Hacking USB Loader GX

[mmnin]

Cyan Thank you so much for recommending the .cfg files. When I looked for them, I found the "config" folder where all of the USB Loader GX files are stored. So I decided to delete the whole folder and everything I knew was associated with USB Loader GX and reinstall v3.0 from scratch onto the new 32GB SDHC card. Everything seems to be working well with no problems with any of my games so far. I don't know what the issue could have been, but thank you for your help. All of your comments to others on the forums have answered so many questions for me while I was figuring out how to do the homebrew process. Nintendo should really do something similar to this in their future consoles, it is very nice.

 

[KesanGun]

This is the one USB Loader that works for me, but games crash intermittently, at a rate of once every 20-45 minutes. Typically some of the animation continues but the sound stops, the game becomes unplayable, and everything just hangs. This sounds to me like USB Loader GX stops loading from the HD-Could that be the case or is this likely to be something else?

 

[Cyan]

It shouldn't happen if you use d2x cIOS (which prevent drive sleeping).
But maybe your drive goes to sleep on a shorter delay than what the cIOS is programmed.

To prevent the drive from going to sleep, the cIOS is accessing the drive randomly every xxxx seconds (for example every 30 seconds).
If your drive is set to stop spinning after 20 seconds of inactivity for example, then the Wii can't access the data when it requires because the drive is stopped and there's no way to re-start it.

You should try disable the sleep timer of your drive.
If you have Seagate or Western Digital, they should provide an utility to do it.
If it's another brand, then you'll have to search if there is such application for your drive.

If you can, start by using another HDD to see if it's a HDD problem, or the loader, or your Wii, or the cIOS, etc.

 

[Etheboss]

Hmm, good call, i didnt think of that, the sleep timer...it is not a loader problem as you may have already read in the CFG topic and wiiflow topic Cyan...

 

[OriginalHamster]

I'm playing around with Dragon Quest X's IOS 59, to fix the problem with my USB hub, but no luck. Has it proved be usefull?

 

[CheatFreak47]

It shouldn't happen if you use d2x cIOS (which prevent drive sleeping).
But maybe your drive goes to sleep on a shorter delay than what the cIOS is programmed.

To prevent the drive from going to sleep, the cIOS is accessing the drive randomly every xxxx seconds (for example every 30 seconds).
If your drive is set to stop spinning after 20 seconds of inactivity for example, then the Wii can't access the data when it requires because the drive is stopped and there's no way to re-start it.

You should try disable the sleep timer of your drive.
If you have Seagate or Western Digital, they should provide an utility to do it.
If it's another brand, then you'll have to search if there is such application for your drive.

If you can, start by using another HDD to see if it's a HDD problem, or the loader, or your Wii, or the cIOS, etc.

Cyan Thank you so much for recommending the .cfg files. When I looked for them, I found the "config" folder where all of the USB Loader GX files are stored. So I decided to delete the whole folder and everything I knew was associated with USB Loader GX and reinstall v3.0 from scratch onto the new 32GB SDHC card. Everything seems to be working well with no problems with any of my games so far. I don't know what the issue could have been, but thank you for your help. All of your comments to others on the forums have answered so many questions for me while I was figuring out how to do the homebrew process. Nintendo should really do something similar to this in their future consoles, it is very nice.

I've actually noticed this bug as well. I've also seen this happen when opening the loader mode menu, and checking certain boxes. It's related to the configs having something wrong with them somehow, because as soon as I default my configs, and re enter all the same settings, it doesn't happen anymore. [Edit: If it ever happens again, i'll save the broken configs and upload them to the google code somewhere]

Some other minor bugs, since i'm posting.

If you press +/- as soon as you enter the homebrew menu, while the first 4 apps are fading in, scrolling back to the first page has them all semi-transparent. It's minor, but worth mentioning.

I think i mentioned this a long time ago, but the actual pointer graphics don't display correctly if your wii is set to 16:9, if you rotate the pointer, it stretches horizontally no matter the direction, as if it were displaying with the wii in 4:3 mode.

 

[Cyan]

I don't see any difference with the pointer.
Oh, wait, 2 pixel longer is horizontal instead of vertical? really?
I don't see any stretching problem with 16:9 when rotating the cursor. I used a ruler to measure it and it's always the same size. It's only a picture with a rotation value.

