Hacking Half-Bricked Switch (Downgraded OS)

Notshane

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It happens, if its a legit SD card and its failing that fast, might be able to get a replacement.
Either way try the exfat method first, could be as simple as the need for a reformat.

That dont work, also try a few things to see.
Make a BOOT 0/1 backup
Then make a SYSTEM backup
Then make a USER backup

See if any of those fail (the most important of them is BOOT and SYSTEM).

BOOT and SYSTEM are much smaller and faster to do.

If its BOOT and/or SYSTEM failing and you have tried another card (keep in mind those 2 are like 2GB total so if you have a smaller card just for quick testing that's fine) try getting 6.2.0 firmware from another source, there is a "bins" place out there, legend has it...

Reflash and try again, as then you have tested all other factors other than your actual partition on the unit thats in question.

I was about to do that...but noticed Hekate won't launch the Switch either.

Initializing...

Could not identify package1,
Version (= '(not sure if I should have these numbers public).
Failed to launch firmware.

So, 6.2 may have more problems than I thought...maybe I can just downgrade to 6.1 since 2.1 and 5.1 never had these problems. It has to be 6.2 in general, as opposed to it being a bad dump. It is the most recent firmware, after all. And they were all from the same source.
 
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mdmachine

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Considering most users out there now are on 6.2.0, heck I even updated mine from 6.1.0 to 6.2.0 last night while I was writing to you here. My goldfish then used it for the rest of the night. It's not the firmware itself.

Id recommend downloading a fresh package from kosmos. Backup the Nintendo folder, then CLEAR/FORMAT YOUR CURRENT CARD, put everything from that updated package back on the SD. Then I'm not sure how your injecting your payload? But clear that out too, and use the hekate 4.6 bin that comes with kosmos as well.

You can reference this thread here (specifically this post) as its the same issue you have. Sometimes relics from older versions, etc... can cause this issue. Start fresh, I've had to do that before as well, getting all kinds of strange errors.
Its an easy fix. It also can be... from a corrupted SD card as well as "relics".

All that said, I'd still then do some testing to see if you can uncover the verification failures.
I have a feeling with a freshly formatted card, newest CFW files, and payload. You hopefully can boot into CFW, and may see all these verification issues go away.
 
Last edited by mdmachine, , Reason: Spelling , formatting and ish....

Notshane

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Considering most users out there now are on 6.2.0, heck I even updated mine from 6.1.0 to 6.2.0 last night while I was writing to you here. My goldfish then used it for the rest of the night. It's not the firmware itself.

Id recommend downloading a fresh package from kosmos. Backup the Nintendo folder, then CLEAR/FORMAT YOUR CURRENT CARD, put everything from that updated package back on the SD. Then I'm not sure how your injecting your payload? But clear that out too, and use the hekate 4.6 bin that comes with kosmos as well.

You can reference this thread here (specifically this post) as its the same issue you have. Sometimes relics from older versions, etc... can cause this issue. Start fresh, I've had to do that before as well, getting all kinds of strange errors.
Its an easy fix. It also can be... from a corrupted SD card as well as "relics".

All that said, I'd still then do some testing to see if you can uncover the verification failures.
I have a feeling with a freshly formatted card, newest CFW files, and payload. You hopefully can boot into CFW, and may see all these verification issues go away.

Hmm...you have an answer for just about everything. Well, yeah, I guess backup, exFAT and dump is essentially what it stems down to. Guess I will bring it back to exFAT for now and go from there and then proceed to try everything else. I have "hekate_ctcaer_4.6" already, so I most likely have all the most recent Kosmos files, since I did use the updater already.
 

mdmachine

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Whatever you do, format the current card. Then rebuild it with the latest package.

Also I have experienced injecting payloads, that must of been cached. For example it would send biskeydump even though I had hekate selected. Granted I was on OSX not sure if that's a phenomena that happens on other OS's. I usually use my pi-fusee and its reliable.

