Hacking Wiiflow, GPT, MBR, max drive size?

GreyWolf · Mar 25, 2016

The Ridgecrop tool is correct. 2TB is the maximum possible volume size for FAT32 for 512 byte sector size. It's 16TB for 4096 byte sectors but I don't think homebrew FAT32 works with that.

Can you post a screenshot of the drive in Windows Disk Management?

Clutz450 · Mar 25, 2016

The cluster drop down box disappears but the guide says if that happens to choose format again (I think. Can't pull up that site on my phone right now) and then you will be able to choose 64k. Try that. Otherwise, I'm at a loss on what's wrong.

My next day off from work is Sunday. It's Easter but if I have some free time I'll see if I can help troubleshoot this further.

d8thstar · Mar 25, 2016

hi guys,

i REALLY appreciate all the time you have put into my problem. i AM able to get 54kb clusters, even 32kb. i can get two partitions, first being FAT32 and second as NTFS. the problem seems to be Wiiflow does not recognize two partitions as GPT, it seems to only like MBR partition tables.

what i can't wrap my head around is my 3tb drive i can have it as MBR but my 4tb, even partitioned into two partitions, both UNDER 2tb, it says I can't have it as MBR.

this is frustrating, i appreciate all the help!

GreyWolf · Mar 26, 2016

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_boot_record

The organization of the partition table in the MBR limits the maximum addressable storage space of a 512-sector disk to 3.99 TiB (232 × 512 +232 × 512 bytes).

Very boring reading but it's essentially a limitation of the way MBR is designed.

d8thstar · Mar 28, 2016

thanks greywolf. i understand the 2tb limit of mbar, at least sat the cluster size i want to do. what i'm not getting is, can't i have two partitions at that size on a 4tb disk?

if the limit is truly a 2tb disk, then i don't get why my 3tb is partitioned with MBR. that's what's driving me nuts!

Clutz450 · Mar 28, 2016

I had a conversation with @Cyan about why my Western Digital My Book Essential 3TB drive works when fully formatted to FAT32 with 64k clusters while others don't. Here is what he said:

Cyan said:
I thought MBR partition had a limit of 32bit addressable sector (2TB)
Maybe it works because it's a 4K drive, the sectors contains more bytes.

some technical info here:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/quick-newbie-questions-here.155449/page-127#post-4759621

I think with a 4K/sector drive and 64K/cluster you could make up to 16TB FAT32 partition

So maybe my drive is a 4k drive and yours isn't.

Cyan · Mar 28, 2016

There are some drives bigger than 2TB using 512bytes per sector. So he could have one.
A user here searched for a loooong time such a drive (they are pretty rare) in order to get DIOS MIOS compatible with a drive > 2TB as it requires 512Bytes/sector.

There are also some 4K drives which emulate a 512bytes per sector, for compatibility with Windows XP and all 32 bit OS. The interface displays 512 to the OS, and internally convert it to 4096 by removing the exceeded gap/sync/mark/ECC blocs.

and finally, it's not only 512 or 4096, there are drives with in-between sized, like 1024 or 2048. (though, I never read anything about them).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Format

d8thstar · Mar 29, 2016

Man this is so confusing

Anyone know of. 4tb portable that would work?

Thanks!

Clutz450 · Mar 29, 2016

d8thstar said:
Man this is so confusing

Anyone know of. 4tb portable that would work?

Thanks!

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/wd-my-b...lack/1766068.p?id=1219063238074&skuId=1766068

I have this one and it works. However it doesn't get recognized when the Wii boots up. But I have a simple work around for that.

d8thstar · Mar 30, 2016

sorry, should have been more clear, looking for a 4tb 2.5" portable drive. I have removed my optical and installed the 3TB 2.5 internally, just looking for a little more storage is all.

GreyWolf · Mar 30, 2016

d8thstar said:
sorry, should have been more clear, looking for a 4tb 2.5" portable drive. I have removed my optical and installed the 3TB 2.5 internally, just looking for a little more storage is all.

I'm not sure the Wii's cooling is sufficient for an internal drive.

mike333 · Mar 30, 2016

GreyWolf said:
I'm not sure the Wii's cooling is sufficient for an internal drive.

SSDs are quite cool but pricey on the other hand.

GreyWolf · Mar 30, 2016

mike333 said:
SSDs are quite cool but pricey on the other hand.

They are pricey, and wii homebrew libraries don't have any support for trimming so their lifespan may be reduced.

d8thstar · Mar 30, 2016

and SSD that are 4tb without dropping a fortune are nonexistent .

my 3tb runs with no issues, I've played for hours without a hiccup. long term? who knows but I rarely play for extended periods of time.

hoping someone may have a 4tb 2.5" portable that they can confirm works with wiiflow (MBR, two 2tb partitions, first fat32, second ntfs.

thanks

edwardfool · Apr 3, 2016

Hi everyone. I'm also having problems with a 4tb seagate backup drive. At first formatting mpr 2tb and it worked with the rest of the drive being unallocated. But I needed the space so I tried creating a new partition but it wouldn't let me unless the drive was gpt. So then i had 2tb fat32 gpt and 2tb ntfs gpt getting the dsi error. Now I'm trying to convert it back to mpr but I want to be able to make 2 partitions.....help......

