Hacking Now getting "BOOT.DAT?" with SX OS Pro

[rob61]

I have an early Switch, running 10.2 with SX OS 3.1.0 (beta). Everything had been running fine for a few years. I got a new 512 SD card to replace the 256 SD (used partition program to format and copy data). Everything worked. Now, months later, I can't boot into SX OS. All I get is the "BOOT.DAT?" screen. No matter what, I can't get it to boot into SX OS or even get the menu to select the OS. I have tried the old 256 card (which still existed as last used), no luck. I put a 64gig card in, formated it with the Switch, added the SX files, but still only get "BOOT DAT?" The Switch will boot with the original OS (10.2). Did I burn fuses when I booted to factory OS? I always used ChoiDujourNX to update the OS.

I reseated the SD card reader connecter to make sure it was not that. The SD reader seems to work, but I can't get this to boot into SX OS now. Any ideas on what else I could try? I did get hekate to boot also by using TegraRcmGUI and that was able to inject a payload. Not sure where to go from here. Any ideas of what I can try next to get SX OS pro to boot?

 

[rob61]

SD reader seems to go in/out. I ordered a new one to replace. Socket pins look ok on the board. I booted Animal Crossing from the cartridge. It did not update original OS, still at 10.2. However, would this burn fuses? Or would it "patch" this early Switch?

 

[petspeed]

SD reader seems to go in/out. I ordered a new one to replace. Socket pins look ok on the board. I booted Animal Crossing from the cartridge. It did not update original OS, still at 10.2. However, would this burn fuses? Or would it "patch" this early Switch?

Your switch cannot be "patched" by an update so don't worry about that.

 

[slaphappygamer]

The sd card reader is swappable with no worry. Just be sure the switch is off before you do it, but you probably already know that.

I'd also suggest that you clean the contacts on your sdcard. They could be dirty.

 

[rob61]

I replaced the SD card reader. I used the Switch to format a new SD card. I was able to boot to OFW and "record" a movie and screen shots to the SD card, so it seems the new SD card reader is working. I place the boot.dat file and the license.dat file on the SD card and insert in the Switch. I put the dongle and right hand junper in the Switch. I hold down the + vol and tap the power button. The dongle flashes green briefly and then blue briefly, and then the red "BOOT.DAT?" appears on the Switch screen.

Could the dongle be bad? Could something happen to the 10.2.0 firmware to disable things? I'm stumped. Anything other ideas you can share?

I used TegraRcmGUI 2.6 and injected hekate_ctcaer_5.0.0.bin. I haven't used this since I got the Switch years ago. Burnt fuses is 13/64. I tried to save to SD card (which seemed to work with the OFW for screen shots and a movie), but got the following error.
[FatFS] Error: NOFAT
Failed to mount SD card (FatFS Error 13).
Make sure that a FAT partition exists..

Could this be related to the problem? I used Windows 10 to save the boot.dat file to the SD card and it saved fine. Do I first "format" using the Switch format function, then use Windows to copy the SX files to the card? W10 says its Fat32 formatted. Perhaps while boot.dat shows up in Windows explorer, Switch is not finding it?

I'm using an SDXC 512 card. I had used a partition program to copy over a 256 SDXC card and it was working before all this. Now, I deleted the partition on the 512, and used MiniTool Partition Wizard to format it to Fat32. I can boot fine to OFW. But still get "boot.dat?" error when trying to boot to SX OS. I again tried to use hekate_ctcae_5.0.0, but when I try to save print data to SD, I still get FatFS Error : NoFAT. I'm wondering if this is why I can't boot into SX OS. The files were written to the SDXC card from Windows.

 

[rob61]

Updated to hekate v5.5.7. The OFW reads/writes the SD card, which I swapped to a 32gig card, formatted with the Switch. When I boot with the SX dongle into hekate v.5.5.7 I get the message:
SD Card Issues Check

The SD Card is Initialized in 1-bit mode!
This might mean detached or broken connector!

You might want to check
Console Info -> SD Card

Is this an anomoly of hekate, or might the replacement SD reader be faulty? The socket looked ok (no damaged pins that I could find).

 

[petspeed]

Updated to hekate v5.5.7. The OFW reads/writes the SD card, which I swapped to a 32gig card, formatted with the Switch. When I boot with the SX dongle into hekate v.5.5.7 I get the message:
SD Card Issues Check

The SD Card is Initialized in 1-bit mode!
This might mean detached or broken connector!

You might want to check
Console Info -> SD Card

Is this an anomoly of hekate, or might the replacement SD reader be faulty? The socket looked ok (no damaged pins that I could find).

CTCaer commented on a similar issue in this thread: [FatFS] Error: NOFAT Failed to mount SD card (FATFS Error 13). Make sure that a FAT partition exists | GBAtemp.net - The Independent Video Game Community

 

[rob61]

CTCaer commented on a similar issue in this thread: [FatFS] Error: NOFAT Failed to mount SD card (FATFS Error 13). Make sure that a FAT partition exists | GBAtemp.net - The Independent Video Game Community

Thanks for the link I will read through the thread. I checked the SD connector with a microscope and everything is fine (no bad connectors). Hekate still generates the error message, and I still can't boot into SX OS. I ordered one more SD reader to make sure the replacement isn't bad. OFW will read/write to the card, but not being able to boot into SX OS Pro and having hekate generate the error message makes me wonder if there is something bad on the motherboard. I also tried 3 different SD cards. I used hekate to format. Running out of ideas.

 

[Draxzelex]

I also recommend double checking to see if the SD card is fake or not. The scene has been plagued with fake SD cards since the start.

 

[rob61]

Well, that was an expensive trip. My second attempt to install another new SD card reader (off Amazon) unfortunately ended up breaking a silver pin off the motherboard socket. I sent it in for repair and had the motherboard socket replaced. $226 for expedited service to replace the motherboard socket. I can now boot into SX OS. I suspect the socket had gotten a broken trace which is why my first card reader replacement would only read one bit and SX OS would not boot. With the new motherboard socket and card reader it will at least boot. I'm still struggling to get games working. If I put an SD card in to format, it wants a system update. I was using a 256 and 512 card, but it won't format. I'm assuming the Switch wants a system update (won't format) to get to Exfat. Windows 10 won't do fat32 for these large cards so I tried AOMEI Partition Assist (free version), but selecting fat32 formatted to Exfat with a 64gig card. I will try to use atmosphere and see if it gives me the same "1 bit mode" error on this new one. Then I will try to format the larger cards from atmosphere. Between the repair, original cost, and SX Pro, I'm up to about $600 with this Switch. I hope I can get these larger cards to format and work again. Since I need to format fat32, what is the best method? I can not do it from Windows 10 DiskPart. It seems to format but then gives the error that its too big. AOMEI lets me choose fat32 but uses Exfat on simply a 64gig card. Is there a way to format larger SD cards with fat32?

 

[Taorn]

[...] Since I need to format fat32, what is the best method? I can not do it from Windows 10 DiskPart. It seems to format but then gives the error that its too big. AOMEI lets me choose fat32 but uses Exfat on simply a 64gig card. Is there a way to format larger SD cards with fat32?

Try http://ridgecrop.co.uk/index.htm?guiformat.htm

 

[rob61]

Thanks all. I used GuiFormat.exe and it easily and quickly formatted my 256Gb and 512Gb card using fat32. Then I inserted into the Switch and was able to read/write without a prompt telling me to update the OS. So then I moved the games onto it, and was able to again boot into SX OS and load. Thanks everyone for your help on getting this problem resolved.