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Dumping Games for Emulators

Setting Up Prerequisites

Note

These steps are needed to configure nxdt_host, a client program for dumping games directly to PC. If you'd like to dump to your console's SD card and copy the games to your PC later, you can skip this section.

Downloads:

  1. Download both files above to your PC.
  2. Launch HBMenu on your Switch, and open NXDumpTool (nxdt_rw_poc).
  3. Connect your console to the PC via USB (with nxdt open).
  4. Run Zadig on your PC. Go to Options and check the List all devices option.
  5. In the top dropdown menu, select the nxdt_rw_poc USB device.
  6. Change the Driver dropdown on the right to libusbK (vX.X.X.X).
  7. Click on Install Driver. Wait for the installation to finish.
  8. Extract nxdt_host.7z using 7-Zip. If you don't have 7-Zip, you can download it here.
  9. In the extracted files, find and run nxdt_host.exe
  10. Set the output directory by pressing Choose and selecting a folder of your choice.
  11. Click Start server.

You're ready to start! Proceed to the dumping section.

Downloads:

  1. Install NX Dump Client either via the AUR on ArchLinux based distros, or via Flathub on others.
  2. Start NX Dump Client on your PC.

You're ready to start! Proceed to the dumping section.

Downloads:

  1. Instructions will be added soon.

Dumping

  1. Launch SysCFW via Hekate. If you followed our guide for CFW setup, this is the Atmosphere FSS0 sysMMC button.
  2. Launch HBMenu and open NXDumpTool (nxdt_rw_poc).
  3. Select user titles menu
  4. Find the game you want to dump and select it.
  5. Select nsp dump options --> dump base application
  6. If you wish to be able to install the dump to an emuMMC later, enable nca/tik: remove titlekey crypto. Otherwise you can leave everything at defaults.
  7. If you're dumping to a PC, set output storage: to usb host (pc)
  8. Select start nsp dump
  9. If you set output to usb host (PC), make sure NX Dump Client/nxdt_host is open on your PC, then connect your Switch. Dumping will begin.
  1. Launch SysCFW via Hekate. If you followed our guide for CFW setup, this is the Atmosphere FSS0 sysMMC button.
  2. Launch HBMenu and open NXDumpTool (nxdt_rw_poc).
  3. Select user titles menu
  4. Find the game you want to dump and select it.
  5. Select dump update to dump an update, or dump dlc to dump DLC for the game.
  6. If dumping DLC, press L/ZL or R/ZR to change the selected DLC title to dump.
  7. If you wish to be able to install the dump to an emuMMC later, enable nca/tik: remove titlekey crypto. Otherwise you can leave everything at defaults.
  8. If you're dumping to a PC, set output storage: to usb host (pc)
  9. Select start nsp dump
  10. If you set output to usb host (PC), make sure NX Dump Client/nxdt_host is open on your PC, then connect your Switch. Dumping will begin.

Note for Linux Users

If you set NSP/NCA checksum verification to Strict, and you enable remove titlekey crypto, NXDC will fail with the below error. Either disable remove titlekey crypto or set NSP/NCA checksum verification to Compatible.
strict mode in NXDC

Organizing Dumps

By default, NX Dump Client will output your dumps to $HOME/Downloads, you can however change this to wherever you like. Either way, you can now move your game dumps from the output folder to anywhere you find convenient.

Merging Split Dumps

Info

If you chose to dump to your SD card, dump's over 4GB in size will be split to accommodate for FAT32 filesystem restrictions. You will need to merge the dump before using it in an emulator. Those who chose to dump to PC can skip this section.

First, copy the dump off of the SD Card, and place it in an easily accessible location on your PC.

Next, you will use the terminal/command prompt on your PC to merge the dumped files.

Select the tab for your operating system:

  1. Open File Explorer, and navigate into the folder where you placed your split dump.
  2. Make sure the dumped files are in a dedicated folder, that doesn't contain anything else.
  3. Click on the address bar in File Explorer, and clear it out.
  4. Type in cmd and hit Enter. A command prompt window should open.
  5. To merge a gamecard dump, type in copy /b * '[name].xci' and hit Enter. (Replace [name] with the filename of the dump you are merging)
  6. To merge a digital dump, type in copy /b * '[name].nsp' and hit Enter. (Replace [name] with the filename of the dump you are merging)
  1. Open your file manager, and navigate into the folder where you placed your split dump.
  2. Open a terminal in the current folder.
  3. To merge a gamecard dump, run cat '[name].xc0' '[name].xc1' > '[name].xci' > '[name].xci'
  4. To merge a digital dump, run cat '[name].ns0' '[name].ns1' > '[name].nsp' (Replace [name] with the filename of the dump you are merging)

Note

If your split dump has more than two parts, you need to account for this in the command. Add all pieces of the split dump before the > [name].xci part of the command.