Hacking Question Switch randomly stopped booting

[Nick_C-137]

I've posted to Reddit and the AtlasNX Discord channel. Some have tried to help, but I've had limited success so I thought as a last ditch effort I would try here as well. Basically, I was playing Zelda on my Switch one day. I put it in the dock (official dock and cables) left it for 2 weeks while on vacation, and came back to what seems to be a dead switch. I can boot Hekate, but nothing else it seems. I was on 8.1.0 when I last played (no emunand setup, just atmosphere / sysnand). Here are some of the things I have tried to no avail:

• Restoring the NAND backup I had (I believe the backup was from 6.2.0) - After doing this I no longer even get the Nintendo or Switch boot logo. I can however still get into RCM mode. I went into RCM, launched Hekate, and tried to launch both Stock and CFW from Hekate (which should bypass fuses). I could get to the boot logo, but no further.
  
  
• Used this guide to manually go to 5.1.0 [I guess I can't post links. It is the guide under 'Upgrading Downgrading manually with a PC on switch.homebrew.guide] I get to step 13.11 and the switch will not boot. The instructions say if that happens to complete step 14 then come back to 13 and try again. I tried again and still stuck at the boot logo. This is while trying to boot Stock or CFW from Hekate.
  
  
• Removed everything from microSD and reformatted to Fat32: I removed everything from my card, put just the package from the AtlasNX github on my card, and booted to hekate. Both CFW and stock OS from hekate freeze on boot logo. I tried both with and without the nintendo folder
  
  
• Tried to push reinx.bin instead of hekate to see what happens: I see the Reinx splash screen for a bit, then it seems like a panic or something happens and the switch shuts off and tries to reboot itself. I never successfully booted into the Reinx UI. I tried to run this payload both by doing it directly from TegraRCMGUI and by running the payload from Hekate. No go on either.
  
  
• Tried installing my NAND backup, this time using the newer hekate UI (with Nyx) rather than the older one that was on my Switch: Same result as last time.
  
  
• Followed the earlier linked 'Upgrade from PC' directions to go to 6.1.0: This is the highest firmware version supported by Choi PC. I got the same result as earlier, AutoRCM enabled but not able to get past boot logo.

Really I have no clue what to go with here. I used my Switch one day, left it docked while on vacation, and came back to a totally non-functioning unit. I don't even know what to do at this point. I always assumed that since I backed up my NAND and had my keys there would be a way to save it, but I'm pretty much out of ideas. I may just have to find a new unpatched unit and sell this one to someone smarter than me who can fix it lol. I'd appreciate any thoughts you all may have. Thanks!

 

[Lacius]

If you already followed this guide successfully and it didn't solve your problem, then I'm not sure if there's anything left to try.

 

[Budsixz]

Well as long as you can boot into hekate then you can try some stuff
1. Is your memory card formatted in fat32 32kb?
2. Did you try to install only atmos or only reinx (not kosmos)?
3. Maybe try an emunand setup. I sometimes read some people could boot into emunand but not into sysnand (yea not really a solution but you could try that)
4. Redownload your already downloaded files just in case and try again (maybe use some older version of files if new don't work)

 

[NoNAND]

You said you've already let it for over two weeks on the dock.
Then I'd assume likely this is a hardware fault. Some Internal components might have gotten fried along the process.
Have you considered unplugging the battery and re-plugging it?
Does your switch charge the way it should?
Try setting up emuNAND and if it boots from emuNAND and not sysNAND it could mean the eMMC might be loose and/or dead.

 

[Nick_C-137]

I'm sorry. I signed up for an account, saved my login info in LastPass, then left. LastPass hadn't synced yet so I had no way to login until I got back to my work PC... I kind of feel like an idiot. I'll try to get all of these answered. Thanks in advance!

If you already followed this guide successfully and it didn't solve your problem, then I'm not sure if there's anything left to try.

I did follow that guide. Everything worked fine until I got to the boot portion in steps 13/14. I tried with both 5.1.0 and 6.1.0 and both seem to get stufk on the Switch boot logo whether I try to boot CFW or Stock through Hekate.

Well as long as you can boot into hekate then you can try some stuff
1. Is your memory card formatted in fat32 32kb?
2. Did you try to install only atmos or only reinx (not kosmos)?
3. Maybe try an emunand setup. I sometimes read some people could boot into emunand but not into sysnand (yea not really a solution but you could try that)
4. Redownload your already downloaded files just in case and try again (maybe use some older version of files if new don't work)

1. It was originally exfat. At some point throughout the process, I used guiformat to format it to Fat32 32kb and continued trying. I got the same results with both formats. I did only try the NAND restore from my exfat card, as my rawnand.bin is a 29gb file.
2. I installed the Kosmos/Atmos package from the sdsetup site initially, then tried straight from their Github. I believe both should have been Atmosphere with Kosmos AFAIK unless I missed something.
3. I could try I guess. Can I make an emunand without being able to boot my system? I've never tried on Switch
4. I did try a clean memory card with all new files, but didn't try any older files. I should currently be on 6.1.0 so I could switch to some older versions and try it. When I get home I'll let you know where this all goes.

