Backup / Restore 3DS System with GodMode9
GodMode9 by dok3 is a powerful file manager for 3DS that comes with a myriad of useful features from system backup/restore, dumping cartridges and converting 3DS game files between different formats. This guide will show you how to backup and restore your 3DS system, this is highly recommended and one of the first things you should do after hacking your 3DS.
Required Downloads
- GodMode9 (latest version)
Hacked (New) Nintendo 3DS (XL) Console with Luma3DS CFW
- Booting into GodMode9 requires a hacked 3DS console to use the Luma3DS chain loader
- Follow this guide (with pictures) or Plailect’s guide on hacking your 3DS if you have not done so before
- An SD Card is required to store the exploit files and homebrew apps
- 32GB or more is recommended to store games
- The SD card must be formatted to FAT32
- MicroSD cards are compatible with Old 3DS consoles via a MicroSD to SD adapter
Installing / Updating GodMode9
- Insert your 3DS SD card into your PC
- Extract the GodMode9
.zip
- Copy
GodeMode9.firm
to the/luma/payloads/
folder on your SD card - Copy the
/gm9/
folder to the root of your SD card - Insert your SD card into your 3DS
Backup 3DS NAND
GodMode9’s backup feature will backup your entire 3DS system sans the SD card so that you can rollback your 3DS to a working state if anything goes tragically wrong.
- Power on your 3DS while holding [START] to boot into GodMode9
- Press [A] If prompted to backup essential files or set RTC date & time, then press [A] to continue once completed
- Press [Home] for the action menu
- Select [Scripts…]
- Select [GM9Megascript]
- Select [Backup Options]
- Select [SysNAND backup]
- Press [A] to confirm
- Wait for the process to complete
- Press [A] to return to the main menu once complete
- Press [Home] to bring up the action menu
- Select [Poweroff system] to power off your 3DS
- Insert your SD card into your PC
- Go to the
/gm9/out/
folder on your SD card - Copy the
_sysnand_##.bin
,_sysnand_##.bin.sha
andessential.exefs
files to a safe location on your computer and delete the files from your SD card
Restoring 3DS NAND
GodMode9’s restore feature will allow you to restore your entire 3DS internal storage using a previously created backup file. Restoring from a SysNAND backup should be reserved as a last resort and a less drastic solution is likely to be possible unless your 3DS is completely inoperable (bricked).
- Insert your 3DS SD card into your PC
- Copy your
_sysnand_##.bin
backup file to the root of your SD Card - Insert your SD card into your 3DS
- Power on your 3DS while holding [START] to boot into GodMode9
- Press [A] If prompted to backup essential files or set RTC date & time, then press [A] to continue once completed
- From the GodMode9 main menu, select [SDCARD ( )]
- Select your
_sysnand_##.bin
backup file - Select [NAND image options…]
- Select [Restore SysNAND (safe)]
- Enter the button combination to confirm the SysNAND overwrite
- Enter the button combination to unlock SysNAND lvl1 writing permissions
- Wait for the process to complete
- Press [A] to continue once complete
- Press [A] to relock write permissions
- Press [Home] for the action menu
- Select [Poweroff system]
3DS Hacks and Homebrew
Installing 3DS Backups and Homebrew
- Install 3DS backups and homebrew easily with FBI
Play DS Games with TWiLight Menu++
- Play Nintendo DS ROM’s flawlessly using TWiLight Menu++
- The application also features a built-in cheats manager
Install Virtual Console Games (GBC, GBA, SNES etc)
- Convert ROM’s to Virtual Console titles and install them directly to your Home menu using New Super Ultimate Injector
Dump Cartridges to SD
- Play your games without the cartridge inserted by dumping them directly to your SD card with GodMode9
- Cartridges can be dumped as multiple formats:
.cia
for 3DS consoles,.3ds
for emulators or.nds
for Nintendo DS games