Hacking SWITCH NOOB PARADISE - Ask questions here

[Hayato213]

Hello, I am a 3ds hacking vet but a Switch noob. I don't own a switch and I'm looking to get one but it seems pretty complicated. If I understand correctly, if I'm looking to buy new, I have to check the serials and I get the impression that pretty much all current stock is unhackable (is that correct?), otherwise I'll have to buy an older unit or something that's already hacked or modded. It also seems like mod chips are very hard to get ahold of and nobody even seems to know if the new ones on Taobao et al are even real or good. I wouldn't mind doing it myself but it seems like it'd be a smart idea to get a unit that's already chipped with all the uncertainty I'm reading, but like I said, I'm noob.

So what is generally recommended? I have some disposable income right now so I could shell out for a chipped console but I don't mind doing things myself, and I don't know whether I'd have a preference for atomosphere vs SXOS (or whatever it's called). Where should I begin looking for a console? Is it a good idea to try to get 2 and keep one clean, or is that unnecessary? My goal is really just to get homebrew on there and be able to play backups, export saves, play around with custom fw and retroarch, that kind of thing.

You would want an unpatched unit if you want to hack it, reference to the serial number in the thread below. SX OS is dead so if you do get a unit modded with SX Core/SX Lite if you go above 11.0.0 you would need to use Atmosphere.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/switch-...he-first-post-before-asking-questions.481215/

 

[Rashed]

This only works if you have done all hackery with an emuMMC. You do not need to use Incognito or 90DNS with your sysMMC if all hackery has been done with the emuMMC.


Whichever eMMC you're using with Tinfoil (emuMMC or sysMMC) must have Incognito or 90DNS installed to it. If you want to play online with your clean sysMMC, then you must use Tinfoil and all other hackery with your emuMMC.

thank you so much.

So, i just got the switch 3 days ago and hacked it last night and havent done anything to it yet.
what i have done exactly is
* booted into RCM and backed up the sysnand.
* from rcm - hekate partitioned my memory card to prepare for emummc.
* downloaded sdsetup files - copied those files in the sd card. now the sd card have a partition that windows can see and another partition for emummc
* from hekate - created emummc
and shutdown the switch. havent booted it up yet. decided to boot. it when i know what are safety precautions i need to take.

do you reckon it is safe for me to hand it to my son after booting it to sysnand so that he can play online? and then later when i want to use it i can boot it to emummc, enable incognito mode and then install Tinfoil and download some games?

When i install Tinfoil do i need to boot it with fusee-primary.bin or hekate_ctcaer_5.5.8.bin

I am just trying to make sure that i am taking all the safety steps to avoid any ban.

thanks mate. appreciate it.

 

[Lacius]

do you reckon it is safe for me to hand it to my son after booting it to sysnand so that he can play online? and then later when i want to use it i can boot it to emummc, enable incognito mode and then install Tinfoil and download some games?

Yes, if you haven't done anything hackery on the sysMMC, this should be safe.

When i install Tinfoil do i need to boot it with fusee-primary.bin or hekate_ctcaer_5.5.8.bin

It doesn't really matter which bootloader you use.

I am just trying to make sure that i am taking all the safety steps to avoid any ban.

All you need to do to avoid a ban is the following:

1. Install 90DNS and/or Incognito to the emuMMC.
2. Only do hackery with the emuMMC.

 

[Rashed]

Yes, if you haven't done anything hackery on the sysMMC, this should be safe.


It doesn't really matter which bootloader you use.


All you need to do to avoid a ban is the following:

1. Install 90DNS and/or Incognito to the emuMMC.
2. Only do hackery with the emuMMC.

fantastic!!

you guys are awesome helping out all the noobs.

1 quick question though.

how do i start the switch if it has been powered down?
do i need to use the jig even if i want to turn it on to the sysnand without any hack?

Most of the times my son will be using the switch for playing online games. Sometimes I will be using it with hack to play downloaded games.

 

[Kylezo]

You would want an unpatched unit if you want to hack it, reference to the serial number in the thread below. SX OS is dead so if you do get a unit modded with SX Core/SX Lite if you go above 11.0.0 you would need to use Atmosphere.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/switch-...he-first-post-before-asking-questions.481215/

Thank you for the clarity. So, would something like this be good? https://www.walmart.com/ip/Refurbis...s-Power-Adapter-HAC-001-Refurbished/794713343 Or would I need to check the serial to be sure? Would it be a good idea to try to get a HAC-001-01 new version and do a cart update? I'm down to try that too.

 

[Lacius]

Thank you for the clarity. So, would something like this be good? https://www.walmart.com/ip/Refurbis...s-Power-Adapter-HAC-001-Refurbished/794713343 Or would I need to check the serial to be sure?

