Games no longer Registering! Help Please... | /r/NintendoSwitch | Page 1

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 6:22 AM

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I switched from a SanDisk 400gb to a 1tb and I copied everything over exactly but none of my games are registering with the console. Just keeps popping an error saying "unable to start software". Is there a way to get it to register the games again or am I screwed and going to have to redownload everything?

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 6:24 AM

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Just redownload i suppose

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the saves are on the external memory so nothing is lost

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 6:38 AM

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Yeah but I had a 400gb SD card full of games and just spent hours transferring them like everyone says and now nothing is working.

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And I formatted it per the default fat 32 settings in gui format app

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For 1tb

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Can't even get a physical game to work

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 6:41 AM

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huh

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thats dumb and weird

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format it on the switch thats common sense

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 6:42 AM

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So I'll have to retransfer it all to the old one and back to the new one?

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 6:42 AM

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you can do that if you want to

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or redownload it all

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id honestly redownload

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 6:43 AM

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I don't have a home source of Internet so re-downloading isn't necessarily the best option either

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 6:43 AM

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i see

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quite complicated

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honestly idk if this is it let me just

severe cedarBOT Oct 18, 2023, 6:44 AM

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sdt

TRANSFER DATA ON MICROSD CARD

§ These are instructions on how to deal with data on microSD card, transferring them between different cards or between Switch consoles.

※ Note
● MicroSD card only contain screenshot/gameplay capture video and games' install data. Save data is stored on the Switch's internal memory and cannot be moved to microSD card.
● You can move data between the microSD card and the Switch's internal memory by going into System Setting ⚙️ > Data Management.

■ Transfer a microSD card to a different Switch
1. Make sure you have transferred the profiles that own games to the new Switch. Otherwise the console will not recognize the data. Type !tag save for more info.
2. Simply plug the old microSD card into the new Switch and check your content in System Setting ⚙️ > Data Management. Games' data and screenshot/gameplay capture should be present.
※ If it doesn't work, backup the data on your computer, format the card with the Switch, then put the data back on the card.

■ Transfer data between microSD card
You will need a device that can read and format microSD card. Either PC/MAC computer or smartphone/tablet.
1. Determine the File System of the old microSD card.
2. Format the new microSD card to the same File System.
3. Use the Switch to format the new microSD card one more time.
4. Copy and paste the files from the old microSD card over to the new one. Following the correct folder's location.

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 6:44 AM

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transfer data between microsd cards

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 6:44 AM

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That's why I was wondering if there was a way to get the console to register the games are on the SD card but also why wouldn't a physical cartridge work still?

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 6:44 AM

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upper flume That's why I was wondering if there was a way to get the console to register the...

must be not working

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have you even formatted it on the switch

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just putting the microsd is not enough

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you must format it

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 6:45 AM

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But then all my stuff is going to be deleted right?

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 6:45 AM

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Unfortunately thats whats gonna happen

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but the saves will remain on the external storage

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 6:45 AM

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So either way I will have to redownload everything basically

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 6:46 AM

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i suppose so

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 6:46 AM

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Great

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 6:46 AM

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putting in a new microsd card requires to format it all over again just saying

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without formatting it its like a chunk of unuseable storage

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like it doesnt even exist in the first place

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 6:47 AM

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Yeah I did everything except placing it in the switch first it's still formatted it fat 32 and everything

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Should work I thought

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 6:48 AM

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Not really sure

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if it doesnt work for you then it must not work then

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Format it on the switch this time

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one second

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oh damn my switch powered off for some reason

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one sec

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 6:52 AM

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Ok will do if I have to trying to redownload a game and see if a simple redownload is all is needed

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 7:12 AM

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Yeah looks like I'm going to have to redownload everything so thanks for trying but unfortunately no other options

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🤦😕😞😭

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 7:12 AM

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Alright then

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well

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thats unfortunate but thats how it is

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 7:12 AM

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Yeah lol

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 7:12 AM

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you cant exactly "move games" into different sd cards

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thats kind of illegal in a way

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you could just sell games on sd cards like that

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 7:13 AM

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Will definitely remember from now on

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 7:13 AM

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wet kite you could just sell games on sd cards like that

that would be bad for nintendo too

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so it makes sense it would not work

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so unfortunately redownloading is your only way

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 7:13 AM

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Insert in switch then redownload everything gotcha

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Right

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 7:14 AM

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First format it

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after inserting it

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 7:15 AM

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Ok so format on computer
Then insert +format on switch then should be fine

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 7:15 AM

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go to System settings > System > Formating Options > Format MicroSD card

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 7:15 AM

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Ok

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 7:15 AM

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upper flume Ok so format on computer Then insert +format on switch then should be fine

No format on switch

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 7:16 AM

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Will do but from what you're saying without a modded console the only way is to redownload everything?

