Hacking Finally! No more WBFS drive, partition and managers

[Bladexdsl]

who the hell has 300 games installed there aren't even that many GOOD games worth playing on the wii!

 

[elfsander]

Maybe he's a collector

Fat is an bad idea. Why? Fragmentation.

When using files this big and with the modern random access times, I don't see that becoming a huge problem, especially since you can now just copy the files to your computer, reformat your drive and copy them back on.

This is an interesting developement, but I'd prefer Ext2/3/4. And how am I supposed to use this in Linux? I don't have any real problems with WBFS, so unless there's a similar Linux application I won't be using this.

Fragmentation is a real problem on FAT, especially with bigger files. This one of the reasons that NTFS exists. (NTFS still has fragmentation, but a lot less than FAT)

 

[WalkerOfTheDay]

Maybe he's a collector

Fat is an bad idea. Why? Fragmentation.

When using files this big and with the modern random access times, I don't see that becoming a huge problem, especially since you can now just copy the files to your computer, reformat your drive and copy them back on.

This is an interesting developement, but I'd prefer Ext2/3/4. And how am I supposed to use this in Linux? I don't have any real problems with WBFS, so unless there's a similar Linux application I won't be using this.

Fragmentation is a real problem on FAT, especially with bigger files. This one of the reasons that NTFS exists. (NTFS still has fragmentation, but a lot less than FAT)

But you could just defragment the FAT drive using Windows AFAIK ?? I don't see the problem.
I think this is a great development, because you easily add / delete games using windows explorer.
We just have to wait for other loaders to incorporate it.

 

[Wiiwu]

There is no need to wait for other loaders. Why wait and risk your games on a WBFS partition? When you won't know if the next time you install to or delete a game from a WBFS partition will be your last.

Configurable USB-Loader has already shown that they are serious pioneering developers giving us now a solution, a way to go back to saving our games safely on FAT drives, and more choices in how we can manage them. We are now free to use any Windows file manager, defragmentation, repair, partitioning, backup tools out there.

Change! - Give CFG-USB-Loader a try! Its not a bad loader after all, in fact it is a pretty nice fully featured loader comparable to any out there.

 

[milcoi]

I can confirm to that! It has all the features to make a game on a USB drive to play.
Now even on a FAT formated drive.!

 

[ipawii]

Excuse my ignorance, but why is everyone saying, No More Managers. When you have to use a program with a command line interface to extract the iso to the fat hd. Isnt that less than or at best equal to a manager. It would seem to me that someone will write a gui to accomplish this, then guess what, you have a very basic manager. Dont get me wrong, I am very hopefull this will come to fruition, but it is not there yet.
For the established wbfs systems out there, it is not worth the hassle to accomplish very little. That being said, keep up the great work guys.

 

[cwstjdenobs]

Change! - Give CFG-USB-Loader a try! Its not a bad loader after all, in fact it is a pretty nice fully featured loader comparable to any out there.

As good as it can be, all the gui modes feel like they are held on with sellotape...

 

[PizzaPino]

There is no need to wait for other loaders. Why wait and risk your games on a WBFS partition? When you won't know if the next time you install to or delete a game from a WBFS partition will be your last.

Configurable USB-Loader has already shown that they are serious pioneering developers giving us now a solution, a way to go back to saving our games safely on FAT drives, and more choices in how we can manage them. We are now free to use any Windows file manager, defragmentation, repair, partitioning, backup tools out there.

Change! - Give CFG-USB-Loader a try! Its not a bad loader after all, in fact it is a pretty nice fully featured loader comparable to any out there.

i thought billy mays was dead.

 

[Technik]

So with the games in Fat are they still really small like with wbfs

 

[Wiiwu]

Yes a 4GB Wiisport.iso will convert into 100-200meg .wbfs file.

And yes we need more people like Billy to spread this news, its a major revolutionary advancement.

 

[Skizzo]

http://wbfsmanager.codeplex.com/

WBFS Manager works fine.

I know the point of this is to not have any managers but if the HDD sits next to your Wii most of the time, you have to transfer the file to it by connecting it to your PC anyway. Makes no difference, still need to transfer it.

People should really go get the facts and then apply a little logic before dismissing this development offhand.

First of all, since the files are now stored on FAT32, depending on the size of the game and your network speed, there is nothing stopping you, other than your patience perhaps, from transferring the files to your FAT32 drive using ftpii. While this obviosly wouldn't be a practical method for dumping your entire collection if it's on the larger size ('OMG!!! 300 games!!! there aren't even XXX good games!! OMG!!! blah..blah...blah..' SAID THE MORONS

), but for a game every now and then, or especially the small ~ 8 to 32MB ISO forwarders, it's entirely practical.

But hey, if you enjoy having a proprietary file system that only certain tools and apps can work with, keep your WBFS.

And for anyone else with other questions and/or comments, try reading the README included with the tool. As for whether this scrubs ISO's, that's your choice, as per the README.

v1.1:
* Added options:
-a : Copy ALL partitions from ISO [default]
-g : Copy only game partition from ISO
-1 : Copy 1:1 from ISO
(Note: it's recommended to just use the defaults)


And BTW, the .wbfs file format IS STILL using WBFS (apparently the .wbfs file naming isn't obvious enough for some), it's just now at the file level, instead of the partition level. The .wbfs file format has been around and is not something that was created by oggzee & co. and their tool. They just made its usage better in many ways, and for that they should be applauded. I think when some of you see the other loaders adopt it, then you'll understand that. And they will adopt it unless they want to be left behind in the loader polls.

