Requirements

- BootMii (either installed as boot2 or as IOS)
- SD(HC) card (at least 1GB, 2GB recommended)
- USB keyboard

Preparing the SD card

You have to create 2 partitions. One little FAT16/32 for BootMii, HBC and the kernel and one big ext3 for the filesystem ("userland"). You can do this for example with gParted in Ubuntu. If you don`t have Ubuntu installed, use the latest LiveCD. For this tutorial it is important to set the descriptions of the partitions.

- Backup your current BootMii folder
- 1. partition: At least 32 MB, FAT16/32, "kernel" as description
- 2. partition: Remaining free space, EXT3, "filesystem" as description
- Copy your BootMii folder to the first partition

Installing the kernel

The mike kernel must be booted via BootMii! If you boot it with the homebrew channel, wifi and other things won`t work.

There are two ways to boot the kernel:

1.)
The first one (and also the recommended one) is to copy the kernel to the first partition of your sd card, for example to the BootMii folder. To boot the kernel you can use the sd card explorer in BootMii and select the kernel. It could happen that it doesn`t work and return to the BootMii main menu. If this happens try to update to the newest BootMii version (beta4). If it also doesn`t work with beta4 then you have to use the second way.

2.)
With the second way you will have to replace the executable of the BootMii GUI with the kernel. This should always work, but the disadvantage is that the kernel will boot immediately after launching BootMii. So you won`t see the GUI of BootMii. If you need the BootMii GUI you may use a second sd card for Linux only.

- Rename the file "ppcboot.elf" in the BootMii folder to "ppcboot.elf.backup"
- Download the latest mike kernel (mikep5) with your appropriate TV mode:

- 480i PAL: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/...480i(PAL60).elf
- 576i PAL: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/...i.576i(PAL).elf
- 480p PAL: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/...i.480p(PAL).elf
- 480i NTSC: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/....480i(NTSC).elf
- 480p NTSC: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/....480p(NTSC).elf

- Rename the kernel to ppcboot.elf and copy it to your BootMii folder
- If you have BootMii beta1 or beta2 you need to download the latest armboot.bin to prevent an error with the mike kernel: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/mikep1-armboot.bin. Rename it to "armboot.bin" and replace it with the one in your new BootMii folder. If you are running BootMii beta3 or later you might skip this step, because it should already include a newer version of armboot.bin

Installing the filesystem

- Download XWhiite 0.2 to your Desktop: http://hbcapps.com/debian-etch-4.0+whiite-...ite-0.2.tar.bz2
- Open a terminal and login as root (sudo su)
- Change the directory to your Desktop:

cd /home/yourusername/Desktop

- Extract the filesystem to your sd card:

tar -C /media/filesystem/ -xjvf debian-etch-4.0+whiite-0.1+xwhiite-0.2.tar.bz2

- Backup your xorg.conf:

cd /media/filesystem/etc/X11/
cp xorg.conf xorg.conf.backup

- Open your xorg.conf and set your TV mode (pal or ntsc):

gedit /media/filesystem/etc/X11/xorg.conf

- Find the Subsection "Display" in the section "Screen"
- Replace "pal_50" with "ntsc_60" if you have a NTSC TV
- If you have the problem with the "small line" try to remove the lines with "HorizSync", "VertRefresh", "Modeline "pal_50"" and "Modeline "ntsc_60"" in the section "Monitor" and the whole subsection "Display"

- Now you can try to boot your Wii with Linux.

Getting WiFi to work

- Download the necessary debian packages and put them to /media/filesystem/home/wii/:

- nano: http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/...ch1_powerpc.deb
- wpasupplicant: http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/...5-2_powerpc.deb
- wireless-tools: http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/...f.1_powerpc.deb
- udev: http://security.debian.org/debian-security...ch1_powerpc.deb
- libiw28: http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/...f.1_powerpc.deb
- libvolume: http://security.debian.org/debian-security...ch1_powerpc.deb
- wifi firmware: http://sourceforge.net/projects/gc-linux/f...tar.gz/download