I'll try the homebrew menu issue.

I'm more concerned about the first issue with the config file.
If you can get a non working config file, let me know.

 

[CheatFreak47]

I don't see any difference with the pointer.
Oh, wait, 2 pixel longer is horizontal instead of vertical? really?
I don't see any stretching problem with 16:9 when rotating the cursor. I used a ruler to measure it and it's always the same size. It's only a picture with a rotation value.

I'll try the homebrew menu issue.

I'm more concerned about the first issue with the config file.
If you can get a non working config file, let me know.

I can prove my case.

I just figured it'd be worth mentioning seeing as many other homebrew have no such issue, like WiiMC for example. It's not a big deal or anything, it's just a minor graphical anomaly.

Edit: It might just be nitpicking, but the loader is already so perfect, the only issues I can find are minor ones like this.

 

[Cyan]

it's really not a problem for me that the cursor stretches a little, (not only when rotated horizontally, it's even stretched when used vertically)
It doesn't make the "target area" out of the cursor position. It's really a minor problem and I'll fix it later.

If you can only find graphical imperfection on the cursor, it's only because you use the loader always for the same thing and don't try all menus with different settings.
There are still a lot of other things to do or fix.

For example:
When using WBFS partition, Wiitdb doesn't always rename the game's titles.
Moving Wiitdb path doesn't move Wiitdb.xml file
MultiDisc gamecube "game size" display only the first disc size
Delete multiDisc Gamecube menu delete only the first disc
Copy to SD multiDisc Gamecube copy only the first disc
homebrew launcher use incorrect IOS if loader launched from priiloader
Winnertag updated when a game is not launched


There are also things I plan to add, which are not current bugs, like :
Official IOS for RealNAND WW/VC
Dump a RealNAND channel to EmuNAND without the need to do a full dump
neek2o support
rework the settings to simplify the menus (might reset the settings completely, users will have to redo all the settings, that's why I'll wait for that one).


And the things I've already added for next revision 1216:
Prevent user from launching Devolution from non-FAT32 partition
DML had wrong video mode set (multiple different video mode could be set instead of only one).
Missing icons in Game info window (multiplayer wifi 6 and wifi 10)
Ability to set device priority for Devolution when the user still have official MIOS and thus can't use "Auto"
DML padhook auto enabled if user enable screenshot
Missing "use global" language setting for gamecube games.
Added language setting support for Devolution
Some games couldn't be forced in 480p, I added a new video patching menu (MadWorld, MotoGP08, MarioParty8, etc.)
I added/fixed support for Gamecube controller and Classic controller in few menus
support for modified MBR signature (for WiiU)
prevent RockBand cursor on GameCube (Crashbandicoot, Beach Bandits, etc.)
Rework the video mode function (again).
And the usual "updates" for Devo settings (button mapping) and DML version (2.10)

 

[CheatFreak47]

I don't know about re-working the settings (to be honest, the settings aren't all that complicated at the moment)

The planned new additions all sound pretty cool. Especially neek2o support and the individual channel dumper.

As for the cursor bug, Like I said, it's a minor bug, but a bug nonetheless. Obviously it doesn't take priority over any other major bugs.

By the way, "homebrew launcher use incorrect IOS if loader launched from priiloader" I think has more to do with AHBPROT being enabled or disabled before the loader boots (Maybe because the loader boots other apps how it was booted?) There are updated priiloader versions with launch with AHBPROT, and that makes all apps boot the way they would through HBC, so I'm not even sure if this is something that can have much done about it, other than just telling anyone who experiences this to update to a newer priiloader beta, one newer than the version that comes with ModMii.

 

[Cyan]

no, it's because Homebrew launching currently reload the IOS which was used before launching the loader.
If you launch from HBC or from the forwarder, they are both using IOS58
If you launch the loader directly from Priiloader, it reload IOS36 before launching homebrew like WiiMC and it complains that it require IOS58.

I will add an IOS setting for homebrew (or always force to 58).

About the general setting, I want to separate Loader settings in two.
Actual "Loader settings" related to the loader only.
and "Game settings" (the Global game settings), or probably separate also in two "Wii game settings" and "Gamecube game settings".

