my dsi has parental controls put on by the previous owner, what do i do?

[yogirlalyssa]

i got a used dsi xl at orbit dvd. it wasn't formatted, and there were parental controls left by the previous owner. here's what they blocked: ds download play, picochat, sending pictures to a friend's dsi, sending pictures via flipnote studio, and formatting the system memory. and the secret question was: "what is your mother's maiden name?" i can tell that they gave it to a younger kid. but i just want the parental controls off my dsi.

 

[BigOnYa]

Have you tried this? Thread 'Disabling Parental Controls without the PIN' https://gbatemp.net/threads/disabling-parental-controls-without-the-pin.424747/

 

[Nikokaro]

Dear, sweet Alyssa, you are apparently only 13 years old, so parental blocking is also highly appropriate in your case: at least you won't be tempted to peek at hentai images online...
Hahaha... Just kidding. Despite the block you will be able to play roms and homebrews safely from SD cards or via cartridges or flashcart. If I am wrong, surely someone will pull my ear or kick me out.

 

[yogirlalyssa]

Dear, sweet Alyssa, you are apparently only 13 years old, so parental blocking is also highly appropriate in your case: at least you won't be tempted to peek at hentai images online...
Hahaha... Just kidding. Despite the block you will be able to play roms and homebrews safely from SD cards or via cartridges or flashcart. If I am wrong, surely someone will pull my ear or kick me out.

uh....... i'm not kidding. i bought it with parental controls on it.

 

[WiFiStackSmash]

Unlike Nikoharo, I'll actually help you. I know what it's like to buy secondhand devices with the previous owner's lockouts.

Use this: https://mkey.salthax.org/

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Dear, sweet Alyssa, you are apparently only 13 years old, so parental blocking is also highly appropriate in your case: at least you won't be tempted to peek at hentai images online...
Hahaha... Just kidding. Despite the block you will be able to play roms and homebrews safely from SD cards or via cartridges or flashcart. If I am wrong, surely someone will pull my ear or kick me out.

Try being serious here.
I've bought several used Nintendo consoles with that problem. People are just not taking care when selling stuff.
Besides: Solving problems of upbringing and education (social problems) with technological methods does not work.

uh....... i'm not kidding. i bought it with parental controls on it.

Again: I've seen enough of this. It happens all the time.
=======

The mkey site should solve the problem for DSi, Wii, 3DS and Wii U. I'm not sure if it is updated for latest 3DS version.

This will do in that case:
https://github.com/zoogie/mkey


We've had one case of Japanese v1.0 DSi where the generated master key (identical to what Nintendo provides) failed. In that case it might be needed to extract the current PIN from NAND directly.

 

[Nikokaro]

@KleinesSinchen , for you I will make an exception and get serious again for a few seconds. What substantial problems can that parental control give? What limitations does it imply about playing roms, homebrews and emulators on this console? In my opinion, none. Am I wrong perhaps?

 

[anotherthing]

Am I wrong perhaps?

I don't think so. If I were asked by a 13 year old to bypass the parental controls on something she had, I think I'd be a little leary on the subject. It's possible that her story is legit, but it's also entirely possible that it's not. I would defer to it being a problem for her parents, because as a parent, I would be pissed if someone undid a security measure I put in place on a device that I can't monitor 24/7.

 

[Nikokaro]

I don't think so. If I were asked by a 13 year old to bypass the parental controls on something she had, I think I'd be a little leary on the subject. It's possible that her story is legit, but it's also entirely possible that it's not. I would defer to it being a problem for her parents, because as a parent, I would be pissed if someone undid a security measure I put in place on a device that I can't monitor 24/7.

I see, I see. But I was asking something else. I was asking if this parental lock had any negative effect in playing nds roms, homebrew games or emulators; that is to say, if it would prevent you from using them. After all, that is its primary use: playing video games. Nowadays no one (or almost anyone) uses this junk to surf the internet; obsolete hardware, moreover very uncomfortable and no longer adequate by today's standards.

 

[Hanafuda]

It's "Richardson"

 

[KleinesSinchen]

@KleinesSinchen , for you I will make an exception and get serious again for a few seconds. What substantial problems can that parental control give? What limitations does it imply about playing roms, homebrews and emulators on this console? In my opinion, none. Am I wrong perhaps?

To be honest I don't know what those so-called parental controls do on DSi. I've just removed the with mkey without thinking twice.
On 3DS and Wii U it is definitely crippling access to games based on age ratings (with custom software being detected as 18+), can block 3D function and more garbage.

A device should never impose restrictions on the user uncalled for. Parental controls (more often than not broken by design) giving lazy parents peace of conscience are a bad trap and fallacy. Electronics are a horrible baby sitter.

