Hacking Where to get a firmware 4.5 or below 3DS XL?

fateastray

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For people in UK looking for 3DS XL FW <4.5

I ordered a white 3DS XL from an eBay shop and they have several more.
Delivered today, and can confirm the following details:

- Serial: SEF1128XXXX X
- FW: 4.4.0-10E
- Copyright: 2013
- Color: White
- Model: 3DS XL
- Country:UK (eBay link HERE)

NOTE:
Please please please contact the seller and enquire about Firmware/Serial.
KineticUk received a 6.1 Firmware 3DS


got a 6.2 from him. SEH121. I sold it within 2 minutes haha and bought a grey/black one locally (SEH108)
 

lordofthereef

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Went to Wal-Mart yesterday and bought a red/black 3ds XL with the serial number SW1116xxxx.x. I saw two with SW12xxxx.x so i got the one with the lowest Serial Number to be on the safe side and it checked out, System Menu is 4.2.0-9U:teach:

Just check the copyright. If it says 2012 (I haven't seen one that didn't) you are safe.
 

lordofthereef

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jrr6415sun

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While I am certainly willing to accept that not all 2012 models are this way, I would have to say most (in the US anyway) are. I have purchased ten at this point (for modding for various people) and all were under 4.5 firmware.

That's a good chart though, I think you for that. I will keep that bookmarked on my phone :)

Not true.. Any firmware sw13 or higher will not be 4.5. There are tons of consoles that say 2012 and are sw13 or higher
 
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wstar

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I need some guidance, please. I went to buy a 3ds XL yesterday and I found a shop that has a couple of mario kart 7 bundles. I was about to buy one, since the serial number was pretty low and it said on the back ©2011 - 2012. One thing bothered me though, that it made me not buy it.. the serial number starts with the 2 letters "SS" which is something new to me.. here are the pics:

pic1
pic2

I'm almost sure the date on the sticker in the first pic is just the date it reached the shop..
So if anyone has the bundle can check the serial and tell me if it contains the letters "SS" or if anyone has any idea about it, I'd really appreciate it.
 

lordofthereef

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Not true.. Any firmware sw13 or higher will not be 4.5. There are tons of consoles that say 2012 and are sw13 or higher

How can my own observations not be true? There are no numbers/stats out there how many exist one way or the other. I was simply pointing out that with MOST you are likely to be safe. In my experience, that has been the case and I have not seen any evidence that suggests otherwise (that fact that there are some consoles coming with newer firmwares is not evidence that MOST don't)... absolutely true my friend, because it's an opinion/observation. :)

I need some guidance, please. I went to buy a 3ds XL yesterday and I found a shop that has a couple of mario kart 7 bundles. I was about to buy one, since the serial number was pretty low and it said on the back ©2011 - 2012. One thing bothered me though, that it made me not buy it.. the serial number starts with the 2 letters "SS" which is something new to me.. here are the pics:

pic1
pic2

I'm almost sure the date on the sticker in the first pic is just the date it reached the shop..
So if anyone has the bundle can check the serial and tell me if it contains the letters "SS" or if anyone has any idea about it, I'd really appreciate it.

what's the game it is wrapped with? If that game is the MK7, then that isn't an official bundle. The MK7 bundle looks like a regular 3DS XL box with MK7 on the box.
z7imnRvlrNVbA1r0oB32x7AFy4bKm9Ko.jpg
 

Avalynn

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If the box is completely unopened it still may be worth it, some small stores like to make their own "bundles" with games to help sell consoles. I'd talk to the shop about the bundles in question and ask if it's possible to return them if you discover that they have some how been opened.
 
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redkeyboard

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I need some guidance, please. I went to buy a 3ds XL yesterday and I found a shop that has a couple of mario kart 7 bundles. I was about to buy one, since the serial number was pretty low and it said on the back ©2011 - 2012. One thing bothered me though, that it made me not buy it.. the serial number starts with the 2 letters "SS" which is something new to me.. here are the pics:

pic1
pic2

I'm almost sure the date on the sticker in the first pic is just the date it reached the shop..
So if anyone has the bundle can check the serial and tell me if it contains the letters "SS" or if anyone has any idea about it, I'd really appreciate it.

If it's actually brand new then it should be <4.5. It says it comes with MK7 preinstalled, so I doubt they would buy MK7 from the eshop for $40 just to make a bundle. Though it's possible they buy pre owned consoles with MK7 installed, I doubt it. It's likely they just put their own packaging over the 3DS box.
 

wstar

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Thank you all for your replies. The bundle is brand new and it comes with MK7 preinstalled, and wrapped with another game you get when you buy the bundle (some sort of an offer/deal). But anyways, I googled some more and now I get why the serial number looks different. The bundle is an official middle east release (it contains a NA 3ds though), that's why it's unspoken of.

