Hacking Why do flashcarts have timebombs?

[TravayusDrax]

What do the manufactures of these flashcarts have to gain by adding timebombs into the firmware?

 

[FAST6191]

During the DS lifetime it was noted flash carts were a very odd business model -- buy one cheap item and it be supported forever more. Much of the 3ds lifetime was similar as they just updated for Nintendo's stuff. Said cheap items got even cheaper (before wood got ported to the R4 they were going for "get it out of my warehouse" prices). Likewise the market was fairly saturated and most that wanted a flash cart probably had one.

To that end if you are a flash cart maker, or more likely one that bought in a flash cart design (I never got my hands on it but there was a nice kit that anybody with a bit of setup capital and maybe the ability to fire up a compiler could pull off), you were faced with cheap competition which lasts forever. You put out a slightly pricier item (but probably still well above your bill of materials -- we had perfectly functional flash carts in 2006 and it is not like they suddenly required far more potent chips to run, 10 years in chips is an eternity in some regards) and have it self destruct after a year. A person that enjoyed all those good games would likely turn around and buy the newer version and still consider it a bargain.

Outside chance that the kit maker loaded it with a poison pill but I would have to confirm that.

 

[DeadSkullzJr]

I will summarize what was said above. Time bombs are there as a dirty tactic by the company to make users buy another flashcart once a specific "expiration" date is met. How this is bad is pretty obvious, you are basically never allowed to be content with what you have due to this and have to use alternative solutions (example, YSmenu) to block these time bombs.

 

[Technicmaster0]

I will summarize what was said above. Time bombs are there as a dirty tactic by the company to make users buy another flashcart once a specific "expiration" date is met. How this is bad is pretty obvious, you are basically never allowed to be content with what you have due to this and have to use alternative solutions (example, YSmenu) to block these time bombs.

They kinda have a sense if the team got many reports that games are incompatible but only because the kernel was outdated.

 

[cybrian]

They kinda have a sense if the team got many reports that games are incompatible but only because the kernel was outdated.

I’ve never seen a DS flash cart that wasn’t fully updatable, aside from the header on older carts (which is by no means the kernel)

 

[Technicmaster0]

I’ve never seen a DS flash cart that wasn’t fully updatable, aside from the header on older carts (which is by no means the kernel)

Yeah but there are many noobs who don't bother about updating.

 

[cybrian]

Yeah but there are many noobs who don't bother about updating.

…by that logic, Luma3DS should also have a timebomb. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Technicmaster0]

…by that logic, Luma3DS should also have a timebomb. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Maybe it should

 

[DeadSkullzJr]

Maybe it should

NO it should not! Do not ever wish that on something we use lol.

 

[Technicmaster0]

NO it should not! Do not ever wish that on something we use lol.

That wouldn't be very effective anyways because lima is open source and anyone could patch it out.

 

[Shadow#1]

…by that logic, Luma3DS should also have a timebomb. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Good idea make users be on latest nightly once a nightly releases they have a week to get on it or 3ds reboots every 5 mins

Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

So it was a scam?

 

[Jayro]

Good idea make users be on latest nightly once a nightly releases they have a week to get on it or 3ds reboots every 5 mins

Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk

That's very scummy... I'd just have a nag prompt telling the user a new Luma update is out (showing a version number), and they would have the option to close it, or have it open the Luma updater app. Basically like Nintendo's nag, but without the 24 hour recurrance, and only have it prompt on stable builds. Nightlies would just be annoying and impractical.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Is there a way to fix the flash cart? I have like 3 flash carts I can't use

 

[KoalaBoy]

Is there a way to fix the flash cart? I have like 3 flash carts I can't use

i also have a flash cart that im pretty sure had a time bomb... at least the one i use today doesnt have one. would be nice if i could fix it, but it simply doesnt boot

 

[Sliter]

wait, do they really have it? :c I really tought they only died by cheap assemble or bad care (since what I had never died... unless my own stupidy on updating...)

But is ther a way to countdown it to "disarm" this timebomb? or reive one that exploded 9I know a few friends...)

 

[DeadSkullzJr]

wait, do they really have it? :c I really tought they only died by cheap assemble or bad care (since what I had never died... unless my own stupidy on updating...)

But is ther a way to countdown it to "disarm" this timebomb? or reive one that exploded 9I know a few friends...)

It can be fixed by two ways. You can either use YSmenu or you can toggle the date backward. There is Wood R4 for the R4 clones and what not.

 

[DinohScene]

An even better answer would be to avoid R4 all together and settle for an Acekard or Supercard instead.

 

[Sliter]

It can be fixed by two ways. You can either use YSmenu or you can toggle the date backward. There is Wood R4 for the R4 clones and what not.

so if it not working, making the time back can make it work, and using the wood firmeware it won't be bricked anymore?

 

[DeadSkullzJr]

so if it not working, making the time back can make it work, and using the wood firmeware it won't be bricked anymore?

Correct, no "expired" garbage lol.

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An even better answer would be to avoid R4 all together and settle for an Acekard or Supercard instead.

R4i Gold 3DS RTS and R4i Gold 3DS Plus are the only R4 flashcarts with no time bombs, one of the reasons why it is a high demand flashcart these days.

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Here I will save everyone the trouble of finding everything:

YSmenu:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/retrogamefan-updates-releases.267243/

Wood R4 for clones and other various flashcarts: (keep in mind these are not official Wood kernels so of course some of them will be outdated for certain flashcarts and or may not work altogether.)
https://forum.romulation.net/threads/wood-r4-the-new-firmware-99-8-compatibility-ck3.39701/