You need to check the serial to be sure.

 

[Hayato213]

Thank you for the clarity. So, would something like this be good? https://www.walmart.com/ip/Refurbis...s-Power-Adapter-HAC-001-Refurbished/794713343 Or would I need to check the serial to be sure?

Need to know the serial number, as you need to check to make sure it is unpatched, you can follow the thread I linked earlier and use these two pages below. Recommendation is an unpatched unit, unless you want to deal with potentially patched.

https://ismyswitchpatched.com/
https://damota.me/ssnc/checker/

 

[Kylezo]

Need to know the serial number, as you need to check to make sure it is unpatched, you can follow the thread I linked earlier and use these two pages below. Recommendation is an unpatched unit, unless you want to deal with potentially patched.

https://ismyswitchpatched.com/
https://damota.me/ssnc/checker/

Thanks guys. I'm looking on fleabay at $600 unpached new versions. Is this a smart idea? Seems steep but I'm just starting out on switch stuff. I was looking at the cart upgrade method to bring a new version unit to 8.0.1, kinda like the idea of having more recent hardware.

 

[Lacius]

Thanks guys. I'm looking on fleabay at $600 unpached new versions. Is this a smart idea? Seems steep but I'm just starting out on switch stuff. I was looking at the cart upgrade method to bring a new version unit to 8.0.1, kinda like the idea of having more recent hardware.

You want the hardware to be older and vulnerable to the RCM exploit so the system version does not matter. If the Switch is not RCM exploitable, then it is unhackable without a TX modchip, unless it's on 4.1.0 (which is extremely low and old, and you don't want it to be hackable that way anyway).

 

[Kylezo]

You want the hardware to be older and vulnerable to the RCM exploit so the system version does not matter. If the Switch is not RCM exploitable, then it is unhackable without a TX modchip, unless it's on 4.1.0 (which is extremely low and old, and you don't want it to be hackable that way anyway).

That's great info, thanks, I was wondering if it was better to be on a low FW vs being on older moddable hardware. I guess with the older versions, the hardmod means you can use whatever FW you want? I've been a jailbreaker for many years so I'm accustomed to staying on old FW revisions as long as possible.

 

[Lacius]

That's great info, thanks, I was wondering if it was better to be on a low FW vs being on older moddable hardware. I guess with the older versions, the hardmod means you can use whatever FW you want? I've been a jailbreaker for many years so I'm accustomed to staying on old FW revisions as long as possible.

Older moddable hardware is better. To be clear, the RCM exploit on older systems does not require a hardware modification.

 

[Kylezo]

Older moddable hardware is better. To be clear, the RCM exploit on older systems does not require a hardware modification.

Oh I misunderstood, thanks for that. Sorry for so many questions, been reading a lot but it's a lot of info. So, what are chipped systems for, then? Do you think I should look into getting one of those? I'm not quite sure I understand the advantages/disadvantages. You were saying the hardmod approach is out of date right? I read that the new chip clones might be good to keep an eye on. But not sure where to get them, or where to look for a chipped console.

 

[Lacius]

Sorry for so many questions, been reading a lot but it's a lot of info. So, what are chipped systems for, then? Do you think I should look into getting one of those? I'm not quite sure I understand the advantages/disadvantages. You were saying the hardmod approach is out of date right? I read that the new chip clones might be good to keep an eye on. But not sure where to get them, or where to look for a chipped console.

There are several ways to hack a Switch:

1. Old RCM exploitable system (it's exploitable no matter the system version)
2. Old system on 1.0.0-4.1.0 using a software mod (has to be kept on a low system version with an updated emuMMC for hackery) (if it's RCM exploitable, you can always move to that)
3. Patched system on 4.1.0 (can use the aforementioned softmods on 4.1.0)
4. Patched system or Mariko system with a TX modchip

#1 is the best. #2 and #3 must be kept on a low system version, must use an emuMMC to play newer games, and can easily be bricked or blocked from hacks. #4 requires an intricate hardware modification.

 

[Windsall]

fantastic!!

you guys are awesome helping out all the noobs.

1 quick question though.

how do i start the switch if it has been powered down?
do i need to use the jig even if i want to turn it on to the sysnand without any hack?

Most of the times my son will be using the switch for playing online games. Sometimes I will be using it with hack to play downloaded games.

Everytime you turn off your switch, you will have to either use a jig + rcm + payload to load hekate and get into the emummc.
You don't need to do this to get into the original firmware since it will boot into that by default.

If you would like to not have to use the jig (you still need the payload tho), you can use auto-rcm so that the switch always goes into rcm instead of booting normally, but this means that you can no longer boot the switch normally and will always need a payload when booting it
This isn't a problem if you keep the switch on sleep instead of powering it down, but to go between sysnand and emunand you do need to get back to rcm and inject a payload.

