ROM Hack [Release] UpdateCDN - download 3DS FW contents, create installable .cia

cearp

瓜老外
OP
Developer
Joined
May 26, 2008
Messages
8,725
Trophies
2
XP
8,506
Country
Tuvalu
Ok so here is something I was working on recently - 'UpdateCDN'
It downloads the titles ('programs') that make up a 3DS FW update and create .cias to use with devmenu (import all - L+R+A is useful here!)
It uses the CSV files on http://yls8.mtheall.com/ninupdates/reports.php - without the work this guy did to get this data in the first place this would not exist!

From my 4.5 JPN emunand, I manually updated to 6.3, and then manually downgraded (via an ugly trick/hack) to 5.1. It all worked fine!
I tried to go from 4.5 JPN to 5.0 KOR, but my system was still Japanese. I had some duplicate (Korean) titles, like eshop, safety warning, settings, etc, which didn't load when I opened them. So to change regions (surely it must be possible) we will have to do something more involved.

So, you download the csv file you want, for example, 5.0.0-11 Korean, and this tool will download everything, and create 'perfect' (as perfect as we will get them I think) cia files that will install on your 3DS.
You don't need to download any files for 2.0.0-2 - 9.4.0-21 because I downloaded virtually all of them and included them in a zip. (I left out one Japanese fw that didn't have a name, it was after 8.1 and before 9.0, I don't think anyone will miss it)

The tool is a python file, it requires make_cdn_cia. I have included a mac version that works for me. I have not included a windows exe version, but I am sure it is not hard to find/someone can compile it. -- name the exe make_cdn_cia.exe and put it in the folder with the UpdateCDN.py. (It should work fine, but I have not tested it on windows.)
I have not used python before, so maybe the things I am doing are not the best way, but it seems fine to me :)

By default the titles are downloaded into folders based on when they were last updated. (This can be turned on with -nosort)
When I download FW 9.4.0-21 JPN, title '0004001B00010002' has not been updated since 2.0.0-2 (maybe before, the site 'began' with 2.0.0-2).
So this title will be in a folder called 2.0.0-2. If you are above FW 2.0.0-2, you do not need to install that cia.
If you are on 8.0.0-18, and want to go to 9.4.0-21, simply ignore all the cias in the folders equal and below 8.0.0-18.
(I could have let the user input a 'source' FW and 'target' FW to only download titles are are required but, it would have been more work. - maybe later, but it's not neccesary)

Dir Output
UpdateCDN
-9.4.0-12 (folder created from CSV filename, 9.4.0-21.csv will make a folder called 9.4.0-21)
--JPN (separate folder for each region you specify)
---raw (where titles are downloaded to)
---cia (where cia files are output to)

Here is how to use it / the help output you get when you type: python UpdateCDN.py -h
You need to specify an input file and at least one region.
Code:
inputfile  CSV file that contains title information, ideally from:
          http://yls8.mtheall.com/ninupdates/reports.php
-JPN        Download JPN titles
-EUR        Download EUR titles
-USA        Download USA titles
-KOR        Download KOR titles
-CHN        Download CHN titles
-TWN        Download TWN titles
-ALL        Download all regions
-nosort    Turn OFF sorting of the titles into folders based on their debut
          fw. For example, if title X was added in FW 4.0.0 and not
          updated since, by default it is placed in a folder called 4.0.0.
          So, if you are on 4.0.0 or above, you will not need to install
          it.
-nobuild    Turn OFF generation of CIA files, titles will be downloaded
          only.
-h, --help  show this help message and exit

What would be great is to have an edited devmenu/homebrew title manager that lets us view system titles/downgrade titles etc. Then we would be able to downgrade a lot neater and easier without leaving unused titles still installed. (Maybe region change would be possible then too)

Of course, be careful with using this, it's only on emunand (since we mere mortals don't have devmenu on sysnand), but make a emunand backup. :)

Thanks for friendxsis for help and letting me know that what i wanted to do was possible, riku for help, http://yls8.mtheall.com - the guy who does this, sbJFn5r for the python files I based some of this off!

for windows people try this:

https://github.com/ctrdev/ctrsdk/blob/master/tools/make_cdn_cia/bin/make_cdn_cia.exe?raw=true
put it in the folder with UpdateCDN.py, it should/might work :)
 

Attachments

  • UpdateCDN.zip
    210.7 KB · Views: 7,509

Apache Thunder

I have cameras in your head!
Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2007
Messages
4,426
Trophies
3
Age
36
Location
Levelland, Texas
Website
www.mariopc.co.nr
XP
6,790
Country
United States
I wonder if one could find a way to downgrade the internal nand using this. If the files are unedited, they should still pass signature checks. It's just a matter of finding a way of installing them without the console exploding. :P

I suppose only those with a NAND mod to restore backups would be brave enough to try and develop something to make that a reality. :P

Of coarse you still have to have an exploitable firmware running as obviously you can't just install stuff without a way of running homebrew. So even then, not sure what use would come of it. Perhaps if for some odd reason users of Gateway on fw 9.2 wanted to downgrade to 4.5 if Gateway fails to provide as many features for the new firmware support (like emuNand).

