Tutorial  Updated

Booting Linux on your Switch from Windows - one script, nothing to build, only downloads

THIS GUIDE IS DEPRECATED
THIS IS BETTER https://github.com/natinusala/painless-linux

This guide will show you how to boot Linux on your Switch from a Windows PC. If you're on Linux, you can directly use the shofel2_linux repository.

Credits :
  • @kombos for the pre-built binaries
  • @rajkosto for TegraRcmSmash and Windows imx_usb binaries
  • Fail0verflow for their Linux port
What you'll need :
  • A Switch
  • A Windows PC
  • Another SD card of at least 8Gb
    • you can use the same SD card that you already have on your Switch but be careful when partitioning !
  • A USB A-to-C or C-to-C cable to plug your Switch into your PC
Step 1 : installing the driver
  1. Get your Switch in RCM mode and plug it into your PC
    • It should appear as "APX" in Windows
  2. Download and run the Zadig Driver Installer from here : https://zadig.akeo.ie/
  3. In the list, choose the device "APX"
    • If it's not showing up, check "List all devices" in the options
  4. At the right end of the green arrow, choose "libusbK (v3.0.7.0)"
  5. Click on the big "Install driver" button
Step 2 : creating the root filesystem

Yes, this is still necessary. Yes, this will always be.

Open my another guide and follow the "Building the rootfs" section.
On Windows you'll have to use a IMG file and burn it with Etcher, or find a way to create an ext4 partition by hand (good luck with that).
I recommend the latest LXDE image which has the correct format for Etcher - it's a zip containing a bin, flash the .bin using Etcher.

You should be left with a SD card with two partitions on it.

Step 3 : a whole bunch of downloads
  1. Download and extract this : https://github.com/SoulCipher/shofel2_linux/archive/master.zip
  2. Download this : https://files.sshnuke.net/TegraRcmSmash1101.zip
  3. Extract the executable for your architecture in the shofel2_linux-master folder
  4. Download this : https://github.com/rajkosto/imx_usb_loader/releases/download/08daaa/imx_usb.zip
  5. Extract the executable and DLL in the shofel2_linux-master folder
  6. Download this : http://launchmycraft.fr/boot_linux.bat
  7. Put it in the shofel2_linux-master folder
This is what you should have in the linux_shofel2-master folder before continuing :
2d13fc7c7d.png


Step 4 : actually booting Linux
  1. Put your Switch in RCM mode and plug it in your PC
  2. Go in the shofel2_linux-master folder and open boot_linux.bat
  3. It wasn't that hard, wasn't it ?
 
Last edited by natinusala,
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natinusala

natinusala

Win32 error 31 is not an error
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Again, in this guide I don't detail the rootfs process but it can be long / painful on Windows.
 
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mariogamer

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I always receive error 31 while trying to boot linux with tegrarcmsmash (manually or not) (but not when normally dragging and dropping). Apparently it is a driver issue but I already installed it.
 
Last edited by mariogamer,
The Frenchman

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natinusala said:
This guide will show you how to boot Linux on your Switch from a Windows PC. If you're on Linux, you can directly use the shofel2_linux repository.

Credits :
  • @kombos for the pre-built binaries
  • @rajkosto for TegraRcmSmash and Windows imx_usb binaries
  • Fail0verflow for their Linux port
What you'll need :
  • A Switch
  • A Windows PC
  • Another SD card of at least 8Gb
    • you can use the same SD card that you already have on your Switch but be careful when partitioning !
  • A USB A-to-C or C-to-C cable to plug your Switch into your PC
Step 1 : installing the driver
  1. Get your Switch in RCM mode and plug it into your PC
    • It should appear as "APX" in Windows
  2. Download and run the Zadig Driver Installer from here : https://zadig.akeo.ie/
  3. In the list, choose the device "APX"
    • If it's not showing up, check "List all devices" in the options
  4. At the right end of the green arrow, choose "libusbK (v3.0.7.0)"
  5. Click on the big "Install driver" button
Step 2 : creating the root filesystem

Yes, this is still necessary. Yes, this will always be.

Open my another guide and follow the "Building the rootfs" section.
On Windows you'll have to use a IMG file and burn it with Etcher, or find a way to create an ext4 partition by hand (good luck with that). I recommend the KDE image which has the correct format for Etcher.

You should be left with a SD card with two partitions on it.

Step 3 : a whole bunch of downloads
  1. Download and extract this : https://github.com/SoulCipher/shofel2_linux/archive/master.zip
  2. Download this : https://files.sshnuke.net/TegraRcmSmash1101.zip
  3. Extract the executable for your architecture in the shofel2_linux-master folder
  4. Download this : https://github.com/rajkosto/imx_usb_loader/releases/download/08daaa/imx_usb.zip
  5. Extract the executable and DLL in the shofel2_linux-master folder
  6. Download this : http://launchmycraft.fr/boot_linux.bat
  7. Put it in the shofel2_linux-master folder
This is what you should have in the linux_shofel2-master folder before continuing :
2d13fc7c7d.png


Step 4 : actually booting Linux
  1. Put your Switch in RCM mode and plug it in your PC
  2. Go in the shofel2_linux-master folder and open boot_linux.bat
  3. It wasn't that hard, wasn't it ?
Click to expand...

How would one put the Switch in RCM mode? I thought the shorting of pin 7/10 was for that...
 
Last edited by The Frenchman,

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