I'll also remove some prefix "DML" or "DEVO" and use a single one when they all share the same things, like Widescreen or LED, etc.
The user doesn't need multiple option doing the same thing.

 

[OriginalHamster]

Cyan do you have a tentative release date for r1216? Some changes and additions sound really interesting

 

[Cyan]

in few hours, if not today it will be tomorrow.
I decided to do two revisions at the same time.
r1216 with all the changes above, and r1217 will have the new video modes. Doing a separate revision with only the video will help users to test and report problem.

I want to change video mode to match what the user choose.
If the user choose Force PAL480p, it's currently setting video mode to NTSC.
if the user choose Force PAL60 (480i) or Force NTSC (480i), it's currently setting video mode based on current Wii settings (if the Wii in in 480p, it's patching the Wii to 480p instead of asked mode 480i)

So, I'm changing this behavior in r1217.
PAL will be PAL, interlace will be interlace.

Note (r1216):
Until now, setting a video mode set that video mode to the Wii only.
Some games base their video mode on the Wii settings, some other games don't.

The game choose the best video mode from a list of compatible mode it has in the main.dol
Patching the Wii settings is not always enough.
That's why games like Mario Party 8 PAL couldn't run in 480p even when using "Force 480p".
The video mode setting set the Wii to 480p but the game has only interlace modes to choose from in the game's main.dol so it can't match "Wii setting" with "game compatible mode".
You need to patch the main.dol to replace all interlace to progressive by using the newly added setting "Patch video dol" to patch the internal game's video mode too.

 

[OriginalHamster]

The new video patch dol works for every game that don't support 480p? Because I'm interested in playing Tenchu in 480p.

 

[Cyan]

I don't know, I didn't test a lot of games (actually I don't know which games can't be forced).
It worked fine with the games I tested. You'll have to test with Tenchu.

There are still games which can't be forced, like MadWorld PAL.
It black screen, or freeze if using a non compatible video mode.


Edit:
r1216/r1217 are released.
http://www.mediafire.com/folder/t2x95zd9rz3rc/USBLoaderGX

Use r1217 as default. Use only r1216 if you find problem with games like freeze or blackscreen.
It now really use PAL when you select Force PAL, instead of using NTSC
It now really use Interlace when you select Force PAL60 or Force NTSC, instead of detecting your Wii settings
Use Game/Console default if you want auto-detection.


If you find a video mode problem/blackscreen/freeze, please follow this before reporting:

• Test r1216 AND r1217 with same settings, be sure it works on r1216
• Provide Wii region, game name, game region and all the video settings you used
• Don't report problem if you used a non logical video mode. Don't report the problem if you forced PAL on NTSC games for example, it's your fault if it's not working, not the loader's fault.

It's less "noobproof", but it's more logical to set the video mode to the one you selected. You have to learn to select the correct mode.

 

[JarieSuicune]

Sorry, I searched through the thread a bit (it IS over 800 pages long...), and couldn't find a clear answer.

I've been interested in using USB Loader on my WiiU, but still can't find a clear statement of what works/doesn't anywhere. Some things I've tested work a little, others crash right off, some work better than on my Wii.

In particular, what is needed to be installed to use USB Loader on the WiiU? Do I just install "IOS236", then "CMIOS", then CIOS222? (same as on my Wii)
And, are any, at this stage, showing signs of causing issues with the system (even WiiU side, though I doubt it could, I still worry, not having a fix if somehow a brick occured; I'd rather be paranoid than bricked).


edit: Also, I've noticed a lot of comments that seem to be about running GameCube on the WiiU's Wii mode? How does that possibly work? Or am I just misunderstanding that?

 

[Cyan]

do NOT install cMIOS or DIOS MIOS or DIOS MIOS Lite.
The WiiU doesn't use MIOS slot anymore, there's no official GameCube support so the Gamecube IOS is not available.



What you need on WiiU : 1 file.
cIOS 249 and ... That's all! one, single IOS, and USBLoaderGX is working.


If you followed a proper guide, you probably installed the correct IOS:

in slot 249 : d2x v10 (beta52), based on IOS 56
in slot 250 : d2x v10 (beta52), based on IOS 57
Maybe IOS236 (based on IOS36)

If d2x v10 (beta52) doesn't recognize the HDD very well, you can try to install v10-alt (beta53) instead.

