ROM Hack Copying Save from one Switch to another without ban risking mods on newer Switch?

[Elliander]

We have a Switch running SX OS, and are planning to get a second Switch that is capable of running SX OS, but wanted to keep it clean for a while at least.

The thing is though, we want to be able to move save files back and forth between them. Both would have the same registered accounts, but we dont want to run mods on the newer Switch because that will be for safe online play.

So... Is there a safe way to dump saves from one switch onto another without the ban risk that comes with mods? Perhaps via some sort of PC tool?

A less-than-ideal solution would seem to be using the official switch transfer service from the CFW, and then restore the nand to keep the save on the old one, but that's just begging for a ban.

If not, is there any way to at least transfer saves from the emuNAND of the old Switch onto the official NAND without increasing the already existing ban risk of ever going online with that Switch? it seems to me that since SX Pro writes the emuNAND onto the existing NAND it should be able to synch saves.

To be clear, I dont have any bans and maintain NAND backups. Just trying to be cautious.

 

[h448]

Using SX OS on your vanilla switch is just begging for a ban. Using hekate with atmosphere offline, and using Checkpoint to restore a save is relatively low ban risk.

 

[Elliander]

Yeah, I figured that would be the case. I used SX Pro for my nand backup rather than heckate, but wouldn't using the SX Pro dongle to Launch heckate have the same risk as any other launcher?

It would be nice if there was a tool that can compare two nand files, from two different switches, and exchange the relevant information. I get that the nand is console locked using the console ID, but if you have two different nand files it should in theory be possible to transfer information from one to another using a PC tool such that one nand file looks exactly like the other except that it has different console ID information. or otherwise inject a files directly into the nand. If that was possible, then it would seem like the easiest approach for any save game transfer would be to backup your nand using any tool, inject the saves, and then restore the nand.

the main game we wanted to preserve would be Minecraft, since that takes so much more time, so I looked at the problem another way I think I found a solution to at least that game.


first, I convert to bedrock edition. Then I dump the save and use a tool mentioned here to convert to PC:


https://gbatemp.net/threads/minecraft-bedrock-save-editor-for-nintendo-switch-worlds.508392/


Then I upload from PC to Realms. Then on the Switch download the realms.


I'm not 100% sure if that will work, but it should, so will plan on that for the time being.


We probably would only be playing locally anyway, but one reason we wanted to have a switch that isn't modified is so we could easily get update files. It looks like the switch is able to download updates from another switch, so we'll use the official switch to update our games and then update the SX Pro switch using the official switch.

 

[h448]

Yeah, I figured that would be the case. I used SX Pro for my nand backup rather than heckate, but wouldn't using the SX Pro dongle to Launch heckate have the same risk as any other launcher?

Oh, yeah, using SX Pro just to load hekate is fine, I was referring to the SX software itself.

But anyway, just taking saves off your hacked switch with Checkpoint and reloading them onto your "official" switch with Checkpoint on airplane mode would be fine, really. I've been doing that for probably upwards of 6 months now without any issues.

 

[Funkers]

Oh, yeah, using SX Pro just to load hekate is fine, I was referring to the SX software itself.

But anyway, just taking saves off your hacked switch with Checkpoint and reloading them onto your "official" switch with Checkpoint on airplane mode would be fine, really. I've been doing that for probably upwards of 6 months now without any issues.

Could you go in depth for the process you use. Are you just booting to OFW? Or are you restoring a nand backup after every time you import your saves with checkpoint?

 

[h448]

Could you go in depth for the process you use. Are you just booting to OFW? Or are you restoring a nand backup after every time you import your saves with checkpoint?

1) Backup save from hacked switch with Checkpoint
2) Turn airplane mode on normal switch
2.5) Move save file onto other SD card you will use for your normal switch and put that in your switch
3) Boot into CFW with hekate on normal switch with jig, no layeredfs or anything
4) Replace save file on normal switch with one from hacked one with Checkpoint
5) Power off system
6) Turn normal switch back on, turn off airplane mode

I’m confused about why you’d want to restore a NAND backup because your old NAND isn’t gonna have the save you just updated, effectively setting you back to square one.

 

[krazyblunts]

1) Backup save from hacked switch with Checkpoint
2) Turn airplane mode on normal switch
2.5) Move save file onto other SD card you will use for your normal switch and put that in your switch
3) Boot into CFW with hekate on normal switch with jig, no layeredfs or anything
4) Replace save file on normal switch with one from hacked one with Checkpoint
5) Power off system
6) Turn normal switch back on, turn off airplane mode

I’m confused about why you’d want to restore a NAND backup because your old NAND isn’t gonna have the save you just updated, effectively setting you back to square one.

loading checkpoint to a clean switch can still result in a ban no? what do you do afterwards? just play normally? online too?

 

[d4nielr]

loading checkpoint to a clean switch can still result in a ban no? what do you do afterwards? just play normally? online too?

