Hacking Nintendo Switch Banning Hub & Warning

[CharlieWhistle]

I don't intend on pirating at all. I have a decent paying job and I like supporting the companies. HOWEVER, I also like to be able to install mods on games, and I only planned to do so on my own backups. The problem is that Nintendo doesn't care about my intentions.

I also bought the SX weeks ago because I didn't have time to research anything and didn't know that the exploit SX used was known to the public at that point and that free hacks existed if you used a jig.

Also, I've been buying games I've bought before on Switch because it is damn cool to have a handheld with the power the switch has.

Oooo, high roller here. Sike.

I do like the idea of mods regardless of pirating. I'd like to be able to mod games for difficulty or QOL stuff like giving Link an unbreakable weapon in BotW but also increasing boss damage and health. I always get into games and enjoy the challenge but lose interest after I become overpowered or the main bosses feel like pushovers. Feels like there's no true struggle unless I'm fighting a no-name baddie that is somehow stronger than Ganon.

Of course modding still goes against Nintendo's ToS and of course that can lead to cheating online which I'll never understand. I just wish there was a way to mess with our own games without risking a ban.

 

[Craftyawesome]

I have a banned switch with my user and a legit switch I want to transfer to. From what I understand, I have to contact Nintendo to deactivate my switch and then transfer my user.
Is my understanding correct or is there a better way?

 

[offsense]

Is there any bans using hekate online?

 

[KingMuk]

How many bans have come from this specific combination.
SX/OS in order to use homebrew just to edit the save file of an offline (single player) game?
Nothing else done, all legit use, legit game.

 

[Draxzelex]

I have a banned switch with my user and a legit switch I want to transfer to. From what I understand, I have to contact Nintendo to deactivate my switch and then transfer my user.
Is my understanding correct or is there a better way?

Users don't carry any data and are tied to the console. What you are referring to is the Nintendo Account that is linked to the user and only eShop purchases are tied to it. And to un-link a Nintendo Account from a banned Switch, you must call Nintendo. There is a tip under "After Being Banned".

Is there any bans using hekate online?

Not for people who just used Hekate alone. There actually have been no bans for Hekate alone, online and offline.

How many bans have come from this specific combination.
SX/OS in order to use homebrew just to edit the save file of an offline (single player) game?
Nothing else done, all legit use, legit game.

Well, interestingly enough no one has been banned for that, but there have been people banned for using SX OS offline without touching any homebrew. It seems that SX OS Loader is much less safer than Hekate which would explain why there are people being banned for using SX OS alone but not Hekate alone. But this is just speculation.

 

[Swiggels79]

Hi

Does hulu app work when you are banned?

 

[suzsuzuki]

Can I be banned just to boot on RCM and backup my NAND with Hekate?

 

[V-Temp]

Hi

Does hulu app work when you are banned?

No.

 

[Draxzelex]

Can I be banned just to boot on RCM and backup my NAND with Hekate?

I really hope people are not because that is the whole point of some people backing it up; so they can restore it prior to going online. While it is possible, no one has been banned so far for doing that or even just using Hekate alone so chances are very slim to say the least.

 

[offsense]

Users don't carry any data and are tied to the console. What you are referring to is the Nintendo Account that is linked to the user and only eShop purchases are tied to it. And to un-link a Nintendo Account from a banned Switch, you must call Nintendo. There is a tip under "After Being Banned".
Not for people who just used Hekate alone. There actually have been no bans for Hekate alone, online and offline.
Well, interestingly enough no one has been banned for that, but there have been people banned for using SX OS offline without touching any homebrew. It seems that SX OS Loader is much less safer than Hekate which would explain why there are people being banned for using SX OS alone but not Hekate alone. But this is just speculation.

I see so if I were to stay in hekate using eshop and playing online would be relatively safe atm?

 

[Draxzelex]

I see so if I were to stay in hekate using eshop and playing online would be relatively safe atm?

If your really truly only using Hekate and nothing else (i.e. AutoRCM, homebrew, clearing error logs), then at the moment it appears to be safe. But remember that bans can be inconsistent and random. Any one of us can be banned at any moment.

 

[skypirate123]

I specifically said NOT Switch System Firmware
And did you update your backups in CFW, OFW, or both?

Derp late reply but hey been away.

Lowest SX Version used when Online/Offline (NOT Switch System Firmware)? 1.1 (now on 1.3)
Backups updated? Y - OFW

 

[Draxzelex]

Derp late reply but hey been away.

Better late than never. Thank you for the update!

 

[DogParty]

Ive read through the first post as best as I could and looked through the Google Doc but I haven't found what I'm looking for. With that being said, does anyone know if connecting to WiFi solely to update from 4.1 -> 5.1 is a possible avenue for a ban? For reference, I've installed NSP, used homebrew, booted XCI with SX OS, DNS blocked the GDPR domain, disabled error logging in settings, and cleared logs every once in awhile. I never went online during that time, tough. (As an aside, I wonder if I would be able to update my system using an XCI with a 5.x update on it? That way I wouldn't need to go online in the first place).