Kosmos should have updated overnight, at least their github did. So I'd give it another download, so once it works, you'll have the new reboot feature. The whole issue here may be even though you used the updater, there's other stuff on the card affecting the boot process. So download this and put it on a BLANK SD card.

See if the unit boots...
 

Notshane

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Whatever you do, format the current card. Then rebuild it with the latest package.

Formatting is done.

Also I have experienced injecting payloads, that must of been cached. For example it would send biskeydump even though I had hekate selected. Granted I was on OSX not sure if that's a phenomena that happens on other OS's. I usually use my pi-fusee and its reliable.

Kosmos should have updated overnight, at least their github did. So I'd give it another download, so once it works, you'll have the new reboot feature. The whole issue here may be even though you used the updater, there's other stuff on the card affecting the boot process. So download this and put it on a BLANK SD card.

See if the unit boots...

So, I use it on the BLANK card and then put the stuff on my actual card?
 

mdmachine

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The blank card is the formatted one? Im guessing by what you said you formatted a second card?

Decompress that package, copy its contents to the freshly formatted sd card and it should have everything you need to get started. Insert it, and RCM into hekate. See if the CFW works.

The only folders you usually need to concern yourself with saving on the SD card when updating, is backup, Nintendo and the switch folder. The switch folder contains any extra homebrew NROs you may have. And nintendo is any installed data, that you specified to be installed on the SD card.
For testing purposes just leave that all off (other than the packages own "switch" folder) when starting the CFW for the first time.

IF the formatted card works, that is your going to be copied to the "actual" card! Backup anything of importance on the "actual card" to your PC.
Then format that one, and copy your second cards contents over. Dump the infos in hekate, boot to CFW load lockpick and generate keys, etc...

Then reboot to RCM and make a backup of Boot 0/1 and SYS, see if they pass verification.

-Edit: Hopefully that makes sense? lol

-Edit 2: For good measure it never hurts to run the archive bit fix in hekate as well, if still encountering errors.
 
Last edited by mdmachine, , Reason: Clarity? lol

Notshane

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The blank card is the formatted one? Im guessing by what you said you formatted a second card?

Decompress that package, copy its contents to the freshly formatted sd card and it should have everything you need to get started. Insert it, and RCM into hekate. See if the CFW works.

The only folders you usually need to concern yourself with saving on the SD card when updating, is backup, Nintendo and the switch folder. The switch folder contains any extra homebrew NROs you may have. And nintendo is any installed data, that you specified to be installed on the SD card.
For testing purposes just leave that all off (other than the packages own "switch" folder) when starting the CFW for the first time.

IF the formatted card works, that is your going to be copied to the "actual" card! Backup anything of importance on the "actual card" to your PC.
Then format that one, and copy your second cards contents over. Dump the infos in hekate, boot to CFW load lockpick and generate keys, etc...

Then reboot to RCM and make a backup of Boot 0/1 and SYS, see if they pass verification.

-Edit: Hopefully that makes sense? lol

-Edit 2: For good measure it never hurts to run the archive bit fix in hekate as well, if still encountering errors.

Geez, go on any longer and I might almost need a video...

Uh, I just set my old microSD to exFAT and I'm doing some trial and error now there since I haven't tried to backup with this new format. I just copied everything back onto it and I'm now ready to backup again with a microSD that is now formatted fresh and to exFAT.

Thank you for all of the time you've spent assisting me, Hong Kong Phooey.
 

TheZoc

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But...I literally just got this card. It can't already be messed up from barely a couple of weeks of use. I should try the exFAT method first, but that'd make me lose a lot of faith in the brand I bought if it messed up that fast.
There is a utility to test SD cards out there... I don't know one form the top of my head, my apologies :(
Maybe @mdmachine can suggest one? :)

Sadly, while rare, eletronics may come defective.

Still, never trust a backup which verification failed. It's safer this way :)

It happens, if its a legit SD card and its failing that fast, might be able to get a replacement.
Either way try the exfat method first, could be as simple as the need for a reformat.

