Hacking 3ds flashcart clones´s firmwares.

[juins]

I´ve got a 3dslink.

I just tried the 3 other launcher.dats from other flashcarts just for lulz.

-GW firmware = exploit loads OK, but no rom is ever detected.
-R4i Gold deluxe = worked 100% ok just like 3dslink launcher.dat
-Orange3DS = worked, but didnt load zelda or batman, cause it was never updated to v3.0

WUT.
I mean, yea fine, they´re clones and all, but they share the same launcher.dat?

 

[DAHU75]

lol YES

ALL CLONES USES THE SAMES LAUNCHER.DAT

Ii's not new !!

 

[Claw919]

I'm quite curious as to the recent statement the GW team made that clone cards won't be updatable "and you will see this for multi-rom". I have to think it's just them blowing smoke and trying to preserve a few more sales before that functionality is released, but I'm wondering if they do have something in mind, particularly with the above.

 

[Cyan]

Unless you need to solder something inside the card ! that's hardware upgrade

R4i GOLD team already had this practice where you needed to physically cut a wire on their card.

 

[Rinth]

Gateway has different card layout and internals than the clones, and its firmware says "Gateway" in menus.

R4 and 3DSLink and Orange 3DS are the same entity with different brands - the internals of their cards and the firmwares are identical bit to bit. The firmware is a 99.9% clone of the Gateway firmware, the only difference is that the strings showing the words "Gateway" have been removed. However, the Gateway logos/icons in the firmware menu are still there.

 

[juins]

Gateway has different card layout and internals than the clones, and its firmware says "Gateway" in menus.

R4 and 3DSLink and Orange 3DS are the same entity with different brands - the internals of their cards and the firmwares are identical bit to bit. The firmware is a 99.9% clone of the Gateway firmware, the only difference is that the strings showing the words "Gateway" have been removed. However, the Gateway logos/icons in the firmware menu are still there.

my 3dslink seldom shows Gateway logo upon loading exploit, even without holding L.

 

[JonnyMohawk]

I'm quite curious as to the recent statement the GW team made that clone cards won't be updatable "and you will see this for multi-rom". I have to think it's just them blowing smoke and trying to preserve a few more sales before that functionality is released.

Gateway has been pretty upfront & honest till now, I doubt they would tell a bold face lie just to garner a few more sales.

A quick view of the hardware of Gateway and R4i shows they are considerably different. It wouldn't surprise me if Gateway finds a way to restrict multirom to it's specific hardware... it would probably be pretty easy to fix but since R4i hasn't done any original work it would probably lock them out for quite some time.


Also there is that rumor that r4i can't update FPGA rendering multirom and nand saves impossible with gateways software, although to be honest who knows how much stock that holds.


If it's true I imagine something like this will be happening:

 

[tranfeer]

Gateway has been pretty upfront & honest till now, I doubt they would tell a bold face lie just to garner a few more sales.

A quick view of the hardware of Gateway and R4i shows they are considerably different. It wouldn't surprise me if Gateway finds a way to restrict multirom to it's specific hardware... it would probably be pretty easy to fix but since R4i hasn't done any original work it would probably lock them out for quite some time.


Also there is that rumor that r4i can't update FPGA rendering multirom and nand saves impossible with gateways software, although to be honest who knows how much stock that holds.


If it's true I imagine something like this will be happening:

Are you mad?
You also point out that it is only a rumour.
As you know, gw 2.0 is delayed again.
In a word, let's see what happens next.

 

[Mr_Pichu]

The Gateway's FPGA uses the JTAG interface for programming. The relevant pins to program the part used by Gateway are as follows:

17, 37, 68, 89 VCC
9, 38, 51, 67, 88 GND
47 TCK
48 TDI
49 TMS
52 VPUMP
54 TDO
55 TRST
56 VJTAG

If those pins have connections on you clone card, there is a very good chance re-programming is possible without a JTAG clip.

 

[Xzi]

Are you mad?
You also point out that it is only a rumour.
As you know, gw 2.0 is delayed again.
In a word, let's see what happens next.

Where did you hear that it was delayed? Nothing on their site about that.

 

[Xzi]

The Gateway's FPGA uses the JTAG interface for programming. The relevant pins to program the part used by Gateway are as follows:

17, 37, 68, 89 VCC
9, 38, 51, 67, 88 GND
47 TCK
48 TDI
49 TMS
52 VPUMP
54 TDO
55 TRST
56 VJTAG

If those pins have connections on you clone card, there is a very good chance re-programming is possible without a JTAG clip.

How do we know if those pins have connections on the clone cards or not?

 

[juins]

Gateway has been pretty upfront & honest till now, I doubt they would tell a bold face lie just to garner a few more sales.

A quick view of the hardware of Gateway and R4i shows they are considerably different. It wouldn't surprise me if Gateway finds a way to restrict multirom to it's specific hardware... it would probably be pretty easy to fix but since R4i hasn't done any original work it would probably lock them out for quite some time.


Also there is that rumor that r4i can't update FPGA rendering multirom and nand saves impossible with gateways software, although to be honest who knows how much stock that holds.


If it's true I imagine something like this will be happening:

That´s peculiar, because FPFA test fails every time for me on my 3dslink.

 

[osirisjem]

A quick view of the hardware of Gateway and R4i shows they are considerably different. It wouldn't surprise me if Gateway finds a way to restrict multirom to it's specific hardware... it would probably be pretty easy to fix but since R4i hasn't done any original work it would probably lock them out for quite some time.

Interesting.

 

[osirisjem]

.

 

[Deleted User]

Found something interesting here. The JTAG pins of 3DSLink are on the back side!

I tried flipping the PCB (so the 3DS/DS can contact with those JTAG pins) but it won't fit and won't make contact.

The conclusion is that there is no way to update the 3DSLink FPGA using a 3DS or DS.. So if 3DSLink Team is going to bring out an update, you will need somekind of external dongle

I think this is what Gateway team has been trying to say

 

[Technicmaster0]

-snip-
Found something interesting here. The JTAG pins of 3DSLink are on the back side!

I tried flipping the PCB (so the 3DS/DS can contact with those JTAG pins) but it won't fit and won't make contact.

The conclusion is that there is no way to update the 3DSLink FPGA using a 3DS or DS.. So if 3DSLink Team is going to bring out an update, you will need somekind of external dongle

I think this is what Gateway team has been trying to say

Or you can update it by both software and hardware and 3DSLink just left this option for their stock/ whatever.

 

[Deleted User]

What do you mean update by software? You cannot update this FPGA using software, that is the point here

 

[Technicmaster0]

Maybe there are some datalines under the Actel chip or something like that.

 

[Deleted User]

Maybe there are some datalines under the Actel chip or something like that.

No, these JTAG pins are the only pins for programming the FPGA, there is no other way. If you said "well maybe they have some small CPU in there to program the FPGA" well then yeah I can believe you, but the PCB shots are right there, there is no CPU on the board.

 

[Technicmaster0]

No, these JTAG pins are the only pins for programming the FPGA, there is no other way. If you said "well maybe they have some small CPU in there to program the FPGA" well then yeah I can believe you, but the PCB shots are right there, there is no CPU on the board.

I just heared that the 3DS Link etc. are basically a R4i Gold 3DS Rev. 8-9 (I think), which were reprogrammable. I havn't compared the PCBs yet.