Hacking Devolution - Public Release

[daxtsu]

It copies the first 32 bytes from the disk into a file called .DVV and then has some sort of [what I believe is] encrypted data afterwords that goes on for about 225 bytes. What that info is, is anybody's guess. Also, if you move the file anywhere else(and then move it back), rename it(then rename it), or otherwise tamper with the DVV File, it makes you reauthenticate your game on the next devolution start. I didn't look further than that, though. I'm not interested in reversing his work.

 

[FIX94]

How exactly does this verify the original disk in the drive? Does it just match the title ID of an original disk with that of the ISO?

Lol I dont think thats so easy, on my gecko I see more output I must say DIOS-MIOS and Devolution can make some great combination, now I can play SSX3 PAL via Devolution and SSBM via DIOS-MIOS Well besides from the fact Devolution doesnt like the video format of SSX3 intro everythings perfect lol:

 

[Maxternal]

How exactly does this verify the original disk in the drive? Does it just match the title ID of an original disk with that of the ISO?

Anyway, nice to see that this got released.

He's probably not telling. It would just be helping people to crack it (and then he might get pissed and stop updating)

I haven't gotten home to try and test this but if it take a while to verify, it might be hashing the whole image (the disks have a sha1 hash built into them if I remember correctly) It could just compare time stamps later to make sure the disk hasn't been tampered with and encrypt the verification record with the Wii's private key to make sure it isn't transferable. I'm just guessing, though.

 

[lovewiibrew]

Anyone bother making a compatibility list? Would be interesting to know how the compatibility is compared to DM(L).

DM is much better right now.

 

[MushGuy]

^ Except for the audio streaming fix, of course.

 

[Maxternal]

They kinda compliment each other.

 

[the_randomizer]

They kinda compliment each other.

So they both can be installed at the same time, then?

 

[daxtsu]

Yes. Devolution doesn't take up the MIOS slot. It's just a binary blob that's copied to memory and executed. So in theory, you could have quadforce on real nand for triforce games(to avoid the glitchy sound), DM/DML on neek for GC games that don't work with devolution, and then devolution as a standalone, or whatever other combination you can think of.

Edit: ..come to think of it, I wonder if the app file from DIOS MIOS could be executed in the same way as Devolution. Hmm..

 

[nokillmonkeys]

@[member='tueidj'],
Just curious, are you able\willing to share your plans to eventually support the horizontal Wii's (i.e. how to verify images without being able to read GC discs)? Is it safe to assume that users would need to verify the games on an older model Wii before being able to play them on a horizontal Wii? Thanks again dude.

Thanks for asking, i was thinking about the same thing and was gonna ask

Can anyone answer my question?

really dude? you demand an answer after no one answering you for 20 minutes?

Horizontal wii can read GC games just like all other wii's, they are just lacking the memory card and controller ports.

I think it would be cool to see a different method of AP. For the new drives that spit out gamecube discs, and for other wiis with failed drives.

They can read gc games just fine. failed drives .....well they are broken so get them fixed.

The point of a USB/SD solution is to become independent from disc drives and physical media, and thus avoid the problems associated with them (like disc drives breaking and discs becoming unreadable). Why would I seek out somebody to fix my drive and pay them money, spend time learning to fix it myself and buy parts, or buy a new Wii; just so that I can use the very solution to my problem (which, if I fixed it, would no longer be a problem needing a solution).

 

[mrpinkeye]

Anyone bother making a compatibility list? Would be interesting to know how the compatibility is compared to DM(L).

DM is much better right now.

that answered my question but will both keep being updated or is one going to get more attention?

 

[lovewiibrew]

^ Except for the audio streaming fix, of course.

Yes that is one plus for dev. But lots of glitchiness/black screens. That's why I hope cyan will update usb loader gx to use both.

 

[Maxternal]

Edit: ..come to think of it, I wonder if the app file from DIOS MIOS could be executed in the same way as Devolution. Hmm..

I think it can, but it's not meant to be run in the faster Wii mode.
I will now dredge up this video again of the MIOS being called in Wii mode.
http://gbatemp.net/topic/322683-devolution-speculation-thread/page__st__165__p__4195561#entry4195561
you can see the extra speed and note the scratch noise so it's doable but with some side effects.

that answered my question but will both keep being updated or is one going to get more attention?

I'm sure one or the other will get at least a little bit of attention (they're programmed by two completely different people) but it would be difficult to tell which at this point.

