Hacking USB Loader GX

[shoemaker]

I tried a few methods, and I got it to work!!

I have d2x v10 beta 53 base 56 on 249, base 57 on 250, and base 58 on 251. In USB Loader GX, set both Loader IOS and Game IOS to 251. Then, in Hard Drive Settings, make sure that Port 1 is selected. Relaunch USB Loader GX, and if it still hasn't found your games, go back to Hard Drive Settings and click on Game/Install Partition until your games partition comes up (mine is FAT32). Now, your games should appear, and they are playable!

Also, when loading from HBC, make sure to delete the text between "<arguments>" in meta.xml, if there is any. That just seems to screw everything up, even if the IOS is set to 251 in it.

There's one strange part about this: when loading USB Loader GX, it prints the following text:

Loading application cIOS
Using cIOS 249
Initialize sd card
Initialize usb device
Waiting for HDD...
Loading config files
Reloading to config file's cIOS
Reloaded into cIOS 251 R21010
Reinitializing devices
Checking installed MIOS
Loading resources

This means that you'll have to press B every time to skip the "Waiting for HDD" step. Seeing that the first two lines are "loading application cIOS" and "Using cIOS 249", this makes me think that built into the program is a forcing of booting in IOS 249, even though the config settings have 251. Is there a way to change such that this minor nuisance does not happen? Thanks!

Either way, USB loading works from Port 1 on Wii U!

edit: Oh yeah, hopefully double posts are fine; I figured it would be since this was for something important

 

[Cyan]

I should have mentionned to not use slot251.
The IOS you installed in this slot is based on IOS58, which is why it's working. it's like escaping the issue instead of fixing it.

Deleting the part between argument is NOT the way to do it. If you want to boot on port1 at launch, you need arguments. If you delete arguments it will launch with port0 first.
If you set --usbport=1 then you will not have to press B to skip drive detection, it's already skipped.

There's a way to force booting something else than slot 249, annnnnnd ... that's ARGUMENTS!
you deleted that part.
--ios=250 or --ios=any slot you want


With slot251, port1 is working yes, but only because you use a base58. And maybe port0 is not working at all.
If WiiU have issues with port1, then cIOS needs an update, not the loaders.
But I find it very strange that it doesn't work, and only this week while nobody reported it for more than a year.

 

[BARKSTAR]

I tried a few methods, and I got it to work!!

I have d2x v10 beta 53 base 56 on 249, base 57 on 250, and base 58 on 251. In USB Loader GX, set both Loader IOS and Game IOS to 251. Then, in Hard Drive Settings, make sure that Port 1 is selected. Relaunch USB Loader GX, and if it still hasn't found your games, go back to Hard Drive Settings and click on Game/Install Partition until your games partition comes up (mine is FAT32). Now, your games should appear, and they are playable!

Also, when loading from HBC, make sure to delete the text between "<arguments>" in meta.xml, if there is any. That just seems to screw everything up, even if the IOS is set to 251 in it.

There's one strange part about this: when loading USB Loader GX, it prints the following text:

Loading application cIOS
Using cIOS 249
Initialize sd card
Initialize usb device
Waiting for HDD...
Loading config files
Reloading to config file's cIOS
Reloaded into cIOS 251 R21010
Reinitializing devices
Checking installed MIOS
Loading resources

This means that you'll have to press B every time to skip the "Waiting for HDD" step. Seeing that the first two lines are "loading application cIOS" and "Using cIOS 249", this makes me think that built into the program is a forcing of booting in IOS 249, even though the config settings have 251. Is there a way to change such that this minor nuisance does not happen? Thanks!

Either way, USB loading works from Port 1 on Wii U!

edit: Oh yeah, hopefully double posts are fine; I figured it would be since this was for something important

shoemaker,

You are a genius! I don't know why we are having the strange conflicts that we are having by having both drives detected but you are correct, this has worked instantly! I was never able to select my FAT32 partition, no matter how many times I have tried, but I have only ever launched directly through the HBC and it would never let me switch this at all at any time. I have now loaded USB Loader GX via the Forwarder and it allowed me to switch this partition instantly unlike when loading through the HBC. I now have this working in exactly the way you described, but with exactly the same issues, IOS249 shows as opposed to IOS251 and I always have to press B to skip the retry. It never seems to want to just load up directly.

