This thread is outdated
A lot of information in this thread is heavilly out of date.
If you have time, and have Staff permission, feel free to edit this thread and remove this statement once necessary.

Some information that needs to be addressed:

• SX OS and Atmosphere now supports proper LayeredFS, instructions for using it has changed since this tutorial was made
• Supported Firmware information is out of date
• LFSKit needs to be updated to properly support non 5.x.x firmware
• Compatability chart needs to be re-made

-PRAGMA

WARNING

• DO NOT GO ONLINE WHEN DOING THIS (YOU WILL BE BANNED)

How to use LayeredFS for Backup Loading

Firmware Supported: ONLY 5.x.x
Use the PRAGMA LFS Kit below.

PRAGMA's LFS Kit

DOWNLOAD
SOURCE

• Go from NOTHING in your SD Card to playing a game backup in a few clicks!
• Decrypt .XCI -> romfs/exefs folder with main.nmpd auto edited aswell as folder's name auto renamed to donor titleid
• Download NOTHING except LFSKit!

ENJOY!

Picking a Donor Title and getting Donor TitleIDRunning Game Backups!

1. 
   
   1. A donor title is the application we will run to open the backup.
      Pick a game you don't care about (Download a Demo or a free game from eShop, for example Octopath Demo)
      saves are something no one knows much about, we don't fully know where or how they are stored.
      They might overwrite the donor titles save, so seriously pick a game you DONT care about, not a game you rarely play.
      
      
   2. I also recommend picking a donor title/game combo that has been tested and reported working just so you know if YOU did something wrong or not.
   3. Find the TitleID of the donor title you chose from http://nswdb.com or http://switchbrew.org/index.php?title=Title_list/Games
      Region must be the same, choose the TitleID for the base-game NOT for the update title, even if your updated.
2. 
   
   1. Once again, boot into Hekate-IPL (Step 1).
   2. Enter "Launch firmware" and select "RomFS".
   3. Your now in your system's home menu.
   4. Open the Donor Title you set the TitleID of on that folder and .npmd file earlier.
   5. The game will load up flawlessly.
      If you opened the Title lets say, Fortnite, and Fortnite booted, the titleid of the folder in sd:/atmosphere/titles/{fortnitetitleid} doesnt exist, or doesnt start with 0100.
      If it gives you an error screen, either you didnt edit the main.npmd properly, or its an incompatible title/donor combo.
   To see which games work and which dont using which donor titles, look below.
   If you notice that you used a combination of Game and Donor title that isnt in the list below, post in the thread and I will add it. (look under to see what I need to add to chart).
   

Troubleshooting

• Black Screen/Infinitely Loading
  Leave it for around 5 minutes then press the home button and go back into the game without closing it. Often this can do the job.
• Freeze when Loading
  Close the game and try again, its a common occurence, you may have to try up to 4-5 times before getting it to work, sometimes you may even have to reboot between retries.

 

[Working_Goose]

Game: NBA 2K18
Boots: No
Donor: Super Mario Odyssey & Pokemon Quest.
Firmware: 5.1.0
Saves: N/A
Notes: Using both Super Mario Odyssey & Pokemon Quest as donors, NBA 2K18 opens up, the Nintendo switch loading icon is in the bottom right corner. It slows down then fades to black. Nothing but a black screen is shown afterward.

Is it the complete NBA game? Or is it the Full Downloaded game?

 

[Kirbyyeray]

`Kirby Star Allies` Working and Saving on `Minecraft Nintendo Switch Edition`

 

[ProNiteBite]

Is it the complete NBA game? Or is it the Full Downloaded game?

It's the NBA 2K18 that I totally backed up myself and not a download from BBB. But, if you're curious, check whatever they have and see.

 

[scionae]

MHXX loads over PSO2 (japanese title) and keeps saves after reboot!

