Topic: System Transfer Woes

Alright. I did the entire transfer thing and it failed.
In more detail:
I was progressing normally, until it asked if I had used any other SD cards. I had just swapped the original 4GB out for a brand new 16GB (Sandisk Extreme), so I swapped them out and tried again. It failed twice because I didn't insert the SD card correctly. So, after it wiped the 4GB one, I continued. Everything went smoothly. I then transferred both the files from the 8GB card in my old 3DS and the files from the 4GB one from my NEW 3DS into the same set of folders (properly merging them) and copied the resultant onto the 16GB card. And now my NEW 3DS won't recognize it. It says I can re-download all the titles, but I had 60+ hours in Etrian Odyssey, hundreds of streetpass tags, and completed save data for 2 entire Phoenix Wright games. Not to mention the world 8 save data for DKCR3D that took me 20+ hours.
What can I do?
Is there any hope?
And, yes, I still have all the files.

Well apparently you cannot mix two or more cards of data onto one because it will cause the same problem like you are having right now, however I can teach you how to transfer save data onto the card of choice if you are interested...it's longer but it get's the job done.

I don't care how long it takes. I know quite a bit about this, but I couldn't find out how to actually do it online.
So, I'd love to know how.

I'm a bit lost. Explain exactly what you did using "Source" for the old 3DS and "Target" for the new one

Ah, I see what you did wrong. Nintendo stated that you cannot merge two SD cards into one. This apparently messes up the files in the folder.

For future reference, I highly advise against using multiple SD cards

Now, as for your situation, I don't understand why you copied the 4 GB's data anyway if this was the one that was wiped. This isn't actually necessary. What you need to do is erase the 16 GB's data and just copy the 8 GB's data onto it. As long as you didn't use the 4 GB card, just swap it out for the 16 GB and it should work.

Alright I found this trick a while back, you are gonna need the games you want to transfer the save data on both SD cards, like if you have Animal crossing with good data that you want to transfer from card A to card B you must have the game on card B as well, you need to make a back up save file on card A that has the good data and start up the game on card B so you can make up a back up save file on that card (this will be replaced with the good file).

If you are trying to transfer multiple game save files then make a list of the order the save files were made because if it's not done the same on both cards then it will mess up, like first you make a back up save file for animal crossing, then a zelda game, then finally a Mario game on card A you must do the exact same pattern on card B.

Then you need a computer with the SD card readers for this part, once you are done making back up save files on both cards you must put card A (the card with the good data) in the computer, look within the files of the card and you will find "back up" or "save files", you go into that file and you should see files named 000, 001, 00A, etc, drag those files onto your computer and then take out card A to replace it with card B, drag those files from the computer to the back up main folder on card B to replace the bad data, the files will be named the same so all you got to do is say yes to everything so you will replace the bad data with the good data. Finally you go into system settings, data management, save-data back up and the restore all the back up files.

I hope this helps, it might sound confusing but it does work since I did it a bunch of times, even did it yesterday when I wanted to put more games onto one card, this is the only way I know how to transfer save files from one card to another, you can't simply mix two card together or else you get errors so this is like the process of mixing two cards into one.

Alright I just had to add in a extra part, it's all good now, just follow those steps and you will be able to transfer save files.

So I just bought the MM bundle with the game pre installed. I don't want to use the card that came with the system. If i just transfer from my original sd to a new micro sd will I still be able to re-download the game?

@Undead_terror
I just re-copied the files and deleted the most recently edited files.
It worked.

@Ryu_Niiyama ya you can just redownload it from the eshop for free.
@Maelstrom So I helped you out?

@Undead_terror Not really.
Sorry.

Well it's more of the lines of if you already got games on one card but you want to have more games with good save files from another card onto the one card, unless you done that a different way or whatever but it don't matter much if you got everything done right.

My main annoyance with the whole thing was that I couldn't unify my 4gb and 16gb sd card saves onto a 32gb micro sd. So now I have to play Monster Hunter 3 and Ocarina of Time on my 4gb sd card only if I want to keep my many hours of progress. It's stupid that digital games are just as bound to sd cards as physical games are to their cartridges!

That and that you can't back up all game's save data. It would be so much better to be able to redownload saves on an account basis. Just unify the accounts, friend systems, and, hopefully, some sort of cloud save data system, Nintendo!

I hate buying digital and hate when physical copies don't save to the cartridge, to avoid problems like this. Personally I'm not transferring, I have a 3DS and a 3DS XL with their own NNID and my new 3ds xl majoras mask edition will get a new one also. I don't understand people who buy digital because at any time nintendo can shut down the download servers as all you own is a license that can be terminated at any time. Buy physical copies you are still only purchasing a license but Nintendo can't come into your house and take your cart away and they don't self destruct while digital can go poof at any moment.

