Hardware WBFS + USB question

[VoltManEXE]

I used the WFBS Manager to format my 16GB memory stick to the WBFS. I then noticed that I could't put any files other than Wii game ISO's onto my USB flash drive and I had to use the manager to do anything with it at all. Is there a way to let my flash drive work with loaders like USB Loader GX and still be able to put other files onto it?

 

[Coto]

Yep, you need to set up a NTFS partition, and a WBFS partition.

I usually split in two the drive i´m going to use, which contain both NTFS Partitions (using windows disk manager tool).

So the first one (booteable) stands for WBFS (remember, WBFS partition will have as much space as you set up while being a NTFS part.), and the next stays as NTFS.

So you can later use any WBFS tool like WBFS manager to format the first NTFS drive unit (remember well the drive letter!) into WBFS format and start dragging isos. The NTFS one will let you keep any files you want.

 

[VoltManEXE]

Did the disk manager tool come with my computer? Or do I have to download it somewhere?

 

[PsyBlade]

why use wbfs at all
especially with such a small drive a unchangeable allocation between wii and rest is really bad imho

 

[George Dawes]

Yep, just use one 16gb FAT32 partition (or NTFS if you really need >4gb file support),

 

[Coto]

Did the disk manager tool come with my computer? Or do I have to download it somewhere?

Yep it does.

Just type

"diskmgmt.msc" en "Run" tab in Start Menu. For a weird reason, i find Windows 7´s disk management tool to be more complicated than previous ones.

Anyway, I prefer WBFS just because I can drag and drop an iso scrubbed or unscrubbed and the whole process of compressing iso gets done automatically. And also because I prefer (as voltmanexe) to keep wii games on a separate partition, and normal files in another.

A NTFS or FAT32 partition and Cisos is helpful when you don´t have a SD card for homebrew and want to share USB disc for both Wii games and Homebrew. At least for me.

 

[Coto]

Yep, just use one 16gb FAT32 partition (or NTFS if you really need >4gb file support),

I can get your point, to such low-space media, it may be good to benefit every byte from a USB Micro SD. A dual partition will waste a little more disk space, but just a little more.

 

[kimikal27]

FAT32 is all u need

 

[VoltManEXE]

Aww great... leave it to Vista to be more complicated then it has to be... I looked up how to use 'diskmgmt.msc', and I read to make a new partition, I need to choose the "shrink" option. Problem is, that option is greyed out and I can't click it. Any other ways to partition it? maybe with 'cmd.exe'?

EDIT: This is really great... Nothing works! I even tried this and that doesn't even work. It says the flash drive wasn't "dynamic". What am I supposed to do?

FAT32 is all u needNo... thats not true. I tried using the normal FAT32 filesystem with the loader and it wouldn't work.
PsyBladewhy use wbfs at all
especially with such a small drive a unchangeable allocation between wii and rest is really bad imho

Why? So I can use the loader, obviously.

(And honestly, why is 16GB so microscopically small to you guys? I have an external hard drive, but I use it for my computer. And since I have so much stuff on it, I can't just format it. Plus moving it back and forth from my Wii to my computer would be a pain.)

 

[PsyBlade]

FAT32 is all u needNo... thats not true. I tried using the normal FAT32 filesystem with the loader and it wouldn't work.
PsyBladewhy use wbfs at all
especially with such a small drive a unchangeable allocation between wii and rest is really bad imho

Why? So I can use the loader, obviously.

(And honestly, why is 16GB so microscopically small to you guys? I have an external hard drive, but I use it for my computer. And since I have so much stuff on it, I can't just format it. Plus moving it back and forth from my Wii to my computer would be a pain.)

then I suggest getting a decent loader
eg cfg can use wbfs(rw), fat(rw) and ntfs(ro)
see wiki for more details

the problem with multiple is that the free space is not shared
to be able to put all games on it you have to make the wbfs at least 8.6GB big
this limits your your other file to less than 50% of the capacity whether there are any wii games on it or not
plus you dont loose all data on it due to reformating

many people partition their drive extensively on pcs too but in most cases I see to see the gain
I certainly enjoy being able to put all my files in the 4TB data directory without searching x partitions for space first

 

[VoltManEXE]

the problem with multiple is that the free space is not shared
to be able to put all games on it you have to make the wbfs at least 8.6GB big
this limits your your other file to less than 50% of the capacity whether there are any wii games on it or not
plus you dont loose all data on it due to reformating

many people partition their drive extensively on pcs too but in most cases I see to see the gain
I certainly enjoy being able to put all my files in the 4TB data directory without searching x partitions for space first

I know, and I was aware of that. I'm going to use my flash drive mainly, if not completely, for my Wii. I was going to set 3/4 of it to WFBS and the other 1/4 to anything else (of course, thats just an estimate, I'll have to see when I actually get to partitioning it). I also have an SD card for loading homebrew and stuff, but I still wanted the ability to put files on the flash drive. Like, I wanted to try linux on my wii too.

 

[VoltManEXE]

(Accidental Post)

 

[kimikal27]

it's not FAT32 that doesn't work
it's you that's not using the proper tools

 

[VoltManEXE]

What do you mean by that? Is there a certain MIOS/cIOS that would make FAT32 work with USB Loader GX?

 

[kimikal27]

latest ciosx and latest cfg loader work great with fat

 

[VoltManEXE]

Could you maybe explain more in detail? (I know what cIOS is, but Ive never heard if cIOSx or cfg loaders)

 

[kimikal27]

ciosx rev19 is the latest cios
cfg loader is a usb loader just like GX loader

 

[VoltManEXE]

Okay, so I looked up cIOSX, and it says:

- Fixed USB device support in FAT module.

Does that mean the filesystem has to be FAT and not FAT32? (Which is fine, just checking)

 

[kimikal27]

FAT is FAT32

 

[VoltManEXE]

Oh, alright then. So after I install the cIOSX, do I need to use the Configurable USB Loader, or will USB Loader GX work as well? (I kinda like the way USBLGX is set up, I don't like the whole boxart thing on the cfg loader)