Hacking USB Loader GX

[GreyWolf]

@Cyan sorry to bug you like this, should I recreate files such as kenobiwii, di, diconfig,... etc in the sneek folder? I forgot how to set up NEEK2o and I want to know what I should do to fix my Neo Geo problem :c

The DI files should be generated the first time you boot into the NEEK environment. I'm not sure if the latest NEEK uses kenobiwii.bin.

 

[sonictopfan]

The DI files should be generated the first time you boot into the NEEK environment. I'm not sure if the latest NEEK uses kenobiwii.bin.

I just created a new EmuNAND to test, I booted NEEK2o mode and it ran fine (though a bit slow to load which is to be expected) but no DI files were created in the sneek folder, I'll try installing some Neo Geo games and see if that would work, if so I guess I'll have to re-install everything to the new EmuNAND :c

 

[GreyWolf]

I just created a new EmuNAND to test, I booted NEEK2o mode and it ran fine (though a bit slow to load which is to be expected) but no DI files were created in the sneek folder, I'll try installing some Neo Geo games and see if that would work, if so I guess I'll have to re-install everything to the new EmuNAND :c

Hmm. Maybe you have to open the disc menu at least? I know when I set mine up there was only the kernel, font.bin and rev.txt in the SNEEK folder.

 

[Cyan]

the "di" is not auto generated, it's a file you have to compile with sneek installer.
It allows you to emulate the Disc drive and load ISO in the disc channel.
If you want only neo geo, you don't need the "di" option when generating neek files.


To make two neek, you don't need to change anything on the sneek folder.
the sneek folder is shared with all EmuNAND on the same partition.

Just dump your NAND (or make a new clean one) in another folder.
Example :
USB1:/sneek/
USB1:/nands/my_full_nand/
USB1:/nands/neogeo_nand/

in "full nand" put ALL your games (yes, even the neo geo games).
in "neogeo nand" put only the neo geo games.

now, you have 2 different EmuNAND channel path you can use.
But you don't need to always switch the path to change games, as you installed the games twice.


You need to change the video setting of the "neo geo nand".
- set neogeo nand as default emuNAND channel path.
- launch neek from features menu (no autoboot !)
- go to the System menu settings and set the video mode correctly
- go to the hidden menu, and set a forced video mode if needed (if not, I guess it should use the one set just above) and region free if it works with neogeo games.
exit emuNAND

Back in the loader, set the Full NAND path as default.
select the neo geo game > option > game settings > emuNAND path : Set the "USB1:/nands/neogeo_nand/" path for that game !


You will have "default emuNAND" with ALL games displayed at the same time. so you see the neo geo too
but when you boot the neo geo game, it will use an individual setting and set a different emuNAND path, using the video setting from the second emuNAND Path.

 

[sonictopfan]

Hmm. Maybe you have to open the disc menu at least? I know when I set mine up there was only the kernel, font.bin and rev.txt in the SNEEK folder.

Disc menu? O.o''

Anyway, I tested the new EmuNAND and it seems to work fine, took me about an hour to re-install all my channels again, did some testing and everything seems to work fine.

@Cyan I want to specially thank Cyan for adding an option to install an entire folder for EmuNAND, it saved me a lot of time and effort not to mention battery energy

One thing I noticed, while testing Samba De Amigo (being the only Wii game I have in which I use with EmuNAND "Partial" because of the DLC) first time I ran it the opening cutscene flickered around the top edge massively, then I hit "reset" and tested again with no issues, I played a little bit, everything seemed to work fine, DLC and all, then I tested the game one more and watched the opening cutscene again and it worked fine, I don't know if I should worry or if that's normal, my hard drive is still new I just bought it last Monday and this is my first play on it, it's probably nothing though.

I have a couple of questions though since I been partially away for a while...
Question A: Can I use cheat codes with EmuNAND yet?
Question B: Is it possible to run a Wii game in Neek mode? Guess this one is already answered, I'll have to test it once I get the chance.

 

[Cyan]

A : cheatcode with emuNAND (NOT neek) seems to be off of few bytes (I don't know how many, never checked), so it's not always working.
try to change the "channel mode" from boot.dol to default in the loader's setting menu.
no guarantee it will work.

