It's here!

​

Info

@Normmatt has created a way to run B9S .firm files from bootrom via a DSi Flashcard and a magnet! This works on every 3DS on any firmware version.

For installation without a PC, user @TheCyberQuake has created a pack which will automatically install B9S and copy over essential starter homebrew from the flashcard's SD to the 3DS's. This will mainly be used for PC-less B9S installations. If you have a PC with you, use 3ds.guide. Read more here: https://gbatemp.net/threads/481141/

How does this work?

This works because of a flaw in the bootrom. Before the bootrom boots the NAND, it checks to see if Start+Select+X is held down, and if the shell is closed. If these requirements are met, it will boot an NDS cartridge from the bootrom. This give that cartridge bootrom access. You might be wondering how you'd hold down buttons while the shell is closed, and why you need a magnet. If you put a magnet in a specific spot on the 3DS, it will go into sleep mode. Using this, you can boot the NDS cartridge with the buttons held down while in sleep mode! Using a reflashable flashcard, you can boot B9SInstaller using the flashcard, and easily install it on your 3DS.

The 2DS doesn't need a magnet since a switch puts it to sleep instead of a magnet.

What does this mean?

1. Any 3DS model on any firmware can be hacked with minimal effort
2. You can unbrick any 3DS model from any type of brick.
   - Remember, you don't need a NAND backup for this. Just do a CTRTransfer.
   - This does not apply to MCU bricks.
3. Even consoles with fried NAND, or even the NAND chip physically removed, can use this

This is incredibly impressive stuff, and will most likely be released soon! edit: now!

FAQ

Q: Can Nintendo patch this?
A: Nope! Not without a new hardware revision.

Q: My flashcard is blocked by my firmware! Can I still use this?
A: Yes! The flashcard blacklist is not enabled on the bootrom.

Q: Why can't this work with my flashcard?
A: The installation requires you to flash NTRBoot to the flashcard's nand. Most DS flashcards, such as the original R4, have a ROM, which is not flashable.

Q: Can I install NTRBoot on my flashcard without another 3DS system?
A: If you can run NDS roms on your 3DS with it, then yes. If it's blocked on your 3DS version, then you'll need another 3DS system to use it.

Q: Will my 3DS flashcard work?
A: No, only the NDSi flashcards listed above.

Q: Will any other flash cards work?
A: Only the ones listed in the OP. However keep in mind that flashcards such as the DSTT, Supercard DS2 and R4 SDHC Dualcore are planned to be supported in the future.

Q: I tried to do this with my cartridge and it didn't work?
A: It doesn't work with regular DS cards.

Q: Can I unbrick from a ____ brick?
A: Considering the card has access to the bootrom, yes! This can unbrick any brick (except MCU), unless you've taken a knife to the motherboard.

Q: Can I install B9S on the latest firmware with this?
A: Again, since the card has access to the bootrom, you can do this easily! Just plug in your flashcard, boot up using the magnet and button combination, and install.

Q: Does this work on the New Nintendo 2DS XL?
A: Yes!

Release
Guide
Free NTRBoot Flashing
Free B9S Installations

Here is SciresM's post about this

Please see SciresM's presentation on bootromhax.​

 

[RY0M43CH1Z3N]

Wait until the flasher has been updated to fully support the DSTT. Then follow one of these guides.

There's also a thread for free NTRBoot flashing and free B9S installations, if you find someone close to you, you can ask them to do it, as you still need to pay for shipping
Free NTRBoot Flashing
Free B9S Installations

I'll wait for it

I can't Access to this links

 

[DarkDante]

Just spend the $20 lol

Yes this is on fire now there's no time to wait!

I'll just sit over here and wait patiently for my SC DStwo to be compatible

 

[Deleted member 381889]

I'll wait for it

I can't Access to this links

You need 100 posts to access the trading sections, sorry

 

[RY0M43CH1Z3N]

You need 100 posts to access the trading sections, sorry

No problema in a few days i'll archieve XD

Saved the links you gave. Thank you for all!! You are the best

 

[Shabakers]

How to use and enable cheat guys?

 

[annson24]

How to use and enable cheat guys?

Wrong place to ask for that pal.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Cuphat]

Apparently the DSTT only has like 64KB flash space, so current release builds of B9S don't work on it.

Attached is the latest commits for ntrboot_flasher as well as boot9strap_ntr (booting from ntrboot.firm instead of boot.firm) in case anyone wants to try it.

Edit: Renamed the boot9strap folder in the zip to ntrboot as that is what ntrboot_flasher uses.

 

[annson24]

Apparently the DSTT only has like 64KB flash space, so current release builds of B9S don't work on it.

Attached is the latest commits for ntrboot_flasher as well as boot9strap_ntr (booting from ntrboot.firm instead of boot.firm) in case anyone wants to try it.

How'd you trimmed the boot9strap size from ~60kB down to 30kB? And what did you removed?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Cuphat]

How'd you trimmed the boot9strap size from ~60kB down to 30kB? And what did you removed?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

The only thing I changed was boot.firm to ntrboot.firm. The size reduction was from a recent commit.

 

[Alex S]

I just wish there were more updates on DSTWO Support. Its like there is an invisible Person Mocking me for buying this cart when it launched at this point because Literally every other cart under the sun is being worked on or has finished and all you see for dstwo is just under planned carts. All im asking for is just for a simple progress update or two. Thats all.

