Hacking Question Games over a certain size not copying correctly to switch

[Richard2019]

Copied over three games to my switch last night Untitled Goose game Links Awakening and The Witcher

Goose game went over no issues but the other two as soon as they got to the very end of copying over just hang and don't finish correctly.

I end up having to interrupt the process the file is on my switch but obviously it has an error when opened.

I tried goldleaf and fluffy but same issue.

Dont remember having this problem with bigger games before so not sure how to fix it!

 

[jellybeangreen2]

Is your SD card exfat or fat32. Double check this

 

[Richard2019]

Is your SD card exfat or fat32. Double check this

Fat32

 

[masagrator]

Fat32 support only files <=4GB.

 

[KiiWii]

Use goldleaf 0.7.3 on your switch and quark.jar on your PC, the larger files get installed directly, no need to copy to SD before installation.

 

[Richard2019]

Use goldleaf 0.7.3 on your switch and quark.jar on your PC, the larger files get installed directly, no need to copy to SD before installation.

I have that on my pc and I'm fairly sure I had very same issue with it last night. I'll try it again later.

I copied over large games in past and never had this issue.

 

[BaamAlex]

I copied over large games in past and never had this issue.

Then is your card formatted with exfat. Fat32 can't handle files =>4GB. And if that is the case you should switch the filesystem to fat32. exFAT can corrupt your files.

 

[Richard2019]

Then is your card formatted with exfat. Fat32 can't handle files =>4GB. And if that is the case you should switch the filesystem to fat32. exFAT can corrupt your files.

It's fat32 I'm using. So how does a program like goldleaf copy over the bigger games then? I remember getting BOTW over no problem.

 

[BaamAlex]

It's fat32 I'm using. So how does a program like goldleaf copy over the bigger games then? I remember getting BOTW over no problem.

Because the games are stored on your pc. Not on your sd card. I'm not a dev. But i think it works that way: Goldleaf receive the files from quark. And the games will be unpacked like winrar zip files. Either from goldleaf itself or from quark directly. And the unpacked files are smaller as 4gb. That's the reason why you can install files bigger as 4gb (f.e. BotW) through usb. I hope this was good and understandable described. Sorry for my bad english. It's not the yellow from the egg.

 

[Richard2019]

Because the games are stored on your pc. Not on your sd card. I'm not a dev. But i think it works that way: Goldleaf receive the files from quark. And the games will be unpacked like winrar zip files. Either from goldleaf itself or from quark directly. And the unpacked files are smaller as 4gb. That's the reason why you can install files bigger as 4gb (f.e. BotW) through usb. I hope this was good and understandable described. Sorry for my bad english. It's not the yellow from the egg.

No your fine I understand ha thank you!

Ya I dunno what's going wrong so cause I'm copying over everything by usb as always just these two games seem to hang at the very end of transfer and never finish.

So if I send the games over using quark and goldleaf on switch using USB should be ok?

I'm fairly sure I've already tried this last night but I'll try again!

 

[BaamAlex]

You don't need to copy anything via usb. Install games with quark and goldleaf and you're fine.

 

[lordelan]

I'm not telling you're lying but BotW and Witcher 3 are definitely way bigger than 4 GB and simply can't be copied to a FAT32 card. No matter which way, it's not working. *
However any Switch game (no matter if NSP or XCI) consists of many NCA file and a single NCA file is never bigger than 4 GB.
If a game is installed, it's installed into multiple folders with cryptic numbers into the Nintendo folder on the SD and those installed files are (again) never bigger than 4 GB. Nintendo did that to make sure, every game can be used on a FAT32 card as well (since the Switch isn't even shipped with the exFAT driver onboard).

If you install something via network or USB, think of it like it is "streamed" to your Switch.
The NCAs (remember, they are never bigger than 4 GB) are installed one by one without actually saving the complete NSP/XCI to your SD card at any point.

* as an additional note: There's split scripts to split NSPs and XCIs and a few installers supported installing such splitted games (n1dus for example) but since USB install works so well no one is really still using that method.

 

[Richard2019]

I'm not telling you're lying but BotW and Witcher 3 are definitely way bigger than 4 GB and simply can't be copied to a FAT32 card. No matter which way, it's not working. *
However any Switch game (no matter if NSP or XCI) consists of many NCA file and a single NCA file is never bigger than 4 GB.
If a game is installed, it's installed into multiple folders with cryptic numbers into the Nintendo folder on the SD and those installed files are (again) never bigger than 4 GB. Nintendo did that to make sure, every game can be used on a FAT32 card as well (since the Switch isn't even shipped with the exFAT driver onboard).

