Developed by GBAtemp community member @CTCaer , Hekate is a homebrew Nintendo Switch bootloader and multi-tool that allows firmware patching, recovery tools and more. A couple of hours ago, the modder released the latest version of Hekate, version 5.5.4, that supports booting all current CFWs, Android/Linux booting and payload tools, without the need to remove the SD card. Additionally, v5.5.4 is compatible with the latest 11.0.1 firmware as well as all Switch models (Mariko and Erista).

This new version brings a couple of bug fixes as you can see in the official changelog below:

• Better user reporting for Mariko Warmboot Storage (MWS) with missing firmware
  In case warmboot firmware was not found in MWS cache in SD, it will now notify user that sleep mode will be disabled if continue booting is selected.
• EKS for Erista now automatically upgrades itself, in order to fix issues with normal vs r2p paths when it was created with old hekate.
• Main BCT is now checked for improper values before running Sept in Erista
  Before, launching Sept in such cases (improper BCT) it would make it black screen.
  Now an error will show up that instructs user to run sept with proper BCT at least once, in order to cache keys in EKS.
• FatFS now supports simple GPT
  In case you mangled your Hybrid MBR, this will allow you to launch Nyx if FAT partition is the first one.
• SDSC cards (<= 2GB) are now supported
• Many other bug fixes and improvements

It's not just Hekate that gets an update, but also @CTCaer's Graphical Interface, Nyx, which is now on version 1.0.0. The official changelog for this update is as follows:

• Resized RAW emuMMC added in Partition Manager
  User can now select one or two resized emuMMC from 4GB to 12GB total. Full emUMMC remains.
  This resizes emuMMC USER partition and formats it. Additionally it preserves all PrFile2 SAFE metadata that disallow corruption.
  Officially support of that is important, as moving data to emuMMC partition from FAT, doesn't actually make access faster.
  Save data is kept in USER, so make sure you select a size based on needs. Use a tool if transfer of SYS saves to resized EMU is needed.
  (File based resized emuMMC is not supported yet. You can use another tool to resize it.)
  
  
• eMMC/SD Benchmark IOPS test added
  Added 4KB Sequential and Random IOPS and Rate measurements.
  They are faster than before because now it reads 1GB for Sequential big blocks and 512MB for 4KB.

@CTCaer also listed some additional changes and FAQs in the GitHub release linked below.

SOURCE
Hekate & Nyx GitHub Release

 

[Centrix]

So does this mean we switch lite owners finally have away to softmod our lites?

 

[Ita54_2]

I think you need the Chip for mariko Hardware. Not ??

 

[Broduskii]

What gives you that idea? They still need modchips.

 

[raxadian]

Really really should hack my Switch and Vita one of these days.

 

[The Catboy]

So does this mean we switch lite owners finally have away to softmod our lites?

Currently there isn’t a softmod exploit for the Lite, so you still need a mod chip.

 

[Spider_Man]

Id like to find a simple way to boot atmos, shame its not as easy as sx where its just one file

 

[M7L7NK7]

Id like to find a simple way to boot atmos, shame its not as easy as sx where its just one file

Serioualy it's download a zip and extract it onto the sd

 

[Spider_Man]

Serioualy it's download a zip and extract it onto the sd

But atmos needs other files like sigpatches and bootloader or is this it an aio just drop to sd

 

[Deleted member 397813]

But atmos needs other files like sigpatches and bootloader or is this it an aio just drop to sd

bootloader is only (i think) for hekate and sigpatches are not needed at all

 

[Centrix]

I wish there was away to softmod the switch lites, guess I'll keep waiting lol

 

[Jayro]

and sigpatches are not needed at all

They are if you want to play games and do anything useful.

 

[wownmnpare]

I wish there was away to softmod the switch lites, guess I'll keep waiting lol

just get an unpatched one and use the lite for legit games

 

[stanleyopar2000]

Does this still not work with Tinfoil?...it said "mod" so I figured maybe that was one of the mods.

 

[andyhappypants]

Id like to find a simple way to boot atmos, shame its not as easy as sx where its just one file

Honestly It’s not that hard, copy over some folders/files and job done

I’ve recently done it myself, wish I’d done it soon tbh

 

[Centrix]

just get an unpatched one and use the lite for legit games

lol, you know thats what I was thinking to. But, if I'm not mistaken I will need a 1st gen model Switch in order to soft mod it correct? I read that all the current switches and switch lites have all been fixed and are exploit free, minus what ever might exploits are found down the road.

 

[rmorris003]

lol, you know thats what I was thinking to. But, if I'm not mistaken I will need a 1st gen model Switch in order to soft mod it correct? I read that all the current switches and switch lites have all been fixed and are exploit free, minus what ever might exploits are found down the road.

Yep unpatched one is needed

 

[ZachyCatGames]

They are if you want to play games and do anything useful.

I play games and do useful things all the time, and I don't have sigpatches.

 

[White_Raven_X]

Good job @CTCaer! Keep those updates coming! We all appreciate the hard work.

 

[Jayro]

I play games and do useful things all the time, and I don't have sigpatches.

Pirated games, genius.