Hacking Question Switch from SxOS to Atmosphere with sxos dongle

Keriam · Oct 7, 2020

Hello,

As i would like to use a Dreamcast emulator on my switch (first release hardware), i décided to Switch from SxOS to Atmosphere keeping my SxOS dongle :
- what is the main difference between both cfw ?
- how to easy to do this Switch (my Switch is already banned by Nintendo) ?
- After the change, should i need to reinstall installed games ?

Thanks
Regards

HideoKojima · Oct 9, 2020

I suggest you try using the emulator with SX and see if the issues make you not be able to play properly.

slaphappygamer · Oct 9, 2020

Not sure what it takes to switch, but homebrew is hit or miss.
Definitely try first. I have better success launching homebrew from a forwarder nsp. If launching from the album or applet mode doesn’t work.
There are some plugins/extensions that only work in atmosphere (such as mission control). At least, the dev says sx isn’t supported. I’d be curious though, would you have to reinstall your games?

HideoKojima · Oct 9, 2020

slaphappygamer said:
Not sure what it takes to switch, but homebrew is hit or miss.
Definitely try first. I have better success launching homebrew from a forwarder nsp. If launching from the album or applet mode doesn’t work.
There are some plugins/extensions that only work in atmosphere (such as mission control). At least, the dev says sx isn’t supported. I’d be curious though, would you have to reinstall your games?

Technically you wouldn't as what Tinfoil or any installed does is to install the games as if they were downloaded and installed from the shop. But I never tried it hence things may be messed up.

The Real Jdbye · Oct 9, 2020

slaphappygamer said:
Not sure what it takes to switch, but homebrew is hit or miss.
Definitely try first. I have better success launching homebrew from a forwarder nsp. If launching from the album or applet mode doesn’t work.
There are some plugins/extensions that only work in atmosphere (such as mission control). At least, the dev says sx isn’t supported. I’d be curious though, would you have to reinstall your games?

Forwarders aren't needed, launching from game mode by holding R on a game instead of the album works just fine.

mikefor20 · Oct 9, 2020

Dude it's easy, so you are on SXOS and want to run Atmosphere right? you on EmuNAND?

your games will be fine, it's easy. you can have both honestly

slaphappygamer · Oct 9, 2020

The Real Jdbye said:
Forwarders aren't needed, launching from game mode by holding R on a game instead of the album works just fine.

Oh man, I had trouble with gta3. I couldn’t launch the game from the album or applet mode. The nsp forwarder was the only way it worked. Maybe I have something wrong with my set up. I’ll open another thread if I can’t figure it out.

The forwarders are also nice because, it’s on my Home Screen now. One less thing to load.

mikefor20 · Oct 9, 2020

Keriam said:
Hello,

As i would like to use a Dreamcast emulator on my switch (first release hardware), i décided to Switch from SxOS to Atmosphere keeping my SxOS dongle :
- what is the main difference between both cfw ?
- how to easy to do this Switch (my Switch is already banned by Nintendo) ?
- After the change, should i need to reinstall installed games ?

Thanks
Regards

So it's like this. The main differences are
SXOS closed source /Atmo Open source
SXOS is stolen Atmosphere code and Nintendo code with some other crap/ Atmo is legal homebrew,
SXOS is piracy ready /Atmo takes 1 extra step to setup NSP loading (included in SD CARD setup)
SXOS has the ability to run NSP/XCI installed to EmuNAND(EmuMMC same thing) and XCI from USB.
ATMO has the ability to run NSP/XCI installed to EmuNAND and NO USB OR XCI LOADING

You already have SXOS and probably like the USB loading... So use both!

You have lots of options.

You will keep your games. And everything on the EmuNAND will be available in SXOS and or Atmosphere.

Only thing is when SXOS stops working due to system version updates from Nintendo and SXOS doesn't get miraculously updated somehow then you won't be able to update the EmuNAND without losing access to SXOS. You could always make another one or have a SD all SXOS ready. And one SD Atmosphere only.
Or you could setup multiple separate EmuNANDs on one SD as well if you like.

One of MANY ways
https://gbatemp.net/threads/emunand-switcher-2-1-multitool-for-sxos-and-atmosphere.539727/

You could add partitions for to run Lakka, Linux, Windows, SwitchROOT, et cetera.... lots of tutorials in the tutorial section. You can also just leave your EmuNAND as is and use it for both CFW. Let future you decide what to do when SX stops working on the latest firmware. I will just use a new SD at that point and make a new EmuNAND on whatever the last SXOS compatible OS is just for XCI loading..Then I can use my SSD and HDD still.

