Hacking not all 2012 models are 4.5 or lower?

[samljer]

I just bought a blue 3DS XL from the source.

it had (c) Nintendo 2012 on the box, as I was instructed to get.
however when I got it home, Firmware 6.2.0 was on the unit.
The source (radioshack), let me return it with no questions asked.
so thankful for that, it was the only one they had.


so.... did i miss something?
Could use a little help. thanks!

The serial number was SW40*******


this is the 2nd one that was 2012 and not on 4.5.
And my local ebgames only had one unit it stock and it was on 5.X

drove 2 hours to get to these places, will go again in a couple days with more
information, but i thought i knew all i had to.

thanks in advance.

 

[migles]

it happened on a store, i did see a box with 2012 on it, i did picked it but the box was empty and the console the guy was about to selling me had firmware 6.2 (i asked to check firmware before purchase)

this happened on a big electro-domestic store on my country, they put the 3ds boxes on display but remove the actual consoles from it

so i assume when they removed the consoles from the boxes they mixed the consoles and that box is an old one, but the console belonging to that box was already sold..

 

[Rinth]

It's possible that someone bought a 3DS, updated it, and then returned it shortly later. Stores aren't going to scrap days-old returns in perfect conditions, so of course they'd repack them. It sounds all the more likely since this store you bought from offers return with no question asked.

 

[Lyrra]

2012 (c) is not a good indicator. Look for a box with the serial number SW12xxxxxx (3DS XL Red&Black/Blue&Black only) or lower.

 

[samljer]

2012 (c) is not a good indicator. Look for a box with the serial number SW12xxxxxx (3DS XL Red&Black/Blue&Black only) or lower.

It had SW40 something on it.
ill try to find a SW12 on it, seems like ebay has a few 2012 units as well without SW12.

 

[kaspe]

SW12 is a guarantee of 4.1-4.5 not 2012.

 

[kyogre123]

lol Seriously people, the first 5.0 update was released on 2013 and you are saying that a copyright 2012 is not a good indicator. There are even some 2013 models with 4.5, the problem is people returning them updated.

 

[samljer]

well back to the drawing board, gunna have to find a few more used game places, and try ebay again at a later date.
thanks guys..

 

[Saturosias]

lol Seriously people, the first 5.0 update was released on 2013 and you are saying that a copyright 2012 is not a good indicator.

It isn't a good indicator. I personally got a brand-new, unopened, factory-stickered box from Gamestop with SW13XX copyright 2012 and it was 6.1, got a SW12XX from them and it was 4.2, just because the 2012 copyright is on the box doesn't mean they haven't updated their box design in a long time.

 

[kyogre123]

It isn't a good indicator. I personally got a brand-new, unopened, factory-stickered box from Gamestop with SW13XX copyright 2012 and it was 6.1, got a SW12XX from them and it was 4.2, just because the 2012 copyright is on the box doesn't mean they haven't updated their box design in a long time.

It wasn't new in that case, you see the difference?

Edit: I'm trying to figure out how that happened... that could have been an error on the print of the box. It doesn't make sense to have a product with an old copyright and a firmware that came not too long ago.

 

[Saturosias]

It wasn't new in that case, you see the difference?

The one I got WAS new, just because the box says copyright 2012 does not mean it was 100% made in 2012, which is what you implied with the quote I'd quoted:

lol Seriously people, the first 5.0 update was released on 2013 and you are saying that a copyright 2012 is not a good indicator. There are even some 2013 models with 4.5, the problem is people returning them updated.

 

[kyogre123]

The one I got WAS new, just because the box says copyright 2012 does not mean it was 100% made in 2012, which is what you implied with the quote I'd quoted:

I just edited my last post. Check it if you want.

 

[Saturosias]

I just edited my last post. Check it if you want.

Copyright 2012 is just text on the box design. It's just machines printing the same image on the cardboard as last year, that's all, it's not as simple as changing one number in the computer.

 

[kyogre123]

Copyright 2012 is just text on the box design. It's just machines printing the same image on the cardboard as last year, that's all, it's not as simple as changing one number in the computer.

Well, I don't know, but what about the older models? the serial number of my 3DS begins with CW70, has a copyright from 2011

 

[Saturosias]

the serial number of my 3DS begins with CW70

There's currently not enough data (AFAIK) on original 3DS (CW) serials to determine which ones are <4.5, though from current reports the copyright 2012 indicator does usually work for certain models. This info. is in the wiki, though.

 

[Xzi]

Thankfully I followed the guidelines here when buying mine: http://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/3DS_hacking_faq

Basically, MOST 3DS copyrighted for 2012 are fine. 3DS XL are a little trickier. It has to be blue/black or red/black, copyright 2012, and have a serial starting with SW1278 or lower (1277, 1276, etc). Go to stores where they keep them in glass cases so you can see the serials before purchasing. Walmart, Target, Best Buy, K-Mart are generally good about this.

 

[tHciNc]

I got 2 silver xls 2012 on box both 4.4 (1 on xmas eve), 1x red xl 2012 on box was 4.1, only a 2013 on box has been higher which was a 5.1
Watch the refurbed ones too lol

 

[kyogre123]

I got 2 silver xls 2012 on box both 4.4 (1 on xmas eve), 1x red xl 2012 on box was 4.1, only a 2013 on box has been higher which was a 5.1
Watch the refurbed ones too lol

lol Americans are experts in turning a funny incident into a big tragedy on the news.

 

[Terminator02]

Thankfully I followed the guidelines here when buying mine: http://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/3DS_hacking_faq

Basically, MOST 3DS copyrighted for 2012 are fine. 3DS XL are a little trickier. It has to be blue/black or red/black, copyright 2012, and have a serial starting with SW1278 or lower (1277, 1276, etc). Go to stores where they keep them in glass cases so you can see the serials before purchasing. Walmart, Target, Best Buy, K-Mart are generally good about this.

I came here to point out that the wiki covers this, I'm glad someone has proven that the wiki is actually read.

However, you have a couple things wrong. If you check the wiki, the highest reported 3DS XL serial number currently is SW1286xxxx x (and I have yet to see any SW12xxxxxx x that is above 4.5.0 other than those two exceptions listed in the wiki), and the 3DS XL can be any of the following models:
Red/Black
Blue/Black
Pink/White
Pikachu bundle


And to comment about the box copyright date, it is obvious that the copyright on the box is not equivalent to when that 3DS is shipped. My assumption would only be that the copyright on boxes only changes when there is some sort of redesign, then that particular design is a copyright of that year.