Hacking The Definitive vWii Hacking Guide!

[Ratatapa]

Well found out GF had an old camera with a 1GB SD card in it

i'm all happy now

 

[Ratatapa]

Me again, I followed every steps clearly (installed all the IOS and got 0 issues) I have USB Loader GX, my issue is my HDD is not recongnized by USB Loader GX, I tried 3 different HDD, 2 of them are USB 1 of them is USB + external powered. I tried all the USB ports on my WIIU, the disks are all recognize by the WIIU but not the wii. I did everything in the guide (format to FAT32, removed partition 1-2-3 and hidden the partition to no go.

I even created the WBFS folder at the root and put Skyward Sword PAL on it by the Backup Manager and still the USBloader says it doesn't see any USB device

 

[CJB100]

Me again, I followed every steps clearly (installed all the IOS and got 0 issues) I have USB Loader GX, my issue is my HDD is not recongnized by USB Loader GX, I tried 3 different HDD, 2 of them are USB 1 of them is USB + external powered. I tried all the USB ports on my WIIU, the disks are all recognize by the WIIU but not the wii. I did everything in the guide (format to FAT32, removed partition 1-2-3 and hidden the partition to no go.

I even created the WBFS folder at the root and put Skyward Sword PAL on it by the Backup Manager and still the USBloader says it doesn't see any USB device

If your Wii U sees it but vWii doesn't, then you didn't do the UStealth part correctly. When you say the Wii U recognized it, did it ask you to format? And if it asked, did you? Because if you did, it will become unreadable by USB Loader GX and you will have to reformat it on the computer again

 

[Ratatapa]

If your Wii U sees it but vWii doesn't, then you didn't do the UStealth part correctly. When you say the Wii U recognized it, did it ask you to format? And if it asked, did you? Because if you did, it will become unreadable by USB Loader GX and you will have to reformat it on the computer again

No it didn't ask me to format, all it I know is that if i go into the wiiu home screen I see a USB HDD icon in the lower right of the screen

as for Ustealth, if i plug the HDD again on my PC I don't see it unless i run Ustealth and it says hidden

 

[CJB100]

Weird

No it didn't ask me to format, all it I know is that if i go into the wiiu home screen I see a USB HDD icon in the lower right of the screen

as for Ustealth, if i plug the HDD again on my PC I don't see it unless i run Ustealth and it says hidden

Weird. The hidden vWii USB HDD is the only USB device hooked into the Wii U currently outside maybe a Nintendo GameCube adapter, correct?

 

[Ratatapa]

Weird


Weird. The hidden vWii USB HDD is the only USB device hooked into the Wii U currently outside maybe a Nintendo GameCube adapter, correct?

Correct and even more weird, I think I just 'fixed' the issue

I plugged the HDD back in my PC, ran ustealth unhidden the Disk, unplugged and replugged, windows saw it, and now the Vwii on my WIIU sees it

If i rehide the disk then the vwii doesn't see it

Ah well zelda works now!

 

[CJB100]

Correct and even more weird, I think I just 'fixed' the issue

I plugged the HDD back in my PC, ran ustealth unhidden the Disk, unplugged and replugged, windows saw it, and now the Vwii on my WIIU sees it

If i rehide the disk then the vwii doesn't see it

Ah well zelda works now!

So weird. And you're using USB Loader GX? Does the Wii U now prompt you to format?

Also if I stop responding, wait for another Temp member like Cyan. I am currently waiting for an HR Rep at my new job to come get me, I'm at work.

 

[Ratatapa]

So weird. And you're using USB Loader GX? Does the Wii U now prompt you to format?

Also if I stop responding, wait for another Temp member like Cyan. I am currently waiting for an HR Rep at my new job to come get me, I'm at work.

Also working atm so i'll do more tests later, but I don't know if WIIU will ask me to format it, because I asked the wiiu to boot directly into wiimode, so didn't went into the WIIU desktop

 

[Ratatapa]

Ok so after multiple tests, I can only make it work if I Unhide the disk, and WIIU does ask me to format, but will not ask me if i directly boot into wii mode

 

[Ratatapa]

I wish there was a way to support dual HDD so i don't have to unplug my WIIU external HDD but ghey it works so

 

[Cyan]

. It can divide in up to 4 partitions, but if you put the first 3 as 0 bytes big, the fourth partition becomes the first and only partition

Being the "only partition" I agree. Being the "first partition" I don't.

I never used it so I don't know how the MBR is generated, so it's only assumption :
It's the fourth primary partition in the MBR table partition definition. Some homebrew (like DIOS MIOS) mount the partition found in the "first partition slot" which is here empty.
If bootice only make the full size on the 4th slot, maybe not using bootice could be a solution to properly setup the partition in the correct slot and order. (EaseUS, or even Windows disk manager)

Empty partition should work, but if the user decides one day to resize its fat32 to make a new partition, he wont be able to add a partition before the 4th one as it starts at the beginning of the drive. and he can't add a new one after either, as it's already the last. Unless he uses a good partition manager which let the user redefine the partition order in the MBR.

It should work with this setup, but I really don't like exotic partitioning. when a user will have issues with drive detection and if that's the cause, it will be harder to debug and help him. As long as it works, it's fine.
Also, your guide tells users to use MBR but MBR is not possible for drives bigger than 2TB, GPT is required to address the bigger sector number.
There seems to be an issue with multiple GPT partition and USBLoaderGX, I will investigate it this summer when I'll have more time.

