Hacking [Release] 3DSafe: In-NAND PIN lock for 3DS

[Ichigo1000]

Currently yes. 3DSafe requires access to the SD card.


I don't have any firm plans for this. It is possible to do, but I don't really know why you would want to boot without an SD card so haven't bothered looking into it. If someone can give me a compelling reason why booting without SD is desirable then I'll consider it.


That's a good idea. I'll work on that.

Being able to boot without an sd means you are still fine if the 3ds sd slot fails for any reason. If this does happen, the 3ds is basically bricked.

Also, for people who take out their sd cards a lot, there are also times you can forget or lose it. If that does happen, you can still play physical cartridges.

 

[mashers]

Being able to boot without an sd means you are still fine if the 3ds sd slot fails for any reason. If this does happen, the 3ds is basically bricked.

Also, for people who take out their sd cards a lot, there are also times you can forget or lose it. If that does happen, you can still play physical cartridges.

Ok, SD slot failure is a good reason. I'll add it

 

[mashers]

@Ichigo1000
I've experimented with booting an arm9loaderhax.bin payload from CTRNAND if the file is present there but not on the SD card, and it does work in that the payload boots. I tried it with a Luma payload to boot into CFW, but I wasn't able to boot; I got the Luma config screen (because it couldn't find the config on SD card), but when I tried to boot I got an error that it couldn't save the config.

What payload would you prefer for it to run? I can test it then.

 

[Billy Acuña]

@Ichigo1000
I've experimented with booting an arm9loaderhax.bin payload from CTRNAND if the file is present there but not on the SD card, and it does work in that the payload boots. I tried it with a Luma payload to boot into CFW, but I wasn't able to boot; I got the Luma config screen (because it couldn't find the config on SD card), but when I tried to boot I got an error that it couldn't save the config.

What payload would you prefer for it to run? I can test it then.

Try SaltFW, it doesn't depend of config or other files from SD.

 

[mashers]

Try SaltFW, it doesn't depend of config or other files from SD.

Is it compatible with my existing emunand (which was created for ReiNAND and now used with Luma)?

 

[Billy Acuña]

Is it compatible with my existing emunand (which was created for ReiNAND and now used with Luma)?

Afaik, SaltFW is a sysnand only CFW.

 

[mashers]

Afaik, SaltFW is a sysnand only CFW.

Great, I'll test it now. Thanks.

Edit - WTF. I didn't mean emunand. I haven't used an emunand since A9LH I'm on updated sysnand.

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Hmm, weird. Luma at least booted when the payload was in CTRNAND, but SaltFW just goes to a black screen

 

[Billy Acuña]

Great, I'll test it now. Thanks.

Edit - WTF. I didn't mean emunand. I haven't used an emunand since A9LH [emoji14] I'm on updated sysnand.

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Hmm, weird. Luma at least booted when the payload was in CTRNAND, but SaltFW just goes to a black screen

That's wierd, I guess we need a stripped down version of Luma or SaltFW.

 

[mashers]

That's wierd, I guess we need a stripped down version of Luma or SaltFW.

Actually I might fork Luma and try to get it to store the config in CTRNAND.

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Or at lease suppress the fatal error if it can't save it.

 

[mashers]

Also, can you guys make it so we can include the contact info into the nand itself, so theives cannot remove the info from the 3ds if it gets stolen?

This has now been added in the latest commit. It will be included in the next prerelease version.

 

[Skyshadow101]

@mashers

I have an idea. Do you think that you can make so that if you have no arm9loaderhax.bin at boot, there can be an option to put a pin in to use the form of A9LH that boots without an sd? So it will act like there's no sd in the 3ds. So if the sd reader fails, the 3ds won't be a permabrick?

And can you add an FTP server option?

Maybe a auto-updater?

Please consider these, thanks!

Sent from my Browser on a New 3DS XL with A9LH

 

[mashers]

@mashers

I have an idea. Do you think that you can make so that if you have no arm9loaderhax.bin at boot, there can be an option to put a pin in to use the form of A9LH that boots without an sd? So it will act like there's no sd in the 3ds. So if the sd reader fails, the 3ds won't be a permabrick?

