Hacking USB Loader GX

[Kikirini]

I've been using clean rip, but it gave me a few issues as well. I have 13 original GC games, and only 5 worked on the first try. I had the same problems.

In the end, I removed my USB drive, and installed only what I needed to an SD Card (used a micro SD 4gb inside a converter personally) with enough space to hold the rip. Also, I used a non-abrasive, lint-free cloth (like the kind to clean glasses) and wiped the disc carefully before loading it in. The final 8 games all ripped fine for me on the first shot afterwards.

I'll buy a bigger SD drive and try that. I HOPE it's not the disc, as I bought a factory sealed copy Dx If this works, you will be my hero xD

 

[Padnarok]

I'll buy a bigger SD drive and try that. I HOPE it's not the disc, as I bought a factory sealed copy Dx If this works, you will be my hero xD

You'll just need one with space enough for at least 1.4gb after everything is on it. With Cleanrip, just be sure to get the latest gc.dat file off of redump.org (Downloads >(drop down list)> Nintendo GameCube datfile). Cleanrip 2.0 gives an error if you try to download it through the app. They lost the wii.dat file last time I checked. Have that on the root of your SD card, and just decline looking for it online. I just did my own Twilight Princess recently, and is working with Devolution r200 and USB Loader r1219 no problem.

 

[Kikirini]

You'll just need one with space enough for at least 1.4gb after everything is on it. With Cleanrip, just be sure to get the latest gc.dat file off of redump.org (Downloads >(drop down list)> Nintendo GameCube datfile). Cleanrip 2.0 gives an error if you try to download it through the app. They lost the wii.dat file last time I checked. Have that on the root of your SD card, and just decline looking for it online. I just recently did my own Twilight Princess recently, and is working with Devolution r200 and USB Loader r1219 no problem.

Will do. Thanks for the advice.

 

[airline38]

I tried to re-compile r1220 with "geckocodes download fixed" patch
and tested several GC games on SD/USB by the latest Nintendont loader v1.4.
(use the default "Nintendont loader path" \apps\nintendont\ )

It seems there is no more "code dump". (maybe I am lucky ?)

Anyway,if anyone would like to test, here is the download link.
(source patches are included)

http://www.sendspace.com/file/1d8opa

 

[Mementos]

I tried to re-compile r1220 with "geckocodes download fixed" patch
and tested several GC games on SD/USB by the latest Nintendont loader v1.4.
(use the default "Nintendont loader path" \apps\nintendont\ )

It seems there is no more "code dump". (maybe I am lucky ?)

Anyway,if anyone would like to test, here is the download link.
(source patches are included)

http://www.sendspace.com/file/1d8opa

Getting codedumps, think your just lucky =)

 

[Cyan]

Thanks for the new patch
(though, it's still based on your version of 1218)

yes, the crash is very random.
when I wanted to find the cause, it never crashed

It's crashing in nintendont when unmounting FAT.

just after selecting the Memory card filename, there's:
loader/source/main.cpp line 324
fatUnmount(GetRootDevice()); <-- it crashes there.

With RootDevice being the game's one, not the boot device.
it crashes either using SD or USB, with any config settings.


Edit:
in fact, it's not the unmount which crashes.
If you stop autoboot, and mount the device where your autoboot game is located, it crashes too (before selecting a game, so before selecting Memory card).

 

[airline38]

It seemed this code dump was happened when Nintendont tried to
load the "nincfg.bin". Is it better to write this file to either SD or USB
according to game location ?

 

[WiiFreasko]

even better why not write the file into memory, this will fix the random codedumps and the annoying automatic autoboots
Freasko

 

[Cyan]

It's not nincfg.bin.
The issue is whether when inserting the SD/USB Kernel module, or flushing it (it crashes only when you flush, but it could be an issue with the insertion process).


could you try this nintendont : http://filetrip.net/dl?o2E3yX1Xb6
I can't manage to make it code dump (when you want, it never happens!)... maybe it's fixed?

I only undefined DEBUG_MODULE_PATCH in makefile.
I also added a prompt after the flush to return to loader without launching the game for faster testing.

If you see the code dump, tell me and I will know it's not the issue.

 

[MaxP90]

I still get the code dump

 

[Cyan]

damn, I guess I was lucky 50+ times.
Thanks for testing.

edit:
it crashed when pressing start to launch the game so it's not the flush, but it's before loading the memory card....
There's nothing in-between!

 

[MaxP90]

damn, I guess I was lucky 50+ times.
Thanks for testing.

I don't think you were lucky, I think I get code dumps much more frequently than you, about half of my tries end with a code dump. It's pretty much impossible for me to get several consecutive successful boots.

Also, my crashes where before the selection screen...
EDIT: now I got a crash when pressing start too

 

[Cyan]

I can make a version with a lot of breakpoint, you tell me which is the latest working.

edit:
Test version 1.5 from Fix94
It was probably the memory card still open while closing FAT.

 

[MaxP90]

YESSS
That did it! No more code dumps!
EDIT: false alarm...

 

[OriginalHamster]

Does Airline's re-compilation include WiFi 10, 16 png?

 

[airline38]

Does Airline's re-compilation include WiFi 10, 16 png?

Yes,I did.(the mod of r1220)

 

[Badablek]

Hi Cyan,

since rev1219, when booting USBLoader GX from an HDD (FAT32 partition) with an SD Card inserted, the config file is NOT read from boot.dol folder in the HDD but from the SD (USBLGX makes a config folder in SD card).
This is really annoying, because it forces USBLoader GX to write the config file on SD, and also the cache_bnr folder and all other files (language, etc.). This kind of behavior does not make USBloader GX "portable" and is not really clean (if I want to use an HDD for whatever reason, I'd like to be able to do so and use ONLY the HDD to write files on)

I know you did this for the "disable Automount USB" in StartUpProcess.cpp (line 249 to 259) but is there a chance you add this option by another manner, maybe with an argument that users could put in the meta.xml (This should be the best way IMHO) ? Or maybe by making 2 versions of USBLoader GX, a normal (USB) one, and a special (SD) one ?


USBLoader GX primary function is to load games from...USB (so its name is well found)
Even if it's more than a "basic" USBLoader (launcher DVD, emuNAND, etc.), I really don't understand why it should use an SD card at all.


Thanks for reading.


ps : With rev1221, I'm not able to launch any game with Nintendont.
I tried to put Nintendont on SD and on HDD (apps\Nintendont\boot.dol + meta.xml+icon.png)

Everytime I try to launch a game, it says that my version of Nintendont does not support USB (it does, I'm using the latest one, and It works nicely if I launch it from HBC....I played PAL Luigi's Mansion in forced NTSC with my wavebird for about one hour)

 

[Cyan]

Thanks for the report.
I didn't test that, sorry.

I'll try to find another way to do it, but I wanted to have this option in the loader instead of editing meta.xml (which not all users understand).
There's maybe no other way than using arguments.
I think the correct other way would be to auto-edit the meta.xml when changing Loader's IOS, Port and Autoboot settings! I'll probably do that

about nintendont, it's caused by a change in v1.20 (revision 20).
Joostin replaced all strings to use \r\n instead of \n, breaking the string size used for version detection.
I fixed it in 1222 mod01 (look in my signature)

 

[Badablek]

thanks for the fast answer Cyan.
auto-editing the meta.xml is a really good idea and should satisfy everybody



i'll check your 1222mod for Nintendont ^___^

 

[MaxP90]

With rev 1222 mod2 I still get code dumps, but the problem that the progressive scan screen didn't appear is gone