Hacking USB Loader GX

[Shiranui-san]

Cyan, I cannot really tell if it's due to GX r1244 or to the fact that I installed and already uninstalled the forwarder because never encountered this error before, but now I'm getting some errors when booting NGC with Nintendont. It says "Couldn't load kernel from NAND" (or something similar) and sends me to main menu. It seems to happen randomly, I tried this morning 10 boots and got the error 3 times. Then tried another 10 boots directly with Nintendont and got 0 errors. Something really weird.

 

[DemitriArcane]

Cyan, lets say i had a code for ocarina i want to use on USB loader, could you make a thing so when you select that ocarina code it changes ?? to whatever digits you put in for that code?

 

[Cyan]

magnus:
I'm still wondering if it's a good idea to let the loader install data to NAND. even adding the channel update back may be a bad idea. Why don't user use only the forwarder?
Anyway, if I ever add a SD menu manager, it will not launch or install games to NAND. It will be only a way to extract games to EmuNAND to prevent moving games in multiple pass.


demitri : it's possible, but will require a lot of work.
it's on the "todo list", but I really don't know when or if I'll do it, sorry.

shiranui : revert to 1243 and see if it fix the issue.
if it's fixed, then there's definitely something wrong on 1244.

Not having the forwarder shouldn't be a problem.
Check your settings and set "return to" to HBC again, or none.
Maybe it's still set to the forwarder?

 

[ned]

wiiSX doesn't support NTFS, it supports SMB. (whatever the partition on your computer)
I suppose Not64 is the same.

You are making things over complicated.
You think installing wad will fix your issue, wile WAD or Channel has nothing to do with any HDD detection. You will only waste your time.


Troopage tested yesterday Nintendont with a drive using 3 partition, and the loader succesfully copied controller.bin, cheatcode and all required files to the correct partition.
I will verify that kenobiiwii is using the same code, but I'm almost sure it's working.
I don't know why you have this much difficulty to make everything work fine.

Ah, wait, I know ... you use a HUB !
DON'T.
problem solved.
that's all.

edit:
I checked sources, nothing wrong with the sources responsible to copy kenobiiwii.bin file to usb partition.
Verify you really have it on your SD:/sneek/ folder.
while you are at it, copy it manually to your USB partition /sneek/ folder too.

Where did I say nothing worked? all my games play fine, all I said was that there was a slight delay in powering down, powering up and mounting the drive because it's having to switch & reload slot 250 with base 57 instead of ios58 or slot 249 with base 58.
Once the drive is mounted it's using slot 249 with base 58 for the loader and games.

I did, I copied it from sd to usb2 and cheats are working fine :-)

Lastly don't try and make me out to be an ungrateful bastard, I hate that type of shit,
I commend all the devs here for all the wonderful things they've brought to the scene including you.

 

[Cyan]

if your setup is working fine, that's good.
I only have difficulty to follow what you did or how you managed to make it work as it's not supposed to work like that.
You mean you have slot250 in meta, and 249 in settings?
Your slot250 is rev21, right? I don't understand why you need to boot using slot250 if slot249 works fine afterward. if it works in the loader and for the game, it should boot fine too.That's why I'm confused.
Why not keep 250 for loader and games too? it would prevent 2second of reload.

For the kenobi file, I don't understand why it didn't copy to your usb automatically. I checked the sources and it's supposed to do it. Maybe there's a bug I don't see.
Troopage didn't test kenobi file copying yesterday, only MC/Cheat/config/controller.
Troopage, if you still have your hdd setup with the partitions, would you mind testing? thanks
put sneek/kenobiwii.bin on SD and boot a game on USB with cheat enabled (debug works too, but on Wii only). it should copy it to usb

 

[ned]

if your setup is working fine, that's good.
I only have difficulty to follow what you did or how you managed to make it work as it's not supposed to work like that.
You mean you have slot250 in meta, and 249 in settings?

Yes.

Your slot250 is rev21, right? I don't understand why you need to boot using slot250 if slot249 works fine afterward. if it works in the loader and for the game, it should boot fine too.That's why I'm confused.
Why not keep 250 for loader and games too? it would prevent 2second of reload.

I was yes but I changed it over to d2x-v10-beta52 as you requested since i'm only running it on slot0 you said
it's more compatible and that d2x-v10-beta53 offers nothing apart both slot0 & slot1.
The cios installer version changes made no difference to me though it was the same accross all three after further testing, again
only base 57 would actually mount the drive properly in usb loader gx.
Okay i'll set them all to 250 base 57 then and report back.

 

[sonictopfan]

Using the forwarder: it doesn't matter if the "Return to" option is set to HBC (LULZ) or USB Loader GX (UNEO), in both cases we will return to the loader after using the button combo to exit a NGC game loaded with Nintendont.

