Homebrew Help with running Gamecube ISOs

[LazySolidEye]

Hello, first time poster here.
Using what I believe to be the latest version of USB loader GX, I am able to play a Wii game successfully without error.

In trying to play Gamecube ISOs, I've attempted many methods (installing different USB loader GX versions that are compatible with DIOS MIOS), completely new software (configurable usb loader).

I've followed numerous tutorials (which I hope would not hinder different methods).
The closest I've gotten is when I use cfg usb loader, the game isos I've "shortened" by way of the tutorial show up the way I'd expect them to.
However, when I start them up, they don't seem to load. All I see is a black screen.
I don't have my specs on hand right now, but if this is a common problem, i'd like to know how other people have solved it.

 

[LazySolidEye]

by the way, I'm attempting to play the Gamecube games through an external hard drive which is correctly formatted to FAT32.

 

[Cyan]

You didn't provide a lot of technical information.

Which exact version of each application are you using ? ("latest" is not a good answer, as you may not know which is the latest one)
What did you installed to play GameCube backups from USB ? Devolution or DIOS MIOS?
If you use DIOS MIOS, your FAT32 partition need to be the first one on your drive (if you have multiple partitions), and the drive need to be an old one (512 byte per sector). new drives using 4096bytes per sector are not compatible with DIOS MIOS.

If you don't have 512Byte/sector Hard drive, you will have to use SD card with DIOS MIOS Lite, or use Devolution.

 

[LazySolidEye]

You didn't provide a lot of technical information.

Which exact version of each application are you using ? ("latest" is not a good answer, as you may not know which is the latest one)
What did you installed to play GameCube backups from USB ? Devolution or DIOS MIOS?
If you use DIOS MIOS, your FAT32 partition need to be the first one on your drive (if you have multiple partitions), and the drive need to be an old one (512 byte per sector). new drives using 4096bytes per sector are not compatible with DIOS MIOS.

If you don't have 512Byte/sector Hard drive, you will have to use SD card with DIOS MIOS Lite, or use Devolution.

I'll have to get back to you with the details. I used DIOS MIOS.
The FAT32 partition is on the "active primary" partition. What do you mean by an old drive?

 

[Cyan]

primary is fine, it should also be the very first partition on the drive. (or the single partition. No hidden one, etc.)

New HDD (for about one-two years now) have a different physical structure.
In order to make hard drive bigger than 2TB, they had to increase the sector size physically to store more data per sector. instead of 512byte it's now 4096bytes.
As it's a new standard, they are also doing this for drives smaller than 2TB.

You'll have more chance of finding a new HDD still using 512byte/sector if it's a smaller one (like 250, 320 or 500 GB), one which wasn't sold for few months.
It's not written on the packaging, so you can't know before trying it.


If you are using USBLoaderGX revision 1218, it will warn you if your drive is incompatible.
If the loader lets you launch the game, then the drive is fine, and your problem is with your game (bad iso), or just that this specific drive is not compatible with DIOS MIOS.

 

[LazySolidEye]

Ok, I've installed Wii Flow as well...and it doesn't work there either.
Same thing. black screen when I try to load my games.
The games appear on both CFG USB loader, and Wii Flow, and it seems like it works until you actually want to load the game.

 

[LazySolidEye]

Ok....now the physical discs I own don't work.
This leads me to believe that it is Dios Mios that has the problem.

 

[BlackWizzard17]

Ok....now the physical discs I own don't work.
This leads me to believe that it is Dios Mios that has the problem.

Wii game disc should work when running through the game channel.
Gamecube games however dont run off the main menu because you have written over the mios, but in most cases you need to have a usb drive in the plugged in the wii then start the game.

 

[tbgtbg]

If the drive is too big, just partition it and format the partition to the correct sector size. No, you won't be able to use the entire disk that way but you can use the left over space as backup for windows or something.

 

[LazySolidEye]

If the drive is too big, just partition it and format the partition to the correct sector size. No, you won't be able to use the entire disk that way but you can use the left over space as backup for windows or something.

Can a drive be too big?

Wii game disc should work when running through the game channel.
Gamecube games however dont run off the main menu because you have written over the mios, but in most cases you need to have a usb drive in the plugged in the wii then start the game.

