Hacking Some good reasons to install Custom Firmware (CFW)

[PrincessLillie]

Are you one of the VERY FEW people still on stock firmware? Forget stock firmware! You should install Custom Firmware and arm9loaderhax! Here are some very good reasons to do so.

The install is easy.
The install is extremely easy. Most of the consumed time consists of downloading files and waiting for NAND backups to be made or restored and the ctrtransfer to be made. At most the install took me 1 and a half hours.

Game cart dumps.
This is arguably one of my favorite features of Custom Firmware. Say that your father gives you a 3DS Game Cart and says that you have to share it with a sibling. You could dump the Game Cart to an installable CIA file and give the Game Cart to your sibling.

GBA Games on 3DS.
You could argue, "Oh, but ambassadors had access to 10 FREE GBA games!" Yes, but ONLY the ambassadors. Unfortunately, for people that purchased the Nintendo 3DS after the ambassador program ended, they could no longer get the games. Now, with the Ultimate GBA VC Injector, you can actually play ANY GBA game on your 3DS! The emulator that Nintendo built for this actually works quite well. I will not provide ANY sources for GBA ROMs. I encourage you to rip the ROM from the GBA Game Cart using a DS and a flashcart, but you may get them however you feel is necessary

Piracy...
This is one of the sadder things about CFW. With the ability to dump any Game Cart and install it to your HOME Menu, there also come the pirates. People basically rip eShop games or Game Carts, upload them to filesharing sites like MEGA, and then post the links to download them on websites. People here on GBAtemp commonly refer to one of these very sites as "that ISO site." There is also a tool that people have exploited to pirate games called freeShop. I won't provide any links because I am not one to pirate a good game. I would rather support the developer by trying a demo (if available) and if I liked the demo, then I would purchase the game, but do whatever you want.

Your favorite Homebrew apps - Directly on your HOME menu.
You want to access a Homebrew app, but don't want to go through SoundHax or HBLauncher_Loader with the possibility that the system will hang. So you open your CIA installer of choice and install the CIA of that exact app. With CFW, you have faster access to your favorite Homebrew apps like never before.

Game mods.
If you want a new and unique experience in your games, then installing CFW will give it to you! With various mods like CTGP-7 for Mario Kart 7 or the various mods for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS on Gamebanana, the expansions you could make to your game are practically endless!

Custom HOME Menu themes.
With CFW and tools like CHMM2 or the Howling Theme Tool, you can have custom themes directly on your HOME Menu. They are VERY different in the way that they work, so make sure you take a look at both of them! You can download custom themes at 3DSThem.es or make your own from scratch using Usagi 3DS Theme Editor.

It's Homebrew that Nintendo can NEVER take away from you.
I remember when Nintendo patched TubeHax. I was really upset. But with CFW, you have Homebrew on your system permanently. You can perform a Firmware update (It's safe to update while on CFW with a9lh, stop asking.) and you will still have your CFW.

I hope this thread gave you a little insight into some of the benefits of CFW and a9lh. If anyone feels the need to expand on this list, they can do so by making a reply. If this thread made you want to install CFW, first make sure you are on System Version 11.2.0-35X or lower, where X means the letter of your region. If you are on 11.2.0-35X or lower, you can follow 3ds.guide to install Luma3DS Custom Firmware. MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THE GUIDE TO. THE. LETTER! DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, SKIP ANY STEPS! If you are on 11.3.0-36X, then you cannot install CFW. Sorry. The reason for this is that downgrading was patched on 11.3.0-36X, and a downgrade is necessary to install CFW and a9lh.

 

[Hayleia]

• Ability to play games that read your console language in another language than that of your console (example: I play Smash in English on a console in French)
• Ability to play out of region games
• Since you used "install is easy" as a good reason, you could list "no loss of feature" as a reason too, for people who think they'll lose online functionalities

 

[Distrance]

Couldn't you have chosen anymore cancerous choice of a text color? That blue is so bad that it is practically unreadable. Also I like your preaching about piracy in your "guide" and making it seem as if it's bad when in reality, I'd say it's safe to say 80% .. no, maybe even 90% or more of the people who CFW their consoles do so in order to be able to pirate games.

For me the ability to pirate is a secondary effect of the CFW and not the primary reason but I'm not gonna pretend like it's not there and buy games anyway.

