WARNING! If you get banned somehow, I'm not responsible

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UPDATE 7/23:

Tutorial is now outdated because you can now "Install" NSP via DevMenu
Follow either one of these threads
Hekate LayeredFS Full Sig Patches
CTCaer Hekate patch

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UPDATE 7/22:
The following script is a All-In-One tool, thanks to @Assasin1990 and @Ericjwg and replaces STEP 3 below (along with titlekey step)
Simply download the script NCA-NSP-XCI To LayeredFS v1.6
Note: You will need to have keys.ini file
Run the .bat file and follow the commands

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OVERVIEW:
This guide will explain how to play eShop games (aka NSP files) without SX OS and without Dev Menu
Note: if this guide is too advanced for you, wait for automated tools

REQUIREMENTS (TESTED WITH):
Nintendo Switch Firmware 5.1.0
Hekate - CTCaer mod v3.1
TomGer's SDFiles v5 - Rocket Man
Hactool 1.1.0

Note: if you test on older SDFiles/CTCaer/Switch FW and it doesn't work, you are on your own

DO NOT NEED:
Dev Menu
SX OS

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Note: Following steps were tested successfully with Hollow Knight, Enter the Gungeon, Poly Bridge & Fast RMX (NSPs)

STEP 1: READ
Meet the requirements mentioned above

STEP 2: PREP FILES
Acquire the NSP file by whatever means
Extract hactool files in the same folder as NSP file
Make sure your keys file also exists in same folder
(if you dont have keys file ready, google Maxconsole Underground Skull & Crossbones)
Note: this guide uses "keys" as .txt file

STEP 3: EXTRACT
Extract the NSP file via hactool by going into command prompt and execute in your working directory;

hactool -t pfs0 -k keys.txt game.nsp --pfs0dir=extract

(keys.txt or keys.ini or keys.dat whatever you want to use, make sure to rename in command and as long as it contains all the keys needed)

All the files will now be located in your currentFolder/extract

Find the biggest NCA in filesize located in the 'extract' folder (Tip: rename the file into game.nca)

Then execute one of the following;

If you prefer 1 RomFS.bin file, execute the following:

hactool -k keys.txt --titlekey=CopyPasteKeyHere --exefsdir=exefs --romfs=romfs.bin game.nca

Otherwise if you prefer all game file extracted into a folder, execute the following:

hactool -k keys.txt --titlekey=CopyPasteKeyHere --exefsdir=exefs --romfsdir=romfs game.nca

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FOLLOWING STEPS ARE FOR FINDING TITLE KEY
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Note: Following steps were tested with Hollow Knight

PICK 1 METHOD: Web-based or Stand Alone Application

WEB-BASED
Go to https://hexed.it/ (or use any Hex Editor)

OR Stand Alone Application
Download HxD - Freeware Hex Editor
Change view by going to 'VIEW > Byte group size > set it to 16
(Able to select the entire key and copy / paste easily)

(Key above modified to mask actual values)

Open the .tik file located in your currentFolder/extract (you can even drag and drop)
Go to address 0x180 and you will see a long string of values (16 columns, 32 characters)
This is the unique title key for your nsp file (note it down without spaces)
Example: 18420AE8##############E3FEAC (values masked due to legal reason)

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STEP 4: PATCH
Patch the main.npdm file with donor title by going to
http://carlus.altervista.org/nx/title_id_patcher.html

Enter the TitleID of the donor title
Drag and Drop your main.npdm file
Download and overwrite

STEP 5: TRANSFER
Using the donor TitleID from previous step, create a folder on your Switch SD Card
//atmosphere/titles/<donorTitleID>/
Copy the romfs and exefs files in this Donor TitleID folder

STEP 6: PLAY
Begin by launching firmware "Older LayeredFS" option (some games 'might' work in newer LayeredFS option)
Run the Donor Title
If any error occurs, simply patch the main.npdm with another donor title ID and rename the folder with new donor title ID

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Sample Donor Titles to use:
Pinball FX3 - 0100DB7003828000
Happy Birthdays Demo - 010083600AE9E000
Octopath Demo - 010096000B3EA000
Pokemon Quest - 01005D100807A000
Fallout Shelter - 010043500A17A000

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TOOL:
Once you understand how all of this works "manually", I highly recommend following this other guide by @huma_dawii and tool created by @Assasin1990
https://gbatemp.net/threads/extract-nsp-nca-xci-update-all-in-one-tool-for-layeredfs.511156/

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TROUBLESHOOTING:

Error: Invalid NCA header! Are keys correct?