CYAN,

Thank you for responding. I do not know where the conflict lies with this set up, but as you say, it may be the cIOS or something to do with the loaders. At least a workaround is now found on USB Loader GX, as no matter what I do with CFG Loader I cannot get the drive to mount at all, either through start up, or within the software.

This is a great workaround for the moment. Thanks, shoemaker, for investigating this along with me! Great we have something working for us for now!

 

[shoemaker]

Haha, I figured it was a bit of a haphazard workaround. Regardless, it's a bit strange because if I simply include the argument <arg>--ios=251</arg>, the USB won't even be initialized when loading USB Loader GX, whereas if I remove that argument, the above workaround succeeds, where it tries 249, fails, then tries 251 and succeeds. Seems a little bizarre to me, but a workaround is a workaround.

 

[remax]

I can make a quick version with warning for you.

Edit:
Ok, this is a dirty mod, but it works (I tested it with my drive).
It doesn't report if you have MBR/EBR/GPT, but the current compatibility test is not checking it either. rev17/19 supports MBR and EBR. (not GPT)

http://www.mediafire.com/download/rpfugaaowa1a92y/boot.dol


Please tell me where it stops when you enable emuNAND, the last message you have etc.

Every test is OK, it tries to launch the game then it goes back to the Wii menu...

 

[shoemaker]

Well, I found a fix to avoid the "Waiting for HDD" message when booting from HBC, and again it's a weird workaround that frankly is a bit ridiculous.

Simply add this argument to meta.xml:

<arguments>
    <arg>--mountusb=0</arg>
</arguments>

This works because it will still try to launch 249, fail, then launch 251 and succeed, but this time, it does not try to mount the USB when launching 249. Since you have the Mount USB option in the GUI set to ON, it will for 251, so no Waiting for HDD message.

Cyan, I was curious. It seems to me that arguments have no effect when using the forwarder on the vWii Menu; they only seem to have an effect when booted from the Homebrew Channel. Is there a way to get these meta.xml arguments to be applied when loading from the Menu? Thanks. If not, then it's obviously no problem, but it's just something that I'm wondering.

 

[Cyan]

I wasn't the one who created the forwarder for vWii.
Another user did it, maybe he didn't base his version on the latest forwarder sources?
The latest one checks meta.xml and arguments in the same folder than the loader.
There is also a video bug when using the forwarder (it creates a strip (weird/moved) line on the screen, reset only when exiting vWii).
I didn't had time to do more tests and fix it (I don't have cIOS and never installed wad on my vWii).


remax:
I didn't change anything, I only added warnings between tests.
If it launches, then it means all the tests passed successfully. I don't know why it stops and says you need d2x on your version.
you are using r1233, right? I re-read your messages and you never specified which version you were using. Old versions are not compatible and required d2x, when I added support for old cIOS I made a mistake on the first release and it asked for d2x when launching Wii games too, but I fixed it quickly. Now it should detects everything fine. (like my build which launched without stopping on an error).

But it's strange that is exists back to system menu.
You created a clean new NAND with modmii, or you dumped your own NAND to EmuNAND?
try to first set the loader to use rev17 or rev19 and reboot. once it's correctly using rev17-19, make a new dump on your usb or sd root. It will use this cIOS's FAT32 conversion method instead of d2x one. that's maybe the issue.


another thing with rev17-19, there's a bug that when the path is on SD it doesn't always work and ends up on a black screen (no return to system menu), while it works fine when on USB root.
I couldn't find how to fix it yet, it seems the issue is the NAND class, it doesn't find/return the correct TitleID to load.

 

[sonictopfan]

This is a minor suggestion but could you add a "shut down" option in the home menu similar to Wii Xplorer?

 

[Troopage]

This is a minor suggestion but could you add a "shut down" option in the home menu similar to Wii Xplorer?

There already is. Under the GUI settings, make it so that the Home Menu is set to full.

 

[BARKSTAR]

Well, I found a fix to avoid the "Waiting for HDD" message when booting from HBC, and again it's a weird workaround that frankly is a bit ridiculous.

Simply add this argument to meta.xml:

<arguments>
    <arg>--mountusb=0</arg>
</arguments>

This works because it will still try to launch 249, fail, then launch 251 and succeed, but this time, it does not try to mount the USB when launching 249. Since you have the Mount USB option in the GUI set to ON, it will for 251, so no Waiting for HDD message.

