Hacking USB powered HDD 4tb for Wii & GC backups HELP! (Newbie here!)

KJonline · Oct 25, 2018

Hello, I'm new to this website and new to the Wii softmod game.

I recently added Homebrew to my Wii. My goal is to play backup Wii and GameCube games through my Seagate Backup Plus 4tb USB powered external hard drive.

I read a lot of research online on what to do. My understanding is, the easiest and best way is to just format the entire drive to FAT32 at 32k clusters. Then add the games, apps, Wii hacking, etc.

However, formatting software won't allow me to format a hdd of that size without asking me to split it into two 2tb partitions.

Fortunately, I've read that it can be done on a 4tb and people have uploaded pics as proof.

Two questions for now...
1. Can someone please show me how to get my 4tb usb powered add formatted to fat32 32k clusters

2. Is my hard drive even compatible to begin with? ... It is a "SEAGATE BACKUP PLUS" 4tb

Need to know this asap, so I can return it if it's not compatible. Hope. Someone can HELP. I've worked so hard so far. THANKS!!!

RandomNameAndNumber · Oct 25, 2018

I use a program called Wii Backup Manager, and it does format the HDD. I use this program to add/remove games from the hard drive. There is something that can be done from there to add GC games, but I don't use that method I only have a 256gb external, and don't have a plethora of games I really want or need, so it suits me perfect. I have nintendont installed and run my GC games from SD card.
I recommend USBLoader GX as a backup loader. I have used no other service, but it allows for more then enough options to run in any configuration I can think of.

KJonline · Oct 26, 2018

RandomNameAndNumber said:
I use a program called Wii Backup Manager, and it does format the HDD. I use this program to add/remove games from the hard drive. There is something that can be done from there to add GC games, but I don't use that method I only have a 256gb external, and don't have a plethora of games I really want or need, so it suits me perfect. I have nintendont installed and run my GC games from SD card.
I recommend USBLoader GX as a backup loader. I have used no other service, but it allows for more then enough options to run in any configuration I can think of.

Yea, I've heard of those. I've downloaded them. I have my WII and GC games ready too. Wii games are wbfs files and GC are ISO files.

Just trying to get it all on ONE 4tb hdd formated at FAT32. Others have done it, so I know it can be done lol.

What are you suggesting?

Rioluwott · Oct 26, 2018

Its better to format it to fat32 and placing the files manually so you can use both wii and gamecube games
also if you want to have other things on the hard drive you can also do that

KJonline · Oct 26, 2018

Rioluwott said:
Its better to format it to fat32 and placing the files manually so you can use both wii and gamecube games
also if you want to have other things on the hard drive you can also do that

Ok well I've ran into another problem lol...

I've tried several formatting software. Every single one of them says that 4 terabytes is too big to format at FAT32. I honestly have no idea how other people got it to work. Maybe it's my hard drive type. I don't know. I'm using a "Seagate Backup Plus 4 terabyte."

Anyways, I'm just going to make two partitions on my 4tb hard drive of 2tb each, so I can format them to whatever lol .

Now here are my new questions...

1. Would you recommend I have one NTSF Partition for Wii games and one FAT32 partition for GameCube games/Homebrew apps? ...Or would recommwnd I format both partitions at FAT32?

2. I'm aware that NTSF or FAT32 will work when running Wii games. Is one format better than the other for compatibility though? Or does it not matter?

3. When formatting, should I choose MBR or GPT or does it not matter?

... once these questions are answered, I'm pretty sure I'm good then since I can't figure out how to format the entire 4 terabyte at FAT32

Captain_N · Oct 26, 2018

you can make 2 partitions. 1 for gc games and 1 for wii games.
the probles is you have to use MBR that only supports partitions max max size of 2 TB. If you use the GPT then you can have a larger partition. im not sure if the wii usb loader programs can read GPT partitions. I use a outdated file system for my wii games drive called WBFS. I never changed it when ntfs and fat32 became better. Once i get something to work i dont change it unless it cant meet my needs. All gc games i boot on an actual gamecube.

