Hacking Disable cartridge slot in AtmoshpereOS?

BrandonSWITCH · Dec 3, 2021

Hello. is there a way to disable the game cart slot in Atmosphere OS or in Hekate for Atmoshpere OS (which is installed on my EmuMMC) so that I can play games with a cartridge on the eMMC and then the cartridges wouldnt show up on the homescreen of my EmuMMC?

TL;DR: Disable Game Cart Slot in EmuMMC (AtmosphereOS) but not in SysMMC (HorizonOS)?

linuxares · Dec 3, 2021

I actually think you can do that with he help of stock=1 in Hekate ini file.
But I'm not 100% sure.

masagrator · Dec 3, 2021

BrandonSWITCH said:
TL;DR: Disable Game Cart Slot in EmuMMC (AtmosphereOS) but not in SysMMC (HorizonOS)?

Just delete stratosphere.ini from atmosphere/configs.
You will have gamecard slot disabled when using CFW.

Deleted member 194275 · Dec 3, 2021

masagrator said:
Just delete stratosphere.ini from atmosphere/configs.
You will have gamecard slot disabled when using CFW.

I'm not the OP but loved that tip! Thank you!

BrandonSWITCH · Dec 7, 2021

masagrator said:
Just delete stratosphere.ini from atmosphere/configs.
You will have gamecard slot disabled when using CFW.

Sorry for the late reply, I tried that and it didn't work. There was no file there in the first place but I did try adding the "nogc = 1" flag to the stratosphere.ini template and then moving it to "/atmosphere/configs" but it didnt do anything... I also tried a "0" and the flag without the spaces and then deleting the file all together. I am wondering wether I have to do something through Hekate instead? I have been looking through the documentation and have found a flag called "autonogc" but it is automatic and I want to force disable the game cartridge slot because I accidently forget that I'm in CFW and load up my game cart in CFW instead of Stock Firmware.

Ch3ck3rM0n · Jan 10, 2024

Did someone figure it out anyway? I want to disable the slot too!

RedColoredStars · Mar 17, 2024

Same here. Is the nogc option even supposed to completely disable the slot when in emuMMC? Hekate Auto NGC is enabled and I've also tried forcing it to be disabled with the stratosphere.ini but I can still use carts when in emuMMC.

Edit: Setting it to disabled with the stratosphere.ini did actually work. Not sure what I did wrong the first time around. However, the Auto NGC option alone in Hekate doesn't work.

masagrator · Mar 17, 2024

RedColoredStars said:
Same here. Is the nogc option even supposed to completely disable the slot when in emuMMC? Hekate Auto NGC is enabled and I've also tried forcing it to be disabled with the stratosphere.ini but I can still use carts when in emuMMC.

Edit: Setting it to disabled with the stratosphere.ini did actually work. Not sure what I did wrong the first time around. However, the Auto NGC option alone in Hekate doesn't work.

This is because you use Atmosphere's fusee. If you would use Hekate's FSS0, it would work.

RedColoredStars · Mar 17, 2024

masagrator said:
This is because you use Atmosphere's fusee. If you would use Hekate's FSS0, it would work.

I used the rentry guide that has a section on setting the Auto NGC option in Hekate, but it appears the hekate_ipl.ini file the same guide instructs a person to make evidently doesn't have the correct entries for the setting to work.

My hekate_ipl.ini contents:

[config]
autoboot=0
autoboot_list=0
bootwait=3
backlight=58
noticker=0
autohosoff=1
autonogc=1
updater2p=0
bootprotect=0

[Atmosphere CFW]
payload=bootloader/payloads/fusee.bin
icon=bootloader/res/icon_payload.bmp

[Stock SysNAND]
fss0=atmosphere/package3
stock=1
emummc_force_disable=1
icon=bootloader/res/icon_switch.bmp

I was able to locate what I believe are the correct entries to boot into emuMMC and have the Auto NGC option working. Which one is correct though? The Hekate documentation has this listed:

[Atmosphere FSS0 emuMMC]
fss0=atmosphere/package3
kip1=atmosphere/kips/*
emummcforce=1
icon=bootloader/res/emu_boot.bmp

Or... I also see this which has a different kips line and also adds the atmosphere=1 line. Which is correct to use?