This always been the case though, when you use Nintendont that is, even if you set the "Return to" to the Wii's main menu it will go back to USB-Loader GX, I don't know if it's related to the way USB-Loader GX works, I always thought it was the way Nintendont works, regardless of the loader you lunched Nintendont from it won't take you to the Wii's main menu but instead forces you to go back to the loader (in most cases the HBC).

 

[GreyWolf]

magnus:
I'm still wondering if it's a good idea to let the loader install data to NAND. even adding the channel update back may be a bad idea. Why don't user use only the forwarder?
Anyway, if I ever add a SD menu manager, it will not launch or install games to NAND. It will be only a way to extract games to EmuNAND to prevent moving games in multiple pass.

Honestly, I also think it would be a good idea to let the full channel die. Not only is it possible someone's console could get bricked with an update but it also limits the loader because it has to fit in NAND.

 

[Cyan]

This always been the case though, when you use Nintendont that is, even if you set the "Return to" to the Wii's main menu it will go back to USB-Loader GX, I don't know if it's related to the way USB-Loader GX works, I always thought it was the way Nintendont works, regardless of the loader you lunched Nintendont from it won't take you to the Wii's main menu but instead forces you to go back to the loader (in most cases the HBC).

Normally, exiting a homebrew should return to the homebrew used to launched it.
hbc <-> nintendont
hbc <-> wiimc
wiiflow <-> wiimc
usbgx <-> nintendont
etc.

but Shiranui reported that nintendont did not return to his launcher like it should. It seems that USBLoaderGX channel needs to be present on the system menu to be able to reload it when exiting homebrew.
So, For Wii and channels : the "return to" option is used.
For homebrew : the "return to" option is not used, but the forwarder is required to return to the loader.
What would be interesting : without the channel installed, launch another homebrew (from the homebrew browser) and exit to see where it returns to.


GreyWolf : I agree, and don't like the idea to write to nand.
The code we have (and the patch you did) doesn't have security to prevent user installing any wad file located on SD. it could be a stub system menu, or a corrupted downloaded file as it's not verified before installing it.
I just don't like the idea that some users are still using it and thinking there's no new update.
A lot of reports are from users stuck on 3.0c r1180 "gamecube ask to copy to SD !".

Displaying a message telling users to switch to forwarder is not possible as it's not present in the 3.0c sources. it will only attempt at downloading and installing wad. I can't even link to a dol as it will try to install it using wad manager.

What would be great is a silent replacement of the full channel to forwarder channel
It's a joke, I will not do that!

It's a decision I'll have to make soon as we are switching svn repository. after august, I won't be able to post new wad file's URL for the auto-update.

 

[Troopage]

For the kenobi file, I don't understand why it didn't copy to your usb automatically. I checked the sources and it's supposed to do it. Maybe there's a bug I don't see.
Troopage didn't test kenobi file copying yesterday, only MC/Cheat/config/controller.
Troopage, if you still have your hdd setup with the partitions, would you mind testing? thanks
put sneek/kenobiwii.bin on SD and boot a game on USB with cheat enabled (debug works too, but on Wii only). it should copy it to usb

I tested and the kenobi file didn't copy.

 

[Cyan]

Thank you.

You have no message in the loader?
"To use ocarina with Nintendont you need the usb3:/sneek/kenobiwii.bin file."

So I messed something up...
Sorry to have doubt you ned.
I'm re-checking the sources but don't see where it's wrong.

 

[Troopage]

Thank you.

You have no message in the loader?
"To use ocarina with Nintendont you need the usb3:/sneek/kenobiwii.bin file."

So I messed something up...
Sorry to have doubt you ned.
I'm re-checking the sources but don't see where it's wrong.

Yeah, I got that message.

 

[Cyan]

Kenobi and controller.ini are using the exact same functions.
So, either it didn't find kenobiwii.bin on SD, or it couldn't copy the file to USB.

edit:
I added a missing prompt message if file not present on SD.
But if you have it on SD it should copy it, so it wasn't the issue.

 

[Shiranui-san]

shiranui : revert to 1243 and see if it fix the issue.
if it's fixed, then there's definitely something wrong on 1244.

Not having the forwarder shouldn't be a problem.
Check your settings and set "return to" to HBC again, or none.
Maybe it's still set to the forwarder?

Definitely it is not happening with GX r1243. I noticed that it only happens with "The Legend of Spyro - A New Beginning" and only using GX r1244 + Nintendont. Booting the game directly with Nintendont or GX r1243 + Nintendont doesn't cause any isuue. Oh, and my iso is 1:1, full size, redump verified, etc.

