Hardware Is exFAT still a bad idea?

[Dt123]

As per the title, was the issue fixed with cfw or is it still an issue?

I'm upgrading my sd card so I'd like to decide whether to go with fat32 as my current sd card is exFAT (without an issue).

 

[The Real Jdbye]

As per the title, was the issue fixed with cfw or is it still an issue?

I'm upgrading my sd card so I'd like to decide whether to go with fat32 as my current sd card is exFAT (without an issue).

Nope, someone would have to reimplement Nintendo's ExFAT driver, and that's not exactly a big priority when using FAT32 is an option.

 

[EmulateLife]

Yes it's never going to change on the original switch. Maybe they'll do something on the Lite but it may not even be hackable.

You're risking corrupting your entire sd card at any time using exFAT anytime you access homebrew. That includes emulators or even just using tinfoil to install a game. There's nothing to be scared about of switching to FAT32, you only have to learn how to install games using your usb type c cable and it's not that difficult. Then you have no risk of corruption.

 

[Dt123]

Yes it's never going to change on the original switch. Maybe they'll do something on the Lite but it may not even be hackable.

You're risking corrupting your entire sd card at any time using exFAT anytime you access homebrew. That includes emulators or even just using tinfoil to install a game. There's nothing to be scared about of switching to FAT32, you only have to learn how to install games using your usb type c cable and it's not that difficult. Then you have no risk of corruption.

Thanks for the reply.
Yeah I know, I don't really use homebrew besides tinfoil and that's only when i buy a new game every 6 months or so. I know how to use the scripts to install via pc already, I was just being lazy initially since i didn't want to backup and restore the sd card since i don't really use my switch very often.

Nope, someone would have to reimplement Nintendo's ExFAT driver, and that's not exactly a big priority when using FAT32 is an option.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Vieela]

It is indeed a bad idea if you use any homebrew for extensive amounts of time and that require a lot of file management and microsd reading/writing overall. I've been using exFAT and only use homebrew for stuff like Checkpoint and haven't had corruptions since. Anything else (Retroarch, for example) i do on a smaller, FAT32 microsd.

 

[Rahkeesh]

Yes it's never going to change on the original switch. Maybe they'll do something on the Lite but it may not even be hackable.

Its a driver issue, not a hardware one. There's no reason that the switch lite running the same OS would do it better, and also no reason that they couldn't fix it for all switches with a firmware update at some point. (even if we are certain that they won't.)

 

[bigguccikekman]

every bit of homebrew on my switch is exfat cause my installer copied my system on the exfat partition and mine works fine just with alot of crashes which i just assumed was normal but after i think about it that might be why

 

[Mythical]

Other then having to split up files what are the downsides of FAT32 compared to exFAT on a switch?

 

[EmulateLife]

Other then having to split up files what are the downsides of FAT32 compared to exFAT on a switch?

None, you don't even have to split up the files on FAT32, you can install games with your usb type c cable a few different ways. That bypasses the 4 gb limit.

 

[godreborn]

maybe a stupid question, but are there no switch games with a file larger than 4GBs?

 

[EmulateLife]

maybe a stupid question, but are there no switch games with a file larger than 4GBs?

The majority of switch games are larger than 4 gb. I just explained that you can bypass the 4 gb limit by installing with a usb type c cable. Tinfoil, AluminumFoil and GoldLeaf are 3 programs that allow you to do this.

Once games are installed to an sd card or internal they're broken down into smaller files so they're less than 4 gb.

 

[godreborn]

well, that's what I meant by the smaller files being less than 4GB.

 

[EmulateLife]

The switch breaks those files down you don't have to worry about the 4 gb limit. The only way you can't install a game larger than 4 gb is if you try to put it as an nsp or xci (i.e. before being installed) on a FAT32 sd card then it's one file larger than 4 gb, which is probably what a majority of people think that's why they stick with exFAT but end up with a corrupted sd card. All they have to do is learn how to install through usb which is no more difficult than hacking your switch which is also not difficult.

 

[godreborn]

hmm...I don't own a hacked switch, but I have been downloading every game I own as nsp and xci or converting them when need be. I've learned a lot, but it's kinda hard to understand something fully unless you've actually done it. I have everything named correctly along with what dlc is what by using tinfoil.io. I've verified all files, and I've also checked if they're safe. on my switch, I've bought everything digitally, so I want copies of everything without having to hack my micro sd card. I still don't understand saves, considering the majority of games I've found have been European versions, and my games/saves are American.

 

[wizra]

I've been using exFat on both legit & hacked Switch since March 3, 2017 and SXOS release in June 2018, respectively, no issues at all. Not a single one. EVER!

I don't bother with alternative OS... the features they deliver don't really interest me. Horizon is perfectly compatible with exFat.

 

[LeviDL]

Yes

 

[EmulateLife]

I've been using exFat on both legit & hacked Switch since March 3, 2017 and SXOS release in June 2018, respectively, no issues at all. Not a single one. EVER!

I don't bother with alternative OS... the features they deliver don't really interest me. Horizon is perfectly compatible with exFat.

I don't think you're lying, but you're also ignoring the fact that people are posting on gbatemp every day about corrupting their sd cards. 100% of the time they are using exfat 0% of the time they are using fat32. Just because you haven't had any corruptions doesn't mean everyone else is making it up surely you can't be that naive.

If you want to argue it's the quality of your sd card I might buy that, but pretending there's no issue at all because you haven't had one is incredibly small minded.

Go read the thread about the new SX Installer 2.0, several people had their sd card corrupted using SX OS and trying to use the new installer, and of course they were using exfat. I had crashes on Fat32 but no corruption because corruption doesn't happen on Fat32.

Of course you've had no issue on non hacked switch the issue has to do with homebrew. If you're not running homebrew a lot on the hacked one like emulators etc.... you have a much smaller chance of corruption. Like I mentioned above the SX Installer is homebrew and when it crashed it corrupted their cards. If you're lucky enough not to have any homebrew crashes you won't have corruption but you're taking a risk.

 

[Paulsar99]

Yes it's a bad idea if you're going to go heavy on the homebrew. Retroarch alone could easily corrupt exfats specially if you love to change games and emulators a lot.