Hacking Question sd card in game cart?

[RayPanimals]

Would it be possible to have a physical game cartridge or flashcart that could hold an sd card or two that could be inserted into the switch for more storage space?

I get at the current moment it would conflict with xci game cart emulation in Sx Os. I have a psp vita sd card adapter that holds 2 sd cards so that's where I wondered if it could be done on the switch.

 

[Kubas_inko]

ps vita with 2 SD cards? How? I guess sd2vita and the 3g dongle.
Anyway, can't you just buy a bigger SD?

 

[Canny86]

The really big sd cards are very expensive... I'd love if this idea would be possible...

 

[Gootah]

The really big sd cards are very expensive... I'd love if this idea would be possible...

What you're asking for requires access levels we don't have yet. It may also require access to run kernel modules like Vita. Maybe when Atmosphere gets here we'll have these things. Maybe a year into its life.

 

[Drakia]

What you're asking for requires access levels we don't have yet. It may also require access to run kernel modules like Vita. Maybe when Atmosphere gets here we'll have these things. Maybe a year into its life.

Lol, technically we have full access to the switch, it's more a question of whether anyone would spend the time. 2x 32GB cards will more often than not cost more than a 64GB card

 

[Gootah]

Lol, technically we have full access to the switch, it's more a question of whether anyone would spend the time. 2x 32GB cards will more often than not cost more than a 64GB card

I don't know if we have all the access you think we have. If that was the case CFW wouldn't be patched over OFW. We'd be installing fully modified CFW packages straight to NAND. The methods we're using to do things are indicative of limitation.

 

[Drakia]

I don't know if we have all the access you think we have. If that was the case CFW wouldn't be patched over OFW. We'd be installing fully modified CFW packages straight to NAND. The methods we're using to do things are indicative of limitation.

You think we don't have kernel access. One of the first things all CFW does on startup is patch the kernel. KIP files are essentially kernel modules, which is why things like Sys-FTPD exist. It seems you think we have a lot less access than we actually do.

Also, patching OFW to do what is wanted is far easier than writing firmware from the ground up. The Switch can load Linux without booting into Horizon first, is that not enough of an indication that there is control from the get go?

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I don't know if we have all the access you think we have. If that was the case CFW wouldn't be patched over OFW. We'd be installing fully modified CFW packages straight to NAND. The methods we're using to do things are indicative of limitation.

We normally can't modify the NAND because there are signature checks at boot time that we cannot change. However, through RCM we can patch out these checks before the system even starts to boot (meaning RCM is needed every time), so it is possible to do, it's just not the easiest way. For one it would mean that every firmware update would have to be patched before install, rather than just being able to update normally and (in most cases) still have everything work. And it would be more work for the devs as well.
What RCM gives us is essentially kernel access pre-boot. Still we don't have a bootloader exploit in order to get coldboot. But even if that happens, we likely aren't going to see permanently patched CFW, because it just doesn't make much sense if you can have a clean on-the-fly solution instead.

 

[Wierd_w]

RE: Cost a lot

No. No they really dont. I picked up (another!) swanky PNY 128gb card at walmart for 40$. That is a whopping 3.12 CENTS per gigabyte. I do not consider that expensive at all.

 

[DocAmes1980]

RE: Cost a lot

No. No they really dont. I picked up (another!) swanky PNY 128gb card at walmart for 40$. That is a whopping 3.12 CENTS per gigabyte. I do not consider that expensive at all.

Yes. They really do. Relative to other storage, microSD cards are very expensive.

Also, move your decimal to the right one place.

 

[Wierd_w]

Yes. They really do. Relative to other storage, microSD cards are very expensive.

Also, move your decimal to the right one place.

Ahh. Yes. 32 cents/gb. Still, that is with the WALMART "buy it right **NAOW** sucka!" price. If you buy off amazon or newegg, you will get a better price.

 

[Gootah]

You think we don't have kernel access. One of the first things all CFW does on startup is patch the kernel. KIP files are essentially kernel modules, which is why things like Sys-FTPD exist. It seems you think we have a lot less access than we actually do.

Also, patching OFW to do what is wanted is far easier than writing firmware from the ground up. The Switch can load Linux without booting into Horizon first, is that not enough of an indication that there is control from the get go?

Jdbye answered it better. We can't patch out the sig check without RCM. To me, having to boot into RCM to make things work is a limitation.

