Hacking WiiWare / VC, having trouble launching with USB Loader GX and neek2o

[Cyan]

Since then, emuNAND was still pointing to the "clean" NAND generated by ModMii; NOT a dump from the updated sysNAND. Really just my speculation, what do you think? ***

I told you to redump your NAND, so there's no way it's still "pointing to the clean NAND generated by modmii", or else it means you didn't follow what I asked.

you said you followed the "3 steps" above, and I specifically said to dump your sysNAND (with updated IOS) as a new base for emuNAND on SD.

 

[NJBoss]

you said you followed the "3 steps" above, and I specifically said to dump your sysNAND (with updated IOS) as a new base for emuNAND on SD.

Yes, brother. Correct. I think we're having a translation issue here.

What I mean was that when we updated the soft mod a few weeks ago, I didn't re-dump the sysNAND before proceeding with more tests.
Last night, I did the NAND dump. Therefore, that seems to be what will probably be THE solution for these issues. We'll keep going and see what happens, thanks.

 

[NJBoss]

Hell yeah, it worked! Dump NAND to emuNAND - USB\nands\01 Install Cave Story WAD. Launch with cIOS, boom.

if not working :
copy your NAND dump from SD to USB, and try to launch cave story which you already got working once on SD. (the savegame is already created, the size check should be skipped)
result : tell me too.

First, a NAND dump to USB\nands\01 Install WAD, test. Even if that's successful, should I go to the effort of manually copying the NAND from SD\nands\01 to USB ?

Even though it worked with a NAND dump to USB, for laughs, I did this anyway.
• Copy the contents from SD\nands\01 into USB\nands\02
• (named 02 just for reference)
• Point emuNAND Channel path to USB\nands\02
• Launch Cave Story successfully

Returned the emuNAND channel path to USB\nands\01 for good measure.

Before I get ahead of myself, any other tests I should do? Thanks!

 

[CORE]

Funny enough I have been working with this the past week and Neek2O has been giving me trouble , Got it to Boot once and thought great that it sorted then never Booted again?
The Nand is still good though I just Have Sneek Folder and Nand on USB HDD and I Boot from USB Loader GX Settings Features Boot Neek.

USB:\Nands\Nand
USB:\Sneek\
USB:\games
USB:\wbfs
USB:\wads

 

[Cyan]

NJBoss : good news
so the USB works fine, with both tests.

I really don't know why cave story doesn't work in cIOS mode when using a modmii generated NAND.
but, now we have a real working base for all our next test (and hopefully no more test, but real usage).

now we now a sysNAND dump works fine as base, you are not required to keep a zip of the working NAND, because sysNAND is easy to redump.
I will just assume your sysNAND dump also work in neek, but maybe you want to test it first? use "launch neek" option in features menu just to verify it boots fine into neek.

Now, install your game wad which wasn't working before (I forgot the game's name, troll and I ?). you know, the game you wanted to play and why you started this thread.
try installing the wad and launching it from cIOS. I think it's not working with cIOS, but then activate the "neek" option for that game and try launching it from USBGX. it should autoboot into neek2o.

 

[NJBoss]

I really don't know why cave story doesn't work in cIOS mode when using a modmii generated NAND.

I don't understand why either!

but, now we have a real working base for all our next test (and hopefully no more test, but real usage).

Hopefully, indeed.

I will just assume your sysNAND dump also work in neek, but maybe you want to test it first? use "launch neek" option in features menu just to verify it boots fine into neek.

Features - Launch NEEK System Menu
Works! For the sake of it, I launched Cave Story from Neek System Menu. Also works, sees the save game file too.
2 Fast 4 Gnomz however... black screen for a few seconds then the gray Wii logo screen before returning to Neek System Menu... Bummer.

try installing the wad and launching it from cIOS. I think it's not working with cIOS, but then activate the "neek" option for that game and try launching it from USBGX. it should autoboot into neek2o.

Failed. Changed the game's individual settings from Use Global (which would be Full) to Neek. Thus, autoboot Neek when launching this game from UGX.
BUT! What's interesting is that UGX reports that Neek path could not be found...? I do not remember the exact error message but it was similar to what I wrote.
From here, I used Features - Launch Neek System Menu again. Neek System Menu still launches successfully! I even tested Cave Story from here (again) and, still good.

For what it's worth, I have a sneek folder on USB. That folder does NOT contain the file di.bin And I do NOT have a sneek folder on SD.
I hope that is helpful information. Let's see if we can get it figured out. Thanks!

EDIT - I used ShowMiiWADs to verify (again) that 2 Fast 4 Gnomz is showing a USA Region Flag. My console is USA and, of course, the NAND is too. Is there any other info about this WAD that would help us?

 

[Cyan]

could you try to reinstall the game using ShowMiiWads, if you didn't try yet.
maybe the wad installer from USBGX has a bug. it wouldn't be the first time, I fixed it 2 times already since 3.0 was released.

the game works fine when installed on real NAND ? just to be sure the wad is not the problem.

 

[NJBoss]

could you try to reinstall the game using ShiwMiiWads, if you didn't try yet.
maybe the wad installer from USBGX has a bug. it wouldn't be the first time, I fixed it 2 times already since 3.0 was released.

Full disclosure - I've never used ShowMiiWads for anything but verifying WAD info (region flag, etc). I am very sorry to ask, how do I install the WAD to my USB using ShowMiiWads?

the game works fine when installed on real NAND ? just to be sure the wad is not the problem.

I haven't tried... Sorry!
I will use MMM to install the WAD to sysNAND. I will then attempt to launch the channel / game from real Wii system menu. Will report back with results, thank you!

