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

drazenm · Nov 29, 2018

Elliander said:
Some trouble shooting tips for anyone who comes to this thread wanting to backup their NAND with a new SX Pro dongle before setting it up and are running into similar errors:

1.) You don't actually need hekate anymore. The latest boot.bin file does allow you to load a Payload, but it has a built in tool for backing up and restoring NAND.
2.) If you don't charge the dongle first for a few minutes it will just show a black screen. The SX Pro has a capacitor rather than a battery, so it charges quickly, but also discharges quickly.
3.) Before going into airplane mode, make sure that you use your microSD card with the Switch. Even if you are on the latest firmware it will tell you that you need to update in order to use the microSD card. If you don't do this, then it won't work. If the format is already exFAT (and a new microSDXC should be) then it won't get formatted, it will just get a new Nintendo folder.
4.) If you don't have a boot.bin file on the root directory of your microSD card you will get a red screen that says "boot.dat?"
5.) If you install the WRONG boot.dat file you will get a black screen. This is actually easy to do, since that file name is on more than one zip file on the Team Executor website. What you need is the boot.dat file from the SXOS_v2.0.1 download.
Assuming that you place the boot.dat file from that zip file to the microSD card, and assuming the card is readable to the Switch normally, and assuming the dongle is charged, you will be able to boot up no problem to make a NAND dump. Be aware that the NAND dump can take over an hour, so make sure your Switch is charged up before starting.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

i was looking and trying what not to make my sandisk ultra 64gb XC I type card to work with sx os, and nothing worked, not even when i updated from 4.0.1 to 6.1 exfat version of nintendo os. i would always get the black screen with written boot.dat? when trying to go into sx os. Here is what i did.

it works fine in fat32 format, but the problem is that format is limited when it comes to file size so i couldn't add any games to it, i needed the card to work in exfat format.

i formatted the micro sd card on my pc to NTFS format because nintendo switch doesn't recognize it, so it would force the console to reformat it to its compatible format exfat, it asked me to format it, that all date on it will be erased etc. i selected yes. After that i turned off the switch, took out the card, inserted it to pc, dropped boot.dat and license,dat , ejected the card, popped it into switch and booted with the dongle an jig into sx os, so now i have the card working and its exfat. pc formatting it to exfat and Nintendo switch formatting it to exfat is not the same! for some reason it just isn't, you have to make the card format on the pc to be incompatible with nintendo switch so Nintendo switch would format it to its compatible version of exfat format. Hope i helped

mickthestud · Jan 8, 2019

drazenm said:
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

i was looking and trying what not to make my sandisk ultra 64gb XC I type card to work with sx os, and nothing worked, not even when i updated from 4.0.1 to 6.1 exfat version of nintendo os. i would always get the black screen with written boot.dat? when trying to go into sx os. Here is what i did.

it works fine in fat32 format, but the problem is that format is limited when it comes to file size so i couldn't add any games to it, i needed the card to work in exfat format.

i formatted the micro sd card on my pc to NTFS format because nintendo switch doesn't recognize it, so it would force the console to reformat it to its compatible format exfat, it asked me to format it, that all date on it will be erased etc. i selected yes. After that i turned off the switch, took out the card, inserted it to pc, dropped boot.dat and license,dat , ejected the card, popped it into switch and booted with the dongle an jig into sx os, so now i have the card working and its exfat. pc formatting it to exfat and Nintendo switch formatting it to exfat is not the same! for some reason it just isn't, you have to make the card format on the pc to be incompatible with nintendo switch so Nintendo switch would format it to its compatible version of exfat format. Hope i helped

So what was the final solution format via the switch not pc ??

comput3rus3r · Jan 8, 2019

did you watch the video posted in the op? You said your switch randomly says the sd card was ejected right?

drazenm · Jan 8, 2019

mickthestud said:
So what was the final solution format via the switch not pc ??

do you have access to a computer and if you do csn you format the micro sd card to NTFS format and like that, blank, without any files on insert it into the nintendo switch? Then the console will ask you do you want to format it, select yes of course.

mickthestud · Jan 9, 2019

drazenm said:
do you have access to a computer and if you do csn you format the micro sd card to NTFS format and like that, blank, without any files on insert it into the nintendo switch? Then the console will ask you do you want to format it, select yes of course.

