This is outdated. It works in its basic ideas, but has no updated links whatsoever anywhere. Look - if you want to migrate from SX to Atmos and don't have Emunand, just grab Atmos files and sigpatches, and boot Atmos with fusee-primary using your favorite means of launching payloads. That's it.

If you're on SX emunand, have a look at this tutorial. That is what I used myself to migrate to Atmos and emummc, and it works just fine. Contains links to everything you need. It also covers the problem of having an SX dongle, but wanting to boot another CFW with it.

This tutorial does absolutely not cover anything Ipatched-unit, Mariko or SX Core/Lite Modchip related. Please don't ask any questions about that here. I can and will not help you with that.

Spoiler

How to migrate from SX OS to Atmosphere
This short guide will show the basic steps to move from SX OS to Atmosphere, or have them both next to each other. I won't boast it up with images or even videos, since it's mostly only dragging and dropping files around. It's very straightforward and should be done in maybe ten to fifteen minutes.
It is especially relevant to users who boot their console with the SX Pro Dongle, because with it come certain limitations and issues when trying to boot Atmosphere or even dual-boot. This guide also provides a solution for that.

Why would I want to switch to Atmosphere and what are the ups and downs?
Pros:

• Most up-to-date CFW support for newer Firmwares
• KIP Support (external modules, 'add-ons' if you want)

Cons:

• No XCI Loading
• No USB Loading
• No installing games from USB media

To put it in other words: if you don't need or want

• XCI Loading
• USB HDD support,

then there are no sensible reasons to hold on to SX OS.

Regarding EmuNAND/EmuMMC
Given that I do not use EmuNAND/EmuMMC, I can neither tell you how to move that nor provide support for it. There is already a guide that covers this, so if you are looking to move your EmuNAND as well, take a look at this guide by thaikhoa.

Basic Atmosphere Setup for existing SX OS users

• Get the latest Atmosphere files (zip and fusee-primary.bin), put the contents of the zip on the root of your MicroSD
• Get Sigpatches if needed (to run unsigned code), put the contents of the zip on the root of your MicroSD
• SX Installer does not work on Atmosphere, so get another title installer like Goldleaf, Tinfoil or Lithium and put it into your \Switch folder
• Since 0.8.5, Atmosphere supports cheats as well and they are compatible with the format that SX uses. User KuranKu already described what you need to move to make it happen, so have a look at this guide if you need this
• If you have any XCI files left, you will either have to install them with the latest versions of Tinfoil or Lithium or grab them again as NSPs from your most favourite source. Don't install them via the SX menu, they won't work on Atmosphere
  
• If you don't have or use the SX dongle, just use whatever loader you were using before but instead of pushing the SX payload, push the Atmosphere fusee-primary.bin payload

That is basically it. Now when in Atmosphere, launching any app while holding R (standard config) will open the Homebrew menu and allow you to run Homebrew from there.

All of the below is not necessary if you use any other dongle or payload launcher besides the SX Dongles! If you have a different method of launching payloads, just push the payload of your choice to go into SX or Atmosphere!

Booting Atmosphere with the SX Pro or Gear Dongle
If you want to use your existing SX Dongle to boot Atmosphere or to have a choice between Atmosphere and SX OS, there are some additional steps needed. SX actively blocks loading fusee-primary.bin through their launcher (boot.dat) since SX OS 2.6, so you need to install a little workaround and that is Hekate. I will show you how to set this up properly for both options - either having the dongle boot Atmosphere automatically, or leaving you a choice between Atmosphere and SX OS.

Setting up HekateOptional: Autoboot into Atmosphere

1. Setting up Hekate
   For both options, we need Hekate.
   You can optionally set Hekate up as the Payload that the Reboot to Payload Homebrew boots into. Now when you use this Homebrew or your console crashes, the console will boot into Hekate, allowing you to dump your NAND, choose between SX OS and Atmosphere (if wished) etc.
   
