Hacking USB Loader GX

[PrimusZa1]

Has there ever been a guide to explain all the different settings in the newer builds?

 

[Cyan]

not in the newer build, nor in the previous one.

There were an attempt to make it, but it was on googlecode (which closed), and it required too much time to write. that guide was never released past the "how to install the launcher on SD".

With all the time I took to explain the settings on the forum, I could have write that guide few times completely from scratch already.
But, I'll just help you here again, it's faster than writing the full guide for you.

what do you want to know? (not all, some are obvious, just ask the one you really don't understand)

 

[cfillak]

Hello, I'm trying to consolidate my Wii homebrew and backup loading solutions. I had previously struggled to get Nintendont working but finally succeeded once I figured out how to properly format my HDD. I recently learned that Nintendont has become much more flexible with the types of filesystems and partition types it supports (i.e. doesn't require you to format as primary partition, exFAT is supported now as well as FAT32, games no longer need to be in the games/game_name/game.iso format).

The only backup loader frontend I could ever get to work with Nintendont was WiiFlow, but it wouldn't load Wii backups. Cfg Loader would work for Wii backups but would not work with Nintendont.

USB Loader GX seems to be the most actively developed USB loader so I figured I'd put in some effort to get it to work loading Wii backups and GCN games through Nintendont. My ideal setup is an exFAT formatted HDD 3-4TB, with GCN games stored like ://games/game_name.iso and Wii games stored like ://wbfs/game_name [game_id]/game_id.wbfs. I would want USB Loader GX to load the Wii backups and point to the latest version of Nintendont to load GCN games. I would also like to have an EmuNAND to install VC and WiiWare games to. Here are some questions I have:

Is my desired setup possible?
Does USB Loader GX support exFAT?
Does USB Loader GX support Nintendont's updated HDD flexibility described above?
How should I format an HDD for this setup? How to format if I have to abandon exFAT?
Are there any IOS or cIOS issues I should be aware of?


I'm basically looking to start from scratch with a new HDD and a new SD card to consolidate the mess that is my current setup. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Cyan]

USBLoaderGX is no longer "actively" developed. it's often on hiatus.
I haven't release a new revision in a year. Some modders are making patches, not a big update.
I plan to make a new release soon, no idea how soon is soon. "when it's done" I guess.


USBLoaderGX doesn't support exFAT. only FAT32 if you want nintendont.
you still need /games/<whatever>/game.iso

IOS/cIOS are not used for nintendont. you only need IOS58.
if you want Wii games and emuNAND, you need only one cIOS : d2x v8final or v10r52, base57 (in the slot you want, but usually it's slot249 the default slot for usbloaders)

EmuNAND through cIOS has 80% compatibility.
to get 99%, you'll need emuNAND through NEEK.
You can have both sharing the same EmuNAND dump, and use neek mode for incompatible games with cIOS.

emuNAND and NEEK only work with FAT32 too (it's not an USBLoaderGX's compatibility issue, it's a cIOS issue and a Neek issue)
Also, a lot of homebrew only accept FAT32.
even if exFAT support was added to the loader, it would only be useful to list game, and launch them with other app comatible with that format, which only nintendont does.
exFAT shouldn't be used at all for Homebrew. I don't know why people want that format, while FAT32 works better (not better, but more widely used).

 

[cfillak]

Thanks for your detailed response!

I may be mistaken, but I thought FAT32 was limited to 2TB partitions? Having a drive larger than 2TB was my main motivation for considering exFAT.

 

[GreyWolf]

exFAT works with >4GB files. It's supported in later versions fatfs so it's it might be possible to get it to work in d2x but it would require an unofficial update to it unless davebaol wants to continue the cIOS.

Do you really nead >2TB drive? There are not that many good games combined between Wii, GC and WiiWare/VC to take up that much space.

 

[Cyan]

FAT32 can go up to 16TB partitions size.
but the more size, the longer it is to initialize (read the FAT table)

users often have a 4TB drive formatted as FAT32 for Wii/WiiU.
they have issues initializing, but it's not due to the partition format but to the hardware itself. new drives seems to require something that cIOS doesn't do correctly. using IOS58 fixes it.

or maybe it IS related to FAT32 table size. I would need to debug that, I bought a 1TB drive (someone told me he has issue with 1TB WD element, so I bought the same model) but haven't even unboxed that drive yet.

