Hacking Question How to fix sx-os "boot.dat?" error...

Vroksjab · Jul 4, 2018

FWIW, I got the same error as comput3rus3r as in SX OS cannot find BOOT.DAT anymore.

- Switch v1.0.0 (literally straight out of the box)
- Went through the initial setup -> power off
- 128Gb Sandisk exFAT card with only boot.dat (SX OS v1.2) and hekate v3.0 CTCaer

- Boot into SX OS, run external payload -> hekate
- Hekate starts without issues, backing up BOOT0, BOOT1 and rawnand
- Passes verification just fine
- Power off
- Moves the files to PC

I repeat the three steps above three times in total to make sure I get an OK dump.
All dumps are identical.

- Puts biskeydump on SD card, boots into SX OS, run external payload -> biskeydump
- Biskeydump executes without problems
- Removes hekate and biskeydump from SD card (via PC)
- Boot into SX OS and generates license_request.dat for online activation via PC
- Power off
- Generates license.dat through tX website
- Moves license.dat to the SD card, only files on the card now are boot.dat and license.dat
- Boot into SX OS -> gets hit with the BOOT.DAT? message (every time)

- Trying a bunch of format programs to format into FAT32 and is always trying to boot
SX OS with boot.dat and license.dat on card to no avail, BOOT.DAT? on each and every
boot. Tried DL:ing the SX OS, replacing the boot.dat on card.

Not one error message during the entire process, whether it is Hekate, Biskeydump or SX OS
that is booting.

The only thing I haven't tried yet is to remove the license.dat from the card and boot again.
The only difference I can think of is that once I put license.dat on the card, SX OS stopped
working...

OFW boots just fine.

Suggestions?

EDIT: Ping @garyopa

Deleted User · Jul 4, 2018

Try removing your battery. Wait a few minutes, then reattach battery. And try booting SX OS again

Vroksjab · Jul 4, 2018

json said:
Try removing your battery. Wait a few minutes, then reattach battery. And try booting SX OS again

Any options that doesn't involve stripping the Switch down?

@CTCaer - couldn't this (battery disconnect) be triggered by software, without the need to open the Switch? I thought I read something about it in regards to Hekate CTCaer mod.

comput3rus3r · Jul 4, 2018

Vroksjab said:
FWIW, I got the same error as comput3rus3r as in SX OS cannot find BOOT.DAT anymore.

- Switch v1.0.0 (literally straight out of the box)
- Went through the initial setup -> power off
- 128Gb Sandisk exFAT card with only boot.dat (SX OS v1.2) and hekate v3.0

- Boot into SX OS, run external payload -> hekate
- Hekate starts without issues, backing up BOOT0, BOOT1 and rawnand
- Passes verification just fine, moves the files to PC

I repeat the three steps above three times in total to make sure I get an OK dump.
All dumps are identical.

- Puts biskeydump on SD card, boots into SX OS, run external payload -> biskeydump
- Biskeydump executes without problems
- Removes hekate and biskeydump from SD card (via PC)
- Boot into SX OS and generates license_request.dat for online activation via PC
- Power off
- Generates license.dat through tX website
- Moves license.dat to the SD card, only files on the card now are boot.dat and license.dat
- Boot into SX OS -> gets hit with the BOOT.DAT? message (every time)

- Trying a bunch of format programs to format into FAT32 and is always trying to boot
SX OS with boot.dat and license.dat on card to no avail, BOOT.DAT? on each and every
boot. Tried DL:ing the SX OS, replacing the boot.dat on card.

Not one error message during the entire process, whether it is Hekate, Biskeydump or SX OS
that is booting.

The only thing I haven't tried yet is to remove the license.dat from the card and boot again.
The only difference I can think of is that once I put license.dat on the card, SX OS stopped
working...

OFW boots just fine.

