Hacking USB Loader-GX & installing GCN games

[P0TA01769]

Hello I am new to this. anyway, my USB Loader-GX isn't working properly. I have a lot of GCN games original copies (a lot rented and borrowed) that I want to install just like I do with my Wii games. to a 32gb flash drive set to FAT32 and the correct kilobytes (forgot) and so I am having trouble. whenever I put any game in, it says it has 1.36 gb of memory (every single one) do I have the wrong settings? or is that not possible yet? Also USB Loader-GX is updated... I just wanna play GCN games off of usb loader gx by installing them because I can get the hard original copies easy

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I TRY TO RUN A GAME
1. download the 1.36gb game
2. usb loader gx shows pic of game it and info
3. I run it
4.Dios Mios logo pops up
5. quick full screen green flicker (like half a second)
6. black screen
7. t.v loses video conection
8 have to turn my wii off

If this isn't possible to do it by installing, then is there like a FAT32 manager made for GCN games (like wbfs)? idk I suck please help!!!!

 

[Cyan]

All gamecube games are Mini-DVD, and they are all 1.36GB, I don't see what's wrong.
USB Loader GX are giving you the proper size.

There are two ways to compress them:
1- when you dump the disc with USB Loader GX, select the "Compress" setting in the loader's setting>HDD setting.
or
2- if you already have the ISO, there are tools to compress (DiscEx or GCReEX. Look in the FAQ section of the forum for more info)


Your problem with green and black screen is because you are not using the correct video mode.
- Use the latest beta of USB Loader GX (1201 mod9 today, and if it's already the one you are using, then I asked that user report any video mode problem on Google Code!)
- Set setting: "DML Video Mode" to "Auto"
- Enable or disable "DML Progressive Scan" on a game basis. Some games don't work with 480p when they are already coded to ask themselves to use 480p.
Mario sunshine, or Luigi's Mansion for example, have a Screen selector at the start of the game where you can select 50Hz or 60Hz. If you select 60Hz then the game go into his own 480p.
If you force 480p in the loader, the game will not work.

 

[P0TA01769]

I will try that and keep you posted

also, what is 1201 mod9? and what are revs? people tell me to update them but idk how or what they are for that matter? if you're talking about updating the Loader, then it is updated


edit: it says I have r1123 now I know updating it will not change that

 

[Cyan]

a revision is a change to the source code that de developer are doing and submitting online to a place where everyone can see what changes were done.
All these "revision" can be build as a working USB Loader, but they are considered beta as there are a lot of changes and we can't make a new release every day.
there are beta testers who are testing the changes we did, if all is working then we can release a new version officially to end users.


so, you are currently using revision number 1123
which correspond to the released version 2.3

The latest stable release is version 3.0 (which correspond to revision 1180)
You can update the loader (from the Settings > update menu), it will update automatically from the Wii if you have Wifi.

But if you want the latest improvement which is not released in "stable released version" yet, you can download beta revision manually (not from the Wii), and place them on your SD card.

"mod" are "modification" or the corresponding version or revision.
It can be a user not from the main developer team making some changes
or it can be a pre-beta version, the developer made some changes but the source code is not released yet. It's usually for beta testers, to try a specific feature before releasing a new beta revision.





You can:
run the update menu from the setting of the loader (it will update to V3.0)
or
download the latest beta revision on this page: http://code.google.com/p/usbloader-gui/issues/detail?id=1769

 

[P0TA01769]

OK so i updated the usb loader 2.3 to 3.0 by deleting it off my apps from my SD card and put in the 3.0 and have the r1180 as of now. BUT I tried updating and it says there are no updates available...? I also tried playing Fire EMblem: Path of Radiance (re-installed it) and it made me copy it to SD and yet again I got the green flicker followed by the black screen. Then again I still don't have the r1201

how do I istall it manually? like after i download it from the link you put. also, I am dumb. i don't know which to download -__-

edit: I also cannot find the "DML VIdeo Mode" that you mentioned on your first reply so I can't even set that to auto. I re-tried playing the game in ForceNTSC480p and disc default and it stayed on the Dios Mios logo and gave me an error on top of it saying "area ai error app_entry is not within the apploader"

 

[Cyan]

You did all the contrary that I told you.
Or you didn't understood.


The USB Loader GX internal update function can ONLY update to official release.
The latest official release is v3.0
So, of course it says "no update available" if you are already in 3.0, there is no "v3.1".

You were on 2.3, the loader could use the update function to download and install 3.0
but you did it manually, so there's nothing more that the loader can do, you already have the "latest Stable release" which is v3.0

if you wanted to do it manually, why not take the latest beta revision which is r1201 instead of taking 1180?