I do have a pc ... is csn the programme that formats the sd card to ntfs

drazenm · Jan 9, 2019

You just go to mu pc or my computer, right click on your sd card there and select format, select to what format to format it and select quick format. You can find on YouTube how to do it.

mickthestud · Jan 9, 2019

drazenm said:
You just go to mu pc or my computer, right click on your sd card there and select format, select to what format to format it and select quick format. You can find on YouTube how to do it.

Windows won’t format ntfs

mickthestud · Jan 9, 2019

mickthestud said:
So what was the final solution format via the switch not pc ??

I get a lot of sd card not inserted errors including sometimes that boot. Dat error in your pic ... I seriously think there is an issue with my switch sd reader

mickthestud · Apr 4, 2019

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 also have the exact same issue and never used hekate as a last resort I even ordered and replaced the sd reader in the switch still not both am completely fucked

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comput3rus3r said:
my switch was first on 4.1 and after a few hours of issues I updated to 5.1 with exfat support and nothing worked. I also tired a 16gb card in fat32 and that didn't work. I tried a total of 5 sd cards. as I said I had to buy another switch and everything works perfectly including all 5 sd cards. So there's either a certain type of switch that's incomplatible with sx-os payloads/hekate or hekate could cause this in rare occasions. Until I hear of somebody getting the boot.dat? error without having tried hekate i'm going to assume Hekate has something to do with it but so far the few people that have reported this issue have all tried hekate.

Never used hekate sx os payload was booting fine up to a week again where I can’t load sxos I am completely out of ideas even put a new sd card reader in the switch still nothing

comput3rus3r · Apr 4, 2019

mickthestud said:
I also have the exact same issue and never used hekate as a last resort I even ordered and replaced the sd reader in the switch still not both am completely fucked

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Never used hekate sx os payload was booting fine up to a week again where I can’t load sxos I am completely out of ideas even put a new sd card reader in the switch still nothing

"Btw, I found long ago what these "mysterious" sd card readers are.
Basically the connector is not fully seated.
It's common when you change the shell for example. There's a reason the connector has that black padding on top of it.

So, this makes both the controller and the card to fallback to 1bit data bus width. let's call that mode SDSC, aka sd card v1.0.

I never added SDSC support to hekate and that's the reason it does not work.
This will remain like this for 2 reasons.
First, SDSC cards do not exist anymore (or it's quite difficult to find this ancient tech).
Second, it's the only way to identify this problem. And it's important to identify it because the bus speed is 4 times lower in these cases.
Imagine having a UHS-I U3 card and the speed would be like a crappy card."

This quote explain the possible issue. try re-seating the connector.

mickthestud · Apr 4, 2019

Tried many times even replaced card reader i

comput3rus3r said:
"Btw, I found long ago what these "mysterious" sd card readers are.
Basically the connector is not fully seated.
It's common when you change the shell for example. There's a reason the connector has that black padding on top of it.

So, this makes both the controller and the card to fallback to 1bit data bus width. let's call that mode SDSC, aka sd card v1.0.

I never added SDSC support to hekate and that's the reason it does not work.
This will remain like this for 2 reasons.
First, SDSC cards do not exist anymore (or it's quite difficult to find this ancient tech).
Second, it's the only way to identify this problem. And it's important to identify it because the bus speed is 4 times lower in these cases.
Imagine having a UHS-I U3 card and the speed would be like a crappy card."