Cheatcode with NEEK is not implemented in the loader. you'll have to check how to enable them manually from neek.

B: like I said above, neek can emulate the disc drive to load ISO.
you need the "di" when you generate sneek files.
for example "uneek+di"

sneek/uneek will load only wii games in extracted format from the /games/GameID/ folder. You need at least one game for di to work.
neek2o will load games in wbfs format from the wbfs folder.

There's no autoboot for Wii disc games from the loader. launch neek from the features menu, then go to the hidden menu to mount a disc and launch it from the disc channel.

 

[ederenzi78]

Will there ever be SD card support for Wii Games? On WiiU I find it very useful as attaching a normally formatted HD always give the "Format?" message on startup.

 

[tswntk]

further to my testing on launching channels via ULGX and HDD problem in https://gbatemp.net/threads/usb-loader-gx.149922/page-1099#post-6210718

since launching Wiixplorer channel via ULGX got problems with HDD detection, why not test the other channels too?

1. Launch cfg and wiiflow from ULGX, apps in SD - no problem, they show the games from HDD right the way
2. Launch Save Game ManagerGX from ULGX, apps in SD - waiting for HDD count down and then can detect HDD no problem

So, it is up to the apps to handle HDD detection.


3. Move Wiiflow from SD to HDD and then launch from ULGX - returns back to ULGX

So, forwarders have HDD detection problems from ULGX


4. Wiixplorer can launch channels too, so I tried to launch Wiiflow (moved to HDD) via Wiixplorer and it worked fine.

Both Wiixplorer and ULGX were developed by Dimok, yet they handle channel launching differently, may be he has an idea on how to fix it? But then it was so long ago...

 

[GreyWolf]

Disc menu? O.o''

Anyway, I tested the new EmuNAND and it seems to work fine, took me about an hour to re-install all my channels again, did some testing and everything seems to work fine.

@Cyan I want to specially thank Cyan for adding an option to install an entire folder for EmuNAND, it saved me a lot of time and effort not to mention battery energy

One thing I noticed, while testing Samba De Amigo (being the only Wii game I have in which I use with EmuNAND "Partial" because of the DLC) first time I ran it the opening cutscene flickered around the top edge massively, then I hit "reset" and tested again with no issues, I played a little bit, everything seemed to work fine, DLC and all, then I tested the game one more and watched the opening cutscene again and it worked fine, I don't know if I should worry or if that's normal, my hard drive is still new I just bought it last Monday and this is my first play on it, it's probably nothing though.

I have a couple of questions though since I been partially away for a while...
Question A: Can I use cheat codes with EmuNAND yet?
Question B: Is it possible to run a Wii game in Neek mode? Guess this one is already answered, I'll have to test it once I get the chance.

Are you able to download the DLC again for Samba? I keep getting an error code. :/

As for running disc-based games, I think the NEEK feature that allows it do boot directly to a game is broken in the currently available version. You have to mount the game in NEEK manually with the DI menu. (It's button 1 or 2 at the system menu.)

@tswntk There's something wrong currently with the way GX launches homebrew that makes the app unable to access the drive.

 

[tswntk]

@tswntk There's something wrong currently with the way GX launches homebrew that makes the app unable to access the drive.

Yes, I know, but the problem can be traced back to r1180 and other apps has ways to work around it. See my tests point 1,2,3,4.

I am comparing the codes in ULGX and Wiixplorer and see how they handle channel loading differently - but they seems so much different and there is no Emunand handling in Wiixplorer. I guess it will take me forever to fully understand them.

 

[GreyWolf]

Yes, I know, but the problem can be traced back to r1180 and other apps has ways to work around it. See my tests point 1,2,3,4.

I am comparing the codes in ULGX and Wiixplorer and see how they handle channel loading differently - but they seems so much different and there is no Emunand handling in Wiixplorer. I guess it will take me forever to fully understand them.

Was it 1180? I'll go look through the commits and see if I can figure out what it is, then. It has something to do with handing hardware control over to the apploader.

 

[tswntk]

Was it 1180? I'll go look through the commits and see if I can figure out what it is, then. It has something to do with handing hardware control over to the apploader.