I tried to learn if there were other ways to switch between them easier but for the most part there isn't. I may buy a usb dongle eventually tho so that I don't always have to use my computer to put in the payload.

 

[Kylezo]

There are several ways to hack a Switch:

1. Old RCM exploitable system (it's exploitable no matter the system version)
2. Old system on 1.0.0-4.1.0 using a software mod (has to be kept on a low system version with an updated emuMMC for hackery) (if it's RCM exploitable, you can always move to that)
3. Patched system on 4.1.0 (can use the aforementioned softmods on 4.1.0)
4. Patched system or Mariko system with a TX modchip

#1 is the best. #2 and #3 must be kept on a low system version, must use an emuMMC to play newer games, and can easily be bricked or blocked from hacks. #4 requires an intricate hardware modification.

#4, this is the SX OS that requires a license, right? I'd be down to look at performing the mod myself or finding a service if I can't, providing it meets my needs after the mod, but I read SX OS is dead anyways yea? So I'll probably just look for a HAC-001 unpatched to run the sw exploit (doesn't this require a jig, how is that not a hardmod? or is that only for newer systems?) Sorry again for all the questions, feel free to ignore me, I'm gonna keep reading regardless lol. It's just a lot of info I'm trying to decode lol

 

[Lacius]

#4, this is the SX OS that requires a license, right? I'd be down to look at performing the mod myself or finding a service if I can't, providing it meets my needs after the mod, but I read SX OS is dead anyways yea? So I'll probably just look for a HAC-001 unpatched to run the sw exploit (doesn't this require a jig, how is that not a hardmod? or is that only for newer systems?) Sorry again for all the questions, feel free to ignore me, I'm gonna keep reading regardless lol. It's just a lot of info I'm trying to decode lol

SX OS is dead, but you can use a TX modchip (or a rare clone) to use Atmosphere. In other words, it's the modchip that matters, not the software, when you're using a TX modchip with a system that isn't RCM vulnerable.

That being said, an RCM vulnerable Switch is highly recommended if you don't already have a Switch.

An RCM vulnerable Switch needs a jig, but you can use a bent paperclip, and you only need the jig one time. After that, you can install AutoRCM.

 

[Rashed]

Everytime you turn off your switch, you will have to either use a jig + rcm + payload to load hekate and get into the emummc.
You don't need to do this to get into the original firmware since it will boot into that by default.

If you would like to not have to use the jig (you still need the payload tho), you can use auto-rcm so that the switch always goes into rcm instead of booting normally, but this means that you can no longer boot the switch normally and will always need a payload when booting it
This isn't a problem if you keep the switch on sleep instead of powering it down, but to go between sysnand and emunand you do need to get back to rcm and inject a payload.

I tried to learn if there were other ways to switch between them easier but for the most part there isn't. I may buy a usb dongle eventually tho so that I don't always have to use my computer to put in the payload.

awesome. thanks mate.

thats exactly what i need as my son will play mostly online and he can turn it off and on normally for his turns. When i get time to play i can manually use jig and get into emummc.

now, time to install incognito mode and Tinfoil

 

[Kylezo]

SX OS is dead, but you can use a TX modchip (or a rare clone) to use Atmosphere. In other words, it's the modchip that matters, not the software, when you're using a TX modchip with a system that isn't RCM vulnerable.

That being said, an RCM vulnerable Switch is highly recommended if you don't already have a Switch.

An RCM vulnerable Switch needs a jig, but you can use a bent paperclip, and you only need the jig one time. After that, you can install AutoRCM.

Understood, thanks for all the help. Yea, I watched a video of how to do the mod for mariko units and between the difficulty of that and the difficulty in tracking down chips, i agree that my best option would be to just find an unpatched older unit and sw mod it. I read using a paperclip is a really bad idea but I'll burn that bridge when I come to it, lol. That chip mod looks pretty fun though, so I might look into getting a newer unit in addition to an older one down the road to try it out.

Any tips for where to look/what to look out for in looking for a v1 unit to mod?

 

[Gorkensnorkel]

Hey, maybe someone can help me out here... I updated my switch to the latest Atmosphere not too long ago and now checkpoint seems to be crashing. I thought I used checkpoint sometime in the past but I can remember if I used it or JK's Save Manager.

What is the preferred method for managing saves these days? Is checkpoint outdated?

 

[Rashed]

ok, question continues. sorry all for my idiotic questions.

how do i enable incognito in 12.1.0?

I was following 2 guides regarding incognito rcm but i was getting an error message - unknown pkg1 version

then i found out from incognito rcm github that its not updated for 12.1.0

thanks