Hacking UStealth - Wii U 'Format Disk' Nag workaround :)

[OriginalHamster]

actually, it can work with some homebrew without any update.
It depends how the partition is initialized in the application.

This first sector (sector 0) contains the 4 primary partition informations (which format, which size, etc.) and the signature.
The stealth mode is done by modifying the first sector's last bytes (the MBR signature).
the partition information is still there, only the signature is different.

For example:
USBLoaderGX is checking the MBR signature before checking the partition list.
USBLoaderGX Forwarder is checking the partition list directly without checking if the first sector is really MBR format. (it expect the partition list to have the correct value)

The forwarder didn't require any update to see/mount the stealth'ed HDD, while the loader itself required an update to don't reject the modified signature.
Some homebrew could work the same way as the USBLoaderGX forwarder and don't check the signature, just try them.

I only tried WiiXplorer, and it doesn't see my HDD with UStealth activated

 

[Maxternal]

I only tried WiiXplorer, and it doesn't see my HDD with UStealth activated

I've already issued a request for that one
http://code.google.com/p/wiixplorer/issues/detail?id=553
hopefully that will eventually be added.

 

[jayjay123]

I've been having a hard time compiling both WiiMC and WiiExplorer unfortunately. I left instructions on the WiiExplorer wiki for updating it (it's really easy) but I'm getting

7ZipFile.o: In function `SzFile::GetUtf8Filename(int)':
c:/Sources/WiiExplorer/source/ArchiveOperations/7ZipFile.cpp:92: undefined reference to `SzArEx_GetFileNameUtf16'
c:/Sources/WiiExplorer/source/ArchiveOperations/7ZipFile.cpp:99: undefined reference to `SzArEx_GetFileNameUtf16'
7ZipFile.o: In function `SzFile::ExtractFile(int, char const*, bool)':
c:/Sources/WiiExplorer/source/ArchiveOperations/7ZipFile.cpp:214: undefined reference to `SzArEx_Extract'
c:/Sources/WiiExplorer/source/ArchiveOperations/7ZipFile.cpp:214: undefined reference to `SzArEx_Extract'

On compile... I'll try again later, but I honestly don't have that much time for this. If anyone can compile WiiExplorer, please let me know, instructions are here for adapting it for UStealth:

partitionhandle.h line 39 add:
#define MBR_SIGNATURE_MOD            0x55AB
#define EBR_SIGNATURE_MOD            MBR_SIGNATURE_MOD

partitionhandle.cpp line 241 change:
    if (mbr->signature != MBR_SIGNATURE || mbr->signature != MBR_SIGNATURE_MOD) {

partitionhandle.cpp line 290 change:
        if (ebr->signature != EBR_SIGNATURE || ebr->signature != EBR_SIGNATURE_MOD)

 

[Cyan]

I guess it should be && instead of ||
if (mbr->signature != MBR_SIGNATURE && mbr->signature != MBR_SIGNATURE_MOD)

because if "mbr->signature != MBR_SIGNATURE" then it will not even try the second condition.

And you don't need to modify the "ebr" code, as ebr is not in sector 0, EBR sector is the first sector of the partition defined in the MBR. Ustealth only edit the Sector 0 (MBR) and doesn't edit each partition's signature.

 

[jayjay123]

Cool, right about the && - an oversight, thanks Cyan - I'll update the post on the wiki.

 

[Nintendo Maniac]

Can't you alternatively use Parted Magic and/or GParted to toggle whether a drive is hidden or not?

(I cannot test myself since I do not have access to a Wii U)

 

[hoodedman]

I cant seem to get this working with Wiiflow 4.2, the hdd works fine when it isn't stealthed, but Wiiflow doesn't find a game partition if it is. The app itself doesn't report any errors and it can revert everything, so unless I need to enable something, i'm not sure whats up.

Thanks btw, its drives me nuts getting the popup when I boot my WiiU, not to mention it fucks with my external memory for the WiiU.

