Let's Brick The Nintendo Switch!
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- Опубликовано: 13 сен 2024
- I wanted to run an experiment and see what would happen if the Nintendo Switch tried to start up without the internal memory on board. The results were surprising, no error message or anything. The Switch essentially plays dead and appears to be bricked, but caan be brought back. Could flash memory errors be to blame for malfunctioning Switch systems that appear to have no power?
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Good analysis, but just one issue. The Flash memory daugherboard wouldn't be "completing a circuit" in the traditional sense for the system to run, certainly not a power circuit. What's much more likely is that the CPU begins to start up, goes to load the OS from Flash, and immediately crashes. At this point since there's no OS running, it doesn't respond to the power button or anything at all--it's still "running", but crashed. But if you unplug the battery, that hard-resets the system, and the next time it starts up if it can find the Flash, then there's no issue and it works fine.
Sauraen same idea.
you may be right
really only nintendo can answer that question 100% ...
Sauraen : I think you are correct, but the memory board could just have a circuit loop that completes the power on circuit so if removed you get no power. Since even in "OFF Mode" it still is more in a deep sleep mode since Bluetooth is always active.
OTPulse
That sounds more like a better design.
The video title nearly gave me a heart attack. 😱
Shigeru Miyamoto Nintendo wii u better than Nintendo switch
Jaime Traverzo lol you wish
Evil - Don't you have a life?
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Wow, an unpopulated expansion slot on a NINTENDO console? not like the gamecube or n64 had any of those, I'm joking but Nintendo does have a history with future-proofing and then not implementing those ideas.
Actually even the NES and SNES have those and the SNES and 64 used them for add-ons, only for Japan though.
right, but Nintendo never pushed the utilization of them, they may have minorly supported add-ons a few times in the past but they've never fully implemented them.
NES: Robot accessory
SNES: Satellaview (Japan Only)
N64: Memory expansion port (used for the 4 MB memory expansion module) Accessory port: 64DD (Japan Only)
Gamecube: Modem, Gameboy Player
Cpt_ FuzzyFace Its usually the hacking community that ends up utilizing those expansion ports down the line
+TacticalPower88 good for them
Interesting! I really love this channel. Especially because of stuff like this. Great video.
Hey Bagman
This actually turned out to be an interesting video when I was afraid it was going to either be click-bate OR You were actually going to break your Switch beyond repair. However, the more you seem to experiment with the system the more it seems like they've actually designed it pretty well. For instance, being designed to fail in this way is a great way to protect the rest of the hardware from issues stemming from one failed component while also making it MUCH easier to repair than, say, a Nintendo 3DS.
I love this sort of
"Learn by Doing"
Mentality
Keep us updated on future discoveries
Modular for the obvious 64GB-128GB model in a few years, or just to change that part if fails, not the whole system
Try change the internal switch 32gb to a 64gb flash card and see what happens
I did it, gotta format the flash card to what the switch reads.
Mad Max He's not referring to the SD Card. He's talking about the storage chip inside the switch which until Nintendo comes out with a larger size is all you can use. There is no 64GB model of the switch so no 64GB chips
Same as when there's no NAND chip, since there's no data on it. You could, theoreticaly dump the original 32GB chip and flash it onto the 64 one, but since it's made of many partitions which are encrypted you probably won't be able to resize them and be stuck with 32GB still.
@@InsaneCallum who?
@@prodbyfaith i know this is a old comment but it can be done
I know that RCM wasn't known of then, but the Switch is not off. It is in recovery mode. A technician can load a recovery payload to restore the console (or someone can load a bootloader to run custom firmware)
Yeah old videos like these are kind of a bit frustrating, especially considering that they're the source of much of the misinformation in the switch scene today.
So if my Switch ever bricks in another way, could I simply unplug and plug the battery back in?
I believe that flash memory houses the operating system.
Christian Young I THOUGHT IT WAS STORED IN THE RAM SILLY OLD ME 😂👌🔥👌😂😂👌😂👌🔥
Kenshiro this is the secondary storage device, the primary one is the ram and processor cache.
Kenshiro That flash memory is the "HDD in a pc" in your analogy. The only other storage the Nintendo Switch has is a SD card slot. That flash memory was never meant to be removed (nor the Switch opened for that matter). It's more similar to if you removed the internal storage on a PS4. Even if you put in a new hard drive you still have to reinstall the operating system.
Christian Young it has the secondary backup os, thats why it wont turn on at first!
The PS4 has a much more comprehensive firmware on-board and so will start up without a HDD enough to give error messages and let you re-install a new HDD, but yes the OS is still on the HDD. Interestingly the PS3 originally had all its OS in firmware and its only in the later years where they expanded it so much they had to split it off into part in firmware and part on the HDD, like the PS4 functions now.
