Hacker Group Gets Linux Running On Nintendo Switch

rgMekanic

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Hacker group fail0verflow has gotten Linux to run on the Nintendo Switch. According to a report on TechCruch, fail0verflow says there is a flaw in the boot ROM of Nvidia's Tegra X1 SoC. When the console boots, it excecutes code in the ROM with instructions about the boot process. The boot ROM is stored on the Tegra X1 SoC, so without Nvidia manufacturing chips that change this, a standard software update will not patch this.

Despite what the article implies, I think the financial impact for Nintendo would be positive if you could run Linux on a Switch. Opening the portable up to be more than just a gaming machine would be quite tempting for myself and many others. fail0verflow says a mod chip is not needed, there is definitely some hardware plugged into where the right joycon goes in the picture.

If fail0verflow decides to share the exploit, it could open up many possibilities when it comes to homebrew software and, yes, pirated games. It could have some financial implications for Nintendo.
 
Ah, they got it wrong, child. We need the Switch to run on Linux. I'll gladly buy all my Switch games, just not the thing itself
 
Ah, they got it wrong, child. We need the Switch to run on Linux. I'll gladly buy all my Switch games, just not the thing itself

If they sold a cheaper model without the screen and was just a console that sits on a shelf, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. I just have no desire for the portable console like that. I have my 3DS and love it. But, the Switch is a shelf console to me and would never be used as a portable.
 
If they sold a cheaper model without the screen and was just a console that sits on a shelf, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. I just have no desire for the portable console like that. I have my 3DS and love it. But, the Switch is a shelf console to me and would never be used as a portable.

They already most likely sell the hardware at a loss, so there's not much in it for them to make a screen less version. It's also why it's unlikely that it's a positive thing if people crack these to run Linux. They recoup the hardware loss with software sales and if you are just running Linux on the things you are less likely to buy games.

As for the desire for a screenless version - don't count on it. The switch works just fine in it's cradle if you ignore the screen. Indeed, I intended to leave mine entirely in the cradle; I though like you - I had zero desire to use it as a portable console.

Then I got one (mainly to play against my nephew but some for nostalgia). And I must say - it's an amazing portable console too and I use it WAY more than I though I would as a portable unit.

If you like the kind of games on the Switch, don't get hung up over it having a screen you potentially will never use. It's a very well done console and I'm way more pleased with it than I expected I would be.
 
If they sold a cheaper model without the screen and was just a console that sits on a shelf, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. I just have no desire for the portable console like that. I have my 3DS and love it. But, the Switch is a shelf console to me and would never be used as a portable.

I said the same thing. Then I bought one. Then it took almost a year before I even pulled the cradle out of the box. When I finally did hook the cradle up, I have spent less than an hour playing it on the TV. It's a great portable console and I love just sitting on the couch and playing it while the wife/kids take over the TV with something else.
 
I play it both as a handheld and a console about equally. For that, I think this is where Nintendo really shines on its innovation.
 
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I said the same thing. Then I bought one. Then it took almost a year before I even pulled the cradle out of the box. When I finally did hook the cradle up, I have spent less than an hour playing it on the TV. It's a great portable console and I love just sitting on the couch and playing it while the wife/kids take over the TV with something else.

Totally agree. I swore I’d never use it as a handheld and now that’s pretty much the only way I use it.
 
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hey had it running for a wile they dont have hardware 3D yet still thats big issue
 
Now we just need to get everyone to install Linux.

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They already most likely sell the hardware at a loss, so there's not much in it for them to make a screen less version. It's also why it's unlikely that it's a positive thing if people crack these to run Linux. They recoup the hardware loss with software sales and if you are just running Linux on the things you are less likely to buy games.

As for the desire for a screenless version - don't count on it. The switch works just fine in it's cradle if you ignore the screen. Indeed, I intended to leave mine entirely in the cradle; I though like you - I had zero desire to use it as a portable console.

Then I got one (mainly to play against my nephew but some for nostalgia). And I must say - it's an amazing portable console too and I use it WAY more than I though I would as a portable unit.

If you like the kind of games on the Switch, don't get hung up over it having a screen you potentially will never use. It's a very well done console and I'm way more pleased with it than I expected I would be.
Nintendo is know for not selling their console at a loss. That is why they always behind in tech and try to make up with gimmicks. I have only used the portable part when I took mine out the box and powered it on. Since then it been in the cradle connected to my TV.
 
They already most likely sell the hardware at a loss

then why not make a screenless/ non-portable version.. It's got to be cheaper, then maybe will be able to make a small profit on the hardware?

hell, I may be in at that point? the only thing i want to play on it is that zelda game. not spending $400 to play one game.
 
then why not make a screenless/ non-portable version.. It's got to be cheaper, then maybe will be able to make a small profit on the hardware?

hell, I may be in at that point? the only thing i want to play on it is that zelda game. not spending $400 to play one game.

