THIS GUIDE IS DEPRECATED
THIS IS BETTER https://github.com/natinusala/painless-linux

This guide will show you how to boot Linux on your Switch from a Windows PC. If you're on Linux, you can directly use the shofel2_linux repository.

Credits :

• @kombos for the pre-built binaries
• @rajkosto for TegraRcmSmash and Windows imx_usb binaries
• Fail0verflow for their Linux port

What you'll need :

• A Switch
• A Windows PC
• Another SD card of at least 8Gb
  • you can use the same SD card that you already have on your Switch but be careful when partitioning !
• A USB A-to-C or C-to-C cable to plug your Switch into your PC

Step 1 : installing the driver

1. Get your Switch in RCM mode and plug it into your PC
   • It should appear as "APX" in Windows
2. Download and run the Zadig Driver Installer from here : https://zadig.akeo.ie/
3. In the list, choose the device "APX"
   • If it's not showing up, check "List all devices" in the options
4. At the right end of the green arrow, choose "libusbK (v3.0.7.0)"
5. Click on the big "Install driver" button

Step 2 : creating the root filesystem

Yes, this is still necessary. Yes, this will always be.

Open my another guide and follow the "Building the rootfs" section.
On Windows you'll have to use a IMG file and burn it with Etcher, or find a way to create an ext4 partition by hand (good luck with that).
I recommend the latest LXDE image which has the correct format for Etcher - it's a zip containing a bin, flash the .bin using Etcher.

You should be left with a SD card with two partitions on it.

Step 3 : a whole bunch of downloads

1. Download and extract this : https://github.com/SoulCipher/shofel2_linux/archive/master.zip
2. Download this : https://files.sshnuke.net/TegraRcmSmash1101.zip
3. Extract the executable for your architecture in the shofel2_linux-master folder
4. Download this : https://github.com/rajkosto/imx_usb_loader/releases/download/08daaa/imx_usb.zip
5. Extract the executable and DLL in the shofel2_linux-master folder
6. Download this : http://launchmycraft.fr/boot_linux.bat
7. Put it in the shofel2_linux-master folder

This is what you should have in the linux_shofel2-master folder before continuing :

Step 4 : actually booting Linux

1. Put your Switch in RCM mode and plug it in your PC
2. Go in the shofel2_linux-master folder and open boot_linux.bat
3. It wasn't that hard, wasn't it ?

 

[noe24]

I keep getting device interrupts and then kernel panic into RCM. I downloaded arch_lxde and wrote it to the SD card using both win32diskimager and dd and also decompressed the KDE_rootds3 using Linux with a 200mb fat32 partitio n before the remaining ext4 partition. None of these methods work and I keep getting the same results. Any ideas? SD card is brand-new.

 

[Mach]

I keep getting device interrupts and then kernel panic into RCM. I downloaded arch_lxde and wrote it to the SD card using both win32diskimager and dd and also decompressed the KDE_rootds3 using Linux with a 200mb fat32 partitio n before the remaining ext4 partition. None of these methods work and I keep getting the same results. Any ideas? SD card is brand-new.

I just wrote above that wi 32 wont work, tested it before i tried by using Etcher , Etcher works. Btw Linux wont recognize double click by double touching it on Switch. Its hard to navigate

 

[natinusala]

Btw Linux wont recognize double click by double touching it on Switch. Its hard to navigate

That's why I said that LXDE was outdated and overall bad for touch screens UI. A Windows, Linux, Mac and Android GNOME image is on its way.

 

[MuppetPaster]

I just wrote above that wi 32 wont work, tested it before i tried by using Etcher , Etcher works. Btw Linux wont recognize double click by double touching it on Switch. Its hard to navigate

I've also tried it several times with Etcher...doesn't work for me.

 

[x0x0]

Yep not working for me, brand new 64sd card here. Loading then back to RCM Mode. No idea why.

 

[Mach]

Yep not working for me, brand new 64sd card here. Loading then back to RCM Mode. No idea why.

I used EasyUS to make the partitions on my SD then writed the iso using Etcher, followed the tutorial to make the folder just like the screen showed up in this tutorial. worked just fine. dont know what are wrong stuff u are doing .

 

[canelodirecto]

were can i get the GNOME IMG to flash on an sd card?

 

[x0x0]

Is there anyone who started linux using this method by using sdcard 32gb+ ?

 

[wiiarctus]

were can i get the GNOME IMG to flash on an sd card?

It's on its way to be uploaded

Is there anyone who started linux using this method by using sdcard 32gb+ ?

Yes me, a new 64gb SanDisk

 

[canelodirecto]

It's on its way to be uploaded

Yes me, a new 64gb SanDisk

Thank you for the quick reply Ill be waiting

 

[x0x0]

It's on its way to be uploaded

Yes me, a new 64gb SanDisk

What distro?

 

[wiiarctus]

What distro?

Arch Linux with Gnome

 

[x0x0]

Arch Linux with Gnome

Ok, i will wait.

 

[wiiarctus]

Ok, i will wait.

Because you can't "flash" it to the SD card with Windows yet? You could set up a VM with Ubuntu 18.04 though.^^

 

[natinusala]

I'm currently preparing it along with a new way to boot without imx_usb. Coming soon, I guess

 

[x0x0]

Because you can't "flash" it to the SD card with Windows yet? You could set up a VM with Ubuntu 18.04 though.^^

The thing is VMware and Virtualbox cannot detect my card reader.

 

[canelodirecto]

Because you can't "flash" it to the SD card with Windows yet? You could set up a VM with Ubuntu 18.04 though.^^

So what program would you use on linux vm to flash the card?

 

[natinusala]

So what program would you use on linux vm to flash the card?

`sudo dd if=yourimage.img of=/dev/sdX`

 

[canelodirecto]

`sudo dd if=yourimage.img of=/dev/sdX`

awesome thanks, also i assume be best to save image on desktop and then run that code on the terminal.

 

[wiiarctus]

The thing is VMware and Virtualbox cannot detect my card reader.

I only tried and did it with VMware because it was stated that VirtualBox can't passthrough USB devices. As it turned out it worked just fine with VMware ("VM" tab > "Removable Devices" > "Your USB microSD card reader").^^