Hacking Question I soft-bricked my switch and I lost the backup I made. Plz help

[Vigg]

Hey, as you can read from the title I'm pretty screwed.
My fan stopped working and I decided to replace it myself, this was stupid and I knew I could screw up, but I love opening things up and fixing it myself even knowing the risks.
But I opened it up and unplugged the battery etc and replaced fan etc and everyting went well, though I accidentally dropped it on the screen one time while doing it, but it didn't look like
anything was damaged or loose or anything, I don't think this was the problem but I don't know for sure so. But when I booted it up again it booted to the nintendo boot logo and got stuck. Not like a boot loop but it just showed that screen even after hard resets and everything. It still boots hekate and the theam xecuter os selection screen (yes I bought sx os and activated it on that switch) so the switch was working so I was thinking that maybe the switch' nand was corrupted or something, maybe power was on while I disconnected battery or something, and looked for my backups but they are gone for some reason. I also can't find other people their backups, if that would even work. I was kind of desperate and so then I thought I'd just reinstall the whole firmware by following the tutorial How to install/run ANY Switch firmware UNOFFICIALLY (WITHOUT burning any fuses), but now it only shows a black screen when I power it up, so I don't know. Still boots hekate and sx os selection screen though, and I could try linux. But if you have any idea how to fix this plz help..

 

[BlastedGuy9905]

I don't feel like this is a soft-brick. But, best of luck to you! Hope you can fix it!

 

[andijames]

Are nands unique to the machine? Presume they are but just a thought could try another one from a donor. Guess this is advanced cert / unique id replacement if this ever happened though.

Again like I say just a musing

 

[Draxzelex]

The reason it is only showing a black screen when you power it up is because the Switch is entering RCM when you do. That tutorial you followed has you install AutoRCM to prevent fuses from being burnt when you updated your firmware. If you have not made a backup of your NAND before following that tutorial, you will need a decrypted NAND dump from someone else. Otherwise if you wish to burn the fuses, you can remove AutoRCM and your Switch should be back to normal.

 

[Lacius]

Hey, as you can read from the title I'm pretty screwed.
My fan stopped working and I decided to replace it myself, this was stupid and I knew I could screw up, but I love opening things up and fixing it myself even knowing the risks.
But I opened it up and unplugged the battery etc and replaced fan etc and everyting went well, though I accidentally dropped it on the screen one time while doing it, but it didn't look like
anything was damaged or loose or anything, I don't think this was the problem but I don't know for sure so. But when I booted it up again it booted to the nintendo boot logo and got stuck. Not like a boot loop but it just showed that screen even after hard resets and everything. It still boots hekate and the theam xecuter os selection screen (yes I bought sx os and activated it on that switch) so the switch was working so I was thinking that maybe the switch' nand was corrupted or something, maybe power was on while I disconnected battery or something, and looked for my backups but they are gone for some reason. I also can't find other people their backups, if that would even work. I was kind of desperate and so then I thought I'd just reinstall the whole firmware by following the tutorial How to install/run ANY Switch firmware UNOFFICIALLY (WITHOUT burning any fuses), but now it only shows a black screen when I power it up, so I don't know. Still boots hekate and sx os selection screen though, and I could try linux. But if you have any idea how to fix this plz help..

The reason it is only showing a black screen when you power it up is because the Switch is entering RCM when you do. That tutorial you followed has you install AutoRCM to prevent fuses from being burnt when you updated your firmware. If you have not made a backup of your NAND before following that tutorial, you will need a decrypted NAND dump from someone else. Otherwise if you wish to burn the fuses, you can remove AutoRCM and your Switch should be back to normal.

