Hacking SWITCH NOOB PARADISE - Ask questions here

[LincADinc]

Hey everyone, I'm having an issue with my modded Nintendo Switch and I'm looking for any help or advice. While I was playing a game, the system suddenly made a loud screeching noise and the screen turned orange. Since then, I haven't been able to boot into stock firmware, Hekate, Atmosphere, or any other payloads normally.

I can still enter RCM mode, my PC recognizes the device, and TegraRcmGUI shows "RCM OK" when connected. However, when I inject Hekate with an SD card inserted, the screen stays black with no response at all. If I inject TegraExplorer or similar payloads, I briefly see white lines at the top and bottom of the screen for a second before it goes completely black again. The only exception is if I inject Hekate without an SD card inserted then the menu below appears. That’s the only case where I see anything on screen, which leads me to believe the system isn’t fully bricked.

I've tried multiple SD cards (all FAT32 formatted), double checked my bootloader setup, installed fresh versions of Atmosphere and Hekate, and attempted a NAND restore. I have a full NAND backup (split into parts) along with BOOT0 and BOOT1. I tried restoring them using TegraExplorer, but since I can’t access any menus or interfaces, it’s been very difficult. I haven’t fully explored all NAND restore options yet because of this, but I do have the backup files ready.

At this point I'm stuck. I can’t boot into stock or custom firmware, most payloads don't show anything, and I only get a response from Hekate when there's no SD card present. Has anyone experienced something similar? Any help would be massively appreciated even if I said I already tried it. Thanks in advance. (The image below is not the issue)

 

[impeeza]

Hey everyone, I'm having an issue with my modded Nintendo Switch and I'm looking for any help or advice. While I was playing a game, the system suddenly made a loud screeching noise and the screen turned orange. Since then, I haven't been able to boot into stock firmware, Hekate, Atmosphere, or any other payloads normally.

I can still enter RCM mode, my PC recognizes the device, and TegraRcmGUI shows "RCM OK" when connected. However, when I inject Hekate with an SD card inserted, the screen stays black with no response at all. If I inject TegraExplorer or similar payloads, I briefly see white lines at the top and bottom of the screen for a second before it goes completely black again. The only exception is if I inject Hekate without an SD card inserted then the menu below appears. That’s the only case where I see anything on screen, which leads me to believe the system isn’t fully bricked.

I've tried multiple SD cards (all FAT32 formatted), double checked my bootloader setup, installed fresh versions of Atmosphere and Hekate, and attempted a NAND restore. I have a full NAND backup (split into parts) along with BOOT0 and BOOT1. I tried restoring them using TegraExplorer, but since I can’t access any menus or interfaces, it’s been very difficult. I haven’t fully explored all NAND restore options yet because of this, but I do have the backup files ready.

At this point I'm stuck. I can’t boot into stock or custom firmware, most payloads don't show anything, and I only get a response from Hekate when there's no SD card present. Has anyone experienced something similar? Any help would be massively appreciated even if I said I already tried it. Thanks in advance. (The image below is not the issue)

Your card reader is damaged. or another hardware error.

 

[Littlebluepoodle]

On sysNAND:

1. Make sure that your Internet connection is disabled if you're connected right now and remove any saved connections as well (unless you have DNS MITM in place).
2. Turn off your console (when in home menu, hold the power button for a few seconds and select power off).
3. While holding the volume + and volume - buttons at the same time, press the power button. Keep holding until you get into maintenance mode. At this point the cache is cleared as well as any pending update, you don't need to press and/or select anything.
4. Press the power button once again. It'll shut down the console and exit the maintenance mode.
5. Boot into CFW the way you usually do and make sure to activate flight mode. (Connecting to the Internet is safe only if you have DNS MITM in place.)
6. Update nag should be gone now.

Hmm, I tried this with emunand and it works just fine. Not seeing update nags there anymore, thankfully.
But for whatever reason, even after following the instructions here for sysnand, I'm still getting the update nags.
Sysnand and OFW are basically the same thing, right? If so, then why do I still get the pending update nags?

