Hacking USB Loader GX

[Vanya]

I see. Thanks for the quick reply anyway.

 

[e2zippo]

Hey guys! Been using Wiiflow for a while now and while it's great, i'm leaning towards going back to usb loader gx again!
Just one question, what would be the best way to setup retroarch? I'm using three cores, SNES, NES and VBA. Maybe this is the wrong topic for this, if that's the case, I'm sorry!

Many thanks Cyan for an awesome loader!

 

[Cyan]

I never used retroarch so I can't help you with its settings.

the loader is not mine, I'm only the last dev working (a little) on it on my spare times.

 

[OriginalHamster]

Hey cyan,
I'm having problems with Shiren The Wanderer, the aspect ratio seems affect characters shadows and they are completely out of place, forcing the game to 4:3 fix the problem, but you need to do it directly on Wii System Settings, forcing aspect ratio through ULGX doesn't work, which is strange because it does work with other games like Resident Evil 4.

Any hint?

More info: tested it with d2x v6, both base 56 and 57.
I atached the main.dol for the game, in case it helps

Thanks!

 

[garbanzox]

I've learned that there are several games that, if injected into a nand dump using ShowMiiWads, will not work in USB Loader GX via emunand.

However, if these same wads are installed onto real nand, and then that nand is dumped via USB Loader GX, they work just fine via emunand.

Is there a compatibility list out there showing which WiiWare/VC games do not work in USB Loader GX when injected into a nand dump? I have a big hard drive attached to my Wii and would like to get all WiiWare/VC titles working through emunand, but without a compatibility list, it would be a daunting task.

I've searched around for days and have had no luck.

Thanks!

 

[Cyan]

OriginalHamster:
I don't have that game, but other users reported the same aspect ratio problem with different games (mainly with channels/emuNAND).
I can take a look, but I don't know if I can fix it, as the aspect ratio setting was done by Giantpune/Dimok using reverse engineering and ASM. I don't have that knowledge.

garbanzox:
I think this is not a problem anymore.
I didn't see recent report with that issue, the main issue with EmuNAND is that some games doesn't work at all without Neek mode.

I fixed the wad installation in the latest revision, you should use it to install wads (or ShowMiiWads, it will work fine too).

If you see any games which doesn't work in emuNAND, but does if you do a NAND dump, let me know.
Some games have issues when played in emuNAND (like TokiTori). It's maybe one of the game you are referring to, but it ends corrupted if played on EmuNAND even if you dump your real NAND with that game installed.

 

[garbanzox]

Thanks Cyan. Maybe it's just my setup or maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I do have this problem with some games. Two specific games that I was working with last night - Castlevania and MDK2 - both work the way I described. If I install straight into emunand they crash, but if I install to real nand then dump to emunand, they play through the loader.

I have not tried using the loader to install the wads into emunand, only ShowMiiWads. I'll do that tonight and report back.

 

[Cyan]

Castlevania is a title reported not working unless using neek/neek2o.
I didn't know it worked if you installed it on realNAND before dumping it.

If installing the game on EmuNAND (using the loader's internal wad installer) doesn't work, can you test to install it on realNAND but NOT dump it again.
Just install it both on real and emu, and see if the one on emuNAND works.
Maybe some files are still accessed on realNAND, and without these the game can't work.


Also, verify that you are using "EmuNAND Channel: Full" in the settings.
"Partial" for channels installed on EmuNAND would defeat the EmuNAND purpose.

 

[OriginalHamster]

OriginalHamster:
I don't have that game, but other users reported the same aspect ratio problem with different games (mainly with channels/emuNAND).
I can take a look, but I don't know if I can fix it, as the aspect ratio setting was done by Giantpune/Dimok using reverse engineering and ASM. I don't have that knowledge.

Don't worry it's a minor annoyance, strange enough it doesn't happen under vWii so everything is cool.
Real Wii try forcing 16:9 with some games, in other cases it respect the original aspect ratio, in vWii case it seems it always will fit the screen to the game correct aspect.

 

[phunetik]

Hi all! I'm sorry for what I am sure is a repeated question... but where is there a definitive guide with detailed walkthrough for getting Dios Mios working with USB Loader GX? I have tried everything with no luck. Please help. Please.

 

[Cyan]

Setup DM/DML for USBLoaderGX​

HARDWARE:

• HDD must not be bigger than 2TB
• HDD must be 512bytes per sector (Advanced format, or 4096 bytes per sector is not working)

SOFTWARE:
HDD

• 512 byte/sector
• first physical partition (if your drive is partitioned, games need to be on the FIRST primary partition of the drive)
• Partition table need to be MBR (not GPT)
• Partition need to be primary (not extended/logical)
• Partition need to be formated to FAT32
• Cluster size need to be 32k/cluster or less.