This always been the case though, when you use Nintendont that is, even if you set the "Return to" to the Wii's main menu it will go back to USB-Loader GX, I don't know if it's related to the way USB-Loader GX works, I always thought it was the way Nintendont works, regardless of the loader you lunched Nintendont from it won't take you to the Wii's main menu but instead forces you to go back to the loader (in most cases the HBC).

It only happens if you have the forwarder (and probably the full channel too) installed in your system. I didn't have any of them, just installed the forwarder to test. Check Cyan's above post, he explains very well how the "Return to" is working.

What would be interesting : without the channel installed, launch another homebrew (from the homebrew browser) and exit to see where it returns to.

Without the channel installed: apps loaded with the small HBC icon at the bottom right on GX's main menu also take me to "Press A screen" once I exit them.
However, using the homebrew browser inside GX to load GX again, now exit it and it will take you to Homebrew Channel.

 

[GreyWolf]

GreyWolf : I agree, and don't like the idea to write to nand.
The code we have (and the patch you did) doesn't have security to prevent user installing any wad file located on SD. it could be a stub system menu, or a corrupted downloaded file as it's not verified before installing it.
I just don't like the idea that some users are still using it and thinking there's no new update.
A lot of reports are from users stuck on 3.0c r1180 "gamecube ask to copy to SD !".

Displaying a message telling users to switch to forwarder is not possible as it's not present in the 3.0c sources. it will only attempt at downloading and installing wad. I can't even link to a dol as it will try to install it using wad manager.

I asked a few people that are very computer illiterate and they said they would prefer a notice that they must update to the forwarder rather than being stuck on an old version. Maybe we could push one final full channel update that is identical to the current one, (r1180, I think?,) with a popup added that says it is no longer supported and include a link on how to switch to the forwarder?

 

[Cyan]

Shiranui : I will try different things but will need you to test it.
as I changed a lot of things in 1244, I'll have to find which change affects nintendont.

greywolf:
It will be either a message on googlecode/sourceforge, or like you said.
My main concern on pushing an update of the current channel is for users who converted the Full channel to work on vWii, the auto-update will download the Wii version. (there's no official vWii version, and even if there were, the r1180 has no vWii detection to know which wad to install)
if they update it will render the channel unusable.
I don't know how much users will be affected. I don't know how much other forums/community did it and released a converted version to their users.
It's not officially released and I could not care and think "it's their fault", but don't want to break any setup.

A message on the site is maybe better. if they are curious if a new update exists, they will go to the site.

Some users are also installing files from the latest release package "all in one 3.0" and think it's the latest version.
so either I'll have to release a new 3.0 rxxxx, or release 3.1 now with current features. (I wanted to complete at least all gamecube menus before 3.1)

 

[Shiranui-san]

I can test whatever you need, but don't know if working in a single random issue of a single game is worth your effort and time, specially if you are working in neek2o compatibility which everyone is looking forward to.

 

[GreyWolf]

Shiranui : I will try different things but will need you to test it.
as I changed a lot of things in 1244, I'll have to find which change affects nintendont.

greywolf:
It will be either a message on googlecode/sourceforge, or like you said.
My main concern on pushing an update of the current channel is for users who converted the Full channel to work on vWii, the auto-update will download the Wii version. (there's no official vWii version, and even if there were, the r1180 has no vWii detection to know which wad to install)
if they update it will render the channel unusable.
I don't know how much users will be affected. I don't know how much other forums/community did it and released a converted version to their users.
It's not officially released and I could not care and think "it's their fault", but don't want to break any setup.

A message on the site is maybe better. if they are curious if a new update exists, they will go to the site.

Some users are also installing files from the latest release package "all in one 3.0" and think it's the latest version.
so either I'll have to release a new 3.0 rxxxx, or release 3.1 now with current features. (I wanted to complete at least all gamecube menus before 3.1)

Sounds good. Let me know what GC stuff you need and I'll see what I can get done.

 

[ned]

Thank you.

You have no message in the loader?
"To use ocarina with Nintendont you need the usb3:/sneek/kenobiwii.bin file."

So I messed something up...
Sorry to have doubt you ned.
I'm re-checking the sources but don't see where it's wrong.

No problem, did some reading and it seems only ios57 and ios59 have the added usb_hub module,
ios58 just had the usb 2.0 update.
You may find the following two apps useful for future bug reports

http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Lsusb
http://wiibrew.org/wiki/USB_mass_storage_device_tester

 

[Cyan]

Someone want to test wad install to realNAND?
It will be used to update the full channel (in case I decide to update it).
bootmii @ boot2, and NAND dump restore capable users only please.

Or someone with a sneek/neek2o can launch the loader from neek, and try installing channels without danger to RealNAND (which is in fact EmuNAND Sneek).