Majority of my games save to the cart and the ones that don't I don't care if Start over so I guess I'm lucky I don't have to even attempt the transfer. Won't my saves work on my new 3ds xl if I just transfer them to the new sd card with computer without using the 3ds transfer tool? I just want those stupid sd card saves, if not no biggie as I said.

Happily I had everything on a 32gb micro in my old 3DS XL which made the transfer to my new one so much easier. Pure luck I had bought a micro when the original 4gb card got full

They can't come to my house and poof the back up file I have on my computer either.

What has Nintendo turning off the servers got to do with anything. Once you have the game saved safely on an sd card and backed up on your computer you are in a better position than people who buy physical! Servers don't need to be there to play the games - it's not Steam or Origin!!

Warning: Long story ahead!!
tl;dr version: Do not attempt a wireless system transfer, use a PC if you can!

I spent two hundred dollars of my hard earned money on a New 3DS XL on Friday. I then bought a 32GB Micro SDHC card and a glasses repair kit. See?

Got home and began to unscrew the back cover off. Instantly, I thought I had broken the thing because as I was loosening the screws all I was hearing were "clicky" noises. I was expecting the screws to come completely out but, FYI, they never do. After realizing the screws were meant to stay attached to the back cover plate, I used my fingers to pry the sucker off.

I removed the 4GB micro SD card that came with the system and inserted my 32GB one.

Then I put the cover plate back on and tightened the screws. Powered on my unit and the first message I got was "Data cannot be saved. Micro SD card could not be detected."

OK.

So I removed the back cover plate again, removed the SD card, and reinserted. Miraculously it worked this time!

_{~Dear Nintendo: FYI - The LAST thing I want to do when buying a new console/handheld is take the thing apart with a tiny screwdriver. Just sayin'~}

Next thing to do is the wireless system transfer (as I don't have a PC in my apartment,… haven't had one since Feb of 2012 tbh).

DO NOT DO A WIRELESS SYSTEM TRANSFER _{Not unless you have plenty of aspirin on hand for the impending headache that will follow shortly thereafter................}

After going through a barrage of confusing prompts and questions, I finally got the dang thing to begin transferring. After one hour of waiting, I noticed nothing was really happening. Was the system locked up? And if it is, what do I do? I pressed the HOME button on both handhelds but it wouldn’t let me go there. _{Also, notice how it indicates step 1/6 in that image I just linked^ Hours passed and it never progressed further than step 1.}

Around midnight I was tired and slightly irritated at everything thus far. I had read online that the wireless system transfer process was a long one, but how long is “long?” I went to bed knowing that one of my 3DS’ batteries would die (as I don’t have two AC adaptors, thanks again Nintendo for not including one in the N3DSXL).

I woke up the next morning and the source 3ds (my old one) had drained all of its battery power. But with a new day comes new opportunities, right? I reattempted the wireless system transfer. This time only 1/5 steps showed up and the transfer process completed in less than 10 minutes. It honestly didn’t take long at all.

The next thing I did was go to the eShop and start redownloading my digital software. Three and a half hours later (not even joking here) I had all of my titles back. But then I noticed my Save Data for them was nowhere to be found. Gone. Like a fart in the wind. >:[

Thankfully, I always buy physical cartridges whenever possible and they save to themselves. So, I haven’t lost any of my cartridge save data (Etrian Odyssey, Animal Crossing, Monster Hunter…. ). _{just ANOTHER reason physical is better than digital, just sayin’}

I’m going to a friend’s house soon and going to attempt to drag my save data from the old card to the new one. Hopefully this will solve the last of my system transfer woes.

Between this experience, my preordered meta Knight amiibo never showing up, and my Wii U having to be sent to Nintendo Repair twice in the last month (of which is still not in my possesion atm), I'm a bit perturbed. >:[

//end rant

@bezerker99 That does suck. I remember my system transfer When I only had an 8 gig at the time took forever. I want to say 2 plus hours. If I did it the way you did this go it might of took 6 hours or more. Taking the system apart is definitely another flaw but some smart phones also do this. Good luck to ya on the combined transfer.

@bezerker99 That's grim to hear. I usually back my data up when doing a system transfer, but when doing so from my new 3DS to my newer new 3DS (Aussie system to Ambassador Edition) I didn't. Nothing bad came of it, but you have scared me now; always going to use PC transfer in the future. Thanks for that then; if anything had have happened to my save data I would've been mortified.

I had to call Nintendo to get my nnid and games restored to the new 3ds. They said it would be about 5 days. At least I get my games back.