Hacking switch black screen after hekate nand restore

ioann1s · Nov 11, 2018

Hello to everyone.
I had used hekate_ctcaer_3.2 on my virgin 5.1 switch to backup NAND , Boot0/1 and biskeys.
The backup was copied on my windows 10 pc and then deleted from the misrosd.
In the meantime no AutoRCM was enabled and I didn't try to update via ChoiDujourNX
The nand is successfully accessed with HacDiskMount and my burned fuses count is at 6 (as expected for v5.1).

Yesterday I tried to restore everything using 64Gb ExFat 32kb cluster microsd.
Evey NAND/boot restore with hekate_ctcaer_3.2 or the latest version of it leaves me with a softbricked switch (black screen) that I can only enable RCM mode.
I searched for a solution and read this post by @hitman https://gbatemp.net/goto/post?id=8120951#post-8120951 that suggested using Total Commander.
I applied the attribute changes with it on my nand image at the pc and used the program to transfer it to the sd.
Still no luck after the restore with hekate_ctcaer_3.2.

What should I try now?

XaneTenshi · Nov 11, 2018

I'm sure someone more capable than me will come and help soon, but in the meantime, maybe I can help jumpstart things.

You are saying that you can only enter RCM mode, but if you are able to even use the restore feature, that means you can still send the payload to enter Hekate right?

I assume you do not get any error of things like that during the acual restore process?

How big is your boot0/1 files and your Nand backup?

I have a couple of scenarios in mind, but you seem to know what you are doing, so I'll hold off on these for now (for example, if your fuses match your Firmware, which they seem to do, that is not what is stopping the Switch from booting).

ioann1s · Nov 11, 2018

XaneTenshi said:
I'm sure someone more capable than me will come and help soon, but in the meantime, maybe I can help jumpstart things.

You are saying that you can only enter RCM mode, but if you are able to even use the restore feature, that means you can still send the payload to enter Hekate right?

I assume you do not get any error of things like that during the acual restore process?

How big is your boot0/1 files and your Nand backup?

I have a couple of scenarios in mind, but you seem to know what you are doing, so I'll hold off on these for now (for example, if your fuses match your Firmware, which they seem to do, that is not what is stopping the Switch from booting).

Yes I can send payloads to my switch
no errors during the restores

rawnand is 29.1 GB
and BOOT0/1 4MB each

Hugopugo · Nov 11, 2018

I had the exact same issue... i did a nand backup when i got my switch, then just to see if everything was ok i restored it and when it completed, it booted to a pink/violete screen... i was bricked...

Vanilla showed me a pink/violete screen
Atmosthere cfw showed me a black screen
Rinex showed me a blue creen

Not to discourage you but i Ultimately had to return it and say it was difected to get a new one... so i never recommended anyone to restore their nand as you risk exactly this..

For the help: have you tried the gptrestore tool? Some users had success with this

Keeping my eye on this thread for a hopeful solution to your problem

ioann1s · Nov 11, 2018

Hugopugo said:
I had the exact same issue... i did a nand backup when i got my switch, then just to see if everything was ok i restored it and when it completed, it booted to a pink/violete screen... i was bricked...

Vanilla showed me a pink/violete screen
Atmosthere cfw showed me a black screen
Rinex showed me a blue creen

Not to discourage you but i Ultimately had to return it and say it was difected to get a new one... so i never recommended anyone to restore their nand as you risk exactly this..

For the help: have you tried the gptrestore tool? Some users had success with this

Keeping my eye on this thread for a hopeful solution to your problem

yup used gptrestore with no luck

ioann1s · Nov 13, 2018

I used https://github.com/AtlasNX/Kosmos/releases/tag/v11 and managed to boot into switch mode.
it was my bad my NAND backup was taken on 3.0.1 system and I had updated afrerwards to 5.1
So my issue are the efuses missmatch.
what is the fastest way to update to 5.1?

XaneTenshi · Nov 13, 2018

ioann1s said:
I used https://github.com/AtlasNX/Kosmos/releases/tag/v11 and managed to boot into switch mode.
it was my bad my NAND backup was taken on 3.0.1 system and I had updated afrerwards to 5.1
So my issue are the efuses missmatch.
what is the fastest way to update to 5.1?

Well, fastest way is definitely updating by connecting online, but in your case, I'd say update with ChoiDujorNX: https://gbatemp.net/threads/choiduj...ller-homebrew-for-the-nintendo-switch.513416/

And just to be sure you can actually do this: I don't know what "Switch mode" means. Can you boot into Horizon now (The Switch OS)?

Kafluke · Nov 13, 2018

XaneTenshi said:
Well, fastest way is definitely updating by connecting online, but in your case, I'd say update with ChoiDujorNX: https://gbatemp.net/threads/choiduj...ller-homebrew-for-the-nintendo-switch.513416/

And just to be sure you can actually do this: I don't know what "Switch mode" means. Can you boot into Horizon now (The Switch OS)?

No dont go online you'll be on 6.x

XaneTenshi · Nov 13, 2018

ioann1s said:
I used https://github.com/AtlasNX/Kosmos/releases/tag/v11 and managed to boot into switch mode.
it was my bad my NAND backup was taken on 3.0.1 system and I had updated afrerwards to 5.1
So my issue are the efuses missmatch.
what is the fastest way to update to 5.1?

Scratch the first part, your only way to update to 5.1 is through ChoiDujourNX or regular ChoiDujour. Like I said, I wouldn't recommend updating by going online, but therefore I also completely forgot that doing so would take you to 6.1.0.

ioann1s · Nov 13, 2018

The funny thing is that by selecting the stock option I managed to boot v3.0.1 even though my efuses were burned for v5.1

notimp · Nov 13, 2018

Thats normal.

But then you'll never be able to boot your switch without a dongle and RCM - which defeats the purpose of "saving access" to a lower FW (getting rid of the dongle eventually).

8BitWonder · Nov 13, 2018

ioann1s said:
The funny thing is that by selecting the stock option I managed to boot v3.0.1 even though my efuses were burned for v5.1

That's because hekate disables fuse checking.
If you tried booting stock without hekate on 3.0.1 you would get a black screen.

ioann1s · Nov 14, 2018

ok with the excellent guide by @rajkosto I went back to 5.1 using ChoiDujour (didn't initialize switch).
I disabled the autoRCM and tried to boot into horizon but it is not possible. why?
Anyway I got bored and updated to 6.1 with ChoiDujourNX (initailize switch).
Autorcm is Off, is there a reason not to set it to On anymore?

Bloodlust · Nov 14, 2018

Hi, if I backed up my 4.1 firmware using hekate and updated to 5.1.0 ofw online am I still able to restore to 4.1?

Sent from my MI MAX 3 using Tapatalk

ioann1s · Nov 14, 2018

it won't boot anymore into 4.1 ofw unless you updated without burning efuses
same thing happened to me (3.0.1->5.1)
You have to take again a backup

Hacking switch black screen after hekate nand restore

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