Hacking USB Loader GX

[Cyan]

if you have only one partition, never use 2 HDD at the same time, the risk is almost null.
But, I don't know, I still feel like it's better to have homebrew executable and their "stuff" in the same place (SD), and only store games/ISO/ROMs on USB.

the reason is the SD is loaded first and faster, it works with all IOS (IOS or cIOS) and all homebrew (homebrew launcher, apps, games, system, emulator, etc.).
With USBLoaderGX, it's the first device used to check if there's a setting already existing, if there's one, it loads it and check what's requested by the user (which USB to load, port0 or port1, which cIOS, etc.)
if there's no SD, then it tries to init USB with the current IOS (based on the default 149, or the one provided in the meta.xml), then it mounts each partition to find a config file.

if for any reason, the USB is disconnected (for example, reloading to cIOS or usb has sleep issue, or any other reason I don't think), then all file access is lost.
the loader open some files in read/write and keep them in memory until they are closed. If the loader lose access to the file while it's in read/write/stream mode (for example music file with your custom theme, or music player), it will try to write the file wherever it can when you close it, and if the link to the USB is lost it can write it anywhere in memory (crashing) or another device like SD... (losing and overwriting what's there)

so, it's rare, but black screen and USB issue happen frequently if you use a flash drive.
If you have HDD, one partition, it should be fine.

 

[joelueng]

@Cyan or someone could you give me some thoughts about this:

Issue: USB Loader GX: Black screen when loading Wii [US] games from 4.2J

Brief: Some US game always goes to black screen when loaded. (See below detail names) I have tried 249/250 with v8 and v10beata52, and USBloader plus burn as DVD to run. Also tried change settings to force NTSC, NTSC 480p. However those games are always go to black screen. Other JP/TW games and some US game such as SDZE41 (Just Dance kids) work fine.

Specification:
USB Loader GX: 3.0 r1268
Wii: 4.2J
IOS249[56] (rev 21010, Info: d2x-v10beta52)
IOS250[57] (rev 21010, Info: d2x-v10beta52)
Homebrew: 1.1.2

Game List:
Issue Game: SJZE41, SJ7E41, (Just Dance Kids 2, 2014) SJ6E41 (Disney Dance)- All tested from PC with dolphin master.
USB portable harddisk Segate 1TB (WBFS Partition 410G);

Spoiler: syscheck

SysCheck HDE v2.4.0 HacksDen Edition by JoostinOnline, Double_A, R2-D2199, and Nano
...runs on IOS61 (rev 5405).

Region: NTSC-J
System Menu 4.2J (v480)

Drive date: 09.07.2006
Homebrew Channel 1.1.2 running on IOS61

Hollywood v0x11
Console ID: 45800747
Console Type: Wii
Shop Channel Country: Japan (1)
Boot2 v2
Found 126 titles.
Found 46 IOS on this console. 1 of them are stubs.

IOS4 (rev 3): Stub
IOS9 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug
IOS10 (rev 518): Flash Access
IOS11 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug
IOS12 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug
IOS13 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug
IOS14 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug
IOS15 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug
IOS17 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, Beer Ticket
IOS20 (rev 12): Flash Access
IOS21 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, Beer Ticket
IOS22 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug
IOS28 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, Beer Ticket
IOS30 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug
IOS31 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug
IOS33 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, Beer Ticket
IOS34 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug
IOS35 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, ES Identify, NAND Access, Beer Ticket
IOS36 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, ES Identify, NAND Access
IOS37 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, Beer Ticket
IOS38 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, Beer Ticket
IOS40 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug
IOS41 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, Beer Ticket
IOS43 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, Beer Ticket
IOS45 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, Beer Ticket
IOS46 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, Beer Ticket
IOS48 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, Beer Ticket
IOS50 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug
IOS52 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug
IOS53 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug
IOS55 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, Beer Ticket
IOS56 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, Beer Ticket
IOS57 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, Beer Ticket
IOS58 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, USB 2.0, Beer Ticket
IOS60 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug
IOS61 (rev 5405): No Patches
IOS70 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug
IOS80 (rev 65535): Trucha Bug, Beer Ticket
IOS201 (rev 3094): Trucha Bug, ES Identify, NAND Access
IOS202[60] (rev 65535, Info: hermes-v5.1): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, USB 2.0, Beer Ticket
IOS222[38] (rev 65535, Info: hermes-v5.1): Trucha Bug, ES Identify, NAND Access, USB 2.0, Beer TickeIOS223[37] (rev 65535, Info: hermes-v5.1): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, USB 2.0, Beer Ticket
IOS223[37] (rev 65535, Info: hermes-v5.1): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, USB 2.0, Beer Ticket
IOS224[57] (rev 65535, Info: hermes-5.1): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, USB 2.0, Beer Ticket
IOS249[56] (rev 21010, Info: d2x-v10beta52): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, USB 2.0
IOS250[57] (rev 21010, Info: d2x-v10beta52): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, USB 2.0
IOS254 (rev 31338): BootMii
BC v65535
MIOS v65535
Report generated on 07/27/2018.