 

[xzxero]

Change! - Give CFG-USB-Loader a try! Its not a bad loader after all, in fact it is a pretty nice fully featured loader comparable to any out there.

dude ive tried just about every backup launcher and usb loader there is, and some modchips.
all USB loaders work swell, just choose your weapon, as of now obviously CFG usb loader is at top with this new feature but the others will surely follow.

im thinking about giving this a go.

 

[WiiPower]

But hey, if you enjoy having a proprietary file system that only certain tools and apps can work with, keep your WBFS.

As if FAT32 was that much better...

Ok, it's better, but then the game images are in a proprietary file format. To me there's not that much difference between special file system and regular file system but special file format. I don't like the idea that the image files can't be used to get 100% 1:1 copies back. (That's the reason why i keep all .iso files)

There's an option to rip 1:1, but does it work with .iso files? Do the 2 .iso files from: .iso -> .wbfs(1:1 copy) -> .iso match 100%?

 

[XFlak]

i'm considering making the change from usbloader gx to configurable usb loader; but can some1 tell me if configurable usb loader is able to rip wii games to a FAT32 partition? I like how usbloader gx can do this, but it can only transfer games to a wbfs drive.

 

[PrimeTime 84]

With that, really don't need the alt dols? O.O

Understand me, I'd love to play Metroid Prime Trilogy decently.

 

[WiiPower]

With that, really don't need the alt dols? O.O

Understand me, I'd love to play Metroid Prime Trilogy decently.

Sorry, how is alternative .dol loading and loading the game from FAT instead wbfs related to each other?

 

[icebrg5]

Does this mean that the 500 game limit is gone now or does that still a problem?

Also I'm assuming the source for this or whatever will be released so it can be implemented into other loaders?

 

[Skizzo]

But hey, if you enjoy having a proprietary file system that only certain tools and apps can work with, keep your WBFS.

As if FAT32 was that much better...
Is it proprietary? No. Does it only work with a limited set of tools and apps? No. Does that make it 'much better'? That's a matter of opinion. Thanks for sharing yours. There's no doubt that you're a talented coder, so what would or have you done instead?

QUOTE

Ok, it's better, but then the game images are in a proprietary file format. To me there's not that much difference between special file system and regular file system but special file format. I don't like the idea that the image files can't be used to get 100% 1:1 copies back. (That's the reason why i keep all .iso files)

There's an option to rip 1:1, but does it work with .iso files? Do the 2 .iso files from: .iso -> .wbfs(1:1 copy) -> .iso match 100%?

I'm confused by this. First you appear to state that the image files can't be used to get 100% 1:1 copies back, then you ask if it works?

I haven't tried it yet because I don't have the space to convert yet. Hopefully I will soon, but doing the test you describe should only take a minute or two. Let us know what you find out if someone else doesn't comment on this in the meantime.

 

[Skizzo]

i'm considering making the change from usbloader gx to configurable usb loader; but can some1 tell me if configurable usb loader is able to rip wii games to a FAT32 partition? I like how usbloader gx can do this, but it can only transfer games to a wbfs drive.

From the readme.txt included with the source..

The rest of the files handle listing, opening, installing and removing games
on a FAT partittion, everything is wrapped around the WBFS_* functions, so
from a loader perspective there is almost no change.

Important!
all libfat versions up to and including 1.0.5 are not suitable for writing to
files that are cluster aligned especially if multiple writes are done.
That will create a corrupted file and filesystem.
I made a fix for that and the patch has been submitted here:
http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detai...amp;atid=668553
Which has also been accepted, so it should be included in libfat 1.0.6.
So the install to fat from inside the loader absolutely requires the above patch.
The version of libfat I use in cfg loader is also included. But it contains also some other
changes which might not be suitable for everyone needs, such as changes in memory
management and access to partition start lba sector.


So yes, it appears you can install to FAT32 from within the loader.

@ whoever was asking about the 500 game limit - yes, that's been fixed with CFG, even for WBFS partitions, unless I'm mistaken.

 

[Xras]

But hey, if you enjoy having a proprietary file system that only certain tools and apps can work with, keep your WBFS.

As if FAT32 was that much better...

Ok, it's better, but then the game images are in a proprietary file format. To me there's not that much difference between special file system and regular file system but special file format. I don't like the idea that the image files can't be used to get 100% 1:1 copies back. (That's the reason why i keep all .iso files)

There's an option to rip 1:1, but does it work with .iso files? Do the 2 .iso files from: .iso -> .wbfs(1:1 copy) -> .iso match 100%?

Sorry to have to say this, but the wbfs_file tool can be used to convert from .iso to .wbfs and from .wbfs to .iso.
AFAIK there's no difference between a normal wbfs manager for this action.
Meaning you can dump a .iso to .wbfs on your drive, then extract it using the same way people do right now with wbfs managers

far as I know, the conversion back to .iso will give you the same .iso you started with