Hacking Total noob question (this area needs a noob thread)

[Hanafuda]

The 3DS section has a running thread for total noob questions ... this area should have one too. Just sayin'.

Anyway, total noob questions ---

1) apparently you can't have your Wii U 'backups' on the same hard drive as the Wii&GCN backups, correct?? But what I don't see an answer to ... can you have them both hooked up to the console at the same time, or do you have to physically swap them?

2) Some harddrives for the Wii U need to be connected using a "Y" usb cable, some don't?? How do you know? Can someone throw me a link to the exact kind of cable involved?

3) The Gamecube controller adapter uses two of the Wii U's usb ports, and a "Y" cable for Wii U backups would use two more (that accounts for all 4), so is it possible to somehow have the GC controller adapter, a hdd for Wii U games, and a hdd for Wii/GCN games all connected at the same time? Or are you forced to do a lot of hooking up & unhooking of USB cables?

Sorry for the ignorance. I bought my daughter a Wii U but I'm not futzing with it, so I don't know much of anything to do with Wii U hacks. I'm thinking about finding a used one for myself. Answers to these questions would help me decide if its this, or 2-3 bottles of 12yr old single malt.

 

[Kafluke]

1. You can have them both hooked up. The Wii U will nag you to format the HD for Wii everytime you boot tho. There's a fix for this. Google it.

2. The reason that we recommend a Y cable is because the hard drive needs to have enough power to work and the Wii U USB ports don't supply enough power out of a single port. You don't even have to use a Y cable if you have a way to power your hard drive. My hard drive had a separate power cable so I only use one port. Another way is to buy a powered USB hub for your hard drives. Then you'll have a bunch more USB ports.

3. I have a GC controller adapter and two HDs hooked up and I still have an extra USB port left. But that's because my HD has its own power cable so I don't need a Y cable. To answer your question, yes you can have them all hooked up simultaneously

 

[Hanafuda]

1. You can have them both hooked up. The Wii U will nag you to format the HD for Wii everytime you boot tho. There's a fix for this. Google it.

2. The reason that we recommend a Y cable is because the hard drive needs to have enough power to work and the Wii U USB ports don't supply enough power out of a single port. You don't even have to use a Y cable if you have a way to power your hard drive. My hard drive had a separate power cable so I only use one port. Another way is to buy a powered USB hub for your hard drives. Then you'll have a bunch more USB ports.

3. I have a GC controller adapter and two HDs hooked up and I still have an extra USB port left. But that's because my HD has its own power cable so I don't need a Y cable. To answer your question, yes you can have them all hooked up simultaneously

Thank you. Cleared it all up.

 

[cucholix]

You always can buy a self powered usb hub, that way you connect the power ends of the Y cable into it, while the data cable goes to the console (saving you 2 usb slots) and have 2 functional HDDs, the 2 spare slots you can use to plug Gamecube adapter, though the grey one plug is only to add rumble feature (it's optional).

To avoid usb priority conflicts connect Gamecube adapter in the right front slot, the Wii HDD in bottom rear (depending on your configuration and cIOS it would only work on the top rear). The Wii U HDD accept whatever solt