   • Get the latest Hekate files and put the contents of the zip on the root of your MicroSD
   • Rename hekate_ctcaer_*.bin on the root of your MicroSD to payload.bin
   • Optional (if you want to have your console reboot into Hekate): Make a copy of the hekate_ctcaer_*.bin Payload, rename it to reboot_payload.bin and put it into the \atmosphere folder, overwriting the existing one. If you use the Reboot to Payload Homebrew, it'll now go into Hekate
   • Optional (if you want to continue using SX): Get the SX OS Payload, put it into \bootloader\payloads
   • Put the Atmosphere Payload fusee-primary.bin into \bootloader\payloads
2. Optional: Have Hekate autoboot into Atmosphere
   You can set up Hekate so that you do not have to navigate its menu, but boot into Atmosphere directly. To achieve this, do the following:
   
   • Boot up Hekate at least once, so that the file hekate_ipl.ini in the folder \bootloader is created
   • Open hekate_ipl.ini and append the following lines at the end:

   [Atmosphere]
   payload=bootloader/payloads/fusee-primary.bin
   { }

   • Change the value autoboot=0 to autoboot=1
   • This will make Hekate show a splashscreen for some seconds, and then autoboot into Atmosphere. During the splash screen, you can press one of the volume buttons to override the autoboot process and get into Hekate's menu.
   • Optional (if you want a longer time to be able to override): Change the value bootwait=3 to another time (in seconds)
   • Save the file
   If you go into Hekate now, it will show a splashscreen for the time specified in bootwait and then boot Atmosphere.

With this done, there is now two ways to continue, depending on whether you want to move to Atmosphere completely without being able to boot SX OS anymore, or whether you want to dual-boot. Since the whole SX OS CFW is written into the boot.dat, and the SX Dongle does not allow anything but starting boot.dat, both options require slightly different setups.

Atmosphere onlyAtmosphere and SX OS

1. Using the SX Pro or Gear Dongle to boot Atmosphere without the possibility to load SX OS
   Utilizing the SX Gear boot.dat (which is just a chainloader), you can force the dongle to boot Hekate directly. As with the SX OS boot.dat, it will not launch Atmosphere directly and just blackscreen if you try to, and you'll also have to use Hekate to achieve getting into Atmosphere.
   
   • Follow all the steps above to set up Hekate
   • Get the SX Gear boot.dat, put that on the root of your microSD, overwriting any existing boot.dat
   • If you use the dongle to boot your console now, it will bring you into Hekate, where you can navigate to Launch > Payloads and choose fusee-primary.bin to launch Atmosphere
2. Using the SX Pro or Gear Dongle while being able to run both Atmosphere and SX OS
   You cannot just use another boot.dat if you want to be able to run both Atmosphere and SX OS, because the boot.dat contains the whole SX OS CFW. So in that case,
   
   • Follow all the steps above to set up Hekate
   • Start your SX OS as usual
   • For SX OS, just launch the CFW as usual
   • For Atmosphere, go to Options > Payloads and launch payload.bin (this will bring you into Hekate)
   • Navigate to Launch > Payloads and choose fusee-primary.bin to launch Atmosphere

 

[wurstpistole]

Pretty sure Atmosphere blocks their own payload from being launched with the SX bootloader. Link?

Older SX bootloader launches it fine, newer doesn't. No link, see for yourself.

 

[mendezagus]

So: The atmosphere files zip and the sigpatches file zip have a common folder: "atmosphere". Wich one should i put on the root on my sd card? should i merge them?

 

[wurstpistole]

So: The atmosphere files zip and the sigpatches file zip have a common folder: "atmosphere". Wich one should i put on the root on my sd card? should i merge them?

Both. And yes.

 

[layzMich3l]

I know the thread is old, but I recently linked someone and thought that I had to say thank you! Very well written and it was a breeze, done it on my first day in this scene.

 

[gitbearded]

I can boot into Hekate but when i click launch there are no options there, and when i go into payloads it shows me the payload in my bootloader folder, none of them will launch atmosphere successfully...?

 

[wurstpistole]

I can boot into Hekate but when i click launch there are no options there, and when i go into payloads it shows me the payload in my bootloader folder, none of them will launch atmosphere successfully...?

Hekate was overhauled since this tutorial was first drafted, it has a new UI. In general the tutorial should still work, but it's possible you have to set up the payloads a tad differently now. I am not maintaining the guide anymore, but I guess it's easy enough to figure out if you just take a look at the setup of hekate

 

[dawnbringer]

following this post but which file is fusee-primary.bin?/ i can only find fusee-mtc.bin and when i rrun that nothing loads?


