Hacking Wii backup Manager for Windows

[fig2k4]

It is my understanding that currently with this program, ISOs can only be backed up to a WBFS drive or a .wbfs file on a FAT partition.

Is there any way, with this program or otherwise, to back up ISOs in the .wbfs format but on a NTFS partition (i.e. on a local computer). I'd like to avoid having to make a specific FAT partition on one of my local computer HDs to back up my ridiculously full-sized Wii ISOs. I know RAR can be done, but I'd like to avoid that.

Sure.

1. Go to Options->Settings.. Untick "Show Only USB drives", Tick "Allow any file system for .wbfs", click OK.
2. Go to Drive 1 page. Click Drive, then

 

[Bluee]

Wow fig, that's !@#$ing awesome. You might consider streamlining the "backup to your local HD" option and making it a bit more obvious. I imagine a lot of people would have a use for backing up to their computer or maybe a NAS. That would include specifying the .wbfs folder beyond just the drive letter.

Another question. .wbfs files that are internally renamed within the program... do they retain that naming when copied/moved/altered/whatever and would show up with that name on Insert_Favorite_USB_Loader_Here?

 

[TeenTin]

2. It does rename the disc inside WBFS, but when it's extracted to ISO again, it will still have the original title. Is it really worth just renaming the text files?

True ! Really good !!

However, if more flexibility can be added so that it is easy to switch between them (the original and new names) would be great.

e.g. we can choose to display the original names at any time.

Thanks again.

 

[thewonderer73]

Hi,

I havent had a chance to full test this yet, but having used wbfs manager for a short while, I can see this will be much better, espically when it comes to adding multiple RARs.

One thing I noticed when downloading a cover from multiple locations (UK, USA, Europe) if your program cannot match up the title for one region, it does not go to other regions to locate the cover, u have to manually select. Would it be possible for a change to be implemented that will go through all the countries listed in the options and a status bar to show. Where do the covers get stored when downloaded?

I like the idea of storing the ISO's on a FAT(32) USB drive rather than as a WBFS partition which windows believes is not formatted. Can you clarify that the Wii can read a FAT32/NTFS (from today's post) ISO's using a USB Loader? or have i missed the point of this option...?

Thanks once again for the great work

 

[redia]

2. It does rename the disc inside WBFS, but when it's extracted to ISO again, it will still have the original title. Is it really worth just renaming the text files?

WHAT ?!?!
how comes we missed that. or at least I missed that...
ok it is true that I did not look that much in the wbfs file format.
but I hexed a file and it is clear. the name is kept in two location.... i am loving it.
so the "on-the-fly" should only be for the WBFS partition or iso/ciso list.

but I wish you could also add an option to rename for iso/ciso... when I mean rename I mean simply renaming the file, not tweaking the name inside...

I am currently testing the multiboot options, but I can't seem to make it work.
I need more testing because I am not familiar with building the discs.. so I might be doing an error.
I will revert asap.

Cheers,
R

 

[fig2k4]

@Bluee

1. You might consider streamlining the "backup to your local HD" option and making it a bit more obvious. I imagine a lot of people would have a use for backing up to their computer or maybe a NAS. That would include specifying the .wbfs folder beyond just the drive letter.

2. Another question. .wbfs files that are internally renamed within the program... do they retain that naming when copied/moved/altered/whatever and would show up with that name on Insert_Favorite_USB_Loader_Here?
1. I think direct ISO->.wbfs would cover that. Everything's in place to do that, I've just not implemented it yet.
2. Configurable USB Loader is the only loader that supports FAT32 for now. That's right eh? I've been sleeping for a few hours

I just thought of a bug. I use temporarily use indirect drive to drive transfers. The inbetween stage is CISO. When I extract to CISO, the custom title will be lost. I need to fix that. It won't be a problem once I get round to direct drive to drive.

@TeenTin

However, if more flexibility can be added so that it is easy to switch between them (the original and new names) would be great.

e.g. we can choose to display the original names at any time.
That was the idea, so you can toggle on the fly titles. It should be easy to do..

