Convert 3ds To Cia Godmode

| Posted on by



Convert.3DS to.CIA. Notes: As of the time of writing (8/30/17) the 'Dump Citra Files script' requires the 1.3.4+ Nightly of GodMode9. Cartridge-Dump-Scripts.zip 2.15 KB. Convert.3DS-to.CIA.zip 544 Bytes. Dump-Boot9.bin-and-Boot11.bin.zip 507 Bytes. Dump-Citra-Files.zip 830 Bytes. I have recently hacked my 3DS with Luma3DS (with Homebrew, Godmode and the other modifying applications) so I could play Pokemon Renegade Platinum. I am unsure how to convert the NDS file to CIA so it can work. I also don't know where to put the file. Sorry if the post is unclear. Thank you for reading.

The below wiki article is based on user submitted content.
Please verify all hyperlinks and terminal commands below!

See a mistake? Want to contribute? Edit this article on Github

How to Transfer 3DS Save Data to Citra

There are multiple ways to transfer 3DS save data to Citra in a usable form, but the important thing to note is that whatever tool used to get the save data off of the 3DS supports exporting expanded save data. Save data lives in Citra’s emulated SD card directories (user/sdmc/Nintendo 3DS/000...0/000...0/title/[game-TID-high]/[game-TID-low]/data/00000001/).

threeSD

3ds

threeSD is a tool written to help import data from your 3DS for Citra more conveniently.

Refer to threeSD Quickstart Guide for importing your installed titles, updates, DLCs, save data, extra data, system files, etc. Note that you’ll still need a hacked 3DS with GodMode9 to obtain your keys so that threeSD can decrypt the data on your SD card.

Checkpoint

As the supported way of transferring save data, Checkpoint is easy to install and use.

Required tools

  • A 3DS with boot9strap installed
  • Checkpoint.
  • SD card reader (preferred), or a way to use wireless file transfer

Installing Checkpoint

  1. Download Checkpoint from the link above.
  2. For cia installation, transfer the cia file to the SD card and install it with a cia installer such as FBI. For Rosalina-based Homebrew Launcher, transfer the 3dsx file to /3ds/ on the SD card. Hax-based Homebrew Launchers are not supported by Checkpoint.

Transferring Save Data

  1. Open Checkpoint. If this is the first time launching Checkpoint, it may take a considerably longer than usual depending on the amount of installed titles.
  2. Highlight the game you want to dump by navigating to it with the D-pad.
  3. Press A and select Backup on the bottom screen. You will be prompted Yes or No. Select Yes by pressing A.
  4. You will have the option to name the save folder. Name it whatever you want or use the name given to it. Press OK on the bottom screen.
  5. The top screen will flash a message Success! Progress correctly saved to disk. Exit out of Checkpoint.
  6. Transfer all files located in /3ds/Checkpoint/saves/[Game Name]/[Folder created in Step 4] to the computer.
  7. Place the files in Citra’s emulated SD card’s save directory. You can open the save directory by right-clicking on a game in Citra and clicking “Open Save Data Directory”. If the directory doesn’t exist, start the game once and the directory will be created.
Example diagram showing the correct location of New Super Mario Bros. 2 save data in Citra’s User Directory.
영어로 지원이 필요하시다면 닌텐도 홈브류 디스코드에 도움을 요청해 보세요.

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

Required Reading

GodMode9 is a full access file browser for the Nintendo 3DS console, giving you access to your SD card, the FAT partitions inside your SysNAND and EmuNAND, and basically anything else. Among other functionality, you can copy, delete, rename files, and create folders.

Note that if you have any payload files other than GodMode9.firm in the /luma/payloads/ folder on your SD card, holding (Start) on boot will display a “chainloader menu” where you will have to use the D-Pad and the (A) button to select “GodMode9” for these instructions.

GodMode9 is powerful software that has the capability to modify essentially anything on your console. Though many of these modifications are locked behind a permissions system, and it is impossible to accidentally perform dangerous actions without deliberately unlocking permissions, you should still follow instructions carefully and keep backups just in case.

