Hacking Nintendont

[StarKite]

Gentlemen,
USB stick shuts off after launching Nintendont
Region : US
Wii/Wii U : Wii
Nintendont revision : v3.330
Lexar twist turn USB 2.0, 32gb @ 32kb allocation, FAT32
The darned thing flickers thrice before shutting off, then when I go to boot from USB it flickers once before going to sleep forever. I'm hoping it's just the stick not the Wii... But my computer reads it fine as does the Wii before Nintendont comes up. Any suggestions? I'm formatting another stick to try that one.

 

[ccfman2004]

Gentlemen,
USB stick shuts off after launching Nintendont
Region : US
Wii/Wii U : Wii
Nintendont revision : v3.330
Lexar twist turn USB 2.0, 32gb @ 32kb allocation, FAT32
The darned thing flickers thrice before shutting off, then when I go to boot from USB it flickers once before going to sleep forever. I'm hoping it's just the stick not the Wii... But my computer reads it fine as does the Wii before Nintendont comes up. Any suggestions? I'm formatting another stick to try that one.

USB Flash Drive are not recommended for use in Nintendont. They are very flaky.

Also your Nintendont version is WAY out of date.

 

[StarKite]

USB Flash Drive are not recommended for use in Nintendont. They are very flaky.

Also your Nintendont version is WAY out of date.

First time I've had a problem with my stick... I've used this thing for a year. And I haven't had good internet in weeks, the only thing I have is shoddy phone data...

 

[FIX94]

First time I've had a problem with my stick... I've used this thing for a year. And I haven't had good internet in weeks, the only thing I have is shoddy phone data...

the version you have there is from april 20th 2015 so its REALLY old lol.

 

[StarKite]

the version you have there is from april 20th 2015 so its REALLY old lol.

Well, I just updated it, but I still have the same problem. Maybe I have to settle for an XHD? Oh gawd, is an external even going to work on this ancient little thing? D:

 

[GerbilSoft]

Looking through the Dolphin source code, it seems that it copies the "flash ID" from the memory card header (which is always 0 in Nintendont-formatted cards), applies a transformation, and saves it in SRAM. I'm guessing that's what's preventing first-party card images from being used.

I'll test this out tonight and see if I can get it working.

 

[GerbilSoft]

Here's Nintendont v3.403-exFAT-test3. I added Flash ID initialization for SRAM, plus a fix for meta.xml not being updated in the correct location. (This should be the final build before merging to master, assuming everything goes well.)

@PF2M Can you test your memory card dump with this build?

 

[PF2M]

Here's Nintendont v3.403-exFAT-test3. I added Flash ID initialization for SRAM, plus a fix for meta.xml not being updated in the correct location. (This should be the final build before merging to master, assuming everything goes well.)

@PF2M Can you test your memory card dump with this build?

I fixed it using your advice, actually, though I can test it again if you really want.

 

[comokepa]

Can you test the exFAT-test2 build I posted?

It can access the list of games in the hard drive fine. However, Ikaruga PAL will stay on a black screen (the TV does report, at least for a moment, that the input signal is PAL50, though) whereas switching to MasterMod's 3.353 will run the game fine. Every Nintendont switch set to off/auto. Super Mario Sunshine PAL will run fine, though :-/

Update: Wii is PAL too BTW

Update: Same with exFAT-test3

 

[niuus]

Here's Nintendont v3.403-exFAT-test3. I added Flash ID initialization for SRAM, plus a fix for meta.xml not being updated in the correct location. (This should be the final build before merging to master, assuming everything goes well.)

@PF2M Can you test your memory card dump with this build?

I made a raw backup with GCMM of a 251 block original Nintendo MC. Renamed it to make it work with Nintendont, started the game, and it asked me if i wanted to format it (same in the GC BIOS).

Another thing i noticed is that when you start the app, the XML becomes "gimped" and says <no description> in HBC when you see it the 2nd time.

If you load the app again, the following message appears:

Maybe @PF2M could double check this behaviour.

 

[GerbilSoft]

@niuus Can you send me your 251-block backup? I have an official 251-block card as well, but it doesn't seem to have an issue loading in Nintendont.

The meta.xml thing was changed in test3 to update in the correct directory, but apparently that isn't working for you. Can you send me the "broken" meta.xml?

 

[PeeJay Bonobo]

Somewhat related, but I wish the fixes for Triforce games already implemented to Nintendont were implemented to the Triforce branch of Dolphin. I'd like CARD mode working on Dolphin as well. On the flip side, Dolphin Triforce is currently the only way to do CARDless runs, as Nintendont cannot offer that option for the time being.