You said you've already let it for over two weeks on the dock.
Then I'd assume likely this is a hardware fault. Some Internal components might have gotten fried along the process.
Have you considered unplugging the battery and re-plugging it?
Does your switch charge the way it should?
Try setting up emuNAND and if it boots from emuNAND and not sysNAND it could mean the eMMC might be loose and/or dead.

I'm also afraid its a hardware issue... I don't feel good about not being able to get past hekate, but I was mildly hopeful since I can boot hekate.
I haven't, but sounds simple enough I think. I'll check it out when I get home.
Charges fine. I had it plugged in and in Hekate, stays at 100%
Going to try this out. Have never looked into setting up emunand so I might be a bit.

Thanks again for all of the thoughts!

 

[Nick_C-137]

Is there like a definitive guide of how to setup EmuMMC? Kind of like the switch.homebrew.guide site?

 

[Lacius]

Is there like a definitive guide of how to setup EmuMMC? Kind of like the switch.homebrew.guide site?

You can use this guide to setup an emuNAND, but it's highly unlikely to fix your issue:
https://nh-server.github.io/switch-guide/user_guide/emummc/partitioning_sd/

 

[Nick_C-137]

I have to get a workout in, but I will do the emuMMC thing after that in just a bit. Thanks for the link!

 

[Nick_C-137]

Well... EmuMMC boots to black screen as well. @Lacius took a look at a dump of my prodinfo.bin for me and surmised that it is likely a hardware failure. I think this one is dead friends. Just poor luck I guess.

 

[fantasticlain]

Well... EmuMMC boots to black screen as well. @Lacius took a look at a dump of my prodinfo.bin for me and surmised that it is likely a hardware failure. I think this one is dead friends. Just poor luck I guess.

You can always send it to Nintendo (unless you installed nsps and switch is in warranty) since Nintendo can't detect that you booted thought rcm mode.

 

[Deleted User]

You can always send it to Nintendo (unless you installed nsps and switch is in warranty) since Nintendo can't detect that you booted thought rcm mode.

Even if OP sent to Nintendo he'd most likely get a refurbished switch.

 

[ZachyCatGames]

Even if OP sent to Nintendo he'd most likely get a refurbished switch.

A working refurbished Switch is better than a broken Switch

 

[tides]

You said you've already let it for over two weeks on the dock.
Then I'd assume likely this is a hardware fault. Some Internal components might have gotten fried along the process.
Have you considered unplugging the battery and re-plugging it?
Does your switch charge the way it should?
Try setting up emuNAND and if it boots from emuNAND and not sysNAND it could mean the eMMC might be loose and/or dead.

it's very unlikely that his switch is not working since he can get into heketa
also it's even more unlikely that the dock would fry his switch since he wouldn't be the only one who have had experienced this

if anything, it sounds like his sysnand is corrupted

 

[Deleted User]

it's very unlikely that his switch is not working since he can get into heketa
also it's even more unlikely that the dock would fry his switch since he wouldn't be the only one who have had experienced this

if anything, it sounds like his sysnand is corrupted

Well... EmuMMC boots to black screen as well. @Lacius took a look at a dump of my prodinfo.bin for me and surmised that it is likely a hardware failure. I think this one is dead friends. Just poor luck I guess.

The Switch dock isn't that quality, its just a piece of cheap plastic and a small circuit.

 

[NoNAND]

The Switch dock isn't that quality, its just a piece of cheap plastic and a small circuit.

In addition to that it can scratch screen.
I believe there was this YouTube that his switch got bricked by his stock first party dock

 

[Nick_C-137]

You can always send it to Nintendo (unless you installed nsps and switch is in warranty) since Nintendo can't detect that you booted thought rcm mode.

I did have NSPs installed and I had it for about 18 months, so out of warranty unfortunately. Would be ~$115 with shipping to get it fixed by Nintendo, assuming they would even fix it. Probably going to sell it for parts on eBay, since the screen and case are all in great shape. Unless someone has better ideas haha.
And I hope it's not my dock. Kind of planned on using the same dock with this replacement Switch I just got. And I'm going to be really annoyed if another one dies. Taking my first NAND backup on the new one now!

 

[Deleted User]

I did have NSPs installed and I had it for about 18 months, so out of warranty unfortunately. Would be ~$115 with shipping to get it fixed by Nintendo, assuming they would even fix it. Probably going to sell it for parts on eBay, since the screen and case are all in great shape. Unless someone has better ideas haha.
And I hope it's not my dock. Kind of planned on using the same dock with this replacement Switch I just got. And I'm going to be really annoyed if another one dies. Taking my first NAND backup on the new one now!

There are a lot of exploitable switches on eBay that sell the tablet, the Dock is the same for everyone. Just a circuit covered by cheap plastic.

 

[Nick_C-137]

Yeah, that's where I got this replacement. Unpatched tablet only from eBay. Seemed a little iffy paying $170 for just the tablet, but it showed up in great condition. So I guess it was worth it...