To install Atmosphere in a nutshell.
There are a few "flavors" Read the guide for lots of information, I use Hekate. Go through the link below and make a zip to setup atmosphere. Probably only need the minimal option. And don't format or erase your old files. Copy the unzipped SD files to the SD.

https://switch.homebrew.guide <== In depth guide to install Atmosphere
https://www.sdsetup.com/ <==Link to build files (also in atmosphere guide)

You will need sigpatches to play anything you don't own. Use the AIO updater to get them.

You might be able to install Atmosphere from scratch outright with this but IDK so I won't recommend that..

Here is a thread about the AIO updater. Run it in SXOS.
https://gbatemp.net/threads/aio-swi...w-and-cheats-directly-from-the-switch.574043/

In order to use the SXOS EmuNAND with Atmosphere you have to make a config file.
No sweat.
https://gbatemp.net/threads/how-to-setup-atmosphere-emummc.541060/

Launching Atmosphere with SX Pro dongle.

MANY METHODS EXIST choose your destiny.!

Launch using existing setup.
Start SXOS holding vol+ and go to the launch other payload option and select the hekate payload (fusee gelee if you went that route.)..

OR

Use this to make any payload the BOOT.DAT to boot with SX Pro.
Payload packer script. Python needed.

https://www.reddit.com/r/SwitchHack...aer_releases_tx_sx_pro_custom_payload_packer/

OR

Another option to launch Atmosphere,or anything else, with the SXOS dongle is to go to the SXOS download page and get the payload for "SX gear" then follow instructions there . It is an official payload from TX. SX Gear is their stand alone dongle but the payload works on SX Pro dongle. You put any payload you want ,renamed and in the right place on the SD and the dongle will boot it.. I can't link TX pages here.

AND

You could use any of those methods to boot in to ArgonNX and select OS using a menu at startup.
https://gbatemp.net/threads/argon-nx-sx-mod.534886/

And apparently you can boot SXOS through Hekate too. That way if you are booting Hekate with the SX Pro dongle you can still boot SXOS through Hekate when you want to load XCI through USB. Hekate will have SXOS in the boot options.

stick267 said:
I'd recommend Hekate. You can edit the hekate_ipl.ini file to include entries for Atmosphere and SX OS. That way when Hekate loads you can just click on whichever CFW you want to load.

Code:

{-- Custom Firmwares --} [Atmosphere] kip1=modules/required/loader.kip kip1=modules/required/pm.kip kip1=modules/required/sm.kip kip1=modules/required/fs_mitm.kip secmon=modules/required/exosphere.bin kip1patch=nosigchk atmosphere=1 logopath=atmosphere/bootlogo.bmp [SX OS] payload=sxloader.bin { }

Just make sure you have your SX OS boot.dat and payload file on the root of your SD (SX payload renamed to "sxloader.bin" in this example).

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO DROP SXOS YOU CAN JUST GET ATMO SETUP WITH THESE METHODS AND THEN DELETE THE SXOS FILES (except the EmuNAND and Emutendo) Remember no USB or XCI loading. You can install XCI to EmuNAND in atmosphere though....

Hope that's not too confusing. Ask if you need anything.

bruhreid · Oct 9, 2020

Keriam said:
Hello,

As i would like to use a Dreamcast emulator on my switch (first release hardware), i décided to Switch from SxOS to Atmosphere keeping my SxOS dongle :
- what is the main difference between both cfw ?
- how to easy to do this Switch (my Switch is already banned by Nintendo) ?
- After the change, should i need to reinstall installed games ?

Thanks
Regards

You can use this tool to make the SX Pro boot into Atmosphere or Hekate by default.

mikefor20 · Oct 9, 2020

bruhreid said:
You can use this tool to make the SX Pro boot into Atmosphere or Hekate by default.

You got that in there while I was adding all my links to my post.

LOL

Keriam · Nov 7, 2020

Hello,

I just copy atmosphere files on my SD + primary fuse.bin in the root of SD and choose payload menu in SxOS boot to launch primaryfuse.bin : the boot with Atmosphere works well but no installed games in SxOS works, horizon said there an error "Unable to start software. Return to the HOME menu and try again" and after a second launch of the same game system try find corrupted data.

