Hacking Nintendont

GerbilSoft · Sep 20, 2017

To anyone who's been having problems with both Wii U-formatted and FAT32-formatted drives connected at the same time, please try this test build: https://github.com/GerbilSoft/Nintendont/raw/v5.457-WiiUSB2/loader/loader.dol

I added some code in the loader's usbstorage.c to skip drives that don't have a valid MBR or UStealth MBR signature.

Tested on a Wii with a Wii U-formatted drive connected on port 1 and a FAT32 drive connected on port 0. (Interestingly, the other way around seemed to work without this change...)

Post results here: https://github.com/FIX94/Nintendont/issues/423

Some other changes:

The selected game's filename is now shown at the top of the game list. This should make it easier to distinguish between e.g. different revisions of a game.
More comprehensive error messages for CheckForMultiGameAndRegion(). I'm pretty sure most of these errors were caused by the Wii U drive ordering issue, but I added the extra messages just in case.

On another note: I have noticed that in SA2B, there seems to be some slight lag when loading some music. This is especially noticeable after initially starting the game and then selecting 1P. There's about 1-2 seconds before the music loads. I'm not sure if this is a Nintendont regression or something wrong with my setup. I'll try bisecting it later.

EDIT: The lag was caused by updating FatFS to R0.13_p2, or by me screwing something up when doing so. Reverting the FatFS changes fixed it, so I pushed another build, v5.457-WiiUSB2.

monta990 · Sep 20, 2017

huma_dawii said:
I haven't tested many games yet.. as I prefer to use my GC Adapter, I think I will be using the old method with USB and actually having access to all of my Wii Games and GameCube

i have my games on my SD, and i only use the forwarder to open nintendont (stored on SD) from Wii U, and play from gamepad or gamecube controller from the adapter

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

GerbilSoft said:
To anyone who's been having problems with both Wii U-formatted and FAT32-formatted drives connected at the same time, please try this test build: https://github.com/GerbilSoft/Nintendont/raw/v5.457-WiiUSB1/loader/loader.dol

I added some code in the loader's usbstorage.c to skip drives that don't have a valid MBR or UStealth MBR signature.

Tested on a Wii with a Wii U-formatted drive connected on port 1 and a FAT32 drive connected on port 0. (Interestingly, the other way around seemed to work without this change...)

Some other changes:

The selected game's filename is now shown at the top of the game list. This should make it easier to distinguish between e.g. different revisions of a game.

More comprehensive error messages for CheckForMultiGameAndRegion(). I'm pretty sure most of these errors were caused by the Wii U drive ordering issue, but I added the extra messages just in case.

did you do a check to skip a formated drive for wii u?

GerbilSoft · Sep 20, 2017

monta990 said:
did you do a check to skip a formated drive for wii u?

Yes, in an earlier step. FatFS itself will ignore the Wii U-formatted drives, but that's after USB storage has been enumerated, so it won't be able to check other drives. This test build checks for Wii U-formatted drives while enumerating USB drives, so it will only return a standard MBR (or UStealth MBR) drive.

monta990 · Sep 20, 2017

GerbilSoft said:
Yes, in an earlier step. FatFS itself will ignore the Wii U-formatted drives, but that's after USB storage has been enumerated, so it won't be able to check other drives. This test build checks for Wii U-formatted drives while enumerating USB drives, so it will only return a standard MBR (or UStealth MBR) drive.

i understand, can be a possible solution, it's necessary test it more, if some else have both drives please test it

FIX94 · Sep 20, 2017

just pushed up my stuff just so its up.
-added deadzones to wii vc gamepad reads and heavily changed memory to make space for that, hopefully it didnt break anything
-completely restructured how internal wii vc titles get read in, again hopefully it didnt break anything

Radrian · Sep 20, 2017

FIX94 said:
just pushed up my stuff just so its up.
-added deadzones to wii vc gamepad reads and heavily changed memory to make space for that, hopefully it didnt break anything
-completely restructured how internal wii vc titles get read in, again hopefully it didnt break anything

It loads nintendont auto boot forwarder with internal iso fine, save shutters problem/slow game loading is still present
launching nintendont form wii u menu and sd game loading is perfect for the testing i have done so far
Never noticed the dead zone problem so i can't report about that

wicksand420 · Sep 20, 2017

@FIX94, i used your latest build on the autoload vc i made last night and sonic mega collection played smoothly, i didn't notice any lag or problems at all

FIX94 · Sep 20, 2017

Radrian said:
It loads nintendont auto boot forwarder with internal iso fine, save shutters problem/slow game loading is still present
launching nintendont form wii u menu and sd game loading is perfect for the testing i have done so far
Never noticed the dead zone problem so i can't report about that

glad to hear I didnt break anything too badly, these massive conversions of nintendont feel quite scary every time I have to do them. Anyways about saving and stuttering during it, I would be especially interested to know if that also happens in the legend of zelda wind waker, thats a title that essentially loads everything off the disc for the current island you're on so it should run smooth after a load and also save smoothly as there is practically no data access during it. Also I really dont see the wiiu interface being particularly slow, it appears to be using the SD interface when its installed to NAND and the USB interface when its installed to wiiu USB so really it should be pretty much equal to normal wii/vwii sd/usb speeds.