SD Card

• FAT16/32
• Cluster size need to be 64k/cluster or less.

All the Hardware and software requirement is checked by USBLoaderGX. if your drive is not compatible or not correctly setup, you will see a warn message when launching a game.


Wii:

• Connect the drive to USB Port 0
• If you connect to USBPort1, DO NOT CONNECT any HDD on port 0.
• You need BC v6

Installation and Loader setup:

• install DIOS MIOS 2.10 or newer wad file using your favorite Wad Manager.
• update USBLoaderGX to at least 1218 (don't use 3.0, it's not compatible with latest DM/L). Latest revision is always recommended.
• Launch USBLoaderGX and enable gamecube in the 4th icon on the top menu.
• Go to USBLoaderGX > Settings > Paths > Main Gamecube path : USB1:/games/ (You need USB1 ! if you don't have "1", your HDD is not correctly setup.)
• Insert a game disc in your Wii, select install, it will install the game ISO to your USB's first partition, in 1:1 format. (you can compress+align32k if you want, but always try 1:1 ISO first!)
  or
• copy your iso to USB:/games/whatever you like/game.iso (the 4 letters g+a+m+e, not the game's title)
  
  example:
  /games/Zelda Wind Waker [GZLP01]/game.iso
  
  
• Do not use DiscEx, GCReEx or DMToolBox. they are useless. Always use full, untouched, uncompressed 1:1 ISO the first time you try a game. if it works, then you can try to compress it to get more free space on your hdd or SD card..
  
  
• Verify that the "Gamecube mode" is set to MIOS in the global settings/individual game settings.
  (there are 3 modes : MIOS/Devolution/Nintendont)
  
• Verify that the "Gamecube source" is set to Auto in the global settings > Loader settings.
  or set to "Main folder" or "SD folder", if you want to display only one folder at a time.
  
  
• Launch the game.

Errors:

• Black screen on launch: Your HDD is probably not compatible. Even if you didn't see any warning in USBLoaderGX, and all setup is correct, your hardware is not compatible.
• You see the DIOS MIOS Splash screen, but there's an error: Your ISO is wrong, not in the correct partition or you have two HDD connected to the Wii.

 

[garbanzox]

Castlevania is a title reported not working unless using neek/neek2o.
I didn't know it worked if you installed it on realNAND before dumping it.

If installing the game on EmuNAND (using the loader's internal wad installer) doesn't work, can you test to install it on realNAND but NOT dump it again.
Just install it both on real and emu, and see if the one on emuNAND works.
Maybe some files are still accessed on realNAND, and without these the game can't work.


Also, verify that you are using "EmuNAND Channel: Full" in the settings.
"Partial" for channels installed on EmuNAND would defeat the EmuNAND purpose.

The answer is YES, if I install the wad real and emu, the emu version runs.

 

[Cyan]

I see.
Thanks for testing.

 

[DarkStalkerBR]

Hi guys,

I'm stuck with a problem here.

When loading USB Loader GX from my HDD, it loads successfully,
but when I copy the the App and Nand directories to a FlashDrive of 16GB, the USB Loader GX got stuck on a loading screen with the message "Reinitializing devices".
The same occurs with my other 8GB Flash Drive.
Curious is that this FLash Drives works perfectly before, using this loader.

I'm using version 1218_mod01.


Another question is:
How to download DLCs from Just Dance series (I already have downlaoded and installed the Wads for hacking downloading they) and install them not on my SD or Wii internal memory,
but on the EmuNand? Is it safe? How to do it?
And how to do this and keep the save files off all game on my Wii Internal Memory?


I really appreciate any help.
I'm searching for some help to solve this problems, but can't find!

Thx

 

[Cyan]

Did you correctly connected it to USBPort0?
Are you launching from forwarder or from hbc? if it's from hbc, verify that your meta.xml contains the tag </no_ios_reload> or the tag </ahb_access>.

Wifi/online doesn't work with EmuNAND. You can't download DLC using it.
What you can do is use realNAND to download it, then dump your NAND again, and either use it or use showmiiwads to extract the DLC.


You can't use EmuNAND with keeping your savegame on Wii.
You can do the contrary: use games from Wii but save on EmuNAND, but I guess it's not what you want.

 

[DarkStalkerBR]

Hi Cyan,

again you helping me. :-)
You help me alot long time ago (more than a year), but sure you can't remember with so much people you help :-)
You really keep the good work here!


So, I correctly connect the Flash Drive on the USB Port 0. Always use this port, I know.

I'm launching it from a forwarder. But look for the meta.xml on homebrew broswer (SD:\apps\homebrew_browser), and it do not contains </no_ios_reload> or the tag </ahb_access>.
So I add the </ahb_access> (just this) one line before the </app> tag.

