Homebrew Using multiple HDs with Wiiflow

[GordRyan]

I was just wondering if it is possible to simultaneously use 2 hard drives at the same time on wiiflow (use port 0 for wii games and port 1 for everything else...) Possibly through a usb hub?

 

[Deleted-236924]

I wouldn't recommend using a USB hub, since it would most likely slow down the USB read speed.
(Correct me if I'm wrong.)

 

[Maxternal]

I don't think WiiFlow's actually programmed to use both ports at once, only one OR the other.
(and a USB hub can only work if you tell the games to load with a cIOS with IOS58 as a base ... even then I think only ONE drive will show up ... and not sure which one or if it'd even be predictable.)

There IS a workaround, though ...
First thing you'd have to do is check which port NORMAL homebrew running on IOS58 uses by default when there's 2 drives connected at once (E.G.) connect 2 drives at once, open WiiMC or something like that and see which files are showing up)

I THINK it's that IOS58 will use port1 when it has to choose between them and a cIOS will choose port0 (unless the app specifically tells it which one to use ... which they usually don't BUT WiiFlow has the option of choosing which one as long as you have either D2X v9 or v10-alt installed) and GameCube games with DiosMios need to be on port0

I'm ASSUMING that you're trying to separate your Wii and GC games since they'd take up more space
so
I'd plug everything that needs a cIOS into port1 (Wii games and emuNAND ... and any files that WiiFlow needs to see like it's settings)
and
plug plugin ROM's/videos/music/etc into port1 (on the other hand, if your test show that IOS58 apps prefer port0, you'd have to put them on port0 instead)
then
put all your GC games on the drive in port0

Now comes the tricky part
- WiiFlow will want to start with IOS58 and then change over to the cIOS once it's needed. You'll need to change some settings (I think it's in the [GENERAL] section of wiiflow.ini (?) but don't remember which one it is) to tell it to look at port1 AND probably a setting to tell it to always load a cIOS and which one.
- In the case that your test show that IOS58 homebrew actually prefers port0 OR if you actually want Wii games and emuNAND on port0 along with the GC games, WiiFlow needs to be able to see the stuff on the other port, too, or it won't show up so you have to make some fake files for it to see. The ROM and video files and such for plugins you can copy over with this
http://www.mediafire.com/download/4fhkfh78ohh0p5x/EmptyCopy.zip
It will "copy" files and folders just that it will make a 0-byte file with the same name instead of copying the whole thing. That way WiiFlow can see ALL your ROM's because it will see all the filenames in the right folders but it will take up ZERO space on the other hard drive. When it runs the plugin DOL, that plugin will look for a file with that same name on the hard drive it CAN see BUT this time it will fine the real, full sized ROM file.
- GameCube games would be a little bit trickier since WiiFlow has to actually open them. You WON'T be able to use Devolution on a separate HDD from Wii games because WiiFlow has to tell Devolution the starting sector on the drive of the game ISO file (which will be different on a different drive) so you can only use DiosMios for this. Devolution works fine with SD cards, too, though or if you find it easier you should be able to use Devolution on the same drive as the Wii games and use DiosMios for the ones on the port0 drive. You could also use the Devolution plugin instead of the normal Devolution loader.bin file if they're a separate drive from the Wii games.
...
I've never actually tried this but if you have to at least have the first few bytes of the file there for it to show up since it has to read the GameID and if it's disk 1 or disk 2 (first 8 bytes of the ISO file) AND the title which is also in the first few bytes.
You'll probably be able to cut that part out with a hex editor like HxD (google it) by
1. telling it to open the file on the port0 drive
2. selecting the first few bytes up to at least past the end of the title (you can see this in text on the right side of the hex editor window so make sure you have the whole beginning, the title and a few more bytes just to be sure)
3. copy
4. open a new/blank file
5. paste it in there
6. save it with the same name in the same place on the port1 drive.
You'll also need to have a banner for the /wiiflow/cache/banners/ folder (?) so that WiiFlow doesn't try to open the missing banner out of the disk and not find it.




basically, it might be a little tricky but you should be able to do it.

 

[AbdallahTerro]

Only USBL-GX works with d2x9 or 10alt this way
Also Hermes IOS 222-224 might work too
But no harm to try what Max said

 

[Cyan]

To confirm what Maxternal said, I tested dual HDD with IOS58 and it's picking Port1 by default.