Trying to back up SD card for homebrew but I get a lot of io errors

[Diapo]

I wanted to back up the SD card that I use for homebrew on my 3ds xl, so I inserted it in my laptop (linux) and first I tried to dd it to an .img file but I got io errors so I mounted it and could navigate it without any problems. So I started copying all the files from the mountpoint to a separate folder which also gave me io errors on a lot of my games, almost all .nds, .3ds and a lot of files from ctgp-7, but I've never had a problem on the 3ds itself so I'm wondering what the issue is and if there is a solution I'm not aware of.

in the attached image, you see the difference between the folder I copied and the original

 

[worm28]

when i got a larger 256gb sd card for my 3ds i just formatted it to fat32 64kb and made sure its mbr partition not gpt i think any card 128gb and larger needs to be fat32 64kb and any smaller cards is fat32 32kb and then just copy and paste your files from your old card to the new one.

 

[lone_wolf323]

when i got a larger 256gb sd card for my 3ds i just formatted it to fat32 64kb and made sure its mbr partition not gpt i think any card 128gb and larger needs to be fat32 64kb and any smaller cards is fat32 32kb and then just copy and paste your files from your old card to the new one.

not really. i use 256gb with 32kb without any hassle, its more for if theres issues that show up i would suggest trying to format to the other. tho its more a personal preference at this point.

 

[Diapo]

not really. i use 256gb with 32kb without any hassle, its more for if theres issues that show up i would suggest trying to format to the other. tho its more a personal preference at this point.

so the issue is about the formatting of the sd card? is there a way i can still recover the files or do I just have to redownload them?

 

[worm28]

does your old card still have the data on it if so format the new card correctly and then copy and paste the data to the new card.

 

[Diapo]

does your old card still have the data on it if so format the new card correctly and then copy and paste the data to the new card.

but i can't copy and paste all of it, i get an io error on some files

 

[worm28]

but i can't copy and paste all of it, i get an io error on some files

Well the folder called nintendo or maybe its called nintendo 3ds i cant remember but that folder has all of your installed 3ds games on it if that folder will copy then your games are saved it will save you a lot of hassle everything else you might need to reinstall.

 

[Diapo]

Well the folder called nintendo or maybe its called nintendo 3ds i cant remember but that folder has all of your installed 3ds games on it if that folder will copy then your games are saved it will save you a lot of hassle everything else you might need to reinstall.

the files that didnt get copied are : a lot of files from ctgp-7, a lot of games, mostly 3ds, most .nds seem to be there, probably a lot of technichal files for twilight menu i think and almost all of nzp but deleted that anyways because I played it maybe once

Post automatically merged: Aug 20, 2024

I had an Idea, i'll try to get them with ftp, I can't try rn because I don't have access to the console

 

[Kwyjor]

almost all .nds, .3ds and a lot of files from ctgp-7, but I've never had a problem on the 3ds itself

There is zero reason to keep .3ds files on your SD card. After installation the 3DS never touches them again. (You shouldn't even really have .3ds files; those are cartridge dumps primarily useful for flashcards. Usually .cia files are sufficient.) Considering that they are probably the largest files on your SD card, they are also the most likely to be affected if your SD card starts failing.

.nds files can just be downloaded or re-dumped from wherever you found them in the first place, so there's not much point in worrying about those either. The only thing you should be concerned about is your save data, which you should dump with Checkpoint while you can.

 

[Diapo]

There is zero reason to keep .3ds files on your SD card. After installation the 3DS never touches them again. (You shouldn't even really have .3ds files; those are cartridge dumps primarily useful for flashcards. Usually .cia files are sufficient.) Considering that they are probably the largest files on your SD card, they are also the most likely to be affected if your SD card starts failing.

.nds files can just be downloaded or re-dumped from wherever you found them in the first place, so there's not much point in worrying about those either. The only thing you should be concerned about is your save data, which you should dump with Checkpoint while you can.

I assume all these 00000000.app files are the games? if yes, that's good to know, and the saving the save data thing is really a good idea, didn't even think of it, thanks

 

[Kwyjor]

The key thing to note is that everything in the "Nintendo 3DS" folder is encrypted with a key unique to your unit. (Doing a System Format also changes the key.) You won't be able to use any of that data on another unit.

That is why it is important to make backups with Checkpoint, because those are decrypted and completely portable.

 

[Diapo]

The key thing to note is that everything in the "Nintendo 3DS" folder is encrypted with a key unique to your unit. (Doing a System Format also changes the key.) You won't be able to use any of that data on another unit.

That is why it is important to make backups with Checkpoint, because those are decrypted and completely portable.

ah ok thank you