Long as your offline. And using atmosphere (which sends error logs to sd card and not the switch) you should be fine. Just when you turn WiFi on make sure your out of cfw, I’ve done it and I’ve been fine,

 

[Azmort]

I'm with the same doubt, I was reading that you can extract saves from a Nand backup or even from the Switch itself through HacDiskMount, and that it will be less risky, I want to restore a save into my clean Switch.

 

[Stunx]

I've done it, legit switch still good

 

[Mythical]

At this point he could just use the new emunand function from tx or wait until it's a bit more stable and do so

 

[krazyblunts]

I've done it, legit switch still good

i suppose i cant try this since ive used reinx on top of checkpoint? or will booting to ofw keep me from getting banned?

 

[Funkers]

Long as your offline. And using atmosphere (which sends error logs to sd card and not the switch) you should be fine. Just when you turn WiFi on make sure your out of cfw, I’ve done it and I’ve been fine,

I’m mostly just wondering with the release of Pokémon and soon to be smash, I want my game saves on the unbanned switch so I could play Smash Bros online when it comes out.

 

[JeepX87]

Using SX OS on your vanilla switch is just begging for a ban. Using hekate with atmosphere offline, and using Checkpoint to restore a save is relatively low ban risk.

Elliander

Yes, I can confirm that on my old Switch for 3 months and it wasn't banned when I unlinked and sold.

Also, one big rule - NEVER dock your Switch while running CFW, otherwise Nintendo could bust and ban you because airplane mode is disabled when Switch is in dock.

Use creport enabled too - it is important.

I do suggest you to put in airplane mode to test saves and re-save as possible under OFW, so just make sure that save won't crash your Switch. Some saves require latest patch or DLC to work properly.

 

[Deleted User]

Couldnt you do a full backup on hacked switch.
Use the switches built in feature to migrate save and data over to your new switch.
Then restore Hacked back up back to hacked switch.

 

[h448]

Couldnt you do a full backup on hacked switch.
Use the switches built in feature to migrate save and data over to your new switch.
Then restore Hacked back up back to hacked switch.

You need to be online AND use the current firmware to transfer your switch. If you upgrade to 6.2, you can't access CFW anymore because Nintendo has updated their keys, and they're not cracked or public yet, so you can't just restore your full backup NAND on the "hacked" switch.

Really, the best bet is just use Hekate and Checkpoint to edit a save, but at this point if OP has updated to 6.2 they can't do anything suggested in this thread anymore.

 

[Deleted User]

You need to be online AND use the current firmware to transfer your switch. If you upgrade to 6.2, you can't access CFW anymore because Nintendo has updated their keys, and they're not cracked or public yet, so you can't just restore your full backup NAND on the "hacked" switch.

Really, the best bet is just use Hekate and Checkpoint to edit a save, but at this point if OP has updated to 6.2 they can't do anything suggested in this thread anymore.

Wow i cant believe that force you online for a system transfer that's ridiculous! That was always my back up if i got banned and needed a new system, Thanks for clearing that up

 

[Elliander]

At this point he could just use the new emunand function from tx or wait until it's a bit more stable and do so

I'm already using the emuNAND. That probably protects me if I want to go online with the official firmware, but I can't seem to get game updates and saves to transfer over directly - which is one reason why we want the 2nd switch to be official. We figure that it would be easier to download game updates on one switch and use that to update the other than trying to mess with finding update files and hoping they aren't injected with brick code.

Elliander
one big rule - NEVER dock your Switch while running CFW, otherwise Nintendo could bust and ban you because airplane mode is disabled when Switch is in dock.

That's actually not a problem. Interestingly, while you cannot put it into airplane mode while docked, it doesn't go out of airplane mode when docked. Or rather, it doesn't for me. I use a third party dock, since I don't trust Nintendo's dock after reading about the overheating/bending/cracking issues it can cause. Of course, I use an official Nintendo power supply and HDMI cable for it to avoid the issues caused by using docks. Hundreds of hours without any problems.

Weirdly, for games like Minecraft, I actually can't play in local multiplayer without having WiFi turned on AND all players using Nintendo accounts that have previously gone online, so I am really glad I set up two Nintendo accounts before setting up the emuNAND.

For extra protection there is stealth mode to keep me from talking to Nintendo's servers, which really helped since the Nintendo Switch Edition of Minecraft wants to download the new version from the eShop every other run.

Wow i cant believe that force you online for a system transfer that's ridiculous! That was always my back up if i got banned and needed a new system, Thanks for clearing that up

Yeah, that's why I wouldn't risk doing a system transfer more than once. On the Wii I had to be online to move to the Wii U, but I took a NAND backup right before that and then restored the NAND backup and both continue to work fine. However, if I tried to move from that Wii again to another Wii U I expect there would be trouble - even more so on the Switch.

 

[MrSaltySalt]

So weird question
I have a vanilla switch and modded
I'm wanting to move my GE3 save file to the vanilla in order to play online
Now I know if you have the same Nintendo account for both you can wirelessly but is it safer to do as you guys suggest

Soft mod the vanilla and then restore it or would the save file be a red flag in general