Hacking Discussion [NSP] is greater than [XCI]

[morrison22]

For those who have a large number of XCI files on their Micro SD Cards...
I think it would be a better setup to use NSP files instead. Here is why:

1) Simply use CDNSP_Next to easily obtain titles, updates and DLC.
2) No need to Trim any files.
3) Automatically repackages titles into an Installable NSP package.

Once files are obtained, launch FTPd from within SX OS Homebrew Menu and transfer the nsp file(s) to the root of the Micro SD Card.

After testing various FTPd compilations, they all have failed and crashed in SX OS, except for this version by @m4xw discussed and posted here:

https://gbatemp.net/threads/ftp-application.506434/page-5#post-8095435

I have attached it to this post as well for convenience.

This version of FTPd hasn't crashed on me in either docked or handheld mode. It does not show your IP at the top as it says 0.0.0.0, but as long as you know your switch's IP you are set.

Install NSP files directly with your choice of SX-OS 1.4 NSP Installer built into the CFW, DevMenu, or Tinfoil. Note: Tinfoil only supports Base Game NSP installation and does not support Update or DLC NSPs.

After the NSP installation completes, delete the NSP file(s) off of the card using NX-Shell.

1) No need to utilize SX OS Loader Menu / Cart Emulation to load games. Just click the "Installed" NSP and start playing immediately. (Note: You still need to boot into a licensed SX OS to enable signature patchingto run these installed NSPs)
2) Choice of where to install games, updates and DLC (System Memory or Micro SD Card)
3) Best part of all! No need to REBOOT and re-enter RCM at all during the entire process!
4) Expect a ban. This is for offline use only.

 

[thealgorithm]

Also it seems that the ability to install NSP's in internal nand do give greater load speeds than loading from microsd. (Is the microsd speed capped in anyway? as even higher speed cards are pretty much the same performance than the lower speed cards)

 

[jakkal]

if you dont care about a ban then NSPs are the way to go
Im using NSPs and slowly getting rid of my XCIs

 

[ganons]

So in terms of file size, which is smaller? Let's say you install nsp on sd card and have xci on sd card

 

[nyder]

3 different ways to get your gaming on for "free"* on the switch. Life is good.


* "free" means not paying for games. You currently have to pay for 2 of the methods to pay backups, but the games are free...

 

[nikeymikey]

Nsp is also probably more detectable by Nintendo if you choose to go online at any time....

 

[Tasemu]

What happens after you're banned though. are you no longer able to download NSP files through CDNSP? I assume they would stop you accessing the cdn. Though could be wrong?

 

[morrison22]

Also it seems that the ability to install NSP's in internal nand do give greater load speeds than loading from microsd. (Is the microsd speed capped in anyway? as even higher speed cards are pretty much the same performance than the lower speed cards)

That's a good point. I would think speeds would be faster if installed onto internal memory. I have not tested though.

if you dont care about a ban then NSPs are the way to go
Im using NSPs and slowly getting rid of my XCIs

True. This is for those who have a second switch as their main account is on the unaltered switch, or for those who simply don't care if they get banned.

So in terms of file size, which is smaller? Let's say you install nsp on sd card and have xci on sd card

I haven't checked but I would think the file size of a Trimmed XCI vs a NSP file for the same title would be the same.

Nsp is also probably more detectable by Nintendo if you choose to go online at any time....

Without a doubt, then again, does it even matter if your main priority is offline play?

What happens after you're banned though. are you no longer able to download NSP files through CDNSP? I assume they would stop you accessing the cdn. Though could be wrong?

You can download from CDNSP on a computer, separate from anything Nintendo that is attached to you. No account required. You can still play games offline when you are banned. You can even download updates! At this point, from what I understand after reading through many posts, Nintendo is unlikely to prevent downloading through CDNSP, or at the very least, will be very slow to reconstruct their code to circumvent this exploit. So, I would think this will last for quite some time. Worst case scenario, go back to XCI if it ever gets patched.

 

[Tasemu]

That's a good point. I would think speeds would be faster if installed onto internal memory. I have not tested though.



True. This is for those who have a second switch as their main account is on the unaltered switch, or for those who simply don't care if they get banned.



I haven't checked but I would think the file size of a Trimmed XCI vs a NSP file for the same title would be the same.



Without a doubt, then again, does it even matter if your main priority is offline play?



