Hacking Question What should exactly do first on a new unpatched switch

[Masoud_5april]

Hi,
I've recently got a brand new switch with 4.1.0 firmware and it is unpatched so I want to use a CFW (like Atmosphere).
I'm not familiar with Nintendo universe, so I have a question. I've been told to create a Nand Backup first before doing anything. I was wondering should I update my switch first (in the normal way with official update method) and then create a backup with Hekate? Or I need to create a backup from current firmware and then update my switch (Can I do it normally?). What is the exact difference between a 4.1.0 or 8.1.0 hacked switch? I also want to test nsp games for the recent games but it seems that there are some ways to play new games on a lower firmware.
I also saw that there is a method called Caffeine which seems doesn't require RCM. Do you recommend using it instead of RCM?

Thanks.

 

[Dave_Chad]

Lower firmwares like yours i think have a software solution to boot into RCM that is literally the old advantage of older firmware i think.

Do you have a jig to short the pins to get it into RCM mode for the first time?

If it was me, with it being an unpatched Switch... I'd just update officially. Boot to RCM using a jig. Backup NAND, enable autorcm. Create an emunand to use installed NSP games on.

Here is a link to caffeine.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/caffeine-updated-to-support-fw-4-1-0-works-on-patched-switches.541826/

If you don't play online i suppose it would be cool to keep system nand on 4.1.0 and just update your emunand to latest version.

 

[Nononoki]

Do NOT update past 4.1.0! Your console won't be able to warmboot if you choose to update officially.

0. Get a big! microSD card. My 400GB is already full.
1. Place required files on sd card (e.g. Kosmos files)
2. Make a backup with Hekate
2.1 (Optional) Setup warmboot with caffeine so you won't need any dongles or cables
3. Create emuMMC
4. Boot to emuMMC
5. Update firmware with ChoiDuJourNX (already in Kosmos package, be sure to check if you're really in emuMMC!). AutoRCM is NOT required or recommended if you choose to warmboot (because it defeats the purpose of warmboot).
6. Have fun

 

[Masoud_5april]

Lower firmwares like yours i think have a software solution to boot into RCM that is literally the old advantage of older firmware i think.

Do you have a jig to short the pins to get it into RCM mode for the first time?

If it was me, with it being an unpatched Switch... I'd just update officially. Boot to RCM using a jig. Backup NAND, enable autorcm. Create an emunand to use installed NSP games on.

I can buy a jig, but I was wondering what is the disadvantage of using a software solution to boot into RCM? Sounds cool to me that I don't need a device (like a PC) each time I reboot the switch.

 

[Dave_Chad]

Yes i forget that step it would be cool to not have to use something else. I have my phone setup to boot my Switch though and it is always with me.

 

[Masoud_5april]

Do NOT update past 4.1.0!...

Thanks, sound awesome to me. Can you explain more about the warmboot, what is the advantage of using it? Is it like AutoRCM? I prefer to not use a jig each time I want to turn on my switch and using AutoRCM would force me to use an external device.

 

[Dave_Chad]

Warm boot is the link i gave you. Caffeine allows you to boot into your Switch normally then launch a payload like custom firmware or hekate using an exploit.

No jig needed.

 

[Masoud_5april]

Warm boot is the link i gave you. Caffeine allows you to boot into your Switch normally then launch a payload like custom firmware or hekate using an exploit.

No jig needed.

For the backup do I still need the jig to boot into Hekate and create the backup?
As @Nononoki said I need to first create a Nand backup and I need to use Hekate.
Currently, I don't have a jig, so I was wondering is there any way to bypass this.

 

[Masoud_5april]

OK, after reading a lot of articles, I decided to do the below procedure:
1. Setup SD (128GB) for emuMMC (create a 30GB unallocated partition) with FAT32 format and put Kosmos files inside it.
1. Setup PegaScape and launch Hekate.
2. Create Backup for Nand and Console's Unique Keys.
3. Setup emuMMC in Hekate.
4. Boot into CFW in emuMMC.
5. Update firmware using ChoiDuJourNX.
6. Launching homebrew.

I have some questions here.
a. I've seen in the articles that I need at least one eShop game or a game cartridge to use the homebrew. So when should I download a game from eShop? So it seems that I need to download that game in the first step before doing anything. Can I do that on lower firmware like 4.1.0?

b. For updating the firmware in emuMMC with ChoiDuJourNX, do I need to enable AutoRCM as I currently access the warmboot?

 

[techmob]

Can you let me know how you go. I am in the same situation.
Early version firmware and wondered if I should take nand backup of that or just update to latest firmware and then nand backup

 

[stephrk398]

Can you let me know how you go. I am in the same situation.
Early version firmware and wondered if I should take nand backup of that or just update to latest firmware and then nand backup

Keep in mind that I don't think you can create and link a Nintendo account without updating officially to 8.1. Some games will require a linked Nintendo account. No clue how many. There's something called Kefir that spoofs it, never tried it though.

 

[Nononoki]

a. I've seen in the articles that I need at least one eShop game or a game cartridge to use the homebrew. So when should I download a game from eShop? So it seems that I need to download that game in the first step before doing anything. Can I do that on lower firmware like 4.1.0?

b. For updating the firmware in emuMMC with ChoiDuJourNX, do I need to enable AutoRCM as I currently access the warmboot?

a. Never heard of that. It is not recommended to connect to Nintendo servers at all if you want to hack your console.
b. AutoRCM is not needed if you use warmboot.

 

[omfgoodness]

Hi all,
I have a patched switch on 4.0.1 firmware so I can't update the firmware but newer games are saying my firmware does not support the game.

I have tried one from a cart and there is no way to play it. I have also tried injecting a new game from an nps but tinfoil and goldleaf give errors, about firmware or not able to decrypt.
Is running an emuNAND with a higher firmware the only way to play these games?
Is it possible to just decrypt these nps files are inject them over without using different firmware?

Thanks