 

[ProNiteBite]

Game: Fire Emblem Warriors
Boots: Yes
Donor: Fortnite
Firmware: 5.1.0
Saves: Yes (ish?)
Notes: Initial save after creating a character persisted after closing and restarting the game and resetting the console as a whole. The game boots quickly and runs normally.
Additional Notes: After some testing and playing the game for some time, I have found that during some (if not all) levels that it is not possible to save. However, the saves between levels work just fine.

 

[NO_ob]

While were testing this is anyone willing to dump one of their cart games to extract the game header. Then inject it into and xci and load that using layeredfs. I think online wont be problem if you're using headers donated from your carts

 

[Traiver]

While were testing this is anyone willing to dump one of their cart games to extract the game header. Then inject it into and xci and load that using layeredfs. I think online wont be problem if you're using headers donated from your carts

Game cart headers aren't used in layeredFS romfs and exefs injection

 

[coolbird22]

Stay on the lowest firmware possible, they said. I managed to luck out on a 1.0 Switch somehow. And this process works only on 5.1.0

 

[Namelocked]

Hey Guys,

when i try every single step the game just dont whant to Start, i try it with Fallout Shelter as Donor and Sonic Forces as Backup Title, but everytime they say "They are corrupted Files that need to checked up", after that it wont boot.

Do i need to download the Game to the SD Card on the Switch? I guess maybe it is on the internal 32 GB ?

Please help :/

 

[coolbird22]

Hey Guys,

when i try every single step the game just dont whant to Start, i try it with Fallout Shelter as Donor and Sonic Forces as Backup Title, but everytime they say "They are corrupted Files that need to checked up", after that it wont boot.

Do i need to download the Game to the SD Card on the Switch? I guess maybe it is on the internal 32 GB ?

Please help :/

SD Card

 

[NO_ob]

Game cart headers aren't used in layeredFS romfs and exefs injection

are you sure so we can go online it's just that no one wants to try?

 

[WuskyDingo]

DKC Tropical Freeze works under Fallout Shelter and with saves working as well

 

[EmperorX]

Game: Mario+Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Boots: Yes
Donor: Golf Story
Firmware: 5.1.0
Saves: Yes

 

[scionae]

Skyrim loads over Octopath Demo! And saves should be working too!

 

[Swan1360]

Skyrim loads over Octopath Demo! And saves should be working too!

thanks ill give it a try

 

[friz2000]

Skyrim loads over Octopath Demo! And saves should be working too!

Which one? The old or new one?

 

[Paiuand]

Has anyone gotten banned from using this method?
Assuming you didn’t try to play the backups online.

 

[Happis]

Game: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Boots: Perfectly
Donor: Oxenfree
Firmware: 5.1.0
Saves: Works perfectly
Notes: Loads little longer than normal game (5-10 secs longer)

Game: Pokkemon Tournament DX
Boots: With little issue (Nintendo Logo stucks for 10 secs)
Donor: For the Pokkemon Tournament DX DEMO it didn't worked, but worked for Fortnite
Firmware: 5.1.0
Saves: No
Notes: So, this game works shitty af, when you load it for the first time after booting switch, it works fine. When you will close the game and run it again your switch will crash. Same goes with loading any other game, closing and loading Pokk. DX I do not recommend this game to load atm.

The Binding of Isaac
Boots: Perfectly
Donor: Everything I had on my Switch - starting from free demos on nintendo e-shop, ending on original Bayonetta / 2 / Fortnite / Snipperclips / Oxenfree
Firmware: 5.1.0
Saves: I checked only on Snipperclips (works fine)!
Notes: This is the best game to check if everything was done correct! It's less than 1 GB game and works probably on everything xD

 

[dave11674]

Overcooked Special Edition working using fortnite fw 510 . save unsure, only got tot title screen then went to bed lol

EDIT
not sure if said previously, but may be the donor game needs to be bigger than the backup game !!!

dave

 

[Thetoto]

So cart has to be inserted I assume?

Yes of course