Hacking USB Loader GX

[Sypherone]

@ChibiMofo If they work at YOU its fine. BUT how do you explain there exist a Compatibility List and there exist a lot of threads with "why my drive doesnt work on a USB Loader" and in result its a problem because they use a USB Flashdrive? AND if you ask our longterm experts from our community, with their experience they will state you USB Flasdrive are worst option for use on a USB Loader because of incompatibility. They may work or not, mostly not or have issues.

And again if they work at YOU or your friends its fine. But as you dont give any support on this Forum in any of such cases if a member comes up why his drive doesnt work on a USB Loader. Better stop talking about it.

As suggestion, as your USB Flashdrive stick works flawless. You may mention it here (Model, Size, Product ID) and add it to the mentioned compatibility list, or ask someone else to do it maybe a moderator.

 

[jeannotte]

." They are the best option for the reasons I stated and the fact that many of us have never had a single incompatibility in a decade of using them.

Good morning,

talk about your USB keys 'in general) @Cyan , he will tell you what he thinks about it

 

[Maeson]

I'm sorry but I am going to agree with Chibimofo. I've used a large variety of USB drives over the ~12 years I've been using my Wii, they never were to blame of any problem. I've used them on other people's systems, no issue. Heck, a couple of them are still relegated to Wii duties directly since 2011 or 2012 and still work fine, and thank goodness because I don't feel like ripping double-layered games like Samurai Warriors 3 or Xenoblade Chronicles again.

Integral, Sandisk, Kingston DataTraveler, Toshiba (now Kyoxia) are among the brands I've used. Not only to play games but also for ripping and watching videos or things like that.

I really wonder why such disparity in experiences. Is it known if there are significant changes on the USB slots between Wii's different revisions as there is with the disc drives? I don't even know if that could affect this that badly, but I know there's something like that with the PS2. My system is a RVL-60.

I'm sure a bunch of examples could be easily explained by trashy flash drives from Amazon or Aliexpress, and there's an absolute nightmare world in the fake USB/SD market, but not everybody with issues has to be using faulty devices.

Also, it's not like there aren't hundreds of examples of people having issues with hdds throughout the years too... This forum and sites like Reddit are filled with messages about it.

 

[Sypherone]

@Maeson You need firstly to learn to difference between incompatible and wrong configured, then you can search between the threads. Most hdd drives work on a USB Loader, the most upcoming problem on hdd is simly they are wrong set up:
Wrong partitiontable, Filesystem format, wrong Allocation unit, oversized >2TB, wrong or no Y-Cable, multipartition with GPT (dont work), using wrong port. Or if games dont run, wrong named folder, ID, ISO/wbfs or corrupted images, wrong settings inside USBLGX.
Then they work.

On a USB Flashdrive is using the WBFS filesystem the last suggestion. If this dont work, the flashdrive is incompatible.

The main problem is inside the cIOS patch, the d2x has a USB modul "Mini EHCI" thats not official and gives transferspeed of USB 2.0. Its this simplyfied version of Intels own implementation of "EHCI" (wich is licened) and causes this incompatibility. This modul was implemented as USB 1.0 with very low tranferrates was still the standard.
The IOS 58 has the official USB 2.0 Support created by the USB consortium. So using IOS 58 or cIOS(base58) as Loader IOS may work as workaround if issues appear with drive recognition.

And next time i will give the thread to YOU if a Flashdrive problem comes up. I am sure you will troubleshoot it.

//EDIT: Dont miss understand, as iam taking this discusion the multiple thousand times. If the USB Flashdrive works flawless its nice, its what we all want. But OUR experience says NO, they are mostly the pain in your ass.

BTW, because of this incompatibility issues the Developer cyan of USB Loader GX asked once the Developer of the cIOS to remove this "Mini EHCI" Modul and implement the official USB 2.0 support. But never happened.