800px-3dsXLblueMK7_UAESaudi.jpg


I won't get it. I'll go to some more stores and search for a known serial number, and if I don't find any I'll go for the bundle.. I'll update here when I buy one. :)
 

Phyl

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Does anyone knows if any Black version of 3DS XL may come with firmware 4.5 or below?
I cant ask for serial 'cuz i'm buying online from eBay :(


The serial is posted on the side of the box too. That eliminates the need to open it and turn on the 3DS etc. Ask for the serial number from the box and, if you're happy, ask to be sent that specific one. Ask if they do returns too. Some will say 'only if it is unopened'.

In that case triple-check the serial on the box with the 'serial-firmware document for your area' before you open the box.
(http://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/3DS_ha...the_System_version_before_buying_a_new_3DS.3F)

Good luck - hope this helped!
 
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Tylarion

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Hey,

This thread helped me in my search for a 3DS XL. I ended up finding a Black one with the right firmware :)

- Serial: SEF1146XXXX X
- FW: 4.5.0-10E
- Copyright: 2013
- Color: Black
- Model: 3DS XL
- Country: The Netherlands

I went to several stores in order to find one and for a good price. I ended up finding one in the Intertoys in Amersfoort for €170 (they still have other colors for that price). I'll list my experiences with my search for those interested.

I asked in several stores (Gamemania, Ned-Game, Next-Level, Intertoys and Bart Smit in Utrecht and Amersfoort) if I could see a sealed box (they keep those behind the counter), so that I could look at the serial number. Several looked confused as to why the serial matters, but they all honored my request without questioning it. I don't recommend asking when the store is busy though, as they might not allow it then(unable to watch you to prevent theft/not having time to show you more than one box).

In the Mediamarkt the sealed boxes are on the shelf, so you can look without asking. At the location in Utrecht 2 of the 3 Black 3DS where low enough in serial(SEF114s IIRC), but they were too expensive for my taste (€200). This was 2 weeks ago, but they will probably still be there.

I also kept my eye open for the colored versions so I could keep my options open and most of the serials were low enough in the big chains. The smaller stores which focus on video games mostly had newer ones, probably because they stock less in advance.

So my experience is that in the Netherlands, if you aren't picky on color that you will be able to find a new 3DS XL with 4.5 or lower within an hour if you go to a city.

Hope this information helps someone buy one themselves.
 

GoSpyder

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Hey everyone,

I didn't think that I would find a new 3DS XL with firmware in the 4.0-4.5 range this time around. This thread helped me identify what serial number and color to look for. I read here that I would have a good chance to find one where there wasn't a lot of traffic like a Target or Walmart would have. So I decided to go to Kmart because frankly a lot people don't shop there. I went to my local Kmart and lo and behold they had a red /black 3DS XL with the serial number range I found here in the thread. Here are the details:

- Serial: SW1239XXXX X
- FW: 4.4.0-10U
- Copyright: 2012
- Color: RED / BLACK
- Model: 3DS XL
- Country: RIVERSIDE, CA. USA
- Location: KMART

They had a total of three when I arrived there. I asked the sales clerk to open the glass cabinet. He asked why I was looking at the serial numbers. I replied that depending on serial number there were some known to be defective. This gave me the opportunity to scan all serial numbers thoroughly. All three were under the SW1239XXXX X range. I grabbed one and went to my car a booted up the 3DS XL and scored! I got home and setup the Gateway-3DS and works great!

Thanks everyone!
 

dekuleon

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After waiting a lot and no successful hack for 5.0 and beyond, I finally bought a 4.5 (and lower) 3DS XL.
It was kinda scary because I could not see it personally, I bought it on the internet, and after asking a lot, the seller told me the first numbers of the serial.
The 3DS arrived today!! It is the Mario Kart edition, and it came with 4.3!! Totally sealed, I'm soo happy!!


- Serial: SW1103XXXX X
- FW: 4.3.0-10U
- Copyright: 2012
- Color: BLUE / BLACK
- Model: 3DS XL
- Country: BRAZIL
- Location: MERCADO LIVRE, the seller shipped from São Paulo.


He has some stock left, and my friend will buy one for himself, as he have seen, they will come with the desired or lower firmware!! :D

It is the Mario Kart 7 Bunddle, the Blue one!!

z7imnRvlrNVbA1r0oB32x7AFy4bKm9Ko.jpg
 

Finishoff

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- Serial: SW1235XXXX X
- FW: 4.4.0-10U
- Copyright: 2012
- Color: RED / BLACK
- Model: 3DS XL
- Country: RIVERSIDE, CA. USA
- Location: KMART

Special thanks to GoSpyder for helping me locate this 3DS XL. There is still one more there at that location.
Best places to look for these 3DS are where there isn't much foot traffic (Kmart and Sears come to mind.)
 

Gildoniel

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- Serial: SEH1006XXXX X
- FW: 4.2.0-9E
- Copyright: 2012
- Color: BLUE / BLACK
- Model: 3DS XL
- Country: Germany
- Location: Amazon

Had it for a longer time (since November 2013), but as I am looknig for a new console for a friend I stumbled across this thread, so I'm leaving my info too.
 

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