3DS:Alternate Exploits/Old Finalizing Setup

Required Reading

The file boot.firm is what is launched by boot9strap itself after it finishes loading off of NAND. In this case, we are using Luma3DS by LumaTeam to patch the console, allowing it to run homebrew software.

This guide will have you make critical system file backups and install the following homebrew programs:

• FBI (installs CIA formatted applications)
• Anemone3DS (installs custom themes)
• Checkpoint (backs up and restores save files for 3DS and DS games)
• Universal-Updater (a homebrew app store for downloading homebrew from the 3DS over Wi-Fi)
• GodMode9 (multipurpose tool which can do NAND and cartridge functions)
• Homebrew Launcher Loader (launches the Homebrew Launcher)

What You Need

• The latest release of Anemone3DS (the .cia file)
• The v3.7.4 release of Checkpoint (the .cia file)
• The latest release of Homebrew Launcher Wrapper (the .cia file)
• The latest release of Universal-Updater (the .cia file)
• The latest release of FBI (both the .cia and .3dsx files)
• The latest release of GodMode9 (the GodMode9 .zip file)

Instructions

Section I - Prep Work

In this section, you will copy the files necessary to follow the rest of the instructions on this page.

1. Power off your console
2. Insert your SD card into your computer
3. Create a folder named cias on the root of your SD card if it does not already exist
4. Copy all of the CIA files (Anemone3DS.cia, Checkpoint.cia, FBI.cia, Homebrew_Launcher.cia, and Universal-Updater.cia) you downloaded earlier to the /cias/ folder on your SD card
5. Create a folder named 3ds on the root of your SD card if it does not already exist
   • This folder stores homebrew applications and data; it is different from the Nintendo 3DS folder that the console automatically generates
6. Copy FBI.3dsx to the /3ds/ folder on your SD card
7. Create a folder named payloads in the luma folder on your SD card if it does not already exist
8. Copy GodMode9.firm from the GodMode9 .zip to the /luma/payloads/ folder on your SD card
9. Copy the gm9 folder from the GodMode9 .zip to the root of your SD card
10. Reinsert your SD card into your console
11. Power on your console

Section II - Updating the System

In this section, you will update your system to the latest version, which is safe to do with custom firmware.

1. Update your console by going to System Settings, then “Other Settings”, then going all the way to the right and using “System Update”
   • Updates while using B9S + Luma (what you have) are safe
   • You may get a message saying “Your system is up to date” instead of updating. This is normal if you are already up to date; continue with the next section
   • If this gives you an error, ensure both your DNS settings and Proxy are set to “auto”
   • If this still gives you an error, follow this troubleshooting guide

Section III - Homebrew Launcher

In this section, you will temporarily replace Download Play with Homebrew Launcher (which we need to launch FBI). Download Play will automatically go back to normal once you reboot your console.

1. Launch the Download Play application
2. Wait until you see the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS buttons
3. Press L + ↓ + Select at the same time to open the Rosalina menu
4. Select “Miscellaneous options”
5. Select “Switch the hb. title to the current app.”
6. Press B to continue
7. Press B to return to the Rosalina main menu
8. Press B to exit the Rosalina menu
9. Press Home, then close Download Play
10. Launch the Download Play application
11. Your console should load the Homebrew Launcher
    • If your console is stuck on the loading splash screen or crashes to a screen with white text, you are missing boot.3dsx from the root of your SD card. To fix this, download the latest Luma3DS release and extract all files to the root of your SD card, overwriting if asked

Section IV - RTC and DSP Setup

In this section, you will sync your 3DS internal clock with the actual time and dump the sound firmware (which is necesssary for some homebrew software to use sound properly).

1. Press L + ↓ + Select at the same time to open the Rosalina menu
2. Select “Miscellaneous options”
3. Select “Dump DSP firmware”
4. Press B to continue
5. Select “Nullify user time offset”
6. Press B to continue
7. Press B to return to the Rosalina main menu
8. Press B to exit the Rosalina menu

Section V - Installing CIAs

In this section, you will install several useful homebrew applications to HOME Menu.

