Hacking [IMPORTANT] PSA: AutoRCM battery warning

Draxzelex · Aug 4, 2018

panni said:
I think I'm missing something here - I'm currently preparing to go the full no-fuse-burning-upgrade-path on my current 3.0.2 switch to a recent firmware version. This will require/install AutoRCM.

"For the Switch to charge it needs to be booted into Horizon / CFW." - my understanding is that, once I boot, for example, ReiNX, the charging issue won't be there? Or will it, because I've booted it from the RCM mode? If it won't be there, why would I ever have this problem/why would one stay in RCM mode with a CFW installed?

Sorry for the noobish question, the scene is moving fast and it's hard to catch up.

RCM, or recovery mode, is a separate state than Horizon. CFW's are loaded into Horizon so treat any CFW as if you're running Horizon. Now the Switch can charge both in RCM and Horizon just fine. However, with AutoRCM installed, the Switch will charge much slower in RCM. Doing this for an extended amount of time can actually lead to falsely elevated battery levels. It will still charge normally in Horizon with AutoRCM installed which is why that recommendation you see is made. You can also charge during sleep mode as its still Horizon but with a lot less functions eating up battery. Also note that RCM looks identical to a Switch powered off which is why you should not charge it when it is powered off because you will actually be charging it in RCM which I've already explained is a bad idea.

tl;dr Don't charge the Switch with AutoRCM installed if its off and/or has a black screen. You can charge it in Horizon or in sleep mode.

panni · Aug 4, 2018

Draxzelex said:
RCM, or recovery mode, is a separate state than Horizon. CFW's are loaded into Horizon so treat any CFW as if you're running Horizon. Now the Switch can charge both in RCM and Horizon just fine. However, with AutoRCM installed, the Switch will charge much slower in RCM. Doing this for an extended amount of time can actually lead to falsely elevated battery levels. It will still charge normally in Horizon with AutoRCM installed which is why that recommendation you see is made. You can also charge during sleep mode as its still Horizon but with a lot less functions eating up battery. Also note that RCM looks identical to a Switch powered off which is why you should not charge it when it is powered off because you will actually be charging it in RCM which I've already explained is a bad idea.

tl;dr Don't charge the Switch with AutoRCM installed if its off and/or has a black screen. You can charge it in Horizon or in sleep mode.

Ah, that makes sense. So as long as I don't turn my switch off (hard) while it's inside the dock, I'm good, as it's inside Horizon. Pressing the power button for a short time will let it enter sleep mode which will still charge perfectly. Once I turn it completely off (hold the power button), I could use that for the duration of non-usage, then boot it up again, load the CFW and plug it in.

That also means that once it's turned off and on again (cold boot), it'll be inside RCM and not Horizon, and I'm in a bad place if that happens while it's inside a dock?

Anyhow, thanks for the explanation!

Draxzelex · Aug 4, 2018

panni said:
Ah, that makes sense. So as long as I don't turn my switch off (hard) while it's inside the dock, I'm good, as it's inside Horizon. Pressing the power button for a short time will let it enter sleep mode which will still charge perfectly. Once I turn it completely off (hold the power button), I could use that for the duration of non-usage, then boot it up again, load the CFW and plug it in.

That also means that once it's turned off and on again (cold boot), it'll be inside RCM and not Horizon, and I'm in a bad place if that happens while it's inside a dock?

Anyhow, thanks for the explanation!

Exactly, try not to dock it after turning it off. Docking it will turn it back on no matter what you do.

panni · Aug 4, 2018

Draxzelex said:
Exactly, try not to dock it after turning it off. Docking it will turn it back on no matter what you do.

Appreciate the noob-help, thank you!

WiiFoundLove · Aug 4, 2018

I must be a n00b... So i have charged my switch to 100%. Than i took it out of the dock, powered it off, detached the joycons from the switch, and laid it away in a corner. A few hours later i plugged it back to my PC, sent a payload and tadaaaaa... the battery was on 94%?

Does the AutoRCM realy only start if i plug my swith to the PC / back to the docking station? Or what happened here?

Draxzelex · Aug 4, 2018

WiiFoundLove said:
I must be a n00b... So i have charged my switch to 100%. Than i took it out of the dock, powered it off, detached the joycons from the switch, and laid it away in a corner. A few hours later i plugged it back to my PC, sent a payload and tadaaaaa... the battery was on 94%?

Does the AutoRCM realy only start if i plug my swith to the PC / back to the docking station? Or what happened here?

If you power off from Horizon, it will reboot into RCM which will drain the battery much faster than when its off. Either power off from Hekate's menu or a manual shutdown.

WiiFoundLove · Aug 4, 2018

Draxzelex said:
If you power off from Horizon, it will reboot into RCM which will drain the battery much faster than when its off. Either power off from Hekate's menu

Ah, ok. Thanks.

Draxzelex said:
or a manual shutdown.

How do i do this?

Draxzelex · Aug 4, 2018

WiiFoundLove said:
How do i do this?

