GodMode9 VS GodMode9i

GodMode9 is basically a Swiss army knife file browser for the 3DS. In fact, there's also a version for NDS consoles as well. After going through the guide, systems normally continue to boot using the boot.firm Luma3DS file on the SD card root -- there's no reason to remove it. If people followed the big guide, they should not run into a situation where they cannot boot without an SD card inserted. 🤷‍♂️ GodMode9 can dump 3DS and NDS cartridge data, install .cia files, among many other things. It's an extremely important tool to have!

Was it the newest version of god mode 9 you used? Maybe try replacing the payload files with one of the older versions here?

Download the latest gm9 zip: https://github.com/d0k3/GodMode9/releases/latest

That is GodMode9, a powerful full-access file browser for the Nintendo 3DS. Did your console boot to that when you turned it on? What happens when you press START?

Download https://github.com/d0k3/GodMode9/releases/download/v2.1.1/GodMode9-v2.1.1-20220322194259.zip

I found a {thread from a year ago with about the same issue](https://github.com/d0k3/GodMode9/issues/694). They found that the issue was the system was brand new. I've been using this same 3ds since 2015. I doubt that's it. I did just buy a new SD card, but I copied everything over to my new one.

Here for GodMode9

If there's no easy way to extract the MicroSD, try using Godmode9i. (Note, this is gm9i, normal gm9 cannot do this!) This can often browse into the SD card in an R4 card. If that works, make a folder on your console SD card and make sure there's enough space, then browse into the R4 SD card and copy all the files off of it.

DSi with CFW, using Godmode9i. You want the .nds file. Put it in /roms/nds on your SD card and launch it from Twilight Menu++. To backup a save, click on "NDS GAMECARD" and then select "Save". This will make a .sav file in /gm9i/out on your SD with the name of the game. You can browse there and change the name with R+X if you want after it finishes. That opens a touch keyboard; start is OK, B is backspace, D-pad moves the cursor. To restore the save, browse to it and click on it, and select "Restore save". This way is a close second, do it if you happen to be using a DSi instead of a 3DS at the moment.

If you have a DSi and are playing on an authentic cartridge, you can use [Godmode9i](https://github.com/DS-Homebrew/GodMode9i/releases) to backup your save IIRC. But to restore the save, I think a 3DS is needed.

Dumping using a DSi with CFW: Do the guide setup for Unlaunch since I don't think it gets enough access when launched from just Memory Pit though I haven't tried so idk it might, but either way Memory Pit is a pain in the butt to do every time when you could just turn it on and optionally hold a button. Download Godmode9i since I don't think the guide has you install it. Get the .dsi file and put it in /roms/dsiware on your SD card. Boot your DSi into Twilight Menu++ (how you do this varies somewhat since the guide gives some options and you can configure Unlaunch various ways). Navigate into /roms/dsiware or wherever you put godmode9i.dsi. Then it's pretty much the same procedure as doing it on 3DS though it might copy a little bit slower.

For ones that are flashcarts but have the SD soldered to the board inside them, you can't read the save the usual DS cartridge way because it's a flashcart, and you can't read it the flashcart way because it's soldered. You do still have one option though. Get Godmode9i on either a DSi or 3DS. It can browse into the SD card inside most flashcarts, so you ca copy/paste your save file to your console SD, where you can get it to a computer and use PkHex to move Pokemon. The normal 3DS Godmode9 can't do this.

GodMode9i lets you dump saves from cartridges, create rims from cartridges, restore saves to cartridges, and more.

You can dump GBA games with either GodMode9i or GBA Backup Tool

If you have any issues with GBA Backup Tool you can also try GodMode9i, I think they both should have more or less equal compatibility both with GBA games and the flashcards that can run them, so it's mostly just preference in terms of GBA saves.