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---
title: "Dumping Titles and Game Cartridges"
---
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{% include toc title="Table of Contents" %}
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For support (in English) with GodMode9, as well as help with scripting and to get updates and info, join [GodMode9 on Discord](https://discord.gg/BRcbvtFxX4).
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### Required Reading
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Aside from creating and restoring NAND backups, GodMode9 has the functionality to dump installed titles to an installable `.cia` file, dump game cartridge data to a `.3ds` ROM file, or directly install a game cartridge to the system.
This page is a comprehensive guide to extracting game data from the system or the cartridge.
## 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.
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### What You Need
* The latest release of [GodMode9](https://github.com/d0k3/GodMode9/releases/latest)
### Instructions
1. Power off your device
1. Insert your SD card into your computer
1. Copy `GodMode9.firm` from the GodMode9 `.zip` to the `/luma/payloads/` folder on your SD card
1. Copy the `gm9` folder from the GodMode9 `.zip` to the root of your SD card
1. Reinsert your SD card into your device
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## Dumping a Game Cartridge
{% capture notice %}
Insert the game cartridge you intend to dump into your device
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+ 3DS game cartridges will be dumped to a `.3ds` format
+ NDS game cartridges will be dumped to a `.nds` format
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{% endcapture %}
<div class="notice--info">{{ notice | markdownify }}</div>
1. Press and hold (Start), and while holding (Start), power on your device. This will launch GodMode9
1. Navigate to `[C:] GAMECART`
1. Follow the steps applicable to your game cartridge:
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+ **3DS Game Cartridge:** Press (A) on `[TitleID].trim.3ds` to select it
+ **NDS Game Cartridge:** Press (A) on `[TitleID].trim.nds` to select it
1. Select "Copy to 0:/gm9/out"
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1. Your installable `.cia` or non-installable `.nds` formatted file will be outputted to the `/gm9/out/` folder on your SD card
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## Installing a Game Cartridge Directly to the System
This will only work for 3DS games; it is not possible to install an NDS game cartridge to the system as a title.
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1. Press and hold (Start), and while holding (Start), power on your device. This will launch GodMode9
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1. Navigate to `[C:] GAMECART`
1. Press (A) on `[TitleID].trim.3ds` to select it, then select "NCSD image options...", then select "Install game image"
1. Press (A) to unlock SysNAND (lvl1) writing, then input the key combo given
1. Your game will now show up in the HOME menu as an installed title
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## Dumping a 3DS Game Cartridge to .CIA
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This should only be used if [Installing a Game Cartridge Directly to the System](#installing-a-game-cartridge-directly-to-the-system) does not work.
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<div class="notice--info">{{ notice | markdownify }}</div>
1. Press and hold (Start), and while holding (Start), power on your device. This will launch GodMode9
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1. Navigate to `[C:] GAMECART`
1. Press (A) on `[TitleID].trim.3ds` to select it, then select "NCSD image options...", then select "Build CIA from file"
1. Your installable `.cia` formatted file will be outputted to the `/gm9/out/` folder on your SD card
## Dumping a Title
1. Press and hold (Start), and while holding (Start), power on your device. This will launch GodMode9
1. Press (Home) to bring up the action menu
1. Select "Title manager"
1. Select one of the following depending on the type of title you wish to dump
+ **User Installed Title**: `[A:] SD CARD`
+ **System Title / DSiWare**: `[1:] NAND / TWL`
1. Select the title you wish to dump
1. Select "Manage Title..."
1. Select "Build CIA (standard)"
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1. Your installable `.cia` formatted file will be outputted to the `/gm9/out/` folder on your SD card
## Backup GBA VC Saves
The game will be outputted to the `/gm9/out/` folder on your SD card with the name `<TitleID>.gbavc.sav`.
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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".
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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
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+ Power off your device
+ Press and hold (Start), and while holding (Start), power on your device. This will launch GodMode9
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+ 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".
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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
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+ Power off your device
+ Press and hold (Start), and while holding (Start), power on your device. This will launch GodMode9
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+ 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
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## 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
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1. Press and hold (Start), and while holding (Start), power on your device. This will launch GodMode9
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1. Navigate to `[0:] SDCARD` -> `cias`
1. Press (A) on the `.cia` file to select it, then select "CIA image options..."
1. 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
1. Your encrypted / decrypted `.cia` will be outputted to the desired location