Also, a question about Sys-patch...I remember downloading it the day you first mentioned it to me, but following the guide you linked me to, I don't recall seeing instructions anywhere about exactly where to put any of the folders contained in the sys-patch zip.

I can see that when unzipping the file, it gives me an Atmosphere and Switch folder.
So, do I delete/replace the Atmosphere/switch folders already on my SD card and replace them with the ones from sys-patch instead?

And in the scenarios when I need to replace/update files like Atmosphere and so on, it's as simple as hooking your switch up to your PC, making changes, disconnecting from the PC, and then rebooting the switch, yes? I ask just to be sure, because I was under the impression that I had to redo the setup each time from this point onward to not mess up something, but if I don't need to, then yay, no more confusion!

Probably because you have a pending update. If you have legit copies of those games on your sysNAND, I'd say that it's safe to update your OFW in order to play them. If I've understood correctly, you've created an emuNAND from sysNAND that already had a pending update.

Yeah, except for MonHun Stories 2, which is a physical cartridge, the rest are all legit downloads from the Eshop before the switch got modded.

Oh...I know you said it's completely optional, but do you reckon just going ahead and updating to V20.10.0 on OFW will get rid of the pending update notifs, or is that still a no-no?

 

[tingao]

Is it's possible to run CFW on emunand and OFW on sysnand with different versions (as long as hekate and atmosphere are up to date)?

If I got it right, at worst case I will be forced to boot into sysnand OFW using the reboot>Normal option on hekate and won't have access to runnnig any homebrew on the latest version of the "clean sysnand" correct?

I'm wondering because right now I have 20.0.1 on both sysnand and emunand andI don't use custom software on my sysnand, but would love to be able to update sysnand to latest version to play my freaking animal crossing in peace while leaving my emunand on older firmwares (maybe even downgrade it to 18.0 or something before the memory decrease for mods from te 20.0.0 version).

I think it's possible but not sure what to check before doing it, what problems I can run into.

 

[impeeza]

Is it's possible to run CFW on emunand and OFW on sysnand with different versions (as long as hekate and atmosphere are up to date)?

If I got it right, at worst case I will be forced to boot into sysnand OFW using the reboot>Normal option on hekate and won't have access to runnnig any homebrew on the latest version of the "clean sysnand" correct?

I'm wondering because right now I have 20.0.1 on both sysnand and emunand andI don't use custom software on my sysnand, but would love to be able to update sysnand to latest version to play my freaking animal crossing in peace while leaving my emunand on older firmwares (maybe even downgrade it to 18.0 or something before the memory decrease for mods from te 20.0.0 version).

I think it's possible but not sure what to check before doing it, what problems I can run into.

yes, they are independant.

 

[tingao]

yes, they are independant.

Oh perfect, thanks!
So I just let OFW update to 20.1 and update hekate, that's all?
(and I guess also backup the new keys and new sysnand after updating hekate)

Or is there any extra step on emunand side?
Sorry to ask abvious stuff but haven't found a specific guide on people wanting separate versions after update. If there is please just link me, don't wanna waster you guys time.

Btw, thanks for all the work impeeza! Half the stuff I come across has credits to you! <3

 

[Lostbhoy]

Oh perfect, thanks!
So I just let OFW update to 20.1 and update hekate, that's all?
(and I guess also backup the new keys and new sysnand after updating hekate)

Or is there any extra step on emunand side?
Sorry to ask abvious stuff but haven't found a specific guide on people wanting separate versions after update. If there is please just link me, don't wanna waster you guys time.

Btw, thanks for all the work impeeza! Half the stuff I come across has credits to you! <3

The general consensus at the moment is not to update to 20.1 due to many niggling issues that the ninjas have forced upon it.

There is a current investigation by the devs and many users looking into the battery drain for one issue... Unless you have a specific requirement for fw 20.1 which I don't believe there is at the moment, I wouldn't update yet.

 

[LincADinc]

Your card reader is damaged. or another hardware error.