[CFW - emuMMC]
fss0=atmosphere/package3
kip1patch=nosigchk
emummcforce=1
atmosphere=1
icon=bootloader/res/icon_payload.bmp

Edit of an edit of an edit of an edit: Okay, so neither of those two ini options worked. Game cart still being read in emuMCC. Yes, I can simply use the stratosphere.ini and disable it, but shouldn't the Hekate option already be doing that? Help, please.

@Blythe93 @Draxzelex @Hayato213 One of you Switch masters can probably help me out with this?

Ch3ck3rM0n · Mar 18, 2024

RedColoredStars said:
Yes, I can simply use the stratosphere.ini and disable it, but shouldn't the Hekate option already be doing that? Help, please.

How would you manage to disable Card-Slot with the stratosphere.ini? And why you wont go with that way?

[Atmosphere (emuMMC, fusee load)]
emummcforce=1
payload=bootloader/payloads/fusee.bin
logopath=bootloader/bootlogo.bmp
icon=bootloader/res/icon_payload.bmp

[CFW (emuMMC, hekate load]
fss0=atmosphere/package3
kip1patch=nosigchk
atmosphere=1
emummcforce=1
autonogc=1
logopath=bootloader/bootlogo.bmp
icon=bootloader/res/icon_payload.bmp
{}

Blythe93 · Mar 18, 2024

RedColoredStars said:
@Blythe93 @Draxzelex @Hayato213 One of you Switch masters can probably help me out with this?

You're giving me too much credit. ^^ In addition to Draxzelex and Hayato213, @impeeza is one of the people I personally consider masters. ^^ Sadly, binkinator isn't around as much as he used to, but his older posts helped me a lot in the past while I still wasn't using the site as a registered user.

Back to the topic:
If you're using Atmosphere's fusee, you'll need to add nogc = 0 line in the atmosphere\config\stratosphere.ini for game card reader to work.
If you're using Hekate's FSS0, you'll need to remove kip1patch=nogc and set autonogc=1 to 0 in the bootloader\hekate_ipl.ini for the game card reader to work.

Sadly, I don't have a game card right now to test it, but it should work.

RedColoredStars said:
Yes, I can simply use the stratosphere.ini and disable it, but shouldn't the Hekate option already be doing that?

I'm not really sure, but I believe that it has something to do with the way you're booting into Atmosphere?
If you try booting via Hekate's FSS0, it should work, as masagrator have already mentioned.

Ch3ck3rM0n · Mar 18, 2024

Blythe93 said:
You're giving me too much credit. ^^ In addition to Draxzelex and Hayato213, @impeeza is one of the people I personally consider masters. ^^ Sadly, binkinator isn't around as much as he used to, but his older posts helped me a lot in the past while I still wasn't using the site as a registered user.

Back to the topic:
If you're using Atmosphere's fusee, you'll need to add nogc = 0 line in the atmosphere\config\stratosphere.ini for game card reader to work.
If you're using Hekate's FSS0, you'll need to remove kip1patch=nogc and set autonogc=1 to 0 in the bootloader\hekate_ipl.ini for the game card reader to work.

Sadly, I don't have a game card right now to test it, but it should work.

I'm not really sure, but I believe that it has something to do with the way you're booting into Atmosphere?
If you try booting via Hekate's FSS0, it should work, as masagrator have already mentioned.

I played a little bit around and find out, it is not possible to disable the GC-Slot without sideload fusee.bin. Hekate boot over fss0 do not disable the slot. So I go the way to inject the fusee.bin from AMS and boot this way to my emuMMC (=emuNAND) on the SD-card.