So I'll simply have to run my discs through wiiflow or something like that? (once the damn things works and stops just giving me a dead screen).
Is running the games off of writable dvds any easier? I'm sick of this will it won't it experimenting I've been doing.

 

[BlackWizzard17]

Can a drive be too big?


So I'll simply have to run my discs through wiiflow or something like that? (once the damn things works and stops just giving me a dead screen).
Is running the games off of writable dvds any easier? I'm sick of this will it won't it experimenting I've been doing.

well you can use modmii to download "Miosv10" to remove dios mios so you won't have that problem anymore and im not to big on burning disc since i dont have a compatible wii.

 

[Cyan]

If your drive (not partition) is bigger than 2TB, the drive is not compatible with DIOS MIOS (because it's using the "advanced format" with 4096byte per sector).
If you installed DIOS MIOS and want to launch retail disc, you need to connect a compatible HDD or the game won't launch.
if you installed DIOS MIOS Lite, you need an SD card inserted too.
or just reinstall the official MIOS v10 to play retail discs.


DIOS MIOS requires :
Hard drive with 512 byte per sector
Partition used for games MUST be the first partition on the partition table
Partition must be primary (not part of extended/logical)
Partition must be in FAT32
FAT32 cluster size must be 32k or less
If you launch a game disc, the above is also required.

DIOS MIOS Lite requires:
FAT/FAT32 partition
FAT32 cluster size must be 64k or less

 

[LazySolidEye]

If your drive (not partition) is bigger than 2TB, the drive is not compatible with DIOS MIOS (because it's using the "advanced format" with 4096byte per sector).
If you installed DIOS MIOS and want to launch retail disc, you need to connect a compatible HDD or the game won't launch.
if you installed DIOS MIOS Lite, you need an SD card inserted too.
or just reinstall the official MIOS v10 to play retail discs.


DIOS MIOS requires :
Hard drive with 512 byte per sector
Partition used for games MUST be the first partition on the partition table
Partition must be primary (not part of extended/logical)
Partition must be in FAT32
FAT32 cluster size must be 32k or less
If you launch a game disc, the above is also required.

DIOS MIOS Lite requires:
FAT/FAT32 partition
FAT32 cluster size must be 64k or less

Hm...I think I'll try DM lite then.
I've been trying with DM version 2.8.
My hard drive is nowhere near 2TB....and I have an SD card at the ready, so DM Lite will probably be easiest.
Also...quick question. I've been successfully playing a EU copy of Animal Crossing on my softmodded US Wii.
Does this mean I could play Japanese games as well?

 

[Cyan]

yes, it's region free.

 

[LazySolidEye]

Alright....tried DM lite, and it sort of worked.
I got Super Mario Sunshine to work, but it was in black and white and it took WAY too long to load off of my SD card.
I think the color issue was due to me picking the wrong video format or something in the settings. So this means that
the programs are working...but they're just not playing the games I put there.

 

[LazySolidEye]

Off the USB drive I mean (which would be much preferred).

 

[LazySolidEye]

Hm...just looked at the compatibility list of DIOS MIOS.
Is it possible I was simply not using the right version for the games?
I was trying to play Mario Sunshine...and I'm not sure if I was using the right version (2.3).
Shouldn't the latest versions of the software be able to play more games (or at least whatever their earlier versions could play)?

 

[Cyan]

The game has only one version. You probably meant the version of the loader (DIOS MIOS).
latest version is 2.10 (2.ten, not 2.1, it's not decimal)
2.3 is older than 2.10, update it.

The compatibility list doesn't give the version you NEED to use, but provide the version which was tested, back when the user tested it. The compatibility list is old too.

The compatibility list could list the first working version, but it doesn't mean newer version are not working.
Always try with 2.10 first, unless it's specified that it doesn't work with it.

 

[LazySolidEye]

So you're saying that
http://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/DIOS_MIOS_Compatibility_List#S
that list specifies the minimal version that you need for each game to work?

See, I was following instructions from old tutorials (thinking that they'd all work the same).
I'll give it a shot when I can.

 

[Cyan]

old tutorials are not the best, you could even make wrong things and render your console useless if you don't use the files specific for your console's version.
Always try to find the more recent guide when you need something. use latest versions of the programs (which will have more chance of detecting old console, than old file detecting unknown ones).