But this is mainly for those wanting to modify their emunand installation. :P
 

loco365

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2010
Messages
5,457
Trophies
0
XP
2,927
I'm actually really curious, but is there perhaps files for the 1.1 (Or was it 1.2?) update that included the White Knuckles music video? I'd really like to reinstall that on an emuNAND.
 

loco365

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2010
Messages
5,457
Trophies
0
XP
2,927
Well, I came in to expect something like being able to upgrade/downgrade 3DS firmwares. Oh well, this is still pretty neat though.

Well, when you think hard about it, 9.0-9.2 support will probably not run under emuNAND, so anything you install will install to sysNAND, which means you will be physically downgrading your system if you install these CIAs. You'd have to be absurdly careful when installing these to ensure you don't accidentally brick your system, such as having a NAND flasher just in case.

The benefit to this though, is that you can upgrade to a GW-compatible firmware, then downgrade to 4.X and have even more Gateway support though, such as emuNAND.
 

Rinnux

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Messages
655
Trophies
0
Age
29
XP
705
Country
United States
Well, when you think hard about it, 9.0-9.2 support will probably not run under emuNAND, so anything you install will install to sysNAND, which means you will be physically downgrading your system if you install these CIAs. You'd have to be absurdly careful when installing these to ensure you don't accidentally brick your system, such as having a NAND flasher just in case.

The benefit to this though, is that you can upgrade to a GW-compatible firmware, then downgrade to 4.X and have even more Gateway support though, such as emuNAND.

I don't see any reason why 9.0-9,2 wouldn't support emunand.
 

Rinnux

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Messages
655
Trophies
0
Age
29
XP
705
Country
United States
You know how the Gateway team said that if you're on 4.X to stay there? Well, if you're not, you might soon be able to.

I think they said that because they didn't want people to have to wait for support and they didn't want to promise support then run into some unforeseeable roadblock.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rainparadesamurai

andre104623

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2014
Messages
680
Trophies
0
Age
37
Location
Philadelphia, PA
XP
417
Country
United States
So let me get this straight so "in theory" if my jap new 3ds is hacked with the upcoming gateway exploit and if it has emunand I could install a USA update and have English?!

I think they said that because they didn't want people to have to wait for support and they didn't want to promise support then run into some unforeseeable roadblock.
Did you see there video? I didn't see no roadblock
 

Apache Thunder

I have cameras in your head!
Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2007
Messages
4,426
Trophies
3
Age
36
Location
Levelland, Texas
Website
www.mariopc.co.nr
XP
6,790
Country
United States
They probably told 4.5 users to stay on 4.5 because future firmware updates from Nintendo may block Gateway, and thus they don't want to be getting complaints from 4.5 users who accidentally updated to 9.3/9.4 trying to get to the "new" supported firmware. I don't think they said that because 9.2 support will have less features. Though it might have less features in the beginning since they are building things off a new exploit, so the old launcher.dat method will likely not be what they use in the new exploit.

But ultimately, the new 9.0-9.2 support should eventually have emuNand support. If 9.3/9.4 does indeed block Gateway's exploit like everyone seems to be expecting, then that's all the more reason to work on getting emunand working. That may be why they haven't released the update yet. They want emuNand working out of the box. ;)
 

NyaakoXD

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2013
Messages
1,851
Trophies
2
Location
In your closet...
XP
3,642
Country
United States
Well, when you think hard about it, 9.0-9.2 support will probably not run under emuNAND, so anything you install will install to sysNAND, which means you will be physically downgrading your system if you install these CIAs. You'd have to be absurdly careful when installing these to ensure you don't accidentally brick your system, such as having a NAND flasher just in case.

The benefit to this though, is that you can upgrade to a GW-compatible firmware, then downgrade to 4.X and have even more Gateway support though, such as emuNAND.

In other words, you're saying that when Gateway releases their 9.0-9.2 support, it might be possible to downgrade sysNAND firmware to a more compatible one if the new 9.0-9.2 support doesn't have emuNAND features.
 

loco365

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2010
Messages
5,457
Trophies
0
XP
2,927
In other words, you're saying that when Gateway releases their 9.0-9.2 support, it might be possible to downgrade sysNAND firmware to a more compatible one if the new 9.0-9.2 support doesn't have emuNAND features.

Exactly. They showed homebrew and dev menu stuff working, so it seems they have patched the system somehow. If my theory is correct, downgrading will become possible soon.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Margen67

NyaakoXD

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2013
Messages
1,851
Trophies
2
Location
In your closet...
XP
3,642
Country
United States
Exactly. They showed homebrew and dev menu stuff working, so it seems they have patched the system somehow. If my theory is correct, downgrading will become possible soon.

Well, from this release, it might be the start of it. Of course, we don't know until someone gives it a try and share results. Right now, we can only speculate if this release can actually downgrade sysNAND using Gateway's 9.0-9.2 support. Of course, I'm sure that downgrading would have some problems besides bricking like the New3DS since firmwares before 8.1 weren't exactly made for it and might cause some issues.
 

ninjadudexp

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2010
Messages
138
Trophies
0
XP
265
Country
United States
This is intresting tho, i dont know if anyone has tested it on there own emunand, but from the video GW was posting, there installing .cia straight to the sysnand, so i guess its possible
 

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
    SylverReZ @ SylverReZ: @Psionic Roshambo, Thats pretty cool.