Hacking Ubuntu 18.04 on a Switch

[cmsj]

thanks for all your work, but can you make the OP *noob proof? Like... what does "small fat32 partition" mean? 4MB? 100MB? I just plugged in a new 32GB microSD card into an Ubuntu VM, but I'm not quite sure how to partition it. Something I could simply copy and paste from here would be extremely useful.

Hey, I actually don't think it matters how big or small the FAT32 partition is, and honestly I'm not even sure why it's there at all, but FWIW I went with 200MB on a 64GB card.

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locales are missing so impossible to launch terminal, i suggest you to install MATE Terminal then do this command :
sudo dpkg-reconfigure locales
search for en-US.UTF-8 (or you locale) press spacebar to get a [*]
select just installed local then press enter.
then reboot

Very good point about locales, thanks. I've noted that for later as https://github.com/cmsj/nintendo-switch-ubuntu-builder/issues/9

 

[lordelan]

Partition 0 - Fat32 (readable by both Switch and Linux and Switch will use that partition to install stuff)
55gb

Partition 1 - ext4 (that will hold our linux system and not seen by switch.)
8gb (approx but in short that the rest of available space on my sd.)

Wow I didn't know that Horizon OS (Switch OS) can't see an ext4 partition and we can use one card for both, Horizon OS and Linux this way. That's the best thing I've heard this week!

This way when I boot to linux I have quite huge space shared by switch and personal data.

This is even better.
By changing the directory settings in RetroArch in Linux and the Switch homebrew RetroArch* we can have the following only once on our SD card but use it from both OS and continue our savegames:

1. roms
2. savegames/savestates
3. thumbnails
4. cheats (if needed)

Only the cores would have to be stored twice and the main app of course as those are host system specific.
That's pretty cool.

While I'm in Ubuntu I can decide to play some Zelda: Link's Awakening on a GB core in RetroArch for Linux. When I'm done I save my game and turn the Switch off.
The next day I'm in Horizon OS because I was playing some Mario Kart 8 Deluxe just when I decided to play some Zelda: Link's Awakening so I head to the HBmenu, launch RetroArch* and continue my savegame from where I left it in Ubuntu.
Can't get any better than this.

*RetroArch homebrew still needs some time until it runs as good as other ports and for now you can't adjust the savegame directories for savegames (or directories in general). You could however point the savegame directory from Ubuntu's RetroArch to the same folder as the Switch homebrew uses (sd(fat32partition):/switch)

 

[TheKrane]

can somebody upload bionic as tar.xz or img or zip

You do realize that .tgz is the same as .tar.gz, right? Just open up a terminal and unpack it with "tar -xzf bionic.tgz -C <path_to_your_sd>".

 

[cmsj]

You do realize that .tgz is the same as .tar.gz, right? Just open up a terminal and unpack it with "tar -xzf bionic.tgz -C <path_to_your_sd>".

he's on a Mac, so he can't mount the ext4 partition to extract the tarball to it.

 

[EclipseSin]

I assume Partition 2 is used because the Switch will use Partition 1 in Horizon. It prevents any nag and stuff if you switch between OSs and forget to or dont want to switch the card out. If you use separate cards and want to use the full thing go for it and modify the boot scripts.

 

[TheKrane]

he's on a Mac, so he can't mount the ext4 partition to extract the tarball to it.

There are ways to mount ext4 on OSX. Literally the first google result: http://osxdaily.com/2014/03/20/mount-ext-linux-file-system-mac/

 

[cmsj]

There are ways to mount ext4 on OSX. Literally the first google result: http://osxdaily.com/2014/03/20/mount-ext-linux-file-system-mac/

If you want to mount filesystems using drivers that have "experimental" write support, you go right ahead. I'm going to tell people to use a VM or a Linux machine

 

[cmsj]

Just uploaded a second release of the pre-built exploit and SD card image. 2.0 fixes screen rotation at boot, and the Linux partition will be resized to fill the SD card on first boot

 

[ShonenJump]

Just uploaded a second release of the pre-built exploit and SD card image. 2.0 fixes screen rotation at boot, and the Linux partition will be resized to fill the SD card on first boot

can i boot it via windows with tegrarcmsmash?

 

[Deleted User]

Just uploaded a second release of the pre-built exploit and SD card image. 2.0 fixes screen rotation at boot, and the Linux partition will be resized to fill the SD card on first boot

great work buddy

 

[cmsj]

can i boot it via windows with tegrarcmsmash?

I'm really not sure, but my guess right now is no, because the exploit is still a two-step chain. I'm going to be reducing that to a single step, at which point it may very well be possible to use the various FG launchers.

 

[Deleted User]

Just uploaded a second release of the pre-built exploit and SD card image. 2.0 fixes screen rotation at boot, and the Linux partition will be resized to fill the SD card on first boot

where is the link i just see 0.1

 

[cmsj]

where is the link i just see 0.1

Sorry, I switched to releasing on a different repo. I've updated the first post with the new link, and edited the old repo's releases page to also have a link
Thanks for mentioning it.

 

[crow132]

might be an stupid question, but here we go

does ubuntu also cause battery desync in horizon? I had that using arch, but im not sure if this repo will be safe

 

[cmsj]

might be an stupid question, but here we go

does ubuntu also cause battery desync in horizon? I had that using arch, but im not sure if this repo will be safe

Probably. We're all using the same kernel at least, so unless it's something being caused by userspace, there wouldn't be a difference.

I don't actually use Horizon on the Switch I'm using for Linux, so I can't really speak to the battery issue.

 

[BlastedGuy9905]

My linux machine doesnt have usb 3.0. Can I run the exploit with something that uses a payload.bin file? Can I use a VM? If so, does USB 3.0 and XHCI controller support work out of the box?

 

[bodefuceta]

Why would anyone want to install this Amazon botnet?

 

[Deleted User]

This Switch Scene is the greatest scene we'll see.

 

[Deleted User]

My linux machine doesnt have usb 3.0. Can I run the exploit with something that uses a payload.bin file? Can I use a VM? If so, does USB 3.0 and XHCI controller support work out of the box?

use usb 2.0 ubuntu and vmware fusion and the patch for usb 2.0

 

[cmsj]

Why would anyone want to install this Amazon botnet?

If someone tells me which packages the Amazon crap is in, I'll be happy to remove them in the image builder