1. Launch FBI from the list of homebrew
2. Navigate to SD -> cias
3. Select “<current directory>”
4. Select the “Install and delete all CIAs” option, then press (A) to confirm
5. Press Home, then X to close Download Play

Section VI - CTRNAND Luma3DS

In this section, you will use a script to copy some of Luma3DS’s files to internal memory so that they can be accessed, even without an SD card inserted.

1. Power off your console
2. Press and hold Start, and while holding Start, power on your console. This will launch GodMode9
   • If you boot to Luma3DS Chainloader, select GodMode9
     • If you do not boot into GodMode9, ensure that GodMode9.firm is in /luma/payloads/ and that payloads is correctly spelled
3. If you are prompted to create an essential files backup, press A to do so, then press A to continue once it has completed
4. If you are prompted to fix the RTC date&time, press A to do so, set the date and time, then press A to continue
5. Press Home to bring up the action menu
6. Select “Scripts…”
7. Select “GM9Megascript”
8. Select “Scripts from Plailect’s Guide”
9. Select “Setup Luma3DS to CTRNAND”
10. When prompted, press A to proceed
11. Press A to unlock SysNAND (lvl1) writing, then input the key combo given
12. Press A to continue

Section VII - Cleanup SD Card

In this section, you will use a script to remove some unnecessary files from your SD card.

1. When prompted, press A to proceed
2. Press A to continue
3. Press B to return to the main menu

Section VIII - Backup Essential Files

In this section, you will make backups of files that can be used to recover from software bricks or to recover data.

1. Select “Backup Options”
2. Select “SysNAND Backup”
3. Press A to confirm
   • This process will take some time
   • If you get an error, look for your issue in the troubleshooting guide
4. Press A to continue
5. Press B to return to the main menu
6. Select “Exit”
7. Press A to relock write permissions if prompted
8. Navigate to [S:] SYSNAND VIRTUAL
9. Press A on essential.exefs to select it
10. Select “Copy to 0:/gm9/out”
    • If you see “Destination already exists”, press A on “Overwrite file(s)”
11. Press A to continue
12. Press Home to bring up the action menu
13. Select “Poweroff system” to power off your console
14. Insert your SD card into your computer
15. Copy <date>_<serialnumber>_sysnand_##.bin, <date>_<serialnumber>_sysnand_##.bin.sha, and essential.exefs from the /gm9/out/ folder on your SD card to a safe location on your computer
    • Copy these backups to multiple locations (such as online file storage, an external hard drive, etc.)
    • These backups will save you from a brick and/or help you recover files from the NAND image if anything goes wrong in the future
16. Delete <date>_<serialnumber>_sysnand_##.bin and <date>_<serialnumber>_sysnand_##.bin.sha from the /gm9/out/ folder on your SD card after copying it
    • The other backup files are negligible in size and may be kept on your SD card for ease of access
17. If you have it, copy the /luma/backups/ folder on your SD card to a safe location on your computer
18. Reinsert your SD card into your console
19. Power on your console

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You’re done! Custom firmware is now fully configured on your console.

Information and Notes Here are some key combos that you should know: Holding Select on boot will launch the Luma3DS configuration menu. Holding Start on boot will launch GodMode9, or if you have multiple payloads in /luma/payloads/, the Luma3DS chainloader. By default, pressing L + ↓ + Select while in 3DS mode will open the Rosalina menu, where you can check system information, take screenshots, enable cheats, and more. This can be changed from the Rosalina menu. If you have a modified Luma config, this key combination may be X + Y instead. Holding Start + Select + X on boot will make the notification LED show a color for debug purposes. See here for what each color means.

See here for some suggestions on things to do with custom firmware.

For information on using GodMode9’s various features, check out the GodMode9 Usage and Dumping Titles and Game Cartridges pages.