Gaming Copy games larger then 4 GB to SD card

[TheRaptor]

I update my Switch from 9.1.0 to the latest firmware 10.10. I run hekate with the sigpatches and it works. I can run Tinfoil and games. While installing Hekate the app formatted my SD card. This is because Hekate hed to create a partition. Because of this I unfortunately lost all my games. I am trying to reinstalling all my games. The problem I run into is that I cann't copy games larger than 4 GB to my SD card.

Is this because my SD card is on FAT32? I Donn't know what filesystem I run when I was running 9.1.0. Because I has no problems with copying files to the SD card.

How can I solve this?

 

[jyapayne]

Yeah, it's because your SD card is FAT32, which only allows up to 4GB files. Your card needs to be exFat if you want to copy games larger than 4GB.

 

[worm28]

You need to split your nsp if its larger than 4gb i use this read the read me it will give you a folder called nameofgame.nsp your switch will think the folder is a nsp and install it.

 

[TheRaptor]

Yeah, it's because your SD card is FAT32, which only allows up to 4GB files. Your card needs to be exFat if you want to copy games larger than 4GB.

Do I need to format it to exFAT? Why format Hekate it to FAT32. Is there a option to convert to exFAT?

 

[Hayato213]

Do USB install instead of copying them over SD card, save yourself from killing that SD card slot.

 

[TheRaptor]

Do USB install instead of copying them over SD card, save yourself from killing that SD card slot.

I am not familiair with this feature.

 

[Hayato213]

https://github.com/XorTroll/Goldleaf

Check out XorTroll's goldeaf, its explore content feature allow you to explore content on a pc computer and install them over usb, you can install game over 4GB over usb. It is better than taking out the SD card everytime that you want to install new games.

 

[Lacius]

Nobody should be sending NSP files directly to the SD card. It's incredibly inefficient, since you're writing the same game to the SD card twice, and you require double the space of the game on the SD card during the install process (which becomes problematic when it's a large game and/or you have low free space on the SD card).

Instead, games should be installed over a USB, FTP, or internet connection. Blawar's Tinfoil is recommended.

Using FAT32 on the SD card is highly recommended, since the faulty exFAT drivers on the Switch increase the likelihood of data corruption.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I am not familiair with this feature.

Use Awoo https://gbatemp.net/threads/awoo-in...sz-xci-xcz-installer-based-on-tinfoil.551923/
With NS-usbloader: https://gbatemp.net/threads/ns-usbloader-another-one-tinfoil-and-goldlead-usb-installer.533394/
Install the libusbk driver using Zadig for USB installs to work, it's the same driver as used for TegraRcmSmash, but needs to be installed again with the homebrew running as it shows up as a different device than it does in RCM.
Use Tinfoil method in NS-usbloader, you can choose to install over network or USB, I never had much luck with installing over USB regardless of the installer used, the data transfer would always stop at random points, crash the Switch or crash the homebrew, requiring restarting both the homebrew and the PC app and manually selecting the games for install again which became a huge pain when trying to fill up a freshly hacked console with games and it would fail every few nsps.
Had this issue with Awoo, Goldleaf, blawar's Tinfoil, it doesn't matter which, it seems like the USB communication is just buggy.
USB installs are OK for installing a single game, if you're trying to install a lot of games you have to be constantly watching it, unplugging, replugging and restarting, it's not worth the hassle.
Network install is stable, but slower. That's fine though, just leave it to install overnight if you're installing a lot of games, since you don't have to watch it the whole time like you do with USB installs.

FYI, ExFAT is not recommended, don't listen to the people telling you to switch, it'll only lead to SD card corruption.
Also, Hekate doesn't format the SD card unless you tell it to, I assume you were trying to set up emuNAND and that's why you formatted it, whatever guide you used should have told you to back up the card beforehand.

Nobody should be sending NSP files directly to the SD card. It's incredibly inefficient, since you're writing the same game to the SD card twice, and you require double the space of the game on the SD card during the install process (which becomes problematic when it's a large game and/or you have low free space on the SD card).

Instead, games should be installed over a USB, FTP, or internet connection. Blawar's Tinfoil is recommended.

Using FAT32 on the SD card is highly recommended, since the faulty exFAT drivers on the Switch increase the likelihood of data corruption.

Correction: Blawar's Tinfoil is not recommended.

 

[Lacius]

Correction: Blawar's Tinfoil is not recommended.

Reasons to use blawar's Tinfoil are as follows:

1. People usually have the fewest problems when using blawar's Tinfoil instead of the alternatives, particularly with USB installations.
2. Blawar's Tinfoil supports convenient game installations using an eShop alternative like HBG, UnderShop, etc.
3. Tinfoil is automatically kept up to date if connected to the internet.