I reboot to SxOS and all games works...i decided to think more about this issue with the help of internet and i discovered i forgot the install sigpatches. I made another try and all games works now. (i don't know what is sigpatches)

Somes questions :
- Hbmenu : is it the same to use full ram for homebrew like SxOS by pressing R button ?

- Homebrew : i suppose i have to reinstall folders' homebrew in atmosphere folder like SxOS folder ? (Nro file will be not necessary i suppose)

Thanks

Draxzelex · Dec 8, 2020

Keriam said:
Hello,

I just copy atmosphere files on my SD + primary fuse.bin in the root of SD and choose payload menu in SxOS boot to launch primaryfuse.bin : the boot with Atmosphere works well but no installed games in SxOS works, horizon said there an error "Unable to start software. Return to the HOME menu and try again" and after a second launch of the same game system try find corrupted data.

I reboot to SxOS and all games works...i decided to think more about this issue with the help of internet and i discovered i forgot the install sigpatches. I made another try and all games works now. (i don't know what is sigpatches)

Somes questions :
- Hbmenu : is it the same to use full ram for homebrew like SxOS by pressing R button ?

- Homebrew : i suppose i have to reinstall folders' homebrew in atmosphere folder like SxOS folder ? (Nro file will be not necessary i suppose)

Thanks

Yes and no.

Keriam · Dec 11, 2020

Interresting thing : I had some game crashs on ATMO, so i continued to use SxOS.

After updating in firmware 11 with SxOS, i have some errors messages at the launch with specific games (3 on 34) but games can launch : it seems they are the same games as ATMO before, i need to do more try to be sure.

For homebrews, i think nro folder from SxOS can be used but as there are different folders for some mods or homebrews settings...i will also test but it takes more space if i want to keep SxOS and ATMO

Draxzelex · Dec 18, 2020

Keriam said:
Interresting thing : I had some game crashs on ATMO, so i continued to use SxOS.

After updating in firmware 11 with SxOS, i have some errors messages at the launch with specific games (3 on 34) but games can launch : it seems they are the same games as ATMO before, i need to do more try to be sure.

For homebrews, i think nro folder from SxOS can be used but as there are different folders for some mods or homebrews settings...i will also test but it takes more space if i want to keep SxOS and ATMO

SX OS applies a unique patch to games installed in their CFW that for some reason don't allow them to work under other CFW.

spkatsi · Jan 19, 2021

bruhreid said:
You can use this tool to make the SX Pro boot into Atmosphere or Hekate by default.

Thank you for sharing this, looks interesting!

Need some help with a couple n00b questions:

- Where do I use this tool?
(got the SX Pro, have downloaded tx_custom_boot.py)

- Using Hekate via this tool, will it be possible to have choices?
(specifically a) Official banned firmware b) SXOS on emuNAND c) Atmosphere on sysNAND)

mikefor20 · Jan 19, 2021

Draxzelex said:
SX OS applies a unique patch to games installed in their CFW that for some reason don't allow them to work under other CFW.

What?? SXOS installed games work just fine in Atmosphere. The SXOS EmuNAND is at a different offset.. That's easily fixed with a config file.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

spkatsi said:
Thank you for sharing this, looks interesting!

Need some help with a couple n00b questions:

- Where do I use this tool?
(got the SX Pro, have downloaded tx_custom_boot.py)

- Using Hekate via this tool, will it be possible to have choices?
(specifically a) Official banned firmware b) SXOS on emuNAND c) Atmosphere on sysNAND)

The tool is a python script.. you need python.. I'll help you if I have the time. It's fairly self explanatory. I am not in a place to write that up right now..

You can have multiple EmuNANDS uon the same SD (forget the name of the app.. I'll look in to it) or just use separate SD cards for SX and Atmosphere.

Argon-NX is a payload selection menu...

https://github.com/Guillem96/argon-nx

Use the tool to pack Argon-NX to the SX DAT file.. Then set up Argon-NX to boot your CFW's...

spkatsi · Jan 19, 2021

mikefor20 said:
What?? SXOS installed games work just fine in Atmosphere. The SXOS EmuNAND is at a different offset.. That's easily fixed with a config file.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

The tool is a python script.. you need python.. I'll help you if I have the time. It's fairly self explanatory. I am not in a place to write that up right now..

