custom-install/README.md

custom-install

Experimental script to automate the process of a manual title install for Nintendo 3DS. Originally created late June 2019.

Summary

1. Dump boot9.bin and movable.sed from a 3DS system.
2. Install pycryptodomex:

• Windows: py -3 -m pip install --user --upgrade pycryptodomex
• macOS/Linux: python3 -m pip install --user --upgrade pycryptodomex

2. Run custom-install.py with boot9.bin, movable.sed, path to the SD root, and CIA files to install (see Usage section).
3. Use custom-install-finalize on the 3DS system to finish the install.

Setup

movable.sed is required and can be provided with -m or --movable.

boot9 is needed:

• -b or --boot9 argument (if set)
• BOOT9_PATH environment variable (if set)
• %APPDATA%\3ds\boot9.bin (Windows-specific)
• ~/Library/Application Support/3ds/boot9.bin (macOS-specific)
• ~/.3ds/boot9.bin
• ~/3ds/boot9.bin

A SeedDB is needed for newer games (2015+) that use seeds.
SeedDB is checked in order of:

• --seeddb argument (if set)
• SEEDDB_PATH environment variable (if set)
• %APPDATA%\3ds\seeddb.bin (Windows-specific)
• ~/Library/Application Support/3ds/seeddb.bin (macOS-specific)
• ~/.3ds/seeddb.bin
• ~/3ds/seeddb.bin

Usage

Use -h to view arguments.

Examples:

py -3 custom-install.py -b boot9.bin -m movable.sed --sd E:\ file.cia file2.cia
python3 custom-install.py -b boot9.bin -m movable.sed --sd /Volumes/GM9SD file.cia file2.cia
python3 custom-install.py -b boot9.bin -m movable.sed --sd /media/GM9SD file.cia file2.cia

License/Credits

pyctr/ is from ninfs d994c78.

save3ds by wwylele is used to interact with the Title Database (details in bin/README).

Thanks to @BpyH64 for researching how to generate the cmacs.