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 7:16 AM

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How did you end up talking about a modded console?

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 7:16 AM

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And I meant the SD card not a system format

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Seen where you can backup games basically for transfer to a new SD card I think

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 7:17 AM

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I never modded it so i dont know but normally you need to format the sd card and then redownload all the games

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if moving games from one sd card to another was possible then nintendo would have gone bankrupt

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 7:18 AM

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Regardless thanks for the help and appreciate it

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 7:18 AM

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So yeah just insert the sd card then follow this:
System settings > System > Formating Options > Format MicroSD card

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Afterwards redownload all of your games

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 7:18 AM

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Will do

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 7:18 AM

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If anything comes up, you can message here, either i or someone else will come to assist you

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 7:19 AM

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Ok so do I need to delete this post?

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 7:21 AM

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nah

undone ridge Oct 18, 2023, 7:57 AM

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@upper flume I suggest you to properly format that card first. Following the tag below.

severe cedarBOT Oct 18, 2023, 7:57 AM

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sdf

MICROSD CARD FORMAT AND TEST

§ To fix Error Code: 2016-0641, data corruption issue. For fixing microSD card not recognized, broken microSD card reader please use tag sdr

※ Note: microSD card only stores screenshots/video capture and games' install data. Save data is stored on the internal memory of the Switch.

■ How to properly format a microSD card to use on Switch console:
You will need a PC computer and a microSD card reader.
1. Use this software, SD Association's SD Memory Card Formatter (Windows/Mac software available.), and format the microSD card using Overwrite option. Mac/Windows software available.
2. Format your microSD card again using your computer's Quick format feature. exFAT and FAT32 filesystem is preferred.
3. Put the microSD card into your Switch console and use the built-in function to format the card one more time.

○ Source: Nintendo Official Recommendation

■ If you suspect your microSD card is broken or fake/counterfeit, you can test using these software:

Windows: H2Test (Read/Write speed test)
Mac: Black Magic Disk Speed Test or F3XSwift
Android: SD Insight

undone ridge Oct 18, 2023, 7:57 AM

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And then redownload just 1 game, pick the lightest one, to test.

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Formatting it with just the Switch or simply redownload will not help anything if the card is corrupted.

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And if it's corrupted, transferring the data like the first tag @wet kite posted also won't help, since the data has already been affected.

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 8:04 AM

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It's working I'm just going to have to redownload everything

undone ridge Oct 18, 2023, 8:04 AM

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Also I haven't mentioned, I do not know if your card is legit or not.

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 8:05 AM

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It's some kind of descrepency that the console is not registering everything unless I redownload it

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And it's SanDisk ultra 1tb

undone ridge Oct 18, 2023, 8:05 AM

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That's true. That's why I have to make that transferring tag (I wrote them all btw)

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If initially you didn't use the proper method to transfer, this will happen.

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Eh, I still highly recommend you to properly format and redownload.

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Since the unusable old data is still in there, taking up space, and the Switch won't auto-delete it.

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 8:07 AM

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I literally redownloaded a game it's fine I deleted it by archiving it (so as to definitely avoid losing save data etc ...) and re-downloading it as a fresh install

undone ridge Oct 18, 2023, 8:09 AM

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Well, up to you. I just want to prevent the waste of your time if issues stem from this appear in the future.

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 8:09 AM

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Works fine for the game I re-downloaded but what about my physical games? Same error just delete what it lets me and everything? Basically let the game refresh ?

undone ridge Oct 18, 2023, 8:10 AM

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Cartridge game still requires some space for update and DLC. So you still need to do the same like digital games.

upper flume Oct 18, 2023, 8:11 AM

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So that's a yes ? New SD card is already fat 32 format is why I'm guessing the re-downloaded game is working

undone ridge Oct 18, 2023, 8:14 AM

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Look, I'll just tell you what it is, up to you to decide.

The Switch doesn't like any altered data on its microSD card. The act of you transferring the games' data before may have left some traces, maybe not. Filesystem format isn't a big part of it at all.

You can go ahead and use it like this, but if it started having issues due to the remaining data before, you still have to format it again.

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...and redownloading everything again.

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Anyway that's all. Good luck.

wet kite Oct 18, 2023, 8:15 AM

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Didnt i say to format it and redownload everything?

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formatting it will clear everything on it

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and then redownload the games

undone ridge Oct 18, 2023, 8:16 AM

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wet kite Didnt i say to format it and redownload everything?

And I said not to just format on the Switch.

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Told you not to answer if you don't fully understand it lol
I can explain in details if you want later. Gotta work now.

#Games no longer Registering! Help Please...