I wish there was a way to support dual HDD so i don't have to unplug my WIIU external HDD but ghey it works so

Dual HDD is supported. But you need to connect them in correct order ! vWii HDD must be connected to USB Port0 (back top port)

You can hide your vWii drive with Ustealth, it will work with USBLoaderGX and few other homebrew, but NOT with the homebrew channel.
But sure you use USBLoaderGX compatible with Ustealth drives, not "3.0 r1180" which is too old.

USBloader says it doesn't see any USB device

If your drive is USB3.0 there is a known detection issue. If it's USB2.0 it should work, but maybe the drives can suffer from the same detection issues.

 

[Ratatapa]

Edit: Found a way, was able to plug my WIIUHDD in the front and all works

Thanks all!

 

[Cyan]

what did you do to fix the usb detection problem ? it could help other users to know how you did it.

About the 3 HDD and hub :
the vWii drive NEED to be connected without a hub, unless you use IOS58 (nintendont for example). cIOS are not compatible with hubs.
So, it leaves you this choice :

USB Port 0 (top back): vWii data cable
USB Port 1 (bottom back): HUB
Don't use d2x r53 (which would enable Port 1, and would try to mount the hub), try with d2x r52 base57 instead.
on the HUB, you can connect the vWii power cable (if you use Y-cable), the WiiU HDD (no issue with hub I guess).
The only thing I don't know if it works with a hub is your Ethernet adapter. You'll have to test this setup and see if it works.
It will probably not allow network on vWii games as cIOS won't work with the hub, but it should work with the WiiU side, unless the network adapter can't be plugged to hub either.

 

[Ratatapa]

what did you do to fix the usb detection problem ? it could help other users to know how you did it.

About the 3 HDD and hub :
the vWii drive NEED to be connected without a hub, unless you use IOS58 (nintendont for example). cIOS are not compatible with hubs.
So, it leaves you this choice :

USB Port 0 (top back): vWii data cable
USB Port 1 (bottom back): HUB
Don't use d2x r53 (which would enable Port 1, and would try to mount the hub)
on the HUB, you can connect the vWii power cable (if you use Y-cable), the WiiU HDD (no issue with hub I guess).
The only thing I don't know if it works with a hub is your Ethernet adapter. You'll have to test this setup and see if it works.
It will probably not allow network on vWii games as cIOS won't work with the hub, but it should work with the WiiU side, unless the network adapter can't be plugged to hub either.

for the USB detection it's simple the version linked in this tread of USB loader GX is too old and doesn't work with Ustealth, just needed a more up to date version

 

[Cyan]

I see.
I don't remember if the installer is updated or still get the old one from googlecode.
I will have to update the installer and also the first post of usbloadergx thread.

If you want the latest, it's always in my signature, or now also on sourceforge.
And if you have a working connection in your vWii, then the loader will warn you in case a new update is available. (but don't expect a lot more new updates soon).

 

[4gionz]

Just a quick noob question here, I see people say they can't update their wifi u after adding cios into vwii.

I was just wondering if after following this I will still have a fully functional and update able wii u and those other people just botched their vwii hacks by installing wii cios.

Just making sure sorry if this has been asked a million times

 

[7Robins]

Just a quick noob question here, I see people say they can't update their wifi u after adding cios into vwii.

I was just wondering if after following this I will still have a fully functional and update able wii u and those other people just botched their vwii hacks by installing wii cios.

Just making sure sorry if this has been asked a million times

Theoretically, if you followed the guide, yes. However, why would you want to update? Unless you aren't interested in hacking U mode..

 

[4gionz]

Theoretically, if you followed the guide, yes. However, why would you want to update? Unless you aren't interested in hacking U mode..

No just making sure I don't mess up wii u mode lol.

What if one day iosu is released but only for 5.5.1 and 5.3.2 is left behind for what're reason and I'm just stuck there...wouldn't want that happening

 

[7Robins]

No just making sure I don't mess up wii u mode lol.

What if one day iosu is released but only for 5.5.1 and 5.3.2 is left behind for what're reason and I'm just stuck there...wouldn't want that happening

Ah yes very true but 5.3.2 has better chances of getting iosu than 5.5.1 does. But in any case, you should be good.

 

[CJB100]

for the USB detection it's simple the version linked in this tread of USB loader GX is too old and doesn't work with Ustealth, just needed a more up to date version

No, the version linked in this thread supports UStealth.. And the instructions lead you to the latest version. The real solution is simpler:

Weird. The hidden vWii USB HDD is the only USB device hooked into the Wii U currently outside maybe a Nintendo GameCube adapter, correct?

To which you said yes, but then:

Edit: Found a way, was able to plug my WIIUHDD in the front and all works

Thanks all!

If you have a Hard Drive formatted in Wii U file system plugged into the back of the system along with the Hard drive you set up for vWii Hacking, it's going to mess with your homebrew's ability to detect the vWii Hard drive. Even with that Wii U drive plugged into the front, starting a Gamecube game, if it is saved to a USB, is going to cause issues. The vWii drive needs to preferably be the only USB Device connected to the Wii U, except when you are actually using the Wii U.

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Ah yes very true but 5.3.2 has better chances of getting iosu than 5.5.1 does. But in any case, you should be good.

Actually, they are both the same, JustPingo has confirmed the recent leak would theoretically work on the newest System firmware.