Tutorial [Guide] How to fix Switch games not booting after a FW/CFW update

[Lupi]

Hi; i dont really know where to post this but i have a problem with AC NH.

I installed the game and the update1.4.2+Dlc using Awoo and Goldleaf (tried with both just in case) through Ns Usbloader but when i start the game it gets stuck loading in the nintendo black screen (the one with Nintendo Logo and switch logo), the console doesn't freeze because can hit home and close the game.

All other games function fine; i even installed the new Paper Mario and works fine.

I already updated sigpatches, and Atmosphere to latest version.

Im running:
FW: 9.1.0
AMS: 0.14.1
EMUNAND
Sd exfat 128gb cluster:128

I'm thinking i should update the FW with Choi but i don't understand very well how the AutoRCM works and that's why i haven't done it already.

 

[hiroakihsu]

Im running:
FW: 9.1.0
AMS: 0.14.1
EMUNAND
Sd exfat 128gb cluster:128

I'm thinking i should update the FW with Choi but i don't understand very well how the AutoRCM works and that's why i haven't done it already.

You should definitely update to latest FW if you want to install latest game updates/dlcs...You can use Daybreak homebrew included with latest atmosphere to upgrade (you don't have to enable autorcm either when you upgrade); also please consider reformatting your sd to fat32 as exfat is extremely prone to corruption, which in turn can cause games to not run.

 

[Askot]

Great user guide, helped me a lot, thanks!!

I was trying to update from 9.0.1 (AMS 0.9.4) to 10.1.0 (AMS 0.14.1), and was so afraid to get a very expensive brick, there was a lot of updates from 0.9.4 to 10.1.0 and my switch didn't start after updating last time I tried.

This was my setup:

-Hekate ctcaer 5.0.2
-Atmosphere 0.9.4
-Switch firmware: 9.0.1

I was trying to update to Atmosphere 0.10.1, but there were many changes so I didn't wanted to take any risk (big mistake), but I decided to update because there are new options that I wanted to try (and games).

After a few tries, it worked (0.10.1) still on CFW 9.0.1, but a crazy racing game looked weird (oversized) and I desisted to update, then back to 0.9.4.

Two or three weeks later, second try: Same crazy racing game and now testing with another game, a male swordman elf and the results: It get an overpowered start, cheats were enabled from start. Time to read what was happening, the reason: AMS changed to use some config files in folders, better structured, but enabled cheats at start.

Now, cheats were disabled, everything was working time to update firmware to 9.1.0... done through ChoiDujourNX and downloading firmware folder (search for switch firmware), rebooted and then Hekate worked (v 5.1.1), atmosphere working, woohoo!!.

Why not to update to 10.1.0 to get latest firmware? Again, I updated firmware through ChoiDujourNX (checked +), updated hekate (cheked +) and atmoshpere (cheked +), reboot and I got a new screen for Hekate, mmm ok, not bad, launching firmware, and NO, It didn't woked, what was missing this time? a lot of things, I get a message that said: no sighchk, after searching I finally get to here and discover that patches were missing for /bootloader/patches.ini (they are in your packs), THANKS A LOT, seriously, THANKS!

Hekate starts, AMS starts, CFW starts?, YEESSSS, long trip, uh? Not yet, there were some games not working: crazy racing kart and swordman elf, others games were fine. What was it now? I deleted crazy racing kart game and it's save and reinstall it, and nothing changed then I was going to delete swordman elf and then I thought to compare your sig patches with the one provided here: https://gbatemp.net/threads/sigpatches-for-atmosphere-fusee-primary-only.567542/ and it resulted that some patches (added files and newer version of others) were missing AND .... that's all: patches (again)

Again this tutorial, ChoiDujourNX updating app and few missing patch files (AMS 0.14.1) and now I get a fully updated switch, thanks, thanks, thanks!!!

A BIG HINT: Like @ShadowOne333 said: First update your patches to latest version, this is going to save you a lot of time.

 

[ShadowOne333]

Great user guide, helped me a lot, thanks!!

I was trying to update from 9.0.1 (AMS 0.9.4) to 10.1.0 (AMS 0.14.1), and was so afraid to get a very expensive brick, there was a lot of updates from 0.9.4 to 10.1.0 and my switch didn't start after updating last time I tried.

