Homebrew Thinking of setting up homebrew, need advice on what to buy

[Whalermouse]

So I have a Wii U gathering dust (the 32 GB model, bought it with the NSMBU bundle) and I'm thinking of installing homebrew. However, there's an issue: the gamepad does not sync, and I'd like to be able to use it for off-TV play. So should I either send it to get repaired by Nintendo for $99.99 or buy a used gamepad off Amazon for like $60-90?

Another issue is storage. I know I need a 64 GB SD card to backup my system, but can I just delete the backup (after copying it to somewhere else obviously) and use it to store my games and homebrew apps? The other option would be to use an external HDD, but that would be more expensive considering I would need to also buy a y-cable. I already have an external HDD with plenty of space hooked up to my homebrewed wii, but as I understand it, I can't just create a partition and swap it from the wii to the wii U.

 

[EmulateLife]

You're probably going to want to invest in an external hard drive. There was an old method that let you play games off sd card Loadiine but it's slow. Playing off an external gives you full speed 100% compatbility and your games right on the Wii U menu for easiest access, and you can inject Wii or Gamecube games if you want. Bad news is you'll still need a decent sized sd card to install the games to the external because it's the only way. Some games are 20 GB so you'll need at least a 32 GB card.

I never bothered with trying to backup my system I mean you can but it requires a hardmod to fix anyway. There's really nothing that's going to brick your Wii U unless you install games to Nand and even that is pretty safe. The other way would be installing CBHC and deleting it improperly I think that's it.

 

[Whalermouse]

You're probably going to want to invest in an external hard drive. There was an old method that let you play games off sd card Loadiine but it's slow. Playing off an external gives you full speed 100% compatbility and your games right on the Wii U menu for easiest access, and you can inject Wii or Gamecube games if you want. Bad news is you'll still need a decent sized sd card to install the games to the external because it's the only way. Some games are 20 GB so you'll need at least a 32 GB card.

Hmm, I didn't realize you couldn't actually play Wii U games off the SD card. So I will definitely need an HDD. Should I buy a full-size external HDD, or a portable HDD + Y-cable?

 

[Deleted User]

Hmm, I didn't realize you couldn't actually play Wii U games off the SD card. So I will definitely need an HDD. Should I buy a full-size external HDD, or a portable HDD + Y-cable?

portable hdd + y cable

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how to resync the gamepad: https://en-americas-support.nintend...id/1996/~/wii-u-gamepad-not-syncing-correctly

 

[EmulateLife]

I buy mine used on Ebay you can get a 500 gb one for probably $25 or so. I've bought around 10 different hard drives for various consoles and that way and they're all still working.

Of course if you prefer you could buy new but you'll pay more obviously.

 

[Whalermouse]

portable hdd + y cable

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how to resync the gamepad: https://en-americas-support.nintend...id/1996/~/wii-u-gamepad-not-syncing-correctly

I already tried to resync the gamepad following nintendo's instructions, it didn't work. I borrowed a friend's gamepad and synced it- it worked perfectly with my wii u. So I know there is a problem with the gamepad.

I buy mine used on Ebay you can get a 500 gb one for probably $25 or so. I've bought around 10 different hard drives for various consoles and that way and they're all still working.

Of course if you prefer you could buy new but you'll pay more obviously.

Yeah, a cheap 500 gb SD is really all I need. Thanks for the tip.

 

[EmulateLife]

No not the sd card the hard drive. You'll pay more than $25 for a 500 GB sd card.

Again a sd card can only play games with slow loading and sometimes gameplay and worse those games are the hardest to find.

 

[Whalermouse]

No not the sd card the hard drive. You'll pay more than $25 for a 500 GB sd card.

oh yeah that's what I meant I just mistyped lol

 

[Deleted User]

I already tried to resync the gamepad following nintendo's instructions, it didn't work. I borrowed a friend's gamepad and synced it- it worked perfectly with my wii u. So I know there is a problem with the gamepad.



Yeah, a cheap 500 gb SD is really all I need. Thanks for the tip.

So yes you have 3 options:
1. Send your UNMODDED console to nintendo along with the gamepad (recommend doing this because if you send it modded, Nintendo won’t repair it)
2. Buy another gamepad
3. Buy a small monitor

 

[Whalermouse]

So yes you have 2 options:
1. Send your UNMODDED console to nintendo along with the gamepad (recommend doing this because if you send it modded, Nintendo won’t repair it)
2. Buy another gamepad

So does anyone have experience buying used gamepads off amazon? It would be cheaper to do that than to pay for nintendo's repair service

 

[Deleted User]

So does anyone have experience buying used gamepads off amazon? It would be cheaper to do that than to pay for nintendo's repair service

Viceversa

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Sending the gamepad would be maximum $70 but it can be even cheaper if you send it unmodded

 

[Whalermouse]

Viceversa

Viceversa

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Sending the gamepad would be maximum $70 but it can be even cheaper if you send it unmodded

no it's $100 plus tax and shipping, so buying a used one on amazon would be cheaper

 

[Deleted User]

View attachment 168805
no it's $100 plus tax and shipping, so buying a used one on amazon would be cheaper

Wii U gamepads on amazon or eBay are $108 (some even $147) and have less than 3 stars on reviews. I would send it to nintendo