Tutorial  Updated

How to install the exFAT driver without updating!

This guide is outdated, use this easier guide instead: guide, original thread: ChoiDujourNX

*************

Warning: Use at your own risk, using a wrong version of a game dump could prevent the console from booting.

Warning: Because we install the driver without ever requesting this from Nintendo, this could be detected if you go online and result in a ban.



Intro:

How to install the exFAT driver without updating you console.
I used the game dump "Penny.Punching.Princess.NSW-BigBlueBox" on my 3.0.2 Switch.
I'm assuming you know how FG works and how to send payloads to the console before proceeding.

There are two methods of installing this:
1, Stock: Installing it to the system like a cartridge would. This works on stock firmware but exFAT support would be lost after a system update.
2, CFW: When booting Horizon via hekate, a .kip1 file will be injected. The console's eMMC remains unaltered and will not have the driver loaded when booting normally and not via hekate.

Method 1, Stock:

Necessities:

- A console with firmware version 2.0 or higher (does not work on 1.0.0)
- A Game dump with an update on it that is the same version as the console (tested: trimmed xci works)
- Switch encryption keys (these can't be shared, Google 'nswroms' to find them)
- patch.zip: link
- TegraRcmGUI / TegraRcmSmash (TegraRcmGUI)
- memloader (https://switchtools.sshnuke.net/)
- HacDiskMount (https://switchtools.sshnuke.net/)

Steps:

step 1: Copy the contents of the sample directory of memloaderv1.zip to the root of your SD card.
step 2: Enter RCM using your prefered method: how-to-test-fusee-gelee.
step 3: Inject the memloader.bin payload that is located inside of memloaderv1.zip.
step 4: Select 'ums_emmc.ini' by navigating with the volume buttons and confirming with the power button.
step 5: open HacDiskMount as administrator and select 'Linux UMS disk 0':
9niP3aA.png
step 6: Double click BCPKG2-1-Normal-Main and a window will pop-up:
jl6PSBZ.png
step 7: Use the 'Start' button in the 'Dump to file' section to extract the partition.
step 8: (!) Create a backup of BCPKG2-1-Normal-Main.bin and store it somewhere safe.
step 9: Create a new directory and extract the contents of patch.zip into it.
step 10: Copy the game dump and BCPKG2-1-Normal-Main.bin to the same directory.
step 11: Create a file named keys.txt in the same directory.
step 12: Copy all of the Switch encryption keys to this file.
The keys.txt file should contain at least the following keys, replace the ... with the keys you found online.

master_key_00 = ...
master_key_01 = ...
master_key_02 = ...
master_key_03 = ...
master_key_04 = ...
aes_kek_generation_source = ...
aes_key_generation_source = ...
key_area_key_application_source = ...
header_kek_source = ...
header_key_source = ...
step 13: Inside of the directory we created, drag the game dump .xci onto the patch.bat file.
step 14: If the process executed successfully you should see something like this:
qfxpqd7.png

(The number of bytes can vary)
(Don't worry about the 'Failed to match key' warnings)
step 15: Go back to HacDiskMount and click on 'Browse' in the 'Restore from file' section and select BCPKG2-1-Normal-Main.bin that we just patched.
step 16: Close the pop-up window and doucle click on BCPKG2-2-Normal-Sub.
step 17: Repeat step 15 and restore the same BCPKG2-1-Normal-Main.bin file (optional, but advised).
step 18: Hold the power button on your Switch for 12 seconds to turn it off and then boot it again to see the results!

Results:

Before:
eJvxiBb.jpg

H0NszhP.jpg

After:
B5BL3UT.jpg

dqmIIc4.png

Credits:

@Raugo for creating the original Spanish tutotial: link

Method 2, CFW:

Necessities:

- Everything from method 1, except: memloader and HacDiskMount
- sdfiles.zip (https://github.com/tumGER/SDFilesSwitch/releases)
- hekate (https://github.com/CTCaer/hekate/releases)

Steps:

step 1: Create a new directory and extract the contents of patch.zip into it.
step 2: Copy the game dump to the same directory.
step 3: Create a file named keys.txt in the same directory.
step 4: Copy all of the Switch encryption keys to this file.
The keys.txt file should contain at least the following keys, replace the ... with the keys you found online.

