Topic: 3DS May Be Brickable if Flash Cards Used

[ShyGuy]

Are these system updates automatic? Can you decline them?

[Enner]

Last I checked, yes. It doesn't work like the Chrome browser where the device updates everything automatically in the background.


EDIT: I mean I assume that you can decline them like for the Wii updates.

[ShyGuy]

So reject these updates and the conditions they bring. Both sides should be free to choose.

[Stogi]

That may not be possible though. Nintendo does want it to work like Chrome. Whether you can say no to automatic updates is one thing, but Nintendo plans on updating your console without your knowledge.

[NWR_insanolord]

I wouldn't be surprised if there were a way to turn auto-updating off. I assume there's at least a way to turn off StreetPass in general, but you'd be losing a bunch of other stuff as well.

[Scatt-Man]

I recall Wii software forcing you to upgrade before allowing you to play new games. Yay. 
If the option is there and a few games I really want don't get released down here, I'd definitely feel a lot less guilty for playing ROMs given that Nintendo've region locked this thing. I'm not buying a second console for more English games. Bah, I should've just imported a US 3DS. 

[Nick DiMola]

Besides, only criminals should have a problem with this.

Trust me, the minute I have a chance to hack my 3DS, I'll be doing it. I love to import games and have been doing since the N64 - with the 3DS region lock, I won't be able to play any import titles with my North American 3DS. The only means of doing this is using some sort of homebrew application that either makes the system region free or can load out of region games. Bricking my system because I want to use it in a different means than Nintendo says is a bunch of crap. I have no interest in pirating 3DS games, but I absolutely will not give up my ability to import games.

Even if Nintendo decides to actually do this (they won't), it won't stop people who intend to pirate games anyway. Hackers will eventually figure out how to block any remote bricking and all of the pirates will go on their merry way. Being that these types of users constitute such a small percentage of the market (who would actually buy the game), it's not worth potentially harming innocent 3DS owners in the crossfire.

[NintendoFanboy]

perfect solution.
homebrew stay on ds and dsi
buy only NEW games from trusted stores.
which is what i do.
i never buy from ebay, to many shady people on that service.
 
Pirates have been hiding behind homebrew and importing for years.
honestly no one is forcing you to buy a 3DS so dont if you dont agree with this.

[UncleBob]

Pirates have been hiding behind homebrew and importing for years.

I'm not a pirate (and am very vocally against the practice) and I like the occasional import.

[KDR_11k]

That probably means importing won't be possible.

Also I hope for Nintendo that there are absolutely zero false positives.

[Morari]

/
Besides, only criminals should have a problem with this.

We should start installing tele-screens in everyone's home too! After all, only criminals have something to hide.

Don't start with this again Morari, you have made it clear you don't care about the law.

And you've made it clear that you don't care about morality. So long as it's law, you'll go full steam ahead defending it, regardless of the ramifications. Hell, you probably actuallydo want telescreens in every room of every home throughout America. That way, the government and their corporate overloards can keep everyone in check 24/7. It wouldn't bother you, since you're not a criminal... unless of course they see you with that hacked PSP.

Regardless, these measures won't hold up for long. Nintendo will never be able to lock down their system enough to really matter. Piracy will continue unhindered, whereas homebrew and import efforts will be the ones to struggle. Once again, only legitimate customers will be harmed in the crossfire of a useless struggle.

Do as thou wilt shall be the whole of the law?

[Ian Sane]

Even if you can decline automatic updates that still can leave you S.O.L.  It's very common for new games to come out that require the latest update.  So let's say I'm afraid of my 3DS getting innocently bricked so I don't install the updates.  But then the new Zelda game has the update on the cart itself and requires it to even play.  In that case I either install the update or I miss out on the game.  You don't really have the choice.

I'm just upset that the remote off switch is here.  Yeah here we're talking about bricking pirates (in theory) but if Nintendo or any of these other companies can get the law on their side I don't see what's to stop them from bricking your old system 10 years from now when they decide it is no longer "supported".  The way things are moving I see this is as inevitable.  Nintendo might not be the ones to start it and it might not be for any system currently in the pipeline but I think it is coming.  And when it happens public apathy will be enough that they'll get away with it.

[viciouskillersquirrel]

I think everyone is panicking at nothing.  At best, this is a garbled translation by the manager of a single retail store.

My guess is that while the 3DS will log activity on your system, Nintendo will never actively brick systems remotely.  That violates various consumer rights laws and will only lead to bad publicity and class action lawsuits without helping the bottom line.  Disabling a CE device you paid money for is akin to vandalism - it'll never happen.