Fix 1:
Make sure your keys file is valid, format is
master_key_00 = C2...
master_key_01 = 54...
and so on

Fix 2:
if your keys file is .ini, make sure your hactool command mentions keys.ini (replace .txt)

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Error: section 0 is corrupted!
Error: section 1 is corrupted!

Fix 1:
Wrong title key, hex edit again and grab the 0x180 address values again
Sample entry for Sonic Mania : --titlekey=4BFF1#####DAC57#####B322 (Full value masked due to legal reasons)

 

[huma_dawii]

Nice! I'm down to test xD

 

[Draxzelex]

LayeredFS Title Launching or LTL?

 

[Ewwwww]

Testing... will share results as soon as I finish!

 

[Mat37]

Titlekey can be in uppercase. Just make sure to remove the space between each set of 2 characters

 

[pro-pumper]

excelent, thank's

 

[stingray1059]

wow .. great job.. hope someone will make a GUI version soon.

 

[wsdyleon]

good guide

 

[HoTsHoTz79]

Titlekey can be in uppercase. Just make sure to remove the space between each set of 2 characters

Good point, i updated my post

LayeredFS Title Launching or LTL?

Whats LTL? This is basically like how one would run XCI titles without SX OS... so you launch FORNITE, but it runs Fast RMX

wow .. great job.. hope someone will make a GUI version soon.

Follow the link at the bottom of my script, its a batch command, but better then manually doing most of the work.

 

[Draxzelex]

Whats LTL? This is basically like how one would run XCI titles without SX OS... so you launch FORNITE, but it runs Fast RMX

I just made up a term for using LayeredFS to run eShop games similar to how LayeredFS was initially used to run .XCI games (LayeredFS Backup Launching or LBL).

 

[stingray1059]

i got nvalid NCA header error .. when i put title key.

 

[HoTsHoTz79]

i got nvalid NCA header error .. when i put title key.

Error: Invalid NCA header! Are keys correct?

Fix 1:
Make sure your keys file is valid, format is
master_key_00 = C2...
master_key_01 = 54...
and so on

Fix 2:
if your keys file is .ini, make sure your hactool command mentions keys.ini (replace .txt)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Error: section 0 is corrupted! section 1 is corrupted!

Fix 1:
Wrong title key, hex edit again and grab the 0x180 address values again
Sample entry for Sonic Mania : --titlekey=4BFF1#####DAC57#####B322

 

[stingray1059]

Error: Invalid NCA header! Are keys correct?

Fix 1:
Make sure your keys file is valid, format is
master_key_00 = C2...
master_key_01 = 54...
and so on

Fix 2:
if your keys file is .ini, make sure your hactool command mentions keys.ini (replace .txt)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Error: section 0 is corrupted! section 1 is corrupted!

Fix 1:
Wrong title key, hex edit again and grab the 0x180 address values again
Sample entry for Sonic Mania : --titlekey=4BFF1#####DAC57#####B322

how to get correct key?

 

[HoTsHoTz79]

how to get correct key?

try to google
MaxConsole Underground Skull & Crossbones

Copy > Notepad > Paste > Save as keys.txt

 

[stingray1059]

try to google
MaxConsole Underground Skull & Crossbones

Copy > Notepad > Paste > Save as keys.txt

after saving as keys.txt ,, whats next?

 

[HoTsHoTz79]

after saving as keys.txt ,, whats next?

well thats supposed to fix the error you received before "Invalid NCA header!"

so make sure your keys.txt is in the same folder as hactool.exe and try your command again

also, I updated Step 2 of the guide and added screenshots ... read again and see if that helps

 

[stingray1059]

well thats supposed to fix the error you received before "Invalid NCA header!"

so make sure your keys.txt is in the same folder as hactool.exe and try your command again

still got invalid nca header... im trying to run fastrmx .. i entered the 32digit titlekey. same error.

 

[Ericthegreat]

I'd do this, but will it burn fuses if I used the raj method to update?

 

[HoTsHoTz79]

still got invalid nca header... im trying to run fastrmx .. i entered the 32digit titlekey. same error.

I PM'ed some instructions... let me know if that helps

I'd do this, but will it burn fuses if I used the raj method to update?

Rajkosto's guide specifically says WITHOUT Burning Fuses
I was on 4.1.0 the longest time playing via LayeredFS... but i needed more donor titles and couldn't access eShop
following Raj's guide, i'm on 5.1.0 and have bunch of donors... helps a lot because not all donors work/save for each game

 

[Silla79]

I am wondering how this thread has not gone crazy yet. This seems to be what many of us have been waiting for, or am I missing something?

Is there better compatibility with this then LayeredFS with xci's? Looking forward to some results. I plan to test soon, can't just yet.