The Switch doesn't need that so at most it will have a bootloader in the CPU that immediately tells it to load from the eMMC.
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It’s always a pleasure to see you play like this without any ESD save mat or wrist strap . . . ESD damage can occur six month after damaging a part.
It *does* turn on, but the CPU notices it can't load the bootloader so it boots into its recovery mode. Nothing shows on the screen, but it's definitely on and working. It's designed so that NVIDIA can restore the bootloader/repair whatever else is wrong with it. This exists on anything with a Tegra, not just the Switch.
I know some people who have actually removed their flash memory modules in order to more easily get into RCM mode, as well as to essentially remove the possibility of being banned from accidentally booting into sysnand cfw.
Creepy grin in the thumbnail
Classic Gamer
He's not a sexy female, that's the best he can do
wasn't that the point?
You and your switch... Your a crazy guy. If I had money to replace my switch I'd probably try taking it apart myself.
Damn jon beasted on the gym fr. He look real different now
I'm almost 2 years late but just a pet peev, I always unplug the battery when I do anything to a device. Paranoid it could cause a short.
I believe the system is on but there isn't an OS to boot so its basically soft locked, try Turning it on with the chip out, then put it it back in like you did in the video but don't unplug the battery, and then hold the power button for about 15-20 seconds, then try turning it on again, also great video!
The socket is for access for technicians. Apple has those too. They are used to rewrite or erase a serial number or other kind of diagnostics.
It's not "bricked". When you turn it on without any NAND it will power on but into a special state where it won't display anything, kinda like on Android Phones where you have a "fastboot mode" but even before fastboot still. If you'd plug it into a PC at that point you'd most likely find a USB Device used for debugging etc., at least I assume since that's whats happening with most Android devices if you do the same.
Rcm mode used for cfw purposes
The look of Spawns face in the thumbnail says "Bring dat ass here boi"
Thank's for the great information! I can always rely on you to make these tech videos in way that's easy to follow and understand!!
Quality video Jon(SW). I am glad your Switch wasn't bricked for good but useful information too know good stuff man :-).
2:49 no it doesn't, it's just that the emmc memory contains the boot files for the switch and if those aren't present it'll boot into RCM mode instead, this is actually precisely how the Auto RCM homebrew works by corrupting those boot files it forces the switch to boot into RCM mode without the use of the jig.
2:56 Nope that's just what happens when there are no boot files accessible to the switch.
4:00 again no the system was just in RCM mode, RCM mode doesn't give you any indicator that the system is powered on but it very much is on it's just simply waiting for you to send a payload. Battery removal also wasn't necessary if you hold the power button down while in RCM mode the system will turn off and provided you have the emmc reseated should boot normally afterwards.
Also one more thing, it is a very bad idea to install or remove flash memory while the system is running as you can short out the chip and kill it or possibly kill the motherboard. Granted you didn't know about RCM mode when this was filmed but in RCM mode voltage is still flowing you're very lucky that you didn't kill the flash memory since that would have been very hard to recover from, even with Homebrew it's very hard to recover without backups.
Thanks for giving me this information a few days after i get my switch replaced probably because of this issue
I doubt that taking it out breaks a circuit. The fact that it still doesn't turn on when you stick it back in suggest that something more is going on internally.
SD plug in that empty plug
Let's say we got 2 Switches. Let's call them Switch 1 and Switch 2.
Switch 1 falls on the ground, has massive crack on the screen, making it almost unplayable. Is it then possible to take the modular flash memory from Switch 1 and send it to Switch 2 to "save" our data?
I believe that's what Nintendo does when you sent it in to get repaired. They usually don't repair ir, they'll just replace it.
I am not so sure about this.. As one of spanwaves latest videos, his switch bricked after 5.0.0, using a 3rd party dock.
And he mentions that he couldnt just do that.. something about it being keyed to each system? May be something in the OS write for it, that checks a SN on the mainbord or something?
It’s possible that when you turn it on without the flash then it halts since there’s no/can’t boot. But when you put the flash back without first power it down then it remains in the same state and that’s why when you power cycle it it’ll work again. I think if you hold the power button for more than 7s it’ll turn off and you can turn it on with the button again - mine bricked once and doing that brought it back to life.
Correct, it gets halted in a state known as RCM mode or recovery mode it's a special mode that Nintendo uses to service the device, conveniently on some early models there is an exploit in this mode that allows users to run Homebrew and custom firmware from it.