This was my setup:

-Hekate ctcaer 5.0.2
-Atmosphere 0.9.4
-Switch firmware: 9.0.1

I was trying to update to Atmosphere 0.10.1, but there were many changes so I didn't wanted to take any risk (big mistake), but I decided to update because there are new options that I wanted to try (and games).

After a few tries, it worked (0.10.1) still on CFW 9.0.1, but a crazy racing game looked weird (oversized) and I desisted to update, then back to 0.9.4.

Two or three weeks later, second try: Same crazy racing game and now testing with another game, a male swordman elf and the results: It get an overpowered start, cheats were enabled from start. Time to read what was happening, the reason: AMS changed to use some config files in folders, better structured, but enabled cheats at start.

Now, cheats were disabled, everything was working time to update firmware to 9.1.0... done through ChoiDujourNX and downloading firmware folder (search for switch firmware), rebooted and then Hekate worked (v 5.1.1), atmosphere working, woohoo!!.

Why not to update to 10.1.0 to get latest firmware? Again, I updated firmware through ChoiDujourNX (checked +), updated hekate (cheked +) and atmoshpere (cheked +), reboot and I got a new screen for Hekate, mmm ok, not bad, launching firmware, and NO, It didn't woked, what was missing this time? a lot of things, I get a message that said: no sighchk, after searching I finally get to here and discover that patches were missing for /bootloader/patches.ini (they are in your packs), THANKS A LOT, seriously, THANKS!

Hekate starts, AMS starts, CFW starts?, YEESSSS, long trip, uh? Not yet, there were some games not working: crazy racing kart and swordman elf, others games were fine. What was it now? I deleted crazy racing kart game and it's save and reinstall it, and nothing changed then I was going to delete swordman elf and then I thought to compare your sig patches with the one provided here: https://gbatemp.net/threads/sigpatches-for-atmosphere-fusee-primary-only.567542/ and it resulted that some patches (added files and newer version of others) were missing AND .... that's all: patches (again)

Again this tutorial, ChoiDujourNX updating app and few missing patch files (AMS 0.14.1) and now I get a fully updated switch, thanks, thanks, thanks!!!

A BIG HINT: Like @ShadowOne333 said: First update your patches to latest version, this is going to save you a lot of time.

Nice!
So basically you updated everything, except the latest patches after updating to Atmos 0.14.1/FW 10.1.0?

 

[Askot]

Nice!
So basically you updated everything, except the latest patches after updating to Atmos 0.14.1/FW 10.1.0?

Kind of, unintencionally I was updating part by part.

 

[ShadowOne333]

Kind of, unintencionally I was updating part by part.

Oh I see.
So you updated from 9.0.1 all the way up to latest 10.1.0, and you didn't have to reinstall any game after you updated the sigpatches?

 

[Askot]

Oh I see.
So you updated from 9.0.1 all the way up to latest 10.1.0, and you didn't have to reinstall any game after you updated the sigpatches?

I updated from 9.0.1 to 9.1.0, first hekate and AMS, then update firmware with choidujournx, then from 9.1.0 to 10.1.0 direct but it wasn't booting for lacking /bootloader/patches.ini for newer firmwares.
Then CFW worked in 10.1.0 but a few games were not booting: some files were missing from your sig versions compared with the ones here: https://gbatemp.net/threads/sigpatches-for-atmosphere-fusee-primary-only.567542/
Here's a screenshot:

After that every game has been working

 

[ShadowOne333]

I updated from 9.0.1 to 9.1.0, first hekate and AMS, then update firmware with choidujournx, then from 9.1.0 to 10.1.0 direct but it wasn't booting for lacking /bootloader/patches.ini for newer firmwares.
Then CFW worked in 10.1.0 but a few games were not booting: some files were missing from your sig versions compared with the ones here: https://gbatemp.net/threads/sigpatches-for-atmosphere-fusee-primary-only.567542/
Here's a screenshot:
View attachment 224143
After that every game has been working

Oh so the Hekate patches are missing one patch in particular?
You added that one and then the games that were failing, worked after copying just that specific patch only?

 

[Askot]

Oh so the Hekate patches are missing one patch in particular?
You added that one and then the games that were failing, worked after copying just that specific patch only?

