This thread is outdated
A lot of information in this thread is heavilly out of date.
If you have time, and have Staff permission, feel free to edit this thread and remove this statement once necessary.

Some information that needs to be addressed:

• SX OS and Atmosphere now supports proper LayeredFS, instructions for using it has changed since this tutorial was made
• Supported Firmware information is out of date
• LFSKit needs to be updated to properly support non 5.x.x firmware
• Compatability chart needs to be re-made

-PRAGMA

WARNING

• DO NOT GO ONLINE WHEN DOING THIS (YOU WILL BE BANNED)

How to use LayeredFS for Backup Loading

Firmware Supported: ONLY 5.x.x
Use the PRAGMA LFS Kit below.

PRAGMA's LFS Kit

DOWNLOAD
SOURCE

• Go from NOTHING in your SD Card to playing a game backup in a few clicks!
• Decrypt .XCI -> romfs/exefs folder with main.nmpd auto edited aswell as folder's name auto renamed to donor titleid
• Download NOTHING except LFSKit!

ENJOY!

Picking a Donor Title and getting Donor TitleIDRunning Game Backups!

1. 
   
   1. A donor title is the application we will run to open the backup.
      Pick a game you don't care about (Download a Demo or a free game from eShop, for example Octopath Demo)
      saves are something no one knows much about, we don't fully know where or how they are stored.
      They might overwrite the donor titles save, so seriously pick a game you DONT care about, not a game you rarely play.
      
      
   2. I also recommend picking a donor title/game combo that has been tested and reported working just so you know if YOU did something wrong or not.
   3. Find the TitleID of the donor title you chose from http://nswdb.com or http://switchbrew.org/index.php?title=Title_list/Games
      Region must be the same, choose the TitleID for the base-game NOT for the update title, even if your updated.
2. 
   
   1. Once again, boot into Hekate-IPL (Step 1).
   2. Enter "Launch firmware" and select "RomFS".
   3. Your now in your system's home menu.
   4. Open the Donor Title you set the TitleID of on that folder and .npmd file earlier.
   5. The game will load up flawlessly.
      If you opened the Title lets say, Fortnite, and Fortnite booted, the titleid of the folder in sd:/atmosphere/titles/{fortnitetitleid} doesnt exist, or doesnt start with 0100.
      If it gives you an error screen, either you didnt edit the main.npmd properly, or its an incompatible title/donor combo.
   To see which games work and which dont using which donor titles, look below.
   If you notice that you used a combination of Game and Donor title that isnt in the list below, post in the thread and I will add it. (look under to see what I need to add to chart).
   

Troubleshooting

• Black Screen/Infinitely Loading
  Leave it for around 5 minutes then press the home button and go back into the game without closing it. Often this can do the job.
• Freeze when Loading
  Close the game and try again, its a common occurence, you may have to try up to 4-5 times before getting it to work, sometimes you may even have to reboot between retries.

 

[szczuru]

Is there any way to extract romfs?

 

[NeoSlyde]

I’m surprised there is still people interested in this method

 

[Leozairus]

Change in system (console) to another lanuage

So I installed everything correctly. I wanted to play Lost Sphear as a backup, used Fortnite as a donor. It starts, but the game is in japanese. Is there any workaround? I used the multi language version.

Change console language or change donor

 

[windhazard]

I’m surprised there is still people interested in this method

Because it's free and quite simple once you get it working?

It's good enough till a true backup loader be released.

 

[NeoSlyde]

Because it's free and quite simple once you get it working?

It's good enough till a true backup loaders be released.

A true free backup loader you mean

also enjoy your ban

 

[windhazard]

A true free backup loader you mean

also enjoy your ban

You are talking as if SX OS is free from ban. No one can tell yet. Yes I enjoy free stuffs that's why I am here.

 

[obtainr]

I don't get why the hate with people using a free method, I mean you guys are just as bad using something that is paid to play "backup up roms"
You're no better than people who use an extra step or two maybe some don't have a choice like myself who want to keep my fuses intact for future easier methods of untetheredness but bought the SX OS anyway.

 

[NeoSlyde]

I don't get why the hate with people using a free method, I mean you guys are just as bad using something that is paid to play "backup up roms"
You're no better than people who use an extra step or two maybe some don't have a choice like myself who want to keep my fuses intact for future easier methods of untetheredness but bought the SX OS anyway.

I didn’t said I hate them

I saw the banwave that banned LFS users and it was surprising that people still use it
Maybe they just don’t care about Nintendo Shitty Online Service

 

[windhazard]

I didn’t said I hate them

I saw the banwave that banned LFS users and it was surprising that people still use it
Maybe they just don’t care about Nintendo Shitty Online Service

Well there you got it. I couldn't care less about online with NX. If I want to play online multiplayer, I would choose PC or PS4 over NX anytime.

And where's the proof that SX OS users won't be banned?