 

[Cyan]

Good morning,

talk about your USB keys 'in general) @Cyan , he will tell you what he thinks about it

Hey, I'm the bad guy now ?
what will people who don't know me think now ?
I've posted too much "usb" pictures here haha

BTW, because of this incompatibility issues the Developer cyan of USB Loader GX asked once the Developer of the cIOS to remove this "Mini EHCI" Modul and implement the official USB 2.0 support. But never happened.

I don't know if the non-mini ehci (usb) module can fit in all the cIOSes.
When using IOS58 it's already in there by Nintendo with all the other cIOS features, so maybe it's possible.

 

[ChibiMofo]

@Maeson You need firstly to learn to difference between incompatible and wrong configured, then you can search between the threads. Most hdd drives work on a USB Loader, the most upcoming problem on hdd is simly they are wrong set up:
Wrong partitiontable, Filesystem format, wrong Allocation unit, oversized >2TB, wrong or no Y-Cable, multipartition with GPT (dont work), using wrong port. Or if games dont run, wrong named folder, ID, ISO/wbfs or corrupted images, wrong settings inside USBLGX.
Then they work.

On a USB Flashdrive is using the WBFS filesystem the last suggestion. If this dont work, the flashdrive is incompatible.

The main problem is inside the cIOS patch, the d2x has a USB modul "Mini EHCI" thats not official and gives transferspeed of USB 2.0. Its this simplyfied version of Intels own implementation of "EHCI" (wich is licened) and causes this incompatibility. This modul was implemented as USB 1.0 with very low tranferrates was still the standard.
The IOS 58 has the official USB 2.0 Support created by the USB consortium. So using IOS 58 or cIOS(base58) as Loader IOS may work as workaround if issues appear with drive recognition.

And next time i will give the thread to YOU if a Flashdrive problem comes up. I am sure you will troubleshoot it.

//EDIT: Dont miss understand, as iam taking this discusion the multiple thousand times. If the USB Flashdrive works flawless its nice, its what we all want. But OUR experience says NO, they are mostly the pain in your ass.

BTW, because of this incompatibility issues the Developer cyan of USB Loader GX asked once the Developer of the cIOS to remove this "Mini EHCI" Modul and implement the official USB 2.0 support. But never happened.

That's nice. But USB flashdrives work all day every day and have for nearly a decade. They aren't the pain in the ass. Throwing up your hands and suggesting that every problem someone has is because of the USB Flashdrive is how we got here. It is confirmation bias, and it needs to stop. I've helped enough people on Discord and Reddit over the years get past issues that had nothing to do with their USB Flashdrives to know that they work. And they work flawlessly too. (Not all, of course. China makes millions of counterfeit USB flashdrives.)

 

[Sypherone]

That's nice.

Its not just nice its perfect.

Throwing up your hands and suggesting that every problem someone has is because of the USB Flashdrive is how we got here.

What the Hell are reading or dreaming and interpreting? Just for your interest thread flashdrive discussion

And instead of being technical, the people like you come only come out of the hood with at them perfect USB Flash drives that works at them flawless and prays them as the perfect solution. But you never see them solving a members USB drive problem.

10 threads about USB drive problems with flashdrives that cant be solved, one discussion and the Flashdrives are the perfect solution.

 

[Maeson]

You should relax, this behavior is not necessary.

Thanks for the technical details, I will look for more information about the matter. I did not know it was CIOS related and not the system itself.

Still, it just makes the entire matter more puzzling to me, because as I said everything flash-drive I tried with the Wiis I had access to has worked. Looking at the link in the message above. I agree that going for the cheapest stuff is always a terrible idea (specially buying online where fakes are everywhere) that I already mentioned on my last message, but that can be applied to pretty much anything, and saying that the results from a trashy drive made to scam and a decently made one are going to be the same is just not true.

I still maintain my experience just like you do yours.

Just to be clear I only talk about Wii. I've never done any modding on Wii U, nor do I look at that subforum besides the Nintendont thread. I know that system is its own can of worms and both it and the WIi can differ in these matters.