It's actually not required to remove the battery to get out of RCM mode all you have to do is hold the power button for a long time and the system will turn off, assuming the flash memory has been reinstalled the next power up will happen normally, just don't do what he did and make sure to turn the system off before reinstalling the flash memory as that could damage it.
That explains a lot for people who got their system so fucked up to not power.
the face of a man with nothing to loose
Its very smart u can remove that so fast if your switch dies you can put it in a new one and u got all your save data back on a brand new switch
Now I must physically restrain myself from bricking my switch
Let's say that Nintendo programs the firmware of their devices similar to the Wii I have a possible theory that the device actually does start up without the NAND chip but just like the Wii, it has multiple boot stages. Given that the 1st stage is enabling the hardware, it's possible that the second stage is likely running a partition of code for booting software. It is also usually at this stage where homebrewers inject their code so a payload is executed during start up
Man you are brave!
The empty slots that you are pointing at is for the SD card reader which you obviously removed to get the shield off
turning on without the nand or with the nand corrupted the switch will go to RCM (recovery mode) of the nvidia tegra. (its a black screen and appears to be off but it isnt). You dont need to unplug your battery, all you need to do is hold the power button for 10 ou 15 seconds.
You should try removing the memory while the switch is turned ON lol
Hey Spawnwave, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that empty slot for the ribbon cable that connects the card reader through the metal back?
Chick-fil-A FTW! So cool. Though, I barely play the Switch a lot these days since I hardly have time for it.
more likely the system tried to turn on with no memory and locked up. The button you press to power it on isn't a hardware switch. It's a "soft" switch so it froze at the boot where it looks to read from the memory, and stayed at that spot. Being locked up, the button is no longer functional. As a side note, it's a horrible idea to add or remove hardware on anything without disconnecting power, and this includes the battery.
I wonder how long it will be until Nintendo or 3rd party offers memory expansion upgrades from the 32GB. Seems to me as long as one can clone that flash chip onto anything larger it should work.
Fun fact for those who don't know, you can simply press the power button on the switch to turn it on, no need to hold it
When you attempt to boot an Nvidia Tegra chip (which is what's in the Nintendo Switch) without anything to boot, in this case because there is no flash chip to boot off, it will either just do nothing or enter RCM mode, I'm pretty sure it is the latter. This is some kind of low level recovery mode in which it displays and responds to nothing, except for USB. So your switch wasn't actually bricked, it was just on and idle with no way to turn it off except by removing the battery!
This may have been figured out already, but the “unpopulated” slot is for the trasflash card reader. When you put it back together you’ll see. Unless I’m missing something.
Try and take the battery plug out first then remove the flash memory and
Try to turn it on
+Chris Cautillo Same results, but good thinking.
Spawn Wave also I think the extra port near the memory is to debug the console
Or maybe be able to turn it on without the memory
I would love to see what would happen if you'd just kinda put in a replacement memory chip in the empty socket below?
It's really risky for the system and a lot of work, and Switches are still not easy to get, but _if_ the system would just accept the 64GB storage, it would probably break the internet. No idea how small the chance actually is, but the devkit has already 64GB of storage...
Does it replace Storage flash memory. Like Back up another new switch console.
typical friday night... the switch is apart
lol that poor switch no wonder it tried running away
that 'brick' is tegra rcm mode, as it will boot if there is no flash memory installed. removing the battery is not necessary, you can just hold the power button for 10 seconds. the switch is in recovery mode(not nintendo, but from the processor). it is documented here under 'Entering RCM mode' fail0verflow.com/blog/2018/shofel2/
1 reason for the memory being modular is because the shortage of them. SOO im guessing they produced a bunch of motherboards( maybe even whole systems) then just plop the mem chip in and its ready to go.
That second connector is almost guaranteed to _NOT_ be for extra memory. Nintendo _already has a memory connector..._ The one the eMMC NAND Flash module is plugged into. They don't need a second. If they make future models with more memory, they will just use a larger module on the same plug. The extra connector is actually very near an RF shield. It's far more likely, that they future proofed the motherboard by making it possible to plug in a 4G LTE module (or possible other future cellular data standard, such as a 5G module), to allow true wireless gaming, like the Vita. It's not an option now, to keep costs low, and online services simpler, given Nintendo's lack of expertise in the online space.
I'm pretty sure it actually is turning on, but starting up in RCM mode, now famous for its unpatchable exploit that gives full-privilege code execution. :)
Nice little video! I will be mindful of this information from now on, thanks!
I believe the unpopulated header is for the MicroSD card slot, that you had to remove before the metal chassis during disassembly.