If you install something via network or USB, think of it like it is "streamed" to your Switch.
The NCAs (remember, they are never bigger than 4 GB) are installed one by one without actually saving the complete NSP/XCI to your SD card at any point.

* as an additional note: There's split scripts to split NSPs and XCIs and a few installers supported installing such splitted games (n1dus for example) but since USB install works so well no one is really still using that method.

Ya I know from previous experience with fat32 you couldn't physically copy over files over a certain size.

The USB transfer previously had worked with bigger games as mentioned though so it's confusing what's going wrong now as I am doing it the very same way as before.

I copy all my games over via USB to SD.

 

[Classicgamer]

Y

Fat32 support only files >=4GB.

you mean < or = to 4gb

 

[masagrator]

Y

you mean < or = to 4gb

<=4GB

 

[jellybeangreen2]

Fat32

That’s your problem - either split the files and use an app I believe goldleaf supports split files or format your SD card and which to exfat. Nintendo should have never shipped supporting both formats. In 2019, who uses fat32.

 

[Richard2019]

That’s your problem - either split the files and use an app I believe goldleaf supports split files or format your SD card and which to exfat. Nintendo should have never shipped supporting both formats. In 2019, who uses fat32.

I never had to split files before though?

I copied over smash bros and botw threw usb using Goldleaf.

I updated to 9.0.1 last night installed.new sigpatchs tried latest version of fluffy gold tree and quark but what's happens is when the transfer is done it hangs at the very end and doesn't complete.

I have to turn off the software on both ends and I'm left with a corrupt file on my switch.

If I have a fat32 card what do i need to do for it to work? I've no memory of ever having to split any files I don't even have software to do this or any pre split previous files.

I know I keep repeating myself but it's confusing me cause I never had this issue in the past I used the same method just a lower update.

 

[BaamAlex]

In 2019, who uses fat32

Already since the start of the homebrew scene is warned against the use of exFAT for microSD cards for the Nintendo Switch, as this leads to long-term data loss. The reason is that Nintendo's FAT driver is flawed and constantly changes files and folders, even in simple reads. The changes are never properly synchronized with the file system, which means that improperly terminating an application / reboot / shutdown causes the file handlers to be lost and then missing from the File Allocation Table. This happens also with FAT32. Since exFAT, unlike FAT32, does not have a second Backup File Allocation Table, the data and folders are irretrievably lost. Incidentally, official applications (such as games) are * usually * always shut down cleanly, which is why the problem hardly occurs here. File handlers are pro-application, which is why the whole thing can happen normally during a forced shutdown

 

[jellybeangreen2]

Already since the start of the homebrew scene is warned against the use of exFAT for microSD cards for the Nintendo Switch, as this leads to long-term data loss. The reason is that Nintendo's FAT driver is flawed and constantly changes files and folders, even in simple reads. The changes are never properly synchronized with the file system, which means that improperly terminating an application / reboot / shutdown causes the file handlers to be lost and then missing from the File Allocation Table. This happens also with FAT32. Since exFAT, unlike FAT32, does not have a second Backup File Allocation Table, the data and folders are irretrievably lost. Incidentally, official applications (such as games) are * usually * always shut down cleanly, which is why the problem hardly occurs here. File handlers are pro-application, which is why the whole thing can happen normally during a forced shutdown

I have only had issues with retroarch under EXFAT. I was able to complete snowboarding kids! That was a blast from the past, I used to have that game on N64. That was my reason to use it, and unfortunately it crashes ALOT! After bad experience with that I stopped using it. I have however, ALWAYS used EXFAT (256GB Samsung SYSNAND) & (512GB Samsung EMUNAND). I use SXOS with hidden EMUNAND partition. I personally have never had any other issues. The fact if an app doesn't close correctly is the same on any problem that can cause corruption. MacOS, Windows, Linux Ditros etc. It doesn't save it's running files back correctly hence corruption.

I will always do use EXFAT. - Also, loading my XCI's off my USB HDD that's also fine. EXFAT on that too. It has to be for me to handle 4GB+ and MacOS and Windows support (since I use a Mac 90% of my time).

Personally, I'd format and set your card as exfat myself. - Using other home-brews I have never had any other issues with corruption. Why struggle coping files 4GB over? - When I don't have access to my Mac, I use an android tablet. type C to UTG, which allows me to plug in my 512GB Micro SD and update it to add more content. This is great and works perfect for me. Personal preference though.

 

[BaamAlex]

I personally have never had any other issues.

If everyone tells you not to run red lights but you've been doing it all the time and nothing happened, what would you do? Especially in relation to newcomers, I find it irresponsible to reproduce their own unfounded opinion, just because one himself "that never happened, so everyone else is wrong!". Unfortunately I had to read too often.