See above - I'm adding the option to have a backup arm9loaderhax.bin payload in CTRNAND so it will boot without the SD card.

And can you add an FTP server option?

Maybe a auto-updater?

There is limited space available for the stage2 payload in NAND. An FTP server or auto-updater would almost certainly cause the payload to exceed this size limit, which would brick the device. This could be worked around by having separate A9LH payloads on the SD card for FTP or update functions and booting them using a boot manager, but I'm not really sure I see the benefit if I'm honest.

 

[mashers]

I finally got Luma to build in my Linux VM after having to compile a load of other commands and utilities first... Having successfully booted using a home-built Luma payload, I'm now going to work on adapting it to load/save the config from CTRNAND.

 

[gamesquest1]

I finally got Luma to build in my Linux VM after having to compile a load of other commands and utilities first... Having successfully booted using a home-built Luma payload, I'm now going to work on adapting it to load/save the config from CTRNAND.

sounds great, I guess the final step would be having a simple way to toggle pin mode on and off without having to swap payloads as it would be nice just just leave it off unless I know I'm taking my 3DS out where it may be lost/stolen

 

[mashers]

sounds great, I guess the final step would be having a simple way to toggle pin mode on and off without having to swap payloads as it would be nice just just leave it off unless I know I'm taking my 3DS out where it may be lost/stolen

Actually I hadn't thought of that but it's a brilliant idea. Who'd be easy enough to implement too. I'll add a toggle which cycles through always on, always off, and a timer which will re-enable the PIN after a delay.

 

[gamesquest1]

Actually I hadn't thought of that but it's a brilliant idea. Who'd be easy enough to implement too. I'll add a toggle which cycles through always on, always off, and a timer which will re-enable the PIN after a delay.

yeah i was thinking it would probably be easy enough to just have a "config" file, if the file has 0 it skips the pin, and if its on 1 it asks for the pin i was also thinking it could have a counter or something like each reboot it just ticks down 1 until it hits 1 so the lock is reactivated, but yeah thats the last thing keeping me from using this a9lh build as it would probably be a bit annoying under normal use especially when your testing stuff an have to reboot a bunch of times

 

[mashers]

yeah i was thinking it would probably be easy enough to just have a "config" file, if the file has 0 it skips the pin, and if its on 1 it asks for the pin i was also thinking it could have a counter or something like each reboot it just ticks down 1 until it hits 1 so the lock is reactivated, but yeah thats the last thing keeping me from using this a9lh build as it would probably be a bit annoying under normal use especially when your testing stuff an have to reboot a bunch of times

I hadn't thought of a countdown of reboots. I could have both options I suppose: "re-enable lock after x minutes/reboots" kind of thing.

 

[Ichigo1000]

@Ichigo1000
I've experimented with booting an arm9loaderhax.bin payload from CTRNAND if the file is present there but not on the SD card, and it does work in that the payload boots. I tried it with a Luma payload to boot into CFW, but I wasn't able to boot; I got the Luma config screen (because it couldn't find the config on SD card), but when I tried to boot I got an error that it couldn't save the config.

What payload would you prefer for it to run? I can test it then.

Any simple cfw that has the essential protections will do, such as the firm protection etc. Does anyone know what aurora's fork use for the no sd boot?

Also, one more thing is, although this might be a dumb question considering all the payloads i've seen are black background with text only (and i assume there is a reason why), is it possible to set a custom background for the info screen too?

 

[ghostpotato]

Ok, how many people have set their pin to the Konami code?

You can't. AFAIK based on the text my 3DS displays this isn't possible; it says the limit is 8 characters.

 

[mashers]

Also, one more thing is, although this might be a dumb question considering all the payloads i've seen are black background with text only (and i assume there is a reason why), is it possible to set a custom background for the info screen too?

Do you mean the 'About' page in 3DSafe? If so, I deliberately left that as text only. I didn't want the page with the credits to be editable as I feel it important to ensure the devs whose work contributed to this are given credit; technically it's possible for the 3dsafe graphics to all be replaced by way of a theme pack, and I don't want the credits to be changed as part of that.