How could I go about getting a specific diagnosis?

 

[lotnokadukofhell]

Hello i just updated my atmosphere using HATS 1.9.0 from sthetix. I bavkuped yhe atmosphere, bootloader and config folder in my sdcard and replaced them with the new file. I rebooted the switch and the Hekate version already updated, so i booted into OFW and update the firmware through there. After that, i tried to reboot to Sysnand CFW and got blackscreen after Atmosphere logo. Is there any steps that i missed? I only planned to update my sysnand firmware

Thank you

 

[tingao]

The general consensus at the moment is not to update to 20.1 due to many niggling issues that the ninjas have forced upon it.

There is a current investigation by the devs and many users looking into the battery drain for one issue... Unless you have a specific requirement for fw 20.1 which I don't believe there is at the moment, I wouldn't update yet.

Like I mentioned, I can't play animal crossing officially on nintendo servers witouth updating, they force a new update on animal crossing as soon as a new HOS version comes out, you can't have one witouth the other.
I will survive but lose like half all my bells in turnips by saturday =/

Yeah I have been watching this whole discussion on github about battery drains by haven't had the same problem and poor SciresM is trying to reproduce the problems with no sucess.

Post automatically merged: May 30, 2025

Hello i just updated my atmosphere using HATS 1.9.0 from sthetix. I bavkuped yhe atmosphere, bootloader and config folder in my sdcard and replaced them with the new file. I rebooted the switch and the Hekate version already updated, so i booted into OFW and update the firmware through there. After that, i tried to reboot to Sysnand CFW and got blackscreen after Atmosphere logo. Is there any steps that i missed? I only planned to update my sysnand firmware

Thank you

What happens if you try to boot into SYSNAND witouth CFW, just normal unmodified OFW

Go on hekate, press reboot and Normal, you boot normally or have the same problem?

 

[Lostbhoy]

Like I mentioned, I can't play animal crossing officially on nintendo servers witouth updating, they force a new update on animal crossing as soon as a new HOS version comes out, you can't have one witouth the other.
I will survive but lose like half all my bells in turnips by saturday =/

Yeah I have been watching this whole discussion on github about battery drains by haven't had the same problem and poor SciresM is trying to reproduce the problems with no sucess.

Post automatically merged: May 30, 2025

What happens if you try to boot into SYSNAND witouth CFW, just normal unmodified OFW

Go on hekate, press reboot and Normal, you boot normally or have the same problem?

Ah sorry I did indeed miss the part re AC and I wasn't aware of that update crap. Bloody ninjas

 

[sudeki300]

How could I go about getting a specific diagnosis?

take it to a console repair place, not nintendo

 

[lotnokadukofhell]

Like I mentioned, I can't play animal crossing officially on nintendo servers witouth updating, they force a new update on animal crossing as soon as a new HOS version comes out, you can't have one witouth the other.
I will survive but lose like half all my bells in turnips by saturday =/

Yeah I have been watching this whole discussion on github about battery drains by haven't had the same problem and poor SciresM is trying to reproduce the problems with no sucess.

Post automatically merged: May 30, 2025

What happens if you try to boot into SYSNAND witouth CFW, just normal unmodified OFW

Go on hekate, press reboot and Normal, you boot normally or have the same problem?

It boots normally if i launch the sysnand ofw and emunand cfw. Only when i try to boot into sysnand cfw that i got blackscreen

 

[impeeza]

It boots normally if i launch the sysnand ofw and emunand cfw. Only when i try to boot into sysnand cfw that i got blackscreen

https://gbatemp.net/threads/ultimate-guide-to-upgrade-your-firmware-atmosphere.661148/

 

[lotnokadukofhell]

h ttps://gbatemp.net/threads/ultimate-guide-to-upgrade-your-firmware-atmosphere.661148/

Ahh i wanted to play a game online and it requires me to update my fw
Is there any way/thread to downgrade the fw? Or i just need to wait until a new release of atmosphere? Thank you!

