Ensure you have a pre-cfw CLEAN NAND backup if you want to use sysnand for online

File based EmuMMC is working but if you use FAT32 it is very limited and heavily bottlenecked, if you decide to use exFAT then it is very unstable and can corrupt your SD card easily; as of now use partition based as file based is very slow/unstable!!

Rewriting guide with NYX in mind alongside quad boot files for that.


Pre-Setup [Win/Linux]

Spoiler

• Dump your NAND via hekate or use a clean dumped nand(you need to dump BOOT0/BOOT1 and rawnand) ENSURE AUTORCM IS TURNED OFF!
• Merge these into one file using:
  
  Linux cmd:
  cat BOOT0 BOOT1 rawnand.bin.00 rawnand.bin.01 rawnand.bin.02 rawnand.bin.03 rawnand.bin.04 rawnand.bin.05 rawnand.bin.06 rawnand.bin.07 rawnand.bin.08 rawnand.bin.09 rawnand.bin.10 rawnand.bin.11 rawnand.bin.12 rawnand.bin.13 rawnand.bin.14 > emummc.bin
  
  Windows cmd:
  copy /b BOOT0+BOOT1+rawnand.bin.00+rawnand.bin.01+rawnand.bin.02+rawnand.bin.03+rawnand.bin.04+rawnand.bin.05+rawnand.bin.06+rawnand.bin.07+rawnand.bin.08+rawnand.bin.09+rawnand.bin.10+rawnand.bin.11+rawnand.bin.12+rawnand.bin.13+rawnand.bin.14 emummc.bin
• If you are using a single file dumped nand then:
  Linux cmd:
  cat BOOT0 BOOT1 rawnand.bin > emummc.bin

Windows cmd:
copy /b BOOT0+BOOT1+rawnand.bin emummc.bin

Setting up EmuMMC[Linux]

Spoiler

1. Format your SD, clear any partitions and etc.
2. Create your normal partition (MAKE SURE IT IS FAT32 AND 32K CLUSTER).
3. Leave enough space to fit the NAND image.
4. Make that last partition FAT32 aswell
   
5. Identify the partition address */dev/xxx
6. Use this command to write your complete emummc image to the EmuNand partition we made earlier:
   sudo dd if=<your_emummc_bin> bs=512M of=<Step 5, partition add> status=progress
7. Once this is done download the latest AMS and Hekate.
8. Download the EmuMMC config and create a folder named "emummc" then paste it there..
9. Use a tool like GParted to find the first sector of the partition holding the EmuNAND
10. Convert the value from step 8 to hexadecimal > just google <number> to hexadecimal ; it should give out a number such as 0x1039 and etc; IF on the case that it gives one like say 800 then it'll be 0x800.
11. SOMETIMES EmuMMC may not work fully with "0x" infront of the sector, it's hit & miss.
    
12. edit the config file in emummc with this value.

Setting up EmuMMC[Windows10]

Spoiler

Install tools:

• https://www.partitionwizard.com/partitionmanager/sd-partitions.html (Has freeware installer at the end, ensure you untick the box)
• https://uranus.chrysocome.net/linux/rawwrite/dd-0.4beta1.exe (Copy this into the folder where you made your complete EmuMMC image, rename it to dd)

Steps:

• Using the partition tool, delete all partitions on the sd (all data on the sd will be gone)
• Create the first partition at the start of the table, make this a Fat32 32K Cluster partition, leave 31GB at the end of the table.
• Format the end partition as FAT32 aswell, cluster size does not matter.
• 
• Using CMD cd into the folder where you have your emuMMC files and dd.
• Figure out what partition you will specificy to DD by using running the cmd dd --list
• 
• As you can see K: is my EmuMMC partition and it is linked to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume19, this is the disk we will write to via DD.
• Using the CMD dd if=<your_emummc_bin_path> bs=512M of=<Disk we identified on previous step> --progress image your EmuMMC onto the last partition.
• Once the last partition has your EmuMMC, start setting up AMS and Hekate, download Atmosphere CFW and Hekate.
• Copy AMS + Hekate onto your SD
• Download the EmuMMC config and create a folder named "emummc" then paste it there.
• Find your first sector by using the disk tool, right click your EmuMMC partition > properties > partition info > first physical sector.
• Convert the number to hexadecimal by going on google and searching <Number> to hexadecimal ; a value such as 0x492A3900 or etc will show.
• SOMETIMES EmuMMC may not work fully with "0x" infront of the sector, it's hit & miss.
• Open emummc folder on your sd then open the config and paste the hexadecimal number over the existing one.
• Launch hekate then atmosphere, if it is all done right you should be in EmuMMC

