Tutorial  Updated

How to use LayeredFS for Backup Loading + What Games Work/Don't

This thread is outdated
A lot of information in this thread is heavilly out of date.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  • Supported Firmware information is out of date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!

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Picking a Donor Title and getting Donor TitleIDRunning Game Backups!


    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.

    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.
 
Last edited by PRAGMA,

Zumoly

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That would be rad. Is this an older trick from the 3DS days?
No. It's a suggestion/idea I came up with.
I wonder how it could be implemented though. We do have programs like Checkpoint or Nuts that can write on the internal memory...or even boginstaller.

which file exactly please? and how do i use it with layeredfs?
You have to extract the biggest nca file from the secure folder and decrypt that.

how to check my key.ini is complete and need no more keys because i keep getting
0 0
Failed to read section! with hollow knight ??

Why do i always get "section 0 is corrupted" what is wrong?

Section 0 is corrupt or failed to read section are errors related to your title keys. You need the correct ones to decrypt the exefs folder out of the nca file.
 
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PeterGemp

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@Zumoly My biggest fear is currently that Atmosphere with sigpatches will be out in a week and all the work we're currently putting into testing game-donor-combinations and stuff like that goes all out of the window. :D
Here's to my GBATemp addiction..

Confirmed working:
Resident Evil Revelations 1
Donor: Namco Museum Pac-Man VS. DEMO

Oceanhorn
Donor: Oceanhorn DEMO

Steamworld Dig 1
Donor: Violett DEMO

GoNNER
Donor: Disgaea 5 Complete DEMO

Hollow Knight
Donor: Shining Resonance DEMO

Manticore - Galaxy on Fire 3
Donor: Pinball FX3

Rayman Legends
Donor: Super Chariot DEMO

Super Chariot
Donor: Super Chariot DEMO

Worms WMD
Donor: Robonauts DEMO

FAST RMX
Donor: Fortnite
 
Last edited by PeterGemp,

Zumoly

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@Zumoly My biggest fear is currently that Atmosphere with sigpatches will be out in a week and all the work we're currently putting into testing game-donor-combinations and stuff like that goes all out of the windows.

I've been thinking the exact same way:)!
At least it would have been a fun learning adventure!

----------

is it possible to run dlc or update with layeredfs game ??

Possible but not all games will work with updates. Check here for more info: https://gbatemp.net/threads/manually-updating-romfs-bin-for-backups.509834/
 
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Zumoly

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I have a question about the save sizes. what does this mean? where can I get more documentation on it?

Save size is the actual file size supported by the game folder that it allows to be created. Say for instance you want to layer Pokken Tournament which requires 100mb save size, it might launch with a game of 1mb save size but won't be able to save!
You can determine save size from the devmenu if you have it installed.
 
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DigitalDNA

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Finally got romFS working. Didn't realize that the game you want to set as donor ex:fortnite had to already be downloaded to the system first. Took me like 6 hours, but finally ran a backup!
 

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