Hacking USB Loader GX Newbee - which IOS?

[x70]

Hello,

just joined the forum. I just got a Wii on 4.3 and i have installed HBC, through Letterbomb and (following tutorial on Wiibrew).
Now i would like to install the USB Loader GX, though i'm not sure about which files/packages to install.
I need it for basic functions like backing up my Wii discs and load them from USB HDD.

At the download page of the official page (http://code.google.com/p/usbloader-gui/downloads/list?can=3&q=boot) i found for example one of these statements for one of the packages:

USBLoader_GX_V2_3_AllinOnePackage_IOS249.zip
The ultimative All-In-One package for USB Loader GX v2.3.
To use the channels in the package you need to have IOS58 installed.

This package includes AHBPROT enabled on the channel version and the forwarder channel.

This package should be prefered by people using IOS250 as their default boot IOS for the loader.

My question:
how do i know which IOSs have installed on my Wii and which one is the default boot for an app (eg the loader as indicated above)?

Thanks,
x70

 

[Cyan]

You can verify what's installed on your Wii using a System check program.
It will create a file with all your current setup.

The All-In-One package contains three different file which will be useful to you:

1. The Channel (UNLR)
2. The forwarder (UNEO)
3. The program file to be launched from the Homebrew channel (apps/usbloader_gx/boot.dol)
The channel and the forwarder are two different "channels" type which you can install on your wii System menu.
You can install either the full loader "channel" or the "Forwarder" channel (you can install both, but it will be very confusing after an update, so just choose one).

Here is the differences between the simple channel and the forwarder:
- The full loader (GameID: UNLR) will install the loader in your Wii. You don't need to place the program on the SD card or the USB.
- The forwarder (GameID: UNEO) is a channel without the program. It's only used to launch another program from the SD or USB.
I think the users prefer the Forwarder because you install it once on your Wii, and you don't have to update it. The real "USBLoaderGX" program is located on your external device. It's easy to update (just replace the file on the SD card, you don't need to reinstall the channel).


Once installed, the channels need IOS 58 to boot.
If you are on 4.3, you already have the official IOS58 from Nintendo. So, don't worry about this one.



About the different version of the loader:
it doesn't change anything, you can choose the one you want, 249 or 250.
This is only the IOS used to boot the loader.

After following a tutorial to hack your Wii, you should have both IOS 249 and 250, so you can use either version, it will work fine.
The only purpose of these different version is to speed up the booting process.

If you decide to use IOS249 for your games, it's better to load the USBloaderGX version249 :
launch GX -> load IOS 249 > check your setting > see that you want to use IOS249 > show the game.

If you use the version 250, it will have to reload the loader automatically:
launch GX > load IOS 250 > check your setting > See that you want to use IOS 250 > Reload IOS250 > show the game.

Like you see, it's only one additional step if you don't use the correct version, it's not a big problem.
All the loader and your games will work fine. It's just used to launch the loader quicker.



So, as an advice :

1. Take All-In-One Package 249
2. Install the Forwarder (UNEO) using a Wad manager.
3. extract the content of the package on your SD card like this:
SD:/apps/usbloader_gx/boot.dol
SD:/apps/usbloader_gx/icon.png
SD:/apps/usbloader_gx/meta.xml

That's all.
Launch the loader either from the Homebrew channel, or using the Forwarder channel installed on your wii menu.

 

[DrFiishy]

after all this i still cant get USB loader to work...but for some reason wiiflow does work...so does it matter if i have USB loader GX or wiiflow?

 

[x70]

Cyan,
first of all a big thanks for your prompt and comprehensive reply. I had troubles logging in in the past few days i couldnt do that earlier.

Now, unfortunately i have problems, which i'm sure are typical for a newbee. I tried to find some info in the "QUICK/NEWBIE QUESTIONS here!" section, though i did not come across a clear solution.

- I tried to use WAD manager (As you suggested it is required to install the forwarder).
I have used 1.7 version, but never managed to get it work. It freezes the wii at different stages of the setup process, depending on the selected ios (249 or 250). I have seen this problem reported in other forums and some people suggested to use another wad manager. So i have intalled mmm (Multi Mod Manager) instead. This seems working. So i guess i can live with that.

