vWii USB?

saito1234 · Nov 9, 2021

Hello,
I have read several forum posts that vWii is killing drives on USB, is that true?

I have used my Pendrive(s) for years with PS3 and X360, so they definitely shouldn't die that easily.
Does vWii read/write on the Pendrive? Or what happens exactly? How can it kill it?

I also read that the power output on its usb drive may be not enough? Can there be no problems, if I use an external HDD?
I have an external HDD that powers itself with 2-USB, and works fine with vWii, however I wouldn't like to get it killed.

Or is it generally safer to play vWii games from SD card, even though it is slower?

How about WiiU games? Are Pendrive safe to play WiiU games? Does only the vWii has this strange issue?

ber71 · Nov 9, 2021

VWii doesn't kill flash drives but usually doesn't recognize them for playing wii backups. You get a black screen when you launch a wbfs or iso.

WiiU does recognize USB flash drives, but writes a lot to them so tend to die soon.

saito1234 · Nov 9, 2021

ber71 said:
VWii doesn't kill flash drives but usually doesn't recognize them for playing wii backups. You get a black screen when you launch a wbfs or iso.

WiiU does recognize USB flash drives, but writes a lot to them so tend to die soon.

So, if my vWii recognizes my Pendrive / HDD they should be perfectly safe to use, and I don't have to worry?

For WiiU I should use a HDD and forget the Pendrive? It won't kill the HDD, only the Pendrives?

ber71 · Nov 9, 2021

Exactly

saito1234 · Nov 14, 2021

I am using my External HDD on WiiU atm (it is powered with 2 USB ports).
When I turn off my WiiU should I also remove the HDD?

Does the WiiU really writes on the HDD when the console is turned off?

jeannotte · Nov 15, 2021

saito1234 said:
When I turn off my WiiU should I also remove the HDD?

Hello,

No

Moobaks · Apr 19, 2022

Where

ber71 said:
VWii doesn't kill flash drives but usually doesn't recognize them for playing wii backups. You get a black screen when you launch a wbfs or iso.

WiiU does recognize USB flash drives, but writes a lot to them so tend to die soon.

Where's the data to back this claim up? I've been using an external WD 2TB My Passport Ultra on a powered USB hub on my NON-hacked WiiU as it's main source of DLC, game installs and all save data for YEARS. The drive is on 24/7 even when the WiiU shuts down, the drive stays on because it is on external power and is connected to the HUB not directly to the back of the unit. Never once has it given even the slightest hint of issues.

Second, I have been using the exact same drive on my HACKED WiiU, same configuration, only this time, I have unplugged and plugged in, taken to my Mac to transfer, formatted, re-formatted, let the WiiU format it, etc, etc, etc. All due to various trials to get certain apps to recognize the drive. Again, ZERO issues.

Too many "warnings" are thrown out with no actual data to backup the claims. The Wii, the WiiU and the "vWii" are NOT taxing harddrives anywhere close to what a PC puts a harddrive through.

flink · Dec 2, 2022

ber71 said:
VWii doesn't kill flash drives but usually doesn't recognize them for playing wii backups. You get a black screen when you launch a wbfs or iso.

WiiU does recognize USB flash drives, but writes a lot to them so tend to die soon.

My vWII definitely just killed by USB drive beyond repair. When USB Loader GX tried to write to the drive (loaded some covers), the entire WII U freezed and didn't even shut down after holding the power button.

After that, the drive began to act crazy. USB Loader GX didn't show any files. Windows was able to see and even read its contents but after I created a test file, the strangest critical I/O messages started to pop up.

I then tried every trick I could find using Linux. Even "simply" writing zeros to the disk using DD ended up in an instant input output error. DMESG was full of error messages about not being able to read blocks from the drive. That drive is definitely dead.

The drive itself was a brand new 512GB Sandisk flash drive. Reading went just fine, btw. I was able to play Wii and WiiWare games.

My advice would be to try to find a USB drive that allows for a physical write protection (there aren't that many of them anymore, but they have a small switch on the outside). Additional (or alternatively) make sure not to write anything to it, e.g. put your covers on the SD card, so that when your loader of choice loads some covers it writes the to the SD card instead of the USB drive.

Don't get me wrong: I know that some USB drives work and an older 16GB drive of mine seems to work as well. But not knowing up front, if your drive is gonna be eaten by the vWII is a risk I don't want to take again.

vWii USB?

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