master_key_00 = ...
master_key_01 = ...
master_key_02 = ...
master_key_03 = ...
master_key_04 = ...
aes_kek_generation_source = ...
aes_key_generation_source = ...
key_area_key_application_source = ...
header_kek_source = ...
header_key_source = ...
step 6: Inside of the directory we created, drag the game dump .xci onto the patch-cfw.bat file.
step 7: If the process executed successfully you should see something like this:
8tVdyio.png

step 8: Copy the file FS.kip1 that was just created in the 'out' directory, to the root of your SD card.
step 8: Copy the contents of sdfiles.zip to the root of your SD card.
step 9: On your SD card, open hekate_ipl.ini inside of a text editor.
step 10: Add the following line below each boot entry that you want to inject:
Code:
kip1=FS.kip1
A boot entry is a line that starts with [ and ends with ], for example:
Code:
[CFW]
kip1=modules/newfirm/loader.kip
kip1=modules/newfirm/sm.kip
kip1=FS.kip1
step 11: Put the SD card back into your Switch.
step 12: Enter RCM using your prefered method: how-to-test-fusee-gelee.
step 13: Inject the hekate.bin payload

After booting hekate and selecting either 'stock' or 'CFW' from the 'Launch firmware' section, the exFAT driver will be injected!
 
Last edited by Quantumcat,

Whovian NineThreeSixNine

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Couldn't Nintendo theoretically detect this?

As my friend points out:

The entire reason for the separate exFAT driver is presumably so nintendo doesn't have to pay exFAT licensing if someone doesn't use it
So if they detect someone has the exFAT kernel installed when they never officially downloaded it, ban
 
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GerbilSoft

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I would caution that because this bypasses Nintendo's official update system, it *may* be detectable, but not in the way you might think.

Normally, when you first use an exFAT card, it has to do an online system update. Nintendo presumably has a separate exFAT kernel in order to reduce licensing costs; they only pay the fees for each Switch that actually uses an SDXC card. Hence, that system update doesn't just install the exFAT kernel; it also sets a flag somewhere on a server indicating that the user has used an SDXC card.

Cartridges might include the exFAT kernel in the update partition, but as far as I know, it only gets installed if you went through with the online exFAT update first.

Hence, if Nintendo detects that the system is running the exFAT kernel, but never properly registered this fact, they could potentially ban your system.

EDIT: Beaten by a few seconds. :V
 

TunaKetchup

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Couldn't Nintendo theoretically detect this?

As my friend points out:

The entire reason for the separate exFAT driver is presumably so nintendo doesn't have to pay exFAT licensing if someone doesn't use it
So if they detect someone has the exFAT kernel installed when they never officially downloaded it, ban

You are modifying the console so yes you could get banned
-snip-
 

DocKlokMan

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Anyone willing to try this on a lower firmware, then update to the latest and see if anything messes up? When updating through the internet, the Switch will download the exFAT version of the update only if you previously opted-in for the download previously. Nintendo keeps track of which Switch's have opted in because they license out the exFAT driver on a per device cost. Updating online may remove the exFAT update if you're not listed as opted-in or you may just get banned or it could error or it could brick if the OS is updated but the exFAT patch is not. Anyone willing to be a guinea pig?
 

INobody

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They could if they really go out of their way to ban users, I added an extra warning to the OP.
To prevent this stay offline (you can’t do anything online). Keep a Nand Backup from before installing this. If Emunand gets released, create an emunand with the clean backup and install the update via normal means to set a potential flag on Ns servers.

Should be no downsides since you literally can’t do anything online if you are on lower fw
 

xenocracy_2001

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Ok now i have Exfat Support, Thank You for this.
But i don't understand step 16 not.

step 15: Go back to HacDiskMount and click on 'Browse' in the 'Restore from file' section and select BCPKG2-1-Normal-Main.bin that we just patched.
step 16: Close the pop-up window and doucle click on BCPKG2-2-Normal-Sub.bin.
step 17: Repeat step 15 and restore the same BCPKG2-1-Normal-Main.bin file (optional, but advised).
step 18: Hold the power button on your Switch for 15 seconds to turn it off and then boot it again to see the results!

?:
Do i Dump BCPKG2-2-Normal-Sub.bin and Restore done with nothing do on it ?.
Or Restore the new BCPKG2-1-Normal-Main.bin as BCPKG2-2-Normal-Sub.bin into BCPKG2-2-Normal-Sub ?
 
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riyyi

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Ok now i have Exfat Support, Thank You for this.
But i don't understand step 16 not.

Do i Dump BCPKG2-2-Normal-Sub.bin and Restore done with nothing do on it ?.
Or Restore the new BCPKG2-1-Normal-Main.bin as BCPKG2-2-Normal-Sub.bin into BCPKG2-2-Normal-Sub ?
Glad to see you got it working, by step 16 I mean the second thing you posted, you restore the new BCPKG2-1-Normal-Main.bin into BCPKG2-2-Normal-Sub. It's just a backup partition that holds the same data, the official install does this as well.
 
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