Trying to source out parenting job is older than widespread handhelp consoles though (from first season of The Simpsons):

Spoiler

Assuming a kid just wants to circumvent/ignore their parents' wishes (family has bigger problems in that case) when somebody is asking for master key is just like assuming a stolen smartphone when somebody wants to get rid of the Google lock (FRP, factory reset protection). More often than not legitimate owner doesn't remember credentials or the phone has been reset and sold without paying attention.

These kind of questions come up regularly and answering them is mandatory in my opinion. On GBAtemp it is Nintendo parental controls, but the FRP thing exists on other places A LOT(!!) [be careful to not get scammed by stupid click bait]
Such "security" anti-features are the reason why many, many fully working devices are thrown away each year – by not tech-savvy people giving up on the first hurdle.

uses this junk to surf the internet; obsolete hardware, moreover very uncomfortable and no longer adequate by today's standards.

It is one of my hobbies to use outdated devices.

 

[Nikokaro]

It is one of my hobbies to use outdated devices

Of course. I also pamper and cherish my dear DS Lite, PSP and GBA SP with supreme love , and use them regularly to play games, but certainly not to surf the Internet!

 

[yogirlalyssa]

Unlike Nikoharo, I'll actually help you. I know what it's like to buy secondhand devices with the previous owner's lockouts.

Use this: https://mkey.salthax.org/

and this happened

Post automatically merged: Dec 8, 2023

Of course. I also pamper and cherish my dear DS Lite, PSP and GBA SP with supreme love , and use them regularly to play games, but certainly not to surf the Internet!

yea me 2

 

[WiFiStackSmash]

and this happened
View attachment 407916

Post automatically merged: Dec 8, 2023

yea me 2

Is that a school Chromebook? No other reason something like FortiGuard should be active. Use a personal device (a smartphone will work, hell a Wii could probably render that page) and try again.

 

[yogirlalyssa]

Is that a school Chromebook? No other reason something like FortiGuard should be active. Use a personal device (a smartphone will work, hell a Wii could probably render that page) and try again.

hmm... ok. i'll try

 

[KleinesSinchen]

and this happened

Try running the offline version zoogie provided.
That error message looks like it comes from some garbage software, which filters web access. Almost looks like parental controls as well.

If this message comes from the internet service provider this is a big no-no (censorship). If it comes from the local PC I'd rather re-evaluate the installed software than click on "having the page re-evaluated".
Definitely nothing illegal there – and unethical only for those worshiping parental controls "Buhhuhuhuh. My precious child security! Bad hackers!!11!"

Is that a school Chromebook?

A school computer? I would never use that for something other than schoolwork. Probably all sort of bugging included. So yeah. Cool device for privately surfing.

 

[yogirlalyssa]

A school computer? I would never use that for something other than schoolwork. Probably all sort of bugging included.

sorry there's a bug but a chromebook is the only thing i can use right now, (it is not a school chromebook)

 

[KleinesSinchen]

sorry there's a bug but a chromebook is the only thing i can use right now, (it is not a school chromebook)

I mean a school computer is administered by somebody else – some kind of authority, an official owner. Somebody else has full rights on this, but not the end user. You have no control if a school computer monitors all your activities (even if they promise not to; a bit of paranoia isn't the worst in this regard).

If this is a private computer, it does not make a difference which kind. Chromebook. Apple. Windows. Linux. They should all be under the full control of the user… and not restrict access.

 

[yogirlalyssa]

I mean a school computer is administered by somebody else – some kind of authority, an official owner. Somebody else has full rights on this, but not the end user. You have no control if a school computer monitors all your activities (even if they promise not to; a bit of paranoia isn't the worst in this regard).

If this is a private computer, it does not make a difference which kind. Chromebook. Apple. Windows. Linux. They should all be under the full control of the user… and not restrict access.

i had this happen before to a tablet even though i was the admin

 

[WiFiStackSmash]

Try running the offline version zoogie provided.
That error message looks like it comes from some garbage software, which filters web access. Almost looks like parental controls as well.

If this message comes from the internet service provider this is a big no-no (censorship). If it comes from the local PC I'd rather re-evaluate the installed software than click on "having the page re-evaluated".
Definitely nothing illegal there – and unethical only for those worshiping parental controls "Buhhuhuhuh. My precious child security! Bad hackers!!11!"


A school computer? I would never use that for something other than schoolwork. Probably all sort of bugging included. So yeah. Cool device for privately surfing.

Agreed, I never used my personal PC or laptop for school nor vice versa. Didn't trust the district or GSuite.

Post automatically merged: Dec 8, 2023

i had this happen before to a tablet even though i was the admin

Then either you've got helicopter parents installing RATs to your devices, or you installed malware.