If you are using v3.0 r1180, of course you don't have "DML Video Mode".
And of course it ask you to copy to SD.
USB support and "DML Video Mode" are not in 3.0
you need to update manually (download with your internet browser and replace the boot.dol) to r1201 mod9

how do I istall it manually? like after i download it from the link you put. also, I am dumb. i don't know which to download -__-

After you download the file, you extract the file to find the boot.dol
and you place the boot.dol on your SD card in SD:/apps/usbloader_gx/boot.dol
But you already did that because you successfully put v3.0, so I don't see what you don't understand here.

Which one you need to download? Let me guess ... the latest and more recent link from the page I gave you?
That would certainly be the one ALL at the bottom of the page, not the old one at the top. each posts have a date. find the more recent?
if you want a newer version, search the newer message. and even more easy, all the link have a revision number too and a text saying "here is version r1201".

Direct link to 1201 mod9: click here

 

[P0TA01769]

Cyan I thank you for all your help we have come this far, but I still get that little green flicker and black screen when I try and run a game. It does the Dios Mios logo and bam! it goes out. I put the DML Video Mode to Auto and the DML Progressive Scan to On and Off (tried it on both) and still no dice

Also if its not too much what are the exact global setting I should have to get them up and running? I have the HDD set to compress and the Video Mode to Disc Default the No Disc and the No Disc+ are also off... It would be pretty awesome if you can get a video up on youtube showing us noobs how to get games up and running by getting the ISO and/or Installing with a disc (how i am)

 

[ouch123]

First, for the video mode, I'd recommend you set it to "Force Console" if available (don't recall what DM settings are available off-hand).

Second, would you mind sharing what game(s) you are testing? Some don't work which may be the issue.

Third, not all storage devices work so well with backup launchers, in particular flash drives. As an example, my Sandisk Cruzer is the only flash drive I have that will work in USBLoader GX and it ONLY works in USBLoader GX - any other loader just won't read it. Would you mind sharing what flash drive you're using?

Fourth, the format matters quite a bit for compatibility. It sounds like you're running straight from ISO? I've found compatibility to be quite good by extracting in DiscEx, and some games require the GCReEX format to run properly. Check this link out for more details.

Finally, seeing the green flicker followed by a black screen is normal, even when it boots up properly. Some games lag for a few seconds at the black screen, but I don't think that's your problem. I'm just mentioning it for your information. In addition, it's common for a game to not always boot up properly. As an example, WWE: Day of Reckoning works for me about ~75% of the time, and it lags for a few seconds at the black screen.

 

[P0TA01769]

I am testing Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door. I installed the games with the compress settings (idk if that'll make a difference)

The flash drive i'm using is small 32gb PATRIOT MEMORY http://www.google.co...iw=1280&bih=709 that is a picture of it lol sorry for the link being so long idk how to shorten it and I will look into the link and try out what you're suggesting

edit: is it okay if I use Dios Mios Lizard to convert them to DIscEx or GCReEx? what other programs are available (if not okay)

 

[ouch123]

Your flash drive looks okay (probably should have linked you to the USB Devices Compatibility List) and I know from personal experience that Path of Radiance works. I've never heard of Dios Mios Lizard, but if you plan on doing any converting I'd recommend using Gamecube ISO Tool as it's quite versatile and somewhat noob-friendly. Also, what IOS are you loading into when you run USB Loader GX? Since it's seeing your games you probably have your drive plugged into the right port (top one I believe, should be port 0 in the loader), but I want to make sure. cIOS 222 (normally hermes) and cIOS 249 (normally d2x) can behave differently, especially with regard to the port you have your drive plugged into. I'd recommend 222 for most things and 249 when 222 doesn't work.

 

[P0TA01769]

Can you link me the GCN ISO tool? and the port I use is the bottom one I believe (the bottom port when the wii is laying side ways on the side pads) and I am using IOS 249 because that's what my wii games run on lol but i'm sure i have cios installed yet again im not using that one all in all what should I do?

 

[Cyan]

1. cIOS doesn't change anything for DIOS MIOS.
the cIOS is only used by USB Loader GX to see the content of the drive in order to select which "game name" you want DIOS MIOS to launch. it's not USB Loader GX which is launching the game, it's DIOS MIOS.

port0 is read by all cIOS
port1 is read only by hermes cIOS and d2x v9+

When you select a game, USBLoader GX tell DIOS MIOS which game you want to play, and Exit. all cIOS are unload from memory, and the console reboots (no IOS are loaded, so cIOS doesn't matter anymore)
the Wii launch the MIOS (which is DIOS MIOS), and DIOS MIOS works with both ports.
It checks first if there's a drive in slot0, if nothing is detected after 10 seconds it tried port1.

