Hacking Very old 3DS firmware versions and Luma

[KleinesSinchen]

Because of this post in the 3DS NOOB PARADISE I did some tests with old firmware versions and Luma. As @PoiRan I ran into a “bricked” state (black screens) with firmware 4.5.0-10E when trying to boot the console with latest Luma – while no problems with v9.1.

Results of the tedious testing with various old firmware versions:

Firmware version	Result (Luma v10.0.1)	Comment
≤ 3.0	working	Very limited functionality. FIRM protection works.
4.1	not working	Luma v9.1 works normally
4.4	not working	Luma v9.1 works normally
4.5	not working	Luma v9.1 works normally
≥ 5.1	working	Found no problems

In the earlier version of this post I was wrong about some parts (see spoiler below, NOT corrected the mistakes). Luma loads for firmware 1.0 and other very low versions, but it’s hard to see that (no obvious indication of CFW presence). 6.0.0-12 is the initial version for O2DS.

For the 4.x series I’m pretty sure I can call this a regression in Luma3DS since the official Wiki states that more or less all Luma functions should work starting with 4.0.0.

Clarification:
I totally missed testing the important version 9.2.0-20 (thanks @Quantumcat): This widely used version is fully working with Luma v10.0.1

Spoiler: uncorrected old version

I tried my best to test more and even older versions from somewhere, but could not get many to work – one would not even install. The process of constantly flashing different firmware versions and restoring the NAND afterwards is very time consuming so I stopped trying at some point. Enough write cycles for the poor NAND today!

Results:

• Latest Luma constantly fails on 4.5.0-10E for me, but
• Latest Luma version works on firmware 6.3.0-12E (should have been the initial O2DS firmware 6.2.0-12E… okay – I guess this is what you get when obtaining shady files)
• The most startling result gave firmware 1.0: Home Menu loaded normally. Literally normally! No Rosalina, no “Sys” before the version number in System Settings. The CFW simply did not load. At first I thought Fastboot 3DS might have been overwritten, but no: All good. I could not get any Luma version to patch the firmware. Not tested: Normal update. I guess it would have killed Fastboot as there was no indication of a loaded CFW protecting FIRM0/FIRM1.

Edit: See post below @Ryccardo got a different, more positive result for 1.0

Conclusion: Latest Luma not loading Home Menu on 4.5 is a problem – if this can be confirmed – because there might be quite a few devices out there with this version because of Gateway 3DS usage in the past.

There are good reasons for installing B9S on older firmware versions before updating instead of updating first and using *miner:

• faster / a little easier
• does not rely on DS(i) mode

The guide advises to use the latest version of everything so people with devices on low very firmware might run into this problem. As far as my tests go, only O3DS(XL) can be affected by this problem. All others come with a higher minimal firmware version.

Spoiler: Personal opinion

Such things often happen when software – Luma in this case – has a new major version with many changes. Still statements like “It is recommend to update Luma.” can be read all the time – whoever that “it”-authority, which implies this recommendation to be an objective fact, might be.

This is why I personally tend to stay on more tested software versions – if no large security flaws or failures are found. My only device with latest Luma is the test console.

I think some more tests (other versions/regions) might be helpful to find out which – if any – Luma version(s) work on very old firmware revisions. Not sure how to proceed from here. Can anybody help or give additional information? I am a little insecure about this and my skills in testing this out.

 

[Ryccardo]

I do remember that, when adding support for older versions (that was roughly between the aureinand 4 and luma 6 days, definitely in the A9LH age) - "basic" support (= disable kernel installation, not even 100% sure of signature patches) was added for the earliest versions and some higher ones, but leaving a gap in the middle (probably the 3.x series?) - and at the time, indeed, 4.x and 6.x compatibility was a de facto requirement...

No idea about any regressions in this field, maybe I'll try something this evening!