That dont work, also try a few things to see.
Make a BOOT 0/1 backup
Then make a SYSTEM backup
Then make a USER backup

See if any of those fail (the most important of them is BOOT and SYSTEM).

BOOT and SYSTEM are much smaller and faster to do.

If its BOOT and/or SYSTEM failing and you have tried another card (keep in mind those 2 are like 2GB total so if you have a smaller card just for quick testing that's fine) try getting 6.2.0 firmware from another source, there is a "bins" place out there, legend has it...

Reflash and try again, as then you have tested all other factors other than your actual partition on the unit thats in question.

If it helps, I got mine from the "umbra". 4.1.0, 5.1.0 and 6.2.0 (all exFAT) worked fine on my system.
 

Notshane

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Hmm, did it so much I forgot to check the battery life and the Switch is dead. If I am not mistaken, that's one of the dumbest ways I can brick it, since the payload is not able to get to the Switch fast enough and now it will not charge anymore. I had it sitting out overnight without charging because I forgot about it, tried backing up this morning and, after around 2%, the tablet is now almost completely dead. Atmosphere does not have enough time to load everything up to get to the OS to start the charge.

Nevermind, I was lucky enough to wait long enough for it to barely get to the startup screen and it is once again accepting charge. I was very worried there because I heard if it is dead enough, auto-RCM permanently gets it stuck in a state where it can no longer charge, no matter what you do.
 
Last edited by Notshane,

Notshane

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Oh, and should I just dump everything that gives me an option to dump it on Hekate? Would the "biskeys" be one of those options? I see two other ones for "SYS" and "USER" on there.

Final Result: Backup was successful. NAND, BOOT, SYS, USER and package1, every available backup option from Hekate, were used. FAT32 really was the problem for some unknown reason.

All that is left is to fix that GC Slot without burning fuses. Now, it has been a while since we brought this up, so can someone go over all of what I am supposed to do.

Oh, and the Homebrew Menu NSP does not work at all.
 
Last edited by Notshane,

mdmachine

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Good to hear! Even Fat32 can corrupt sometimes (although much less often). I have a feeling it would of worked either way after a fresh format.

Biskeydumpv7 is a different payload, run it and have it save that to the sd card. Put it away, hopefully you wont need it. But its good to have.

I've never even used my GC so cant help ya there, I know in the kosmos toolkit there is an option to enable or disable it.
Other than that lets hope someone else can chime in!
 
Last edited by mdmachine, , Reason: Spelling , formatting and ish....

Notshane

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I've never even used my GC so cant help ya there, I know in the kosmos toolkit there is an option to enable or disable it.
Other than that lets hope someone else can chime in!

Yeah, maybe I will wait and see, because the last person who brought it up was a bit confusing to me.

  • Users can override this functionality via the nogc entry in the stratosphere section of BCT.ini:
    • Setting nogc = 1 will force enable nogc patches.
    • Setting nogc = 0 will force disable nogc patches.
  • If patches are enabled but not found for the booting system, a fatal error will be thrown.
    • This should prevent running FS without nogc patches after updating to an unsupported system version.

In the ".ini" itself, it reads:

[stratosphere]
; To force-enable nogc, add nogc = 1
; To force-disable nogc, add nogc = 0

And, well, I mean, I just got so very lost by this.
 

Notshane

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Okay, so I figured it all out.

I changed the ".ini" to this:

[stratosphere]
nogc = 0
; To force-enable nogc, add nogc = 1
; To force-disable nogc, add nogc = 0

My GC Slot is now permanently updated, but the game cards are finally being read again. I am surprised nobody explained this better. All I wanted to know was how to do it.

But, with that out of the way, I have now fixed every problem on this thread. I can use the Homebrew Menu with full RAM and Ultimate is ready to be modded.

Thanks to everybody for the assistance and I am very grateful for you taking your time to help me.
 
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