ROM Hack [Tutorial] How to Decrypt, Extract & Rebuild 3DS|CIA|CXI Files

[ThoD]

Trying to extract UM from 3 different CIAs here (leaked one, FreeShop dump and Villain3DS one), but always getting the same result. It extracts alright, but instead of folders, all I'm getting is a list of ".bin" files (eg: DecryptedRomFS.bin), which normally wouldn't be a problem, but ctrtool is being annoying and it keeps giving me "Unkown file" errors while the RomFSExtractor.exe just outright crashes the moment I hit "go"! I want to make a romhack but I can't because of all this, any way I can fix it? It does this every now and then with other games too (eg: with MHXX it will either work half the time or it will give me just the .bin files the other half):/ I just tried extracting the three UM cias I got over 10 times each just in case but no luck!

 

[bobbysaran]

mine extracts as a .bin file instead of folders any idea why?

 

[Majickhat55]

Guys you HAVE to know if the file you downloaded was encrypted or not. If you're dumping a .CIA with freeshop it's decrypted, if you download one from a warez site, it's decrypted. You either have to encrypt it again with Godmode9 BEFORE extracting it with v11 of HackingToolKit. Otherwise, you need to use V9 that extracts decrypted .CIAs. V11 ONLY works on encrypted .CIAs that you'd get directly from the CDN.

That's why you guys are all getting .bin files and not the extracted folders.

 

[ThoD]

Guys you HAVE to know if the file you downloaded was encrypted or not. If you're dumping a .CIA with freeshop it's decrypted, if you download one from a warez site, it's decrypted. You either have to encrypt it again with Godmode9 BEFORE extracting it with v11 of HackingToolKit. Otherwise, you need to use V9 that extracts decrypted .CIAs. V11 ONLY works on encrypted .CIAs that you'd get directly from the CDN.

That's why you guys are all getting .bin files and not the extracted folders.

I'm using V10 first of all. Second, as I said, I used three different CIAs with the same result (FreeShop, Villain3DS and one cartridge dump). Anyway, redownloaded from Villain3DS just in case and it worked somehow... It gave me both .bins and folders, so now I'm editing it with Pk3DS!

If the way the program handles encrypted and unencrypted CIAs changed between versions, why is there no mention of that in the change logs though? Would make sense to include it...:/

 

[susanoomon]

I'm having an issue with rebuilding the cia... it goes through the process alright but when it finishes it doesn't create a modded cia file.... Am I doing something wrong somewhere or is it the version I'm using? I'm using v5.3 btw

 

[Majickhat55]

I'm using V10 first of all. Second, as I said, I used three different CIAs with the same result (FreeShop, Villain3DS and one cartridge dump). Anyway, redownloaded from Villain3DS just in case and it worked somehow... It gave me both .bins and folders, so now I'm editing it with Pk3DS!

If the way the program handles encrypted and unencrypted CIAs changed between versions, why is there no mention of that in the change logs though? Would make sense to include it...:/

Meh I'm not the dev but the differences are between HacktinToolKit3DS (all versions only work with decrypted titles) and HackingToolKit9DS (All versions only work with encrypted titles). Your case must have just been a bad download. Either way, Asia81 mentioned it more than once in the thread and updated the OP and the change logs. He's French, but he did say there is no need to decrypt the files anymore, just neglected to mention you HAVE to leave them that way to extract them using version 10<.

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

I'm having an issue with rebuilding the cia... it goes through the process alright but when it finishes it doesn't create a modded cia file.... Am I doing something wrong somewhere or is it the version I'm using? I'm using v5.3 btw

You need at least version 9. Older versions never had working .CIA builders.

 

[ThoD]

Meh I'm not the dev but the differences are between HacktinToolKit3DS (all versions only work with decrypted titles) and HackingToolKit9DS (All versions only work with encrypted titles). Your case must have just been a bad download. Either way, Asia81 mentioned it more than once in the thread and updated the OP and the change logs. He's French, but he did say there is no need to decrypt the files anymore, just neglected to mention you HAVE to leave them that way to extract them using version 10<.

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


You need at least version 9. Older versions never had working .CIA builders.

Thanks for the explanation. Btw, about the CIA builders, pretty much no version does, even at v11 CIA building isn't working right (says so even in the logs). I may get a working CIA like 1% of the time, but that's at best... Not that I care, layeredFS is enough for romhack patches.