 

[impeeza]

Ahh i wanted to play a game online and it requires me to update my fw
Is there any way/thread to downgrade the fw? Or i just need to wait until a new release of atmosphere? Thank you!

if you are online NEVER DOWNGRADE OR RESTORE A FIRMWARE BACKUP because you will be banned ipsofacto

 

[lotnokadukofhell]

if you are online NEVER DOWNGRADE OR RESTORE A FIRMWARE BACKUP because you will be banned ipsofacto

Ahhh, ok understood
But I want to ask if atmosphere release an update that is compatible with the new fw, do i just need to update atmosphere? As i cant even boot to sysnand rn

 

[impeeza]

Ahhh, ok understood
But I want to ask if atmosphere release an update that is compatible with the new fw, do i just need to update atmosphere? As i cant even boot to sysnand rn

yes on the official Atmosphere repo https://github.com/Atmosphere-NX/Atmosphere/releases version 1.9.1 is compatible with FW 20.1.0 and do not forget upgrade Hekate https://github.com/CTCaer/Hekate/releases to latest one.

Post automatically merged: May 30, 2025

How could I go about getting a specific diagnosis?

You already have it. take the console to a hardware shop.

 

[KingFisherMan20]

Hi. Has anyone manage to send a Fantasy Life I switch to PC?

Any help is appreciated. Thank you

 

[Blythe93]

Sysnand and OFW are basically the same thing, right? If so, then why do I still get the pending update nags?

Not sure if it's any different on Mariko units, but entering maintenance mode should be similar. Maybe after you select to boot into sysNAND / OFW you should start holding both volume + and - buttons? I have no experience with units with modchip.

Also, a question about Sys-patch...I remember downloading it the day you first mentioned it to me, but following the guide you linked me to, I don't recall seeing instructions anywhere about exactly where to put any of the folders contained in the sys-patch zip.

The link I sent you doesn't have sys-patch or sigpatches probably because they are mainly used for piracy reasons. One of things they had to settle on in order to keep the site running without N taking it down. Once you download sys-patch archive, just extract it to the root of your SD card. Whenever there are no instructions on how to install certain homebrew app or module, just check the folder structure and that should give you an idea. In sys-patch archive, one of the first things you see is the atmosphere folder which is found on root of the SD card.

I can see that when unzipping the file, it gives me an Atmosphere and Switch folder.
So, do I delete/replace the Atmosphere/switch folders already on my SD card and replace them with the ones from sys-patch instead?

Pretty much, yeah. Extract to the root of the SD card and overwrite the existing files if prompted.

And in the scenarios when I need to replace/update files like Atmosphere and so on, it's as simple as hooking your switch up to your PC, making changes, disconnecting from the PC, and then rebooting the switch, yes?

There are two ways that I usually use:

• Via Atmosphere's USB transfer app (haze.nro) - only for minor stuff like apps that don't require reboot.
• Via Hekate's USB tools - recommended as you don't have to remove SD card from your Switch, just reboot to Hekate and select USB tools, connect your Switch to the PC and begin transfer. I usually use this whenever I'm replacing a large number of files (copying new firmware files, Hekate, Atmosphere, sys-patch and other modules) and when I need to reboot the console in order to make a change. Once done, I close the USB tools and reload Hekate and boot into Atmosphere by launching one of the options I set up in my hekate_ipl.ini.

I ask just to be sure, because I was under the impression that I had to redo the setup each time from this point onward to not mess up something, but if I don't need to, then yay, no more confusion!

If I understood you correctly, you don't need to redo the setup each time. When you're careful, it's hard to mess it up, trust me. I'm far from the "experienced" users around here and I yet to run into an issue (thank God). All you need is the up-to-date brain.exe and reading skills, that's it.

Oh...I know you said it's completely optional, but do you reckon just going ahead and updating to V20.10.0 on OFW will get rid of the pending update notifs, or is that still a no-no?

If you plan on using sysNAND to play legit games, you'll have to update eventually. Might as well do it now since both Atmosphere and Hekate have released support for the 20.1.0 and sys-patch works without issues.