3DS:Ntrboot/usage: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:39, 21 January 2024

ntrboot allows .firm payloads to run entirely independent from the console's firmware, so it can be used to fix all known software issues. However, it can also cause the same issues if used incorrectly - be careful to get things right the first time, as the instructions may be harder to follow after a failed attempt.

If you are a power user, you may wish to always use GodMode9 as the default boot.firm loaded by your flashcart. You will always have its functionality available this way, and GodMode9 is capable of chainloading into other payloads as needed through the FIRM Options... menu of a .firm file.

Reinstalling the bootloader

This section only installs boot9strap and is not a replacement for a full CFW install. If your system does not yet have custom firmware, follow the link at the top of the page.

If you have installed a bootloader that cannot boot the system normally with CFW otherwise working, you can run GodMode9, SafeB9SInstaller, or OpenFirmInstaller via ntrboot to install a valid bootloader in its place. The following instructions will have you run SafeB9SInstaller through GodMode9 to avoid an issue with the Checking microSD card... step of SafeB9SInstaller.

What you need

The latest release of [SafeB9SInstaller] (the .zip file that isn't the source code)
The latest release of [GodMode9] (the .zip file that isn't the source code)
The latest release of [boot9strap] (the boot9strap-#.#.zip file - not ntr-devkit, ntr, or devkit)

Instructions

Section I - Prep Work

Insert the flashcart's SD card into your computer
Copy SafeB9SInstaller.firm from the SafeB9SInstaller .zip to the root of your SD card
Copy GodMode9.firm from the GodMode9 .zip to the root of your SD card and rename it to boot.firm
Reinsert the flashcart's SD card into your flashcart
Insert the console's SD card into your computer
Create a folder named boot9strap on the root of your SD card
Copy boot9strap.firm and boot9strap.firm.sha from the boot9strap .zip to the boot9strap folder on your SD card
Reinsert the console's SD card into your console

Section II - ntrboot and installation

Use your magnet to find the spot on your device that triggers sleep mode
Power off your console and insert the flashcart
Set the magnet into place (or on an old 2DS, enable the sleep mode switch), then hold START, SELECT, and X and press POWER - continue to hold the other three buttons for around five seconds
- This may take a few tries to work since the positioning is awkward - if you boot into anything other than GodMode9, power off and try again
Remove the magnet or disable the sleep mode switch - if the exploit was successful, you will have booted into GodMode9
If asked, press B to deny setting RTC and/or doing an essential files backup, then navigate to SafeB9SInstaller.firm and press A, choose FIRM Options... and then choose Boot FIRM.
When prompted, input the key combo given on the top screen to install boot9strap
When the install is complete, hold the power button to forcibly power off your console
Depending on why you had to reinstall boot9strap, you may also want to follow Finalizing Setup from the CFW install guide at this point

Recovering from software bricks

If your console has been bricked not due to hardware damage, then you can recover the system with ntrboot by loading GodMode9. From there, you can use needed tools depending on the specific issue - the most common three are listed as follows.

Recovering from an unusable NAND

See how to restore a NAND backup for more specific instructions. If you do not have a NAND backup, you will instead need a CTRTransfer, a manual CTRTransfer, or help from the Nintendo Homebrew Discord, depending on how severe your issue is. If you have a copy of essentials.exefs backed up, then even in the worst-case scenario you will only need a manual CTRTransfer.

Recovering from corrupted FIRM partitions

Reinstall boot9strap, even if you see a BootROM error when powering on your console.

Issues with uninstalling custom firmware

If you have a NAND backup from when you first installed custom firmware, restore it. If you do not, then reinstall boot9strap and then follow Restoring / Updating CFW to make the system usable again.