 

[Ryccardo]

So:

4.5 does indeed fail early in the boot process on the newest Luma (77f0295), it works on 8.1.0
1.0 partially works on either version (opening the Rosalina UI freezes the console except for the sound, and there's a good chance apps blackscreen after the logo); and at least the current Luma does indeed have a working kernel write protection patch for 1.0
Got to take the bus, will try 6.2 today

 

[KleinesSinchen]

4.5 does indeed fail early in the boot process on the newest Luma (77f0295), it works on 8.1.0

Same result as PoiRan and me.

1.0 partially works on either version (opening the Rosalina UI freezes the console except for the sound, and there's a good chance apps blackscreen after the logo); and at least the current Luma does indeed have a working kernel write protection patch for 1.0

So you got a different (and better!) result than me. Being able to launch either System Settings or Recovery Mode to update while FIRM protection is active is all that we need.

Got to take the bus, will try 6.2 today

Thank you very much for testing! Firmware 6.x seems to be okay. Tested with shady downgrade yesterday (6.3) and

1. I was wrong about 6.2 being the initial O2DS firmware. My O2DS came with 6.0.0-12E
2. I still have an old NAND backup so I could easily test a good or "sane" system→ No problem with Luma v10.0.1

Edit/Update:
Another firmware, another test: 2.1.0-4E:

Result: It works with Luma 10 and 9.1. Looking in the Luma wiki brings a little enlightenment:

Many patches done by Luma are unsupported on firmwares below 4.0.0

In fact I had trouble finding any indication that Luma was – in fact – loaded. No Rosalina, no "Sys" before the version number in settings, no trace of unsigned software (main SD:/Nintendo 3DS/ folder incompatible with this old firmware even after removing Home Menu data.)

However, injecting HB Launcher Wrapper into H&S made HB Launcher appear on Home Menu (it loads to an error message because of missing Rosalina module). After that I made the safety test for uninstalling CFW → H&S did not show any banner anymore and booted to black screens. So signature patches were active while loading Luma v10.0.1. Lastly I tested the FIRM protection by installing a cartridge update. This resulted in the fake bricked state which lead me to do this testing in the first place. Should have checked the database – I had installed 4.5.

I get the feeling the Luma regression only affects the 4.x series, maybe even just 4.5. According to the wiki with 4.x+ everything should work.


Update 2:
Luma 10 also fails for firmware 4.4.

 

[KleinesSinchen]

New tests:

• 3.0 okay
• 5.1 okay
• 6.1 okay
• 6.2 okay

• 4.1 failing with Luma 10 like the other 4.x

I'm pretty sure now only 4.x is affected by this Luma regression.

I cannot continue testing today because I hit a "brick" wall when updating to the 7.x series.

Don't know what happened there – hope to investigate later. Took too much time today and I have to leave now. If somebody has an idea, please let me know:

• The hardware of the test console is somewhat damaged; fully opening shuts the device off (ribbon issue). No other known hardware issues.
  
• Never had any software problems.
• All firmware versions from 1.0 up to 6.2 worked normally.
• Installing 7.x makes the O3DSXL boot seemingly normal (with any Luma or native.firm) but I can't open any games, apps, applets.
• NAND restore to 11.10.0-43E and everything is good again.

 

[PoiRan]

Conclusion: Latest Luma not loading Home Menu on 4.5 is a problem – if this can be confirmed – because there might be quite a few devices out there with this version because of Gateway 3DS usage in the past.

Yes, when buying old 3DSXL (and 3DS) there is a high chance of them running 4.x as many of them haven't ever been connected to the internet (it seems) and most of them aren't hacked. I searched a while before I bought this one on swedish "ebay" and many of them hadn't been used for years it seems and many never with games that required networking. I was very confident that I would get a (easy to hack) console with 4.5, and that's what I got.

Good work KleinesSinchen.

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Testing finished as far as I’m willing to do this. While I did not test each and every firmware version that exists, it should be enough now.

No problems with Luma v10.0.1 on any other version than 4.x.

I’ve updated/edited the first post with the results.

 

[Tac 21]

clearly Luma has come a long way