 

[FancyNintendoGamer567]

Aren't cIOSes different for 4.2? I would recommend updating to 4.3 and try again.

 

[Cyan]

Fancy, please re-ead my guide about IOS and how the console works.
the loader uses only one single slot : 249.
it doesn't care what the user has or hasn't in any other slots. you could even have only two IOS installed on your console (the one used by the loader, and the one used by the forwarder and hbc), it will work. no need to have a system menu nor its IOS, nor other IOS.

updating from 4.2 to 4.3 will not do harm, so it's not a bad suggestion. just not related to the problem.
though, his system is heavily modified and softmodded (probably using CIOSCORP or PumpMyWii). Instead of updating (which could be done by network and will not affect its system because they are all using v65535), using modmii to fix his setup to "downgrade" it is a better solution/suggestion.



Joe :
some games needs a cIOS with base57, and often music games. specifically just dance.
but I see you tested both 249 and 250 (so you tested base57 already).
maybe these games are just not compatible on a japanese console?

What you can do :
generate a full clean USA NAND with modmii, setup neek2o, and try to load these games from the USA region redirected NAND. no reason it will not work, because it will be using official IOS from the official region.

 

[FancyNintendoGamer567]

Look, I'm not good when it comes to (c)IOSes and non 4.3 system menus.

 

[Roquentin]

GREAT post - thank you so much. Needed to figure out how to update USB loader GX manually (the auto function was saying it was fully updated, but it wasnt).

 

[Cyan]

it's because I didn't push the last version in the update url.
I think the latest is still 1262 or 1263? sorry about that.

 

[FancyNintendoGamer567]

The latest is 1268.

 

[joelueng]

Thanks Fancy & Cyan,

Thanks for your hint, I tried another app called AnyRegion Changer and use USA region to play all the games I mentioned. They all worked!
After the change to USA region, I can still run USB loaderGX to boot JP games.
Looks stable and happy for now.

 

[Cyan]

The latest is 1268.

I doubt the latest internal update version is 1268.
let's check ...
https://sourceforge.net/p/usbloadergx/code/HEAD/tree/branches/updates/update_dol.txt
it's 1260

I could push 1268, it looks stable.
I'll try to complete 1269 with WiiU gamepad support in few days (holidays, here I come ! waiting them for 6 months)

Joe:
I rarely suggest that tool, because I always feel like it's dangerous.
but if everything went fine, I'm glad you have everything working now

 

[GreyWolf]

I have fixes for r1268 for the latest devkitPPC and libogc if you don't mind that there are still formatting warnings. I haven't finished rewriting those yet.

 

[JacobM]

I'll try to complete 1269 with WiiU gamepad support in few days (holidays, here I come ! waiting them for 6 months)

Super excited! Hopefully everything goes smoothly on your end. I know how busy you are and I didn't have the heart to "make" you remember, haha. Always available to do some testing for you.

If I didn't make a release in 1 month, feel free to make me remember

 

[morpheous]

Anyone have a wii u setup with 2 powered hard drives connected at once? i tried with a 1.1 USB powered hub and without a USB Hub and everytime i attempt to launch USB Loader GX, it throws a error code, "99.99999" something like that.


I connected the FAT23 HDD via the powered USB hub Only and USB loader GX loaded fine.


cIOS 249 is selected as its needed for USB supportwithin USB Loader gx


one powered hdd connected per usb port. USB loader GX doesn't like that for some reason, it won't launch at all. Just throw an error "90.99999"


i don't have a Y cable to try but wouldn't having a powered usb hub, make a Y cable not needed?


Even if i connect the 2nd powered usb in one of the usb ports on the front and the other at the back port, USB Loader GX will throw the error code, when i click on it.