You can download from CDNSP on a computer, separate from anything Nintendo that is attached to you. No account required. You can still play games offline when you are banned. You can even download updates! At this point, from what I understand after reading through many posts, Nintendo is unlikely to prevent downloading through CDNSP, or at the very least, will be very slow to reconstruct their code to circumvent this exploit. So, I would think this will last for quite some time. Worst case scenario, go back to XCI if it ever gets patched.

From what i'm hearing, the only use left for online is for online multiplayer. At least until they patch NSP, at which point any non-physical game will be off-limits. If this is the case then an affirmation would be very very good for me.

 

[Small Kat]

2 Cons:
1.Theres no way to install to install partial .nsp files for fat32.
2. You need to update to latest firmware for installing devmenu.

 

[morrison22]

2 Cons:
1.Theres no way to install to install partial .nsp files for fat32.
2. You need to update to latest firmware for installing devmenu.

Solution:

Update to 5.1.0 and you can use devmenu and get exFAT support the easy way.

What are you going to lose by staying on lower FW? Aside from the inability to play newer games, you might lose the potential for a future cold boot option. Ehhh. I can pass on that. Switch is mostly in sleep mode anyways. Besides, you can downgrade firmware now anyways.

 

[Draxzelex]

Solution:

Update to 5.1.0 and you can use devmenu and get exFAT support the easy way.

What are you going to lose by staying on lower FW? Aside from the inability to player newer games, you might lose the potential for a future cold boot option. Ehhh. I can pass on that. Switch is mostly in sleep mode anyways. Besides, you can downgrade firmware now anyways.

Just because you don't see it as a con doesn't mean others won't so the point still stands that it is a con nonetheless. You gain the ability to go to more firmwares by staying low as opposed to updating now and not knowing what future hacks can come out for lower firmwares. Also, the downgrade only works if you updated without burning the fuses and never burn those fuses while running a higher firmware (which AutoRCM ensures but some people may not like AutoRCM so they might remove it and accidentally burn the fuses). Lastly, its warmboot not coldboot that you can gain on lower firmwares. There are no other working coldboots behind the scenes for now.

 

[Pottsy292]

Im still tranna work out how to repack NSP files :/

 

[Small Kat]

Solution:

Update to 5.1.0 and you can use devmenu and get exFAT support the easy way.

What are you going to lose by staying on lower FW? Aside from the inability to play newer games, you might lose the potential for a future cold boot option. Ehhh. I can pass on that. Switch is mostly in sleep mode anyways. Besides, you can downgrade firmware now anyways.

Warmboot, just in case my switch freezes or crashes and I have to restart, I dont need a computer and a cable to restart the cfw again. Also you can only downgrade if you do a long process to safely update without burning fuses...

 

[tinysolderingguy]

cant use SX OS because poor. XCI master race

 

[snoofly]

NSP>>XCI - agreed on this point immediately it became apparent with the release of cdnsp/sx 1.3

https://gbatemp.net/threads/100-off...s-are-we-there-yet.510326/page-2#post-8119436

Have stopped collecting xcis unless necessary since.

Also, all that patience in holding on to my 1.0.0 - maybe coldboot one day so I do.. but really, if you have a spare 1.0.0 keep hold of it, but update anything else to 5.1.0 get exfat and be sweet. Just keep a spare fat32 for lakka if you need it.

 

[Tasemu]

So the only downsides are having to update and no online play? That's fine too, i dont mind the jig at all.

 

[Kioku]

Just because you don't see it as a con doesn't mean others won't so the point still stands that it is a con nonetheless. You gain the ability to go to more firmwares by staying low as opposed to updating now and not knowing what future hacks can come out for lower firmwares. Also, the downgrade only works if you updated without burning the fuses and never burn those fuses while running a higher firmware (which AutoRCM ensures but some people may not like AutoRCM so they might remove it and accidentally burn the fuses). Lastly, its warmboot not coldboot that you can gain on lower firmwares. There are no other working coldboots behind the scenes for now.

Its more of a minor trade off than a con tbf. You can't say much if you choose to stay low.

 

[Darth Meteos]

NSP>XCI

but
XCI>BAN

and
BAN>NSP

sounds like a rock-paper-scissors variant to me

 

[Tasemu]

Do people with low post counts get ignored on this forum? Guess I'll need to be more witty.