 

[GreyWolf]

I use 1TB WD drive and don't have any problems with it but it's in a generic enclosure.

 

[cfillak]

Does USB Loader GX care if a drive is formatted with a FAT32 primary partition vs logical partitions? I know Nintendont used to require HDDs to be formatted with a FAT32 primary partition, but now is compatible with logical partitions. I actually wasn't able to get USB Loader GX to detect my FAT32 primary partition formatted HDD, while WiiFlow detects it. What's the most widely compatible partition scheme?

 

[GreyWolf]

Test for using only IOS 58: https://github.com/GreyWolfSC/streamline/tree/master/distrib/usbloader_gx

You will need to use USB port 0. It seems to make startup faster, at least until it starts scanning for games...

Note this is my fork, not official, so please report bugs for it on GitHub, not here.

 

[Cyan]

USBLoaderGX works with all partition type, MBR, EBR (extended+logical), GPT, and even NONE (WBFS without partition table)
there's a bug with GPT (it seems to mount partitions twice), I don't remember the way to trigger the issue.
It doesn't work with "GPT backup table" located at the end of the drive. but I don't know any app using that backup either.

 

[cucholix]

@Cyan where can I find a hi-res logo for USB Loader GX?

 

[Cyan]

hello,
I don't know which size you want, but I have only access to the resources located on the sources/data/images/ folder
https://svn.code.sf.net/p/usbloadergx/code/trunk/data/images/

I got into the project in the middle of its development, and was not the main developer back then. I don't have the original files.

 

[cucholix]

That's fine, worked in a forwarder channel for the Wii U menu
https://gbatemp.net/threads/usb-loader-gx-forwarder-channel-for-wii-u-menu.482595/

It boots directly to ULGX. I also need update my .dol, has been ages since I visit this thread, WUPC support was added right?

 

[Cyan]

I just saw your other thread

yes, it was added few revision ago, and I think I'll remove it (as it's now supported directly from Libogc, I don't need the Fix94's WUPC library anymore)
Though I checked and libogc is missing 4 data (L3/R3/battery info/don't remember what else), I hope to add them back and maybe submit a patch to devkitpro devs.

L3+R3 was used to shutdown the controller while inside the loader (in case user wanted to shut it down).
It's not very useful, maybe the "extra" data is not that needed, but it's always nice to have all buttons available in a library.

 

[cucholix]

I just saw your other thread

yes, it was added few revision ago, and I think I'll remove it (as it's now supported directly from Libogc, I don't need the Fix94's WUPC library anymore)
Though I checked and libogc is missing 4 data (L3/R3/battery info/don't remember what else), I hope to add them back and maybe submit a patch to devkitpro devs.

L3+R3 was used to shutdown the controller while inside the loader (in case user wanted to shut it down).
It's not very useful, maybe the "extra" data is not that needed, but it's always nice to have all buttons available in a library.

I updated to 1262 and it doesn't recognize my Wii U Pro Controller in ULGX menu.

 

[GreyWolf]

I updated to 1262 and it doesn't recognize my Wii U Pro Controller in ULGX menu.

Sync it like a regular Wii remote.

 

[cucholix]

Sync it like a regular Wii remote.

I press the buttons the four lights start flashing but nothing happens, I even press the sync button in the back and no dice...
Also when I press the home button on the Wiimote it gets desync? And when I extract the batteries it give me DSI exception O.o

 

[GreyWolf]

I press the buttons the four lights start flashing but nothing happens, I even press the sync button in the back and no dice...
Also when I press the home button on the Wiimote it gets desync? And when I extract the batteries it give me DSI exception O.o

You have to sync it at the System Menu. It will turn off after it's connected but should work with homebrew that supports it afterwards.

 

[cucholix]

You have to sync it at the System Menu. It will turn off after it's connected but should work with homebrew that supports it afterwards.

