Homebrew Question Retroarch + exFat = corruption?

[Deleted User]

no issues

 

[Vieela]

You might not get issues at first, but it can occasionaly happen. Doesn't mean it necessarily will ever happen, but it's much better to avoid the whole burden of having to format the microsd, reinstalling everything that was corrupted, etc, etc. It occurs because of faulty EXFat drivers on Nintendo's part and can't really be fixed easily. Just be really careful.

 

[arianadark]

I use a 200gb card, I can't use fat32, But I have NO ISSUE

eh i use 512 gig micro sd card fat 32 with no probs

 

[Deleted User]

It is useless to argue. Just trust the developpers from trusted source. Like retro arch team. lol.
Wo want to trust random people saying that they have no issue with exFAT.

 

[fixingmytoys]

OMG this corruption BS ( yes it can maybe if you are been a dick with your switch or have a fake 512mb sd card ) is still going on, i have been using exFat on my day one switch no issues, the only timme a SD card stuffed up when it said it was a 512g when it was really a 4g

 

[spotanjo3]

OMG this corruption BS ( yes it can maybe if you are been a dick with your switch or have a fake 512mb sd card ) is still going on, i have been using exFat on my day one switch no issues, the only timme a SD card stuffed up when it said it was a 512g when it was really a 4g

Same for me. What a baloney and never had a problem using exFat on my day one since last year. Even with homebrew without a issues. However, I go ahead with Fat32 for other reason. Love exFat and you are absolutely right.. what a baloney.

 

[WaRp211]

Same for me. What a baloney and never had a problem using exFat on my day one since last year. Even with homebrew without a issues. However, I go ahead with Fat32 for other reason. Love exFat and you are absolutely right.. what a baloney.

FWIW it happen to me when I tried to play TG-16 CD roms or try to make a playlist from using retroarch. So yes it will corrupt for sure especially if you system crashes when you're using retroarch. Not a big deal you can just delete the corrupt data on the SD. I believe the folder is name FOUND000 something of that nature. If you use retroarch for simple things nes, snes, tg-16, sega, etc. you'll be fine. I prefer Fat 32 and to be running atmosphere when using retroarch especially for PSP core or if you want to run reicast.

 

[SeongGino]

Well ain't this like the tenth standalone discussion on a tired subject.

Nintendo's ExFAT implementation is still broken for homebrew.
You CAN format any card to FAT32 using either any Unix-like system, or a GUI program for Windows; it's not impossible to use on any card.
There is NOTHING you can do on ExFAT that FAT32 can't do; NSPs can be installed from another source directly to the system, and it plus XCIs can be split without issue.
Homebrew devs everywhere suggest explicitly NOT to use ExFAT.

You can be as careful as humanly possible: ExFAT WILL corrupt some files at some point. It won't be immediately noticeable even, because it happens anywhere in the filesystem without explicitly breaking the storage device itself. It can affect gallery photos/videos, homebrew files, and most prominently, official software that will refuse to boot without redownloading the title entirely.

Anyone who claims this isn't the case is either:
1) Willfully neglecting to acknowledge the truth,
2) Hopelessly ill-informed,
3) An SX OS user (which may as well fit into either category above),
4) Have yet to find a file that has been affected by the filesystem corruption (anecdotal at absolute best).

It doesn't matter what your card is. I have perfectly legitimate Sandisk cards that work elsewhere, but using on the Switch with ExFAT gets corrupted at some point when using homebrew even when taking all possible necessary precautionary measures to minimize these chances. Run on sentences aside, this is a given fact and you should NOT take anecdotal evidence of the contrary as proof of the opposite being true.

Can we not retread this tired discussion any more in the future, please?

 

[fixingmytoys]

Man this like Pepsi v coke wars of the 80’s

 

[SeongGino]

Man this like Pepsi v coke wars of the 80’s

Except last I checked, Pepsi wasn't laced with poison.

 

[fixingmytoys]

Except last I checked, Pepsi wasn't laced with poison.