Suggestions?

ok well now it gets more complicated. I never got to boot sx-os because i booted up hekate first and then when i tried to dump my nand i kept getting "failed to init sd card" errors. i was on 4.1 and tried this several times with different sd cards and same result. I got fed up and gave up on the nand backup. So then I moved to install sx-os for the first time. and I got hit with the boot.dat? error. Never even got to the point where you generate license.request.dat. Then I updated to 5.1 to see if that solved it and it didn't. so I dont think it has anything to do with license.dat since i never had one.

copycat114 · Jul 4, 2018

comput3rus3r said:
ok well now it gets more complicated. I never got to boot sx-so because i booted up hekate first and then when i tried to dump my nand i kept getting "failed to init sd card" errors. i was on 4.1 and tried this several times with different sd cards and same result. I got fed up and gave up on the nand backup. So then I moved to install sx-os for the first time. and I got hit with the boot.dat? error. Never even got to the point where you generate license.request.dat. so I dont think it has anything to do with that. So now it seems like there is something going on with hekate and sx-os.

this is crappy, just my luck. guess I got bad karma for buying into piracy.

((

xYuunax · Jul 4, 2018

comput3rus3r said:
ok well now it gets more complicated. I never got to boot sx-os because i booted up hekate first and then when i tried to dump my nand i kept getting "failed to init sd card" errors. i was on 4.1 and tried this several times with different sd cards and same result. I got fed up and gave up on the nand backup. So then I moved to install sx-os for the first time. and I got hit with the boot.dat? error. Never even got to the point where you generate license.request.dat. Then I updated to 5.1 to see if that solved it and it didn't. so I dont think it has anything to do with license.dat since i never had one.

Just want to clarify, that I did boot to hekate before setting up sx os, as I was instructed to backup my nand first.
So I don't see how hekate would have affected it.

Your issue is a weird one, and seeing someone else having the same issue also baffles me.

comput3rus3r · Jul 4, 2018

copycat114 said:
this is crappy, just my luck. guess I got bad karma for buying into piracy. ((

you'll just need to buy another switch like I did.

copycat114 · Jul 4, 2018

comput3rus3r said:
you'll just need to buy another switch like I did.

Wish I could. There’s got to be more to it, hopefully its fixable.

comput3rus3r · Jul 4, 2018

copycat114 said:
Wish I could. There’s got to be more to it, hopefully its fixable.

we all need to contact tx with this issue.

copycat114 · Jul 4, 2018

comput3rus3r said:
we all need to contact tx with this issue.

I’ve emailed them, still awaiting reply.

Vroksjab · Jul 4, 2018

xYuunax said:
Just want to clarify, that I did boot to hekate before setting up sx os, as I was instructed to backup my nand first.
So I don't see how hekate would have affected it.

Your issue is a weird one, and seeing someone else having the same issue also baffles me.

I used SX OS to launch Hekate several times for NAND backups and the only thing that differed from successfully launching SX OS to being hit with the BOOT.DAT?-screen is the presence of the SX OS license.dat on my SD card. The boot immediately after I added it (and all boots after), displayed the BOOT.DAT?-screen, so there's that.

EDIT: However, I did use Firefox when getting my license.dat. Gonna try DL:ing it with another browser as they hinted in the FAQ about Firefox could pose problems downloading the license.

Reecey · Jul 4, 2018

Azel said:
it's obviously not Hekate, I can confirm I'm using hekate and sxos both without issues

Same here, It’s certainly not CTHekate I have used it to dump my nand fully and the pro works perfect I did notice the pro needed charging up on ofw quite a while before it 100% worked properly. Sounds like bad media to me I cannot stress this enough using products like this it can have a huge impact on working properly. You get this error with the pro when it’s not detecting the sd card properly. Properly is word of the day I think!

copycat114 · Jul 4, 2018

https://team-xecuter.com/forums/threads/154114-I-can-t-get-past-Boot-dat-screen!/ another person with this problem after using ctcaer’s hekate.

Mikuru · Jul 4, 2018

copycat114 said:
https://team-xecuter.com/forums/threads/154114-I-can-t-get-past-Boot-dat-screen!/ another person with this problem after using ctcaer’s hekate.

It's the same person

comput3rus3r · Jul 4, 2018

Reecey said:
Same here, It’s certainly not CTHekate I have used it to dump my nand fully and the pro works perfect I did notice the pro needed charging up on ofw quite a while before it 100% worked properly. Sounds like bad media to me I cannot stress this enough using products like this it can have a huge impact on working properly. You get this error with the pro when it’s not detecting the sd card properly. Properly is word of the day I think!

it has nothing to do with the dongle. I pushed the sr loader payload with tegrarcm and still got the boot.dat? error.

