Installing boot9strap (petit-compwner)

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Technical Details (optional)

We use petit-compwner to launch b9sTool, which installs boot9strap.

See here for more information about petit-compwner.

You should only be able to get to this page if you are running version 11.17.0. If you are on any firmware other than 11.17.0 or 11.16.0, STOP as these instructions WILL LEAD TO A BRICK on other firmwares!!

What You Need

  • 11.16.0 or 11.17.0 users: The v6.1.1 release of b9sTool
    • Make absolutely sure that you are one of these firmwares, as being on other firmwares may lead to a BRICK
  • The latest release of Luma3DS (the Luma3DS .zip file)

Section I - CFW Check

As an additional safety measure, we will perform an additional check for custom firmware. This is because using this method when custom firmware is already installed has a risk of bricking the console (rendering it unusable without recovery methods like ntrboot).

  1. Power off your console
  2. Hold the (Select) button
  3. Power on your console while still holding the (Select) button
  4. If the check was successful, you will boot to the HOME Menu and you may proceed with this guide
  5. Power off your console

If you see a configuration menu or the console immediately powers off, you already have CFW, and continuing with these instructions may BRICK your console! Follow Checking for CFW to upgrade your existing CFW.

Section II - Prep Work

In this section, you will copy the files necessary to launch b9sTool, which is used to launch the boot9strap (custom firmware) installer.

  1. Insert your SD card into your computer
  2. Copy boot.nds (B9STool) from the release .zip to the root of your SD card
    • The root of the SD card refers to the initial directory on your SD card where you can see the Nintendo 3DS folder, but are not inside of it
  3. Copy boot.firm and boot.3dsx from the Luma3DS .zip to the root of your SD card
  4. Reinsert your SD card into your console

  5. Power on your console

Section III - petit-compwner

In this section, you will scan the QR codes needed to trigger the petit-compwner exploit.

  1. Open the latest release of petit-compwner on your computer
  2. On your console, launch Petit Computer
  3. Select File Management
  4. Select Read QR Codes
  5. Scan each QR code in order, from 1/5 to 5/5
  6. Once you have scanned all the QR codes, exit File Management
  7. Select View Gallery
  8. Launch the PWN program
  9. If the exploit was successful, your console will have loaded b9sTool

Section IV - Installing boot9strap

In this section, you will install custom firmware onto your console.

  1. Using the D-Pad, move to “Install boot9strap”
    • If you miss this step, the system will exit to HOME Menu instead of installing boot9strap and you will need to start over from the previous section
  2. Press (A), then press START and SELECT at the same time to begin the process
  3. Once completed and the bottom screen says “done.”, exit b9sTool, then power off your console
    • You may have to force power off by holding the power button
    • If your console shuts down when you try to power it on, ensure that you have copied boot.firm from the Luma3DS .zip to the root of your SD card
    • If you see the Luma Configuration screen, power off your console and continue to the next section

Section V - Luma3DS Configuration

  1. Press and hold (Select), and while holding (Select), power on your console
  2. Your console should have booted into the Luma3DS configuration menu
    • Luma3DS configuration menu are settings for the Luma3DS custom firmware. Many of these settings may be useful for customization or debugging
    • For the purpose of this guide, leave these options on the default settings (do not check or uncheck anything)
    • If your console shuts down when you try to power it on, ensure that you have copied boot.firm from the Luma3DS .zip to the root of your SD card
  3. Press (Start) to save and reboot

At this point, your console will boot to Luma3DS by default.

  • Luma3DS does not look any different from the normal HOME Menu. If your console has booted into the HOME Menu, it is running custom firmware.
  • On the next page, you will install useful homebrew applications to complete your setup.

Continue to Finalizing Setup