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Dumping RomFS For Modding

Setting Up Prerequisites

Note

These steps are needed to configure nxdt_host, a client program for dumping games directly to PC. THIS IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR THIS SECTION! If you'd still like to dump to your console's SD card and copy the files 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 nca / nca fs dump options
  6. If you're dumping to a PC, set output storage: to usb host (pc)
  7. Select dump base application
  8. Select Program #0: <string of characters>
    • Very few games may have more Program #'s, you may dump only one or all of them.
  9. Select FS section #2: RomFS
    • If you want to dump the ExeFS do FS section #1: ExeFS
  10. Set use base/patch title to no if you don't want it to apply updates on top of the base.
  11. Select start nca fs section dump
  12. 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 nca / nca fs dump options
  6. If you're dumping to a PC, set output storage: to usb host (pc)
  7. Select dump update to dump an update, or dump dlc to dump DLC for the game.
  8. Select Program #0: <string of characters>
    • For DLC select Data #0: <string of characters>.
    • On this page you may press L and R to change which DLC for the chosen game you are dumping.
  9. Select FS Section #2: Patch RomFS
    • For DLC this is FS Section #1: RomFS.
    • If you want to dump the ExeFS do FS section #1: ExeFS
  10. Set use base/patch title to no if you don't want it to dump the base with the update.
    • This may not be an option for DLC.
  11. Select start nca fs section dump
  12. 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.

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, dumps with files over 4GB in size will be split to accommodate for FAT32 filesystem restrictions. You will need to merge the dump before using it (usually for extraction) 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 file, type in copy /b * [name].<file extension> 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 file, run cat [name].<file extension> [name].<file extension> > [name].<file extension> > [name].`

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].<file extension> part of the command.