Hacking How to split large wbfs files?

[boomerang42]

How do you safely split above 4gb wbfs files for fat32 HDDs? I've tried to get this working on my own but I'm getting nowhere.

I've tried using a non-wii file splitter like mentioned here but that results in cfg usb mod complaining about incomplete sectors, and sometimes black screen freezes.

I verified the sha hashes with Wii Backup Manager to make sure they're ok pre-split, and they are. That doesn't seem like it can split wbfs files though.

So I tried a wii specific tool (wit) mentioned here, but I just cannot get that to actually do a split.

There are two Windows gui's for that, but both won't work. QtWitGui says it needs a very very outdated version of wit, and fails on the current one. Wii Backup Fusion freezes and crashes when trying to open a wbfs (I'm guessing it might need an old version of wit too, although it doesn't say which one).

I really don't care about the gui's too much. But in wit I've gotten so many errors of "The syntax of the command is incorrect" and especially "Invalid Parameter" that I want to hit something right now.

Assuming that the file is RDZP01.wbfs and I have it in the same folder as wit. What exactly would I put to make it convert to 4gb per split? And how would I do a custom split size (because a few games have known freezes doing a 4gb split)?

 

[HaloEffect17]

I have the same question, only I wish to fit above 4GB WBFS games on a Fat32 SD card. Hopefully, someone can fill in.

 

[migles]

people, use wii backup manager.
http://wiibackupmanager.co.uk/

it will automatically split the files if you select to copy TO the fat32 drive

stand by, i just happen to have to copy a game to my usb, i shall demonstrate with screenshots

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

HINT: click on the pictures for zoom.

1. go to settings and change options if you want\need




2. select the usb drive you want to copy on drive 1 tab



3. checkbox the game, click on transfer then select drive 1

(if your disc image is a big question mark or doesn't display the picture, that means I (migles) changed settings to download the pictures of the games, IT DOES NOT MEAN THE GAMES ARE BROKEN OR NOT RECOGNIZED)

Pro tip: if files are not on "files" tab, you can click the "Add" button to put them on the list.

files are automatically converted, on this example my iso is small enough and it doesn't need the slip but it will split them if its need

EXTRA PRO TIP: go on settings, choose remove update partition to save extra space

 

[HaloEffect17]

people, use wii backup manager.
http://wiibackupmanager.co.uk/

it will automatically split the files if you select to copy TO the fat32 drive

stand by, i just happen to have to copy a game to my usb, i shall demonstrate with screenshots

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

HINT: click on the pictures for zoom.

1. go to settings and change options if you want\need

View attachment 21009


2. select the usb drive you want to copy on drive 1 tab

View attachment 21010

3. checkbox the game, click on transfer then select drive 1
View attachment 21011

Pro tip: if files are not on "files" tab, you can click the "Add" button to put them on the list.

files are automatically converted, on this example my iso is small enough and it doesn't need the slip but it will split them if its need

EXTRA PRO TIP: go on settings, choose remove update partition to save extra space

Hey, thanks so much -- this helps a lot.

 

[migles]

Hey, thanks so much -- this helps a lot.

yeah, just dont forget to give me an internet!

 

[boomerang42]

That's so much simpler. Thanks, migles. You can has an internets

Well, that solves the problem for most games. I still don't know what to do for games that have freezes when split because where they split is literally in the middle of a cutscene. For example, Metroid Other M.

I did find this post which says how to fix that game, so I'll have to give that a try.

The thing I'm wondering right now is, do those kind of freezes still exist for games like Metroid Other M and Xenoblade Chronicles when splitting at 4gb? Now that I think about it the posts about those freezes all seem to be old. Have newer versions of loaders gotten rid of them?

 

[HaloEffect17]

That's so much simpler. Thanks, migles. You can has an internets

Well, that solves the problem for most games. I still don't know what to do for games that have freezes when split because where they split is literally in the middle of a cutscene. For example, Metroid Other M.

I did find this post which says how to fix that game, so I'll have to give that a try.

The thing I'm wondering right now is, do those kind of freezes still exist for games like Metroid Other M and Xenoblade Chronicles when splitting at 4gb? Now that I think about it the posts about those freezes all seem to be old. Have newer versions of loaders gotten rid of them?

I'm wondering that, too. I plan to get Xenoblade Chronicles working on my SD card on Configurable USB Loader splitting it using the method by @migles.

 

[Arras]

That's so much simpler. Thanks, migles. You can has an internets

Well, that solves the problem for most games. I still don't know what to do for games that have freezes when split because where they split is literally in the middle of a cutscene. For example, Metroid Other M.

I did find this post which says how to fix that game, so I'll have to give that a try.

The thing I'm wondering right now is, do those kind of freezes still exist for games like Metroid Other M and Xenoblade Chronicles when splitting at 4gb? Now that I think about it the posts about those freezes all seem to be old. Have newer versions of loaders gotten rid of them?

I've played both Other M and Xenoblade in split form from USB and there should be no problem. As far as I'm aware it's all nicely handled in the USB loaders. (I use CFG myself, but there are others that should work just as well)

 

[HaloEffect17]

I've played both Other M and Xenoblade in split form from USB and there should be no problem. As far as I'm aware it's all nicely handled in the USB loaders. (I use CFG myself, but there are others that should work just as well)

Alright, that's good to know. Hopefully, Xenoblade works on my SD card through CFG.

 

[Arras]

Alright, that's good to know. Hopefully, Xenoblade works on my SD card through CFG.