This channel keeps getting better & better
By the time nintendo would use that extra slot, they will already have a board revision and a new switch Lite, XL, or something,
Hey Spawnwave, please buy one of the clear shells they sell for the switch and put it on!!! I'm dying for a tutorial on that and seeing how it looks (reminds me of the retro N64 and GBA with clear plastic shells)
Hey man, Matpat wants to have back his catchphrase.
The port below the flash memory looks like a JTAG port, which is used for stuff for communicating with the hardware (dumping ram, checking certain registers,...) and as far as i know it can't be used for memory expansion :/
You were incorrect. The bootrom is stored within the SOC and the OS is stored in the flash. You have turned the system on without the flash, it just loads the bootrom which will get stuck in execution (you can't fix this with holding the power button etc), so you need to completely terminate power to boot the system again.
Good video. Interesting results there.
Great video. I love how you tinker with the Switch. Please continue to experiment to see what we could modify. I know this is a huge if, but what if we could upgrade memory of the Switch internally somehow??? or the internal battery capacity?
So this raises a question, can we read that modular chip, transfer it to another modular chip that has a larger filesystem size, and insert it into the switch, then do the power cycling, will it work?
Those 10 dislikes are people who don't have Switches
or theyre the people who painfully watched this dude call the sd card reader socket a completely unpopulated port when he just removed the sd card reader from that exact port ... like a spacker!!
Seems like the switch is on without the flash memory installed, it just doesn't show anything because the loading Nintendo screen is stored in the operating system (flash memory) and the BIOS or boot loader of the switch doesn't display anything to the portable screen when turned on.
FYI, that Switch is in RCM(ReCovery Mode). If you plug Switch to your computer using USB cable, you'll see a device named "APX".
And you could do some fun thing(CVE-2018-6242) from there.
We have casual gamers, hardcore gamers, scalpers and now we have the spawn wave...
Yo, he finally left the toy barn.
That evil grin in the thumbnail though.
OH BOY i love that 1440p
Oh shit
My phones can't do that
So you're telling me this whole entire time of me trying to fix my Nintendo this happened
Sony and Xbox fanboys salivating to this vid
Medalion *drinks Sony water*
I bet the system does starts to power on, but very early in the boot process, before the screens are turned on, its reads nand, since it cant it probably is thrown into some panic loop, so the system is on, but not fully, adding the nand back wont help. only works again after the battery is pulled to completely shut it down.
What is on the flash chip? Surely you could pop it into something else, rewrite it, and boom modded switch
It may be possible to create a replaceable module that has a standard micro SD card slot instead. An easily removable SD card as internal flash memory would make it possible to back up the system up and then replace the flash when it inevitably goes bad.
I learned quite a bit from this video. Thanks for the demonstration.
I was hoping you plugged the flash RAM into the unpopulated socket.
THEORIES AND QUESTIONS
- Could they have made the flash memory modular partly so that it's easily replaceable? (Alongside, of course, easier revision)
- If you could get a larger flash memory chip with the same socket, could you copy your old data over, pop in the new chip, and have a Switch functioning with expanded memory?
- Could this un-brick the Nyko dock vs. 5.0.0 issue?
so maybe the switch consoles which bricked while they where still might have bricked because the memory module came loose
Try sticking the flash memory from your second switch into the first switch empty socket, let's see what happens when both are populated
"Typical friday night here obviously the switch is apart"
Nice find, Sir! Thank you for sharing!
Might not be a good idea to remove parts without disconnecting the battery first, anyway. Do this with mobile phones can kill things like screens or other parts.
I doubt the additional memory slot is for future revisions. Most likely it’s populated for dev kits, and not for retail units.
That's good to know for the future
Should have titled the video 'how to fix a bricked Nintendo switch'
Thats not a failsafe. The firmware is stored on that flash. It simply cant boot so it locks up before it even powers on the screen!
interestingly enough, what you did in this video was entering RCM mode, but you did not realize xDD
Ofcorse it wouldnt boot properly without the flash memory considering that the OS is on said flash memory
Yo shoutouts to Chick-fil-a
I am not sure if you have access to another switch but I would be interested to see if you could swap the flash chip with another system. I could see the use case maybe a year down the road you get a new system and give your old beat up one to your kids but you want to keep your save and games and what not
I think you should take out the battery and try to plug it into the dock and see if it works. If not... try and get it to work. That would make a good video and help a lot of people 😀
we now know that without the flash memory it will just boot into rcm mode
ooohhh... so the flash chip is modular huh? interesting... wonder if we can exploit that?
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No shit it won't power on. Every electrical engineer will tell you that you don't remove any components without unplugging the battery first
Very informative! Thank you!
Just an FYI, you shouldn't remove components from a live circuit.