@thewonderer73

1.One thing I noticed when downloading a cover from multiple locations (UK, USA, Europe) if your program cannot match up the title for one region, it does not go to other regions to locate the cover, u have to manually select. Would it be possible for a change to be implemented that will go through all the countries listed in the options and a status bar to show. Where do the covers get stored when downloaded?

2. I like the idea of storing the ISO's on a FAT(32) USB drive rather than as a WBFS partition which windows believes is not formatted. Can you clarify that the Wii can read a FAT32/NTFS (from today's post) ISO's using a USB Loader? or have i missed the point of this option...?

1. The quick cover download button is really just for downloading the single cover that you want to see there. There's batch functions in Tools->Covers->Download **. You can select some games (tick the boxes) and go to "Download selected", or just "Download all". To download only the missing covers, see Options->Settings.. covers page.

2. NTFS doesn't work, you need to use FAT32. Basically it's just a FAT32 drive with a "wbfs" folder in the root of the drive containing all your .wbfs files. Using Configurable USB Loader, the games show up and run just the same as with a WBFS drive. The only difference is that you need Hermes CIOS 222.

@redia
QUOTE

1.so the "on-the-fly" should only be for the WBFS partition or iso/ciso list.
2.but I wish you could also add an option to rename for iso/ciso... when I mean rename I mean simply renaming the file, not tweaking the name inside...

3.I am currently testing the multiboot options, but I can't seem to make it work.
I need more testing because I am not familiar with building the discs.. so I might be doing an error.
I will revert asap.

1. I'll make the on-the-fly stuff a toggle option. If you're using on-the-fly mode, none of the renaming functions will be shown. It'll save confusion I think.
2. Batch ISO file renaming could be handy.
3. The easiest way to create a multiboot disc for testing..

3.a. Get 2 different game ISOs (copies that you don't mind losing)

The smaller the games are, the better.
3.b. Open the first ISO in WiiScrubber. Right click on the game partition select crypted->save. Save it to .img.
3.c. Open the second ISO. Right click "Wii Disc", select Import->crypted. Open you're saved .img. Select partition table 1.

That's the basics. You can add more if you like. When you open this ISO in WBM, you'll see 2 entries for the same file, but the game index will be 0 for the first game, 1 for the second.

Edit: Anyone had a chance to test the copy from DVD? I was wondering if there's any problems and how the speed is compared to ripping a DVD using ImgBurn etc. I've only ever tested it on my system..

Edit 2: I think it may be time to start a small WIKI or something to help document this..

 

[redia]

fig2k4,

multiboot.
that's what I did, but it did not work.
when I load the iso, I get all the games (with their index)
but when I try to copy (to WBFS Partition or to WBFS File) it takes only a second and tells me the job is done.. but nothing is copied.
I will try once again.

about the DVD.
seems to works LIKE A CHARM !
I still want to do some testing/compare the resulting files and so on.
but from my actual results.. it seems to be great.

R.

edit.. you forgot to mention that we should shrink each partition first.. or at least that's what I seem to find in different tutorials

 

[TeenTin]

I found the game title not functioning very well. I need to press a few times for it to work properly. Besides, can I make it default to always sort by game title ?

Moreover, I suspect I have found a bug. When I deleted two successive games (We Ski and We Ski & Snowboard) from my WBFS HD, I found that the manager deleted 1 game wrongly (We Ski and Wii Fit). I am 100% sure I did not check the wrong games, because I did check very carefully.

 

[fig2k4]

I found the game title not functioning very well. I need to press a few times for it to work properly.
I'm not sure what you mean. What are you pressing? Tell me what happens and what you expected to happen, it'll make it clearer.

Besides, can I make it default to always sort by game title ?
If you don't click the column headers, the default is to sort by game title. I could save the sorting preference, but personally I change it quite often depending on what I'm looking for. It's only a one click to change the sorting..

