Tutorial How to install Games on a WiiU Formatted Drive without any Fat32 HDD using FTP

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sp3off

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This is my first tutorial about how can you install Games on your Wii U by not using a FAT32 HDD and only using a FTP connection.

USE A LAN ADAPTER if the FTP connection speed isn't as expected.

For persons who would like to use a FAT32 formatted drive for installing games, please see CrazySquid's tutorial : http://gbatemp.net/threads/tutorial-how-to-install-big-wiiu-games-using-a-fat32-usb-drive.472158/

Method 1 :

You will need :

- A WiiU (Gigabytes doesn't matter)

- Your game in Loadiine format and one DLC/Update

- One WiiU formatted drive (no, you won't put it on your PC)

SD requirements :

- Homebrew Launcher + FTPiiU Everywhere + WUP Installer (I recommend you Y Mod and GX2)

Let's go !

First of all, if you haven't done it already, convert your game to Loadiine format (using crediar's CDecrypt, or Wii U USB Helper)

- Download one update or DLC for your game (using your favorite NUS downloader)

- When it's finished, keep it in his original format (.app and .h3) and put in in a install folder onto your SD card.

- Launch Homebrew Launcher (Haxchi, CBHC or the Browser method)

- Launch WUP Installer and install your Update/DLC (For Y Mod, click X to install it to your USB hard drive, and for GX2, click Yes and USB)

- When it's finished, on your PC, grab your Loadiine formatted game.

- Launch FTPiiU Everywhere

- Connect to your Wii U using a FTP program (FileZilla, WinSCP, CuteFTP......)

- Go to storage_usb (notice that you can navigate on your harddrive using your Wii U, nice isn't it ?), go to usr/title/00050000 (where games are located)

- Search for the titleID of your game (can be found in the code folder in app.xml, that's all I can say)

- If not created (which is weird if he didn't), create one folder AND DO NOT PUT ALL THE TITLEID, put only the titleID minus 00050000

- FTP all your game

- Profit !

Worked for me with Injustice, Gods among Us.

Note 1 :

Some persons says that game cannot boot without his tmd and fst file. If the update is there, you can simply copy that content onto your Loadiine game folder, on the "code" folder.


Note 2 : WHY DO YOU NEED TO INSTALL AN UPDATE ?

First calm down and second, that's a way for the WiiU to make the firmware think about an installed game (that is your famous FTP'd game), and that is on your USB drive. That's where the magic is, and that's also what creates it :)

Question 1 : Is it a way to replace CrazySquid's tutorial ?

Yes, because you actually go directly into your WiiU formatted drive ! (even if, I agree, FTP connections are a bit slow)



Method 2 :

You will need (PC) : Wii U USB Helper

You will need (SD) : CFW + Wii U Transfer Tool

May be a lot simpler for some persons.

- Download your game using Wii U USB Helper.

- After being downloaded, right click on the game and select "Copy to SD"

- On your Wii U, launch Wii U Transfer Tool

- On your PC, click on "Copy to Wii U" and at the prompt, select Yes.

- When installed, verify if it's on USB. If it's on the NAND, replace it on the USB.

One poll will be created with this tutorial, which will be your way to express yourself, please tell me if it worked or not.
(and yes, will probably need to make it more esthetic)

28/6/17 : Pillowy mounds of mashed potatoes is first, wonder why xDDDD

EDIT : Apparently, the list of games (godreborn talked about it on this topic) contained in the Wii U formatted drive refreshes himself everytime the Wii U starts to see if a new game is installed or not, so IT MIGHT not need a Update or DLC.
 
Last edited by sp3off,

sp3off

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What if the game doesn't have an update or dlc on NUS? SOL?

Most of known Wii U games do have a Update or DLC actually. If not, you only need to create the folder (minus 00050000) and create code, content and meta inside it.

Actually, I would like to know if you are targeting any particular game that doesn't have one ^^
 
Last edited by sp3off,

godreborn

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am I understanding this correctly? you're adding the entry into the metadata indexer by installing an update or dlc, then ftping the game itself over? I'm not sure how that would work without installing anything though or am I missing something?
 

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am I understanding this correctly? you're adding the entry into the metadata indexer by installing an update or dlc, then ftping the game itself over? I'm not sure how that would work without installing anything though or am I missing something?

That's why you FTP the game ^^ By installing an update/a DLC, you make the firmware think about a installed game that is present on your USB hard drive. The "metadata" is updated, and he tries to read the game from 00050000, but since the game isn't there, you only have a infinite bootloop. That's why, again, you need to FTP the game.
 

godreborn

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u get an infinite bootloop? won't the original game override the update? there's obviously a file in the core os that records the installation procedure. I've mentioned this before. the ps3 does this, but the 360 doesn't so that's y u encounter a delay with the 360 as the system reads over the entire drive instead of the meta which is a serious flaw in design.
 

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u get an infinite bootloop? won't the original game override the update? there's obviously a file in the core os that records the installation procedure. I've mentioned this before. the ps3 does this, but the 360 doesn't so that's y u encounter a delay with the 360 as the system reads over the entire drive instead of the meta which is a serious flaw in design.

