Tutorial  Updated

How to flash the HWFLY Clone chips

See below for updates.

IF YOU BREAK YOUR BOOT0 PIN. DO NOT DM ME ASKING FOR HELP. THAT'S IT. YOU BREAK THAT PIN AND YOU CANT FLASH. YOUR CHIP IS STUCK WITH WHATEVER HWFLY PUT ON IT


Pre-requisites:




  • Raspberry Pi Zero W
    • You may use another flasher if you desire.
  • Pinout Diagram
  • Modchip Diagram
  • FULL_CHIP_STOCK.bin
  • Modchip Diagram, find the PA9(TX) and the PA10(RX) pins on your modchip, and do the following:
    • Connect GPIO14(TX) on your Raspberry Pi Zero W to the PA10(RX) pin on your modchip.
    • Connect GPIO15(RX) on your Raspberry Pi Zero W to the PA9(TX) pin on your modchip.

  1. Solder a wire to each of the following pinouts on the Raspberry Pi Zero W:
    • 3.3V
    • Ground
    • GPIO 14 (UART TX)
    • GPIO 15 (UART RX)
  2. Do the following to prepare the modchip:
    1. Lift pin 44 (also known as BOOT0).
    2. You will need a way to power the chip, so you need to find two 3.3v points. It can be on a MOSFET, but it will differ based on the revision of the modchip.
    3. Connect Ground on your Raspberry Pi Zero W to the Ground pin on your modchip.
    4. Check the Modchip Diagram, find the PA9(TX) and the PA10(RX) pins on your modchip, and do the following:
      • Connect GPIO14(TX) on your Raspberry Pi Zero W to the PA10(RX) pin on your modchip.
      • Connect GPIO15(RX) on your Raspberry Pi Zero W to the PA9(TX) pin on your modchip.
  3. Boot your Raspberry Pi Zero W and do the following:
    1. In the terminal, type the following command, and press enter:
      Bash:
      sudo nano /boot/config.txt
    2. Add the following line to the end of the file:
      INI:
      dtoverlay=pi3-miniuart-bt
    3. Press CTRL + X to save and exit the editor.
    4. In the terminal, type the following command, and press enter:
      Bash:
      sudo nano /boot/cmdline.txt
    5. Remove the following line from the file:
      INI:
      console=serial0,115200
    6. Press CTRL + X to save and exit the editor.
    7. Restart your Raspberry Pi with this command
      Bash:
      sudo /sbin/reboot
    8. In the terminal, type the following commands, and press enter after each command:

      Bash:
      git clone https://github.com/Pheeeeenom/stm32flash.git
      cd stm32flash
      sudo make install
  4. Now you will flash the modchip.
    Note: This will remove read protection, and the modchip will wipe itself (that is what we want).
    1. In the terminal, type the following command, and press enter:
      Bash:
      stm32flash -k /dev/serial0
    2. Now to flash Spacecraft-NX Version 0.2.0, type the following, and press enter:
      Bash:
      stm32flash -v -w ./FULL_CHIP_STOCK.bin /dev/serial0
  5. Once you're done flashing your modchip, remove the wiring from the modchip, and restore the 3.3v pin on the modchip to its original position.

Please post pictures of your work here to further the identification of the different board revisions!


UPDATE: So it seems like stitching the spacecraft bootloader and firmware together from the repo causes unstable glitching behaviors. For now, consistent glitching behavior works with this bootload/firmware combo.
This is the original file on the OLED variant chip which has 0.2.0 spacecraft. As for glitching, I'll figure it out, give me some time...unless someone else wants to hop in and reverse the differences.

For now, this at least solves the 0.1.0 HWFLY gen 3 issue. More to come.

UPDATE 2: This is only going to work on some HWFLY chips. Older ones use higher protection than the new revisions that seem to use the QFN FPGA.

UPDATE 3: This should fully work on OLED modchips with the QFN FPGA. https://github.com/Pheeeeenom/firmware
 
Last edited by Mena,

Newtype

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Well, i installed it, it works as i saw the No SD and then the No bin screen after soldering it in.
No idea if i will be able to update the chip in the future though?
Anyone made the same mistake as i did and who could clarify if my only option to update is via an external programmer?
 