USB loader GX will only work on slot one, which is the top slot, if the wii u is laying down flat, if i connected a powered usb hdd in the 2nd slot or in either slots on the front, the error message displays, when i click on the USB Loader GX forwarder.



CIOS 249 is the only one that supports USB, right?

Do i need a particular d2x version and base in order for 2 powered hard drives to co-exist with USB Loader GX? I don't know if its installed or not as i hacked my vwii years ago.

 

[GreyWolf]

I don't think you can load Wii games through a hub.

 

[Cyan]

hub works with IOS57 and 58.
I think cIOS base57 don't support it (because the ehci module is completely replaced), though, it could work with base58 but it doesn't have a very good game compatibility.

you better connect the usb directly to port0, and if you need additional power supply you can plug the y-cable to the hub.
if you have more than one HDD, you can connect gamecube hdd to the hub for nintendont (using IOS58 it'll work).

read this :
https://gbatemp.net/posts/7216091

 

[SieKensou]

@Cyan
I noticed USB Loader GX always save the settings when you exit the settings screen and when you exit USB Loader GX.... Wouldn't be better to add a button to "save settings" or "save config" instead of always writte the config even if you didn't changed anything? It will be much better for the device storage.

 

[Cyan]

maybe, yes.
it was always done like that, so I didn't change it.
maybe a save button will be nice like in the individual game's settings (or an option to not autosave, so users can choose whether to continue using the loader like they are used to, or add a save button).

though, saving at exit is a requirement, for example to remember the last layout you used, or source you picked (4th icon), or category filtering you set. Some settings are accessible directly from the main interface and not from the settings menu. Sure, it could be saved right away.
there's also another saving done at game launch : launch count. it's saved into the game database. this one can't be skipped.



I planed to rewrite all the settings interface to be more graphic (pictures, info, etc.), but seeing how much free time I have to work on the loader, I don't think I'll ever do it. too bad

 

[SieKensou]

maybe, yes.
it was always done like that, so I didn't change it.
maybe a save button will be nice like in the individual game's settings (or an option to not autosave, so users can choose whether to continue using the loader like they are used to, or add a save button).

though, saving at exit is a requirement, for example to remember the last layout you used, or source you picked (4th icon), or category filtering you set. Some settings are accessible directly from the main interface and not from the settings menu. Sure, it could be saved right away.
there's also another saving done at game launch : launch count. it's saved into the game database. this one can't be skipped.



I planed to rewrite all the settings interface to be more graphic (pictures, info, etc.), but seeing how much free time I have to work on the loader, I don't think I'll ever do it. too bad

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I understand what not having free time means. For me USB Loader GX is the better loader for Wii games. I think it's almost perfect, apart from some bugs that I already commented before in some game start screen banners that are not showed correctly or the posibility of saving config for each banner (to make loop the music the ones that needs it and not to the ones that doesn't). I understand about the settings that has to be saved when you changed something or when you load a new game but if nothing is changed it shouldn't save, maybe just that wouldn't be too much complex.

 

[Cyan]

ah, you are right.
I think I should be possible to compare the settings from entering and exiting and detect if something has changed to prevent saving if not needed. It's already doing it at some places. (I thought it was already doing it everywhere, you sure it's not?)
I'll take a look too. I'm in holidays this week, but didn't start looking at the loader yet.

edit: yo uare right, it's only checking some settings, not all of them.
I don't know how I can compare all of them or detect editing a setting. I'll have to think about it. maybe memory comparison of the full setting is possible.
that will mean keeping a duplicate array memory of the setting's state for all the life of the loader.

 

[SieKensou]

ah, you are right.
I think I should be possible to compare the settings from entering and exiting and detect if something has changed to prevent saving if not needed. It's already doing it at some places. (I thought it was already doing it everywhere, you sure it's not?)
I'll take a look too. I'm in holidays this week, but didn't start looking at the loader yet.

Cool, thanks, that would be great. I could be wrong, but I noticed it:
1. If I exit USB Loader GX from the Game select screen (not touching nothing, I just enter and then exit)
2. If I go back (with the back button) from settings (again, without touching nothing, just enter and go back)
I don't know if there are some other cases, but it's possible.

And another question, do you know where I can find the spanish translation for the last version of USB Loader GX. The one I'm using is old and I'm not sure if it is complete or if it could cause problems with new versions.