Hacking Open Source Apploader released

[Shaunzio]

Open-Source Apploader, ISO template


In order to make legally re-distributable ISO images for the Homebrew Channel installer, we had to remove Nintendo’s copyrighted apploader code and replace it with our own; we based ours on the one from GC-Linux. You may find the source and binary for it here:

http://static.hackmii.com/wii-apploader.tar.gz

Here is an empty “template” disc image that you can use in your own projects; it contains the above apploader.

http://static.hackmii.com/iso_template.iso.bz2

Enjoy!

check it out at:
www.hackmii.com

 

[Christen]

Cool stuff. Can't wait to see what comes out of this!

 

[turtleman]

Sorry if I might make anybody's lives worse if I ask this but...What exactly is this/what does it do/how do I use it?/does this have anything to do with the DVDLib (meaning, will these homebrew iso's work on non-chipped wii's?)

 

[Christen]

Well, I'm assuming that's what that is, since they did say it would come out this week. I believe we currently have no use for that stuff, but wait until the homebrew devs. have it, then we'll see something.

 

[turtleman]

Sounds cool. Can't wait! (at times like these, I envy the devs, this must be atleast kind've exciting for them.)

 

[jan777]

i thinks its just for auto installers/elf loader which will not work if you dont have a mod

 

[dsfgd]

Well, I'm assuming that's what that is, since they did say it would come out this week. I believe we currently have no use for that stuff, but wait until the homebrew devs. have it, then we'll see something.

you have no use for it, this thing is just for homebrew stuff,
a real Wii Image has an copyrighted AppLoader (a boot tool to load dol's), this is a non-copyrighted apploader,
what means, it makes it nearby legal to distribute wii images when they are homebrew discs (like the Autoboot WAD Manager Disc).

in real this thing is useless, just a little step against piracy, no magically isoloader.

 

[Christen]

I didn't say it was an ISO loader did I? I was thinking more along the lines of running emulators off discs, or maybe mass homebrew storage. Never once did I use the words "ISO Loader".

 

[turtleman]

Who said anything about an iso loader?
Btw, I can't wait 'till there's a DVD loading version of SNES9x...I don't have enough space on this 1G SD card.

 

[WiiCrazy]

Probably this was an old project. Semi brick fix disc probably use this already.

Combined with custom IOS (With dvd read exploit) this bootstrap code may be used to patch the existing game isos.

I guess ISO loader idea is now only a matter of some IOS hacking.

edit: Well I have a modchip and not so anxious about an iso loader... for homebrew the thing means ability to use more resources, videos, audios and such, and it's nice

 

[Shuny]

Remember the apploader.bin that each Wii DVD has in it ? This file seems to allow you to boot the main.dol file. (I can't certify it I'm not a Wii expert)

But as the apploader.bin was a copyrighted file from Nintendo (= Nintendo created it), bushing and co decided to create their own apploader.bin so they can create ISO without any pieces of copyrighted code.

This isn't anything that could bring you a stupid Softmod, so don't ask, this isn't related at all, it's just a release to create "legal" ISOs.

This has nothing to do with a softmod, a ISO loader. And I really said nothing.

 

[Jacobeian]

Yes it is useful, this way, you can make a bootable DVD in wii mode without using illegal code, just like we were doing in GC mode

see here for more explanations: http://www.gc-linux.org/wiki/Building_a_Bootable_Disc

mkgbi

The mkgbi tool generates a Generic Boot Image file (gbi.hdr) to be used later to build a bootable homebrew iso9660 disc.

mkgbi needs a banner file and a file containing the apploader code to inject into the System Area. You can find ready-to-use versions of these files within the cubeboot-tools directory (icons/opening.bnr and ppc/apploader/apploader.bin, respectively).

