Hacking Sysnand & Emunand

MemeWarrior666

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What do these two things do? I couldn't find a clear explanation, but is one just an emulation of nand and the other the system's nand?
 

ExoMemphiz

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Basically the System Nand is the one you want to keep between 4.x and 4.5.

The emuNand, as the name suggests, emulates a real nand, by running off the SD Card in a seperate partition.
The emunand is then updated to the wanted firmware (such as 9.4 currently), as this NAND is able to be erased and re-created at will - with backups, ofcourse.

Once the System NAND has been updated there is no going back, which is why the emuNand was created, so people can have the content from the latest firmware on an older System firmware, without the hassle of updating, since gateway/other 3DS carts don't support > 4.5 firmware currently (Sky3DS is an exception, yes, but it does not use emuNand).
 

Glisern

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Basically the System Nand is the one you want to keep between 4.x and 4.5.

The emuNand, as the name suggests, emulates a real nand, by running off the SD Card in a seperate partition.
The emunand is then updated to the wanted firmware (such as 9.4 currently), as this NAND is able to be erased and re-created at will - with backups, ofcourse.

Once the System NAND has been updated there is no going back, which is why the emuNand was created, so people can have the content from the latest firmware on an older System firmware, without the hassle of updating, since gateway/other 3DS carts don't support > 4.5 firmware currently (Sky3DS is an exception, yes, but it does not use emuNand).
Well, there is one way back from a sysnand update. A previous sysnand backup and hardware mod.
 

ExoMemphiz

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Well, there is one way back from a sysnand update. A previous sysnand backup and hardware mod.

Well, I doubt he has a hardware mod, this was a post directed to him, also this requires a backup of the System Nand prior to updating to a firmware > 4.5, but yes, that is ofcourse the option to go back. I forgot to explain that, thanks =)
 

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Found this thread by searching google but other theads on gbatemp give me connection errors (might be might internet) anyways my question:

I have a N3DSXL, I want to backup the sysNAND just incase anything bad happens. How do I do this? Thanks in advance.
 

Deleted member 370671

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How do you install this sysnand and emunand on the 3ds? Can't figure this out
This bump...
Anyway, SysNAND is basically all the system files on your 3DS. Every 3DS have it (otherwise the console would not be able to boot), and it is stored on the "NAND" (a internal storage)
To install emuNAND (which is basically a copy of your sysNAND on your SD card), you need a 3DS on an exploitable firmware (9.2 or less).
If you have one, you can set up a CFW to create your emuNAND. I would recommend RXTools if you have an Old 3DS (3DS / 3DS XL / 2DS) or ReiNAND if you have a New 3DS / New 3DS XL. Here is the tutorial for ReiNAND and here is the one for RXTools.
If your console is on 9.3 or newer, however... You can't set up an emuNAND :/
 
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Mavsynchroid

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This bump...
Anyway, SysNAND is basically all the system files on your 3DS. Every 3DS have it (otherwise the console would not be able to boot), and it is stored on the "NAND" (a internal storage)
Anyway, to install emuNAND (which is basically a copy of your sysNAND on your SD card), you need a 3DS on an exploitable firmware (9.2 or less).
If you have one, you can set up a CFW to create your emuNAND. I would recommend RXTools if you have an Old 3DS (3DS / 3DS XL / 2DS) or ReiNAND if you have a New 3DS / New 3DS XL. Here is the tutorial for ReiNAND and here is the one for RXTools.
If your console is on 9.3 or newer, however... You can't set up an emuNAND :/

Thank you SO Much for this. That was incredibly easy to understand.

Here's my next question. If Sysnand is on every 3ds by default, can't I just install NTR CFW 3.1 on the sd card like that? The guide says to install NTR CFW 3.1 on Emunand OR Sysnand. Doesn't that mean I can just drag the NTR.bin file over to the SD card (which turns out to be Sysnand itself) and install the CFW that way? To clarify I'm not looking to pirate games. Just want to use the MHX english translation patch on a retail copy of MHX I already own.
 

Ripper00420

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How do you install this sysnand and emunand on the 3ds? Can't figure this out
Google needs to be you friend sir. Just look up 3ds custom firmware tutorial bro.
Oh yeah and the Wiki wouldn't hurt either.... Be careful.

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

Thank you SO Much for this. That was incredibly easy to understand.

Here's my next question. If Sysnand is on every 3ds by default, can't I just install NTR CFW 3.1 on the sd card like that? The guide says to install NTR CFW 3.1 on Emunand OR Sysnand. Doesn't that mean I can just drag the NTR.bin file over to the SD card (which turns out to be Sysnand itself) and install the CFW that way? To clarify I'm not looking to pirate games. Just want to use the MHX english translation patch on a retail copy of MHX I already own.
Sysnand is not on your SD card bro, it's in the system itself and Emunand is a partition on your SD card that is a emulated Sysnand that can't be just accessed through file explorer. The files on the SD card are the games and extra data needed for apps.
 
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Deleted member 370671

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Thank you SO Much for this. That was incredibly easy to understand.

