Homebrew Weird issue with A9LH and boot

[HyperT]

Yes, but in order to get it to boot without SD, you have to inject Luma into CTRNAND, see below from that thread:

Try putting Luma arm9loaderhax.bin like @mashers suggested. If the SD-less version gives preference to SD you should be able to recover, if not, I don't know what you could do but hardmod.

You are wrong there; OP hasn't installed SDLess luma - it's a A9LH commit to load a mini-CFW [with just firm protection afair ] - its the commit that was used to make ShadowNAND/SDSafe etc. - the mini-cfw is housed within the a9lh installation payloads [or the firm0].

That is if this installed correctly. Not sure how you would check; it is what I'm running at the minute as well, not being able to load luma .bins would point to a9lh not being installed... Can you boot without sdcard, then insert it and see if you can change the theme - just to check if the system can read the sdcard.

 

[Saternoir]

You are wrong there; OP hasn't installed SDLess luma - it's a A9LH commit to load a mini-CFW [with just firm protection afair ] - its the commit that was used to make ShadowNAND/SDSafe etc. - the mini-cfw is housed within the a9lh installation payloads [or the firm0].

That is if this installed correctly. Not sure how you would check; it is what I'm running at the minute as well, not being able to load luma .bins would point to a9lh not being installed... Can you boot without sdcard, then insert it and see if you can change the theme - just to check if the system can read the sdcard.

That's it! I did not know how to explain it.

Well it work'd well till that day I said in the OP, I'll try it in my house

 

[el_gonz87]

You are wrong there; OP hasn't installed SDLess luma - it's a A9LH commit to load a mini-CFW [with just firm protection afair ] - its the commit that was used to make ShadowNAND/SDSafe etc. - the mini-cfw is housed within the a9lh installation payloads [or the firm0].

That is if this installed correctly. Not sure how you would check; it is what I'm running at the minute as well, not being able to load luma .bins would point to a9lh not being installed... Can you boot without sdcard, then insert it and see if you can change the theme - just to check if the system can read the sdcard.

Interesting, I just started following it, seems it had a A9LH had a complete re-design in terms of SD-less boot. I just installed latest release and it talks about injecting CFW into CTRNAND

 

[HyperT]

Interesting, I just started following it, seems it had a A9LH had a complete re-design in terms of SD-less boot. I just installed latest release and it talks about injecting CFW into CTRNAND

Yea, the latest is a full CFW i.e. Luma and its the first official SDless from AW. The previous stuff was just a commit that wasn't added to a release build. A few people released stuff with the commit added though, and some others built/added stuff on i.e. ShadowNAND/3DSafe etc.

And as its a full CFW it needs adding to nand due to the size.

 

[el_gonz87]

Yea, the latest is a full CFW i.e. Luma and its the first official SDless from AW. The previous stuff was just a commit that wasn't added to a release build. A few people released stuff with the commit added though, and some others built/added stuff on i.e. ShadowNAND/3DSafe etc.

And as its a full CFW it needs adding to nand due to the size.

Interesting just looking at code through my beginner glasses, it appears as though it initializes the NAND after the SDMC, does that mean it always gives preference to the CFW inserted into the NAND?

 

[HyperT]

Interesting just looking at code through my beginner glasses, it appears as though it initializes the NAND after the SDMC, does that mean it always gives preference to the CFW inserted into the NAND?

I haven't looked at the code yet; but as it's now a full CFW it would make sense that the nand cfw takes preference - at least for fresh installs [i.e. first time installing a9lh]. There's probably a setting in the luma config though I'd imagine...

Not sure if the current godmode9 install method is good long-term in regards to luma updates - and not sure about how 'safe' an auto-updater/copy-paste to nand would be.

 

[el_gonz87]

I haven't looked at the code yet; but as it's now a full CFW it would make sense that the nand cfw takes preference - at least for fresh installs [i.e. first time installing a9lh]. There's probably a setting in the luma config though I'd imagine...

Not sure if the current godmode9 install method is good long-term in regards to luma updates - and not sure about how 'safe' an auto-updater/copy-paste to nand would be.

Yeah that is my worry as well so I haven't added it to CTRNAND, also what if that sector gets corrupted by using G9 or a CTRNAND transfer gone bad, etc.
If it still thinks it sees the file but it fails to load it, then payloads will be useless and a hardmod will be required.

I'll see if I can ask AW

 

[HyperT]

Yeah that is my worry as well so I haven't added it to CTRNAND, also what if that sector gets corrupted by using G9 or a CTRNAND transfer gone bad, etc.
If it still thinks it sees the file but it fails to load it, then payloads will be useless and a hardmod will be required.