 

[the_randomizer]

The only problem is, I currently don't have the discs I ripped the ISO images from with me, so...yeah. I can't use Devolution until I go back to my parent's house this weekend. Crap.

 

[daxtsu]

Edit: ..come to think of it, I wonder if the app file from DIOS MIOS could be executed in the same way as Devolution. Hmm..

I think it can, but it's not meant to be run in the faster Wii mode.

You can control the CPU speed of the Wii in Wii mode if I recall correctly, so couldn't one just slow the CPU down to the proper BC speed and then jump to dios mios? Sorry for getting offtopic-ish.

 

[Maxternal]

Edit: ..come to think of it, I wonder if the app file from DIOS MIOS could be executed in the same way as Devolution. Hmm..

I think it can, but it's not meant to be run in the faster Wii mode.

You can control the CPU speed of the Wii in Wii mode if I recall correctly, so couldn't one just slow the CPU down to the proper BC speed and then jump to dios mios? Sorry for getting offtopic-ish.

You could probably use the same system calls that BC uses to slow down everything and kinda manually change to GC mode to run it.
Actually, now that you mention it, the APP file used in xNEEK for DM(L) is actually installed as a BC, not a MIOS so it kinda does just that. It runs the BC part of it to slow everything down and then goes right into DM(L) code without having to load anything else if I understand correctly.

(the reason for that is in real NAND, the loader calls the BC which slows everything down and calls boot2 which sees that it's in GC mode and calls the MIOS instead of the system menu. In and xNEEK environment I'd assume you want to avoid loosing) control by calling boot2 again so it has to bypass that step)

EDIT : I'm not sure how Postloader's neekbooter works but that could be the perfect solution to the whole DVD-R vs, SD vs, USB vs, TriForce issue with choosing which MIOS to install, especially if you don't actually have to have the APP files in NAND folder.

Anyway, back on topic, [member='tueidj'] said that some of the video problems were because of differences in Wii hardware. I wonder if there's a separate system call in BC to slow down the processor and the GPU. If that's the case, I would assume the problem could be solved by just telling the GPU to change to GC mode for Devolution but leaving the Proc at Wii speed.

 

[Thomas83Lin]

-snip-the exploit used in the hackmii installer is also being used in a commercial product.

Anyone know what commercial product he is talking about?

I'd say the new action replay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqI6kdZZ_dg

 

[tueidj]

Some games will be spitted out (devolution doesn't recognize them). I dunno why. But others are working without problem.

The only check it does before spitting a disc out is comparing the first 8 bytes on the disc with the .iso file.

If you have the NTSC version, it won't work right now. It crashes.

According to redump there are three different NTSC versions of SSBM, and the one that has been reported not to work is the really old first version (1.00) that was built using an ancient SDK. I have version 1.01 and it works fine (except for the graphics problems).

Hey tueidj, for some reason I get some strange constant dsp sound three or four times a second as soon as I start devolution, thats also there ingame, not very loud but noticable on quiet game parts, also if I exit it this will stays there, the only way it goes off is to turn off the wii. Any ideas what that can be?

No idea at all. Sounds really weird, I have my wii connected to the PC capture card and the volume monitors don't show anything amiss when a game is silent.

 

[daxtsu]

If you have the NTSC version, it won't work right now. It crashes.

According to redump there are three different NTSC versions of SSBM, and the one that has been reported not to work is the really old first version (1.00) that was built using an ancient SDK. I have version 1.01 and it works fine (except for the graphics problems).

Do you think there's any way to fix it in a future release? Just curious. Also, I've found another game that crashes. See my post on the first page. I still have 2 more games to test, then I'm out of retail games to try.

 

[Krestent]

How exactly does this verify the original disk in the drive? Does it just match the title ID of an original disk with that of the ISO?

Lol I dont think thats so easy, on my gecko I see more output I must say DIOS-MIOS and Devolution can make some great combination, now I can play SSX3 PAL via Devolution and SSBM via DIOS-MIOS Well besides from the fact Devolution doesnt like the video format of SSX3 intro everythings perfect lol:

I'm not trying to crack it, but if that was the case, then I have a suggestion. Why not have Devolution check for the matching original disc from any region, so people who have import discs don't have to then buy local copies of the same games?

 

[tueidj]

Do you think there's any way to fix it in a future release? Just curious. Also, I've found another game that crashes. See my post on the first page. I still have 2 more games to test, then I'm out of retail games to try.

That Metroid Prime crash is exactly what happens when the loader doesn't set the correct video mode for the game's region, were you using the sample loader?

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