- Now to the real issue, with USB Loader GX.
Here is what i have done:

1) copied the wad file of the forwarder channel (USB Loader GX-UNEO_Forwarder_4_0_AHBPROT.wad), without renaming it, in the SD:/wad folder. I assumed i do not need any other file from the wad folder of the USB loader GX package.

2) copied the three apps files of the usbloader (boot.dol, icon, meta) in the SD:/apps/usb_loader_gx folder

3) after placing the SD card in the Wii, i launched hbc, and from there the mmm. I entered the WAD management section and installed the forwarder.

And here is what happens:

- I can see the USB loader channel (forwarder?) both in the list of channels of the Wii menu and in the hbc menu

- when i launch the USB loader i can only see a screen with a message saying (initial part cut from the screen):
"....ading any cIOS, USB loader GX requires at least cIOS 222 or 245-250"

Now as far i know on my Wii i have at least the following installed:
- 222 v65280 (Hermed cIOS or STUB)
- 249 v65280 (Wanikoko's cIOS or STUB)
- 2250 v65280 (Wanikoko's cIOS or STUB)
I also see that the "currently loaded" IOS is IOS58 v6176. Then i thought that i need to load one of the IOS required by USB loader. But when i tried to do that from mmm i only get the message "not loading stub IOS".

I have also tried to install the USB loader by managing the apps from mmm (installing the application). But i get the same results when i launch the USB loader (either from the hbc or from the Wii menu)

Note: i have not yet connected any USB device to the Wii.

As i said i'm sure these are all newbee questions, which probably i should post on the proper section. Let me know if it's better i move this post.
Thanx again

 

[AzureuzZetsunai]

well one thing i learned is that not all the wiis are the same, some of them work flawlessly with the cios 249, and others like mine with the 222 cios from hermes, mostly the old wiis like LU50 and down are working flawlessly with the waninkoko Cios 249, 250, the LU51 and up are great with the Hermes Cios 222, this is because of some bugs it may cause the DVD board, this matters, because if the game encounters a bug caused by the cios, the game freezes, as for the usbloaders the hermes cios was especificaly made for usb use. so its better to run usbloaders trough cios 222. in my case because i have a LU73 wii.

as for your question you should first get the wad of the stub ioses the 222, 249 and 250, run them trough wad manager 1.8, and uninstallthem, then you can run the utility to install the cios from waninkoko and hermes. those can be found in the internet. then you can run the usbloader normaly, as for the games you need to transfer them to a wbfs partition or change the iso to a .wbfs file using a wbfs manager.

 

[Cyan]

Sorry, but do not follow what AzureuzZetsunai said (sorry, but it's all wrong, and it has nothing to do with the drive).
Do not uninstall any IOS or cIOS.
You can install new one over the old one (it's safer and will prevent you bricking your Wii by accident).


So, You followed all the steps correctly.
Your problem is elsewhere: You didn't install any custom IOS when you "hacked" your Wii. The tutorial you followed are against custom IOS.
(IOS are internal programs with the functions needed for everything you run on the Wii. Different IOS have different purposes).

You verified that you had IOS 249 and 250.
The report said "Stub", which means they are not usable. "stub" are IOS installed by Nintendo to replace working IOS with Non working IOS.
Stub have two purpose :
1. Take less places on your Wii memory by removing all function inside that slot. (when they don't need old IOS's functions anymore)
2. Replace hacked IOS with empty Data, to counter piracy.

That's why you couldn't install the WAD using Wad Manager 1.7, it's relying on the hacked custom IOS usually installed in slot 249 (cIOS249), But in the slot 249 you currently have the one from Nintendo on your Wii. (It has no effect at all, no program can use it)
You first need to install a custom IOS (cIOS 249 and cIOS 250).


Do not use Hermes or Waninkoko cIOS installer (they are old, though, Hermes IOS could be useful but they are less and less used).
Use the latest cIOS installer (d2x cIOS v7) or ModMii tutorial to install and re-hack your wii correctly.


