Hacking 3DS Custom Firmware by Smealum

[Pong20302000]

Oh, Pong... I think you just answered your own question. It's a firmware, it's not the standard one, it's been modified so it's custom.

CFW is normally a permanent fix as its written and can be saved over the standard and is complete
where Modified firmware is the same with more changes made but not a permanent firmware complete

like when you download a PS3 custom firmware, its a complete firmware file that replaces the existing

psp is only a patch but it is flashed to the system making a full custom firmware

when you download a gateway update its just over 1mb (no where near a full 3ds firmware)
its just patches the exploit runs on the firmware
(once we have firmware running from the SD card nand dump, thats custom as its stored elsewhere but loads it in its entirety)

 

[FAST6191]

CFW is normally a permanent fix as its written and can be saved over the standard and is complete
where Modified firmware is the same with more changes made but not a permanent firmware complete

like when you download a PS3 custom firmware, its a complete firmware file that replaces the existing

psp is only a patch but it is flashed to the system making a full custom firmware

when you download a gateway update its just over 1mb (no where near a full 3ds firmware)
its just patches the exploit runs on the firmware
(once we have firmware running from the SD card nand dump, thats custom as its stored elsewhere but loads it in its entirety)

I have never heard it termed like that before, they are certainly distinctions you could make and would be useful to make if I were to consider altering them or using it as a jumping off point for a hack of my own but as a general term then not so much.

 

[mr allen]

CFW is normally a permanent fix as its written and can be saved over the standard and is complete
where Modified firmware is the same with more changes made but not a permanent firmware complete

like when you download a PS3 custom firmware, its a complete firmware file that replaces the existing

psp is only a patch but it is flashed to the system making a full custom firmware

when you download a gateway update its just over 1mb (no where near a full 3ds firmware)
its just patches the exploit runs on the firmware
(once we have firmware running from the SD card nand dump, thats custom as its stored elsewhere but loads it in its entirety)

But the word custom here comes from the word customize which just means that something has been modified or changed to do what you want it to do, it doesn't involve overwriting everything. All modify means is to make a small change to something in general.

 

[Reploid]

PSP Bright have CWF that exist only in RAM, but its still CWF right? And even if not, rose will smell like a rose anyhow.

 

[robo989]

PSP Bright have CWF that exist only in RAM, but its still CWF right? And even if not, rose will smell like a rose anyhow.

"custom firmware" is a non-technical very general term to describe modified firmware. That modification can be as simple as a couple of bytes, or to produce something completely different. Generally in the context it is used, it means that it's a firmware that has the same base as an official one but with security checks and possibly other artificial limitations removed.

"firmware" or "custom firmware" is binary code, and provided as an image.

That doesn't mean it has to be on the device.

To allude to such things is as stupid as asking the question..."is an image of a CD a CD?"

No it's an image of a CD.

Of course this image can be mounted in a virtual drive etc etc...

It's a shame conversation of such low quality crops up, the lack of understanding of basic things that people are using is troubling.

 

[Foxi4]

CFW is normally a permanent fix as its written and can be saved over the standard and is complete
where Modified firmware is the same with more changes made but not a permanent firmware complete (...)

Semantics-wise, a modified firmware, be it a complete solution or not, is a custom firmware - it's been customized in some fashion and is no longer like the original.

A good example of custom firmwares that are not flashed onto the system in an already modified form are custom firmwares on post-6.20 PSP's that aren't Pandora-compatible. In PRO (L)CFW the modifications are loaded on-top of the existing OFW upon rebooting via Fast Recovery, meaning they're not embedded into the firmware proper, they're patches.

 

[Ennea]

Would you guys consider Windows to be a custom OS when software that modifies certain aspects is installed?

 

[FAST6191]

Where did this "not CFW" stuff spring from? I had seriously not heard of anything like this before this thread.

Would you guys consider Windows to be a custom OS when software that modifies certain aspects is installed?

Kind of yeah. If I hand you a fully working basic install and you install some drivers and hose it up then it was the custom stuff that did it.

Beyond that though we get into more what is functionality and what is not realms (something that troubles some license people to this day). As windows provides APIs, programming tools, models/info on what goes then it is arguably within intended functionality.
Windows is also quite far removed from the locked down embedded hardware market which most recent consoles and those from Japanese or American companies find themselves playing in.

 

[pwsincd]

Would then consider rooting an android phone as cfw compared to replacing the OS with a flashed rom ?

 

[FAST6191]

CFW is probably a term broad enough to be bordering on meaningless for a lot of things and that might be an example of it. Either way yeah I would have to consider gaining access to su/root (something not allowed by default and with greater powers than stock) as a type of CFW.

 

[pwsincd]

I would say that a cfw is any firmware permanently altered to acheive further goals than originally intended , and wouldnt really define hacks that temporary patch firmware , that have to be carried out each time the system runs as cfw , although they do customise the firmware but not permanently.

 

[ground]

the term for what he is making/doing/achieved is not important.... the fact that he can run his own code and add feautures like making screenshots is. But to avoid any further confusion lets call it jailroot firmware

 

[McHaggis]

What have the gateway team done to be objectionable at this point?

You mean aside from creating a product designed solely to syphon money away from developers? Generally I have no issues with piracy, except when people profit from it, much like the dongles from the PS3 scene.

 

[Draak]

For clarification's sake: Does it work on 4.1~4.5 or ONLY on 4.5?

 

[kyogre123]

For clarification's sake: Does it work on 4.1~4.5 or ONLY on 4.5?

Only up to 4.5 and nothing of this is going to be released for a while, just let this thread die.

 

[OldClassicGamer]

Well I pretty much gave up on waiting. I updated 3DS so I could play newer games. As for region free, I will probably wait for hack to be released (no GateWay way, but real cartridge) and get used 3DS or something.

 

[dot7z]

just let this thread die.

Why? It's still something being worked on, even if it doesn't meet your standards. Smealum has said he has plans to release, and he has updates on progress fairly frequently.

 

[kyogre123]

Why? It's still something being worked on, even if it doesn't meet your standards. Smealum has said he has plans to release, and he has updates on progress fairly frequently.

Users will create another thread when an update comes out of the twitter account of the guy, also some naive people seems to believe something for the final users will be released in a month or so.

 

[tyons]

update:

https://twitter.com/smealum/status/395523323159142400

 

[the_randomizer]

update:

https://twitter.com/smealum/status/395523323159142400

Very impressive