboy]

How do I install it? I don't have a homebrew folder. Only 3ds. And if possible, can I backup my 3ds (with hardmod and with Hourglass9) that has A9LH v3 (the one that boots without sd), and if I install ShadowNAND, restore my backup of my original A9LH and have my original back? So I can easily switch between ShadowNAND.

In less confusing terms, here are my questions.

How do I install ShadowNAND? I don't have a homebrew folder, only 3ds.

Can someone maybe make a guide on how to install it?

Can I switch between ShadowNAND and A9LH v3 easily by restoring backups of each one?

Thank you!

How to Install

• Download ShadowNAND Installer from here
• Download ShadowNAND itself from here
• Download other required files from here
• Put ShadowNAND files, other required files, and your otp.bin to SD:\homebrew\3ds\ShadowNAND_Installer
• Boot from ShadowNAND_Installer.bin or other entry points.
• Press SELECT
• Done.

Source
It's pretty straightforward actually. And you just make the folders if you don't have them.
You have two options to jump between A9LH builds.
1: (Complicated way)Back up your current NAND, then you can restore it using Decrypt9 and it will restore your previous build
2: (Easy Way) Use SafeA9LHInstaller to install your favourite branch of A9LH v2.

 

[Skyshadow101]

Source
It's pretty straightforward actually. And you just make the folders if you don't have them.
You have two options to jump between A9LH builds.
1: (Complicated way)Back up your current NAND, then you can restore it using Decrypt9 and it will restore your previous build
2: (Easy Way) Use SafeA9LHInstaller to install your favourite branch of A9LH v2.

Thank you for your answers! I'm backing up my 3ds via hardmod right now! Then I'm going to backup it up with hourglass. Just to be safe. I find that restoring backups are more reliable. I'm going to install ShadowNAND right now! Then I can easily switch between each one!

 

[Skyshadow101]

@Shadowhand

Great Job! I love it. Maybe you can add Chain Loading? That would be AWESOME! I know you're working VERY hard, but I'm just putting it out there. If there is already chain loading available, do you think you could add how to do it in your GitHub?

 

[Shadowhand]

@Shadowhand

Great Job! I love it. Maybe you can add Chain Loading? That would be AWESOME! I know you're working VERY hard, but I'm just putting it out there. If there is already chain loading available, do you think you could add how to do it in your GitHub?

Use my fork of CtrBootManager9 for that. YOu can find it here: https://github.com/RShadowhand/CtrBootManager/releases/latest
Put it in /homebrew/3ds/, edit the config file, then simply press DPAD_DOWN to get to the menu.

 

[Billy Acuña]

Use my fork of CtrBootManager9 for that. YOu can find it here: https://github.com/RShadowhand/CtrBootManager/releases/latest
Put it in /homebrew/3ds/, edit the config file, then simply press DPAD_DOWN to get to the menu.

Hey @Shadowhand
Is good to see you still working on this hope I could have some knowedge to help you in this amazing project

 

[Shadowhand]

I'm still working on it, but the main waiting point is the paths. There's no pattern or a decided-path right now, and I don't want to change it a fourth time. So I'm waiting before anything is decided.

 

[annson24]

Is there a way to add the homebrew launcher's boot.3dsx in ctrbootmanager?

 

[Tenshi_Okami]

Is there a way to add the homebrew launcher's boot.3dsx in ctrbootmanager?

Why tho

You can always use the homebrew launcher.cia to get in the homebrew

 

[annson24]

Why tho

You can always use the homebrew launcher.cia to get in the homebrew

Yeah, however, I'm constantly entering HB launcher for stuffs and I'm getting a little tired on always entering the home menu then launching hb launcher.cia. Anyway, I tried adding the payload on ctrbootmgr but it doesn't boot. Gonna try some other stuff.

 

[Tenshi_Okami]

Yeah, however, I'm constantly entering HB launcher for stuffs and I'm getting a little tired on always entering the home menu then launching hb launcher.cia. Anyway, I tried adding the payload on ctrbootmgr but it doesn't boot. Gonna try some other stuff.

Try Menuhax?

 

[Shadowhand]

Yeah, however, I'm constantly entering HB launcher for stuffs and I'm getting a little tired on always entering the home menu then launching hb launcher.cia. Anyway, I tried adding the payload on ctrbootmgr but it doesn't boot. Gonna try some other stuff.

There is no way to boot to homebrew launcher without a firm launch first, so CBM9 will never be able to launch boot.3dsx on its own. If you really need to do that, I suggest you get menuhax on a button that's not being used right now.

 

[annson24]

Try Menuhax?

There is no way to boot to homebrew launcher without a firm launch first, so CBM9 will never be able to launch boot.3dsx on its own. If you really need to do that, I suggest you get menuhax on a button that's not being used right now.

Well cr*p. Doesn't the menuhax work on v.11 a9lh/shadowNAND??

 

[Tenshi_Okami]

Well cr*p. Doesn't the menuhax work on v.11 a9lh/shadowNAND??

It does work, it has been updated: https://github.com/yellows8/3ds_homemenuhax/releases/tag/v3.0

 

[Aletron9000]

It does work, it has been updated: https://github.com/yellows8/3ds_homemenuhax/releases/tag/v3.0

even if it didn't work, (not recommended) you could always downgrade the home menu only.

 

[mvmiranda]

Hello all!
I'm currently using A9LH v1 in sysNAND with Luma3DS 5.5 (latest commit compiled by me) and I'm able to run gateway arm9loaderhax (renamed as x_gw.bin) to use my old pal gateway 3ds cart (yeah yeah, I know I don't "need it" but I have too many saves and I'm lazy to convert them all).

I didn't update to A9LH v2 because: 1) I don't need it yet. 2) it's not compatible with GW yet.
Alright, enough introductions.

Now, having you console being able to boot up without the SD inserted is neat. Is ShadowNAND "compatible" with Gateway payload without any extra tool (like I currently have)?

Thanks!