From hekate, this files was missing on mines:

CFW was not booting because the lack of this entries:

I was in 9.1.0 and working because previous entries were there, but not newers.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

All remain files were equal:

 

[ShadowOne333]

From hekate, this files was missing on mines:
View attachment 224144
CFW was not booting because the lack of this entries:
View attachment 224145
I was in 9.1.0 and working because previous entries were there, but not newers.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

All remain files were equal:
View attachment 224147

Correct me if I'm wrong, but from those, the only one missing is 29CA1C792CF3AB63?
Or do you also mean that the patches.ini file was missing all of the Loader patches in it as well?
(Since I think I can see the IPS files for those being included in the fusee-primary one)

 

[Askot]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but from those, the only one missing is 29CA1C792CF3AB63?
Or do you also mean that the patches.ini file was missing all of the Loader patches in it as well?
(Since I think I can see the IPS files for those being included in the fusee-primary one)

29CA1C792CF3AB63: Yes, it was missing in your zip file, after add it to my files, plus with [9857521753F] newer file, after that, games started to boot
patches.ini: it was missing in my files, I toke that file from your [fss0 Signature patches (FW10.1.0) ATM 0.14.1.zip] and CFW started to boot

 

[ShadowOne333]

29CA1C792CF3AB63: Yes, it was missing in your zip file, after add it to my files, plus with [9857521753F] newer file after that games started to boot
patches.ini: it was missing in my files, I toke that file from your [fss0 Signature patches (FW10.1.0) ATM 0.14.1.zip] and CFW started to boot

Oh you're right.
Interestingly enough, 29CA1C792CF3AB63 and 9857521753F are referenced in the patches.ini file, but they're NOT included in the actual IPS files.
So adding both of those IPS files into the Hekate patches could help for certain games not loading up, like in your case.

 

[ShadowOne333]

I have updated the guide to take into consideration game mods when updating, as they also seem to be a factor for games not booting after updating CFW/sigpatches.

 

[hiroakihsu]

@ShadowOne333 I just found an alternative homebrew app for resetting required version on firmware 10+ you may want to update guide with:

https://gbatemp.net/threads/alternative-to-devmenu-for-9-1-0.557436/page-2#post-9079254

 

[ShadowOne333]

@ShadowOne333 I just found an alternative homebrew app for resetting required version on firmware 10+ you may want to update guide with:

https://gbatemp.net/threads/alternative-to-devmenu-for-9-1-0.557436/page-2#post-9079254

It seems to cone from this GitHub repo:
https://github.com/rashevskyv/switch/releases

Though I can't confirm which zip contains the updated DBI homebrew fir this purpose.
Could you check, please? As I'm currently about to hit the bed and can't access the zip right now.

 

[hiroakihsu]

It seems to cone from this GitHub repo:
https://github.com/rashevskyv/switch/releases

Though I can't confirm which zip contains the updated DBI homebrew fir this purpose.
Could you check, please? As I'm currently about to hit the bed and can't access the zip right now.

Just download _kefir.7z...It's in the base/switch folder.

 

[ShadowOne333]

Just download _kefir.7z...It's in the base/switch folder.

Awesome, thanks for checking!
I have just updated the OP with the new DBI app instead of DevMenu
Does it have an option to delete the game altogether like DevMenu did? Or does it only delete the RequiredUpdate flag?

 

[hiroakihsu]

Does it have an option to delete the game altogether like DevMenu did? Or does it only delete the RequiredUpdate flag?

It's got everything...Title/update/dlc installation/deletion/reset...Basically another installer app just like awoo/goldleaf.

 

[ShadowOne333]

It's got everything...Title/update/dlc installation/deletion/reset...Basically another installer app just like awoo/goldleaf.

Oh I didn't know it allowed for installing NSPs as well, good to know.
Thanks!

 

[Shozhenkolendevel]

@ShadowOne333 Lifesaver,was having issues after updating to 10.0.1 to play crysis, but then my SPTFBW and AC black flag stopped working, searched for months for a solution and it turned out your method of converting to deepsea and those sigpatches did the trick.

Much appreciated
One more query - Rebel galaxy outlaw releasing today (still waiting) - would these sigpatches work above 10.0.01 if need be?

Thanks in advance