Hacking I can't start Homebrew menu on old firmware 2.3.0. Why?

[Dust2dust]

Here's the situation. I have two Switch consoles. One is running SXOS fine, and the other one is unhacked, as of now. The unhacked virgin Switch (never ever connected to the internet) is on firmware 2.3.0. I decided to try running Atmosphere on it. So I read thoroughly a few available guides to get the general idea. I ran Hekate's latest to dump the 2.3.0 firmware first and store it safely on the PC. I then proceeded to create an emuMMC. Then I installed Atmosphere and launched it (running fusee-primary payload). Everything went smooth. I can see that emuMMC is running fine on my old firmware as seen here.

Now, my goal is to keep my eMMC (sysNAND) on the low firmware 2.3.0 in the (futile?) hope of a new exploit some day being released. And I, of course, want to update my emuMMC to the latest (10.1.0), to run the newest games. The problem is, everytime I try to start the homebrew launcher (by launching the album), I get this error screen.

I tried without and with sigpatches, starting Atmosphere directly (fusee-primary) or indirectly with Hekate, always the same result. Absolutely no apps or games are installed, so I can't try running homebrew by starting a game while pressing R. I've searched a bit and saw this page related to the issue, but the solutions given didn't work for me unfortunately. My microSD is a Sandisk, and yes I verified it's genuine, not fake. Took me hours.
So anybody have a clue what might be wrong? I know I could just update normally my sysNAND and create my emuMMC from there, but that would mean blowing all my preserved fuses and giving up on any future exploit. I know it's probably a pipe dream, but still.

 

[Lacius]

First, if you don't mind having AutoRCM installed indefinitely, your fuses will be preserved with or without an emuMMC.

Second, did you try older versions of hbmenu, like 2.0.0?

Third, please list all of the folders in \atmosphere\contents

 

[Dust2dust]

First, if you don't mind having AutoRCM installed indefinitely, your fuses will be preserved with or without an emuMMC.

Second, did you try older versions of hbmenu, like 2.0.0?

Third, please list all of the folders in \atmosphere\contents

Thanks for the answer, Lacius. I know autoRCM preserves fuses, and I will install it after I fix up this issue. But I read updating officially online will burn fuses, autoRCM or not, when the console reboots at the end of the process, as the update fixes the autoRCM brick.

I did try older versions of hbmenu, as was suggested in the link I provided above. No difference, unfortunately. But a question I have... I noticed a file called hbl.nsp in the atmosphere folder. What does it do? Does it need to be changed also when trying older hbmenu versions? What I was changing is the file hbmenu.nro in the root of the SD card.

As for the list you asked for, this is what I have.

 

[Lacius]

Thanks for the answer, Lacius. I know autoRCM preserves fuses, and I will install it after I fix up this issue. But I read updating officially online will burn fuses, autoRCM or not, when the console reboots at the end of the process, as the update fixes the autoRCM brick.

I did try older versions of hbmenu, as was suggested in the link I provided above. No difference, unfortunately. But a question I have... I noticed a file called hbl.nsp in the atmosphere folder. What does it do? Does it need to be changed also when trying older hbmenu versions? What I was changing is the file hbmenu.nro in the root of the SD card.

As for the list you asked for, this is what I have.
View attachment 219480

If you have AutoRCM installed, and you update through the system settings while running Atmosphere, AutoRCM will not be removed. Alternatively, if the NAND is dirty (and the homebrew launcher is working), you can update using ChoiDujourNX, which by default installs/keeps AutoRCM during the update process. In summary, if you are going to use AutoRCM, there is no reason to use an emuMMC. Having a sysMMC on a low system version and an emuMMC on a modern system version is only for people who a.) have an ipatched Switch, or b.) don't want to use AutoRCM.

Try replacing nx-hbloader with an older version with a date that comports with the older version of nx-hbmenu. You might also just want to try an older version of Atmosphere, deleting /atmosphere/ and /sept/ before downgrading Atmosphere.
https://github.com/switchbrew/nx-hbloader/releases
https://github.com/switchbrew/nx-hbmenu/releases

 

[Dust2dust]

Try replacing nx-hbloader with an older version with a date that comports with the older version of nx-hbmenu. You might also just want to try an older version of Atmosphere, deleting /atmosphere/ and /sept/ before downgrading Atmosphere.

Looks like you hit the nail right on the head, Lacius! I tried an old version of nx-hbloader (2.0.0) and also an old version of nx-hbmenu (2.0.0), and bang, it works! I didn't have to downgrade Atmosphere. I'm gonna try running a few homebrew (most important being choidujournx). Thanks a lot for your help! Your knowledge about Switch hacking and experience in trouble shooting is stellar!

 

[ZachyCatGames]

The hbloader version included with AMS 0.13.0 is broken on older firmwares, just updating to the latest version of hbloader would've fixed it.

 

[Dust2dust]

The hbloader version included with AMS 0.13.0 is broken on older firmwares, just updating to the latest version of hbloader would've fixed it.

I never noticed it wasn't the latest version. I should have checked more carefully. Everything fixed now, but lesson learned.