 

[niuus]

@niuus Can you send me your 251-block backup? I have an official 251-block card as well, but it doesn't seem to have an issue loading in Nintendont.

The meta.xml thing was changed in test3 to update in the correct directory, but apparently that isn't working for you. Can you send me the "broken" meta.xml?

Sure! Sent you a PM.

It can access the list of games in the hard drive fine. However, Ikaruga PAL will stay on a black screen (the TV does report, at least for a moment, that the input signal is PAL50, though) whereas switching to MasterMod's 3.353 will run the game fine. Every Nintendont switch set to off/auto. Super Mario Sunshine PAL will run fine, though :-/

Update: Wii is PAL too BTW

Update: Same with exFAT-test3

Tested, it also stays at a black screen (576i)

EDIT: Worked for me in exFAT-test2, NTSC Wii+PAL IPL.

 

[pedro702]

Yes, it's plugged directly into the wii u. They are plugged into the two front ports, and my usb drive is plugged into the rear port. I remember now that the adapter DID work when they were plugged into the rear ports, but not the fronts. However, I need them to be plugged in here to be able to use my hard drive.

no idea then everyone i know uses an hdd and wiiu gc adapter and they work flawlessly i use the lan adapter on the lower back port, my self powered hdd on upper back port and my wiiu gc adapter on both front ports and works great, doesnt your wiiu gc adapter work in nintendont menu if you click up and down?

 

[GerbilSoft]

EDIT: Worked for me in exFAT-test2, NTSC Wii+PAL IPL.

It might be possible that the "flash ID" code I added broke Ikaruga (PAL). It certainly didn't fix the first-party memory card issue. (On that note: Copying the first 20 bytes from a "working" image to the non-working first-party dump, then fixing the checksum, gets it to work. Maybe there's something in the SDK memory card functions that can be patched out to fix this...)

I'm uploading another test build with the Flash ID code disabled (plus some other optimizations). Can you test Ikaruga (PAL) to see if this fixes it? If not, I'll have to get the game and do a bisect myself.

Test build: Nintendont v3.403-exFAT-test4

 

[niuus]

It might be possible that the "flash ID" code I added broke Ikaruga (PAL). It certainly didn't fix the first-party memory card issue. (On that note: Copying the first 20 bytes from a "working" image to the non-working first-party dump, then fixing the checksum, gets it to work. Maybe there's something in the SDK memory card functions that can be patched out to fix this...)

I'm uploading another test build with the Flash ID code disabled (plus some other optimizations). Can you test Ikaruga (PAL) to see if this fixes it? If not, I'll have to get the game and do a bisect myself.

Test build: Nintendont v3.403-exFAT-test4

I retested the game, it worked for me in 402test2/403test3/403test4. The culprit was in the lack of the PAL bios: if it's absent, then it will stay on a black screen. It hanged on me the first time since i only had the IPLs on the SD, but not on the USB (exFAT). I didn't tested it on the Wii U since AFAIK the PAL IPL does not work.

 

[GerbilSoft]

I retested the game, it worked for me in 402test2/403test3/403test4. The culprit was in the lack of the PAL bios: if it's absent, then it will stay on a black screen. It hanged on me the first time since i only had the IPLs on the SD, but not on the USB (exFAT). I didn't tested it on the Wii U since AFAIK the PAL IPL does not work.

That seems to indicate the PAL IPL is setting up something that Nintendont isn't. @FIX94 would you have any insights into this?

 

[hunter26]

Hi!

Someone know why Knights of the temple infernal crusade doesn't work anymore on a usa wii ? I tried to force in ntsc with the last nintendont version, nothing works.

 

[ccfman2004]

Hi!

Someone know why Knights of the temple infernal crusade doesn't work anymore on a usa wii ? I tried to force in ntsc with the last nintendont version, nothing works.

More information would be nice. Nintendont version (ex:3.402), Nintendont settings, 1:1 ISO (MD5 checked) or shrunk, USB/Flash/SD/HDD, using BIOS, etc. The more info you provide the more likely we will be able to help.

 

[hunter26]

More information would be nice. Nintendont version (ex:3.402), Nintendont settings, 1:1 ISO (MD5 checked) or shrunk, USB/Flash/SD/HDD, using BIOS, etc. The more info you provide the more likely we will be able to help.

Sorry for the lack of informations, but I found the problem. This game don't like the option force progressive to on. I switch off and now the image screen is stable.

Thank you