Cyan · Apr 3, 2016

if the drive is 512bytes per sector, MBR can only create partition size up to 2TB (32 bit limitation) and set the start sector in the 2TB range.
You can theoretically create a drive up to 3.99TB in MBR, but it might not work on all OS.
just create your first partition 232-1 to set the start of the second partition at 232

Now drives are usually 4K/sector, so it should be able to set bigger partition up to 16TB.

if you can't format format more than 2TB, your drive is probably a 512byte/sector.
or your partition manager is bad and limiting size without taking the sector size in account. or you are on a non compatible OS (winXP 32bit?), tough if you can format to GPT you should not be on winXP.

edwardfool · Apr 3, 2016

Well I tried many partition managers with no luck so I'm guessing my drive is a 512byte/sector. The thing is since now I only have a 2tb mpr 32 I can't store files over 4gb which sucks.

GreyWolf · Apr 3, 2016

edwardfool said:
Well I tried many partition managers with no luck so I'm guessing my drive is a 512byte/sector. The thing is since now I only have a 2tb mpr 32 I can't store files over 4gb which sucks.

Set the first partition to 4294967295 bytes.

KJonline · Oct 30, 2018

Cyan said:
Latest nintendont revision added GPT partition type.
I don't know if it still has issue with games located above the 2TB mark, but (if it does) what you can do is make a 2TB FAT32 partition at the start of the drive, and another partition on the second area. keep gamecube games on the first partition.
Wii games can be on either partition and all USB loaders work with GPT.

Hell, Cyan. im new here, and have been researching everywhere here for answers to my wii project.
i have a BLACK and WHITE wii. one for Wii/wiiware backups and one for GC backups.

i have a 4TB SEAGATE BACKUP PLUS usb powered external hdd. originaly i tried to format the whole drive with (MBR, 32k clusters, primary). that failed, and i also cannot make two partitions at MBR. Only GPT will work with sepearate partitions (At least with the software ive tried).

this 4tb hdd i have will be PRIMARILY for Wii homebrew, apps, and wii/gc games, wiiware.

what are my options, or should i just return the hdd for another??? ...didnt want to get a external powered hdd because ide like the freedom to hot swap between Wii systems easily.

Cyan · Oct 30, 2018

you can use up to a 16TB HDD without problem.
if you have an issue, it's on your side, not the hardware or compatibility issue with the console.

Format the partition table to GPT.
make a single partition, format it to FAT32 (with this tool if you can't do it with yours)

connect it to USB Port 0

that's all.

KJonline · Oct 30, 2018

Cyan said:
you can use up to a 16TB HDD without problem.
if you have an issue, it's on your side, not the hardware or compatibility issue with the console.

Format the partition table to GPT.
make a single partition, format it to FAT32 (with this tool if you can't do it with yours)

connect it to USB Port 0

that's all.

I've already tried that with that program. I've even uploaded the message that pops up when I try to format as well, so everyone can see the ERROR I keep getting.

Unfortunately, the drive is too big and cannot Exceed 2 terabytes. The best I can do in my opinion is split the drive into two partitions of 2tb each. Which will total 4tb since the drive is a 4 terabyte hard drive. However, that only works GPT. According to research, formatting at MBR is more compatible with Wii Homebrew apps. Not GPT.

Whats bad about MBR though is the fact that it will not allow multiple partitions on a single hard drive. Only GPT will allow that. If I format MBR, I will only be able to use 2tb of the 4tb on my hard drive while the remaining 2 go to waste unsolicited.

Any solutions or thoughts?

Cyan · Oct 31, 2018

KJonline said:
Whats bad about MBR though is the fact that it will not allow multiple partitions on a single hard drive.

it can. up to 4 primary partitions.
the issue is it needs to starts before the 2TB mark, so make for example the first partition 2TB less 2 bytes. and starts the 2nd partition at 2TB less 1 bytes, and make it 2TB less 1 byte size (in fat32 32k/cluster, or 4TB in 64k/cluster)

you might have one of the rarest HDD which are bigger than 2TB but don't use 4096bytes/sector. (there were very small numbers with 512, some with 1024, I don't know if there were any with 2048)
did it told you how big are your sectors ? you have the error message above the log windows.

and if you thing GPT allows more partition, then use GPT like I told one message above yours.
you are right, GPT might not work with all homebrew, but are you using a lot of homebrew, or only expect to use the drive for Wii and gamecube game loading? these are working just fine in GPT.
USBLoaderGX has a bug with GPT if you format 2 different partition format (fat32+ntfs for example), but just format one big FAT32, or 2 fat32.

Hacking Wiiflow, GPT, MBR, max drive size?

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