Guide_3DS/_pages/en_US/uninstall-cfw.txt

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title: "Uninstall CFW"
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{% include toc title="Table of Contents" %}

### Required Reading

This will completely remove CFW from your device, including boot9strap and Luma3DS, for the purpose of restoring the device to stock.

This is almost never the solution to fix any issues you encounter with your CFW installation. A better idea would be to read the [troubleshooting](troubleshooting) page or ask (in English) for help at [Nintendo Homebrew on Discord](https://discord.gg/MWxPgEp).
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Any unsigned (illegitimate) games will be rendered unusable and should be manually removed before starting this process by using the Data Management section of the System Settings. Use a [save manager](https://github.com/FlagBrew/Checkpoint/releases/latest) to backup any saves for these unsigned (illegitimate) games you care about.

This will not affect your NNID, any legitimately purchased games, or any saves for those legitimately purchased games.

If you have modified critical system software (such as editing the home menu, unbanning your console, etc), uninstalling CFW may BRICK your device!
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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. 

### What You Need

* The v1.9.2pre1 release of [GodMode9](https://github.com/d0k3/GodMode9/releases/tag/v1.9.2pre1)
* [safety_test.gm9](../../gm9_scripts/safety_test.gm9)

### Instructions

#### Section I - Prep Work
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. Copy `safety_test.gm9` to the `/gm9/scripts/` folder on your SD card
1. Reinsert your SD card into your device

#### Section II - Safety Test
1. Launch GodMode9 by holding (Start) during boot
1. If you are prompted to create an essential files backup, press (A) to do so, then press (A) to continue once it has completed
1. If you are prompted to fix the RTC date&time, press (A) to do so, then set the date and time, then press (A) to continue
  + Note that, if you had to fix the RTC date and time, you will have to fix the time in the System Settings as well after following this guide
1. Press (Home) to bring up the action menu
1. Select "Scripts..."
1. Select "safety_test"
1. Read the text on-screen and press (A) to continue
1. You should boot into the regular 3DS Home Menu. If you do, power off your device and continue to the next section

If you do NOT boot into the regular 3DS Home Menu, continuing with these instructions **WILL BRICK** your device! Join [Nintendo Homebrew on Discord](https://discord.gg/MWxPgEp) and ask (in English) for someone there to assist you.
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#### Section III - Functionality Test
The purpose of this section is to verify that certain critical functions on the 3DS are working properly when booted from a stock environment.

##### System Settings and Keyboard Test
1. Launch GodMode9 by holding (Start) during boot
1. Press (Home) to bring up the action menu
1. Select "Scripts..."
1. Select "safety_test"
1. Press (A) to continue
  + You should boot into the regular 3DS Home Menu again
1. Launch the System Settings Application
	+ If the console crashes at this point, the test has failed
1. Select "Other Settings"
1. Select "Profile"
1. Select "User Name"
1. If you are able to enter a new user name, the test was successful
	+ If the keyboard does not appear, the screen freezes, or the console crashes, the test has failed
1. Power off your device

##### DS Download Play / DS Mode Test
1. Launch GodMode9 by holding (Start) during boot
1. Press (Home) to bring up the action menu
1. Select "Scripts..."
1. Select "safety_test"
1. Press (A) to continue
  + You should boot into the regular 3DS Home Menu again
1. Launch the Download Play application (![]({{ "/images/download-play-icon.png" | absolute_url }}){: height="24px" width="24px"})
1. Select "Nintendo DS"
1. If your device loads into a "Download software via DS Download Play" menu, the test was successful
	+ If the screen stays black, appears to freeze, or opens the JPN version of Flipnote Studio, the test has failed
1. Power off your device

If either of these tests has failed, continuing with these instructions WILL render certain features nonfunctional once CFW is uninstalled!
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#### Section III - Prep Work

1. Power on your device
1. Navigate to System Settings > Data Management > Nintendo 3DS > Software
1. In this list of software, delete any non-Nintendo content you installed while using CFW
  + This includes common system software such as FBI, Anemone3DS, Luma Updater, Homebrew Launcher, Checkpoint, and others, along with any non-eShop games
1. Navigate to Data Management > DSiWare
1. In this list of software, delete any non-Nintendo content you installed while using CFW
  + This includes software such as TWiLightMenu++, along with any non-eShop games
  + Failure to remove all CFW software from both the 3DS and DSiWare sections before uninstalling CFW may prevent or disable access to the Data Management menu after uninstalling CFW
1. Power off your device

#### Section IV - Running Uninstall Script

1. Launch GodMode9 by holding (Start) during boot
1. Press (Home) to bring up the action menu
1. Select "Scripts..."
1. Select "GM9Megascript"
1. Select "Hax Options"
1. Select "Un-install Hax"
1. When prompted, press (A) to proceed
1. Press (A) to unlock SysNAND (lvl3) writing, then input the key combo given
1. Press (A) to continue
1. Press (B) to return to the main menu
1. Select "Exit"
1. Press (A) to relock write permissions if prompted
1. Press (Start) to reboot your device

___

All custom firmware has been removed from your device.
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You can now remove any extra files and folders from the root of your SD card that are *not* the `Nintendo 3DS` or `DCIM` folders.
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