 

[Deleted member 42501]

People here on GBAtemp commonly refer to one of these very sites as "that ISO site."

The irony being that GBAtemp was once itself referred to as "that ISO site."

"GBAtemp is the main site of the GBAtemp Network. It was created in the year 2002, when it started as a simple ROM hosting site (see history below)."


https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/GBAtemp.net

 

[BL4Z3D247]

Couldn't you have chosen anymore cancerous choice of a text color? That blue is so bad that it is practically unreadable. Also I like your preaching about piracy in your "guide" and making it seem as if it's bad when in reality, I'd say it's safe to say 80% .. no, maybe even 90% or more of the people who CFW their consoles do so in order to be able to pirate games.

For me the ability to pirate is a secondary effect of the CFW and not the primary reason but I'm not gonna pretend like it's not there and buy games anyway.

I agree, darken up the blue if you want to use blue. It's like looking onto the sun.

And the primary reason to install CFW is for the ability to recover from a brick. Bricks can happen outside the realm of homebrew so even if you don't mess with homebrew you still run risks of bricking your console.

 

[Majickhat55]

The only thing I would say about the piracy section is that, as the OP just naming functions of CFW you should try to remain non-biased. Let people choose themselves without making them feel guilty about it, it's none of your business to be quite honest. Also, I'd like to add there is a ton more you can do than just play games in different capacities with CFW. There are development apps to tweak the console, NTR for plugins, screenshots, realtime saving, wireless streaming, RAM process dumping etc etc, custom system apps that allow you to keep a clean HomeScreen, restart your activity log, dump it, etc. Other custom system apps for just fun things like customversion setter, custom boot animations, 3D Moflex movies, Godmodes for file exploration, and tons more. Playing games is really the "tip of the iceberg" when it comes to CFW.

 

[netovsk]

This crusading topic is not much needed since 11.3 made everyone hostage to Luma.

 

[spookysalad]

I agree, darken up the blue if you want to use blue. It's like looking onto the sun.

And the primary reason to install CFW is for the ability to recover from a brick. Bricks can happen outside the realm of homebrew so even if you don't mess with homebrew you still run risks of bricking your console.

Actully, my main reason is for bragging, and cool homebrew shit

 

[wormdood]

well this thread was good for a laugh
the op says

I won't provide any links because I am not one to pirate a good game. I would rather support the developer

as well as

Game cart dumps.
This is arguably one of my favorite features of Custom Firmware. Say that your father gives you a 3DS Game Cart and says that you have to share it with a sibling.You could dump the Game Cart to an installable CIA file and give the Game Cart to your sibling.

. . . so you dont download . . . you still pirate for your brothers sake . . . but what about supporting the bla bla bla

look im not saying to stop advocating for cfw but if you think your backups are not piracy (especially when someone else retains the original) then you got some learning to do

also the op says that these are benefits of cfw

Game mods.

Custom HOME Menu themes.

. . . but you can do these things with basic homebrew .. . why not list homebrew that actually requires cfw

lastly i hate it when people just spam things like this

It's Homebrew that Nintendo can NEVER take away from you.

you should not just repeat what others say . . . because they can . . . anything that is or requires software can be rewritten

 

[isoboy]

"I am not one to pirate a good game" Horse. Dung.

 

[netovsk]

So it's CFW now. What's the next Master Race?

 

[PrincessLillie]

Couldn't you have chosen anymore cancerous choice of a text color? That blue is so bad that it is practically unreadable. Also I like your preaching about piracy in your "guide" and making it seem as if it's bad when in reality, I'd say it's safe to say 80% .. no, maybe even 90% or more of the people who CFW their consoles do so in order to be able to pirate games.

For me the ability to pirate is a secondary effect of the CFW and not the primary reason but I'm not gonna pretend like it's not there and buy games anyway.

I agree, darken up the blue if you want to use blue. It's like looking onto the sun.

And the primary reason to install CFW is for the ability to recover from a brick. Bricks can happen outside the realm of homebrew so even if you don't mess with homebrew you still run risks of bricking your console.