DO NOT install any other system file.
If you install/replace things randomly, you will brick your vWii.
READ the guides all around the forum, they all explain and tell what you can do and what you can't do. Read the stickied topics!



About GameCube :
Like I said, there's no gamecube mode anymore. Nintendo removed support for GameCube mode.
The only possibility is to play GameCube games in Wii mode, and there are two methods : Devolution (released) and Nintendont (not released yet).

 

[Shiranui-san]

Cyan, do you remember the codedumps I posted a few pages back? I can now tell that if I perform the following sequence, I get a codedump 100% of the times:

- Configure USB Loader GX (always r1215) to play mp3/ogg files in the menu. I've tried placing those sound files in both my SD and USB drive.
- Display on GX menu my GC games list and select one of them. Play a little, then turn off my Wii or use Dios Mios Padhook option.
- Go to HBC, then load GX. Now it loads fine, but when I change the GC games list to Wii games list, or just displaying both lists at the same time, I'm getting the codedump.
- I've repeated this sequence like 50-60 times in the last two days.
- Now, if that same sequence is repeated but when GX is playing its default sound theme, I can swap between the lists and the codedump won't show up.

 

[OriginalHamster]

I'm using r1217 and these are my test so far with the new video patch, forcing to 480p NTSCU (games previously only running in 480i) :

• Madwold [NTSCU] | Works
• Tenchu: Shadow Assassins [NTSCU] | Doesn't Work
• Alone in The Dark [NTSCU] | Works
• Harvest Moon Magical Melody [NTSCU] | Works
• Harvest Moon Tree of Tranquility [NTSCU] | Works
• Target Terror [NTSCU] | Works
• Sakura Wars [NTSCU] | Works

It's very bad luck on my part, the all the games tested the only one not working in 480p is Tenchu , maybe using another hook it could work?

 

[Cyan]

Thanks Shiranui-san, I will check what's wrong with audio player. There's another issue about audio in google code too. (starting the loader when audio player is set to random)

But, is playing a GC game before restarting the loader what triggers the bug?
When you say "Play a little" it's playing the game (you said select one of them), or the audio file? DM PADhook setting is important to the bug report? if you don't touch this setting it doesn't bug?
If you only display gamecube game list without launching the game or changing the setting it's not enough?
you need to select one of the game?
" turn off my Wii or use Dios Mios Padhook" only one of these two possibilities?

I'm pretty sure Padhook has nothing to do with Audio bug.

only report useful/minimal elements to trigger the bug.



OriginalHamster:
When you said "not working" it meant 480i ? or black screen ? or freeze ? picture stutters/blinks? has dual pictures (240p on top, green screen on bottom)? moves vertically ?

You tested with ForceNTSC480p + Patch Dol "Enabled" or "All" ?

USBLoaderGX has 31 known video modes (taken from Libogc and from MotoGP08 which I added myself).
But there are still games using different video modes, that's why I added possibility to patch unknown modes but it could result in wrong patched area in the dol.

"Enable" replaces known video modes only.
"All" replaces even the unknown video modes as long as it finds 2 bytes pattern in the main.dol, that's why it can corrupt the dol if the patcher finds these 2 bytes in a "non video mode" area in the dol.

As enable replace only the known ones, the game could still choose to use the unknown 480i mode not patched found in the dol.
And if you use "All", it replace them all with only one video mode, and it could be that the video mode used in USBLoaderGX is not compatible with that game.
There are 30+ video modes, USBLoaderGX force only 5 different modes!*
The best way would be to allow user to choose from all the 31 known modes (and even the other ones, but they need to be added).


Could you send me the main.dol ? I'll check video modes in that game.


edit:
USBLoaderGX replace video modes to only these 5 :
TVPal528IntDf (PAL 576i)
TVEurgb60Hz480IntDf (PAL 480i)
TVEurgb60Hz480Prog (PAL 480p)
TVNtsc480IntDf (NTSC 480i)
TVNtsc480Prog (NTSC 480p)

there's no Mpal for example.
NTSC have different 480 progressive modes:
TVNtsc480Prog, TVNtsc480ProgSoft, TVNtsc480ProgAa, but the loader only use the first one.

I can make you a version where you can select more modes manually.