Cyan · Sep 20, 2017

Nomelas said:
it was discovered that there are multiple ways to do it, that's just one way, and the way I have it set up.

I tried for a long time to get usbloadergx to work, but eventually gave up

Clutz450 said:
I swear I remember when I asked this question a while back that @Cyan gave me a pretty detailed explanation on how to do it and make it work with USB Loader GX. But I've been searching and can't find it. Maybe I'm just imagining it Hopefully me mentioning him here will have him explain it again for me.

That's funny, your solution tell users to plug FAT32 in front port (USB2 and 3) while cIOS works only with USBPort0.
I don't know how it can work with r52.

Here is my guide :
https://gbatemp.net/posts/7216091

Though, it may become unneeded and obsolete now that Gerbilsoft updated nintendont to skip incompatible drives.
I may have to re-write my guide to add this setup.

Radrian · Sep 20, 2017

FIX94 said:
glad to hear I didnt break anything too badly, these massive conversions of nintendont feel quite scary every time I have to do them. Anyways about saving and stuttering during it, I would be especially interested to know if that also happens in the legend of zelda wind waker, thats a title that essentially loads everything off the disc for the current island you're on so it should run smooth after a load and also save smoothly as there is practically no data access during it. Also I really dont see the wiiu interface being particularly slow, it appears to be using the SD interface when its installed to NAND and the USB interface when its installed to wiiu USB so really it should be pretty much equal to normal wii/vwii sd/usb speeds.

In my way on testing Wind Waker (should I start a new file or use a 100% complete one for testing different places?)
And the slow loading i was talking about was at the time after the progressive mode is enable in SSBM is longer that loading it from the SD(or maybe I am just being biased) but haven't tested that much because the high pitch noise and if I stay in the main menu for a while it just crash the game

FIX94 · Sep 20, 2017

Radrian said:
In my way on testing Wind Waker (should I start a new file or use a 100% complete one for testing different places?)

just start a new file, when you can move around wait a few seconds and then save.

Radrian · Sep 20, 2017

FIX94 said:
just start a new file, when you can move around wait a few seconds and then save.

Well it plays as you expect, no slowdown or shutters when playing, only when creating the save/saving

FIX94 · Sep 20, 2017

Radrian said:
Well it plays as you expect, no slowdown or shutters when playing, only when creating the save/saving

OK so you can indeed confirm that even when basically nothing is going on ingame and you go into the pause menu and select save, it starts stuttering? If so this would indicate the kernel main loop indeed doesnt get enough runtime each second, meaning it cant answer the game calls to save quick enough.

Radrian · Sep 20, 2017

FIX94 said:
OK so you can indeed confirm that even when basically nothing is going on ingame and you go into the pause menu and select save, it starts stuttering? If so this would indicate the kernel main loop indeed doesnt get enough runtime each second, meaning it cant answer the game calls to save quick enough.

Yes i can confirm that, its only when writing or reading a save when shutters
The same happens in Star fox Assault, when you change the controller configurations or create a new profile it shutters

FIX94 · Sep 20, 2017

Radrian said:
Yes i can confirm that, its only when writing or reading a save when shutters
The same happens in Star fox Assault, when you change the controller configurations or create a new profile it shutters

very interesting, can you maybe try out this file?
https://mega.nz/#!Vt40BRSR!IU0VviaknrfFcAs49H0w4dzM_ld-RLKRnlkroIiBxYY
Thanks for testing by the way.

Radrian · Sep 20, 2017

FIX94 said:
very interesting, can you maybe try out this file?
https://mega.nz/#!Vt40BRSR!IU0VviaknrfFcAs49H0w4dzM_ld-RLKRnlkroIiBxYY
Thanks for testing by the way.

In wind waker the save loading seems about the same and the saving is little faster that before
(the game is in the wii u USB btw)

FIX94 · Sep 20, 2017

Radrian said:
In wind waker the save loading seems about the same and the saving is little faster that before
(the game is in the wii u USB btw)

how strange, I assume even if I go even further then breaking stuff in the process it still has that issue?
https://mega.nz/#!coAFlJ6b!3d19Vmh2wT2WF8kJeRn_fz5PuEukBCswxcQnUpzcmWU

Radrian · Sep 20, 2017

FIX94 said:
how strange, I assume even if I go even further then breaking stuff in the process it still has that issue?
https://mega.nz/#!coAFlJ6b!3d19Vmh2wT2WF8kJeRn_fz5PuEukBCswxcQnUpzcmWU

its a little faster again, not full speed yet tho
and loading is now a little faster too
BUT i think the saving is now broken
edit: NVM is working, I just forget how the game actually saves

FIX94 · Sep 20, 2017

Radrian said:
its a little faster again, not full speed yet tho
and loading is now a little faster too

I guess let me push this even harder then:
https://mega.nz/#!EpYkCZYZ!QW5Bbw93wBpq_U-sWIansv5t8CNNASSZDnqNsN1_zBQ

Radrian · Sep 20, 2017

sound distortion is significantly reduced, not 100% but there is a improvement
loading is slightly slower now (the background song is not ear rape)
saving is almost there(not as fast as loading from SD but there is no distracting ear rape now)
I can't see the real fps but as a estimate i said that is 50-55ish fps
and saving is 55ish fps

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