Cyan, I was curious. It seems to me that arguments have no effect when using the forwarder on the vWii Menu; they only seem to have an effect when booted from the Homebrew Channel. Is there a way to get these meta.xml arguments to be applied when loading from the Menu? Thanks. If not, then it's obviously no problem, but it's just something that I'm wondering.

shoemaker,

Every time I go into USB Loader GX via the forwarder, the USB hangs and I press 'B' as requested and then once in the loader, search for my FAT32 partition as you advised and everything works fine from there.

If I load up via the Homebrew channel however, it will never allow me to select partition in the hard drive settings at all. Can you provide me with exactly the lines you are using to have it load up via <arguments> in the meta file through HBC? This would allow me to load via HBC like yourself and avoid the hard drive error message on loading.

Also, have you now got it loading up now finding the partition as soon as it loads, or are you having to select it each time you go into the loader? I am glad to have finally tried GX as it is a really nice looking, slick loader. Love how it mimics the channels menu with all the games. Great stuff.

Thanks again for trying all these options along with me. Great to finally be getting somewhere!

 

[Cyan]

use the default meta.xml
then go to the settings and set the usbport to 1 and select the IOS you want for the loader.
It will edit the meta.xml automatically.

Or you can do it manually, remove the commented lines, and edit the arguments.

--ios= 58 or 200+ (IOS used to mound USB)
--usbport=0 or 1 (first tested port to mount HDD)
--mountusb=0 or 1 (Whether you want to mount USB at launch or not)


I don't know why the forwarder is not working like HBC. It should work the same way.
Are you using SD card ? or are you using ONLY a hard drive with the boot.dol on it?

If you don't have the SD, it might be why it has a problem.
The forwarder tries to mount SD, if it doesn't work/find then it tries to mount USB.
As it's using IOS58, it should try Port1 first, if not present it tries Port0.

I'm not sure if Port0 is mounted at the same time or not. Maybe only port1 is tested if you have two HDD.



Best setting is to always use SD card to store homebrew.
It's the first mounted device, the forwarder will find the config and the meta.xml before even attempting to mount USB. Then it will use the meta.xml arguments to choose which IOS and which port it will use.

 

[shoemaker]

Yes, I have the meta.xml file in the sd card, in \apps\usbloader_gx

The forwarder linked in the original post of this thread does not apply the arguments, but launching from HBC does.

 

[Cyan]

well, maybe the user who made the vWii version didn't use the last sources

 

[shoemaker]

I could check the original Wii forwarder in the original post since I still have a Wii lying around. If it does work, would it be safe to use the program by JoostinOnline located here to create a vWii version? Haven't used the program before.

 

[sonictopfan]

There already is. Under the GUI settings, make it so that the Home Menu is set to full.

Oh?

 

[Cyan]

I could check the original Wii forwarder in the original post since I still have a Wii lying around. If it does work, would it be safe to use the program by JoostinOnline located here to create a vWii version? Haven't used the program before.

Yes, that's how I thought it was done.
Or maybe the forwarder is not working fine on WiiU, but I don't see why it would work differently.

 

[shoemaker]

Yep! I just ran the Wii version's WAD through Joostin's Convert2vWii program, and this one does include the meta.xml arguments into the forwarder! The one linked in the OP does not.

The link for the WAD is here: http://www.mediafire.com/download/a..._USB_Loader_GX-UNEO_Forwarder_5_1_AHBPROT.wad

And BARKSTAR, just replace the contents of your meta.xml file with this:

Spoiler

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
    <app version="1">
        <name> USB Loader GX</name>
 
        <coder>USB Loader GX Team</coder>
        <version>3.0 r1233</version>
        <release_date>20141110211657</release_date>
                <arguments>
                                <arg>--mountusb=0</arg>
                </arguments>
        <ahb_access/>
        <short_description>Loads games from USB-devices</short_description>
        <long_description>USB Loader GX is a libwiigui based USB iso loader with a wii-like GUI. You can install games to your HDDs and boot them with shorter loading times.
The interactive GUI is completely controllable with WiiMote, Classic Controller or GC Controller.
Features are automatic widescreen detection, coverdownload, parental control, theme support and many more.
 
