Hacking Question Only 'The Messenger' Refuses to Run

bluedart · Sep 8, 2018

Hello. I have a modded switch, and I've been using RajNX for about a month. I have several games and updates installed from nsp format. They all work, with one exception. I cannot get The Messenger to boot up, because it always closes with that exclamation point and the same error we're all way too familiar with of "The software was closed because an error occurred."

I tried deleting and reinstalling, rebooting a few times, downloading from a different source and trying that version, even installing and running on a different SD card and even the system memory. None of these things allow it to actually run. I also tried the base game with no updates. Guess what? "A software update is required. Update data will be downloaded now." Without a play or launch option available. What is up with this game? Is this some form of new anti-piracy measure? I haven't heard about anyone else having a problem with it.

Okay, I found a sensible, but impractical fix for this. I put ReiNX on my secondary card, booted it up and it let me boot and play the messenger that I installed on my nand. I'd use ReiNX but there's no way to toggle LayeredFS, which I use for Breath of the Wild mods. Does anyone have any other way of fixing this?

Kox · Sep 8, 2018

bluedart said:
Hello. I have a modded switch, and I've been using RajNX for about a month. I have several games and updates installed from nsp format. They all work, with one exception. I cannot get The Messenger to boot up, because it always closes with that exclamation point and the same error we're all way too familiar with of "The software was closed because an error occurred."

I tried deleting and reinstalling, rebooting a few times, downloading from a different source and trying that version, even installing and running on a different SD card and even the system memory. None of these things allow it to actually run. I also tried the base game with no updates. Guess what? "A software update is required. Update data will be downloaded now." Without a play or launch option available. What is up with this game? Is this some form of new anti-piracy measure? I haven't heard about anyone else having a problem with it.

Okay, I found a sensible, but impractical fix for this. I put ReiNX on my secondary card, booted it up and it let me boot and play the messenger that I installed on my nand. I'd use ReiNX but there's no way to toggle LayeredFS, which I use for Breath of the Wild mods. Does anyone have any other way of fixing this?

I faced the same issue.
I was forcing it to install over 4.1.
I updated to 5.1 and it installed and worked perfectly.

Draxzelex · Sep 8, 2018

The Messenger is encrypted with keys found only on firmwares 5.X so trying to run it on a lower firmware will prompt the console to update because it cannot decrypt the game to properly run it. This is not really an anti-piracy measure but it ensures both users and hackers have to be on higher firmwares to play newer games. Only way to circumvent this would be to decrypt the game beforehand and reencrypt it with the lowest masterkey revision found on firmware 1.0 but since we do not have a legal way to rebuild .NCA files, this is currently not possible.

bluedart · Sep 8, 2018

Okay, I guess I didn't clarify this. I am on 5.1.0, so unless RajNX screwed up some keys that's just a neat little piece of info, not actually something that explains my problem. Anyway, does anyone know how to enable/disable LayredFS on ReiNX? There seems to be no option. If I could do that I wouldn't have to swap between SD cards to play games.

Draxzelex · Sep 8, 2018

Either delete or rename the extension of the fs_mitm.kip sysmodule which enables LayeredFS in the first place.

bluedart · Sep 8, 2018

Draxzelex said:
Either delete or rename the extension of the fs_mitm.kip sysmodule which enables LayeredFS in the first place.

God I hope that's not the answer. Not only is it annoying and not user-friendly in the least, but I tried using LayeredFS as it works with RajNX already by simply moving the "titles" folder to sd:/ReiNX/ as described by the official website and it just freezes. That cannot be the answer, and if it is I'm going to be sad because ReiNX LayeredFS doesn't work on my switch.

Edit: Don't want to re-reply to my own thread so I'll just edit this in. Apparently if you just disable LayeredFS on RajNX The Messenger boots up properly. Just like Okami HD. Neat. Since there's a custom boot menu if you hold volume down it's not really a problem.

Draxzelex · Sep 9, 2018

ReiNX now disables LayeredFS automatically as of V1.6 although I'm not sure how it gets re-enabled. I'm sure there's a ReadMe that goes over how to enable it again.

Znuf · Sep 26, 2018

same problem with SXOS. Work great before and now since SXOS 2.0 i can't have this title working :-(

EmperorX · Sep 26, 2018

Install its update. That fixed it for me.

mranonymous · Sep 27, 2018

EmperorX said:
Install its update. That fixed it for me.

Yes, give this a try if you haven’t already. I had the same exact problem with Owlboy suddenly the other day. I installed the game’s most recent update and it worked fine again.

Znuf · Sep 29, 2018

back to 1.9 and no problem. I'll waiting for a new SXOS release

Ilie11 · Oct 14, 2018

Any ideea why The Messenger won't work on 4.1? Tried SX OS amd Reinx.
On SX OS i can install the nsp but it shows as corrupted. Using ver 2.1
On Reinx i.can't even install it, Tinfoil gives an error and Dopus refuses to install.
From what i have gathered there is an issue with this game and SX OS 2.0 and above but what about Reinx?
And does it matter that i'm on 4.1? Other games that require higher firmware work fine

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Draxzelex · Oct 14, 2018

Ilie11 said:
Any ideea why The Messenger won't work on 4.1? Tried SX OS amd Reinx.
On SX OS i can install the nsp but it shows as corrupted. Using ver 2.1
On Reinx i.can't even install it, Tinfoil gives an error and Dopus refuses to install.
From what i have gathered there is an issue with this game and SX OS 2.0 and above but what about Reinx?
And does it matter that i'm on 4.1? Other games that require higher firmware work fine

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

The Messenger needs a firmware of 5.X according to http://nswdb.com/

Ilie11 · Oct 14, 2018

Draxzelex said:
The Messenger needs a firmware of 5.X according to http://nswdb.com/

Thanks. Why does Tinfoil have the option to ignore min firmware tho?

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Draxzelex · Oct 14, 2018

Ilie11 said:
Thanks. Why does Tinfoil have the option to ignore min firmware tho?

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Because some games have a higher firmware requirement than the masterkey encryption used (e.g. a game that claims to only run on 4.1 can be made to run on 4.0). It bypasses some metadata in the .NSP file artificially inflating their firmware requirement but it doesn't bypass all firmware requirements. I will admit that the feature's name is misleading.

Mat37 · Oct 15, 2018

Draxzelex said:
Because some games have a higher firmware requirement than the masterkey encryption used (e.g. a game that claims to only run on 4.1 can be made to run on 4.0). It bypasses some metadata in the .NSP file artificially inflating their firmware requirement but it doesn't bypass all firmware requirements. I will admit that the feature's name is misleading.

Is there a way to decrypt the games and re-encrypt them with a lower masterkey ?

Draxzelex · Oct 15, 2018

Mat37 said:
Is there a way to decrypt the games and re-encrypt them with a lower masterkey ?

There is but games are hardcoded to run on higher firmwares; the masterkeys aren't the only thing keeping them from being played on lower firmwares.

Skatalitico · Jul 15, 2020

Hi some one solved this problem? Im was on 8.0.1 and had this problem, i upgraded to 10.0.4 and still the same problem, i have downloaded the game from multiple sites and still nothing, some one have a clue of this problem?, thank you

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