Hacking FAQ: What CFW is best for me?

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Platinum Lucario

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everyone says it's safe, but for some reason, my gut is telling me to try it on emuNAND before getting close to sysNAND, and last time I didn't hear it, I payed for a $1k Xbox with no mod on it, I MIGHT try the sysNAND update much later, but I can tell that gonna be bad for me if I do it now....

you can add update paranoia on the side of my googletracking paranoia...
If you've already installed arm9loaderhax onto your sysNAND, then I really wouldn't know why you should be worried about updating. Because it's perfectly safe, unless you don't have Luma3DS running. Have you got arm9loaderhax installed?
 
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wyll001

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It's like installing a Windows update and worring your PC will break completely (Can't even boot the install disc) after that. It will work.
Off Topic: Hey! Windows Update always glitches the PC once in a while, and I did more Clean Reinstall on my laptops than I can remember
On Topic: as long as there a 10 percent of change of bricking it on the Main OS, I'd rather try it on the Virtual Box
If you've already installed arm9loaderhax onto your sysNAND, then I really wouldn't know why you should be worried about updating. Because it's perfectly safe, unless you don't have arm9loaderhax installed. Have you got arm9loaderhax installed?
I think so.... if I do, it 100% completely and perfectly safe to update? how can I check that?
How about I tell you it's safe? I am trusted tester and officially tested the Luma3DS, CakesFW, ReiNAND, Corbenik, and SaltFW's FIRM0/1 protection. I used my own hardware and downgrade to 9.2, then upgraded to the latest OFW at the time (which was 11.0) being that that update actually would have changed the NATIVE_FIRM and effected the FIRM0/1. The end result, the FIRM0/1 were left untouched and the A9LH install was safe.
Luma3DS, CakesFW, ReiNAND, and SaltFW all have FIRM0/1 on by default and they can't be turned off. Thus there's no risk of removing A9LH. Corbenik give the option to turn it off because it's hardcore.
if you'd like to get a bit more technical, I'd like to know more about it, like what pathway A9LH takes inside the system? and how can Nintendo not sweep it off with an update? how deep it run that Nintendo can't reach it? how would that work? please don't skip any geeky programmer details.
 
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Platinum Lucario

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Off Topic: Hey! Windows Update always glitches the PC once in a while, and I did more Clean Reinstall on my laptops than I can remember
On Topic: as long as there a 10 percent of change of bricking it on the Main OS, I'd rather try it on the Virtual Box

I think so.... if I do, it 100% completely and perfectly safe to update? how can I check that?
Like I said earlier, Luma3DS always protects the FIRM0 and FIRM1, so no update will be able to alter them. Unless you're not running Luma3DS. Both Luma3DS and arm9loaderhax are the best combination to have. Don't worry, I was just as worried as you were a few months ago. But I eventually came to realise that it was perfectly safe to use.
 

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CakesFW offers FIRM protection as a patch, it's not forced. As a matter of fact, it was the biggest reason it was removed from 3ds.guide - noobs would tard out, not read the instructions and disable the FIRM protection patch.
You know, I completely forgot that was there. That was my bad, I am so use to just turning the option on by default, that I forgot that wasn't already on by default.
Edited my post to correct that misinformation...I should check the OP to make sure that mistake isn't there either.
OP mentions that you need to turn it on ^_^
 
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The Catboy

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Off Topic: Hey! Windows Update always glitches the PC once in a while, and I did more Clean Reinstall on my laptops than I can remember
On Topic: as long as there a 10 percent of change of bricking it on the Main OS, I'd rather try it on the Virtual Box

I think so.... if I do, it 100% completely and perfectly safe to update? how can I check that?

if you'd like to get a bit more technical, I'd like to know more about it, like what pathway A9LH takes inside the system? and how can Nintendo not sweep it off with an update? how deep it run that Nintendo can't reach it? how would that work? please don't skip any geeky programmer details.
I can't really do justice to explaining how it works and that's really a completely different topic
Still here's a long version
https://www.3dbrew.org/wiki/3DS_System_Flaws#arm9loader
Short version, it basically exploits an extremely early part of the boot process. Allowing devs to push their codes through seconds after the system is booted.
Nintendo can't remove it because the coded needed locked to each system, that's what the OTP is basically for. The OTP basically holds the keys needed for your system and your system alone. If Nintendo were to do a targeted attack on A9LH, it would only brick the system and have a high chance of bricking unhacked system. This was brought to life when people updated their systems with Gateway's CFWs, which lacks FIRM0/1 protection and thus resulted in a brick of the system.
There is no chance of bricking during an OFW update. Nintendo will not target your system. Every single 3DS in my home are running A9LH and all of them have been updated. I have personally tested the FIRM0/1 protection for these CFWs and confirm that they are safe to update on.
 