Best solution: use port0 (the bottom port, the one nearest to the edge).

Once DIOS MIOS find a drive, it search if the game you want to play is on the drive and load it.
-> At this moment it show the splash screen.


2.
Video mode "Force console default" is not always good.
GameCube video mode need the match the region of the Game.
If you are on a PAL wii 576i, playing a NTSC game (480i/480p), and you "force console default" then it will force PAL 576i.
But the game need NTSC 480i/480p, you will have wrong colors if you set 60Hz, and the game will lag (bad refresh rate).

Best mode is "Force game default" to always match the game region.


But, DIOS MIOS (Lite) should detect the video mode automatically (if you are using the correct USB Loader GX revision, as I changed many times the way video modes are working).

DML Video mode : "DML Auto" is the best option. it's setting the Wii to the detected "Game Region".
You can use "Use game Setting", which allow you to select the video mode manually, but again if you set "Game default" is exactly the same way than using "DML auto".
Forcing the Game setting video is when you want to force PAL on a NTSC game, or NTSC on a PAL game, or PAL480, etc.
using "Force Game default" should be un-useful with DM(L), and USB Loader GX 1201 mod9+ (sorry, r1202 will be released soon).

The "DML AUTO" is checking both the game region and the Wii setting.

"AUTO" check the game region, if it's PAL it's using PAL settings.
Then it checks the Wii settings. PAL wii have 3 settings: 50Hz (576i), 60Hz (480i), progressive (480p)

If you are in PAL 50Hz in wii setting, it will set DM(L) in 50Hz! don't try to enable 60Hz in game selection menu, it will only ends in wrong colors.
You need to set your Wii setting correctly, the USB loader is not enough.

OR

you need to set "DML Video mode" to "Use game setting" and force a video mode manually.


3.
Some games don't work when compressed or altered.
You should always start testing the game with a 1:1 ISO.


Best settings in USBLoader GX:
HDD menu:
GC install compressed: OFF
GC installed Aligned: OFF

Global Loader menu:
Gamecube mode: MIOS (original and custom)
DML Video Mode : Auto
DML xxxxxxx : OFF for every other settings
DML Force 16:9 : ON (it's your own choice, but I like it ON. Just remember that some games don't like that setting and you need to disable it. I put it ON by default because all the games I'm playing are working with it. I tested them with OFF first! But instead of setting "ON" one by one in all indivifual setting, I'm setting it ON in the global.

Individual game setting:
Nothing to change!
Except if you want to set "DML Force 16:9" to OFF.

First try the game with all default settings.


If the game works, you can try to force the game to run in 480p.
DML Progressive Path: ON

If the game works in Progressive and 16:9, good for you



If the game freeze on a green or black screen, but the game is playing (you can push buttons, hear music, etc. just no visual), then it's a video mode problem.
What is the config of your Wii?

The "DML AUTO" is checking both the game region and the Wii setting.

if you are on a PAL Wii, set to 50Hz, then the USB loader will set DIOS MIOS (Lite) in 50Hz!
If inside the game you choose "60Hz", it will not work fine.
If the game is ONLY 60Hz (Metroid prime), it will not work either.

You need to set the Wii video setting correctly or force the correct video mode.

 

[P0TA01769]

I will try this after school, but before that, I have a few questions.

why does my disc drive turn on or look for a game when I start up a gcn game? do I need a random disc in there? and after I install the game again (not compressed) it should be working, right? what format is it put into usb loader? DIscEx or GCReEx? ALso can you provide a link for those tools (if they are needed/ if usb loader doesn't turn them into that format)

 

[Cyan]

- The wii just check if there's a disc in the drive. You can put one, problem solved!
- after reinstalling the games, yes it "should" work.
- The format is "ISO" 1:1 (no DiscEx, no GCReEx, just an "original dumped ISO file")
- they are not needed. but they are on DIOSMIOS website.

