Hardware Internal memory

BenRK

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I'm honestly confused why the 3DS has so much internal memory. Wikipedia may be wrong, but it claims that the 3DS has 1.5GBs of internal flash memory. From what I can tell, it uses no more then 256MBs of it, and that's only for DSiware and optional photo storage. Where does the 1.25GBs go? Why are they even there? Everything else the 3DS saves to it is saved to the SD card.

Speaking of, why can't DSiware be saved to the SD card? Well, why can't it be launched from the SD card? Understandably, the DSi would be unlikely able to, but the 3DS? Just use a system simmilar to how the Wii does it! Copy the game from the SD card over to the internal memory, and when you're done, copy it right on back to the SD card! Saves and all of course.

I don't know about you, but I don't care to buy DSiware thanks to the limited storage. I know games can be coppied to the SD card, but I lose my saves when that happens, making it annoying as heck. Not to mention it's just busy work. I understand that they have to be ran in a compatibility mode, and using the above method shouldn't break that. I can only think of two DSiware games that would break slightly from such a system, and those are the Annonymous Notes games. Not to mention there would be an increase in load times. Perhaps if the system was optional, could be turned on and off for each game.

In any case, an increase in initial load times wouldn't bother me all that much, more so if it means I can launch games from my 8GB SD card now!

But even so, what happened to that 1.25GBs? What are they used for? Assuming Wikipedia is correct of course. And even if it's not correct, Nintendo, get on this SD card booting thing!!!
 

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Because booting from the SD card is one of the things that made Wii hacking so easy. As for why it can't, simply because the DSi can't.

Copy the game from the SD card over to the internal memory, and when you're done, copy it right on back to the SD card!
And what if you didn't have the room in the internal memory to do that?
 

BenRK

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The exact same thing when the Wii doesn't. Don't boot, tell the user why and what to do about it.

And really, the 3DS hasn't shown signs of hackability (yet). Nintendo seems to have it down this time around. As far as I can tell.
 
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saberjoy

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The exact same thing when the Wii doesn't. Don't boot, tell the user why and what to do about it.

And really, the 3DS hasn't shown signs of hackability (yet). Nintendo seems to have it down this time around. As far as I can tell.
well it will definitely be the first time if they "have it down this time around"
 

BenRK

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Well, I'm not seing much progress. Sure, flashcards still work, but that's stuck in DS mode, not much else they can do then what we could do before with DSi's and DS Lites.

In any case, this isn't about hacking, more of a question about why there is so much unused memory in the 3DS.
 

ferofax

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best guess would be for firmware upgrades. i'm not sure if the 3D video upgrade is saved on the SD or is permanently patched onto the firmware, but i'm guessing it's the latter. plus eShop & browser, they had to be added in thru a firmware upgrade back then. i'm pretty sure you can use them without the SD card.

new firmware features need space to be implemented, and i'm guessing all that space is entirely reserved for that.


also, SD card booting was scrapped for security reasons (on the DSi, at least). i'm pretty sure they've probably identified flaws in how a DSiware boots off an SD card, which is why they limited it to internal memory only. plus that Wii hack that boots off the SD card. it's not like they haven't thought of this feature, you know. and no amount of complaining about it will change that, if it meant weakening security. as for the 3DS being able to launch off the SD card, it's probably using something pretty strong that they're confident enough to allow that.
 

BenRK

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I'm not REALLY complaining. I know Nintendo will likely never do it, but hey, if no one thought of it before, well, I'm throwing it out there.

I can't imagine firmware updates and the like would take up 1.25GBs. If they are anything like me, they would have put aside some memory for that stuff and not advertise it. Which might be why the internal memory is advertised as 1.5GBs rather then 2GBs. 512MBs for firmware and built in software! 256MBs for DSiware, and so on.

Actually, if they open up the rest of the memory for DSiware (or at least expand what is there), then I would probably be just as happy. Though I imagine that opens up a bunch of compatibility issues, as the DSi only had 256MBs. Though then again, it might not. No way of knowing at the moment.
 

Pippin666

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I'm honestly confused why the 3DS has so much internal memory. Wikipedia may be wrong, but it claims that the 3DS has 1.5GBs of internal flash memory. From what I can tell, it uses no more then 256MBs of it, and that's only for DSiware and optional photo storage. Where does the 1.25GBs go? Why are they even there? Everything else the 3DS saves to it is saved to the SD card.

Speaking of, why can't DSiware be saved to the SD card? Well, why can't it be launched from the SD card? Understandably, the DSi would be unlikely able to, but the 3DS? Just use a system simmilar to how the Wii does it! Copy the game from the SD card over to the internal memory, and when you're done, copy it right on back to the SD card! Saves and all of course.

I don't know about you, but I don't care to buy DSiware thanks to the limited storage. I know games can be coppied to the SD card, but I lose my saves when that happens, making it annoying as heck. Not to mention it's just busy work. I understand that they have to be ran in a compatibility mode, and using the above method shouldn't break that. I can only think of two DSiware games that would break slightly from such a system, and those are the Annonymous Notes games. Not to mention there would be an increase in load times. Perhaps if the system was optional, could be turned on and off for each game.

In any case, an increase in initial load times wouldn't bother me all that much, more so if it means I can launch games from my 8GB SD card now!

But even so, what happened to that 1.25GBs? What are they used for? Assuming Wikipedia is correct of course. And even if it's not correct, Nintendo, get on this SD card booting thing!!!
I guess the extra storage can be use to store a system update when it can download one for you while in sleep mode. It could also be used by Nintendo for future miiplaza content or new features etc,...
I'm not REALLY complaining. I know Nintendo will likely never do it, but hey, if no one thought of it before, well, I'm throwing it out there.

I can't imagine firmware updates and the like would take up 1.25GBs. If they are anything like me, they would have put aside some memory for that stuff and not advertise it. Which might be why the internal memory is advertised as 1.5GBs rather then 2GBs. 512MBs for firmware and built in software! 256MBs for DSiware, and so on.

Actually, if they open up the rest of the memory for DSiware (or at least expand what is there), then I would probably be just as happy. Though I imagine that opens up a bunch of compatibility issues, as the DSi only had 256MBs. Though then again, it might not. No way of knowing at the moment.
I am pretty sure Nintendo never advertise the internal memory capacity.

Pip'
 

BenRK

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Well, either Wikipedia is making it up (entirely possible!), the info was exaggerated, or the memory specs were given out at some point. All possible.

I don't mean advertizing like commercials on TV or magazines, using it as a selling point or whatever. I just mean not hiding it.
 

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