Installing CFW in edge cases

For cases where your system cannot normally install CFW, such as from any buttons other than START+SELECT+X+POWER being broken or software issues that result in all install methods failing - the normal pathways and the alternate pathways) alike - ntrboot can still install CFW.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{lowercase title}}{{hatnote|This article is for general guidance on how to use ntrboot for various purposes. For instructions specifically on installing custom firmware, follow [[3dsguide:installing-boot9strap-(ntrboot)|our custom firmware installation guide's page.]]}}
-'''ntrboot''' allows <code>.firm</code> payloads to run entirely independent from the console's firmware, so it can be used to fix all software issues short of a locked NAND. However, it can also cause the same issues if used incorrectly - be careful to get things right the first time, as the instructions may be harder to follow after a failed attempt.
-{{info|text=If you are a power user, you may wish to always load [[3DS:GodMode9|GodMode9]] as the default <code>boot.firm</code> on your flashcart. You will always have its functionality available this way, and GodMode9 is capable of chainloading into other payloads as needed through the <code>FIRM Options...</code> menu of a <code>.firm</code> file.}}
-==Reinstalling the bootloader==
+'''ntrboot''' allows <code>.firm</code> payloads to run entirely independent from the console's firmware, so it can be used to fix all known software issues. However, it can also cause the same issues if used incorrectly - be careful to get things right the first time, as the instructions may be harder to follow after a failed attempt.
+{{info|text=If you are a power user, you may wish to always use [[3DS:GodMode9|GodMode9]] as the default <code>boot.firm</code> loaded by your flashcart. You will always have its functionality available this way, and GodMode9 is capable of chainloading into other payloads as needed through the <code>FIRM Options...</code> menu of a <code>.firm</code> file.}}
+== Reinstalling the bootloader ==
 {{warning|text=This section only installs boot9strap and is not a replacement for a full CFW install. If your system does not yet have custom firmware, follow the link at the top of the page.}}
 If you have installed a bootloader that cannot boot the system normally with CFW otherwise working, you can run GodMode9, SafeB9SInstaller, or OpenFirmInstaller via ntrboot to install a valid bootloader in its place.
@@ Line 11: / Line 14: @@
 *The latest release of [[https://github.com/d0k3/GodMode9/releases/latest GodMode9]] (the <code>.zip</code> file that isn't the source code)
 *The latest release of [[https://github.com/SciresM/boot9strap/releases/latest boot9strap]] (the <code>boot9strap-#.#.zip</code> file - '''not''' ntr-devkit, ntr, or devkit)
-===Instructions===
-====Section I - Prep Work====
+=== Instructions ===
+==== Section I - Prep Work ====
 # Insert the '''flashcart's SD card''' into your computer
 # Copy <code>SafeB9SInstaller.firm</code> from the SafeB9SInstaller <code>.zip</code> to the root of your SD card
@@ Line 22: / Line 28: @@
 # Reinsert the '''console's SD card''' into your console
-====Section II - ntrboot and installation====
+==== Section II - ntrboot and installation ====
 # Use your magnet to find the spot on your device that triggers sleep mode
 # Power off your console and insert the flashcart
@@ Line 31: / Line 38: @@
 # When prompted, input the key combo given on the top screen to install boot9strap
 # When the install is complete, hold the power button to forcibly power off your console
+# Depending on why you had to reinstall boot9strap, you may also want to follow [[3dsguide:finalizing-setup|Finalizing Setup]] from the CFW install guide at this point
+== Recovering from software bricks ==
-==Recovering from software bricks==
 If your console has been [[Brick|bricked]] ''not due to hardware damage'', then you can recover the system with ntrboot by loading GodMode9. From there, you can use needed tools depending on the specific issue - the most common three are listed as follows.
-===Recovering from an unusable NAND===
+=== Recovering from an unusable NAND ===
-See [[3DS:GodMode9/Usage#Restoring_a_NAND_backup|how to restore a NAND backup]] for more specific instructions. If you do not have a NAND backup, you will instead need [[3DS:CTRTransfer|a CTRTransfer]], [[https://3ds.eiphax.tech/bible a manual CTRTransfer]], or [[3DS:Lazarus3DS||Lazarus3DS donor files]] potentially alongside a hardmod, depending on how severe your issue is.
+See [[3DS:GodMode9/Usage#Restoring_a_NAND_backup|how to restore a NAND backup]] for more specific instructions. If you do not have a NAND backup, you will instead need [[3dsguide:CTRTransfer|a CTRTransfer]], [[3DS:CTRTransfer/Manual|a manual CTRTransfer]], or help from [https://discord.gg/C29hYvh the Nintendo Homebrew Discord], depending on how severe your issue is. If you have a copy of <code>essentials.exefs</code> backed up, then even in the worst-case scenario you will only need a manual CTRTransfer.
+=== Recovering from corrupted FIRM partitions ===
+[[#Reinstalling the bootloader|Reinstall boot9strap]], even if you see [[3DS:BootROM_8046_screen|a BootROM error when powering on your console.]]
+=== Issues with uninstalling custom firmware ===
-===Recovering from corrupted FIRM partitions===
+If you have a NAND backup from when you first installed custom firmware, [[3DS:GodMode9/Usage#Restoring_a_NAND_backup|restore it.]] If you do not, then [[#Reinstalling the bootloader|reinstall boot9strap]] and then follow [[3dsguide:restoring-updating-cfw|Restoring / Updating CFW]] to make the system usable again.
-See [[#Reinstalling the bootloader]], even if you see [[3DS:BootROM_8046_screen|a BootROM error when powering on your console.]]
-===Issues with uninstalling custom firmware===
+== Installing CFW in edge cases ==
-If you have a NAND backup from when you first installed custom firmware, [[3DS:GodMode9/Usage#Restoring_a_NAND_backup|restore it.]] If you do not, then [[3dsguide:index|reinstall custom firmware]] to make the system usable again.
-==Installing CFW in edge cases==
+For cases where your system cannot normally install CFW, such as from any buttons other than {{B|START|SELECT|X|POWER}} being broken or software issues that result in all install methods failing - [[3dsguide:index|the normal pathways]] and [[3DS:Alternate_Exploits|the alternate pathways]]) alike - ntrboot can still install CFW.
-For cases where your system cannot normally install CFW (such as being unable to use seedminer or having broken parts of the system that make it impossible to follow [[3DS:Alternate_Exploits|any of the alternate pathways]]), ntrboot can still install CFW.
 [[Category:Nintendo 3DS guides]]