Misc Is exFAT still problematic?

[Shadow#1]

Since my card is on exFAT atm can it be seamlessly converted into FAT32 without losing any data (like just convert and not format) or do I need to backup all the data somewhere else first, format the card to FAT32, and then move the backup data back to the card?

Also can installed games on a exFAT card be higher than the 4GB limit that FAT32 has in the sense that when a game is installed they can turn into a single file larger than 4GB or the installation process will always make sure to install in chunks smaller than 4GB regardless if the source file was bigger than 4GB?

Anyway, is there any homebrew that by nature will only work under FAT32 and not exFAT?

U have to format and there is no file bigger then 4GB used on the switch

 

[Gep_Etto]

I've had performance problems with exFAT on the Switch. Nothing too major, but it was definitely there. Using the exact same card but in FAT32, no problem.

 

[MasterJ360]

Aslong you avoid Homebrew that involves of dumping large files exfat will be ok. A good combo would have Emunand as SD files to easily make a backup of it incase a homebrew fails and screws up your SD card. But the safer way is Fat32, if you want to use exfat my biggest suggestion is to make sure you backup your emunand when making big changes or getting alot of new content.

 

[Reploid]

Aslong you avoid Homebrew that involves of dumping large files exfat will be ok. A good combo would have Emunand as SD files to easily make a backup of it incase a homebrew fails and screws up your SD card. But the safer way is Fat32, if you want to use exfat my biggest suggestion is to make sure you backup your emunand when making big changes or getting alot of new content.

Streaming homebrew corrupted my SD once, don't think it writes files a lot

 

[mspy]

I think that the most complain ppl have is with RetroArch.

 

[MasterJ360]

Streaming homebrew corrupted my SD once, don't think it writes files a lot

If your streaming from the SD card its probably due to alot of load on the SD card. To be more blunt the safest homebrew to use with exfat are save managers. Just updating your cheats from an app can corrupt exfat if it crashes while downloading, so you have to get those manually via PC

 

[Gep_Etto]

Since my card is on exFAT atm can it be seamlessly converted into FAT32 without losing any data (like just convert and not format) or do I need to backup all the data somewhere else first, format the card to FAT32, and then move the backup data back to the card?

Option two. There is no such thing as "converting and not formatting" a data partition to another format (hint: it's in the name).

Also can installed games on a exFAT card be higher than the 4GB limit that FAT32 has

Yes, but on a FAT32 partition they can also...

in the sense that when a game is installed they can turn into a single file larger than 4GB

No, because an installed game is not a single...

or the installation process will always make sure to install in chunks smaller than 4GB regardless if the source file was bigger than 4GB?

Okay, do you think that installing a game is just copying a .nsp file to a folder? That's not the case. Think of the big files you install as archives, either compressed (.nsz, .xcz) or uncompressed (.nsp, .xci). Installing a game is akin to extracting that archive, which basically contains a bunch of .nca files, into your Switch's internal storage or an SD card. No .nca file is ever going to be larger than 4GB. Why? Because Nintendo officially supports using a FAT32-formatted SD card, and it's not very "officiallysupportish" of them to distribute a game that can't be installed on a FAT32-formatted SD card. Also, it doesn't make much sense from a development standpoint either. So don't worry about that.

Anyway, is there any homebrew that by nature will only work under FAT32 and not exFAT?

It's not about whether it will "work" under exFAT. It's more like playing Operation. Eventually, some software is going to make that poor patient's nose go red as Rudolph's, and though it's Nintendo's fault for shipping a shitty driver, you're the one that's going to lose his data. So it's best not to risk it.

 

[linuxares]

It have a higher chance of corrupting. Over all the Exfat filesystem is like this. But Nintendo's Exfat driver is a bit more wonk than others (sadly).
But if you use it normally, you're probably fine.

 

[mspy]

One would think if the fault is on the Nintendo driver, the CFW geniuses would make a driver of their own to fix the issue... or is it just not possible?

 

[Rahkeesh]

The main use case for exFAT over FAT32 is some level of piracy and the atmosphere devs are not going to spend long hours working for that cause.

 

[Shadow#1]

The main use case for exFAT over FAT32 is some level of piracy and the atmosphere devs are not going to spend long hours working for that cause.

There isn't a piracy problem on fat32

 

[Joe88]

I would just keep a separate fat32 card for retroarch.
Been using exfat for years and never had a problem, xci's, ftp, ect.

 

[YoureALoser]

The main use case for exFAT over FAT32 is some level of piracy and the atmosphere devs are not going to spend long hours working for that cause.

False information. You have no idea what you are talking about. Fat32 is used more for piracy than exfat just because of the simple fact that everyone continuously recommends fat32. Exfat is used more for official firmware because it's what Nintendo recommends. You have it backasswards

 

[Chaosta]

exfat is trash on the switch, so much proof out there. literally no benefit to running exfat over fat32. and before someone says "DrAg FiLeS LaRgER tHaN 4gigs" if your installing games by dragging the file to sd card, youre doing it wrong to begin with.

 

[thesjaakspoiler]

Used exFat for about 2 years without any problems.
Then judgement day came and gone was my entire SD card.
My Switch froze and the only way to turn it off was to hold the power button down for 15 seconds.
That might have corrupted the SD card.

 

[MrGribble77]

I've been using exfat since the switch was first able to be modded. Never had issues with corruption and right now im using a 512GB SD card.. I'd use exfat if you really want big mod files bad enough, my skyrim mods have files that exceed 4GB easily.

 

[worm28]

I bricked a 128gb samsung sd card using exfat on my switch my data on the card corrupted and i tried to format it with minitool with windows and like three other formatting tools and they all gave errors and would not format.

 

[bazamuffin]

I've been running exFAT on a Samsung EVO 256gb with no issues for 2 years+. Only problem I've encountered was one corrupt game but that was a modified NSP.

 

[BaamAlex]

The main use case for exFAT over FAT32 is some level of piracy and the atmosphere devs are not going to spend long hours working for that cause.

The piracy stuff is bullshit.

DrAg FiLeS LaRgER tHaN 4gigs

The funny thing is, we have usb installation. But it seems, no one knows about that feature.

 

[mspy]

Tbc the problem with exFAT also happens on all un-modded Switch or is it just a CFW thing?
If it also happens on OFW I wonder why Nintendo didn't fix the driver already, do they expect the CFW guys to fix it for them or something?