Also:

And instead of being technical, the people like you come only come out of the hood with at them perfect USB Flash drives that works at them flawless and prays them as the perfect solution. But you never see them solving a members USB drive problem.

Right on the post above yours that you quote:

I've helped enough people on Discord and Reddit over the years get past issues that had nothing to do with their USB Flashdrives to know that they work.

Which I also have done several times and I've helped set up friends' systems too. I always preferred forums but nowadays people seem to prefer those sites, specially Discord because it's in real time.

 

[Sypherone]

Thanks for the technical details, I will look for more information about the matter. I did not know it was CIOS related and not the system itself.

This EHCI created by intel and the official USB standard are using Protocols to communicate with the drive. It checks the drive for specific information which it needs to retrive to establish a connection (Handshake) and be able to send and recive data packages. In this hole process is something different between the (Mini) EHCI and official USB, as other information needs to be stored on the drive and be recieved.

For example its the same with third party Wiimotes, they use a different bluetooth protocol that causes disconnecting problems inside USB Loader GX.

I've helped enough people on Discord and Reddit

As iam also reading, searching on Reddit and getting information from there. There are the same tips, tricks, problems, suggestions and solutions as here.

//EDIT: Maybe you can create some recommendations for USB Flashdrives, as iam interested in solutions that work for sure.

 

[godreborn]

Hey, I'm the bad guy now ?
what will people who don't know me think now ?
I've posted too much "usb" pictures here haha


I don't know if the non-mini ehci (usb) module can fit in all the cIOSes.
When using IOS58 it's already in there by Nintendo with all the other cIOS features, so maybe it's possible.

ah, yes, my stargate friend.

@blackb0x , I finally updated after being on 1272 for years. no issues to report.

 

[Sonic3320]

I still have the same issue with the newest versions of USBGX of emunand and all custom settings not working on disc games. The last version this feature worked well was 1247, all games that I have on disc and on the USB drive work fine with emunand, after the sneek detection and integration was implemented, this happens. If I insert the disc and install the game on the drive, emunand and cheats start to work, even though the settings themselves were unchanged between the process. It is supposed to activate sneek only on channels which is a good idea but I think the modes are not switched properly, like it is running only through SNEEK+DI. An option to change SNEEK modes would be greatly appreciated.
I know that loading everithing on USB is objectively better but I think having the option to patch and use disc games as well is incredibly useful. I know it is "USB Loader" after all, but I really liked this program because all installed games, channels and disc could run in one place but I am still stuck on 1247 because of emunand and cheats not working on discs. It works ok but many cool features, mostly related to Nintendont and wiimmfi are not working because I have to be stuck on such an old version.

----------
edit:I made further tests, removing the SNEEK folder and such so if doing this it would be forced to use emunand on disc games and no, the issue is not the sneek integration, it is just that USBGX is ignoring custom settings all together if you click on the option to run a game on the disc. Emunand it is just easier to notice, but if I try to use wiimmfi on a Mario Kart Wii disc it doesnt work, but it magically works if the game is installed on a usb drive

 

[wei134102]

question：
Has anyone ever encountered a crash when GX switches WII and NGC games from the top button of the interface?
2T wd fat32 mbr,ios249 base 57 ios250 base58!
gx version 1262

 

[r1vver]

gx version 1262

1262? Is that the one from 2016-10-19 anno Domini?

 

[Sypherone]

@wei134102 Do you use a Y-Cable? The drive might be underpowered. A Indication is if USBLGX stucks and is not responding.

r1281 by blackb0x (latest/recommended), it has a lot of new features, fixed issues and improvements e.g :

• Play Wii games from SD-Card
• Automatic used cIOS selection for games by scanning the cIOS and their used base.
• A recommended cIOS setting with new base order, no IOS reloading will then be needed :
  • ciOS 249(base56), 250(base57), 251(base38) (Wii) / (base58) (vWii)
  • For higher game compatibilty, add: cIOS 248(base38) (Wii only!!) and 251(base58) (Wii+vWII)
• A new d2x v11 beta1 patch based on d2x-v10-beta52 with same USB 2.0 support. And contains additional bug fixes like a RiiConnect24 compatibility problem and it also adds EmuNAND UStealth support. Use latest installer Wii / vWii.