Yes, the game overrides the update, but when the game is finished to be transfered, the Wii U will still ask to perform a game update ^^
 
Last edited by sp3off,

godreborn

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it sucks that u have to install games, but the point of that is to make loading faster on the home screen. compare the xbox 360 and the ps3 - the xbox 360 takes a lot longer to load content, because the entire hdd is read. the ps3, however, uses a metadata indexer, similar to the wii u's, which records the location of the icon, meta, and games' main executable. instead of reading over the entire hdd, it only reads the necessary files. this is especially important for larger hdds. one weird thing about the wii u, however, is that u have the ability to move content, not just copy it. this is how u can have cbhc and haxchi together at the same time, though I've never tried it. the usb takes precedence, but as long as the game is on the mlc storage medium it will work as cbhc, which is odd as both games occupy the same space on the home screen. that's how I have mine setup.
 

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it sucks that u have to install games, but the point of that is to make loading faster on the home screen. compare the xbox 360 and the ps3 - the xbox 360 takes a lot longer to load content, because the entire hdd is read. the ps3, however, uses a metadata indexer, similar to the wii u's, which records the location of the icon, meta, and games' main executable. instead of reading over the entire hdd, it only reads the necessary files. this is especially important for larger hdds. one weird thing about the wii u, however, is that u have the ability to move content, not just copy it. this is how u can have cbhc and haxchi together at the same time, though I've never tried it. the usb takes precedence, but as long as the game is on the mlc storage medium it will work as cbhc, which is odd as both games occupy the same space on the home screen. that's how I have mine setup.

Your statement is quite right, which is why is the utility to install a update/dlc. Plus, it gives the game two additional files, called title.tmd, and title.fst.
On the MLC, there is a title.list file which is located on the sys folder, which is the metafile you are talking about.

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

This is a bit unnecessary. This is literally what your method 2 is for.

Of course it is, but you know, i like to keep things a little bit adventurous ^^. The thing is, the Wii U USB Helper might be a bit faster (100-200 kb on FTP while I recorded 500-600 kb on Wii U USB Helper), but with CBHC it doesn't really quite work, because the "IOSU HAX BOOST" isn't activated...
 

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Your statement is quite right, which is why is the utility to install a update/dlc. Plus, it gives the game two additional files, called title.tmd, and title.fst.
On the MLC, there is a title.list file which is located on the sys folder, which is the metafile you are talking about.

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



Of course it is, but you know, i like to keep things a little bit adventurous ^^. The thing is, the Wii U USB Helper might be a bit faster (100-200 kb on FTP while I recorded 500-600 kb on Wii U USB Helper), but with CBHC it doesn't really quite work, because the "IOSU HAX BOOST" isn't activated...
It works just fine to it's just slower without mocha.
 

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Care to explain why this method is better than the tried and trusted method of WUP installer? Just so that we are on the same page here, in case I have missed something?

I have read your tutorial, just my opinion, sorry to say but this method is a waste of time because of the very slow FTP transfer speeds. For noobs sake, grabbing the WUP ready install files is far more convenient.
 

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Care to explain why this method is better than the tried and trusted method of WUP installer? Just so that we are on the same page here, in case I have missed something?

I have read your tutorial, just my opinion, sorry to say but this method is a waste of time because of the very slow FTP transfer speeds. For noobs sake, grabbing the WUP ready install files is far more convenient.


Well, FTP might be slow, i know, and this can be fixed by buying a LAN Adapter. Or you have the second method, which is a lot faster than method 1, and installs your game directly to your NAND.

And it does not need to use of a SD card or a external drive.

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

It works just fine to it's just slower without mocha.

Yes, CBHC isn't really adapted to IOSUhax-needed apps, because CBHC is only a coldboot sigpatcher.
 
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xs4all

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Ah ok, gotcha.

Just regarding LAN adaptor, you'll be surprised it doesnt improve the speeds, I got one myself thinking I would be getting LAN speeds but unfortunately there is a bottle neck somewhere, pretty much the speeds are the same as Wifi.
If you search one of my replies on the forum, I provided a little more info on this subject. Its a real shame though.

Hope this tutorial helps out someone.
 
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sp3off

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Ah ok, gotcha.

Just regarding LAN adaptor, you'll be surprised it doesnt improve the speeds, I got one myself thinking I would be getting LAN speeds but unfortunately there is a bottle neck somewhere, pretty much the speeds are the same as Wifi.
If you search one of my replies on the forum, I provided a little more info on this subject. Its a real shame though.

Hope this tutorial helps out someone.

Oh, thought that it could work, since i've saw somewhere on the net that someone have a LAN Adapter for his Wii U and he have improved speeds. Not sure but I think I've saw it on GameFaqs.
 
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OrGoN3

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Well, FTP might be slow, i know, and this can be fixed by buying a LAN Adapter. Or you have the second method, which is a lot faster than method 1, and installs your game directly to your NAND.

And it does not need to use of a SD card or a external drive.

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



Yes, CBHC isn't really adapted to IOSUhax-needed apps, because CBHC is only a coldboot sigpatcher.
It's a bit more than that. It just doesn't fully implement IOSUHax.
 

godreborn

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Oh, thought that it could work, since i've saw somewhere on the net that someone have a LAN Adapter for his Wii U and he have improved speeds. Not sure but I think I've saw it on GameFaqs.

using LAN to ftp? that should be noticeably faster. it's fast as hell on the ps3, slower on the 360. that's y I just install say the PARAM.SFO on the ps3, then ftp via lan the rest of the game to the internal hdd. it's way faster than splitting the game and installing.
 
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Last edited by sp3off, , Reason: Made the work simpler.

Alpha_GX

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I aleready know how to install game but I was asking if there was a possibility to use FTP to install game on a FAT 32 HDD like on a WII U formated.
Or perhaps I can just plug the disk in my pc and put the game on it. (I will try this way)
 

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