Still doesn't connect...
Here's my GlobalSettings

Spoiler

# USB Loader GX R1262 - Main settings file
# Note: This file is automatically generated
godmode = 1
videomode = 0
videopatch = 0
videoPatchDol = 0
language = 10
ocarina = 0
hddinfo = 2
sinfo = 2
rumble = 1
volume = 0
sfxvolume = 80
gamesoundvolume = 100
tooltips = 1
RememberUnlock = 1
password =
GameSort = 1
LoaderIOS = 251
cios = 251
keyset = 0
xflip = 0
gridRows = 3
quickboot = 0
wsprompt = 1
parentalcontrol = 4
covers_path = sd:/usbloader_gx/images/3D/
covers2d_path = sd:/usbloader_gx/images/2D/
coversFull_path = sd:/usbloader_gx/images/full/
theme_path = sd:/usbloader_gx/theme/
theme = sd:/usbloader_gx/theme/Wiiverse.them
disc_path = sd:/usbloader_gx/images/disc/
language_path = sd:/usbloader_gx//english.lang
languagefiles_path = sd:/usbloader_gx/
TxtCheatcodespath = sd:/txtcodes/
titlestxt_path = sd:/usbloader_gx/
gamesound = 1
dolpath = sd:/
ogg_path =
wiilight = 0
gameDisplay = 3
update_path = sd:/apps/usbloader_gx/
homebrewapps_path = sd:/apps/
BNRCachePath = sd:/usbloader_gx/cache_bnr/
Cheatcodespath = sd:/codes/
BcaCodepath = sd:/bca/
WipCodepath = sd:/wip/
WDMpath = sd:/wdm/
titlesOverride = 0
ForceDiscTitles = 0
patchcountrystrings = 0
screensaver = 3
musicloopmode = 1
autonetwork = 0
discart = 2
coversfull = 0
partition = 20
marknewtitles = 1
ShowFreeSpace = 0
InstallToDir = 2
GameSplit = 0
InstallPartitions = FFFFFFFC
PlaylogUpdate = 0
ParentalBlocks = FFFFFFFF
returnTo =
HomeMenu = 0
MultiplePartitions = 1
USBPort = 2
USBAutoMount = 0
CacheTitles = 1
BlockIOSReload = 0
WSFactor = 0.800
FontScaleFactor = 0.600
ClockFontScaleFactor = 1.000
EnabledCategories = 0
RequiredCategories =
ForbiddenCategories =
Wiinnertag = 0
WiinnertagPath = sd:/config/
SelectedGame = -13
GameListOffset = 12
sneekVideoPatch = 0
NandEmuMode = 0
NandEmuChanMode = 1
NandEmuPath = sd:/
NandEmuChanPath = sd:/
UseSystemFont = 1
Hooktype = 0
WiirdDebugger = 0
WiirdDebuggerPause = 0
ShowPlayCount = 1
bannerFavIcon = 0
LoaderMode = 8
SearchMode = 0
GameAspectRatio = 2
PointerSpeed = 0.18
UseChanLauncher = 0
AdjustOverscanX = 1
AdjustOverscanY = 0
TooltipDelay = 1500
GameWindowMode = 0
CacheBNRFiles = 1
BannerAnimStart = 0
BannerGridSpeed = 25.6
BannerZoomDuration = 30
BannerProjectionOffsetX = 2
BannerProjectionOffsetY = 0
BannerProjectionWidth = 620
BannerProjectionHeight = 470
GCBannerScale = 1.5
GameCubePath = sd:/games/
GameCubeSDPath = sd:/games/
GameCubeMode = 2
GameCubeSource = 4
MultiDiscPrompt = 0
DMLVideo = 1
DMLProgPatch = 0
DMLNMM = 0
DMLActivityLED = 0
DMLPADHOOK = 0
DMLNoDisc2 = 0
DMLWidescreen = 0
DMLScreenshot = 0
DMLJPNPatch = 0
DMLDebug = 0
NINDeflicker = 0
NINPal50Patch = 0
NINWiiUWide = 0
NINVideoScale = 40
NINVideoOffset = 0
NINRemlimit = 0
NINArcadeMode = 0
NINMCEmulation = 2
NINMCSize = 4
NINAutoboot = 1
NINSettings = 2
NINUSBHID = 0
NINMaxPads = 4
NINNativeSI = 0
NINOSReport = 0
NINLED = 0
NINLog = 0
DEVOMCEmulation = 1
DEVOWidescreen = 0
DEVOActivityLED = 1
DEVOFZeroAX = 0
DEVOTimerFix = 0
DEVODButtons = 1
DEVOCropOverscan = 1
DEVODiscDelay = 0
DEVOLoaderPath = sd:/apps/gc_devo/
NINLoaderPath = sd:/apps/nintendont/
GCInstallCompressed = 0
GCInstallAligned = 0
PrivateServer = 0
CustomBannersURL = http://nintendont.gxarena.com/banners/

cIOS 251(base 58)
I'm launching it through a forwarder UNEO channel.