Dual/Triple/Quad boot[L4T Ubuntu/Lakka, Stock-Sys, EmuNand]

Spoiler

Rewrite in progress

Notes:

• No I won't sit you through this, the process is already laid out there.
• If you decide to use exFAT I won't really help.
• You can do the partitioning and file merging on windows but I don't know any tool to write the image to a specific partition.
• There is NO such thing as *Cleaning* your NAND, if you don't have a clean backup then bad luck, you can maybe get away with clearing logs if you haven't been online for a long time but even then I wouldn't suggest it; should've made a clean NAND backup, I won't guide you through any of that.

CLICK HERE FOR EMUMMC CONFIG

DISCLAIMER: I am not resposible for you killing your switch, bricking it from the failure to make a NAND backup; I am in no way obliged to provide you personal support nor am I obliged to do anything else; I'm not resposible for you messing up your SD Card either.



Windows guide:

 

[TariqSoftDev]

[RESERVED]

 

[AD2076]

9. Convert the value from step 8 to hexadecimal > just google <number> to hexadecimal ; if the number is something like 800 then it's 0x800 and etc.


DISCLAIMER: I am not resposible for you killing your switch, bricking it from the failure to make a NAND backup; I am in no way obliged to provide you personal support nor am I obliged to do anything else; I'm not resposible for you messing up your SD Card either.

If you write a "PROPER" how-to you are obliged to write it properly, without misleading information.
If the converted number is something like 800 then write 0x800 etc.

 

[TariqSoftDev]

If you write a "PROPER" how-to you are obliged to write it properly, without misleading information.
If the converted number is something like 800 then write 0x800 etc.

In my case google gave out 800 for 2048 which is 0x800; tried and tested; thank's for the nitpick tho , some converters don't give a 0xyyyyy

 

[Bedel]

Well... Me and some people I know executed CFW in the past, at the start of the scene, and are clean since we only executed some emulators and litle hombrew apps. Thigs like that wont get you banned and aren't risky. If you are in this same position, don't be afraid. I thought it'd be necesary to post this for some people.

 

[tabzer]

If you write a "PROPER" how-to you are obliged to write it properly, without misleading information.
If the converted number is something like 800 then write 0x800 etc.

It wasn't misleading. The number he was referring to was the last thing mentioned, the "hexadecimal", or "the converted number" as you want to call it. It could become unclear to those who assume he's shoddy at English, but calling it misleading is misleading.

 

[AD2076]

It wasn't misleading. The number he was referring to was the last thing mentioned, the "hexadecimal", or "the converted number" as you want to call it. It could become unclear to those who assume he's shoddy at English, but calling it misleading is misleading.

I am shoddy at English and I am not the only one here. Better safe than sorry.

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

In my case google gave out 800 for 2048 which is 0x800; tried and tested; thank's for the nitpick tho , some converters don't give a 0xyyyyy

Thank you for your edit in OP and sorry for being rude

 

[TariqSoftDev]

Well... Me and some people I know executed CFW in the past, at the start of the scene, and are clean since we only executed some emulators and litle hombrew apps. Thigs like that wont get you banned and aren't risky. If you are in this same position, don't be afraid. I thought it'd be necesary to post this for some people.

I'll add to the original post once confirmed; thank you for the info though.

 

[Bedel]

I'll add to the original post once confirmed; thank you for the info though.

Not wantig to correct or something. I really liked your tuto. But just wanted to inform people who read the coments.

 

[TariqSoftDev]

Not wantig to correct or something. I really liked your tuto. But just wanted to inform people who read the coments.