However, if you do soft-mod your system somehow, it means that if you try to update in future, the system will be different to what the update is expecting.  Sometimes, this will mean that the update won't install correctly and introduce bugs - resulting in a brick.  If you tried to sell the system back to a retailer and they could tell (via the log) that you soft-modded it or violated some higher level system permission, they then have every right to refuse to buy it from you since you modded the system.  After that point, they have no guarantee that it will work as intended and have a duty of care to not sell a potentially defective unit on to other customers

If you mod a system or otherwise do something to it that allows it to do things it wasn't designed for, that's the same as spray painting it or putting sticker decals all over it.  You wouldn't expect to be able to take it back to the store for a refund or to get a good trade-in price for it if it isn't close to the same condition as you bought it in.  This has nothing to do with Nintendo having a killswitch they can trip.  Regardless of how much they might want to do it, it would be breaking the law.

[NWR_insanolord]

I think everyone is panicking at nothing.  At best, this is a garbled translation by the manager of a single retail store.

My guess is that while the 3DS will log activity on your system, Nintendo will never actively brick systems remotely.  That violates various consumer rights laws and will only lead to bad publicity and class action lawsuits without helping the bottom line.  Disabling a CE device you paid money for is akin to vandalism - it'll never happen.

However, if you do soft-mod your system somehow, it means that if you try to update in future, the system will be different to what the update is expecting.  Sometimes, this will mean that the update won't install correctly and introduce bugs - resulting in a brick.  If you tried to sell the system back to a retailer and they could tell (via the log) that you soft-modded it or violated some higher level system permission, they then have every right to refuse to buy it from you since you modded the system.  After that point, they have no guarantee that it will work as intended and have a duty of care to not sell a potentially defective unit on to other customers

If you mod a system or otherwise do something to it that allows it to do things it wasn't designed for, that's the same as spray painting it or putting sticker decals all over it.  You wouldn't expect to be able to take it back to the store for a refund or to get a good trade-in price for it if it isn't close to the same condition as you bought it in.  This has nothing to do with Nintendo having a killswitch they can trip.  Regardless of how much they might want to do it, it would be breaking the law.

This is an excellent post. I agree 100%, and I hope you continue to post here.

[Mop it up]

That post above said something similar to what I was going to say. This is just a standard warning that a device may cease to function when used in a manner other than what it was designed for, every electronic device has such warnings and possibilities so I don't see the big deal.

[oohhboy]

I am going to have to disagree a little. I have had an ADSL modem brick when I updated it with the official firmware that failed to unbrick following the companies procedure. What surprises me is that it doesn't have some sort of ability to fall back or roll back to hardwired 1.0. Devices brick because they are badly designed or have zero room for contingencies or are draconian.

I only hope this is only boiler plate as I know I will end up soft moding this in time to play import, if nothing else get games at a fair price. Getting bricked would be like getting shot while walking on the grass at the park.

[Chozo Ghost]

Even if a system is bricked, isn't there a way to unbrick it?

[ShyGuy]

I am going to have to disagree a little. I have had an ADSL modem brick when I updated it with the official firmware that failed to unbrick following the companies procedure. What surprises me is that it doesn't have some sort of ability to fall back or roll back to hardwired 1.0. Devices brick because they are badly designed or have zero room for contingencies or are draconian.

I only hope this is only boiler plate as I know I will end up soft moding this in time to play import, if nothing else get games at a fair price. Getting bricked would be like getting shot while walking on the grass at the park.

RoboCop says STAY OFF THE GRASS

[viciouskillersquirrel]

I am going to have to disagree a little. I have had an ADSL modem brick when I updated it with the official firmware that failed to unbrick following the companies procedure. What surprises me is that it doesn't have some sort of ability to fall back or roll back to hardwired 1.0. Devices brick because they are badly designed or have zero room for contingencies or are draconian.

I only hope this is only boiler plate as I know I will end up soft moding this in time to play import, if nothing else get games at a fair price. Getting bricked would be like getting shot while walking on the grass at the park.

I'm personally just going to import the system from the get-go.  I imported my Wii from the US and have never regretted doing so.  It'll mean that I'll miss out on some Japan-only games, but that's still an upgrade from Australia's release schedule.

[Mop it up]

Computers are complicated machines, glitches happen.

Even if a system is bricked, isn't there a way to unbrick it?

It depends on what caused it to brick. With the Wii, if you have a backup of the internal memory, then you can usually restore a bricked system if homebrew caused it, and sometimes for certain updates too, I believe. If you don't have a backup though, then I don't think there's anything that will restore it. But it isn't something I know much about.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Just incase anyone can't read it, it says:


Important! Read the Nintendo 3DS Operations Manual before setup or use of your system. This product contains technical protection measures. Use of an unauthorized device or any unauthorized technical modification to your Nintendo 3DS system, will render this game and/or your system unplayable.