Hacking Current best switch firmware to update to?

Ericthegreat

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Using Rajkosto method to update, what firmware version should i update to, I was going to pick 5.1 but i heard hbmenu or hbloader issues, has that been fixed?
 

benson733

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Using that method I would assume the latest firmware 5.1 would be the most beneficial. I'm not aware of any major issues at the moment.
 

Meriadoc

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if you are under 4.1 if you update to 4.1 or newer firmware when you'll downgrade the cart slot will stop working. So i suggest to update at 3.0.1...
 

Lacius

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If you're using Rajkosto's guide, then it doesn't really matter how high you go as far as future downgrades are concerned. You will always be able to downgrade back to where you were before you followed the guide. For this reason, you might as well go all the way to 5.1.0.

If you're on 3.0.2 or lower, then you will probably want to make sure you follow the part in Rajkosto's guide about preventing your cartridge slot from being flashed with an updated version. The cartridge slot cannot be downgraded.
 

mikefor20

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If you are on 3.0.2 or lower go to 3.0.2. If you are already higher go to 5.1.0 There is no guarantee that you'll be able to downgrade the cartridge slot. AFAIK nobody's tried it. If you decide on 3.0.2 do what I did. Get a copy of Xenoblade 2 (got it used at Gamestop and returned it after the update) If you have a Jig and way to push a payload do the Easy update method.. That worked great for me.

  1. Do a full NAND/SD backup..
  2. Put cartridge with desired update in Switch.
  3. Put jig and SX Pro or USB cable with your payload method ready to go.
  4. Press yes to the update and hold vol + through the whole update until it goes in to RMC mode.
  5. If you are using SX Pro it will boot in to SX Menu. Otherwise push a Hekate payload to the Switch.
  6. Install AutoRCM.
Same result. Way less hassle.
 

Lacius

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If you are on 3.0.2 or lower go to 3.0.2. If you are already higher go to 5.1.0 There is no guarantee that you'll be able to downgrade the cartridge slot. AFAIK nobody's tried it. If you decide on 3.0.2 do what I did. Get a copy of Xenoblade 2 (got it used at Gamestop and returned it after the update) If you have a Jig and way to push a payload do the Easy update method.. That worked great for me.

  1. Do a full NAND/SD backup..
  2. Put cartridge with desired update in Switch.
  3. Put jig and SX Pro or USB cable with your payload method ready to go.
  4. Press yes to the update and hold vol + through the whole update until it goes in to RMC mode.
  5. If you are using SX Pro it will boot in to SX Menu. Otherwise push a Hekate payload to the Switch.
  6. Install AutoRCM.
Same result. Way less hassle.
There's no reason to stay at 3.0.2 when Rajkosto's guide includes a method of preventing the cartridge slot from being updated while on 5.1.0.

In the long run, it also probably doesn't matter if the cartridge slot gets updated. After a hypothetical downgrade in the future, OFW will probably only be used briefly to run the exploit that loads CFW and emuNAND. In other words, the cartridge slot will probably only ever be used while in an up-to-date emuNAND.
 

mikefor20

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There's no reason to stay at 3.0.2 when Rajkosto's guide includes a method of preventing the cartridge slot from being updated while on 5.1.0.

In the long run, it also probably doesn't matter if the cartridge slot gets updated. After a hypothetical downgrade in the future, OFW will probably only be used briefly to run the exploit that loads CFW and emuNAND. In other words, the cartridge slot will probably only ever be used while in an up-to-date emuNAND.

I am happy with Xenolade and SMO at the moment. The patch to prevent updating the slot and the downgrade back isn't tested. I was told that nobody had tried it. That being said, unless you have a reason to go higher, 3.0.2 is fine for now and the most sane option.. I might go higher if I cared to but for now I do not. Can always update further in the future.
 