I know, more info; the merrier, helps create a more solid guide, one person can't know "everything".

 

[tabzer]

Pardon my ignorance. Windows 7 didn't allow for mounting multiple partitions, so it added complications that were not covered in the guide. It works with a backwards approach discussed further on.

 

[Cyan]

I guess by looking at sector 0, you check the partition table to get the LBA sector start?
some partition manager are probably providing the starting sector address too.

I didn't look at the video (YT guides are always bad and from n00bs), but I thought the default windows partition manager didn't allow partitioning SD card, so I guess it's using another tool to partition the SD.
Also, like on 3DS scene, someone will probably release a emuMMC multi partition manager. I'll wait for such a tool it'll be easier to dump/restore partition on the SD with a tool.
There are other solution like using an image burner (we did that on 3DS early EmuNand management), the partition would be at the start of the SD, instead of the end, sector 1. (sector 0 is required for MBR and FAT32 location)

a GUI tool would be easier.
one where you can choose to format the SD, and choose how many emu partition you want on it. The MBR could hold the starting addresses or number of partitions+start deducted by size, not necessarily official partitions table (or else windows will ask to format them), the MBR has lot of unused addresses.
then a menu to read/write the partition number from/to a file.
Ideally, a "verify" option would be added too, to verify all the sectors where successfully written to the SD before mounting it. not sure if required.

 

[TariqSoftDev]

That windows guide pretty much sucks. How do you identify the partition address?

Carefully watch the guide, I use the partition manager tool from the desc of the YT vid to check the partition properties and find "First Physical Sector"

 

[tabzer]

I have an sd card mounted to drive x. It has 3 partitions. The 3rd partition is the partition I want to DD to. Can you deduce from this?

 

[TariqSoftDev]

I have an sd card mounted to drive x. It has 3 partitions. The 3rd partition is the partition I want to DD to. Can you deduce from this?

Most likely Harddisk 3 , partition 1; harddisk 3 is shown as removable media, partition 0 should be your general partition and 1 being the one left for EmuMMC

\\?\Device\HarddiskVolume10

 

[tabzer]

Most likely Harddisk 3 , partition 1; harddisk 3 is shown as removable media, partition 0 should be your general partition and 1 being the one left for EmuMMC

But I have 3 partitions on that disk.

 

[TariqSoftDev]

But I have 3 partitions on that disk.

Could you show me a picture of your partition table layout?

 

[tabzer]

It's weird to me because if you look at the top, my z: drive, which is my SD card is linked to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume9, and according to the table below that, \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume9 is associated with HardDisk1\Partition1

 

[TariqSoftDev]

It's weird to me because if you look at the top, my z: drive, which is my SD card is linked to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume9, and according to the table below that, \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume9 is associated with HardDisk1\Partition1

Yeah this one I'm slightly confused sorry to say, double check your drive letter; it's showing Z: as CD-Rom, if it persists it may be the way your pc is mounting the sd card as a CD-ROM

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

It's weird to me because if you look at the top, my z: drive, which is my SD card is linked to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume9, and according to the table below that, \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume9 is associated with HardDisk1\Partition1

Alright so yeah, hate to double comment anyways, so your SD card is X, I think you pressed Z on the last comment anyways, so it shows X is linked to partition 9, this would be the first partition at the start, now you have another media linked to Vol8 although it shows Vol8 as being mounted to e: as a fixed drive; if you can confirm the partition at the end of your SD which is sized for the EmuMMC is mounted to drive letter E:, then you want to write to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume8

Now Vol8 shows as being on the same physical disk as Vol9.

 

[tabzer]

Yeah this one I'm slightly confused sorry to say, double check your drive letter; it's showing Z: as CD-Rom, if it persists it may be the way your pc is mounting the sd card as a CD-ROM

You are right. I accidentally said Z instead of X (which is the SD Card) If I explore via the partition tool, it says the partition I want is Disk 2 Partition 3, but that doesn't appear in DD --list. Also, it won't allow me to assign more than one partition on the sd card a letter. IDK if it is related. RN I am cloning an EX4 partition, so the image is transitional.