Here follow some examples of typical program invocation:

* Print program usage:

$ ./mkgbi/mkgbi -h
Usage: mkgbi [OPTION] -o [OUTFILE]
-a, --apploader=FILE use apploader from file (default `apploader.bin')
-b, --banner=FILE use banner from file (default `openning.bnr')
-o, --outfile=PATH output file (default stdout)

* Generate a Generic Boot Image file (my_gbi.hdr) from the default apploader and banner

$ ./mkgbi/mkgbi -a ppc/apploader/apploader.bin -b icons/opening.bnr -o my_gbi.hdr

QUOTEBuild the iso9660 disc image.

$ mkisofs -R -J -G ./gbi.hdr -no-emul-boot -b bootldr.dol -o ./my_bootable_disc.iso ./my_bootable_disc/

bootldr.dol is the dol you want to boot from the DVD, commonly, this will be a DOL or ELF loader, that look for homebrew aplication either from sdcard or dvd (when this is possible), but this can be lot of other thing

obviously, this was to build ISO9660 gamecube dvd so, for the wii, banner should be different and the program to build the generic header file woul dbe different
(don't know if this is already publically released ?)

but we can still use the already build blank ISO that bushing has released

 

[linkinworm]

so let me get this straight, with this, i can burn a disk with the information i need on there to get say an emulator working, and it will boot on my wii without a modchip?

 

[Shuny]

so let me get this straight, with this, i can burn a disk with the information i need on there to get say an emulator working, and it will boot on my wii without a modchip?

THIS HAS NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING TO DO WITH A SOFTMOD

Let's say, to be honest, it's useless. It's only made to do ISOs without Nintendo code but it's only for the homebrews purist. If you're not an homebrew purist, you can use the Nintendo apploader and you won't see any changes

 

[Jacobeian]

no, you still need a modchip to boot DVD-R

 

[linkinworm]

so let me get this straight, with this, i can burn a disk with the information i need on there to get say an emulator working, and it will boot on my wii without a modchip?

THIS HAS NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING TO DO WITH A SOFTMOD

Let's say, to be honest, it's useless. It's only made to do ISOs without Nintendo code but it's only for the homebrews purist. If you're not an homebrew purist, you can use the Nintendo apploader and you won't see any changes

who said anything about the fking softmod, all i want to do is make snesx9 dvd with 1000 roms on the disk. and as i dont have modchip i wanted to know if that was the case

 

[Jacobeian]

softmod = booting dvd without modchip, no matter what's on your dv

so yes, your question was about softmod
the answer is no, it is still not possible to boot dvd-r without a modchip, apploader is only run once the disc has been checked

 

[Dack]

And in case anyone is wondering why the ISO can't be loaded in Trucha, wiiscrubber etc...

For some reason the template ISO has the disc title (and associated boot.bin entry) set to TMPLTP which fails the checks those apps make for a Wii disc.

It fails the check that looks for the first byte of the Wii disc header being:
('header->console == 'R') ||
(header->console == '_') ||
(header->console == 'H') ||
(header->console == '0') ||
(header->console == '4');

 

[Shuny]

so let me get this straight, with this, i can burn a disk with the information i need on there to get say an emulator working, and it will boot on my wii without a modchip?

THIS HAS NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING TO DO WITH A SOFTMOD

Let's say, to be honest, it's useless. It's only made to do ISOs without Nintendo code but it's only for the homebrews purist. If you're not an homebrew purist, you can use the Nintendo apploader and you won't see any changes

who said anything about the fking softmod, all i want to do is make snesx9 dvd with 1000 roms on the disk. and as i dont have modchip i wanted to know if that was the case

What I said ? This has nothing to do with the softmod (=reading DVD-R without modchip), but I said really nothing, there is no link between reading DVD-R without modchip and this apploader, but really, NOT ANY LINK, SO FORGET.

Every time someone release something, these times, the newb asks : "Is it a softmod ? lulz §§§"

 

[halatosis]

The reason people ask so many questions is because there is little information about every release that is made. It usually goes like this, Here is a release, here is some technical information that no noob will remotely comprehend, good luck trying to discover its capabilities. I'm really not trying to knock the devs, because they are the ones putting their hard work into it. I just know that if I had spent the time to create something wonderful I would make sure that everyone knew how wonderful it could be in every aspect.