?? I thought Pepsi was

 

[Extreme184X]

I have had corruption both fat32 and extfat evenly in two of my cards, but ever since i decided to Buy a high end micro SD last year, NO MORE corruption.
YES EXFAT corruption is MYTH (i can only speak for myself, not going to debate other users)

I am here to encourage people to invest in a fast read and write card to avoid this issue (WORTH IT), solves the problem.

For the FOOL & THE TRIGGERED,
its a MYTH, get over it and do yourself favor, buy a better SD card.

 

[ZachyCatGames]

I have had corruption both fat32 and extfat evenly in two of my cards, but ever since i decided to Buy a high end micro SD last year, NO MORE corruption.
YES EXFAT corruption is MYTH (i can only speak for myself, not going to debate other users)

I am here to encourage people to invest in a fast read and write card to avoid this issue (WORTH IT), solves the problem.

For the FOOL & THE TRIGGERED,
its a MYTH, get over it and do yourself favor, buy a better SD card.

I used exfat on a decent card and had to reformat multiple times due to corruption. Switched to fat32 and haven't had any corruption since... So no, it is in fact not a myth

 

[fixingmytoys]

I know I will get hate for this I just don’t Care lol corruption comes about from dicking about with your switch trying to to do stupid things like run games from higher f/w on lower f/w using that stupid RCM mode trying to save your fuses do you can downgrade later and not be banned I am on SX OS PRO use exFat from day one run XCI nsp homebrew etc all fine the only things I don’t do is rcm or try and run games from a higher f/w on a Lower f/w or patching game bla bla I just update and play yes I am banned don’t care used my switch more then ever now once I got SX PS PRO

 

[Beware]

Anyone telling you exfat won't corrupt lacks a fundamental understanding of the issue. Exfat corruption is a guarantee, not a likelihood.

The poll is completely useless and will demonstrate nothing other than confirmation bias.

 

[stitchxd]

I have had corruption both fat32 and extfat evenly in two of my cards, but ever since i decided to Buy a high end micro SD last year, NO MORE corruption.
YES EXFAT corruption is MYTH (i can only speak for myself, not going to debate other users)

I am here to encourage people to invest in a fast read and write card to avoid this issue (WORTH IT), solves the problem.

For the FOOL & THE TRIGGERED,
its a MYTH, get over it and do yourself favor, buy a better SD card.

The developers that make switch hacking possible tell you it's not a myth. Saying it's a myth then literally negating that with "well, only for me anyway" is pretty shallow as well.

The devs that have all claimed exFAT is not stable on switch include:

CTCaer
m4xw (I think so, at least for his cores in RetroArch I believe he's said this multiple times)
SciresM
XorTroll

And many more, here is also a link to where CTCAer and other developers are telling you NOT to use it: https://github.com/switchbrew/libnx/issues/161#issuecomment-421650799

If you don't know, CTCaer is one of the developers for Hekate, Which I am sure you use in some shape or form unless you are on SX OS?


Now, you might not have issues now, and who knows, maybe you will never have issues. But please don't claim "It's a myth!!" and then literally immediately say "but, it's only a myth for me". That's not cool at all.

 

[SeongGino]

See what happens when you let threads like these go one for far too long?

Honestly, might be better off just closing this because there are many sources on these forums alone that call to ExFAT formatting specifically as the root cause of card corruption.
Least I have a new copypasta if this comes up again.

 

[Paulsar99]

Upgraded my sd card and finally joined the fat32 bandwagon for lakka, also I feel like having hundreds and hundreds gigabyte worth of homebrew, nsp's, roms, xci's isn't really worth taking the risk of corruption anymore and needing to start again from scratch.

 

[JustBrandonT]

Weird.. If ExFat works just fine with Nintendo's OFW and doesn't work fine with CFW.. then..?
I have no problems with ExFat on OFW..

 

[stitchxd]

Weird.. If ExFat works just fine with Nintendo's OFW and doesn't work fine with CFW.. then..?
I have no problems with ExFat on OFW..

Read https://github.com/switchbrew/libnx/issues/161