Restore a NAND backup to the Switch

WARNING

Warning:

• This will reset all of your saves, games, system version and other system settings back to the point of when you made the NAND backup. Keep this in mind, as you probably don't have to restore a NAND backup unless you have bricked your Switch or want to go back online safely after using CFW.
• If you're going to restore an old NAND which will downgrade your firmware it's best to create a second NAND backup before restoring the first one in case something goes wrong.

Section I - Requirements

• Your rawnand.bin (Combined or in 15 or 30 parts)
• Your BOOT0 and BOOT1
  • If you're missing any of the files above, ask for further help in the Nintendo Homebrew Discord server.
• The Hekate Payload
• A microSD card larger than 32GB

Section II - Instructions

Before we start, check if you have a tree of folders called backup/[8 Character NAND id]/restore on your microSD card.

WARNING

If you don't see a backup or [8 Character NAND id] folder on your microSD card:

This means you do not have a nand backup, it is highly recommended you make one as soon as possible. Follow the steps below to make one.

1. Launch the latest hekate payload on your Switch.
2. Navigate to Tools > Backup eMMC > eMMC BOOT0 & BOOT1 and let it do its thing.
3. Wait for the process to complete. When it's completed, you now have a backup/[8 Character NAND id]/restore folder on your microSD card. Continue with step 1 of the instructions below.

1. Enter RCM and inject the hekate payload.
   • If you use a modchipped Switch, you can simply just turn your Switch on with the hekate payload renamed to payload.bin on the root of your SD.
2. Navigate to Tools > USB Tools > SD Card and plug your Switch into your PC via USB.
3. Copy your rawnand.bin (combined or in 15 or 30 parts), BOOT0, and BOOT1 to the backup/[8 Character NAND id]/restore folder on the microSD card.
   • If you have one rawnand.bin file that is 29GiB (or 58GiB on OLED consoles) and cannot move it to the SD with the error "The file 'rawnand.bin' is too large for the destination file system" on Windows or similar or macOS/Linux, check the instructions to split your NAND backup below.
4. Eject the UMS device safely from within your computer's operating system.
5. Navigate to Tools > Restore eMMC. Select Restore eMMC BOOT0 & BOOT1. Wait for this process to complete.
6. In that same menu, select eMMC RAW GPP and wait for the process to complete.
   • This will generally take a long time to complete, the time it takes depends on your microSD card's specifications. (10-15 minutes is expected.)

If you have a combined NAND backup and cant move it...

Windows

Following these instructions should leave you with 15 split parts of your NAND, called rawnand.bin.00 through rawnand.bin.014.

Section I - Prerequisites

• Your combined NAND file (rawnand.bin)
• 7-Zip

Section II - Instructions

1. Open the 7-Zip File Manager.
2. Navigate to the rawnand.bin file.
3. Right-click on the file and select Split File.
4. In the Window that opens up, under Split to volumes, bytes:, type in 2G.
5. Press OK. Once done, you will be left with files called rawnand.bin.001 through 015.
   • This might take a while, depending on the speed of your drive.
6. Rename every file, taking out the first zero, and deducting one from the current number.
   • For example, a file called rawnand.bin.013 will become rawnand.bin.12.

Once done, you will be left with files called rawnand.bin.00 through 14.

Linux

Following these instructions should leave you with 15 split parts of your NAND, called rawnand.bin.00 through rawnand.bin.014.

Section I - Prerequisites

• Your combined NAND file (rawnand.bin)
• The split utility
  • This should be pre-installed on most distributions.
• Some terminal skills

Section II - Instructions

1. Open your terminal in the directory your rawnand.bin file is located.
2. Run split -b 2G -d rawnand.bin rawnand.bin..

Once done, you will be left with files called rawnand.bin.00 through 14.

macOS

Following these instructions should leave you with 15 split parts of your NAND, called rawnand.bin.00 through rawnand.bin.014.

Section I - Prerequisites

• Your combined NAND file (rawnand.bin)
• Some terminal skills

Section II - Instructions

1. Open your terminal in the directory your rawnand.bin file is located.
2. Run split -b 2G -d rawnand.bin rawnand.bin..

Once done, you will be left with files called rawnand.bin.00 through 14.

DANGER

If you're downgrading using your NAND backup

If the security version you were on before you performed the NAND restore is HIGHER than the NAND backup itself, you have to enable autoRCM to not get stuck in a boot crash.

• Note: This section can be disregarded for modchipped Switch users.

A system update is considered a security version when a fuse is burned, you can check which versions burn fuses here.

If you were in AutoRCM before you upgraded to a newer security version (and still were after the upgrade) you don't have to do this.

1. In hekate's main menu, navigate to Tools and go to the bottom of the page where you will find a button called Archive bit - AutoRCM
2. Select the AutoRCM buttom and you will see ON written next to it. This means it is enabled.