 

[ouch123]

1. cIOS doesn't change anything for DIOS MIOS.
the cIOS is only used by USB Loader GX to see the content of the drive in order to select which "game name" you want DIOS MIOS to launch. it's not USB Loader GX which is launching the game, it's DIOS MIOS.

port0 is read by all cIOS
port1 is read only by hermes cIOS and d2x v9+

When you select a game, USBLoader GX tell DIOS MIOS which game you want to play, and Exit. all cIOS are unload from memory, and the console reboots (no IOS are loaded, so cIOS doesn't matter anymore)
the Wii launch the MIOS (which is DIOS MIOS), and DIOS MIOS works with both ports.
It checks first if there's a drive in slot0, if nothing is detected after 10 seconds it tried port1.

Best solution: use port0 (the bottom port, the one nearest to the edge).

Once DIOS MIOS find a drive, it search if the game you want to play is on the drive and load it.
-> At this moment it show the splash screen.


2.
Video mode "Force console default" is not always good.
GameCube video mode need the match the region of the Game.
If you are on a PAL wii 576i, playing a NTSC game (480i/480p), and you "force console default" then it will force PAL 576i.
But the game need NTSC 480i/480p, you will have wrong colors if you set 60Hz, and the game will lag (bad refresh rate).

Best mode is "Force game default" to always match the game region.


But, DIOS MIOS (Lite) should detect the video mode automatically (if you are using the correct USB Loader GX revision, as I changed many times the way video modes are working).

DML Video mode : "DML Auto" is the best option. it's setting the Wii to the detected "Game Region".
You can use "Use game Setting", which allow you to select the video mode manually, but again if you set "Game default" is exactly the same way than using "DML auto".
Forcing the Game setting video is when you want to force PAL on a NTSC game, or NTSC on a PAL game, or PAL480, etc.
using "Force Game default" should be un-useful with DM(L), and USB Loader GX 1201 mod9+ (sorry, r1202 will be released soon).

The "DML AUTO" is checking both the game region and the Wii setting.

"AUTO" check the game region, if it's PAL it's using PAL settings.
Then it checks the Wii settings. PAL wii have 3 settings: 50Hz (576i), 60Hz (480i), progressive (480p)

If you are in PAL 50Hz in wii setting, it will set DM(L) in 50Hz! don't try to enable 60Hz in game selection menu, it will only ends in wrong colors.
You need to set your Wii setting correctly, the USB loader is not enough.

OR

you need to set "DML Video mode" to "Use game setting" and force a video mode manually.


3.
Some games don't work when compressed or altered.
You should always start testing the game with a 1:1 ISO.


Best settings in USBLoader GX:
HDD menu:
GC install compressed: OFF
GC installed Aligned: OFF

Global Loader menu:
Gamecube mode: MIOS (original and custom)
DML Video Mode : Auto
DML xxxxxxx : OFF for every other settings
DML Force 16:9 : ON (it's your own choice, but I like it ON. Just remember that some games don't like that setting and you need to disable it. I put it ON by default because all the games I'm playing are working with it. I tested them with OFF first! But instead of setting "ON" one by one in all indivifual setting, I'm setting it ON in the global.

Individual game setting:
Nothing to change!
Except if you want to set "DML Force 16:9" to OFF.

First try the game with all default settings.


If the game works, you can try to force the game to run in 480p.
DML Progressive Path: ON

If the game works in Progressive and 16:9, good for you



If the game freeze on a green or black screen, but the game is playing (you can push buttons, hear music, etc. just no visual), then it's a video mode problem.
What is the config of your Wii?

The "DML AUTO" is checking both the game region and the Wii setting.

if you are on a PAL Wii, set to 50Hz, then the USB loader will set DIOS MIOS (Lite) in 50Hz!
If inside the game you choose "60Hz", it will not work fine.
If the game is ONLY 60Hz (Metroid prime), it will not work either.

You need to set the Wii video setting correctly or force the correct video mode.

As is typical of your posts, this one is detailed and insightful, if not a bit of a task to read.

 

[Cyan]

yeah, when I'm not in a hurry (not at work), I can type long helpful post.
But that's right, it's very long to read for the users

 

[mabeard]

why do i keep getting the message error not enough free space

 

[P0TA01769]

CYAN the game unfortunately did not work I feel like crying i am so bummed out i am blaming this on my flash drive.... when i click on usb loader it doesn't say its r1201 but it had the stuff r1201 has? or can it be because my HBC isn't updated? I have a really old version of it

@[member='mabeard'], did you format your flash drive or hard drive? or is it already full of games?

 

[Cyan]

the version/text you see in the homebrew channel is loaded from the meta.xml file.
You need to modify the meta.xml in a text editor if you want to see another version. we don't include the meta for beta tests).

The real version is the one displayed in the credit page of the loader.

 

[mabeard]

yes i have a seagate 500gb hard drive with 60 games formatted to fat 32