Here's my next question. If Sysnand is on every 3ds by default, can't I just install NTR CFW 3.1 on the sd card like that? The guide says to install NTR CFW 3.1 on Emunand OR Sysnand. Doesn't that mean I can just drag the NTR.bin file over to the SD card (which turns out to be Sysnand itself) and install the CFW that way? To clarify I'm not looking to pirate games. Just want to use the MHX english translation patch on a retail copy of MHX I already own.

No, you can't install it just like that.
I'm not an expert (so maybe I'll write some wrong info), but the reason why your sysNAND needs to be on 9.2 or lower is because several people found exploits to take control over the console. Why is it important? Because, by default, the 3DS can only execute code that has been properly signed by Nintendo. If the game / app hasn't been signed, the the console can't launch it. Since exploits allow us to to run unsigned code on your 3DS, you obviously need one to install and use a CFW.
But, unfortunately, it's not that simple... We have 3 level of access on the 3DS: the userland, the ARM11 kernel and the ARM9 kernel.
The "userland" means we have as much access as a regular game. We have exploits for this even on the most recent firmware, 10.3; however, with that kind of exploit, we can "just" run homebrew, and not read or edit sysNAND, or install games, as regular games can't do that.
The ARM11 is a processor on the 3DS; "kernel" means we have full control over it. By having control over this processor, we can read or write to the sysNAND (downgrading with legit signed updates) or install legit CIAs (games that came preinstalled on bundle consoles; since they all share the same signature, they can be successfully read on all consoles once they're installed). However, even with ARM11 kernel, we still can't install unsigned games (=piracy) or execute Custom Firmware.
The ARM9 kernel is the thing that you're seeking; it allows to bypass all the signature checks (as the ARM9, the other processor of the 3DS, is designed exclusively to check sigantures), so you can install pirated games... and a CFW. This kind of exploit is available only on 9.2 or lower, unfortunately.
 

Mavsynchroid

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Hrmm ok things are becoming much more clear. One more quick question. What is Cubic ninja? I can't tell if it's an app that I have by default on my 3ds since it's in japanese, or something else. The tutorial for ninja hax says I need it.
 

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Hrmm ok things are becoming much more clear. One more quick question. What is Cubic ninja? I can't tell if it's an app that I have by default on my 3ds since it's in japanese, or something else. The tutorial for ninja hax says I need it.
Cubic Ninja is a game, that (is) can be used to launch the Homebrew Launcher. However, you have "plenty" of other ways to launch the HBL; you can go on http://smealum.github.io/3ds/ to check if you can launch it using one of those methods :)
 

Mavsynchroid

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Cubic Ninja is a game, that (is) can be used to launch the Homebrew Launcher. However, you have "plenty" of other ways to launch the HBL; you can go on http://smealum.github.io/3ds/ to check if you can launch it using one of those methods :)


Ahhh thank you! I read in one guide that i needed 2 SD cards so i was a little worried as i only have one.
 

Mavsynchroid

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Do i have to be worried about my 3ds automatically updating when i connect it to the Internet for some of these installations? It's in Japanese so i worry it'll happen without me realizing.
 

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Do i have to be worried about my 3ds automatically updating when i connect it to the Internet for some of these installations? It's in Japanese so i worry it'll happen without me realizing.
Well, the 3DS never updates automatically. It will download the update while in sleep mode, and then prompt a message on the home menu everytime you boot the console. If you click on "はい" (yes), it'll take you to the system preferences and update. If you click on "いいえ" (no), it'll not update.
If you got the nag, you can remove it by turning off your console, and then turn it on again while holding L+R+A+UP (iirc). It will show the update menu: click on the bottom left button, and the update data will be removed from your system. Then, set up TubeHax DNS to prevent your console from contactin Nintendo's servers, and you should be safe.
 

Mavsynchroid

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Well, the 3DS never updates automatically. It will download the update while in sleep mode, and then prompt a message on the home menu everytime you boot the console. If you click on "はい" (yes), it'll take you to the system preferences and update. If you click on "いいえ" (no), it'll not update.
If you got the nag, you can remove it by turning off your console, and then turn it on again while holding L+R+A+UP (iirc). It will show the update menu: click on the bottom left button, and the update data will be removed from your system. Then, set up TubeHax DNS to prevent your console from contactin Nintendo's servers, and you should be safe.


Man. Really can't thank you enough for your help with all of this. I don't know what a nag is so i most likely don't have it. It's great to know it won't automatically update on me either. However for some of the installation guide, it says i need to use the 3ds Internet browser. Will it stop me from using it saying i need to update first?
 

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Man. Really can't thank you enough for your help with all of this. I don't know what a nag is so i most likely don't have it. It's great to know it won't automatically update on me either. However for some of the installation guide, it says i need to use the 3ds Internet browser. Will it stop me from using it saying i need to update first?
You can always use the Internet browser on less than the most recent version as long as you are on 9.8 or lower (over 9.9 and it will ask you to update).

The nag is a pop up message on the home menu that says something like, System Update is ready. Update now? With A for yes and B for no. Obviously you always want to say "no". It usually pops up when you turn on your console, or sometimes when you're quitting back to the home menu from a game.
 
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