Hacking R4i 3DS Plus on a 3DS XL or Sky3DS+, completely lost, not working

[urbanriot]

A few months back I bought an R4i Gold 3DS Plus and a Sky3DS+ but I can get none of them to work and I feel like I'm missing some important step to get them to work on my recently purchased 3DS XL.

I used a tool that came with one of those to make a backup .3DS file with two of the carts I own. Thinking that maybe those were goofy, I grabbed .3DS files from a site for those games and I have the same issue, but I think both of those flashcards should give me a menu anyhow...?

I've given up on the Sky3DS+ entirely, big waste of money, it just doesn't work with a validated Sandisk MicroSD card. Formatted it five ways from sunday following guides, tried three different MicroSD cards, other manufacturers, no matter what this thing just doesn't want to work so I gave up...

But the R4i Gold 3DS Plus, is it plug and play or do I have to do that switch change, wood firmware business? I just want to use my 3DS games on the go without bringing the carts with me. No Nintendo DS games.

I tried the tutorial on their site and it just doesn't work for me.

I tried this step with the magnet:
8.Hold (Power) + (Start) + (Select) + (X) for several seconds, then release the buttons

But I just get the blue LED and then it goes out.

 

[Dani Dandelion]

Try following this guide using your R4. Chances are you're just missing a couple steps from there.

EDIT: Your R4, despite its full name, won't play 3DS games, only DS roms. But it will help get you what you want, anyway.

 

[urbanriot]

Try following this guide using your R4. Chances are you're just missing a couple steps from there.

You know it's not-funny funny... I wasn't missing any steps at all but the original guide from www.r4ids.cn/r4ids-e.htm is responsible for wasting so much of my time. They don't say at all "remove the screws at the back of your 3DS and there's an SD card hidden in there that you need to remove to add the files we're talking about here..." but instead say "your SD card", which is the SD card that goes into the flash cart since it's the only SD card you know about!!!

Even the plethora of YouTube videos I watched on the R4i Gold 3DS Plus skip that entirely.

I booted Luma3DS and chose “Show NAND or user string in System Settings”, and it rebooted back to main Nintendo 3DS menu so I think it did what it needed... I'll try again after work.

---
Thanks the the link, I'd seen that site but your direct link clearly stated "This is the SD card from your 3DS, not the SD card from your flashcart". Of course that lead to a lot of confusion because I couldn't find the SD card slot. Googling various keywords I came to the Nintendo site which detailed removing the screws. I think if my model 3DS XL had a more prominent SD-card slot I probably would have realized this sooner.

 

[Dani Dandelion]

"Don't follow video tutorials for 3DS hacking" is a common mantra around here. 3ds.hacks.guide is the one that stays up-to-date. Glad you got Luma working, though.

 

[urbanriot]

I believe I'm entirely successful considering I can hold Start for Godmode9 and have homebrew apps in the main menu so thanks again.

Does the R4i Gold 3DS Plus serve any purpose now that I'm where I'm at?

 

[Dani Dandelion]

Does the R4i Gold 3DS Plus serve any purpose now that I'm where I'm at?

If you don't want NDS roms or DS homebrew, then you can keep the R4 around for brick-recovering purposes. And hacking any 3DS within arm's reach.

 

[larrypretty]

A few months back I bought an R4i Gold 3DS Plus and a Sky3DS+ but I can get none of them to work and I feel like I'm missing some important step to get them to work on my recently purchased 3DS XL.

I used a tool that came with one of those to make a backup .3DS file with two of the carts I own. Thinking that maybe those were goofy, I grabbed .3DS files from a site for those games and I have the same issue, but I think both of those flashcards should give me a menu anyhow...?

I've given up on the Sky3DS+ entirely, big waste of money, it just doesn't work with a validated Sandisk MicroSD card. Formatted it five ways from sunday following guides, tried three different MicroSD cards, other manufacturers, no matter what this thing just doesn't want to work so I gave up...

But the R4i Gold 3DS Plus, is it plug and play or do I have to do that switch change, wood firmware business? I just want to use my 3DS games on the go without bringing the carts with me. No Nintendo DS games.

I tried the tutorial on their site and it just doesn't work for me.

I tried this step with the magnet:
8.Hold (Power) + (Start) + (Select) + (X) for several seconds, then release the buttons

But I just get the blue LED and then it goes out.

When do you get the sky3ds+? Are you trying to contact the seller? I have this card as well, works and plays games without issues.