Credits:
Coding: Cyan, Dimok, nIxx, giantpune, ardi, Hungyip84, DrayX7, Lustar, r-win, WiiShizzza
Artworks: cyrex, NeoRame
Validation: Cyan and many others
Issue management: Cyan
WiiTDB / Hosting covers: Lustar
USBLoader sources: Waninkoko, Kwiirk, Hermes
cIOS maintenance: davebaol, xabby666, XFlak and Rodries
Languages files updates: Kinyo and translaters
Hosting themes: Deak Phreak
 
Libwiigui: Tantric
Libogc/Devkit: Shagkur and Wintermute
FreeTypeGX: Armin Tamzarian.
 
Links:
USB Loader GX Project Page and Support Site:
http://code.google.com/p/usbloader-gui/
Help Website:
http://usbloadergx.koureio.net/
WiiTDB Site:
http://wiitdb.com
Themes Site:
http://wii.spiffy360.com
Languages Translaters Page:
http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=155252
 
Libwiigui Website:
http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Libwiigui/
FreeTypeGX Project Page:
http://code.google.com/p/freetypegx/
Gettext Official Page:
http://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/gettext.html
        </long_description>
    </app>

And you don't need to select the partition each time. Just set Loader IOS and Game IOS to 251 and Port to 1, restart USB Loader GX, it will initialize your HDD, so select the right partition and make sure that it mounts when launched, and you'll only have to do that one time; it'll remember for all future uses.

It's great to have a perfect method (albeit quite a workaround since d2x must have some bugs in vWii mode) to now have a Wii U hard drive for Wii U mode, and a vWii hard drive for vWii mode, complete with UStealth working on the vWii drive, and USB Loader GX and Nintendont (UStealth mod) working perfectly now!

I'll get out of your hair now, Cyan. Thanks for answering my questions.

 

[BARKSTAR]

shoemaker,

Thank you so much for this! I was having no luck with USB Loader GX whatsoever for some reason or another. I have now downloaded the forwarder and replaced the META data with your own and voila! Superb work! Because of the problems, I recently modified the META for CFG Loader to run from cIOS 251 and now successfully have that running without a hitch also so now I have both loaders working correctly! Excellent.

On loading GX again, is there any way to not always have to search for the partition when loading? Do you have it loading up automatically or are you selecting it each time? I am using U-STEALTH on the drive so not sure if that is causing any issues here at all.

Thanks for all the support with this, really glad to have found someone aiming for exactly the same solutions!

Also, do you ever have the Wii U shut down on you when starting up Wii mode? I get the occasional crash and not sure if it is when the drives are being mounted when vWii starts up, or if I need the controller synced before the drive does. Still trying to figure this part out as it only ever happens occasionally when both drives are connected and never when a single drive is running.

 

[shoemaker]

Correct, I do not need to search for the partition when loading; it loads automatically. I have my games partition first in the drive - don't know if that makes a difference. Mine is UStealth formatted as well.

Perhaps it might be easier to just use the whole drive as the only partition if it's still giving you trouble.

And my Wii mode never causes a crash on boot either. I don't know who to ask about that.

 

[BARKSTAR]

Correct, I do not need to search for the partition when loading; it loads automatically. I have my games partition first in the drive - don't know if that makes a difference. Mine is UStealth formatted as well.

Perhaps it might be easier to just use the whole drive as the only partition if it's still giving you trouble.

And my Wii mode never causes a crash on boot either. I don't know who to ask about that.

shoemaker,

I have a FAT32 formatted drive with the Wii games in the 'wbfs' and Gamecube under 'games' but still need to go into 'Hard Drive Settings' and select 'Game/Install Partition' until it recognises the drive. Then I have to tick the loader to display 'Wii' titles also and then everything is shown from there. Was hoping it would all just load up automatically and all show as default once the loader comes up on screen but if this is the only thing I have to do each time, it will do for now and I am just happy we managed to get this far!

Good to be able to sit back and have a drive connected for each part of the system with both Wii U and vWii. The cable changing was becoming frustrating so thanks again for all the help with this! From here on i'm just looking forward to more Pro Controller support across the range of apps. I'm really impressed with what all the teams have done between these loaders, emulators and supported controllers! Great work from many people all round!