You have three options, Vigg:

1. Keep AutoRCM installed, requiring you to be tethered to a computer each time you do a coldboot (keeping your Switch in sleep mode solves this problem)
2. Uninstall AutoRCM so your Switch boots normally, which will burn your efuses and trap you on 5.X or higher (assuming you installed 5.1.0)
3. Downgrade back to whichever version you were on so your Switch boots normally again without burning efuses (assuming you were on a version lower than 5.X to begin with)

 

[tbb043]

Sounds like time to buy a new system. Least you know they're still all hackable as they havent changed the hardware (yet)

 

[Vigg]

Wow really quick response thnx everyone,
I only forgot to mention that while I can boot into hekate and sx os selector, I can't boot into anything, not cfw nor ofw.
I also ejected sd card to see if it would indeed skip autorcm but nothing.

srry I'm really stupid my bootthing is still corrupted then ofc I'm gonna try to uninstall autorcm

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Sounds like time to buy a new system. Least you know they're still all hackable as they havent changed the hardware (yet)

yes maybe my best option

 

[Lacius]

Wow really quick response thnx everyone,
I only forgot to mention that while I can boot into hekate and sx os selector, I can't boot into anything, not cfw nor ofw.
I also ejected sd card to see if it would indeed skip autorcm but nothing.

srry I'm really stupid my bootthing is still corrupted then ofc I'm gonna try to uninstall autorcm

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------


yes maybe my best option

Out of curiosity, what version were you on, and which version did you install? In addition, did you follow the entire guide? Specifically, did you follow Step 9?

 

[der:Tom]

Have you tried factory reset from maintenance mode?
Which fw where you on?

 

[SSAZU-X]

I remember from somewhere that someone had this issue, and just took out the nand chip, tried booting (failed) and then reinstated it and it worked again. I just don't know why it had happened to them, or who it was.

 

[Vigg]

Out of curiosity, what version were you on, and which version did you install? In addition, did you follow the entire guide? Specifically, did you follow Step 9?

Hey latest firmware, 5.1.0 and yes did step 9, selected fs_510 and did nothing

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Have you tried factory reset from maintenance mode?
Which fw where you on?

hey yes also tried that, nothing ...

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

I remember from somewhere that someone had this issue, and just took out the nand chip, tried booting (failed) and then reinstated it and it worked again. I just don't know why it had happened to them, or who it was.

Hey i could try that what do I have to loose

 

[Lacius]

Hey latest firmware, 5.1.0 and yes did step 9, selected fs_510 and did nothing

You didn't fully answer my question.

1. Which system version were you on before you followed the guide?
2. Which system version were you trying to install while you were following the guide?

 

[Vigg]

You didn't fully answer my question.

1. Which system version were you on before you followed the guide?
2. Which system version were you trying to install while you were following the guide?

Oh I was on 5.1.0 and tried to reinstall 5.1.0

 

[Lacius]

Oh I was on 5.1.0 and tried to reinstall 5.1.0

I find it likely that you didn't follow the guide properly, especially given the fact that you didn't make a NAND backup when the guide told you to do so. You might have some success in repeating the guide and making sure to follow each step properly.

 

[Vigg]

I find it likely that you didn't follow the guide properly, especially given the fact that you didn't make a NAND backup when the guide told you to do so. You might have some success in repeating the guide and making sure to follow each step properly.

Yes maybe I could try that. But is what draxzelex said is maybe a good idea? Getting a decrypted nand dump and try restoring it?

The reason it is only showing a black screen when you power it up is because the Switch is entering RCM when you do. That tutorial you followed has you install AutoRCM to prevent fuses from being burnt when you updated your firmware. If you have not made a backup of your NAND before following that tutorial, you will need a decrypted NAND dump from someone else. Otherwise if you wish to burn the fuses, you can remove AutoRCM and your Switch should be back to normal.

 

[Lacius]

Yes maybe I could try that. But is what draxzelex said is maybe a good idea? Getting a decrypted nand dump and try restoring it?

I'd start by carefully following the tutorial again.

 

[Vigg]

I'd start by carefully following the tutorial again.

maybe a good idea, I'll try when I have enough time. Because really, it's really long and intens

 

[Vorde]

Yeah this is why it's long and intens, because there's a lot of steps to do these things safely. If I've learned anything doing console modding, it's to take your time and make sure you read all the instructions

 

[SquidSquadAlpha]

Tbh it sounds like your nand got loose when you dropped it

 

[MROcellote]

Try Gptrestore it helped me.
Maybe it will work on yours too.