Hacking Can't Install Games using USB Loader GX

[Yar2084]

Hey guys,

I've just picked up a new 300Gb external hard drive, and it's connects and is recognised by the hardware and Loader GX, however if I try to install a game from disc to drive it kinda just freezes. Music still plays, and the cursor still works however the progress bar doesn't change at all. I end up having to hard reset the machine. I've checked the drive afterwards and there is a folder for the game but it only contains a wbfs.temp file. So I dunno what I'm supposed to do, if Im doing something wrong or what?

Does anybody have any suggestions?

Thanks

Yar

 

[Cyan]

usually, freeze happen when using a flashdrive, but I guess 300Gb is a real hdd, not a flash.

try another game. maybe your disc has an issue (scratch, I don't know)
Try a different IOS (try IOS58 in the loader setting if you used 249)

maybe try a different loader (wiiflow or cfg) just to check if it's the loader, the drive, the wii, etc.

 

[Yar2084]

As always Cyan, thank you for your input. After a longwinded process, I formatted the drive to WBFS (I didnt want to but was running out of ideas) and the discs install to the HDD with no issues.

 

[Cyan]

That's strange that the partition format affects the install.
maybe the FAT32 table had an issue?

Anyway, if you use wbfs partition be careful because it can (will) corrupt your already present games when adding new ones.
Especially if you are using WBFS manager (old, unreliable) to copy ISO from your computer to the partition.

WiiBackupManager and USBLoaderGX should have the bug fixed, but you never know!
just remember that adding game can corrupt others. and it's not always a boot issue, it can be a freeze in loading a different map, or a music, etc. so it's not always noticeable that a game is corrupted.

As long as you understand and you still have your original disc to dump the game again in case of issue, that's fine to use this partition format.
But I would still recommend FAT32 for other homebrew compatibility (emuNAND, gamecube backup, emulators, mediaplayers, etc.)


If/when you want to convert WBFS to FAT32, there's a tool to do it without formating the drive. it converts it and keep your games, it only takes 2 seconds.
look in my signature for the program and the guide.

 

[tswntk]

As always Cyan, thank you for your input. After a longwinded process, I formatted the drive to WBFS (I didnt want to but was running out of ideas) and the discs install to the HDD with no issues.

If/when you want to convert WBFS to FAT32, there's a tool to do it without formating the drive. it converts it and keep your games, it only takes 2 seconds.
look in my signature for the program and the guide.

In fact, if you don't mind and have time to waste, you can use the tool now and see if that change anything.

 

[Yar2084]

if you use wbfs partition be careful because it can (will) corrupt your already present games when adding new ones.

I wasn't aware of that! I might try to format to FAT32, but the ISOs being split puts me off (unless I'm misguided on that?) I will have a look at the wbfs to fat converter you mentioned.

 

[Cyan]

the split iso has no issues at all.
first, it affects only games with data bigger than 4GB (very few games), because when converting the iso to wbfs file, it keeps only the game data (New mario is 400MB for example, not 4GB)

and games with data bigger than 4GB, the wbfs file is split in two. It's transparent for the USBLoader and it's loading as if it was a single file.
You can always merge the files together if you really want, or reconvert it to ISO. but it's not really needed unless you need to unpack the game to patch it (translation, mod, etc.)

 

[Yar2084]

Well if I can get it to install games to the drive in FAT32 format it'd be a great help because then I can move all my ROM backups to the hard drive aswell, freeing up space on SD. I currently have a flash drive plugged into the second USB port for videos and such, would the HDD in FAT32 format connected to the USB port closest to the edge cause problems, or does WiiMC recognise USB1 before USB0? does that make any sense?