Hold the power button for 12 Mississippis, er, seconds.

WiiFoundLove · Aug 4, 2018

Ah, you mean a hard power off. Ok thanx.

slaphappygamer · Aug 4, 2018

regnad said:
I am using AutoRCM, but not because I use SXOS. I used the non fuse burning upgrade method, and I’m using AutoRCM to prevent accidentally burning a fuse. Otherwise I use ReiNX.

Is AutoRCM worth the risk do you think?

i was going to install it, but i figured that if im using sleepmode no matter what, id rather not autorcm my switch. this is why i dont think its worth it. i really only use the jig to deal with my sd card. power off, power back on.

rajkosto · Aug 4, 2018

You will end up burning fuses if you followed no-fuse-burn upgrade methods and don't have AutoRCM.
If you are just sleeping all the time it doesn't give you any disadvantages anyway.

regnad · Aug 4, 2018

slaphappygamer said:
i was going to install it, but i figured that if im using sleepmode no matter what, id rather not autorcm my switch. this is why i dont think its worth it. i really only use the jig to deal with my sd card. power off, power back on.

My fear is that my jig works like 95% of the time. That 5% would go right into stock OS, and then the fuse is burned.

rajkosto · Aug 4, 2018

Not just the jig. Shutting down/rebooting from the OS will burn them. As will plugging in USB while the console is off.
So never take AutoRCM off. Or all the effort to manually upgrade will be wasted (and your switch will be forever locked out from running earlier firmwares)

WiiFoundLove · Aug 4, 2018

I like AutoRCM since i don't need to deal with a jig/tinfoil. When I don't use my switch, I just power off it. And when i like to use it, it goes automatic into RCM. So it's very easy to use for me and nothing can happen, the only thing I wait for is cold boot.

xfighter11 · Aug 5, 2018

So the Switch can't be bricked in AutoRCM? I read that when the Switch is totally out of power you have no chance to reanimate it unless you change the battery. But on the other side I read something that it will charge in the dock when this problem happens and there is no need to replace the battery. What's true now?

Draxzelex · Aug 5, 2018

xfighter11 said:
So the Switch can't be bricked in AutoRCM? I read that when the Switch is totally out of power you have no chance to reanimate it unless you change the battery. But on the other side I read something that it will charge in the dock when this problem happens and there is no need to replace the battery. What's true now?

No, the Switch IS bricked with AutoRCM. More accurately its a bootloop that prevents it from normally turning on. The Switch also charges much slower in RCM with AutoRCM installed. So if the console runs out of battery with AutoRCM installed it, it will take a lot longer for it to recharge and turn on because it will be charging in RCM when this happens.

xfighter11 · Aug 5, 2018

Draxzelex said:
No, the Switch IS bricked with AutoRCM. More accurately its a bootloop that prevents it from normally turning on. The Switch also charges much slower in RCM with AutoRCM installed. So if the console runs out of battery with AutoRCM installed it, it will take a lot longer for it to recharge and turn on because it will be charging in RCM when this happens.

So I DO NOT have to open the Switch and replace the battery when it accidently runs out of power? I will be able to charge it but it will take a lot longer?

mariogamer · Aug 5, 2018

I don't see the problem. You just need to be careful on when you turn youre switch on and not to leave it everywhere.

darkflame808 · Aug 5, 2018

I disabled auto shut off once when I was using ftpd because it kept falling asleep half way through the transfer. I have AUTORCM installed and I drained my battery completely.

I tried plugging in the charger and nothing was happening. I just left the charger plugged in for 15 minutes. Held the power button down for 12 seconds and tried to power up. Nada. Then I remembered it was in AUTORCM so I charged my SX via usb, pulled the plug and did a quick swap but it died before I could tap load CFW. So I left it plugged in again for 15 minutes and did the same thing. Eventually I got it to load to where it said "Nintendo" and then it would turn off and flash a RED battery icon. Finally said screw it and left it in the hub overnight (note this was using a USB3 AC adapter as my dog ate my nintendo cord).

Each time I plugged it into the hub, the red light would come on then go off. The next morning I woke up, I turned it on and still nothing. So I took it out of the hub, plugged in sx os and did the same thing again. Eventually it booted up but it complained that I couldn't use the hub without the official nintendo adapter. However it was at 100% So it seemed like it charged via RCM.

Try a USB 3 charger. I think the switch has to "communicate" with the nintendo charger which prevents the charger from giving the switch the power it needs (since there is no communication) going on.

If it helps, I am using a google usb 3 charger that is intended for the larger pixel phone (bought from bestbuy to charge my USB3 external battery pack that I use to charge switch on the go)

Garrincho · Aug 6, 2018

What's the best way to make sure your switch is fully powered off when it has AutoRCM? I tried doing a manual shutdown pressing power 12+ seconds but a few days later of no use the battery was almost dead.

If I understand this correctly, if I were to shut it down and plug it on my PC via usb to check on TegraRCM, it would turn on either way due to recieving power via USB? Or it should show as no RCM and not turn on automatically?

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