I quite like the blue color. I thought it looked good.

well this thread was good for a laugh
the op says
as well as
. . . so you dont download . . . you still pirate for your brothers sake . . . but what about supporting the bla bla bla

look im not saying to stop advocating for cfw but if you think your backups are not piracy (especially when someone else retains the original) then you got some learning to do

also the op says that these are benefits of cfw



. . . but you can do these things with basic homebrew .. . why not list homebrew that actually requires cfw

lastly i hate it when people just spam things like this
you should not just repeat what others say . . . because they can . . . anything that is or requires software can be rewritten

Dumping a Game Cart to a CIA is not piracy unless I were to upload it to that ISO Site. It counts as a legal backup.
In fact... I'll just leave this here.

Spoiler: Definition of software piracy.

According to YourDictionary...
Software piracy is defined as illegally copying software that does not belong to you in a manner that violates the copyright.

"I am not one to pirate a good game" Horse. Dung.

Absolutely NOT horse dung. I don't pirate games because the developers deserve reward for their many hours of work on the game. (Sonic '06 doesn't count as a game, but why would you pirate it anyways?) Besides, my WiFi sucks, so I couldn't pirate a game if I tried.

So it's CFW now. What's the next Master Race?

Master Race.

 

[BL4Z3D247]

I quite like the blue color. I thought it looked good.

Dumping a Game Cart to a CIA is not piracy unless I were to upload it to that ISO Site. It counts as a legal backup.

I was only suggesting you use a less bright blue, it's a bit hard on the eyes with the white background.

Also, if you dump a game cart and you keep the CIA and give the game cart to your sibling that's still considered piracy. You have to have a physical copy of the game you're playing and since the game cart is in your siblings possession, the copy you're playing of it would then be illegal. I'm not judging I'm just letting you know that "sharing" like that is still very much so piracy because you're still taking money from developers by helping your sibling obtain a copy without paying.

 

[Rockhoundhigh]

You forgot to mention that you can now get in on the r/3dshacks circlejerk!

 

[PrincessLillie]

I was only suggesting you use a less bright blue, it's a bit hard on the eyes with the white background.

Also, if you dump a game cart and you keep the CIA and give the game cart to your sibling that's still considered piracy. You have to have a physical copy of the game you're playing and since the game cart is in your siblings possession, the copy you're playing of it would then be illegal. I'm not judging I'm just letting you know that "sharing" like that is still very much so piracy because you're still taking money from developers by helping your sibling obtain a copy without paying.

Spoiler: Definition of software piracy

According to YourDictionary...
Software piracy is defined as illegally copying software that does not belong to you in a manner that violates the copyright.
A example of software piracy is when you download a copy of Microsoft Word from a file-sharing website without paying for it.

 

[Majickhat55]

The only time a backup is not piracy is when you make the backup yourself, and use it personally only. If you dump a cart, then keep it and give the .cia to anyone, that copy is pirated. Period. You don't have to download or upload it from/for the masses for it to be piracy.

Not to mention piracy is a moot point considering that cart dump is an illegal program itself. The dumps are legal but the means to acquire them are anything but. You can't mod your system, completely break ToS, DMCA, and void your warranty then say anything bad about piracy. Anyone who uses CFW and calls someone out on pirating games is a complete hypocrite. Illegal is as illegal does.....

 

[Halvorsen]

Two things.

One, change this damn blue.

Also, the GBA stuff isn't an emulator. It runs on actual GBA hardware.

 

[PrincessLillie]

Two things.

One, change this damn blue.

Also, the GBA stuff isn't an emulator. It runs on actual GBA hardware.

1. It could just be yellow, but I'll work on changing it. I've darkened the blue. Tell me if it's better.
2. It's running on AGB_FIRM which is NOT GBA Hardware. It's basically a GBA emulator by Nintendo.

 

[Deleted member 333767]

The install is easy.
The install is extremely easy. Most of the consumed time consists of downloading files and waiting for NAND backups to be made or restored and the ctrtransfer to be made. At most the install took me 1 and a half hours.

I wouldn't describe the install as 'easy'

PSP CFW install, now that is easy. The 3DS is infinity more difficult/time consuming.

 

[xtheman]

2. It's running on AGB_FIRM which is NOT GBA Hardware. It's basically a GBA emulator by Nintendo.

It is natively playing the games. Not emulating them.

It's (basically) a hypervisor like Nintendont and GBArunner2