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

copycat114 said:
https://team-xecuter.com/forums/threads/154114-I-can-t-get-past-Boot-dat-screen!/ another person with this problem after using ctcaer’s hekate.

That's my post.

kitzuki · Jul 4, 2018

comput3rus3r said:
I found the problem. It's Hekate. I know this because I just bought a new switch and it works perfectly. I'm so pissed. the only reason i used hekate ctcaer mod was to do a nand backup. they screwed me royaly. at least i have an excuse to tell my wife why we're buying yet another console, like the 6 we already have was not enough.

don't worry bud i have 3 switch consoles lol. let her know its for science

Vroksjab · Jul 4, 2018

The only applications that has used my Switch's SD card is (in chronological order):

- SX OS, for reading boot.dat
- Hekate CTCaer v3.0, backing up BOOTx + rawnand.bin (full)
- SX OS, for reading boot.dat
- Hekate CTCaer v3.0, backing up BOOTx + rawnand.bin (full)
- SX OS, for reading boot.dat
- Hekate CTCaer v3.0, backing up BOOTx + rawnand.bin (full)
- SX OS, for reading boot.dat
- SX OS for running biskeydump

After adding license.dat to the SD card, the BOOT.DAT?-screen appears.

Would it be possible for any of the above applications to actually break the SD slot?

gamer4lif3 · Jul 4, 2018

Have any of u tried maintenance mode factory reset? Prolly will delete all saves and such but may make it work again.

To access Maintenance Mode, turn your Switch off by holding down the Power button on top of the console, then choosing “Power Options,” then “Turn Off.” Once the Switch is completely turned off, hold both the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons, as well as the Power button. Keep holding them down while you see the “Nintendo” and “Switch” logos appear on the screen, until you see the “Maintenance Mode” menu appear. From there, you have a few options for how to fix up your Switch.

comput3rus3r · Jul 4, 2018

Vroksjab said:
The only applications that has used my Switch's SD card is (in chronological order):

- SX OS, for reading boot.dat
- Hekate CTCaer v3.0, backing up BOOTx + rawnand.bin (full)
- SX OS, for reading boot.dat
- Hekate CTCaer v3.0, backing up BOOTx + rawnand.bin (full)
- SX OS, for reading boot.dat
- Hekate CTCaer v3.0, backing up BOOTx + rawnand.bin (full)
- SX OS, for reading boot.dat
- SX OS for running biskeydump

After adding license.dat to the SD card, the BOOT.DAT?-screen appears.

Would it be possible for any of the above applications to actually break the SD slot?

I wonder if anybody has this issue never having used HekateCTCaer.

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

gamer4lif3 said:
Have any of u tried maintenance mode factory reset? Prolly will delete all saves and such but may make it work again.

To access Maintenance Mode, turn your Switch off by holding down the Power button on top of the console, then choosing “Power Options,” then “Turn Off.” Once the Switch is completely turned off, hold both the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons, as well as the Power button. Keep holding them down while you see the “Nintendo” and “Switch” logos appear on the screen, until you see the “Maintenance Mode” menu appear. From there, you have a few options for how to fix up your Switch.

will try it now. will update results.

Vroksjab · Jul 4, 2018

All seems good on my end now, what I did was (except the switch was powered off for a good 16 hours):

- formatted my SDXC card using the SD card formatter with the settings recommended by Nintendo (here) . Note that this WILL take quite a bit of time depending on the size of your SD card (exFAT).
- checked that the Switch recognized it by putting it in and booted up. It will tell you that a system update is needed (unless you already have it).
- powered off and placed boot.dat on the card.
- SX OS booted up nicely, without the BOOT.DAT?-screen
- powered off and placed license.dat on the card
- SX OS booted without issues and checked the license status in the album app = OK
- powered off

Could have been the rest it got for being powered off 16 hours, or the formatting app did wonders.
Anyway, it is up and running again!

New members can't post links, but it is the one recommended on Nintendos support site.

Hacking Question How to fix sx-os "boot.dat?" error...

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