back up emunand on thumb drive?

[EvilNick]

Im sure this has been asked a million times but is it possible to just basically zip the entire contents of your thumb drive emunand and store is on a PC for easy backup and restore or is there a partitioning thats done that wouldnt allow this? Thanks !

 

[binkinator]

Im sure this has been asked a million times but is it possible to just basically zip the entire contents of your thumb drive emunand and store is on a PC for easy backup and restore or is there a partitioning thats done that wouldnt allow this? Thanks !

since It’s best practice to put emunand on its own partition it’s likely to have multiple partitions (i.e. not just thenFAT partition you can easily read)

you can use a tool like mini tool partition wizard or balena etcher to capture bit-for-bit everything on the sd card.

Another option that would allow you to just copy files would be to use JKSV to back up your game saves from your emunand and know that you will have to reinstall the games but can restore your game saves from backup to your fresh new sd card.

 

[impeeza]

Im sure this has been asked a million times but is it possible to just basically zip the entire contents of your thumb drive emunand and store is on a PC for easy backup and restore or is there a partitioning thats done that wouldnt allow this? Thanks !

EmuTool is your friend, let you convert a hidden partition to a set of files and then you can store for backup anywhere you want.
https://gbatemp.net/threads/emutool...r-sd-switch-emu-type-on-sxos-and-more.550756/

 

[binkinator]

EmuTool is your friend, let you convert a hidden partition to a set of files and then you can store for backup anywhere you want.
https://gbatemp.net/threads/emutool...r-sd-switch-emu-type-on-sxos-and-more.550756/

That’s slick man. Convert partition to files and then back again. Wish I had thought to do that. Good call!

 

[LeyendaV]

since It’s best practice to put emunand on its own partition

Not necessarily, no. File based emunand provides the exact same performance, with the extra of being able to move it more easily.

 

[binkinator]

Not necessarily, no. File based emunand provides the exact same performance, with the extra of being able to move it more easily.

Performance will be exactly the same. 100% agree!

I typically recommend a separate partition for emunand so if you lose the file system the damage will be limited to what you can easily back up (the FAT32 partition alone.) I guess having it ALL being able to be easily backed up can negate some of the benefit.

E: I typically recommend a separate hidden partition for emunand due to risk of corruption. (short and sweet version)

Do you run your emu on files?

 

[shadow256]

Performance will be exactly the same. 100% agree!

I typically recommend a separate partition for emunand so if you lose the file system the damage will be limited to what you can easily back up (the FAT32 partition alone.) I guess having it ALL being able to be easily backed up can negate some of the benefit.

Do you run your emu on files?

Files emunand are a little slower than partition emunand because files emunand use one more virtualisation process than emunand via partition (I will not enter in details cause I don't have the skills to explain this correctly but it's something that I have already discussed with @eliboa); but the difference is not realy perceptible in practice.

Emunand via partition is realy better on an SD witch use EXFAT file system because with this configuration files emunand could corrupt itself, thanks of the EXFAT driver of the OS of the Switch. And like you say partition emunand is also better in case of a problem on the main partition, at least you don't loose your game saves.

To copy the partition emunand you can use NXNandManager or the Nand Toolbox of my Ultimate-Switch-Hack-Script, Emutool can also do the job.

 

[impeeza]

Files emunand are a little slower than partition emunand because files emunand use one more virtualisation process than emunand via partition (I will not enter in details cause I don't have the skills to explain this correctly but it's something that I have already discussed with @eliboa); but the difference is not realy perceptible in practice.

Emunand via partition is realy better on an SD witch use EXFAT file system because with this configuration files emunand could corrupt itself, thanks of the EXFAT driver of the OS of the Switch. And like you say partition emunand is also better in case of a problem on the main partition, at least you don't loose your game saves.

To copy the partition emunand you can use NXNandManager or the Nand Toolbox of my Ultimate-Switch-Hack-Script, Emutool can also do the job.

that's true, but before was very noticeable, now with the latest versions of atmosphère the difference is milliseconds so today there is practically no difference.

 

[LeyendaV]

Performance will be exactly the same. 100% agree!

I typically recommend a separate partition for emunand so if you lose the file system the damage will be limited to what you can easily back up (the FAT32 partition alone.) I guess having it ALL being able to be easily backed up can negate some of the benefit.

E: I typically recommend a separate hidden partition for emunand due to risk of corruption. (short and sweet version)

Do you run your emu on files?

I used partition for over a year before switching to file.
I agree that partitioning a drive can help preventing data lose in some cases, but 99.9% of the times a SD gets corrupted you will lost the whole card, not just one/some partitions, so there's virtually no real benefit for those who know what they are doing.
I do agree tho that, if you are getting started into the scene and/or never really got into details about how stuff works (even at a basic level) and/or are just too lazy, partition based emunand would be the best for you simply because there's less files and folders to manually handle. That's the only real "pro" I can think about.

Files emunand are a little slower than partition emunand because files emunand use one more virtualisation process than emunand via partition (I will not enter in details cause I don't have the skills to explain this correctly but it's something that I have already discussed with @eliboa); but the difference is not realy perceptible in practice.

Emunand via partition is realy better on an SD witch use EXFAT file system because with this configuration files emunand could corrupt itself, thanks of the EXFAT driver of the OS of the Switch. And like you say partition emunand is also better in case of a problem on the main partition, at least you don't loose your game saves.

To copy the partition emunand you can use NXNandManager or the Nand Toolbox of my Ultimate-Switch-Hack-Script, Emutool can also do the job.

Partition based emunand was faster, yes. But like two years ago. Atmos and Hekate improved so much there's no real difference.
If something, I would say file based beats partition in some cases when it comes to speed performance.
Also, very important, never EVER use a exFAT SD card on your Switch. ALWAYS use FAT32.

 

[binkinator]

I used partition for over a year before switching to file.
I agree that partitioning a drive can help preventing data lose in some cases, but 99.9% of the times a SD gets corrupted you will lost the whole card, not just one/some partitions, so there's virtually no real benefit for those who know what they are doing.
I do agree tho that, if you are getting started into the scene and/or never really got into details about how stuff works (even at a basic level) and/or are just too lazy, partition based emunand would be the best for you simply because there's less files and folders to manually handle. That's the only real "pro" I can think about.

Appreciate the level headed response. Yeah, I had put something to the effect of “the bullet that takes out a FAT32 part typically takes out the entire sd card“. My response was already heading in too many directions. A lot of the folks I deal with are in the just getting started phase so I’m likely to keep recommending they use part based until they get enough exp to make their own informed decision.

Partition based emunand was faster, yes. But like two years ago. Atmos and Hekate improved so much there's no real difference.
If something, I would say file based beats partition in some cases when it comes to speed performance.

If you can’t tell the difference they are the same.

Also, very important, never EVER use a exFAT SD card on your Switch. ALWAYS use FAT32.

This needs it’s own highlight section. Not sure how others are dodging the bullet for years but I’ve been bit twice for ignoring this.

 

[zxr750j]

This needs it’s own highlight section. Not sure how others are dodging the bullet for years but I’ve been bit twice for ignoring this.

I haven't been bitten yet (knock on wood).