We normally can't modify the NAND because there are signature checks at boot time that we cannot change. However, through RCM we can patch out these checks before the system even starts to boot (meaning RCM is needed every time), so it is possible to do, it's just not the easiest way. For one it would mean that every firmware update would have to be patched before install, rather than just being able to update normally and (in most cases) still have everything work. And it would be more work for the devs as well.
What RCM gives us is essentially kernel access pre-boot. Still we don't have a bootloader exploit in order to get coldboot. But even if that happens, we likely aren't going to see permanently patched CFW, because it just doesn't make much sense if you can have a clean on-the-fly solution instead.

If we would have to boot into RCM anyway to get full NAND based CFW, there's no point in changing anything. You're right. But I wouldn't call this method "clean" by any means, it's tethered.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Jdbye answered it better. We can't patch out the sig check without RCM. To me, having to boot into RCM to make things work is a limitation.



If we would have to boot into RCM anyway to get full NAND based CFW, there's no point in changing anything. You're right. But I wouldn't call this method "clean" by any means, it's tethered.

I didn't mean that this method is clean, I meant a coldboot exploit combined with a on-the-fly patching CFW would be the cleanest. It also has the benefit of letting us turn off certain patches or disable CFW altogether which wouldn't be possible if the system was permanently patched.
Although, the current method is clean, in the sense that it leaves the system completely unmodified (in theory), besides anything the user messes with of course. But, as has been mentioned before, traces can be left behind such as log files, so it's not 100% clean, but that will hopefully change in the future with stealth patches.

 

[Pleng]

RE: Cost a lot

No. No they really dont. I picked up (another!) swanky PNY 128gb card at walmart for 40$. That is a whopping 3.12 CENTS per gigabyte. I do not consider that expensive at all.

But that's not really the point. If you have a 128Gb card now, then at some point in the future you upgrade to a 200Gb card, wouldn't it be nice to still be able to make use of that old 128Gb? You could also perhaps have one card reserved for Swith homebrew (or ROMS, if that's your thing) and another card to use for a Linux/Lakka/Android boot device.

There's all sorts of reasons that being able to utilize an additional SD card could be a good thing.

 

[McWhiters9511]

just keep your eye out for a sale and grab a bigger card. i got a 200gb card for 44% off a couple weeks ago.

 

[Albytrozz]

just keep your eye out for a sale and grab a bigger card. i got a 200gb card for 44% off a couple weeks ago.

You are of course talking about the Prime Day sale... if you didn't get a 128GB or 200GB then for almost half price then you deserve asking about jerry-rigging the cart slot to read another microsd card. Seriously, if you can't fit enough games to play for a while on 200GB then you're doing it wrong.

The whole point of the Vita adapter was because you could only buy 32GB proprietary cards for 4 times the price of a microsd. If you can't take 10 secs to switch out (pun time) a cheap microsd card for another then Amurica.

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But that's not really the point. If you have a 128Gb card now, then at some point in the future you upgrade to a 200Gb card, wouldn't it be nice to still be able to make use of that old 128Gb? You could also perhaps have one card reserved for Swith homebrew (or ROMS, if that's your thing) and another card to use for a Linux/Lakka/Android boot device.

There's all sorts of reasons that being able to utilize an additional SD card could be a good thing.

You can do that now, it's called 'changing the SD card'. It's a very technical and complex procedure that can take upwards of 10 seconds to perform but when done skillfully and with a lot of practice it works pretty well...

 

[noemiemora]

It's really that if you buy two 32 GB card, will be more expensive then buy a 64GB card...

 

[noahc3]

You can do that now, it's called 'changing the SD card'. It's a very technical and complex procedure that can take upwards of 10 seconds to perform but when done skillfully and with a lot of practice it works pretty well...

Many people would like to be satisfied with the sleep mode feature of the Switch and not need to carry a dongle/usb c cable/modchip with them.

 

[Albytrozz]

Many people would like to be satisfied with the sleep mode feature of the Switch and not need to carry a dongle/usb c cable/modchip with them.

Yeah I get what you mean, a microsd card and 3D jig would take up like 85% of your console carrying case that you're already taking with you... you know, that carrying case with all those cart holders you are no longer using for carts...

 

[magico29]

No space? Sd cards too expensive?
Not problem!!
We just need usb support!!
Team xecuter save us pleaseeeee!!!