Updating GodMode9

Some of the instructions below are only applicable to the latest version of GodMode9, and as such you should follow this section to update your copy before continuing. Overwrite any existing files.

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

Creating a NAND Backup

  1. Launch GodMode9 by holding (Start) during boot
  2. Press (Home) to bring up the action menu
  3. Select “Scripts…”
  4. Select “GM9Megascript”
  5. Select “Backup Options”
  6. Select “SysNAND Backup”
  7. Press (A) to confirm
    • This process will take some time
    • If you get an error, make sure that you have at least 1.3GB of free space on your SD card
  8. Press (A) to continue
  9. Press (B) to return to the main menu
  10. Select “Exit”
  11. Press (A) to relock write permissions if prompted
  12. Hold (R) and press (B) at the same time to eject your SD card
  13. Insert your SD card into your computer
  14. Copy <date>_<serialnumber>_sysnand_###.bin and essential.exefs from the /gm9/out/ folder on your SD card to a safe location on your computer
    • Make backups in multiple locations (such as online file storage)
    • These backups will save you from a brick and/or help you recover files from the NAND image if anything goes wrong in the future
  15. Delete <date>_<serialnumber>_sysnand_###.bin and <date>_<serialnumber>_sysnand_###.bin.sha from the /gm9/out/ folder on your SD card after copying it
  16. Reinsert your SD card into your device
    • If your SD card was not detected, hold (R) and press (B) at the same time to remount it

Restoring a NAND Backup

  1. Launch GodMode9 by holding (Start) during boot
  2. Hold (R) and press (B) at the same time to eject your SD card
  3. Insert your SD card into your computer
  4. Copy <date>_<serialnumber>_sysnand_###.bin from your computer to the /gm9/out/ folder on your SD card
  5. Reinsert your SD card into your device
  6. Press (Home) to bring up the action menu
  7. Select “Scripts…”
  8. Select “GM9Megascript”
  9. Select “Restore Options”
  10. Select “SysNAND Restore (safe)”
  11. Select your NAND backup
  12. Press (A) to unlock SysNAND (lvl3) writing, then input the key combo given
    • This will not overwrite your boot9strap installation
    • This process will take some time
  13. Press (A) to continue
  14. Press (B) to return to the main menu
  15. Select “Exit”
  16. Press (A) to relock write permissions if prompted

Injecting any .CIA app into Health & Safety

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

Note that it is not possible to inject files into Health & Safety that are larger than it (including games and other large applications)

  1. Launch GodMode9 by holding (Start) during boot
  2. Navigate to [0:] SDCARD -> cias
  3. Press (A) on your .cia to select it, then select “CIA image options…”, then select “Mount image to drive”
  4. Press (A) on the .app file, then select “NCCH image options”, then select “Inject to H&S”
  5. Press (A) to unlock SysNAND (lvl1) writing, then input the key combo given
  6. Press (A) to continue
  7. Press (A) to relock write permissions if prompted

Restoring Health & Safety after injecting a .CIA app

This will only work if the Health & Safety injection was performed by GodMode9 (not Decrypt9 or Hourglass9).

  1. Launch GodMode9 by holding (Start) during boot
  2. Press (Home) to bring up the action menu
  3. Select “More…”
  4. Select “Restore H&S”
  5. Press (A) to unlock SysNAND (lvl1) writing, then input the key combo given
  6. Press (A) to relock write permissions if prompted

Dumping a Game Cartridge

Insert the game cartridge you intend to dump into your device

  • 3DS game cartridges will be dumped to an installable .cia format
  • NDS game cartridges will be dumped to a non-installable .nds format compatible with flashcarts and emulators
  1. Launch GodMode9 by holding (Start) during boot
  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 “Build CIA from file”
    • NDS Game Cartridge: Press (A) on [TitleID].trim.nds to select it, then select “Copy to 0:/gm9/out”
  4. Your installable .cia or non-installable .nds formatted file will be outputted to the /gm9/out/ folder on your SD card

