Hacking View Wii U Partition on PC?

[purechaos996]

So I've run into a bit of a snag, my Wii U is suddenly reporting that my Hard Drive with all my eShop games and save-data is not formatted for the device which I know isn't the case since I was using it just a few hours ago.

The drive still spins up and is detected fine by my PC so I was wondering if anyone has created a tool that can read these Wii U formatted drives that way I can hopefully get my data onto something else while I try and fix this drive.

Thanks.

 

[iAqua]

I don't believe there is. You could request it.

 

[purechaos996]

I don't believe there is. You could request it.

Well that's unfortunate I had over 200 hours logged into Xenoblade X and that's just gone now. I'm not really sure what else I can try.

 

[iAqua]

Well that's unfortunate I had over 200 hours logged into Xenoblade X and that's just gone now. I'm not really sure what else I can try.

Try some recovery tools? I dont know maybe EaseUS? Could work.

 

[Dvdxploitr]

I've had this happen before with a USB flash drive....lost my Super Mario 3D World save and all I had left was that one level in Crown World (Champions Run)...which I STILL haven't beaten....

 

[Whatnoww]

Perhaps you can view it with a linux format reader for windows.

 

[NWPlayer123]

You would be wise to make a full backup of the data and then wait until IOSU exploit so you can get your console's storage keys to decrypt and try to fix. You cannot decrypt it with any other key

 

[Ashell]

Most likely the data is still there, its just that the partition index is messed up. Windows partitions actually keep a back up of this, but I have no clue what Nintendo uses. You could try https://wbfsmanager.codeplex.com/ which is the wii partition. I'm not sure if it carried over to wiiu. If you knew the type of partition might be able to use easeus. You could also try a program called Testdisk 6.14, or maybe there is a newer version. I have had amazing results with this when other programs have failed. Its dos based and you still need a little know what you are doing.

 

[purechaos996]

You would be wise to make a full backup of the data and then wait until IOSU exploit so you can get your console's storage keys to decrypt and try to fix. You cannot decrypt it with any other key

Yeah, that was my first idea. I have dd running on my Linux machine in an attempt to at least have an image of the drive before I do anything else.

as for IOSU, I dont want to sound pushy or anything but is there a timeframe for that releasing anytime soon? Ive kept up with the scene to know you've all been working on various different exploits for awhile now, I guess now it just interests me a little more since I really don't want to lose all those save files.

Thanks for all the hard work you've been putting in.

 

[Cyan]

Most likely the data is still there, its just that the partition index is messed up. Windows partitions actually keep a back up of this, but I have no clue what Nintendo uses. You could try https://wbfsmanager.codeplex.com/ which is the wii partition. I'm not sure if it carried over to wiiu. If you knew the type of partition might be able to use easeus. You could also try a program called Testdisk 6.14, or maybe there is a newer version. I have had amazing results with this when other programs have failed. Its dos based and you still need a little know what you are doing.

WBFS is a game pirating format.
Nintendo doesn't use Pirated tools.

WiiU HDD are not using any partition table, the data starts at sector 0.
But the first sector, even if encrypted for his console, should contains information about the partition itself (like the size, etc.)
MAYBE (and only maybe) the issue is on that first sector. and if it doesn't contains the file table, you could try to fix it.
ALWAYS keep a full backup of your actual drive. make an image.

what I suggest:
1. make an image of your drive as backup
2. put on wiiu and format it
3. play xenobladeX and make a save again (just in case it's needed)
4. make an image again.
5. write back the first image starting at sector 1 (keep the newly formated sector0 which should be the partition info if nintendo is placing it at the start).

both images should be using the same key.

I guess nobody tested merging sectors? at least nobody reported their tests, so that's just an idea and a test.
it could not work at all
it could see only xenoblade and not your other games if the first sector contains info on current files or folders.
it could need more than one sector
you might need to make multiple dumps and compare them to know which sectors are modified after each changes done on the console.

 

[CableLeecher]

The Wii U partition starts directly at sector 0 unlike to other systems filesystem/partition scheme. anyhow I had the same issue a while ago and was able to fix it with 2 additional HDDs.
one to make a complete DD-Image on to be on the safe side.
the second hdd doesn't have to be the same size. in fact it doesnt matter how big small it is. you just have to overwrite on the "damaged" hdd the first 64 bytes with the same content from a freshly formatted Wii U HDD.
Important: Only the first 64 bytes to restore the partition-header.
You can use Acronis Disk Director or any other tool that allows you that write directly to the physical disk structure starting from sector 0.
If you overwrite more than 64 bytes, you will overwrite the "directory"
This is what worked for me. I hope this helps.
Cheers, CableLeecher.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Damn

@Cyan was faster again

 

[Cyan]

glad to see someone already tried it and it worked
So, I didn't know it was only the first 64bytes.