You can have multiple EmuNANDS uon the same SD (forget the name of the app.. I'll look in to it) or just use separate SD cards for SX and Atmosphere.

Argon-NX is a payload selection menu...

https://github.com/Guillem96/argon-nx

Use the tool to pack Argon-NX to the SX DAT file.. Then set up Argon-NX to boot your CFW's...

Thank you for posting, Argon-NX is what I was looking for. Need to do some reading there and check if what I want is possible

- About the tx_custom_boot.py file :
~~Just running it in Windows 10 with python installed creates a boot.dat file. I suppose using this specific file instead of the default SXOS one makes possible to launch Argon-NX using SXPRO dongle.~~ (please correct if got that wrong)

mikefor20 · Jan 19, 2021

spkatsi said:
Thank you for posting, Argon-NX is what I was looking for. Need to do some reading there and check if what I want is possible

- About the tx_custom_boot.py file :
Just running it in Windows 10 with python installed creates a boot.dat file. I suppose using this specific file instead of the default SXOS one makes possible to launch Argon-NX using SXPRO dongle. (please correct if got that wrong)

I still haven't had a chance to review the exact working of the Python script. I don't specifically recall how to do it. Basically you have to put whatever payload it is you want SX to load in the correct place on your hard drive.. Been a while. But it should make into the boot file. Then you put it on the root of the SD card and use the dongle as normal. Like I said I don't remember the path or if you have to put it in the command line. Once properly compiled though it should replace the stock SX OS DAT file. Make sure you are already fully functional in Atmosphere first. Like I said you have to generate a text file and put it in the config directory that tells it the correct offset for the SX OS EmuNAND There's a lots of guides around for that. If you enter the SX OS boot menu at boot you can boot other payload. If that makes it easy to check atmosphere functionality.

You do have a couple of other options.

You can use Hekate to boot in to either SXOS or Atmosphere... SD setup can help you set this up.. (If it still works,, little out of the loop on that.) Hekate can be setup to boot to the CFW selection menu and use custom icons just like Argon-NX.

There is also a payload launcher Homebrew that I use to launch Hekate from The Homebrew menu.

https://github.com/suchmememanyskill/Payload_Launcher/releases/

Or you can do what I do and just use multiple separate SD cards. Having a dedicated Atmosphere install is nice. I haven't found any drawbacks to using SXOS on the same card as Atmosphere but with a dedicated SD there will be no drawbacks...

Then I just leave my SX OS SD card for games that it's still compatible with. (All of them for now).

Truth is I use 4 cards.. I have 1 dedicated SXOS, 1 dedicated Atmosphere, 1 with a "Clean" EmuNAND for online (can't run stock without a ban risk, this works fine for a long time now) and 1 with Linux/Android.

Edit:

Clipped this from another tutorial .. This is how to make the config file..

Create > emummc folder on the root of the SD

Create > emummc.ini file inside of emummc folder <-- I use notepad for this

Copy and paste this to emummc.ini

[emummc]
emummc_enabled = 1
emummc_sector = 0x2
emummc_nintendo_path = Emutendo

original post
https://gbatemp.net/threads/how-to-setup-atmosphere-emummc.541060/

Also, here is a newer,maybe better, implementation of the custom boot.dat script..

https://github.com/ELY3M/sx-custom-boot.dat-maker

Please let me know what works!

Draxzelex · Jan 19, 2021

mikefor20 said:
What?? SXOS installed games work just fine in Atmosphere. The SXOS EmuNAND is at a different offset.. That's easily fixed with a config file.

If they are installed with a generic title installer, yes they would work fine but games installed via the built-in installer when you click on the Album do not work. It has been a well-known fact that SX OS applies a specific patch to games installed via that installer that unfortunately does not allow them to be launched in other CFW because only SX OS uses that patch. Here is an example from an actual SX OS user

Jayro · Jan 19, 2021

slaphappygamer said:
Oh man, I had trouble with gta3. I couldn’t launch the game from the album or applet mode. The nsp forwarder was the only way it worked. Maybe I have something wrong with my set up. I’ll open another thread if I can’t figure it out.
The forwarders are also nice because, it’s on my Home Screen now. One less thing to load.

On the main Horizon homescreen in Atmosphere or SX OS, hold R, and launch a game, and keep holding R while you choose the profile, until you get to the homebrew screen. You'll see that it's not in applet mode anymore, and GTA 3 will launch just fine.

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