---update its a separate download not mentioned in guide

 

[wurstpistole]

I wrote that guide over a year ago. While it should still be working for most parts, I don't think I'll update it for some nuances. The only real thing you have to pay attention to is if you have a SX Pro Dongle since it has limited options to boot, and those workarounds are still fine and working. Everything else you should really be able to figure out yourself. If you are able to set up Atmosphere, you can also set up a bootloader and if you push payloads any other way, it's child's play to have them both running next to each other.

 

[azburi]

Hi, I've been looking for my answer everywhere but had no luck.
So I was on SX OS for a long time but have decided in order to run Retroarch and other Homebrew that I would boot into Hetake and then could chose Atmosphere in order to use Retroarch.
The problems start when I get into Atmosphere....no games start but worst I can't Press R and select a game as it just gives me the same error and not bring up the Hombrew Menu. IF i go into the homebrew menu it is only in Applet mode.

Does anyone know how to fix this? Also Anyone else experience this and have a solution for me please? IF I can get this fixed it's most likely I'll move fully to Atmosphere now I've managed to get the setup done. Thank you for your help in advance.

 

[wurstpistole]

No games start sounds like missing sigpatches for sure, and the override button is now ZR instead of R iirc but I am a) not sure since I haven't used Atmos in months and b) pretty sure that there's a config ini in Atmos' files where you can set which button is the override button.
Lot of stuff has changed with Atmos and I'm not keeping up with it, like I said, didn't use it in months

 

[Jass360]

cheers

 

[shanefromoz]

If going from sxos to atmosphere can someone please explain to me how i load atmosphere?
I understand about adding the files to sd card, I will be using a android phone to load fusee.
Does it load directly into atmospere?

 

[wurstpistole]

Ohh boi I figured this thread might get some attention now. Wasn't planning on maintaining it, but it should still be relevant and working tho.

If going from sxos to atmosphere can someone please explain to me how i load atmosphere?
I understand about adding the files to sd card, I will be using a android phone to load fusee.
Does it load directly into atmospere?

Yes, it does. This tutorial was created more with the idea of having the SX Pro dongle, which makes things a little more complicated since you cannot change the payload. Especially if you want to use both SX and Atmos. If you use other means of injecting it's just a matter of moving some files around.

 

[rody2k6]

Hey does this work with a switch lite with sxlite installed?

 

[layzMich3l]

If going from sxos to atmosphere can someone please explain to me how i load atmosphere?
I understand about adding the files to sd card, I will be using a android phone to load fusee.
Does it load directly into atmospere?

You can use your SX dongle to boot fusee. You don't really need your phone/pc unless you really want to use it for some reason (?)

Check this reply of mine.

BTW, I would suggest axing Hekate altogether as you do not need it to boot atmo with the modified boot.dat. You can still install it in-case you'll need it 1 day.

 

[pcwizard7]

This can be done in tinfoil and tinleaf

• No installing games from USB media

 

[wurstpistole]

This can be done in tinfoil and tinleaf

No, it can't. Only on SX.
Before you reply: nut is not a USB drive.

 

[hamodwii]

Hi,
just i wanted to know is the Atmosphere used for updating current CFW or it can be used to mod a OFW?
question two if you don't mind! we have a programer that claims he can mod any Nintendo switch even the latest and no matter what the update is!
so i think he is using OX OS , is that possible?
just want to confirm so i can decide on should i order OX OS or Atmosphere

thank you

 

[vgplayer54]

I have a quick question about this... I'm an sx os user trying to enable both CFW but all my games are on my SD card as XCI files. Numerous game updates and DLC have been installed both to the NAND and the SD Card via the SX OS installer... The guide says Atmosphere will not recognize these. Does that mean I have to install those updates and DLCs twice? (again via tinfoil, etc)? Wouldn't that take up twice the space on the nand/SD card for the same data?

 

[wurstpistole]

Atmos will not be able to mount your .xci's, but it will recognize the updates and DLCs. Both CFW access the same content folder.
What you can try is to install the .xci with the SX OS installer (or Tinfoil), chances are Atmos will run them just fine. There's a handful that won't work or cause issues, you would have to install those from a clean nsp source.

If you install games as clean nsps, you can run both SX OS and Atmosphere and play games on both of them.