Same reason they didn't make a Wii without motion controls. I would imagine the price difference wouldn't be more than $50-60 anyways. The screen is hardly bleeding edge and batteries don't cost that much.

If all you want to do is play Zelda, just play it on Cemu and play it in 4k / 60fps.

That said, if you do get a Switch you should give Mario Odyssey a shot. the game is amazing.
 
The Tegra K1, predecessor to the X1, is roughly between a GT720 and GT730, which sold for ~$60. The Tegra X1 is nothing more than a Maxwell refresh and a bump from 192 to 256 cores, and updated ARM cores - they're almost certainly not that much more expensive.

I hardly believe they're selling these at a loss. nVidia's Shield Tablet/TV is a pretty close approximation for the Switch, and these cost 200 MRSP.
 
The nintendo switch is a paradigm shift of the console market, its still not considered that officially, but i am betting it will. The hardware might be outdated power wise, but the whole package is very very polished. The joycons are excellent pieces of hardware. That's the difference.. you can have better screens, better power, whatever, it doesn't matter, its the whole package, and the switch delivered, provided good games obviously.. but the hardware, taken as a whole is excellent. I see no point in running linux on it, i see no point in it being anything else but games, i can hit home on the joycon to pause the game and pull my cellphone to do whatever, its really its pointless, any console ps3 even the wii could do browsers or whatever.. it was just pointless, worse than little arms on the t rex. Yes these things may merge (cellphone s and a switch type console) but it will take full fledged cellphone capacity with hardware and controls as polished and perfected as the switch is now as a console... This will be difficult, and seeing what and how Nintendo understands things, they might be the only ones able to do this in time and i can see it as a 2 face thing, you launch your console and use it, no notification no nothing, the switch back to cellphone... Cue in the mockery about them 'not' understanding online stuff, yeah because they can't buy and setup a ps4 or an xbone. They don't care about it, honestly i don't either, so their minimalist approach suits me just fine. I don't know how far they are going to take their online stuff right now, honestly i just don't care, i just want to plug the cartridge in play alone or with family in the living room.
 
Come on... get mame/retropie etc running on the switch and I will go buy one tomorrow.
 
The nintendo switch is a paradigm shift of the console market, its still not considered that officially, but i am betting it will. The hardware might be outdated power wise, but the whole package is very very polished. The joycons are excellent pieces of hardware. That's the difference.. you can have better screens, better power, whatever, it doesn't matter, its the whole package, and the switch delivered, provided good games obviously.. but the hardware, taken as a whole is excellent. I see no point in running linux on it, i see no point in it being anything else but games, i can hit home on the joycon to pause the game and pull my cellphone to do whatever, its really its pointless, any console ps3 even the wii could do browsers or whatever.. it was just pointless, worse than little arms on the t rex. Yes these things may merge (cellphone s and a switch type console) but it will take full fledged cellphone capacity with hardware and controls as polished and perfected as the switch is now as a console... This will be difficult, and seeing what and how Nintendo understands things, they might be the only ones able to do this in time and i can see it as a 2 face thing, you launch your console and use it, no notification no nothing, the switch back to cellphone... Cue in the mockery about them 'not' understanding online stuff, yeah because they can't buy and setup a ps4 or an xbone. They don't care about it, honestly i don't either, so their minimalist approach suits me just fine. I don't know how far they are going to take their online stuff right now, honestly i just don't care, i just want to plug the cartridge in play alone or with family in the living room.

Wiiu tablet is by far more polished for adults. The switch is great for little kids or short adults with tiny hands. The absence of a dpad in place of 4 buttons is a pathetic move inplace of individual joycons especieally when even using those controllers alone are extremly tiny. Therefore as a single player with no intention to seperate the joycons, your stuck with this enforced childish standard that nintendo implemented.

I will strongly dissagree with you and say that the switch is not at all a polished unit. If anything they could very well have released units as options to catter to those like me since its a widely known issue about the size format.
 
Wiiu tablet is by far more polished for adults. The switch is great for little kids or short adults with tiny hands. The absence of a dpad in place of 4 buttons is a pathetic move inplace of individual joycons especieally when even using those controllers alone are extremly tiny. Therefore as a single player with no intention to seperate the joycons, your stuck with this enforced childish standard that nintendo implemented.

I will strongly dissagree with you and say that the switch is not at all a polished unit. If anything they could very well have released units as options to catter to those like me since its a widely known issue about the size format.
Mod the left joycon to add a dpad (search Basstop joycon on Amazon) then buy a grip case for the switch... Boom. It’s ready for your gargantuan hands :p

I have done this recently and it made a huge difference in my portable play time.
 