QUOTE

Moreover, I suspect I have found a bug. When I deleted two successive games (We Ski and We Ski & Snowboard) from my WBFS HD, I found that the manager deleted 1 game wrongly (We Ski and Wii Fit). I am 100% sure I did not check the wrong games, because I did check very carefully.

Were you using "Remove->Selected" or "right click->remove" ? Also, was it a WBFS drive or FAT32 (.wbfs)?

Edit: I think I've found it. When you have a corrupt/incomplete .wbfs file on the drive, it's skipped over when adding it to the list view. But this file is still in the list I keep of all the wbfs files. Anyway, any index after the corrupt file's index will be wrong, causing the wrong file to be deleted. I'll change it later tonight and release the new version with the few fixes. I think I'll add notification of corrupt files too.

 

[TeenTin]

I found the game title not functioning very well. I need to press a few times for it to work properly.

I'm not sure what you mean. What are you pressing? Tell me what happens and what you expected to happen, it'll make it clearer.

I mean the sorting function when I press the "game title" bar. When the manager reads a folder, it "seems" that the games are sorted according to the game title. But, when I look carefully, some games are not sorted correctly. So, I have to press the game title bar twice to get games sort correctly. This also happens when some new games are added.

 

[fig2k4]

I mean the sorting function when I press the "game title" bar. When the manager reads a folder, it "seems" that the games are sorted according to the game title. But, when I look carefully, some games are not sorted correctly. So, I have to press the game title bar twice to get games sort correctly. This also happens when some new games are added.

Fixed. I was using the Drive pages to test, which work fine.

 

[fig2k4]

How would people feel about little tutorial videos like this, instead of actual documentation?

 

[xzxero]

awesome, can i add it to the CSG page?

 

[fig2k4]

That one was really just a test. In future I'll make sure I don't do 30 seconds of copying in a 55 second video.

I'll leave it up anyway, but you'd probably be better linking to the real videos when I do them. Using these videos I can capture the features as I finish them. Much easier than spending ages writing stuff about it when all I want to do is get on with the coding.

If you, or anyone else, can think of a list of "how to" subjects, you could PM them to me to save cluttering up the thread..

 

[redia]

That one was really just a test. In future I'll make sure I don't do 30 seconds of copying in a 55 second video.

I'll leave it up anyway, but you'd probably be better linking to the real videos when I do them. Using these videos I can capture the features as I finish them. Much easier than spending ages writing stuff about it when all I want to do is get on with the coding.

If you, or anyone else, can think of a list of "how to" subjects, you could PM them to me to save cluttering up the thread..

fig2k4,

as soon as you have a list of "how to" let me know (pm)
I will do the writing for you.
I already started a couple. I hope I won't be too contextual... lol
this way you will have both. the writing and the video.

R

 

[TeenTin]

I mean the sorting function when I press the "game title" bar. When the manager reads a folder, it "seems" that the games are sorted according to the game title. But, when I look carefully, some games are not sorted correctly. So, I have to press the game title bar twice to get games sort correctly. This also happens when some new games are added.

Fixed. I was using the Drive pages to test, which work fine.

Looking forward to the new version.

 

[fig2k4]

0.2.1 is in the main post. Let me know if the problems are fixed..

 

[TeenTin]

0.2.1 is in the main post. Let me know if the problems are fixed..

Still have problem with the game title sorting.

Bug1 : Enable add files from folder recursively --> not sorting properly.
Bug2 : Add a second folder --> not sorting properly.

Thanks !

 

[fig2k4]

Strange, can you post or send me a screenshot, so I can see the titles?

 

[Sacohen9665]

I have a request.

When you select a drive to go to (especially a non fat drive, let's say NTFS) can you make it so you can specify a particular place for the wbfs folder.

Right now if I choose my E drive and there is no WBFS folder it automatically puts in on the root of the drive.

I want to be able to put it in a sub-folder for organization purposes.

Thanks;