Now I just have another question upcoming:

Are we able to disable the popup message "game card could not be read"?
I know it cannot be read because I disabled it. But I don't want to be remembered every startup/wakeup.

RedColoredStars · Mar 18, 2024

First off, I want to DISable the card when in emuMMC, not enable it.

Blythe93 said:
If you're using Atmosphere's fusee, you'll need to add nogc = 0 line in the atmosphere\config\stratosphere.ini for game card reader to work.

I had already tried that and it did work, but I a person shouldn't have to do that. The Hekate option should work without it. The two main Switch guides talk about using the Auto NGC option, but don't even provide a proper method for that option to even work.

Blythe93 said:
If you're using Hekate's FSS0, you'll need to remove kip1patch=nogc and set autonogc=1 to 0 in the bootloader\hekate_ipl.ini for the game card reader to work.

How do I even use Hekates FSS0? That's the part I don't understand. I thought using one of two extra .ini entries that I listed above would be using FSS0 but apparently not, because the slot is still working even with Auto NGC enabled and autongc set to 1 in the ini.

Blythe93 said:
Sadly, I don't have a game card right now to test it, but it should work.

I'm not really sure, but I believe that it has something to do with the way you're booting into Atmosphere?
If you try booting via Hekate's FSS0, it should work, as masagrator have already mentioned.

That's what masagrator stated. That it's because I'm booting with Atmospheres Fusee instead of Hekates FSS0. So again, how in the world do I boot with Hekate's FSS0? There is absolutely NOTHING about that in the rentry guide whatsoever.

Ch3ck3rM0n said:
I played a little bit around and find out, it is not possible to disable the GC-Slot without sideload fusee.bin. Hekate boot over fss0 do not disable the slot. So I go the way to inject the fusee.bin from AMS and boot this way to my emuMMC (=emuNAND) on the SD-card.

How to boot Hekate FSS0? I keep seeing people say that but I have zero idea what that is and it's not mentioned in the rentry guide. And inject fusee.bin from AMS? Please explain how you're doing this.

I don't see why both the rentry and nh guides mention the Auto NGC setting, but neither say that it doesn't even work unless you boot using methods that aren't even listed in the guides. That makes both guides incomplete and missing important information.

Ch3ck3rM0n · Mar 18, 2024

RedColoredStars said:
How to boot Hekate FSS0? I keep seeing people say that but I have zero idea what that is and it's not mentioned in the rentry guide. And inject fusee.bin from AMS? Please explain how you're doing this.

Hekate FSS0 is quiet simple. It's just the booting into emuMMC without sideload of fusee.bin:

[CFW (emuMMC, hekate load]
fss0=atmosphere/package3
kip1patch=nosigchk
atmosphere=1
emummcforce=1
autonogc=1
logopath=bootloader/bootlogo.bmp
icon=bootloader/res/icon_payload.bmp
{}

I always did this way and just with sideload-boot of fusee.bin I could disable the GC.

[Atmosphere (emuMMC, fusee load)]
emummcforce=1
payload=bootloader/payloads/fusee.bin
logopath=bootloader/bootlogo.bmp
icon=bootloader/res/icon_payload.bmp

The new problem is, I always get with every startup or wake-up from standby an error message, that sucks.

RedColoredStars · Mar 18, 2024

Ch3ck3rM0n said:
Hekate FSS0 is quiet simple. It's just the booting into emuMMC without sideload of fusee.bin:

I always did this way and just with sideload-boot of fusee.bin I could disable the GC.

The new problem is, I always get with every startup or wake-up from standby an error message, that sucks.

This is my ini file and booting with either of the emuMMC options does NOT disable the GC. Both you listed did not work to disable the card. So what exactly am I doing wrong here?