 

[jayjay123]

NP - I installed WiiFlow recently (4.2) and it's working well on mine. Which port are you using for the HDD? AFAIK you should use the one closest to the top if it's lying horizontally.

 

[scottay2hottay]

Thank you so much for your efforts with Ustealth, you have made my day. I can confirm that its working flawlessly with usb loader gx.Thanks mate

 

[Starhowl]

Doesn't work with USB Loader GX v3.0 rev 21010 & d2x v10beta53-alt-vWii...

 

[Cyan]

Modified MBR was added in USBLoaderGX revision 1216 (after 3.0 release).
You need to update the loader's version manually.
http://www.mediafire.com/folder/t2x95zd9rz3rc/USBLoaderGX
take the latest revision (in the 3.0+ folder) and replace the boot.dol in your SD or USB with the one present in the /IOS249/ folder of that archive.

 

[drdreh]

Every time I want to run a vwii game, I have to plug on pc and use the ustealth... Is it?

And every time I want to run a Wii U game, I have to do the same...

It's complicated!

 

[Maxternal]

Every time I want to run a vwii game, I have to plug on pc and use the ustealth... Is it?

And every time I want to run a Wii U game, I have to do the same...

It's complicated!

Nope, you keep your Wii U games in a separate USB drive from your Wii games

When you start off copying all your Wii games onto the drive from the PC, you do that normally and THEN use UStealth just ONCE.
You then plug it into the Wii U and leave BOTH the Wii drive and the Wii U drive plugged into your Wii U at all times and both will play nice with each other.

Basically, you shouldn't have to use UStealth EVER again UNLESS you want to connect it to the PC again to change/remove/add more files to it. Even then you JUST use UStealth once when you connect it and once after you've done everything you need to do on the PC right before disconnecting it.

You'd then connect it to your Wii U again and not need to use UStealth again until some day you HAPPEN to want to connect it to the PC again for something.

 

[drdreh]

Nope, you keep your Wii U games in a separate USB drive from your Wii games

When you start off copying all your Wii games onto the drive from the PC, you do that normally and THEN use UStealth just ONCE.
You then plug it into the Wii U and leave BOTH the Wii drive and the Wii U drive plugged into your Wii U at all times and both will play nice with each other.

Basically, you shouldn't have to use UStealth EVER again UNLESS you want to connect it to the PC again to change/remove/add more files to it. Even then you JUST use UStealth once when you connect it and once after you've done everything you need to do on the PC right before disconnecting it.

You'd then connect it to your Wii U again and not need to use UStealth again until some day you HAPPEN to want to connect it to the PC again for something.

Ok! I thought it was just ONE partitioned drive!! Thanks!

 

[KefkasMyDad]

awesome, worked perfectly
and would pluging in another hdd (for use with the wiiu) be ok?
i dont wanna go and buy one to find out it wont work for some crazy technical reason that goes way over my head

 

[darkjedi187]

How do you unhide the drive to copy files to it again? I opened ustealth and unhid it but it came up as RAW and was unusable, now I'm recopying all my games over again.

 

[Slartibartfast42]

How do you unhide the drive to copy files to it again? I opened ustealth and unhid it but it came up as RAW and was unusable, now I'm recopying all my games over again.

Sometimes, computers are finicky about mounting drives. Did you try disconnecting and reconnecting after unhiding?

 

[darkjedi187]

Sometimes, computers are finicky about mounting drives. Did you try disconnecting and reconnecting after unhiding?

I didn't. Should I be concerned about using ustealth again? I read through the Thread and didn't see anyone else have this issue.

 

[Slartibartfast42]

I didn't. Should I be concerned about using ustealth again? I read through the Thread and didn't see anyone else have this issue.

Sure try it. It's either the computer being iffy, and reconnect should work, or the drive is going bad, loose cable, or something. That would suck if it's true, but UStealth won't make it worse.

 

[darkjedi187]

Sure try it. It's either the computer being iffy, and reconnect should work, or the drive is going bad, loose cable, or something. That would suck if it's true, but UStealth won't make it worse.

Thanks that makes me feel better. Honestly I wasn't expecting this to happen.