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Hongtm77

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Hi, guys. I'm having issue on my switch lite! I'm getting the boot loop while the led is flashing purple then boot to OFW when the LED turns red. Here is the video of what happened:-



Please help!! 🙏 😭😭
 

urherenow

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Hey,

Just a question, i tried to flash it but accidentally tried it with the usb port upside down.
it flashes the yellow light just once.
Did it harm my hwfly chip?

Update: Well, i installed it, it works as i saw the No SD and then the No bin screen after soldering it in.
No idea if i will be able to update the chip in the future though?
Anyone made the same mistake as i did and who could clarify if my only option to update is via an external programmer?
I can't speak for the chip you're using, but with the OLED chip, it's an immediate brick of the USB function, and will need an external flasher (and soldering to hook it up). BUT... (also with OLED chip) the sdloader can be installed and firmware as well, with the hwfly-nx toolbox. AFAIK, the bootloader part is only necessary to make the LEDs flash the way the example chart shows on the hwfly-nx firmware github page. The sdloader part will still prevent wrong voltages and sd/ram incompatibilities, and the firmware part can still improve glitching times, if they're a problem for you.
 
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FR0ZN

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Hi, thanks for the response. May I know what you mean by qsb? Sorry I'm a noob
QSB = Quick Solder Board.

The lite comes with 2 QSBs (or flex cables).
One for the SoC and the other for the eMMC/NAND points (the smaller ones).

Check the connections on the smaller QSB.
 
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leonmagnus99

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I've got an oled now, and i must say the screen is beautiful.
how stable are these hwfly chips?

in particular the latest v4.

i wouldn't want to splash 300quids on the chip+installation and have it go defect/or the need to redo some shiz with the chip.

I'll either cfw it or sell, the switch is super boring online.

I've got mario kart and some other stuff but the switch boring without cfw.

I've got a v1 with ams and it's neat.

if anyone's here with that hwflyv4 thing and thinks it is safe i might consider selling my v1 and mod this oled.
 

l7777

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I've got an oled now, and i must say the screen is beautiful.
how stable are these hwfly chips?

in particular the latest v4.

i wouldn't want to splash 300quids on the chip+installation and have it go defect/or the need to redo some shiz with the chip.

I'll either cfw it or sell, the switch is super boring online.

I've got mario kart and some other stuff but the switch boring without cfw.

I've got a v1 with ams and it's neat.

if anyone's here with that hwflyv4 thing and thinks it is safe i might consider selling my v1 and mod this oled.
You want the one with the QSB for the CPU and 6 solder points. I have one on my OLED and after getting the DAT0 adapter in a good position it has been flawless with the HWFLY-NX 0.6.2 firmware.
 

leonmagnus99

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You want the one with the QSB for the CPU and 6 solder points. I have one on my OLED and after getting the DAT0 adapter in a good position it has been flawless with the HWFLY-NX 0.6.2 firmware.
what's the hwfly nx?
the version the ppl have here is the v4 ones (they call them the updateable chips) lol ..

but yeah hearing some ppl getting into crashes or possibly overheating?

is disheartening
 

l7777

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what's the hwfly nx?
the version the ppl have here is the v4 ones (they call them the updateable chips) lol ..

but yeah hearing some ppl getting into crashes or possibly overheating?

is disheartening
Not sure how exactly to answer this, you posted in a thread dedicated to the HWFLY-NX firmware.

I don't see how crashes and overheating are related to the modchips unless people are massively overclocking or don't get the heat sync reinstalled properly.

You want the one that looks like this.
 

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leonmagnus99

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Not sure how exactly to answer this, you posted in a thread dedicated to the HWFLY-NX firmware.

I don't see how crashes and overheating are related to the modchips unless people are massively overclocking or don't get the heat sync reinstalled properly.

You want the one that looks like this.
thanks mate, and that one in picture is good huh.
can you pull out sd card safely?

i read ppl getting into issues with pulling out sd
 

l7777

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thanks mate, and that one in picture is good huh.
can you pull out sd card safely?

i read ppl getting into issues with pulling out sd
Not to minimize anyone who has run into an issue with the SD card reader but if you read enough and you'll find someone who has a problem with everything. I believe those having issues are using the V1/2 switch. The OLED has a different SD card mechanism. That said it is a mechanical thing and will eventually wear out, only time will tell when. Finally, you can mount the SD card as a USB drive from Hekate so there really is no reason to remove it unless you can't boot to Hekate.
 
