Installing XCI over USB? (2024)

Hayato213 said:

If you gonna install XCI may as well just install NSP instead, smaller size where it would save you storage space in the long run.

Click to expand...

The reason I'm using XCI is because I can play them mounted from the USB HDD connected to my Switch dock, but I would like to be able to install games to my SD card too and I don't want to keep two different versions of games.

upfromtheskies said:

See Also

.XCI format games: How do install?ZeroTwoXCI - The XCI installerwhat would be the best NSP/XCI installerInstall games using Split XCI files?

The reason I'm using XCI is because I can play them mounted from the USB HDD connected to my Switch dock, but I would like to be able to install games to my SD card too and I don't want to keep two different versions of games.

Click to expand...

Tinfoil does allow XCI installation but it require the acid patch, and I don't really understand the naming convention with nut server so I can't help you with that.

Hayato213 said:

Tinfoil does allow XCI installation but it require the acid patch, and I don't really understand the naming convention with nut server so I can't help you with that.

Click to expand...

I think my tinfoil is patched because I can install XCI with it from google drive, but it won't see XCI on my external HDD. Do you know if they need to be in certain folders?

upfromtheskies said:

I think my tinfoil is patched because I can install XCI with it from google drive, but it won't see XCI on my external HDD. Do you know if they need to be in certain folders?

Click to expand...

Sorry, not sure.

upfromtheskies said:

I think my tinfoil is patched because I can install XCI with it from google drive, but it won't see XCI on my external HDD. Do you know if they need to be in certain folders?

Click to expand...

put [titleid] in the file name (replace titleid wih the games title id)

upfromtheskies said:

Is there any way to install XCI over USB? I've been told this can be done with nut and tinfoil, but I can't get nut to recognize my xci files. I've also tried a USB HDD, but tinfoil doesn't see my XCI files on it.

Click to expand...

Do what I do keep a copy of a few games on my sd in xci format, when you boot up SX with hdd attached, hdd always take priority and sd games are at the end. If not hdd sd games appear and it can be the xci on both so the same version

upfromtheskies said:

I think my tinfoil is patched because I can install XCI with it from google drive, but it won't see XCI on my external HDD. Do you know if they need to be in certain folders?

Click to expand...

Also add "usbfs" to the file browser and you can install any XCI no matter what it is named (as long as it ends in xci).

EmulateLife said:

Why don't you just install them from the external hard drive using SX OS while docked? You could always delete them later but they would stay on your external. Instead of messing with a computer that would be the easiest way. Just go to Album then Installer, and hit a to install.

Click to expand...

I've been told to avoid doing this because they won't work with NSP updates and DLC when installed that way - but I've never tested it. If I do this with untrimmed XCI will it install the untrimmed part too?

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

blawar said:

Also add "usbfs" to the file browser and you can install any XCI no matter what it is named (as long as it ends in xci).

Click to expand...

When I open USBFS in the file browser of tinfoil it's empty - even when I have my external HDD attached with XCI - do I need to make a folder called USBFS?

upfromtheskies said:

I've been told to avoid doing this because they won't work with NSP updates and DLC when installed that way - but I've never tested it. If I do this with untrimmed XCI will it install the untrimmed part too?

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

When I open USBFS in the file browser of tinfoil it's empty - even when I have my external HDD attached with XCI - do I need to make a folder called USBFS?

Click to expand...

My apologies got mixed up with nut usb installation, just browse to the XCI using usbhdd in tinfoil. add usbhdd protocol if it isnt listed.

blawar said:

My apologies got mixed up with nut usb installation, just browse to the XCI using usbhdd in tinfoil. add usbhdd protocol if it isnt listed.

Click to expand...

This fixed my problem with USB HDD install, I didn't realize I had to add usbhdd, and it wasn't appearing before in the file browser so I assumed tinfoil wasn't seeing my HDD. Thank you!

Btw - any way to get nut to recognize XCI? I've tried adding title ID to the file, but it won't see any XCI when I scan for files.