 

[annson24]

@squall14716 , the latest commit of boot9strap finally worked for me. At least two out of three DSTTs I have. Thanks for pointing out the flash space. Will now post issue regarding the one DSTT that didn't worked.

EDIT: Nevermind, the one DSTT that didn't worked wasn't supported. I could've sworn I saw it in the supported section. Anyway, I can confirm with my two DSTTs that SPANSION MBM29LV400BC flashchip works properly.

 

[RustInPeace]

I just wish there were more updates on DSTWO Support. Its like there is an invisible Person Mocking me for buying this cart when it launched at this point because Literally every other cart under the sun is being worked on or has finished and all you see for dstwo is just under planned carts. All im asking for is just for a simple progress update or two. Thats all.

Part of me wishes this wasn't released until much later. While there was a wait for NTRBoot in general to come out, I was able to just go about my days not thinking about it, and then it came out, big surprise and excitement...and only a few cards supported. If it was released much later, there'd be more cards officially supported, and either I jump right into it, or not wait too long for a card to be supported compared to now. Case in point, I just bought an R4i RTS Gold card, tired of waiting, but I got some extra money that didn't factor into my personal budget and savings. I just hope R4 SDHC RTS Lite support doesn't come before this card is delivered, that's the one I was eagerly waiting for support on. Otherwise I'll feel like a goof for not just waiting.

 

[floxigen]

I regret too, at a time it was considered the best cart with best sorry, well this time is over

 

[floxigen]

Well I have a old 3ds with Zelda four sword on it so I'll dsihax my new 2ds anyway

Envoyé de mon SM-G930F en utilisant Tapatalk

 

[RedBlueGreen]

Part of me wishes this wasn't released until much later. While there was a wait for NTRBoot in general to come out, I was able to just go about my days not thinking about it, and then it came out, big surprise and excitement...and only a few cards supported. If it was released much later, there'd be more cards officially supported, and either I jump right into it, or not wait too long for a card to be supported compared to now. Case in point, I just bought an R4i RTS Gold card, tired of waiting, but I got some extra money that didn't factor into my personal budget and savings. I just hope R4 SDHC RTS Lite support doesn't come before this card is delivered, that's the one I was eagerly waiting for support on. Otherwise I'll feel like a goof for not just waiting.

We don't necessarily know we would have more compatible cards. A big issue is that the team developing it doesn't have some of the cartridges (like R4 SDHC and some clone or more obscure cards probably).

 

[RustInPeace]

We don't necessarily know we would have more compatible cards. A big issue is that the team developing it doesn't have some of the cartridges (like R4 SDHC and some clone or more obscure cards probably).

While that's true, more time means the prospect of buying more carts and researching them. Regardless, it's out now and I appreciate that, I'm just playing a what-if scenario.

 

[MrJason005]

The developers need to figure out how to write to flash chip of the flashcart. That involves figuring out the chip's write commands, searching for obscure datasheets and also somehow communicating to the chip through the SLOT-1 bus. Sure, you could hook up an arduino and flash it with the SPI protocol, but not everyone has this capability.
And in order to flash it through SLOT-1, you need to know the flashcart's chip's protocols. Since these chips are made by the chinese for the chinese and for specifically only this application, there isn't much information.

Their tactic so far has been fuzzing (trying various commands until something works), or getting a logic analyzer attached to the flashcart's motherboard and checking what the card does when you use the chinese application that updates it so that it isn't blocked on latest firmware. However, logic analyzer software is quite expensive.

 

[tonyrayo]

To expand a bit on what @MrJason005 said, I understand that to people who aren't familiar with software development cycles (and even more specifically; reverse engineering), that it could seem like developers are just messing about or giving false hope to people. This project (as well as the underlining flashcart library) involves quite a bit of poking and proding across numerous SKUs (if you want to call flashcart variations that) that never followed any real standard or was supplied with documentation of any kind, much less low level programming. There will be developments, because this community is awesome, however timely updates will likely not be a thing (although I hope people continue to be pleasently surprised when they come about!)

 

[Alex S]

To expand a bit on what @MrJason005 said, I understand that to people who aren't familiar with software development cycles (and even more specifically; reverse engineering), that it could seem like developers are just messing about or giving false hope to people. This project (as well as the underlining flashcart library) involves quite a bit of poking and proding across numerous SKUs (if you want to call flashcart variations that) that never followed any real standard or was supplied with documentation of any kind, much less low level programming. There will be developments, because this community is awesome, however timely updates will likely not be a thing (although I hope people continue to be pleasently surprised when they come about!)

So its still too much to ask about the progress of one card in specific, when no info has been even discussed outside of an issue on github? ( i mean its like the DSTWO is either the most complex cart in the world or the most hated because at least 7 different r4 cards work now...)

 

[Cuphat]

So its still too much to ask about the progress of one card in specific, when no info has been even discussed outside of an issue on github? ( i mean its like the DSTWO is either the most complex cart in the world or the most hated because at least 7 different r4 cards work now...)

One family of R4i cards are supported. The rest are all minor variations and clones (one being an AK2i clone).

And, yeah, as far as DS carts go, I am pretty sure the DSTWO is the most complex cart.