N3DS XL USA
✔ downgraded 9.5 --> 9.2.
✔ Set up RxTools CFW and EmuNAND, unlinked NANDs, set up coldboot to EmuNAND, installed Cias
✔ Updated EmuNAND to 9.5
✔ eShop access
followed these guides in order with (a very slow and hard fought) success:
https://www.reddit.com/r/3dshacks/comments/3zwyl2/four_awesome_tutorials_to_get_you_through_all_of/
Downgrading:
downgrading wasn't smooth. I tried to do it thru browserhax entry point, going into FTPBrony first and then sysupdater but that didn't work. so i setup menuhax and it still wasn't working. and then it eventually just worked because it wanted to, which I hear is the case. But when sysupdater completed and said it was rebooting in 10seconds, it rebooted into a black screen. Was convinced I soft bricked and tried to boot iinto safemode. that didn't work so I was convinced I was full-bricked. Found out that you need to delete your EXTDATA folder. That was scary but I booted into 9.2.
Setting up RxTools CFW and Emunand:
I was a bit more comfortable at this point, I felt like I was more concerned with corrupting my system and having to start fresh from a sysnand backup. Installing the necessary CIAs was a bit difficult. I was following the steps but was getting error messages thrown back at me until suddenly it just worked. Super annoying.
Updated EmuNAND to 9.5:
Went smoothly.
eShop access and other loose ends:
Not too necessary a step, but I wanted my system to function as a normal one would so i made sure i could access the eshop. I also installed HBlauncher-loader so I could access the Homebrew launcher from emunand. In retrospect that was completely useless since homebrew launcher access through emunand seems incredibly buggy. I courrupted HBLauncher-loader which bothered me but uninstalling and reinstalling seemed to work.
All in all a very painful and daylong task, but all is well that ends well. I like to tinker like this so it wasn't too demanding, but this process could be smoother (and prettier).
