Hacking Stick with what I have, or upgrade my set up?

[franky86]

I am thinking of upgrading my wii and loading the usb backup launcher and transferring all my games to it. But I'm currently running on a 3.4U system menu with backup launcher 0.3 gamma. Set up the software in January and haven't touched it or upgraded it since. We have about a dozen actual games and 40 or so burnt ones. My burnt backups are really nice with lightscribe disks and burnt dvd case covers in dvd cases. My backup launcher channel runs all my games just fine and haven't found a game yet that I have problems with and am really happy with it aside from a bit of stuttering during some cutscenes/videos in some games due to 3x speed, the USB loader's speed would be nice.



I have three 1 TB external drives I got on sale a while back. One is for entertainment media(movies, tv shows, music, audio books, etc) and another is for just miscellaneous file backup and its only 1/10th full.. The third was picked up "just in case"(was a great deal, $70 bucks for nice 1 TB externals) and is still in the box. I also have an external 250 GB from a few years ago thats currently holding all my unmentionable files.

So I can either use a 1 TB or the 250 TB for backing up all my Wii games, I am thinking of using the 250 GB cause thats more than enough space for scrubbed down games on the new file format and putting all my unmentionable files onto one of the TB hard drives because I don't want to format a whole TB hard drive just to hold wii games(and it would sit down by the wii so partitioning it for other file format wouldn't be worth it).



So to even get started with switching over to a USB loader would involve a few hours of transfering the 200+ gb of files from one external to another. Then I would need to figure out exactly how to go about upgrading my Wii to get the USB loader installed(haven't read much into it yet) It'd involve upgrading my wii to 4.0 and then formatting the spare hard drive. Then I would have to transfer all the games from discs to the hard drive, and if its anything like dumping a disc it'd take a nice chunk of time per game?


Would the faster loading times and speed be worth the hassle? Or just stick with what I got because if it ain't broken, don't fix it. It'd be a day(s) long procedure to upgrade and transfer all the files over and I don't know where to start looking for a good guide to follow, the forums seems disorganized lately and full of a few different loaders to choose from.

Would it be worth it? Theres also the fact that I'm bored and want a project to do. =p

 

[rockbmi]

Go for it mate, also upgrade to 4.0 hacked, and then you will get everything you have now plus loads more. 4.0 and the usbloader, especially the usbloader gui, are amazing, i use my wii more now than i ever did.

 

[FenrirWolf]

The USB Loader is totally worth it. You get much better speed and don't have to swap discs. You can hold onto your discs for backup purposes. Since that's what they're meant for in the first place, there ya go. =p

 

[Olywa123]

Have to agree - my wii had been gathering dust for quite some time but now I have the usbloader I'm much more inclined to boot up a game and start playing again.

You'll be glad you did

Olywa

 

[TheWiiNinja]

Yeah, since you already have all those hard drives, you should definitely go for it. You might want to go ahead and update to 4.0 as well.

 

[DPyro]

You don't need to update to 4.0 to use usb loader.

 

[franky86]

OK I guess I'll give it a go. Anyone care to make sure I am following up to date instructions?

First I'll follow this guide to upgrade to 4.0 - it seems up to date and relatively simple

ULTIMATE System Menu 4.0 Guide, Backup Loaders Disc Channel USB
http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=144835

Then I am *lost* as to where to go to find some good instructions to install the USB Loader, the thread for the 4.0 upgrade links to a version 1.3 USB loader, and theres a sticky for a version 1.1 loader, and then the "ultimate usb loader' thread that has lots of different repacks of the 1.5 loader. Is that the latest and what I should be going for? Can you install multiple USB loaders at once(I'm assuming yes) I'd like a slick looking one so I'd like to try out a few.

Some of them require Custom IOS36 rev 9 or 10. I think I currently have rev 7. Will that be installed if I follow The Ultimate system menu 4.0 guide I linked ot earlier?


thanks for any help =0

 

[FenrirWolf]

Install cIOS Rev10 and you'll be able to use any USB Loader that's out there.

You should probably start with the normal 1.5 loader to get familiar with it and then try out some of the custom versions. I use Ultimate USB Loader 7.4v6 (based off of 1.5) and it works like a charm for me.

 

[franky86]

Install cIOS Rev10 and you'll be able to use any USB Loader that's out there.

You should probably start with the normal 1.5 loader to get familiar with it and then try out some of the custom versions. I use Ultimate USB Loader 7.4v6 (based off of 1.5) and it works like a charm for me.

cool, so after upgrading to 4.0 i should install cios rev 10(its the latest, correct?)? where can i get a link for that?(or is it one of the files we're not allowed to ask for and will need to google it myself?)

I'll definitely take your advice and use the normal 1.5 loader first(its the latest one released by wanikoko himself, correct?).


thanks for the reply(s) =)


edit: nevermind about cios rev 10, i found it, in the guide I was about to start following to install 4.0, i fail at reading. =X

 

[ToneEQ]

Install cIOS Rev10 and you'll be able to use any USB Loader that's out there.

You should probably start with the normal 1.5 loader to get familiar with it and then try out some of the custom versions. I use Ultimate USB Loader 7.4v6 (based off of 1.5) and it works like a charm for me.

+1

I've done exactly that and I'm still on 3.2E. Ultimate USB Loader 7.4 is the one to get, very slick and improving every day!

 

[Carty1970]

Can't you just run a USB loader without upgrading?

 

[franky86]

Can't you just run a USB loader without upgrading?

yes

but if i'm getting back into playing with my wii, i'm diving back in and going all the way, i'd like the sdhc support and the ability to run wiiware/vc games off the sd card(i have a half dozen 8 and 16 gb sdhc cards laying around that i bought on sale to go with my gf's camcorder but she only uses 1 so i am going to steal one back and dump all my vc/wiiware games on it.


OH yeah, another question: most of my wiiware games and vc games are hacked so i could install them with a wad manager - will i be able to use those with the 4.0's 'load off sd card' feature?

 

[FenrirWolf]

You will if you update using an installer that Waninkoko made instead of using Nintendo's official update method.

 

[franky86]

Okay, I've updated to 4.0, installed preoloader and installed wanikoko's standard usb loader, refomatted my 250 gb hd and partitioned 10 gigs as FAT43.

i've also tried out the usb iso loader gui and like the way it looks and installed the forwarder channel for it.

have loaded 3 games onto the HD so far, now to spend the rest of the day doing the other 40-50 =p


Thanks again to all those who replied with information and help. =) I'm happy with my set up now.