 

[susanoomon]

if the cia i used to extract the romfs files from doesn't get modded can i just replace the cia file to a different one or do i have to re-extract the files on the one i replace it with?

 

[noX1609]

Can i extract the code.bin with that tool?

Because i search a tool which can be used to extract the file so i can apply modifications to it.
Want to apply the patch to it so i can scan qr codes to import pokemon created with pkhex.
Or does this work with a different method already?

 

[Majickhat55]

Thanks for the explanation. Btw, about the CIA builders, pretty much no version does, even at v11 CIA building isn't working right (says so even in the logs). I may get a working CIA like 1% of the time, but that's at best... Not that I care, layeredFS is enough for romhack patches.

It works for me, but I've noticed it only works on .CIAs that are like less than 2GB otherwise it says it's done and doesn't give me the file; but it worked great on Pokemon Crystal.

 

[Asia81]

It works for me, but I've noticed it only works on .CIAs that are like less than 2GB otherwise it says it's done and doesn't give me the file; but it worked great on Pokemon Crystal.

It work on any CIA (including 2GB+, make sure you have enough RAM to rebuild them) except in V10+ because the CIA rebuild script is broken and I need an update or ctrtool/3dstool.

Can i extract the code.bin with that tool?

Yes.

 

[susanoomon]

It work on any CIA (including 2GB+, make sure you have enough RAM to rebuild them) except in V10+ because the CIA rebuild script is broken and I need an update or ctrtool/3dstool.


Yes.

hey Asia81, for trying to randomize ultra sun and moon with a cia which version should i use?

 

[pz64]

I'm here because I just want to convert a .cxi into a .3ds
I'm not interested in editing the banner or music or any of that. So can this tool be used as simply a converter or not?

 

[lordkaos]

I'm here because I just want to convert a .cxi into a .3ds
I'm not interested in editing the banner or music or any of that. So can this tool be used as simply a converter or not?

no.

 

[susanoomon]

Anyone here know why the 3ds hacking tool isn't creating a moded cia file? It says it did but there is no modes cia in the folder...

 

[ThoD]

It works for me, but I've noticed it only works on .CIAs that are like less than 2GB otherwise it says it's done and doesn't give me the file; but it worked great on Pokemon Crystal.

It didn't for me some time back when I was trying to make a CIA of the English patch for MHXX that included the 1.2 update. That was about 37MBs... Worked for me after two tries though (using V9).

It work on any CIA (including 2GB+, make sure you have enough RAM to rebuild them) except in V10+ because the CIA rebuild script is broken and I need an update or ctrtool/3dstool.

Is the CIA rebuild gonna be fixed in the next release or it's not a priority? I mainly will be using layeredFS to apply the patch of the romhack I'm making, but at some point, I would like to have the option of being able to simply install it over the game so NTR will work with it too (layeredFS from Luma and NTR with plugin crash on extended memory games on O3DS unless the plugin is tiny and PCalc is slightly too big, enough to crash the game often).

Anyone here know why the 3ds hacking tool isn't creating a moded cia file? It says it did but there is no modes cia in the folder...

Use V9, it should work according to OP.

 

[cevaceva]

I'm using V10 first of all. Second, as I said, I used three different CIAs with the same result (FreeShop, Villain3DS and one cartridge dump). Anyway, redownloaded from Villain3DS just in case and it worked somehow... It gave me both .bins and folders, so now I'm editing it with Pk3DS!

If the way the program handles encrypted and unencrypted CIAs changed between versions, why is there no mention of that in the change logs though? Would make sense to include it...:/

Villain3DS only gives you encrypted version of the games? or can you get decrypted versions too from there which works with citra? maybe i asked a stupid question but i wanna be sure.

 

[susanoomon]

So it seems that .3ds files work well with this but is there an easy and quick way to turn it into a cia file?

 

[Shadow#1]

So it seems that .3ds files work well with this but is there an easy and quick way to turn it into a cia file?

Godmode9

 

[cevaceva]

Hey so i got a different ultra moon decrypted file which i was able to extract and edited it useing the latest pk3ds but now my question is: how do i rebuild it into a 3ds file? cause pk3ds gives error saying that my romfs file count does not match the orginal file count so is there another program which can rebuild it? (i remember i used something in the past but i forgot its name...)