Thanks for doing an exceptional job collecting the reports OP!

 

[V-Temp]

Ive read through the first post as best as I could and looked through the Google Doc but I haven't found what I'm looking for. With that being said, does anyone know if connecting to WiFi solely to update from 4.1 -> 5.1 is a possible avenue for a ban? For reference, I've installed NSP, used homebrew, booted XCI with SX OS, DNS blocked the GDPR domain, disabled error logging in settings, and cleared logs every once in awhile. I never went online during that time, tough. (As an aside, I wonder if I would be able to update my system using an XCI with a 5.x update on it? That way I wouldn't need to go online in the first place).

Thanks for doing an exceptional job collecting the reports OP!

Yes, this can get you banned because going online to download firmware will immediately send out reports to Nintendo. NSPs are a huge red flag.

 

[DogParty]

Yes, this can get you banned because going online to download firmware will immediately send out reports to Nintendo. NSPs are a huge red flag.

Cool cool, thanks. Guess I'll wait until I can get my hands on a retail card with 5.1

 

[Draxzelex]

Ive read through the first post as best as I could and looked through the Google Doc but I haven't found what I'm looking for. With that being said, does anyone know if connecting to WiFi solely to update from 4.1 -> 5.1 is a possible avenue for a ban? For reference, I've installed NSP, used homebrew, booted XCI with SX OS, DNS blocked the GDPR domain, disabled error logging in settings, and cleared logs every once in awhile. I never went online during that time, tough. (As an aside, I wonder if I would be able to update my system using an XCI with a 5.x update on it? That way I wouldn't need to go online in the first place).

Thanks for doing an exceptional job collecting the reports OP!

I don't specifically track when people update their firmwares to check for bans mostly because its assumed that running a higher firmware risks a ban much more than lower firmwares. Regardless of what firmware you did that stuff on, everything you did is on the same level as everyone else in the spreadsheet once you update to the latest firmware. So if you want to double check, see what everyone did irregardless of firmware because in the end, it won't matter (all of these bans have so far happened on 5.1).

To save you some time, bans with .NSP have been very limited but bans due to SX OS are the second highest ban cause after LayeredFS (online and offline). Everything you listed as a defensive action have not really prevented any bans especially with clearing error logs being considered controversial in that regard.

Lastly, updating with a .XCI doesn't seem to work from what I've seen. It throws an error code when you try to do it. However, I think updating unofficially or officially should be one of the least of your worries as you seem to be carrying greater ban risk based on your previously noted actions.

 

[DogParty]

I don't specifically track when people update their firmwares to check for bans mostly because its assumed that running a higher firmware risks a ban much more than lower firmwares. Regardless of what firmware you did that stuff on, everything you did is on the same level as everyone else in the spreadsheet once you update to the latest firmware. So if you want to double check, see what everyone did irregardless of firmware because in the end, it won't matter (all of these bans have so far happened on 5.1).

To save you some time, bans with .NSP have been very limited but bans due to SX OS are the second highest ban cause after LayeredFS (online and offline). Everything you listed as a defensive action have not really prevented any bans especially with clearing error logs being considered controversial in that regard.

Lastly, updating with a .XCI doesn't seem to work from what I've seen. It throws an error code when you try to do it. However, I think updating unofficially or officially should be one of the least of your worries as you seem to be carrying greater ban risk based on your previously noted actions.

Thanks for the knowledge dump. I'm not necessarily worried about a ban because I never go online and because I have a second Switch on 3.0.2. I know my actions are highly risky but I kind of assume the community will eventually come up with a way to patch the log reports and sanitize the records of which XCI/NSPs have been used. I legitimately never play online so I've got nothing but time lol. Offline updating with a retail cart sounds like the way to go in the meantime.

Thanks again!

 

[tricursor]

Thanks for the knowledge dump. I'm not necessarily worried about a ban because I never go online and because I have a second Switch on 3.0.2. I know my actions are highly risky but I kind of assume the community will eventually come up with a way to patch the log reports and sanitize the records of which XCI/NSPs have been used. I legitimately never play online so I've got nothing but time lol. Offline updating with a retail cart sounds like the way to go in the meantime.

Thanks again!

TBH, I think that at least some of the bans have nothing to do with the error logs. I bet that when the switch connects to Nintendo, it dumps a bunch of info about the system. This is why I wondered if maybe SX OS changes the OS version or some data that would always get included in that set of data (For example, FW version changed to 5.1SX or something along those lines). Although I also heard the code is on github (or it was reverse engineered or unpacked or something) so this is probably not an accurate assumption. Has the SX team chimed into this conversation on their own forum with likely causes?

 

[datnodude]

I need to to go online tongrav to the gungeon dlc, will see if the ban has strucketh. I only play xci games offline in sx is cfw. Will switch to official to get the dlc