Hardware eMMC Memory IC is "easily" replacable

[Apache Thunder]

Yeah most likely you can't even use nand modules from other retail units on a retail unit. As I recall, someone managed to isolate the NAND on a 3DS and replace it with a MicroSD card. But first they had to alter the chip ID so it matched the old one. This was because the console encrypted the NAND file system (at least the FIRM partitions and the CTR_NAND partition. The other partitions may have used different encryption method/keys) based on a console unique key and the NAND ID.

There's a high chance the Switch does this too. Though I've heard the console uses GPT after reading this tweet:

https://twitter.com/SciresM/status/838699915396149248

So it uses a known partition layout so you could adjust it to fit larger chips. That's if the partition info isn't signed which we don't know yet?

 

[NekoMichi]

Yeah most likely you can't even use nand modules from other retail units on a retail unit. As I recall, someone managed to isolate the NAND on a 3DS and replace it with a MicroSD card. But first they had to alter the chip ID so it matched the old one. This was because the console encrypted the NAND file system (at least the FIRM partitions and the CTR_NAND partition. The other partitions may have used different encryption method/keys) based on a console unique key and the NAND ID.

There's a high chance the Switch does this too. Though I've heard the console uses GPT after reading this tweet:

https://twitter.com/SciresM/status/838699915396149248

So it uses a known partition layout so you could adjust it to fit larger chips. That's if the partition info isn't signed which we don't know yet?

Does this mean that if I somehow break my Switch in a way not covered by warranty (touch wood), I can't simply buy another console and swap the eMMC modules around?

 

[Apache Thunder]

Does this mean that if I somehow break my Switch in a way not covered by warranty (touch wood), I can't simply buy another console and swap the eMMC modules around?

Most likely not.