Hacking Running everything on the USB external HDD ...

[Yolanda98]

Can I have TWO partitions on my EXTERNAL HDD ... one with FAT32/NTFS and other with WBFS?
I was thinking to create an initial partition (small space = 8 gb) to put everything that I regularly have on my SD card while on the SECOND PARTITION (WBFS) I will have my games. Having this configuration I will not longer need an SD card with all the applications,DOLs, WADs, configuration, etc.

If it is possible... how can I configure the USBLoaderCFG to run like the above scenario?

thanks

 

[JoostinOnline]

Just make the whole thing FAT32. WBFS is considered obsolete by most, and FAT32 is recommended.

Keep in mind that your apps will run slower off a HDD than they do on an SD card, and some apps may not work at all. You also can't use bootmii from a HDD. I recommend you buy an SD card just for apps, then keep all your media and games on the HDD.

 

[Taleweaver]

Hmm...yeah. FAT32 is good in the way that it just flat out plays everything (WBFS refuses anything that isn't a wii-game, NTFS won't work with homebrew). It's not flawless (the 4GB file size limit means that it won't be that good if you want to store large movies on it), but compared to the alternatives it's flat out the best option.

I haven't noticed much slowdowns in loading stuff from USB, but I never did any comparisons. Loading homebrew might be a couple seconds faster, yes. But in all honesty: you need an SD card for hacking the wii and those things aren't exactly expensive, so why NOT use it to store your frequently used apps? And I couldn't care that much for most homebrew, but bootmii isn't a fancy little extra. It's the kind of thing you need. And according to Murphy's law even more if you don't prepare for it.

 

[obcd]

I agree you need bootmii. But once you have your backup of your nand on a safe place, what's the point in keeping it on your sd?
I mean, if you need it, you can prepare a sd with a bootmii folder and the needed files in it, and you can use it.
In my opinion, the sd card should be an option you use to transfer your gamesaves from your wii to your friends wii.

If you calculate the mounting time of the usb drive in, it will be slower than sd, but it's transfer speed is probably better than sd. (usb 2.0 of course)

I have one in as well, as I can't boot into uneek without it. I believe sorgelig had a way to launch his version from usb.

 

[JoostinOnline]

I agree you need bootmii. But once you have your backup of your nand on a safe place, what's the point in keeping it on your sd?
I mean, if you need it, you can prepare a sd with a bootmii folder and the needed files in it, and you can use it.
In my opinion, the sd card should be an option you use to transfer your gamesaves from your wii to your friends wii.

If you calculate the mounting time of the usb drive in, it will be slower than sd, but it's transfer speed is probably better than sd. (usb 2.0 of course)It takes a few extra seconds to load any app from my HDD, and mounting takes longer as well. I've never tested the transfer speed.

QUOTE(obcd @ Jun 16 2011, 08:08 AM) I have one in as well, as I can't boot into uneek without it. I believe sorgelig had a way to launch his version from usb.

That's because it uses bootmii to launch.

 

[Fishaman P]

Might I direct you to here?

And a FAT32/NTFS partition split is recommended.

 

[kirbymaster101]

if you really want two partitions then ntfs for games so they wont be split if larger than 4gb and fat for homebrew.
WBFS IS OBSOLETE.

 

[JoostinOnline]

if you really want two partitions then ntfs for games so they wont be split if larger than 4gb and fat for homebrew.
WBFS IS OBSOLETE.

There isn't a disadvantage to splitting the files though. Compatibility will be less likely with NTFS though.

 

[obcd]

(obcd @ Jun 16 2011, 08:08 AM)
I have one in as well, as I can't boot into uneek without it. I believe sorgelig had a way to launch his version from usb.
That's because it uses bootmii to launch.

Now I am getting confused. bootmii needs an sd card with the bootmii folder and it's armboot.bin and ppcboot.elf.
Sorgelig sneek deluxe can boot from usb because it uses bootmii??

I know normal sneek uses the bootmii code that launches armboot.bin from the sd card, but it's not able to use the usb drive to my knowledge.

 

[Slimmmmmm]

Sorgs required his "Deluxe" IOS installed instead of the bootmii ios on real nand.

The IOS had 3 versions
IOS253_auto to load NAND from SD card. If failed then load from USB storage.
IOS253_SD to load NAND from SD card only.
IOS253_USB to load NAND from USB storage only.


Then you had a number of options, but eg priiloader could boot a dol that then loads (sorgs) bootmii ios and that in turn loads his modded sneek iirc (I might have more detailed info)

*EDIT*
Yep that's what he did.

In one set I had a uniiloader dol as my sys menu app so when I powered on the Wii it went straight to uniiloader on emu nand with or without sd in.