Reasons not to use blawar's Tinfoil are as follows:

1. Blawar's Tinfoil is not open source
2. It doesn't support booting Atmosphere unless you're using or chainloading fusee-primary.

In summary, blawar's Tinfoil is not perfect, but it's the most noob-friendly title installer (which is why it's the primary title manager of ReiNX), and it's generally recommended.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Reasons to use blawar's Tinfoil are as follows:

1. People usually have the fewest problems when using blawar's Tinfoil instead of the alternatives, particularly with USB installations.
2. Blawar's Tinfoil supports convenient game installations using an eShop alternative like HBG, UnderShop, etc.
3. Tinfoil is automatically kept up to date if connected to the internet.

Reasons not to use blawar's Tinfoil are as follows:

1. Blawar's Tinfoil is not open source
2. It doesn't support booting Atmosphere unless you're using or chainloading fusee-primary.

In summary, blawar's Tinfoil is not perfect, but it's the most noob-friendly title installer (which is why it's the primary title manager of ReiNX), and it's generally recommended.

May I remind you about all the sketchy shit he has done? And you trust his software despite all that? It wouldn't be so bad if it was just closed source but it's closed source and super sketchy. Pirate shops are the one good reason to use it, and they don't even work half the time. So there's no reason to recommend it unless for pirate shops and it's best avoided.
Tinfoil is more stable, I'll give it that. But it has the same issues with USB installs as everything else.

 

[Lacius]

May I remind you about all the sketchy shit he has done? And you trust his software despite all that? It wouldn't be so bad if it was just closed source but it's closed source and super sketchy.

I've disagreed with a lot of his decisions related to Tinfoil, but I don't know if I'd describe any of these decisions as sketchy.

 

[TheRaptor]

Nobody should be sending NSP files directly to the SD card. It's incredibly inefficient, since you're writing the same game to the SD card twice, and you require double the space of the game on the SD card during the install process (which becomes problematic when it's a large game and/or you have low free space on the SD card).

Instead, games should be installed over a USB, FTP, or internet connection. Blawar's Tinfoil is recommended.

Using FAT32 on the SD card is highly recommended, since the faulty exFAT drivers on the Switch increase the likelihood of data corruption.

After the installation is done I deleted the NSP file. But you're right. This is time consuming.

 

[Lacius]

After the installation is done I deleted the NSP file. But you're right. This is time consuming.

Yes, you can delete the NSP file after you're done installing it, but you still require double the space of the NSP available on your SD card during the installation process.

For example, let's pretend you have 19GB free on your SD card, and you have a game that's 10GB. To install the NSP off the SD card, you would need 20GB free on the SD card during the installation process (10GB for the NSP and 10GB for the installed game). It doesn't matter that you can delete the NSP when you're done, because you will be unable to proceed without freeing up more space to make 20GB.

Installing games over USB, FTP, or the internet are recommended instead. If I have 19GB free and a game that's 10GB, it will fit and install just fine over USB, FTP, or the internet. I usually install games over the internet using one of the shops (HBG, UnderShop, etc.), and I'll install an NSP over USB if it's something I want really fast.

 

[TheRaptor]

Use Awoo https://gbatemp.net/threads/awoo-in...sz-xci-xcz-installer-based-on-tinfoil.551923/
With NS-usbloader: https://gbatemp.net/threads/ns-usbloader-another-one-tinfoil-and-goldlead-usb-installer.533394/
Install the libusbk driver using Zadig for USB installs to work, it's the same driver as used for TegraRcmSmash, but needs to be installed again with the homebrew running as it shows up as a different device than it does in RCM.
Use Tinfoil method in NS-usbloader, you can choose to install over network or USB, I never had much luck with installing over USB regardless of the installer used, the data transfer would always stop at random points, crash the Switch or crash the homebrew, requiring restarting both the homebrew and the PC app and manually selecting the games for install again which became a huge pain when trying to fill up a freshly hacked console with games and it would fail every few nsps.
Had this issue with Awoo, Goldleaf, blawar's Tinfoil, it doesn't matter which, it seems like the USB communication is just buggy.
USB installs are OK for installing a single game, if you're trying to install a lot of games you have to be constantly watching it, unplugging, replugging and restarting, it's not worth the hassle.
Network install is stable, but slower. That's fine though, just leave it to install overnight if you're installing a lot of games, since you don't have to watch it the whole time like you do with USB installs.

FYI, ExFAT is not recommended, don't listen to the people telling you to switch, it'll only lead to SD card corruption.
Also, Hekate doesn't format the SD card unless you tell it to, I assume you were trying to set up emuNAND and that's why you formatted it, whatever guide you used should have told you to back up the card beforehand.