He said he is on linux, so he could use dd to copy only the first 64bytes without any partition tools.


So, instead of following my guide, just replace the 64bytes, don't format the drive and it will prevent you rewriting the image completely to the drive.
use a different drive to get the partition header from it.

 

[CableLeecher]

@Cyan
At least we both earned our daily positive karmapoints

 

[purechaos996]

The Wii U partition starts directly at sector 0 unlike to other systems filesystem/partition scheme. anyhow I had the same issue a while ago and was able to fix it with 2 additional HDDs.
one to make a complete DD-Image on to be on the safe side.
the second hdd doesn't have to be the same size. in fact it doesnt matter how big small it is. you just have to overwrite on the "damaged" hdd the first 64 bytes with the same content from a freshly formatted Wii U HDD.
Important: Only the first 64 bytes to restore the partition-header.
You can use Acronis Disk Director or any other tool that allows you that write directly to the physical disk structure starting from sector 0.
If you overwrite more than 64 bytes, you will overwrite the "directory"
This is what worked for me. I hope this helps.
Cheers, CableLeecher.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Damn

@Cyan was faster again

Ahh crap. I had the idea of using another drive to transplant the first few bytes. I took the first 446 bytes, I shouldn't have been so impatient. I did this before I made the backup image too...stupid mistake I know, I shouldn't have trusted my previous knowledge to work here.

 

[Cyan]

ahh, you said you'll make an image of your drive before attempting anything.
too bad you didn't

 

[purechaos996]

ahh, you said you'll make an image of your drive before attempting anything.
too bad you didn't

Yep, I don't think there is any hope now. I guess I deserve it for not making that backup first. Learned my lesson. At this info is out there for anyone in the future who runs into something similar.

 

[amback]

The Wii U partition starts directly at sector 0 unlike to other systems filesystem/partition scheme. anyhow I had the same issue a while ago and was able to fix it with 2 additional HDDs.
one to make a complete DD-Image on to be on the safe side.
the second hdd doesn't have to be the same size. in fact it doesnt matter how big small it is. you just have to overwrite on the "damaged" hdd the first 64 bytes with the same content from a freshly formatted Wii U HDD.
Important: Only the first 64 bytes to restore the partition-header.
You can use Acronis Disk Director or any other tool that allows you that write directly to the physical disk structure starting from sector 0.
If you overwrite more than 64 bytes, you will overwrite the "directory"
This is what worked for me. I hope this helps.
Cheers, CableLeecher.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Damn

@Cyan was faster again

sorry to open this old thread but i have a question. can i use a usb instead of another hdd and copy the first 64 bytes from it to the hdd?.

 

[MO35AB]

i have the same question as @amback.
i ll be wating for your answer @Cyan.
i have 3tb HDD with over 1.5 TB free, my current troubled HDD is 500gb.
if yo u can walk me through what to do, we 3 will learn alot me @Cyan & @CableLeecher
lotta hours are there in this HDD , and 64 bit is the one responsible :'( ...

 

[Cyan]

sorry to open this old thread but i have a question. can i use a usb instead of another hdd and copy the first 64 bytes from it to the hdd?.

Hmm, old thread, and you didn't really tell why you want to do that.
what's your reason, and what do you expect to do?

if you want to copy all your disc to another one, you will not need only 64 bytes.
the first 64 bytes are the partition information, if your partition is corrupted it "could" be caused by something wrong in that area and you could "maybe" fix it by rewriting a valid 64byte header to that location.
You can use whatever device you want, as long as the WiiU formats it and that you can dump it's first sector.


But please, let me/us know what you really need and want to do before doing anything.
look at the above messages, I asked the user to make a backup and he didn't, that's too bad as he lost data

edit:
Ahh, sorry, didn't see it was a message from May 2017. Maybe you are not even in need to fix that drive.

So, MO35AB, you just bumped an old thread while you had your own here :
https://gbatemp.net/threads/wiiu-hdd-not-being-recognized-anymore.486419/
I'll answer in your other thread, so other users will follow what has been suggested or not, and can help too.

 

[IceX89]

Any one have the Wii U OS image to reflash fresh from corrupted game save. Cant access ant menus.