You need to install these custom IOS :
1. cIOS 236 (use cIOS 236 installer v5)
2. d2x v7, base 56, in slot 249
3. d2x v7, base 57, in slot 250

When you install d2x using the installer, on the first page it will ask you which IOS you want to use, answer 236.

cIOS 236 has all internal access and will allow you to install other IOS in the memory.
cIOS 249 and 250 have USB2.0 access for reading games using external HDD.


You can use ModMii to install everything correctly if you don't want to do all the steps manually.

 

[AzureuzZetsunai]

Sorry, but do not follow what AzureuzZetsunai said (sorry, but it's all wrong, and it has nothing to do with the drive).
Do not uninstall any IOS or cIOS.
You can install new one over the old one (it's safer and will prevent you bricking your Wii by accident).


So, You followed all the steps correctly.
Your problem is elsewhere: You didn't install any custom IOS when you "hacked" your Wii. The tutorial you followed are against custom IOS.
(IOS are internal programs with the functions needed for everything you run on the Wii. Different IOS have different purposes).

You verified that you had IOS 249 and 250.
The report said "Stub", which means they are not usable. "stub" are IOS installed by Nintendo to replace working IOS with Non working IOS.
Stub have two purpose :
1. Take less places on your Wii memory by removing all function inside that slot. (when they don't need old IOS's functions anymore)
2. Replace hacked IOS with empty Data, to counter piracy.

That's why you couldn't install the WAD using Wad Manager 1.7, it's relying on the hacked custom IOS usually installed in slot 249 (cIOS249), But in the slot 249 you currently have the one from Nintendo on your Wii. (It has no effect at all, no program can use it)
You first need to install a custom IOS (cIOS 249 and cIOS 250).


Do not use Hermes or Waninkoko cIOS installer (they are old, though, Hermes IOS could be useful but they are less and less used).
Use the latest cIOS installer (d2x cIOS v7) or ModMii tutorial to install and re-hack your wii correctly.


You need to install these custom IOS :
1. cIOS 236 (use cIOS 236 installer v5)
2. d2x v7, base 56, in slot 249
3. d2x v7, base 57, in slot 250

When you install d2x using the installer, on the first page it will ask you which IOS you want to use, answer 236.

cIOS 236 has all internal access and will allow you to install other IOS in the memory.
cIOS 249 and 250 have USB2.0 access for reading games using external HDD.


You can use ModMii to install everything correctly if you don't want to do all the steps manually.

lol sorry if im outdated. i kept the same methods since the wii didnt get any new updates. tho ididnt like the new 249 cios., also removing stubs and then installing the hacked ones does not brick the console... unles you try to go to the system menu. and wadmanager 1.8 gets permisions trough AHBPROT. so theres no need of a cios to use.

 

[Cyan]

Wad Managers using AHBPROT are fine.
Removing the stub automatically (using Any title Deleter) is fine too, but I said it could cause a brick is the user delete anything else "by accident".
It's always safer to replace directly by installing a new one than dealing with the internal NAND content manually by newbie.


If you don't like newer version of cIOS 249, and are still caring about "lu64+" wii, then you are indeed very outdated. cIOS are compatible with LU64+ Wii since cIOS rev11, and the last available is currently rev21.

It has nothing to do with the DVD, but was a problem due to the speed of the boot process. Nintendo changed the boot/IOS Reloading process and it created a problem with piracy "by mistake", it wasn't even intended
It was explained on hackmii blog, "timing is everything" (or a title like that).

 

[x70]

Hi,
just wanted to say a big thank, especially to Cyan. Everything working as expected. I reinstalled the cIOS, thought i had to do that manually with the installer as i couldn't get ModMii working. ModMii looks actually a great tool, though i couldn't getting it working. I'm sure i miss something very basic but i had not time to investigate yet (it couldn't find in the network any of the required files).
Thanx again for your fantastic support!

 

[nuigurumi]

I've also done all that Cyan said, and my USB Loader still doesn't want to play games. Help?
Also I can't install a thing... it just randomly freezes while doing this.
(For your information: I own a blue PAL Wii with 4.2E)