I'll see if I can ask AW

I'm sure the payloads will have 1st preference as always.
CTRNAND is easily recovered; so no issue there. A9LH is installed to FIRM0/1 - and it's messing with FIRMS that can cause bricks [i.e. stop access to payloads]

So it would be:
Firms load == a9lh starts.
If key pressed a9lh payload starts
CTRNAND loads == luma starts if present
CFW/default payload loaded from sdcard

EDIT. Looks to me like sdcard default payload [/arm9loaderhax.bin] - is the one loaded/looked for first

 

[Saternoir]

Try replacing the A9LH payload (usually /arm9loaderhax.bin) with something else, such as hourglass9. If it boots directly to that payload then the problem is with Luma. If it ignores that payload, then you have either lost your A9LH or there's a problem with your SD card [slot].

Can you boot without sdcard, then insert it and see if you can change the theme - just to check if the system can read the sdcard.

Tried both things, still crashing.

 

[el_gonz87]

Tried both things, still crashing.

when you boot without SD, does it crash prior to inserting the SD card?

 

[Saternoir]

when you boot without SD, does it crash prior to inserting the SD card?

if you mean if it crash even without SD, i should say it does not, but sometimes it cracks in the topscreen

 

[HyperT]

if you mean if it crash even without SD, i should say it does not, but sometimes it cracks in the topscreen

And is the sdcard picked up if you insert it after booting?


Have you tried booting with sdcard in without a arm9loaderhax.bin or with a v5.5 luma?


These are long-shots; as you should still be able to boot a9 payloads - the only think that fits your reported situation is a busted sdcard/reader.

 

[Saternoir]

And is the sdcard picked up if you insert it after booting?


Have you tried booting with sdcard in without a arm9loaderhax.bin or with a v5.5 luma?


These are long-shots; as you should still be able to boot a9 payloads - the only think that fits your reported situation is a busted sdcard/reader.

Yeah it picks up the sdcard after booting

Nothing new happens, just crashing.

 

[HyperT]

Try messing with the sdcard files, I guess:

1. Try renaming Nintendo 3DS folder
2. Try an empty SD

...

 

[Saternoir]

Try messing with the sdcard files, I guess:

1. Try renaming Nintendo 3DS folder
2. Try an empty SD

...

Already tried this, with several SDs and formatted ones, still the issue.

 

[moopas]

If it picks up SD after booting, then try booting, inserting SD, loading up homebrew with entry of choice, completely remove a9lg (including SDless), then do a fresh install of a9lh. This is of course assuming that you boot fine, and the SD is readable after boot then inserting. My assumption is that the SDless upgrade of a9lh was borked. Try sticking to same types, or complete fresh installs. This is also just one of a few reasons I kept sysnand on 9.2, juuust in case a9lh updates mess with me.

However, if your sysnand is above 9.2, and you cant completely remove a9lh and fresh install, you could at least restore a nand backup at that point, yes? If not, last option I can think of is just to try reupdating.

 

[el_gonz87]

Yeah it A9LH and NAND seem to be working properly so it's gotta be SD card related.

If it picks up SD after booting, then try booting, inserting SD, loading up homebrew with entry of choice, completely remove a9lg (including SDless), then do a fresh install of a9lh. This is of course assuming that you boot fine, and the SD is readable after boot then inserting. My assumption is that the SDless upgrade of a9lh was borked. Try sticking to same types, or complete fresh installs. This is also just one of a few reasons I kept sysnand on 9.2, juuust in case a9lh updates mess with me.

However, if your sysnand is above 9.2, and you cant completely remove a9lh and fresh install, you could at least restore a nand backup at that point, yes? If not, last option I can think of is just to try reupdating.

It crashes on him seconds after sd card is inserted.

Short of a hardmod I don't know what else to do...

Maybe there was a bug in that version of a9lh. I stick to stable releases since I don't have hardmod

 

[HyperT]

Yeah it A9LH and NAND seem to be working properly so it's gotta be SD card related.


It crashes on him seconds after sd card is inserted.

Short of a hardmod I don't know what else to do...

Maybe there was a bug in that version of a9lh. I stick to stable releases since I don't have hardmod

The issue there is; if there's a short created by the sdcard/reader a hardmod [NAND restore] won't be much use. OP will need to take a look at the sdcard reader it seems.
Is there a sdformat tool in settings or somewhere - so the OP can try that?