 

[NeoSlyde]

Well there you got it. I couldn't care less about online with NX. If I want to play online multiplayer, I would choose PC or PS4 over NX anytime.

And where's the proof that SX OS users won't be banned?

Well there is no proof and you are right, sx os users will maybe get banned at some part of the time

But now LFS already got their ban wave going on...
You get my point?

 

[windhazard]

Well there is no proof and you are right, sx os users will maybe get banned at some part of the time

But now LFS already got their ban wave going on...
You get my point?

I get your point. LFS is free but has a high risk of ban, while SX OS users are not banned (yet) but is not free. So both methods has their pro and con. For people who don't care getting banned, LFS has its use.

The funny thing is, that you talked from the start as if SX OS is superior in every way:

I’m surprised there is still people interested in this method

 

[NeoSlyde]

I get your point. LFS is free but has a high risk of ban, while SX OS users are not banned (yet) but is not free. So both methods has their pro and con. For people who don't care getting banned, LFS has its use.

The funny thing is, that you talked from the start as if SX OS is superior in every way:

No at all
I won’t be surprised if SX OS will integrate a better LFS so we can play DLCs and mod our games

 

[windhazard]

No at all
I won’t be surprised if SX OS will integrate a better LFS so we can play DLCs and mod our games

Honestly you are just making excuses to justify your purchase at this point. What you said is mere speculation and just look at the 3DS scene, Gateway/Skygate are obsolete now that free CFWs like Luma and ReiSix are released.

 

[NeoSlyde]

Honestly you are just making excuses to justify your purchase at this point. What you said is mere speculation and just look at the 3DS scene, Gateway/Skygate are obsolete now that free CFWs like Luma and ReiSix are released.

Lol what the fuck?
Nice bait

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

I tried to make your shitty LFS important xD

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

I’m totally satisfied with sx os which is at least 1000times better than your shitty LFS
Keep waiting one year for something like sx os which won’t be even better

 

[bananarama]

Is there an up-to-date detailed guide on how to use LayeredFS starting with a XCI file? I keep reading about people using guides that aren't the OP's but I can't possibly read 74 pages :x

Thanks a lot!

 

[obtainr]

One annoying thing about layeredFS is how we need to keep restarting the switch and rebooting the whole RCM process. Switching games is a bloody pain and most times will fail same as save games.
Just that alone is the reason I got the SX OS I can switch titles easily and saves work, even without a JIG or a RCM pusher cable mobile dongle carried around 24/7.

So hurry up SX OS and properly implement the unburnt fuse method so some of us can use it properly.

Is there an up-to-date detailed guide on how to use LayeredFS starting with a XCI file? I keep reading about people using guides that aren't the OP's but I can't possibly read 74 pages :x

Thanks a lot!

My tutorial should point in a quick direction from even a switch 1.0 all the way to a layeredfs.

Why not just read the front page of gbatemp or even go to switch tutorials?

 

[fanapathy]

Guide not good, shouldn't be stickied. New guide from someone who can explain properly to people who have no knowledge would be nice. I ran into all sorts of roadblocks to figure out myself by trial and error and reading other threads, only to have it still not work as claimed. This thread is full of people having issues with the guide in OP

 

[bananarama]

My tutorial should point in a quick direction from even a switch 1.0 all the way to a layeredfs.

Why not just read the front page of gbatemp or even go to switch tutorials?

Well regarding the part I'm interested in your guide says "For backing up, modifying backups and playing backups these might help and of course google is your friend." which leads me here again.

 

[obtainr]

Well regarding the part I'm interested in your guide says "For backing up, modifying backups and playing backups these might help and of course google is your friend." which leads me here again.

PRAGMAsLayeredFSKit.exe
XCI2TitleConverter.exe

See them piece of software once you run it, it does everything for you. I am assuming you have the basics done though which is obtaining the keys.

Once you have that just run them software open the rom and click on a game you have installed. Bam directory generated with a rom you can chuck into your atmosphere folder.

Even pragmas software has some guides and direction built into the app to make it noob friendly.

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

The scene is just moving tooo fast for anyone to update their guides and for people even putting up guides like myself who combined all the knowledge i learnt from it thus far from a week of researching myself who knew nothing from the start.

Just be grateful.

 

[bananarama]

PRAGMAsLayeredFSKit.exe
XCI2TitleConverter.exe

See them piece of software once you run it, it does everything for you. I am assuming you have the basics done though which is obtaining the keys.

Once you have that just run them software open the rom and click on a game you have installed. Bam directory generated with a rom you can chuck into your atmosphere folder.

Even pragmas software has some guides and direction built into the app to make it noob friendly.

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

The scene is just moving tooo fast for anyone to update their guides and for people even putting up guides like myself who combined all the knowledge i learnt from it thus far from a week of researching myself who knew nothing from the start.

Just be grateful.

I am grateful, I'm just equally confused

Is it normal that the output folder is waaay smaller in size than the original XCI? (it also contains an "ORIGINAL_name.xci" file at 0 bytes).