Try to launch from forwarder, I got the same "Reinitializing devices".
Then from HBC, and stuck at the "Initializing USB Device".

I'm lost here.... :-(
Need a new forwarder? Which one?
And HBC?

This is from meta.xml
<name>Homebrew Browser</name>
<coder>teknecal</coder>
<version>0.3.6</version>
<release_date>200909290000</release_date>



About Just Dance DLC, I don't think my Wii have internal memory to save all DLCs songs and then Dump the Nand to EmuNand.
Unless I dump some, extract then with ShowMiiWads, and do the process all over again until the last song. Then mix all together on a final NAND.
Not that my wife doesn't deserves this effort, but I will lose my life on this process :-)
There's not a way around, a simpler way?


About the Save I got what is describe.
I think that I misunderstood the Nand Emulation (save) option, using OFF, Partial or Full.
Same on Nand Emulation Channel.
Can you clarify this options? What should I use?


Cyan, thx for all your help!

 

[Cyan]

For Wii games and Channels installed on Real NAND :
EmuNAND Save:
OFF = save savegame to Wii, load settings (Mii, network, wiimote, etc.) and data (Channel game's data) from Wii
Partial = save savegame to EmuNAND, load settings (Mii, network, wiimote, etc.) and data (Channel game's data) from Wii
FULL = save savegame to EmuNAND, load settings (Mii, network, wiimote, etc.) and data (Channel game's data) from EmuNAND *

* This option shouldn't be used for Channels installed on Real NAND, as it will try to load the channel from EmuNAND instead.

For channels installed on EmuNAND:
EmuNAND Channel:
OFF: this option doesn't exists. EmuNAND is required to load from EmuNAND, so it's either partial or full.
FULL: save savegame to EmuNAND, load settings (Mii, network, wiimote, etc.) and data (Channel game's data) from EmuNAND
Partial: save savegame to EmuNAND, load settings (Mii, network, wiimote, etc.) and data (Channel game's data) from Wii*

* Shouldn't be used at all. I need to remove that option. It's only confusing for users.
It's works only if you have BOTH the channels installed on RealNAND and EmuNAND. it's useful if you want to list only EmuNAND games in the loader, but launch them from RealNAND (because it doesn't work on emuNAND) and still save on EmuNAND.

It's easier to display channels on both RealNAND and emuNAND, and set "EmuNAND Save" to partial to do the same thing. then do some filtering to hide the channels you don't want to see from realNAND.



For the DLC:
There's another way around, but it involve piracy.
Download wads, install them on EmuNAND.


For the device detection:

I don't understand why you are talking about Homebrew browser.
You need to edit the meta.xml in the loader's folder if you want to add </ahb_access>
apps/usbloader_gx/meta.xml

Try to revert back to r1217 if r1218 doesn't work.
I don't know all your setup to help you correctly.

 

[DarkStalkerBR]

Back again Cyan,

Sorry, my bad on meta.xml edit.
I restored the HBC one, and edit the meta.xml file of usbloader_gx.
It didn't have the 2 tags that you specified, so I added </ahb_access> before the </app>
Don't need to write <ahb_access> (without /) before, right?

EDIT: Reinstalled the forwarder and tried using the HBC. Same errors described before.

Using SD card (2GB) as FAT32 and Flash Drive as FAT32 to. But Flash can be at NTFS to, right?

I'm still lost here


About Just Dance DLCs, I'll try to find them and add to my WW/VC Huge Collection.
I'm searching for them now.


About The EmuNand, I understand your last reply about options on Save and Channels, but can't conciliate with first reply.
Questions are : Can I use EmuNand and Save mode on OFF to play WiiGame (Just Dance) and place the Save game on Wii Internal memory?
Later I can Import all Saves from Wii Memory to EmuNand and set Saves options to Partial to use saves just on EmuNand?

Based on your last reply, I can.
I'm trying this because a Flash Drive stay at home for Just Dace, other Flash for GC, and I can use my External HDD at work, until I buy another final External HDD just for Wii (My other one is in my Xbox 360).


Thx for all help!



Edit:
Reverted back to version 1217 and now both Forwarder and HBC stuck at Initialize USB Device.

 

[uyjulian]

When I using version 1218 sometimes it slows down on the hdd countdown timer when booting the HDD, and when I unplug HDD it continues but HDD hangs so I have to unplug and replug HDD. This doesn't happen if HDD is already spinning. How do I fix ??

 

[starwarsfan541]

I updated my Cios through modmii and now I cant install disks to my usb drive or play games on them (besides gamecube they work fine) on this or any other backup loader

Anyone have any ideas? Error I get is "can not create path"