Hacking [BotW] Save Transfer Issues - Incomplete, Can't Update

[jal301]

I have a US Wii U updated to 5.5.3 running Haxchi to run a backup installation of Breath of the Wild with DLC and Updates installed to a USB via WUP Installer. I have been attempting to move this installation to either a different USB or NAND and have been unable to successfully move the save data.

Using the guide linked below, the best I have been able to accomplish is to get the game running with 3 or 4 of the most recent auto-saves available to play as a starting point. This alone would be acceptable, but any future manual or auto-saves are not saved nor are the new saves accessible when I restart the game.
reddit /r/WiiUHacks/comments/5w33n1/tutorial_dumping_and_injecting_saves_via_ftp/

I initially pulled the save using FTPiiU_Everwhere and then via Saviine with the same results. FTPiiu had been used for transferring saves from other games successfully. I was really surprised that Saviine didn't work since it boots the game to pull the save.

Next, since using Haxchi to boot the game and Brain Age as the boot-through game, I pulled over the save data stored within the Brain Age save folder and merged it with the BotW data with the same result described above.

I saw one other user reporting a similar problem with no resolution posted, and have otherwise learned to overwrite data and not to delete / replace.

After each attempt, I have been able to launch and play the game from the original USB device - so the save data is SOMEWHERE, I've just been so completely stumped as to where to locate it. Or, if I have the correct save data, is there something needed to get the Wii U to read it properly?

 

[jal301]

Perhaps I'll ask this another way:

When it comes to save files loaded to the Wii U save folder, is there a certain amount of playtime required of an install before the outside save data can be injected?

Or, are there only certain parts of the save folder / files that are to be loaded? I suspect that this point doesn't matter as I've downloaded shared saves via the link below and the content is quite similar to what I've been attempting to load.

In any case, any thoughts on the subject are appreciated.

 

[jal301]

So it figures that the day I sign up to this forum to post this that I'd finally figure out the issue after several weeks of toiling at this.

Ultimately what I found is in line with the learning that when injecting a save, you need to overwrite existing files and cannot upload new files that do not already exist; nor can you delete existing save data then paste in your new files.

My original approach was not working because I tried to inject save data with 5 auto-saves and/or manual saves. The new game I started only had three auto-saves to it (created up to the point where Link first walks out to the Great Plateau). The fix was to play up to a point where I had at least 5 auto-saves before I injected my other save data. Two things that remain unresolved are the two folders in the save files with photos (since I was not going to play up to the point where I had the camera with this test game) but this is just a minor inconvenience and the least of my worries. At least I have my progress back with a few unreadable photos from the past.

Perhaps a proper Saviine injection would have resolved this (versus attempting to replace the save files via FTPiiu), but I am satisfied with what I have working now.

Hopefully this will be helpful to somebody out there - I imagine this would be applicable to other games with a more significant save file/folder structure and not just to Breath of the Wild. Otherwise, this has been a nice conversation with myself.