 

[XFlak]

Small feature request, put it way back at the end of the queue, lol

But I always liked how cfg usb loader would prompt u before launching a game with cheats, to confirm if u want to load normally or with cheats. I'd love to see this added to gx (and wfl too for that matter), but ultimately it's a minor suggestion

Thx for the awesome tool my friend!

 

[ecto]

@wei134102

• Automatic used cIOS selection for games by scanning the cIOS and their used base.
• A recommended cIOS setting with new base order, no IOS reloading will then be needed :
  • ciOS 249(base56), 250(base57), 251(base38) (Wii) / (base58) (vWii)
  • For higher game compatibilty, add: cIOS 248(base38) (Wii only!!) and 251(base58) (Wii+vWII)

I just updated my USB Loader and cIOS slots. I chose the recommended cIOS setup 249(base56) / 250(base57) / 251(base38).
I'm just wondering some things:

• What do you mean that no IOS reloading is needed. Should I disable that in the loader settings?
• Why is this setup recommended if the other one has better compatibility? Don't we all need a higher compatibility?

 

[Sypherone]

What do you mean that no IOS reloading is needed. Should I disable that in the loader settings?

By the mentioned setting, the cios will not reloaded when a game starts. Which makes the game start a bit faster.

Why is this setup recommended if the other one has better compatibility? Don't we all need a higher compatibility?

The second basically is the same, but has additionally the cIOS 248(base38) (Wii only!!) and 251(base58) (Wii+vWII).

Normaly the first one recommended is enough to nearly run every game. But a few games require a base 38 or 58. See -> https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/Wii_cIOS_base_Compatibility_List

 

[ecto]

By the mentioned setting, the cios will not reloaded when a game starts. Which makes the game start a bit faster.

The second basically is the same, but has additionally the cIOS 248(base38) (Wii only!!) and 251(base58) (Wii+vWII).

Normaly the first one recommended is enough to nearly run every game. But a few games require a base 38 or 58. See -> https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/Wii_cIOS_base_Compatibility_List

Thanks for your help!
So that means, that if I disable the cIOS reload, the game loads faster, but the automatic selection will be disabled (so I'd have to set the game cIOS in the game settings)?

This compatibility list is interesting. But as far as I can see, base58 is only needed for We Sing! (as I don't have this game, my slot selections are indeed optimal.

 

[Sypherone]

In USBLGX v1280/1281 the auto select option is seperate and by default enabled, see in settings-> game cIOS "auto".

 

[wei134102]

@wei134102 Do you use a Y-Cable? The drive might be underpowered. A Indication is if USBLGX stucks and is not responding.

r1281 by blackb0x (latest/recommended), it has a lot of new features, fixed issues and improvements e.g :

• Play Wii games from SD-Card
• Automatic used cIOS selection for games by scanning the cIOS and their used base.
• A recommended cIOS setting with new base order, no IOS reloading will then be needed :
  • ciOS 249(base56), 250(base57), 251(base38) (Wii) / (base58) (vWii)
  • For higher game compatibilty, add: cIOS 248(base38) (Wii only!!) and 251(base58) (Wii+vWII)
• A new d2x v11 beta1 patch based on d2x-v10-beta52 with same USB 2.0 support. And contains additional bug fixes like a RiiConnect24 compatibility problem and it also adds EmuNAND UStealth support. Use latest installer Wii / vWii.

Thank you for your reply. The DSI error does not occur when the game is started, but only when the game type is switched. There is a plug-in version of 1262. I use it to manage other simulators. I have no programming ability to upgrade to 1281