Hacking Gateway update regarding rumors

[Ryukouki]

I don't really like the post on the front page of gbatemp makes me feel like gateway isn't trustworthy anymore

Information is still coming in, and when the relevant information arrives directly from the source, it will be reflected in the post. I was not painting them in a bad light at all. It was to consolidate the information presented from noteworthy figures in the discussions.

 

[crazyace2011]

but people will take that as a bad sign when there is no hard proof that the gateway is bricking systems when no knows what a user is doing to brick their console. they could be just blaming gateway cause they don't like them and support another company. we don't know what card they have with out being there to see what they did. whos to say they didn't try and set up their 3ds to reflash nand from back up and did a shitty job and wiped their 3ds cause of their carelessness. there is to many things that cause the bsod. I saw somewhere on the forum that someone dropped their 3ds and it gave them the bsod.

 

[escherbach]

No they expect the cloners to perform quality check and warn their own users of the bricking possibility.

I'm amazed that I can say that with a straight face without bursting into laughter.

That's incredible actually - what's the true story - no one's dumb enough to send the cards out like that - they bricked the 3DS after first use?

Where are the real stats?

 

[redkeyboard]

lol it looks like from this post that the bricking code is definitely true.

 

[gamesquest1]

whilst gateway didn't specifically acknowledge the claims the fact they didn't deny it also speaks for itself.......but they at least confirm they have considered the possibility of corrupted SD cards and have prepared for it, at this point i think there is only 2 real questions left
1) if the elitists where aware of the bricking code...even if they weren't 100% sure if it was actually doing anything why didn't they at least issue a warning....even releasing mods knowing that modding the code had the potential to cause a brick
2) why the clones didnt even bother doing some basic testing before releasing

one of those questions is fairly obvious...the other is still a bit concerning

 

[Xzi]

As well thought out as that statement is, it really doesn't say much or address the issue directly. I guess they are saying that the bricks being caused by code in Gateway's own firmware on other carts is simply rumor/speculation by those manufacturers. As is any report of a Gateway bricking from this same malicious code. The first statement I'm not sure I believe. The second I do believe, as a checksum at the beginning of the launcher's code will prevent it from booting entirely on a Gateway cart (black screen requiring a restart, no brick/blue screen). Only a competing manufacturer bypassing/recoding the first checksum but not the others could cause a brick, assuming malicious code is present and being triggered by those later checksums.

 

[profi200]

@Vengenceonu:
yellows8 and neimod have not to do much with this. They have not handled the decapping thing. It was J12. They keept the funraiser message, because they had hope, that he did not run off with the money.

 

[escherbach]

lol it looks like from this post that the bricking code is definitely true.

For only the 2nd time today, I'm gonna agree.

devious bastards

 

[Armadillo]

Information is still coming in, and when the relevant information arrives directly from the source, it will be reflected in the post. I was not painting them in a bad light at all. It was to consolidate the information presented from noteworthy figures in the discussions.

Front page still has this though

"As of right now, users who wish to proceed onward are urged to do so with extreme caution, checking their launcher.dat md5 hash value frequently to insure proper values are given, as a slight corruption in this value could render a bricked console"

Yet from that mess of a thread, mathieulh ( I think), said there are checks in place to prevent it from running corrupt, so Gateway users using unmodified launcher should be pretty much safe. That page makes it look like Gateway users are in danger as well, when it doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[Ryukouki]

Front page still has this though

"As of right now, users who wish to proceed onward are urged to do so with extreme caution, checking their launcher.dat md5 hash value frequently to insure proper values are given, as a slight corruption in this value could render a bricked console"

Yet from that mess of a thread, mathieulh ( I think), said there are checks in place to prevent it from running corrupt, so Gateway users using unmodified launcher should be pretty much safe. That page makes it look like Gateway users are in danger as well, when it doesn't seem to be the case.

Again, I am running around several locations at once right now, so things are a little bit slow right now. I'm currently studying for a pharmacy technician's exam, lurking Max Consoles, and refreshing three or four different topics here. Please forgive my lack of instantaneous updates, and for missing one or two posts at some point within seventeen pages.

 

[Rafael Vuijk]

Enough decapping material now

 

[Armadillo]

Again, I am running around several locations at once right now, so things are a little bit slow right now. I'm currently studying for a pharmacy technician's exam, lurking Max Consoles, and refreshing three or four different topics here. Please forgive my lack of instantaneous updates, and for missing one or two posts at some point within seventeen pages.