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leonmagnus99

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Not to minimize anyone who has run into an issue with the SD card reader but if you read enough and you'll find someone who has a problem with everything. I believe those having issues are using the V1/2 switch. The OLED has a different SD card mechanism. That said it is a mechanical thing and will eventually wear out, only time will tell when. Finally, you can mount the SD card as a USB drive from Hekate so there really is no reason to remove it unless you can't boot to Hekate.
okay to make the story short, there's someone that can solder the hwfly v4 chip in it for me , and id just like to know if that stuff is stable.

one more thing, he told me to send sd card with it so he could install emummc in it for me, can you play the switch online within ofw that way or what up?

and also if i sent him 128gb card and he installed stuff for me on there, can i simply drag and drop the content into a bigger card later on?
 

urherenow

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okay to make the story short, there's someone that can solder the hwfly v4 chip in it for me
You'd have to look at a pic of what you're ordering and match it with the pic @l7777 posted. I just googled hwfly v4 and got aliexpress results that show no less than 3 different chips that say they are v4. Also a set of ONLY FLEX CABLES that are labeled v4. The pic up above is exactly what you want. I destroyed an OLED learning how to install it, but on my second attempt, I couldn't be happier. Haven't had 1 issue booting into nyx/hekate.

Just wish the interested devs would get enough donations to buy the necessary tools to engineer a new coreboot for Mariko already. For now, I'm holding onto my Erista for Android and Linux. No modchip is going to help with that at the moment...
 
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l7777

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one more thing, he told me to send sd card with it so he could install emummc in it for me, can you play the switch online within ofw that way or what up?

and also if i sent him 128gb card and he installed stuff for me on there, can i simply drag and drop the content into a bigger card later on?
The idea behind emummc, or emunand, is that you get two switch operating environments. This allows you to do less official (homebrew, etc...) things on the emunand side and continue to play your purchased games on the sysnand. In theory it should also keep you off the ban list but there is always that risk as no one know exactly what Nintendo checks for.

Migrating to a larger SD card can be done but not necessarily drag and drop depending on how the emunand is configured. I would say go big to start with, either 256 or 512.
 

randy_w

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I just googled hwfly v4 and got aliexpress results that show no less than 3 different chips that say they are v4.
Yeah right now they are calling those flashable chips v3 and v4, before they called it "classic chip" and "oled specific". Whatever they name it, there are only 2 variants for oled. The flashable one has a usb adapter and doesn't come with qsb ribbon:

1651944871829.png


The unflashable stone chip comes with a qsb ribbon but has no usb adapter:
1651944846166.png


Pretty easy to identify.


and id just like to know if that stuff is stable.
The flashable chip is very stable, it only failed once and the console booted straight to ofw. The unflashable chip is worse in terms of stability, it will fail to glitch the console once in about 20 reboots. Also the glitching time is longer (just a few seconds tho, no big deal).
 

leonmagnus99

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Yeah right now they are calling those flashable chips v3 and v4, before they called it "classic chip" and "oled specific". Whatever they name it, there are only 2 variants for oled. The flashable one has a usb adapter and doesn't come with qsb ribbon:

View attachment 309137

The unflashable stone chip comes with a qsb ribbon but has no usb adapter:
View attachment 309136

Pretty easy to identify.



The flashable chip is very stable, it only failed once and the console booted straight to ofw. The unflashable chip is worse in terms of stability, it will fail to glitch the console once in about 20 reboots. Also the glitching time is longer (just a few seconds tho, no big deal).
sweet so the one labeled Oled Chip in picture that's the good one where you can also update the fw and stuff
 

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Hi, yesterday my Switch OLED wont turn on. The HWfly LED pulses purple, and then solid red. So i've desoldered the emmc point on the chip, and soldered again. Now the console starts without problem. But this is my second time that this happens. The console wont start like this, always when i leave the console charging too long (like 24h+). Any ideas?
 

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