This quote explain the possible issue. try re-seating the connector.

n switch

mickthestud · Apr 5, 2019

drazenm said:
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

i was looking and trying what not to make my sandisk ultra 64gb XC I type card to work with sx os, and nothing worked, not even when i updated from 4.0.1 to 6.1 exfat version of nintendo os. i would always get the black screen with written boot.dat? when trying to go into sx os. Here is what i did.

it works fine in fat32 format, but the problem is that format is limited when it comes to file size so i couldn't add any games to it, i needed the card to work in exfat format.

i formatted the micro sd card on my pc to NTFS format because nintendo switch doesn't recognize it, so it would force the console to reformat it to its compatible format exfat, it asked me to format it, that all date on it will be erased etc. i selected yes. After that i turned off the switch, took out the card, inserted it to pc, dropped boot.dat and license,dat , ejected the card, popped it into switch and booted with the dongle an jig into sx os, so now i have the card working and its exfat. pc formatting it to exfat and Nintendo switch formatting it to exfat is not the same! for some reason it just isn't, you have to make the card format on the pc to be incompatible with nintendo switch so Nintendo switch would format it to its compatible version of exfat format. Hope i helped

I tried this didn’t work for me I am fresh out of ideas

mickthestud · Apr 5, 2019

scou said:
SUCCESS!!!! i (finally) received the Sd reader today marked with TS HF.. and as predicted.. no more Boot.dat error! its safe to say im one happy bunny!

if you do search these order a few.. i ordered 2 and the seller sent me one marked TS HF and one marked CA HF.... the CA HF still gives the error.. im not gonna bother sending it back or anything because its not worth the hassle.. i can sell my second modded switch now and crack on with business! happy days!

hope this helps .. yall have a nice day

scou!

Where did you find this Tshf card searched hundreds on eBay and they are all cahf

mickthestud · Apr 9, 2019

comput3rus3r said:
I wonder if anybody has this issue never having used HekateCTCaer.

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will try it now. will update results.

I have the same issue never used hekate if you look I have a post on it 5 pages long ... it is doing my head in and if I hear put boot.dat on the root one more time

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comput3rus3r said:
my switch was first on 4.1 and after a few hours of issues I updated to 5.1 with exfat support and nothing worked. I also tired a 16gb card in fat32 and that didn't work. I tried a total of 5 sd cards. as I said I had to buy another switch and everything works perfectly including all 5 sd cards. So there's either a certain type of switch that's incomplatible with sx-os payloads/hekate or hekate could cause this in rare occasions. Until I hear of somebody getting the boot.dat? error without having tried hekate i'm going to assume Hekate has something to do with it but so far the few people that have reported this issue have all tried hekate.

Me about to throw switch in the bin

mickthestud · Apr 9, 2019

Millzieeeee said:
To fix your issue as I had the same and for all people looking to fix;
failed to init sd card for CFW and BOOT.DAT? for sxos , replacing the sd card adapter in the switch will solve your issue, you do not have to buy another switch like some people have done! The adapter either becomes shorted out or the surface mount capacitor dies.

Stick to using FTP for transfer of files rather than removing the sd card every time like I did.

This is now solved PEACE!

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Please read my reply to OP

Could sd reader still be the issue if it works fine in official firmware just not custom firmware

comput3rus3r · Apr 9, 2019

mickthestud said:
Could sd reader still be the issue if it works fine in official firmware just not custom firmware

yes, that's exactly the issue. dunno if you read but I would have never known the sd reader was faulty if I had not used cfw. try re-seating the sd card reader or replacing it altogether.

mickthestud · Apr 9, 2019

comput3rus3r said:
yes, that's exactly the issue. dunno if you read but I would have never known the sd reader was faulty if I had not used cfw. try re-seating the sd card reader or replacing it altogether.

I’ve ordered one just waiting for it .it’s pretty much my last resort tried absolutely everything else ...

pcwizard7 · Apr 10, 2019

I get this error from time to time i just eject and reinsert sd card and try again or same with the dongle

The3rdknuckles · Apr 10, 2019

A little voice is just screaming “FAKE CARD! FAKE CARD!”

pcwizard7 · Apr 10, 2019

The3rdknuckles said:
A little voice is just screaming “FAKE CARD! FAKE CARD!”

well tell him its ok i ve almost fill the card with no errors so its not fake

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

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