So am due to receive a switch that should be unpatched later today.
My main goal is to transfer a WiiU BOTW save to Switch. I'd prefer to use the save with OFW, if possible, and am trying to figure out if there's a reasonable way to do that. I also want to play various online games on OFW (smash, DQ builders 2, etc), so I'm looking for the most careful method. I know there are no guarantees, but I'm willing to take the long way around for the best odds.
On the WiiU side, I've managed to get homebrew running in the WiiU and have exported my save. The BOTW converter ran successfully.
On the switch side, to get a general sense of the basics, I've reviewed a few guides for the RCM boot + Hekate + Atmosphere on EmuMMC setup, including those linked upthread here. I've prepared a microSD card for the Switch, formatted in FAT32 with Checkpoint preinstalled.
Although I wonder if I should use ExFAT instead, since I suppose I will have to let the console update (perhaps using the method described above to preserve fuses) to play online, even if booting OFW through Hekate to avoid the fuse check.
And I expect I also need to update the BOTW version to read the transferred save — which I am trying to figure out if I should do the normal way at the outset...
My impression is that the first thing I should do is make a complete backup of the Switch when it arrives, the Sysnand and the boot partitions, etc.
What I am trying to figure out is the proper sequence to do things in after that.
My tentative plan is:
-Receive switch, take modem offline, power on to check installed versions, verify functionality etc
-Perform RCM exploit test, verify unpatched
-Following guides, boot via RCM into Hekate, create an EmuMMC at the current version level and perform complete dump of system files. Archive as a ZIP.
-Still offline, Reboot normally into OFW, run BOTW from cartridge at whatever version it shipped as to create save folder structure in sysnand.
-Turn off switch. Take modem back online.
-Boot via RCM into Hekate and run OFW. Enable WiFi, permit Switch to download system updates, but do not to install them. Go offline again.
- Boot via RCM into Hekate, and create another archived dump with the system update files downloaded and the stock BOTW install and save present.
-Then use Hekate to install the system update. (Method 2 from the previous post upthread). All reboots from here will use RCM to avoid fuses being burned.
-Dump and archive again after the system update.
-Reboot into Hekate and run OFW, go back online and let BOTW update. Overwrite the save to bring it up to version level.
-Go back offline reboot and dump again.
-Now we can boot into either CFW or OFW and we have a clean backup NAND with updated firmware, game and placeholder save at current versions.
I know the above may involve more dumps than necessary but it's out of caution. Is there anything I'm missing there?
After that, the question is how to get the converted save into the game under OFW with the least risk.
After reading some other threads, is this the best way to go (adapted from a thread here called "how-can-i-move-saves-from-emunand-to-sysnand" that I can't link):
-Go offline, delete wifi etc.
-Boot into CFW, use Checkpoint to inject the WiiU save into BOTW's Sysnand storage.
-Presuming it loads successfully, update the save (wait for a blood moon and manually re-save?).
-Reboot into Hekate, make another dump.
-Using hacdiskmount, open the backup with the converted BOTW save and copy the save files
-Using hacdiskmount, open the clean backup at current version levels and overwrite the placeholder save with the converted save
-Restore the clean backup with the converted save files to sysnand
-Reboot back into OFW (via RCM as always), go online/enable wifi and play normally?!?
Is it correct that by doing the above there should be no evidence that CFW was ever run? Or is the ban risk no less than just running Checkpoint to inject the save just the once, and then running under OFW after that without the additional steps of copying the files to the older image offline and then restoring it?
Apologies if I've overlooked anything obvious, abused any terminology, or am mixing up older procedures with current advice.