- Boot your Wii Linux
- Open a terminal and login as root (pwd is "whiite")
- Install the packages:

cd /home/wii/
dpkg -i *.deb

- Extract the wifi firmware:

cd /
tar -xzvf /home/wii/openfwwf-5.2-bin.tar.gz

- Edit the wifi settings:

nano /etc/network/interfaces

- For WPA 1/2 add this:

auto wlan0
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwpa-ssid YOUR_SSID_GOES_HERE
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwpa-psk YOUR_SECRET_GOES_HERE
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwpa-key-mgmt WPA-PSK
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwpa-pairwise TKIP CCMP
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwpa-group TKIP CCMP
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwpa-proto WPA RSN
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwpa-ap-scan 1
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwpa-scan-ssid 1

- For WEP (ASCII string key) add this:

auto wlan0
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwireless-essid YOUR_SSID_GOES_HERE
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwireless-key YOUR_ASCII_SECRET_GOES_HERE

- For WEP (binary key) add this:

auto wlan0
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwireless-essid YOUR_SSID_GOES_HERE
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwireless-key s:0123-4567-89

- Test your wifi connection:

ifup wlan0
ping www.google.com

- If you get responses: CONGRATULATIONS! Now your Wii will automatically connect your wifi on every boot

And what now?

- Now you can update your system (as root!):

apt-get update
apt-get upgrade

- You can also install a "normal" desktop environment like XFCE4. It`s more comfortable to use, but will use more RAM and will run slower. But it`s quite usable.

apt-get install xfce4

- Install whatever you want! Have fun!

Problems and their solutions

Problem: No sound
Solution: CODEusermod -G audio


by elmurato
revision 5


PS: If something isn`t clear feel free to ask so that I can improve this tutorial. Thanks!

Sources

http://www.gc-linux.org/wiki/WL:whiite-linux
http://www.tehskeen.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9777
http://www.gc-linux.org/wiki/MINI:KernelPreviewThree
http://www.gc-linux.org/wiki/WL:Wifi_Configuration

 

[ozguy]

OK. I need the help of someone well versed in Linux since I am going to try going way above and beyond normal Wii linux use.

I have a Toshiba Dynadock.
http://www.trustedreviews.com/laptops/revi...king-Station/p1
(I have the VGA version rather than the DVI version)

According to an old review, everything on it works under Linux except the VGA out, however I have found that recently a display driver has become available for the DisplayLink video adaptor (which is what it uses).
http://lists.x.org/archives/xorg-devel/2009-June/001086.html
It says it was tested on a MacBook so I assume it supports PPC too.

Where do I extract the driver to? and what changes if any do I need to make, such as to xorg.conf
I am using xfce desktop.

I would really like to see if we can get higher resolutions by utilizing the VGA port on this. It also has LAN and 7.1 SPDIF audio out.
So far I have only tested the USB ports, which work as expected. The front ports are even powered when everything is off, so it is great for charging WiiMotes.

 

[texasrick]

It's me again.

I was able to make Xwhiite boot to a command prompt after changing the names of 2 files located in /etc/rc2.d/
I changed S99nologin to K01nologin and S99rc..local to K01rc.local. This kept me from booting to the desktop and I was able to log in at the command line and install the other packages.

Problem 1.
I installed XFCE4 and at the command prompt I type startx to get to the desktop. This brought me to what looked like a 16 color desktop as if now the video card drivers are not installed. Keyboard works although I cant seem to navigate the desktop with the keyboard only. Mouse still does not work. I bought a wired mouse last night. Wiimote does not work.

Problem 2
When I do boot to the GUI I get an error telling me.
"Could not look up internet address for
xwhiite.
This will prevent Xfce from operating correctly.
It may be possible to correct the problem by
adding
xwhiite to the file etc/hosts on your system"

I read somewhere that someone else had this same problem. I tried adding xwhiite to my hosts file but something went wrong and my hosts file has only the word xwhiite typed into it.
Can someone paste here what my hosts file should have written in it?

 

[ozguy]

Prob 1 is likely a problem with your xorg.conf file.
Since you said there is a problem with when you edited your hosts file, you may have also messed up something in the xorg.conf file if you tried to edit that too. It controls the display, as well as the mouse and keyboard.


Prob 2.
it should say
127.0.0.1 xwhiite

Which distro did you use?
I used the one listed on the tutorial and I can use the WiiMote as a mouse. Once you press a button on the WiiMote it should work.
The distro I initially used did not include WiiMote support.