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please read my last post, I really wanna know the technical about it.
Okay, arm9loaderhax works like this: the payload files are installed into the FIRM0 and FIRM1 partitions of the NAND. When Luma3DS is also installed onto the CTRNAND partition, then it will activate alongside the arm9loaderhax. It works by loading during the ARM9 boot process, which is before the ARM11 userland is initialised.

When Luma3DS is running, the FIRM0 and FIRM1 partitions are protected at all times, so even in the event of a Nintendo 3DS update, Luma3DS will block any attempts of the update to replacing or removing any files in the FIRM0 and FIRM1 partitions.

Arm9loaderhax works by running well before ARM11 boots. ARM9 serves as backwards compatibility with the Nintendo DS, but is also used as an instruction set for running certain commands for the OS too.
 
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gnmmarechal

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Like I said earlier, Luma3DS always protects the FIRM0 and FIRM1, so no update will be able to alter them. Unless you're not running Luma3DS. Both Luma3DS and arm9loaderhax are the best combination to have. Don't worry, I was just as worried as you were a few months ago. But I eventually came to realise that it was perfectly safe to use.
That's wrong. Luma3DS/A9LH doesn't make a better combo than Corbenik/A9LH. It's up to preference and needs.. either way, it's not just "better".

Sent from my cave of despair where I collect souls
 

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That's wrong. Luma3DS/A9LH doesn't make a better combo than Corbenik/A9LH. It's up to preference and needs.. either way, it's not just "better".

Sent from my cave of despair where I collect souls
Ah yes, I forgot about Corbenik too. I would've said both Luma3DS or Corbenik. Sorry about that. ^^'
 

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Hey yall ,

I understand this thread is more for deciding on a firmware myself , but honestly I dont understand what the difference between them all really are.. I understand Sysnand/rednand(EMU) what ever you want to call it since I have modded my Wii u...

Basically I just want to know what would be best for use for my 5 & 7 year old girls.. I just got them both a 2ds today.. I'll I want it to be able to do is FreeShop.. I dont want them to be able to get in some setting and brick the thing...

From what I can tell SaltFW seems to be the less able to mess up .....


any way ... can some one who knows the FW,, let me know what has the would work best for Kids .... thanks
 

thisisallowed

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Hey yall ,

I understand this thread is more for deciding on a firmware myself , but honestly I dont understand what the difference between them all really are.. I understand Sysnand/rednand(EMU) what ever you want to call it since I have modded my Wii u...

Basically I just want to know what would be best for use for my 5 & 7 year old girls.. I just got them both a 2ds today.. I'll I want it to be able to do is FreeShop.. I dont want them to be able to get in some setting and brick the thing...

From what I can tell SaltFW seems to be the less able to mess up .....


any way ... can some one who knows the FW,, let me know what has the would work best for Kids .... thanks
Luma Nightly+Passcode for settings
 

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Hey yall ,

I understand this thread is more for deciding on a firmware myself , but honestly I dont understand what the difference between them all really are.. I understand Sysnand/rednand(EMU) what ever you want to call it since I have modded my Wii u...

Basically I just want to know what would be best for use for my 5 & 7 year old girls.. I just got them both a 2ds today.. I'll I want it to be able to do is FreeShop.. I dont want them to be able to get in some setting and brick the thing...

From what I can tell SaltFW seems to be the less able to mess up .....


any way ... can some one who knows the FW,, let me know what has the would work best for Kids .... thanks
SaltFW is basically the best for kids. You install it once and it's basically good from there. Pretty much all the "dangerous" stuff is either removed or hidden away. It's basically as close to stock as you can get with a CFW.
 

gatorman420

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SaltFW is basically the best for kids. You install it once and it's basically good from there. Pretty much all the "dangerous" stuff is either removed or hidden away. It's basically as close to stock as you can get with a CFW.


Thank You thisisallowed and Crystal The Glaceon , thisis ... I did not know about passcode for settings... so thank you for letting me know that .... Crystal Thank You for confirming what I figured SaltFW is... I think I'll try both since I have Two 2ds's and decide from there ..... thank you to both of you
 

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if you'd like to get a bit more technical, I'd like to know more about it, like what pathway A9LH takes inside the system? and how can Nintendo not sweep it off with an update? how deep it run that Nintendo can't reach it? how would that work? please don't skip any geeky programmer details.

Have a writeup: http://www.clevermind.it/arm9loaderhax
 
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Sonic Angel Knight

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Well still want that NTR backlight reduction so i'm waiting for that to work. Helps to save battery. :P

I don't like the way they make the update changelog with the same sentence every single time. "Increase userstability to ENHANCE PERFORMANCE" Just be honest and say it patched some currently known exploits. ENHANCE PERFORMANCE has never happend until New 3DS was made. I haven't seen any improvments to performance at all. Least they could do is just write "BUG FIX" cause i'm sure that says it all. :mellow:
 

gnmmarechal

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Until they update, they aren't safe. I am sending out messages now.
About Corbenik, have you tested it? With the new NATIVE_FIRM as native, that is. I can't try it, my 3DS isn't here x.x.
 
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