Rioluwott · Oct 26, 2018

KJonline said:
Ok well I've ran into another problem lol...

I don´t really know if you can use a double partition Hard Drive on a Wii, i think some time ago someone told me fat32 was better for compatibility but im not sure... you may need to search it
I use fat32 for both Wii and GameCube and had never gotten an error
the only problem is that you need to split 4gb+ games so you can use them on that format
Are you really going to use those 4tb for games?
if you can use a double partition hard drive on the Wii use one partition for both Wii and GameCube games and the other one for other type of files since you wont be filling the 4tb anytime soon
i have a 300gb hard drive for both Wii and GameCube and i haven't filled it, i also have anime and some 3ds cia there

KJonline · Oct 26, 2018

Hey, everyone. The answer yes I'll be using a 4TB for my Homebrew apps, GC, Wii, and WIIware games. I have a lot. It'll fill up at least 75%.

Unfortunately, formatting the entire 4 terabyte hard drive as ONE PARTITION is going to be out of the question. Its extremely hard and extremely hard to find answers for that.

To keep it simple, I'm just going to divide it up into two partitions... FAT32/FAT32 at 2tb EACH. That way I can add everything all together with no issues hopefully. It simplifies itm

So to make sure i get my hard drive ready correctly...

My understanding and research says... It needs to be a MBR with the primary set to ACTIVE, and formatted at FAT32 32k clusters... correct?

Or am I suppose to set BOTH partitions as PRIMARY?

GreyWolf · Oct 27, 2018

That's a lot of money!

Also, I'm not really sure there is 4TB of GC/Wii/WiiWare. I have 12 crates full of GC/Wii discs and bought pretty much every good WW/VC game they released and it all fits on a 1TB drive.

KJonline · Oct 30, 2018

GreyWolf said:
That's a lot of money!

Also, I'm not really sure there is 4TB of GC/Wii/WiiWare. I have 12 crates full of GC/Wii discs and bought pretty much every good WW/VC game they released and it all fits on a 1TB drive.

We'll unfortunately I just found out that I can't even split the 4tb into two partitions as a MBR. the software won't allow it. It just ends up dumbing it down to 2tb. Unless I do a GPT, but I read GPT is less compatible with Homebrew.

I'm screwed unless anyone has an idea for me.

... I done spend all this Money.

0ddity · Oct 30, 2018

Have you tried this tool? http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/index.htm?guiformat.htm

Before you format, make sure the drive is a single partition, without any hidden locked partitions using this tutorial: https://www.lifewire.com/delete-windows-recovery-partition-4128723, or you could have problems running gamecube games later.

0ddity · Oct 30, 2018

-snip- accidental double post.

socialbacon · Oct 30, 2018

I tried a 4tb Seagate with no luck. The Seagate I attempted to format as a single MBR partition just couldn't do it.
I had success formatting a 4tb WD My Book I had lying around. It's a single 4tb partition formatted as fat32 MBR. I did some research on it as to why it works (can't remember the link, sorry) and discovered that some of the My Book series drives are high-capacity enabled so are able to bypass the 2tb limit on MBR partitions. I believe I had to use their proprietary formatting program to get it to work.
My Book's are big and clunky, but they get the job done.

KJonline · Nov 1, 2018

Thank you all for the help.

BAD news is.. It appears, I am stuck with only being able to do a double partition of 2 terabyte each from my Seagate 4 terabyte hard drive. An MBR full format to FAT32 is out of the question. They have to be split down the middle and they have to be GPT. Unless I invest in another hard drive.

Good news is I'm only using the hard drive for Wii and GameCube playback. My understanding is that USB loader GX and nintendont will work with GPT. Thank goodness. Any other Homebrew, I guess I'll stick to an SD card.

This is all true right?

Hacking USB powered HDD 4tb for Wii & GC backups HELP! (Newbie here!)

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