Hacking Question How to merge two SD card's contents (Switch games)

[lordelan]

I've got a 64 GB FAT32 card which I've been using for some time now.
Unfortunately I can't install NSPs bigger than 4 GB to it so I used another card, which has 32 GB and formatted it to exFAT.
Then I installed the games there and copied over the sd:\Nintendo\Contents\registered\ folder from it to my 64 GB FAT32 card.
Since installed games don't have files bigger than 4 GB that was no problem.
However if I insert that SD back into my Switch, all games I had on it previously are still working but the two I installed temporarely on the smaller exFAT card and copied over manually appear as cloud games and have to be "redownloaded".
How can I tell my Switch they're on there now?

Does it have something to do with the sd:\Nintendo\Contents\private file or the sd:\Nintendo\Contents\placehId folder?
Because that folder was empty on my 64 GB FAT32 card but there were folders in it on my 32 GB exFAT card which I copied over now.

 

[Duhasst0]

I want to say there's a key you need somewhere but I'm not sure.

 

[RobCat030]

I had the same problem. You can just redownload the contents if you've paid for them/can go online safely, or you can install the games and updates via nsp and tinfoil, now that you're using an exfat card.

Nintendo says you can move contents between cards, but I think you have to do that before installing things on the new card, otherwise it writes a new registry for the card. (I think)

 

[jajamundo]

Do this. Copy all your files on the 64GB SD Card to your computer. Ten format it to exfat. Copy again all the files from your computer yo the 64GB SD Card

This should work

 

[lordelan]

Do this. Copy all your files on the 64GB SD Card to your computer. Ten format it to exfat. Copy again all the files from your computer yo the 64GB SD Card

This should work

I'm aware of this but I want to stay on FAT32 for compatibility reasons (RetroArch). Seems like I definitely have to wait for Tinfoil's net install feature although I can't imagine how that avoids things ...

 

[Ian095]

You might be able to copy the partition to the other SD by creating the available space. It is possible to replicate the entirety of a partition to a new (partition free) SD, then expand said partition. Therefore surely it's possible to copy the partition over somehow? You need a partitioning program to try it since device manager isn't capable of such things. It's surely possible but no guarantees I'd expect you'd end up corrupting it if it were possible. Since both would share similar files I'd expect something bad to happen if the option is available.

I did it in regards to Luma3DS my old sd was required for the system to boot, therefore to correct the new SD not working I replicated the partition onto the new SD then expanded it to fill all the free space, but I'm not sure if what I said is possible or if you can have 2 partitions on one SD then somehow merge them. It sounds like the most viable options other than just redownloading the content. Maybe look it up and see if it's possible, trust me though I'd expect something to get corrupt IF it's possible. Since you'd be merging what probably is two very similar file contents which may differ slightly (suggesting you can, I'd expect so).

 

[ichibaka]

No harm in reinstalling nsp again, it'll skip existing files but now register the game as installed correctly.

 

[bundat]

I'd try the following process:

1. Empty the 32 GB exFAT card
2. Copy everything in the Nintendo folder from the 64 GB FAT32 card, to the 32 GB exFAT card, except for the game files i.e. excluding the registered folder. This is in case there is some type of "database" file on the card that gets updated when you install a game.
3. Install the game on the 32 GB exFAT card
4. Copy EVERYTHING from the 32GB exFAT card back onto the 64 GB FAT32 card, including all extra files outside the registered folder.

If I had microSD cards to spare, I'd try it myself, as this topic piqued my curiosity a bit. I know everyone will say "just reinstall it", but that's the uninteresting way of fixing this. Doing "experiments" like this seems like fun to me.

Also, if you ever get this to work, you can probably imitate the drag-and-drop convenience of XCIs by backing up the "registered" folder of each game. You can just install all your NSPs one after the other, backing up the generated registered folder each time before freeing up card space for the next game. Then you can just swap out folders similar to how SX OS users can easily swap out XCI files.

 

[Bellebite2000]

32 and 64 GB card in 2018? LOL.
I had those in my 3DS 2 millions years ago.

 

[lordelan]

Thanks for all your tips guys.

I'd try the following process:

1. Empty the 32 GB exFAT card
2. Copy everything in the Nintendo folder from the 64 GB FAT32 card, to the 32 GB exFAT card, except for the game files i.e. excluding the registered folder. This is in case there is some type of "database" file on the card that gets updated when you install a game.
3. Install the game on the 32 GB exFAT card
4. Copy EVERYTHING from the 32GB exFAT card back onto the 64 GB FAT32 card, including all extra files outside the registered folder.

If I had microSD cards to spare, I'd try it myself, as this topic piqued my curiosity a bit. I know everyone will say "just reinstall it", but that's the uninteresting way of fixing this. Doing "experiments" like this seems like fun to me.

Also, if you ever get this to work, you can probably imitate the drag-and-drop convenience of XCIs by backing up the "registered" folder of each game. You can just install all your NSPs one after the other, backing up the generated registered folder each time before freeing up card space for the next game. Then you can just swap out folders similar to how SX OS users can easily swap out XCI files.

You are one of the very few people here who actually really understood what my issue is. I'll try that, thanks!

32 and 64 GB card in 2018? LOL.
I had those in my 3DS 2 millions years ago.

Size doesn't matter for this issue. This is about transfering games between two active cards and nothing else but thanks for letting me know that I should be ashamed to use such small cards in 2018.

 

[susi91]

I'll try that, thanks!

Did it work?

edit: I've tried it.. works fine

 

[lordelan]

Did it work?

Worked for me too, german Susi