[config]
autoboot=0
autoboot_list=0
bootwait=3
backlight=58
noticker=0
autohosoff=1
autonogc=1
updater2p=1
bootprotect=0

[Atmosphere emuMCC]
payload=bootloader/payloads/fusee.bin
icon=bootloader/res/icon_payload.bmp

[Atmosphere emuMCC fss0]
fss0=atmosphere/package3
kip1patch=nosigchk
emummcforce=1
atmosphere=1
autonogc=1
icon=bootloader/res/icon_payload.bmp

[Atmosphere (emuMMC fusee load)]
payload=bootloader/payloads/fusee.bin
emummcforce=1
icon=bootloader/res/icon_payload.bmp

[Stock sysMMC]
fss0=atmosphere/package3
stock=1
emummc_force_disable=1
icon=bootloader/res/icon_switch.bmp

Ch3ck3rM0n · Mar 18, 2024

RedColoredStars said:
This is my ini file and booting with either of the emuMMC options does NOT disable the GC.

Its like I wrote, with hekate/fss0 it do not disable the GC. This is not working!
You have to use fusee.bin injection/sideload and the stratosphere.ini setup. There is no other way working.
And if you do like that, I am pretty sure you will get the same error with every startup/wakeup.

RedColoredStars · Mar 18, 2024

Ch3ck3rM0n said:
Its like I wrote, with hekate/fss0 it do not disable the GC. This is not working!

So I was already mostly correct from the beginning and there was nothing wrong with my amended ini file. The Hekate option just seems broken and the stratosphere file is required to disable the slot.

And if you do like that, I am pretty sure you will get the same error with every startup/wakeup.

Yes. It's annoying. Wish that message could be disabled.

Post automatically merged: Mar 18, 2024

@Ch3ck3rM0n So the reason it didn't work (at least for me) even with fss0 s due to misunderstanding the option. The Auto NGC option in Hekate only disables the slot if it finds no burnt fuses. Since my Switch was updated to 17.0.1 prior to ever modding it, it already had 19 fuses burnt, thus the Auto NGC is functioning properly and NOT disabling the slot. If I had a lower number of burnt fuses than what is required by the update/FW, I believe the combo of Auto NGC and booting with fss0 would disable the slot without the need for using stratosphere.ini

At least that's how I am now understanding it all.

Now, regarding using fss0. While doing all of my research I saw several people say things along the lines of "I do not recommend booting with that method" but never any reasons as to why. Are there some disadvantages or risks of some sort when using fss0?

Also, the rentry guide that is supposedly THE guide to use, has a section on enabling Auto NGC in Hekate but the same guides own hekate_ipl.ini doesn't even use fss0. So it wouldn't function properly using the rentry guide anyway, unless a person also used the stratosphere.ini file. Wouldn't that mean the rentry guide needs an edit? Because the hekate_ipl.ini from the nh guide correctly uses fss0 for emuMMC to make the Auto NGC feature work.

Ch3ck3rM0n · Mar 19, 2024

RedColoredStars said:
Now, regarding using fss0. While doing all of my research I saw several people say things along the lines of "I do not recommend booting with that method" but never any reasons as to why. Are there some disadvantages or risks of some sort when using fss0?

Also, the rentry guide that is supposedly THE guide to use, has a section on enabling Auto NGC in Hekate but the same guides own hekate_ipl.ini doesn't even use fss0. So it wouldn't function properly using the rentry guide anyway, unless a person also used the stratosphere.ini file. Wouldn't that mean the rentry guide needs an edit? Because the hekate_ipl.ini from the nh guide correctly uses fss0 for emuMMC to make the Auto NGC feature work.

I don't know if there is any risk, but I would say no because I am booting since the beginning of modding 3 years ago, all of my Switches (2x V1, 1x OLED) only with the fss0. Yesterday it was the first time to use the fusee sideload. I think it is like you say, stratosphere guide would need an edit and fss0 is the correct working. The only shit on that is, we have no option to actively turn off the GC there. And due to the fact that I always update my OFW for online gaming, I will never have the mention mismatch to get auto-nogc working with fss0.

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