Wiiu tablet is by far more polished for adults. The switch is great for little kids or short adults with tiny hands. The absence of a dpad in place of 4 buttons is a pathetic move inplace of individual joycons especieally when even using those controllers alone are extremly tiny. Therefore as a single player with no intention to seperate the joycons, your stuck with this enforced childish standard that nintendo implemented.

I will strongly dissagree with you and say that the switch is not at all a polished unit. If anything they could very well have released units as options to catter to those like me since its a widely known issue about the size format.
I have big enough hands (XL in gloves), no problem with the small joycons (in single), its weird, they work very well for me, just cupping both hands.. truthfully I was concerned before buying the switch.
The joycons with the grip, are (to me) the singe best controller I have used to far.
Now, I did skipped a whole generation of consoles recently.
but, I have used with different degrees of exposure controls from Atari, NES SNES Genesis, PS1, PS3, N64 Wii, Dream Cast, Jaguar (and computer some, but mostly Keyboard Mouse, you just always go back to that I guess). No PS4 or any Xbox.
 
Adding the larger grip case is a bandaid and still feels like a cheap fix that is still tiny for large hands. Even mentioning it sounds like you are fine with cheap designs.

The dpad mod is still a cheap idea since it is doing nothing more than adding a solid plastic X over 4 individual buttons. Thats hardly efficient for accuracy nor would any quality controller lower itself to go that route. I would say even the Switch Pro controller is flawed in a simular regard with its dpad.

Im sorry but you are trying to justify this products design when it was clearly designed for tiny hands and cost savings.
 
Adding the larger grip case is a bandaid and still feels like a cheap fix that is still tiny for large hands. Even mentioning it sounds like you are fine with cheap designs.

The dpad mod is still a cheap idea since it is doing nothing more than adding a solid plastic X over 4 individual buttons. Thats hardly efficient for accuracy nor would any quality controller lower itself to go that route. I would say even the Switch Pro controller is flawed in a simular regard with its dpad.

Im sorry but you are trying to justify this products design when it was clearly designed for tiny hands and cost savings.
But you do own one right?
 
Life is way too short to sweat the small stuff. If you don’t enjoy the system, that’s fine.
 
Since they have the pascal chips, I am assuming they have the "cuda cores"? If that is the case, can a simple mod make it a miner?
 
Same reason they didn't make a Wii without motion controls. I would imagine the price difference wouldn't be more than $50-60 anyways. The screen is hardly bleeding edge and batteries don't cost that much.

If all you want to do is play Zelda, just play it on Cemu and play it in 4k / 60fps.

That said, if you do get a Switch you should give Mario Odyssey a shot. the game is amazing.

well i started to try and get it working and never did and also I only have 8 gigs of ram and that looks like thats not gonna be enough to get a smooth experience on pc from some of what i've seen. doesn't it stutter alot whenever its gotta load texture's?

anyone here got any experience w/ zelda 2017 on pc?
 
well i started to try and get it working and never did and also I only have 8 gigs of ram and that looks like thats not gonna be enough to get a smooth experience on pc from some of what i've seen. doesn't it stutter alot whenever its gotta load texture's?

anyone here got any experience w/ zelda 2017 on pc?

Not sure about the ram to be honest, I have 16 gigs. There is no stuttering at all when loading textures. There is stuttering when building your shader cache, but you can just go download someone else's to negate this entirely.

The game has come a LONG LONG way since last year.

 
Not sure about the ram to be honest, I have 16 gigs. There is no stuttering at all when loading textures. There is stuttering when building your shader cache, but you can just go download someone else's to negate this entirely.

The game has come a LONG LONG way since last year.

yeah i was reading somewhere where someone had like a 98% complete shader cache and I can't remember how big it was but i know it was requiring way more than the 8 gigs of ram i got. pretty sure it was requiring more than 16 too, so idk. prob be able to play it sometime in the future before i die???
 
speaking of stuttering don't know if you guys seen this -->

seems to work for most but looks like most of the people still complaining about stuttering have ~8 gigs ram. seems like 8 gigs just isn't cutting it these days. looking like 32 the new magic number. f**k man, i cant mothball this 8G dominator platinum 1866 i payed an arm and a leg for and have overclocked to 2133 with respectable latencies!!! this is a sad day for me people. sorry if i'm bringing down the mood. Its just that feeling you get when you realize your parts are now last gen.

especially with the, i would say rising, but, the tripling cost of computer hardware. guess it's time to go out and grab some lube?? :turtle:
 
yeah i was reading somewhere where someone had like a 98% complete shader cache and I can't remember how big it was but i know it was requiring way more than the 8 gigs of ram i got. pretty sure it was requiring more than 16 too, so idk. prob be able to play it sometime in the future before i die???

Oh the shader cache is much smaller now. It used to take a minute+ to load now it's down to seconds. They've streamlined the whole thing.

Were I you, I'd test it for yourself to see how it runs. Build your own shader cache.
 
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