3DS:Dump titles and game cartridges

"3DS:DUMP" redirects here. For dumping system files, see 3DS:Dump system files.

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For support (in English) with GodMode9, as well as help with scripting and to get updates and info, join GodMode9 on Discord.

Aside from creating and restoring NAND backups, GodMode9 has the functionality to dump installed titles to an installable .cia file, to dump game cartridge data to a .3ds ROM file, and to directly install a game cartridge to the system.

Updating GodMode9

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These instructions are written for use with GodMode9 v2.0.0 or later. If you have an older version of GodMode9, follow these instructions to update it.

What You Need

• The latest release of GodMode9

Instructions

1. Power off your device
2. Insert your SD card into your computer
3. Copy GodMode9.firm from the GodMode9 .zip to the /luma/payloads/ folder on your SD card
4. Copy the gm9 folder from the GodMode9 .zip to the root of your SD card
5. Reinsert your SD card into your device

Installing a game cartridge directly to the system

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This will only work for 3DS games; it is not possible to install an NDS game cartridge to the system as a title. Instead, you can dump your NDS game cartridge and use a homebrew app to run it from the SD card.

1. Press and hold Start, and while holding Start, power on your device. This will launch GodMode9
2. Navigate to [C:] GAMECART
3. Press A on <TitleID>.trim.3ds to select it, then select NCSD image options…, then select Install game image
4. Press A to unlock SysNAND (lvl1) writing, then input the key combo given
5. Once the process is complete, your game will show up in the HOME Menu as an installed title.

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Save data is not automatically copied, you must do it yourself with a save manager such as Checkpoint.

Dumping a game cartridge

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Insert the game cartridge you intend to dump into your device. 3DS game cartridges will be dumped to a .3ds format. NDS game cartridges will be dumped to a .nds format.

1. Press and hold Start, and while holding Start, power on your device. This will launch GodMode9
2. Navigate to [C:] GAMECART
3. Follow the steps applicable to your game cartridge:
   • 3DS Game Cartridge: Press A on <TitleID>.trim.3ds to select it, then select NCSD image options..., then select Decrypt file (0:/gm9/out).
   • NDS Game Cartridge: Press A on <TitleID>.nds to select it, then select Copy to 0:/gm9/out
     • Trimmed dumps are not recommended for NDS games in general, as they can cause various playback issues
4. Your non-installable .3ds or .nds formatted file will be outputted to the /gm9/out/ folder on your SD card

Dumping an installed title

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This allows dumping of both System- and User-installed digital titles, such as ones downloaded from the eShop.

1. Press and hold Start, and while holding Start, power on your device. This will launch GodMode9
2. Press Home to bring up the action menu
3. Select Title manager
4. Select one of the following depending on the type of title you wish to dump
   • User Installed Title: [A:] SD CARD
   • System Title / DSiWare: [1:] NAND / TWL
5. Select the title you wish to dump
6. Select Manage Title…
7. Select Build CIA (standard)
8. Your installable .cia formatted file will be outputted to the /gm9/out/ folder on your SD card

Dumping a 3DS game cartridge to CIA

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This should only be used if Installing a Game Cartridge Directly to the System does not work.

1. Press and hold Start, and while holding Start, power on your device. This will launch GodMode9
2. Navigate to [C:] GAMECART
3. Press A on <TitleID>.trim.3ds to select it, then select NCSD image options…, then select Build CIA from file
4. Your installable .cia formatted file will be outputted to the /gm9/out/ folder on your SD card

Backup GBA VC saves

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The game will be outputted to the /gm9/out/ folder on your SD card with the name <TitleID>.gbavc.sav.

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To identify a <TitleID>.gbavc.sav file’s Title ID, you can get a listing of all games on the system and their corresponding Title IDs by pressing Home to bring up the action menu, selecting Title manager, and selecting [A:] SD CARD.

1. Do the following process for each GBA VC game that you want to back up the save for:
   1. Launch the GBA VC game
   2. Exit the GBA VC game
   3. Power off your device
   4. Press and hold Start, and while holding Start, power on your device. This will launch GodMode9
   5. Navigate to [S:] SYSNAND VIRTUAL
   6. Press A on agbsave.bin to select it
   7. Select AGBSAVE options…
   8. Select Dump GBA VC save
   9. Press A to continue
   10. Press Start to reboot your device

Restore GBA VC saves

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To identify a <TitleID>.gbavc.sav file’s Title ID, you can get a listing of all games on the system and their corresponding Title IDs by pressing Home to bring up the action menu, selecting Title manager, and selecting [A:] SD CARD.

1. Do the following process for each GBA VC game that you want to restore the save for:
   1. Launch the GBA VC game
   2. Exit the GBA VC game
   3. Power off your device
   4. Press and hold Start, and while holding Start, power on your device. This will launch GodMode9
   5. Navigate to [0:] SDCARD -> gm9 -> out
   6. Press Y on the <TitleID>.gbavc.sav file you wish to restore to copy it
   7. Press B to return to the main menu
   8. Navigate to [S:] SYSNAND VIRTUAL
   9. Press A on agbsave.bin to select it
   10. Select AGBSAVE options…
   11. Select Inject GBA VC save
   12. Press A to continue
   13. Press Start to reboot your device
   14. Launch the GBA VC game
   15. Exit the GBA VC game

Encrypting / Decrypting a CIA file

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For organizational purposes, copy each .cia file you wish to encrypt / decrypt to the /cias/ folder on your SD card.

1. Press and hold Start, and while holding Start, power on your device. This will launch GodMode9
2. Navigate to [0:] SDCARD -> cias
3. Press A on the .cia file to select it, then select CIA image options…
4. Select the option to perform the desired function:
   • Encrypt to 0:/gm9/out: Create an encrypted copy of the selected .cia file in the /gm9/out/ folder on your SD card
   • Decrypt to 0:/gm9/out: Create a decrypted copy of the selected .cia file in the /gm9/out/ folder on your SD card
   • Encrypt inplace: Replace the selected .cia file with an encrypted version
   • Decrypt inplace: Replace the selected .cia file with a decrypted version
5. Your encrypted / decrypted .cia will be outputted to the desired location