 

[Ferrie]

Thanks Ferrie, it worked installing on the wii, but it is still not working with Ubuntu. I tried changing the xorg setting. Using the tutorial on the first page and it says acess denied. Also, I am logged in as root.So right now it works just can't get the packages on it for wifi.

Can you login as root on your wii? Because is you can do that, than you should be able to mount an usb stick with the extra packages and copy those to your ext3 partition. And you can edit xorg.conf (FIRST MAKE A BACKUP).

(just downloaded a movie (700mb) to my 500GB HD in 2 hours with transmission, who said wii's wifi was slow?!)

 

[texasrick]

Prob 1 is likely a problem with your xorg.conf file.
Since you said there is a problem with when you edited your hosts file, you may have also messed up something in the xorg.conf file if you tried to edit that too. It controls the display, as well as the mouse and keyboard.


Prob 2.
it should say
127.0.0.1 xwhiite

Which distro did you use?
I used the one listed on the tutorial and I can use the WiiMote as a mouse. Once you press a button on the WiiMote it should work.
The distro I initially used did not include WiiMote support.

Your right about the xorg.conf file. I checked and it is gone. Even the backup I made is missing. So now I am trying to get another one.
I downloaded the distro listed in this thread.

 

[texasrick]

I ended up running Gparted again and unpacking Xwhiite on my SD card.
I got everything working but the mouse or wiimote.

Im on the internet with wii.
Any link(s) to keyboard shortcuts since I have no pointer to use and/or any suggestions on getting a mouse or the wiimote to work?

Thanx for all the help so far.

 

[texasrick]

I finaly got the wiimote working. I think it may have been the generic Nyko remote that was not working. It was set to the 1st remote and the nintendo was 2nd, now I reversed it. OR booting straight to the desktop without logging in as root. I dont know, but it works

 

[ozguy]

OK, got the DisplayLink driver going.

OMG I actually have output working from the DisplayLink RGB port on my Dynadock.
Now I just have to get it configured in xorg.conf

 

[m00k]

now thats pretty cool ozguy, im intrested in hearing how you get on.

 

[ozguy]

How can I get this to build under Whiite?
http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/libd...uly/000258.html

The test app included with libdlo displays correctly on the DisplayLink screen, however it looks like I still need a driver before I can use it in X.

 

[m00k]

afraid i cant help you there, far beyond my meager abilities, but keep us posted ok.

 

[litobro]

Anybody have progress with gnash, can't seem to find a working version.

 

[ozguy]

Unfortunately all the open source flash players for PPC based linux distros still only support Flash 8.

 

[litobro]

doesn't matter, watching videos should be fine XD. Using these http://wiki.gnashdev.org/Building_on_Debian instructions to try and get gnash compiled

 

[Hells Guardian]

It's entirely possible to auto boot the wii into Wii linux with Wifi and all other features included. It makes use of preloader and bootmii IOS. first set preloader to load system menu from the bootmii IOS. forgot the number but I know it's up there 250 or higher....... either way then set it to auto boot to system menu. this will then preform an IOS reload at boot to load into bootmii IOS. It will then load the ppcboot.elf file to load the bootmii menu. so if you replace the ppcboot.elf file in the bootmii folder with the file to boot Wii linux it will boot into wii linux from power on.

Damn now I have to get a USB keyboard and maybe even a mouse.

It's great I can make my wii work like my desktop lol. Who would have thought.

 

[fishears]

doesn't matter, watching videos should be fine XD. Using these http://wiki.gnashdev.org/Building_on_Debian instructions to try and get gnash compiled

This should work:
http://packages.debian.org/etch-backports/.../gnash/download
It's a .deb for gnash... haven't had chance to try it though

 

[goku1980]

nevermind ty to anyone who answered though

 

[litobro]

doesn't matter, watching videos should be fine XD. Using these http://wiki.gnashdev.org/Building_on_Debian instructions to try and get gnash compiled

This should work:
http://packages.debian.org/etch-backports/.../gnash/download
It's a .deb for gnash... haven't had chance to try it though

Thanks, i'll give it a shot

 

[1ronlung]

Haven't heard anything so far that would make using the latest distro preferable to using my laptop.

Now, if it managed to run streetfighter 3 on MAME at a decent speed, that would be a different thing entirely ....

 

[goku1980]

any one know if wireless keyboards work?