While I haven't finished Xenoblade, I got quite far in it, and I have finished Other M. Besides, it seems kind of weird that a split cutscene would cause issue, considering other split WBFSes could split on something more serious, like models, music, or actual game data. I do seem to remember people who wanted to burn Other M to a dual layer disc needing to mess around with the place the second layer started though, so in this particular case it may be related to that.

 

[migles]

Alright, that's good to know. Hopefully, Xenoblade works on my SD card through CFG.

you can also get a 8gb usb stick (come on, are they that expensive\rare?) format it as NTFS and try it.
OR if you have a external HDD
most loaders now support NTFS but fat32 is more recommended...
either way, if you had the 8gb usb stick you could also use the WBFS filesystem, its older and "outdated" but still works
you can't do this with a sd card..

 

[Cyan]

Other M had a bad/under dump.
be sure to check your dump (use the sha1 option in WiiBackupManager)

Xenoblade, users had issue but I'm not sure why.
Some users fixed it by defragmenting their drives, or by being sure it's 32k/cluster instead of 64k.
in both cases, I don't know if it really matters, but it helps them, so it's not bad to try it too.

Ultimately, you could try to use a NTFS partition and keep the file in a single part (as .iso)

edit:
ah, another possibility you can try is to split the game at 3GB instead of 4GB.
Play the game past the crash/cutscene. save. redump/reinstall it with split option set at 4GB again and continue playing.
(edit: WBM seems to split only 1/2/4, wwt has maybe 3GB)
If you have a free drive, it's easier and faster to use NTFS (or WBFS partition format for 4GB+ games).

 

[HaloEffect17]

you can also get a 8gb usb stick (come on, are they that expensive\rare?) format it as NTFS and try it.
OR if you have a external HDD
most loaders now support NTFS but fat32 is more recommended...
either way, if you had the 8gb usb stick you could also use the WBFS filesystem, its older and "outdated" but still works
you can't do this with a sd card..

Hi, just for confirmation, when you said I can't do this with an SD card, did you mean you can't split a large WBFS file up (i.e./ Xenoblade - with the method you suggested above) and expect it to work on an SD? Sorry, I'm genuinely new to this... If that's the case, then of course; I will try to find a compatible USB drive, format as NTFS, and do it that way.

EDIT: I actually found a spare 16GB Lexar, so hopefully, my Wii can read it if I try it. Although, if I can run Xenoblade with an SD, I wish to try that first (I can currently run smaller WBFS files miraculously on a SD through CFG). I think there was a USB compatibility list somewhere...

 

[migles]

Hi, just for confirmation, when you said I can't do this with an SD card, did you mean you can't split a large WBFS file up (i.e./ Xenoblade - with the method you suggested above) and expect it to work on an SD? Sorry, I'm genuinely new to this... If that's the case, then of course; I will try to find a compatible USB drive, format as NTFS, and do it that way.

EDIT: I actually found a spare 16GB Lexar, so hopefully, my Wii can read it if I try it. Although, if I can run Xenoblade with an SD, I wish to try that first (I can currently run smaller WBFS files miraculously on a SD through CFG). I think there was a USB compatibility list somewhere...

you CAN NOT partition a sd card with NTFS or WBFS (wbfs formatted drive) and use it on the WII...
YOU CAN use fat32 and split files on the sd card,
YOU CAN use wbfs FILES on the sd card

there is the WBFS file system, which you can format a usb stick with wbfs
and there is a wbfs container, which is a ISO in special format. you can use theese on a fat32 or even ntfs drive...

even if you found a spare 16 sd card you will have to use it as fat32..
unless you connect it to a usb reader and connect to the usb port, then you can use it like a usb drive...

basically, the wii only reads SD cards in fat32 (or fat16) format if you put it on the front slot, i hope i was clear

 

[HaloEffect17]

you CAN NOT partition a sd card with NTFS or WBFS (wbfs formatted drive) and use it on the WII...
YOU CAN use fat32 and split files on the sd card,
YOU CAN use wbfs FILES on the sd card

there is the WBFS file system, which you can format a usb stick with wbfs
and there is a wbfs container, which is a ISO in special format. you can use theese on a fat32 or even ntfs drive...

even if you found a spare 16 sd card you will have to use it as fat32..
unless you connect it to a usb reader and connect to the usb port, then you can use it like a usb drive...

basically, the wii only reads SD cards in fat32 (or fat16) format if you put it on the front slot, i hope i was clear

Alright, thanks for the clarification.

 

[S_breezy711]

people, use wii backup manager.
wiibackupmanager

it will automatically split the files if you select to copy TO the fat32 drive

stand by, i just happen to have to copy a game to my usb, i shall demonstrate with screenshots

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

HINT: click on the pictures for zoom.

1. go to settings and change options if you want\need

View attachment 21009


2. select the usb drive you want to copy on drive 1 tab

View attachment 21010

3. checkbox the game, click on transfer then select drive 1
View attachment 21011
(if your disc image is a big question mark or doesn't display the picture, that means I (migles) changed settings to download the pictures of the games, IT DOES NOT MEAN THE GAMES ARE BROKEN OR NOT RECOGNIZED)

Pro tip: if files are not on "files" tab, you can click the "Add" button to put them on the list.

files are automatically converted, on this example my iso is small enough and it doesn't need the slip but it will split them if its need

EXTRA PRO TIP: go on settings, choose remove update partition to save extra space

thank you so much dude, was so sad i couldnt get Xeno and prime trilogy and a few other large than 4gb games on my wii.. i forgot wii manager does so much magic, it auto split everything perfect. now i can game to the max. thanks a bunch!!