Correction: Blawar's Tinfoil is not recommended.

I tried NS-USB Loader in combination with Awoo. I installed Kirby Star Allies and Luigi's Mansion successfully. But Super Mario Odyssey and Zelda Links Awakening are not working. The error message I get is: The software cannot be started. Please try it again from the HOME menu.
For some reason GoldLeaf is not working. When I start a USB connection the app crashes and I have te click the HOME button the close the app. Tinfoil is also not working. The app tells me that I am using Hekate and Atmosphere. I have to delete it but if I do this I cannot boot in CFW mode.

 

[Lacius]

I tried NS-USB Loader in combination with Awoo. I installed Kirby Star Allies and Luigi's Mansion successfully. But Super Mario Odyssey and Zelda Links Awakening are not working. The error message I get is: The software cannot be started. Please try it again from the HOME menu.
For some reason GoldLeaf is not working. When I start a USB connection the app crashes and I have te click the HOME button the close the app. Tinfoil is also not working. The app tells me that I am using Hekate and Atmosphere. I have to delete it but if I do this I cannot boot in CFW mode.

Blawar's Tinfoil only works if you're booting Atmosphere with fusee-primary. Either use fusee-primary or chainload fusee-primary using Hekate.

You might also be using the wrong signature patches. If you're using the latest Atmosphere and you're using fusee-primary, use these patches:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/sigpatches-for-atmosphere-fusee-primary-only.567542/

 

[LeyendaV]

If the game is bigger than 4GB, use the usb and/or net functions on Goldleaf or Awoo Installer to install the package in your console directly from your computer.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I tried NS-USB Loader in combination with Awoo. I installed Kirby Star Allies and Luigi's Mansion successfully. But Super Mario Odyssey and Zelda Links Awakening are not working. The error message I get is: The software cannot be started. Please try it again from the HOME menu.
For some reason GoldLeaf is not working. When I start a USB connection the app crashes and I have te click the HOME button the close the app. Tinfoil is also not working. The app tells me that I am using Hekate and Atmosphere. I have to delete it but if I do this I cannot boot in CFW mode.

They may be bad nsps. Are your sig patches installed correctly? ES and FS. If you use the patches for fusee-primary, and you are using Hekate fss0 (which it sounds like you are), XCI converts will not work. Hekate fss0 has its own set of patches. The Hekate fss0 patches appear to not be updated anymore, they still work on latest FW but will not be updated for future FW unless someone continues where the last person left off. So switching to fusee-primary might not be a bad idea. You can still load fusee-primary through Hekate, just need to edit hekate_ipl.ini.

 

[AlexMCS]

For booting, use Atmosphere CFW (the rest are not as good or paid).
Keep AutoRCM on, use the latest Hekate and chainload (select payload -> fusee-primary.bin) into Atmosphere.
Use the fusee-primary patches fro the topic mentioned (https://gbatemp.net/threads/sigpatches-for-atmosphere-fusee-primary-only.567542/).

I also disagree with Blawar's practices and closed source, but his installer is the best option so far.

Use Blawar's Tinfoil + Nut (tinfoil.io) even if you're not using the pirate shops. It also supports NSZ, which is a compressed installation format Blawar help specify.

Goldleaf sucks since it uses a f****** Java (Java is the devil in software form) client for the USB/Network interactions, while Tinfoil uses Python (a godsend to computing). Awoo is something I have yet to check, but I doubt it's better than Tinfoil.

And if you do use the pirate shops (I'd recommend JITS), you get easy access to Updates and DLC, which no other installing app can offer by itself.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

For booting, use Atmosphere CFW (the rest are not as good or paid).
Keep AutoRCM on, use the latest Hekate and chainload (select payload -> fusee-primary.bin) into Atmosphere.
Use the fusee-primary patches fro the topic mentioned (https://gbatemp.net/threads/sigpatches-for-atmosphere-fusee-primary-only.567542/).

I also disagree with Blawar's practices and closed source, but his installer is the best option so far.

Use Blawar's Tinfoil + Nut (tinfoil.io) even if you're not using the pirate shops. It also supports NSZ, which is a compressed installation format Blawar help specify.

Goldleaf sucks since it uses a f****** Java (Java is the devil in software form) client for the USB/Network interactions, while Tinfoil uses Python (a godsend to computing). Awoo is something I have yet to check, but I doubt it's better than Tinfoil.

And if you do use the pirate shops (I'd recommend JITS), you get easy access to Updates and DLC, which no other installing app can offer by itself.

Awoo supports NSZ. No real reason to use Tinfoil if you don't use pirate shops.