Lacius

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I am happy with Xenolade and SMO at the moment. The patch to prevent updating the slot and the downgrade back isn't tested. I was told that nobody had tried it. That being said, unless you have a reason to go higher, 3.0.2 is fine for now and the most sane option.. I might go higher if I cared to but for now I do not. Can always update further in the future.
The patch to prevent the cartridge slot from being updated has been tested, and it works. However, you have to run that patch with your CFW each time you coldboot your Switch. Otherwise, the cartridge slot will be updated, and my understanding is it's impossible to downgrade the cartridge slot.

In addition to there being no reason not to go all the way to 5.1.0, there are plenty of reasons to pick 5.1.0:
  • Game compatibility
  • Online access (if you want to risk being banned)
  • Better signature patching compatibility with custom firmwares that aren't SX OS
  • Better/easier LayeredFS compatibility for DevMenu
 
Last edited by Lacius,
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mikefor20

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The patch to prevent the cartridge slot from being updated has been tested, and it works. However, you have to run that patch with your CFW each time you coldboot your Switch. Otherwise, the cartridge slot will be updated, and my understanding is it's impossible to downgrade the cartridge slot.

In addition to there being no reason not to go all the way to 5.1.0, there are plenty of reasons to pick 5.1.0:
  • Game compatibility
  • Online access (if you want to risk being banned)
  • Better signature patching compatibility with custom firmwares that aren't SX OS
  • Better/easier LayeredFS compatibility for DevMenu

I was poking around on Discord a week ago and they were trying to find someone to test the downgrade proccess. The quote is "I think it works. I wrote it. It should work. No I am sure it works. Just nobody has tried it yet. Are you brave enough?"

So, are you brave enough? Or is SMO and Xenoblade and all the 3.0.2 and lower games enough for now? Online is a bad idea if you don't want a ban hammer. and I am on SX.. What do you want to do? I think the safest and sanest thing is 3.0.2, with no burnt fuse, in airplane mode. You do you. But my logic is sound. I have other systems for online. I just play Mario and Zelda for the most part. 4.xx has Champions Ballad. That's all I feel I am missing at this point.
 

Lacius

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I was poking around on Discord a week ago and they were trying to find someone to test the downgrade proccess. The quote is "I think it works. I wrote it. It should work. No I am sure it works. Just nobody has tried it yet. Are you brave enough?"

So, are you brave enough? Or is SMO and Xenoblade and all the 3.0.2 and lower games enough for now? Online is a bad idea if you don't want a ban hammer. and I am on SX.. What do you want to do? I think the safest and sanest thing is 3.0.2, with no burnt fuse, in airplane mode. You do you. But my logic is sound. I have other systems for online. I just play Mario and Zelda for the most part. 4.xx has Champions Ballad. That's all I feel I am missing at this point.
Again, one can use 5.1.0 without upgrading the cartridge slot.
 

Draxzelex

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For people who rely heavily on cartridges to play games, they can't easily play them if they follow the guide on updating without burning fuses past 4.0. And not all cartridge games have a .NSP equivalent. Plus, we don't have a proper .XCI to .NSP converter yet.
 

mikefor20

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And the 5.x- 1.0 downgrade is not tried and true. Cart slot or not. I am not talking about downgrading the cart slot, I am talking about the OS. It's all hypothetical until it's tested. And I asked about IF I use the script to block the updating of the slot, will I be able to downgrade my system back to 3.0 and have everything function again? and I got "I think it works. I wrote it. It should work. No I am sure it works. Just nobody has tried it yet. Are you brave enough?" from one of the devs. That's what I am talking about. Downgrading period. The thing no one knows is if downgrading will make the slot work again for sure. That's what they said. I will stay here until it's common place. You can be the guinea pig. How about you do it now if you have so much faith. Update all the way, without the slot update. Then restore your backup back down to 1.0 or 3.0 wherever you were and try it for the whole community. You can be the first. And see if it works. And I'll let 50 more people do it. Then I'll consider it safe.
 

mikefor20

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Just one of the comments that day about it.

stuckpixel07/16/2018

if you're doing it
I know it's a lot to ask
but could you downgrade your system to make sure the cart slot protection is working?
I would really like confirmation my patches work

Guinea pig.
 
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