. I wasn't having a go at you. I can't even find the post myself in the mess of the thread (it's there, I just haven't been bothered to go through).

I was just kinda pointing it out, I know everything is a mess right now.

 

[Xzi]

lol it looks like from this post that the bricking code is definitely true.

I don't know where you would get that from what was said. Gateway was essentially saying that they neither confirm nor deny it. That it would be a waste of their time to reply to rumors or speculation created by their competitors. And for all we know, that is where this discussion originated from. The 3DSLink/R4i team, who we know already had egg on their face from the broken 3.3 firmware release.

 

[osirisjem]

Again, I am running around ...

It's a tough job being a Temper reporter lately that is for sure !
It's a 24/7/365 endeavour !

 

[Ryukouki]

It's a tough job being a Temper reporter lately that is for sure !
It's a 24/7/365 endeavour !

I have a personal life, you know.

 

[escherbach]

I don't know where you would get that from what was said. Gateway was essentially saying that they neither confirm nor deny it. That it would be a waste of their time to reply to rumors or speculation created by their competitors. And for all we know, that is where this discussion originated from. The 3DSLink/R4i team, who we know already had egg on their face from the broken 3.3 firmware release.

Because they could just have denied they have any code that will ever deliberately brick a 3DS

 

[Ryukouki]

. I wasn't having a go at you. I can't even find the post myself in the mess of the thread (it's there, I just haven't been bothered to go through).

I was just kinda pointing it out, I know everything is a mess right now.

I'm just trying to catch my breath right now, and sometimes things are missed. That happens at times. Give me some time to actually REALLY go over things, and I'll try to piece together the relevantly reliable information.

 

[Vengenceonu]

@Vengenceonu:
yellows8 and neimod have not to do much with this. They have not handled the decapping thing. It was J12. They keept the funraiser message, because they had hope, that he did not run off with the money.

Thats why i said they "endorsed it". The point i was trying to make is they don't always know whats best/You shouldnt always place trust in people because of what they did in the past. They felt J12 was trustworthy and in the end he wasn't. I understand they contributed alot to the 3DS/DS scene but thar doesnt make them god. They have skills only they know/can use so people automatically take them at their word. Until we here more from gateway, R4i, Normatt and Yelows8/Neimod each explaining their sides of the argument in full detail, this is nothing more then a witch hunt. That's why i said the only person you can trust is yourself.

 

[feebmc]

I realize the brick thread is extremely long and now locked but multiple trusted developers posted the exact code of what Gateway did (which is fairly smart and there may be more traps for clone makers trying to steal their work). The delays regarding 2.0 it would appear (I can't say how long they spent working on this) related to Gateway protecting their product by thoroughly testing and releasing code that wouldn't be possible to harm Gateway users but would Brick the clones on mass. You can bet that Gateway have been watching the modification of their firmware by the clones and determining whether the cloners would be smart enough to detect the traps, which clearly they weren't.

Unfortunately Normmatt went and released his modified gateway launcher which obviously wasn't part of their plan and inadvertently bricked a few users who used that launcher and were unlucky enough to to trigger the brick. I don't see anything in the Gateway press release denying the code (which is blatantly there and anyone with the knowledge can check), what they are denying is the rumors that they were too incompetent to test out all possibilities and that legitimate gateway users could be harmed by random corrupt SD's etc.

You can bet Gateway would be laughing if it wasn't for the unfortunate timing of Normmatt releasing his modified launcher.dat. Hopefully this entire situation boosts gateway/mt-card sales and people think twice about saving a few dollars at the cost of teams which innovate.

 

[Xzi]

Because they could just have denied they have any code that will ever deliberately brick a 3DS

They could, but that would lend legitimacy to their competitors. They explicitly stated that they cannot guarantee the safety or functionality of their competitors' firmware, which is pretty much standard practice. They have no control over what is put in there, regardless of whether or not it's built on top of Gateway code.

I'm not saying that Gateway is innocent, but they were very smart in the way they worded this e-mail response.

 

[MrOldboy]

I do hope some form of an apology, acknowledgement or something comes when/if 2.0 is released regarding the acusations that they put the code there themselves. They need to gain everyone's confidence back if they expect 2.0 to be used universally after this and as a result GW word of mouth being positive as a result.

The problem is that at the moment only GW can really put people's minds at ease regarding this. They can say that the GW card and launcher is 100% safe, but people will still only see it as 99% safe. Until they deal with this head on I'll have a hard time trusting them.