Dumping a Title

  1. Launch GodMode9 by holding (Start) during boot
  2. Hover over the drive applicable to the type of title you wish to dump:
    • User Installed Title: [A:] SYSNAND SD
    • System Title: [1:] SYSNAND CTRNAND
  3. Hold (R) and press (A) at the same time to open the drive options
  4. Select “Search for titles”
  5. Press (A) to continue
  6. Press (A) on the .tmd file to select it, then select “TMD file options…”, then select “Build CIA (standard)”
  7. Your installable .cia formatted file will be outputted to the /gm9/out/ folder on your SD card

Converting a .3DS to .CIA

  • For organizational purposes, copy each .3ds file you wish to convert to the /cias/ folder on your SD card
    • Note that if you wish to convert a .3ds file that is already on a flashcart, you should follow Dumping a Game Cartridge
  1. Launch GodMode9 by holding (Start) during boot
  2. Navigate to [0:] SDCARD -> cias
  3. Press (A) on your .3ds file 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

How To Convert 3ds To Cia Godmode9

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

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 hovering over [A:] SYSNAND SD, holding (R) and pressing (A) at the same time, then selecting “Search for titles”.

  1. Do the following process for each GBA VC game that you want to backup the save for:
    • Launch the GBA VC game
    • Exit the GBA VC game
    • Boot your device while holding (Start) to launch the Luma3DS chainloader menu
    • Launch GodMode9 by pressing (A)
    • Navigate to [S:] SYSNAND VIRTUAL
    • Press (A) on agbsave.bin to select it
    • Select “AGBSAVE options…”
    • Select “Dump GBA VC save”
    • Press (A) to continue
    • Press (Start) to reboot your device

Restore GBA VC Saves

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 hovering over [A:] SYSNAND SD, holding (R) and pressing (A) at the same time, then selecting “Search for titles”.

  1. Do the following process for each GBA VC game that you want to restore the save for:
    • Launch the GBA VC game
    • Exit the GBA VC game
    • Boot your device while holding (Start) to launch the Luma3DS chainloader menu
    • Launch GodMode9 by pressing (A)
    • Navigate to [0:] SDCARD -> gm9
    • Press (Y) on the <TitleID>.gbavc.sav file you wish to restore to copy it
    • Press (B) to return to the main menu
    • Navigate to [S:] SYSNAND VIRTUAL
    • Press (A) on agbsave.bin to select it
    • Select “AGBSAVE options…”
    • Select “Inject GBA VC save”
    • Press (A) to continue
    • Press (Start) to reboot your device
    • Launch the GBA VC game
    • Exit the GBA VC game

Format an SD card

Note that this will erase the contents of your SD card!

  1. Launch GodMode9 by holding (Start) during boot
  2. Press (Home) to bring up the action menu
  3. Select “More…”
  4. Select “SD format menu”
  5. Select any EmuNAND options you wish to use
    • Most users will want to select “No EmuNAND”
  6. Select “Auto”
  7. Press (A) to accept the label GM9SD
    • Optionally, you may input a custom name for the SD card
  8. When prompted, input the key combo given to confirm
Convert 3ds To Cia Godmode

Encrypting / Decrypting a .CIA file

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

  1. Launch GodMode9 by holding (Start) during boot
  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

Convert 3ds To Cia Windows

Removing an NNID without formatting your device

  1. Launch GodMode9 by holding (Start) during boot
  2. Press (Home) to bring up the action menu
  3. Select “Scripts…”
  4. Select “GM9Megascript”
  5. Select “Scripts from Plailect’s Guide”
  6. Select “Remove NNID”
  7. Press (A) to continue
  8. Press (A) to unlock SysNAND (lvl1) writing, then input the key combo given
  9. Press (A) to continue
  10. Press (B) to return to the main menu
  11. Select “Exit”
  12. Press (A) to relock write permissions if prompted
  13. Press (Start) to reboot your device