Well, I tested an old version which just says v3.0 in the credit page, so I assume it is r1180.

I have tested launching Wiixplorer and it can't detect the HDD if it was set to boot ios58. Works find if reloading into cios249.
I have tested launching Wiiflow. works fine if apps is in SD:\ but won't start Wiiflow if apps is in HDD - same behavior as r1260

 

[Raylight]

this is still being updated so my one question is does this beat cfg usb loader and wiiflow compatability

 

[GreyWolf]

this is still being updated so my one question is does this beat cfg usb loader and wiiflow compatability

Yes and no.
It's updated as regularly as possible.
All 3 loaders run games under a cIOS so they all have the same compatibility.

 

[Raylight]

im running usbloadergx on vwii and it kicks me back to homebrew everytime i launch a game ive installed everything and got all the patches im using WD 1TB HDD

 

[sonictopfan]

Are you able to download the DLC again for Samba? I keep getting an error code. :/

I keep a wad file with all the DLC, I found both the US and Eur ones back in the day but kept the Eur one since my disc was PAL, it's a bit of a weird story ^^;

As for running disc-based games, I think the NEEK feature that allows it do boot directly to a game is broken in the currently available version. You have to mount the game in NEEK manually with the DI menu. (It's button 1 or 2 at the system menu.)

Alright I'll try that when I get the chance, the thing is I only need it for two crappy games "We Dare" and "Smurfs Dance Party" both in which I don't ever play but they both have some kind of anti-piracy codes that they only work if I reset the game right after I start it, it probably can work properly if I set the settings correctly since I noticed soft resetting the game in USB Loader GX restores the best settings for the game by default but I asked around and nobody knew how to get these games to work any other way.

Yes, I know, but the problem can be traced back to r1180 and other apps has ways to work around it. See my tests point 1,2,3,4.

I am comparing the codes in ULGX and Wiixplorer and see how they handle channel loading differently - but they seems so much different and there is no Emunand handling in Wiixplorer. I guess it will take me forever to fully understand them.

Is there progress on Wii Xplorer btw? Since both USB Loader GX and Save Game Manager GX are both still under development I reported to both threads how they don't seem to work with SDHC cards bigger than 32GB, I'd like to report the same to Wii Xplorer since these three apps are the only ones I'm having this issue with and they happen to be my most used apps as well.

 

[GreyWolf]

@sonictopfan Check yer PM.

 

[Clutz450]

Will there ever be SD card support for Wii Games? On WiiU I find it very useful as attaching a normally formatted HD always give the "Format?" message on startup.

There is a way to hide your USB drive from the Wii U but still have it readable to your Wii apps. It's called UStealth and information about it can be found here (https://gbatemp.net/threads/ustealth-wii-u-format-disk-nag-workaround.352786/). But rather than plugging your drive into your computer, you can hide it using your Wii using an app called USB Toggle (https://gbatemp.net/attachments/usb_toggle-zip.9038/). Just run it from the Homebrew Channel, press A, and your Wii U will no longer nag you about formatting your USB drive.

 

[sonictopfan]

There is a way to hide your USB drive from the Wii U but still have it readable to your Wii apps. It's called UStealth and information about it can be found here (https://gbatemp.net/threads/ustealth-wii-u-format-disk-nag-workaround.352786/). But rather than plugging your drive into your computer, you can hide it using your Wii using an app called USB Toggle (https://gbatemp.net/attachments/usb_toggle-zip.9038/). Just run it from the Homebrew Channel, press A, and your Wii U will no longer nag you about formatting your USB drive.

Speaking of which, I'd like to ask you, now that I have all of my games installed successfully on my new 2TB WD HDD I'm seriously tempted to try to softmod my Wii U (I figured aside from using real GC controllers and MCs there should be very little to lose here, I mean EmuNAND works fine on Wii U, right?) so I might go ahead and ask you, when using a hard drive for Wii games and such should I also connect it to a y-cable like the one attached to the Wii U or not?

 

[goodeddie]

It's me again using d2x v10 base 57 on 249 trying to load bust a move with emunand on a fat32 partition WBFS folder and it is giving me a black screen. I can't find the answer anywhere so I'm bringing it up again. I'm also forcing NTSC tv mode. Some other games work.