 

[Cyan]

look into showmiiwad menu, there's a place called "show mii NAND"
you select the path where your have your NAND (usb:/nands/pl_us/ or usb:/nands/01/ for example)

it will list all the installed titles (IOS, and channels).
from this place, you can :
install/uninstall a title
backup/restore savegame from a title
export a title to WAD (I think)


I was about to tell you about that program if everything else failed. you would have used it to verify if modmii generated NAND contained all IOS.
that's maybe why emuNAND is not working correctly when generated from modmii, maybe it's missing some files.
if you have time, could you compare the IOS from your NAND dump, and from the NAND generated by modmii? see if you have the same IOS, see if they are the same version.
or better, please take a screenshot so I'll know what modmii generates
thanks

 

[NJBoss]

look into showmiiwad menu, there's a place called "show mii NAND"
you select the path where your have your NAND (usb:/nands/pl_us/ or usb:/nands/01/ for example)

it will list all the installed titles (IOS, and channels).
from this place, you can :
install/uninstall a title
backup/restore savegame from a title
export a title to WAD (I think)

if you have time, could you compare the IOS from your NAND dump, and from the NAND generated by modmii? see if you have the same IOS, see if they are the same version.
or better, please take a screenshot so I'll know what modmii generates
thanks

Of COURSE I'll do it! We need to troubleshoot, right? ;-)
Sad to say that I don't have my USB HDD with me right now. When I do have the USB, I will do the comparison you have requested, absolutely.
Actually, I have a pl_us NAND generated by ModMii here on a different hard drive (a backup of what was being used on my actual USB HDD connected to the Wii). This may not ACCURATELY represent exactly what my current ModMii-generated NAND is but... there's a good chance that it does. Confused? Lol
I will do the same with my dumped emuNAND when I get in front of my actual USB HDD later. Thank you!

 

[NJBoss]

The following represents the true pl_us NAND generated by ModMii.

The following represents my dumped sysNAND. This is the one that is currently working to launch Cave Story from UGX / cIOS.

As of the time of posting these photos, I have not installed the WAD to emuNAND using ShowMiiWads. Nor have I tested installing to sysNAND real channel menu. Will do that soon, thanks.

 

[NJBoss]

I am having trouble with my Windows emulator (on Mac) so, the ShowMiiWads installation will have to wait until I am at my other computer.

In the meantime, this is probably going to be useful information. I installed the WAD to real sysNAND System Menu and when I try to launch the game from its channel, black screen for a few seconds then the gray Wii logo loading screen. Then, get kicked back to sysNAND System Menu.
Safe to assume corrupt WAD? Will ShowMiiWads installation "fix" this?

Thanks!

 

[Cyan]

if the wad is bad, there's no way an installer fix the game's code.
the wad is just a bad dump, there's no way to fix it. you need another one (proper dump).

for your screenshots : strange that the IOS from modmii generated NAND doesn't have the same version than the IOS from dumped NAND, even thought it has been updated by modmii too.
I'm not sure if it's normal or not.
your sysNAND has more IOS too, because some are not official and never required by anything (for example you have IOS4 which was never used I think it's a very old production IOS before console release in 2006, or IOS11 which was never used by any game)

 

[NJBoss]

for your screenshots : strange that the IOS from modmii generated NAND doesn't have the same version than the IOS from dumped NAND, even thought it has been updated by modmii too.
I'm not sure if it's normal or not.

For what it's worth, my sysNAND has System Menu 4.1U When ModMii asked what System Menu I wanted to use in the NAND it generated, I specified 4.1 Not 4.2 or 4.3 I'm not sure if these details have any significance but I thought it'd be worth sharing.

if the wad is bad, there's no way an installer fix the game's code.
the wad is just a bad dump, there's no way to fix it. you need another one (proper dump).

Well, that's bad news. With that, what do you think the next step should be? I'm thinking move on from this game and try other games.
Thank you!

 

[Cyan]

play games you have, enjoy them.
if a game is not working, pass, or if you really really want that one, install on syysNAND if it doesn't work at all (or verify it's not corrupted, get a good one. you can only "get" a good one now because eshop is closed)

 

[NJBoss]

Dig it. I'll do some more testing with the other titles I've got. If I have any issues, I'll test like this:

• game doesn't work on cIOS?
• test with Neek auto boot
• doesn't work?
• install to real NAND
• Works there? Try Neek with different settings (which settings though...?)
• Doesn't work on real NAND? Bad dump, move on.

Good workflow? Thanks!

 

[NJBoss]

Making progress! I will try not to write too much.

• UGX Features - Boot Neek System Menu still works. I didn't test launching any channels from there besides Cave Story (still works).
• However, the autoboot Neek feature in UGX on the per-game settings level gives an error message. Something to the effect of "Neek path can't be found". Don't have the drives in front of me but, from what I remember, there is NOT a sneek folder on SD. There IS a sneek folder on USB. That folder does NOT have the di.bin file in it.

It's not a big problem but I would LIKE to fix it. I have many games installed to emuNAND on USB which is causing UGX to load the games list rather slowly. Neek System Menu is another step to slow things down so... trying to autoboot it for games that need Neek.

Thanks!

 

[Cyan]

reset your game setting.
if you previously had a setting for that game, it might have store the "emuNAND path" to use for that particular game.
if you change the global emuNAND path (in settings>custom path), then the path might not match anymore. maybe you could even have deleted the old path. so, just go to game > reset settings.

it's possible it's another bug, in that case just delete the "nandcfg.bin" file located in sneek folder. it contains the path to the emuNAND folder to use, and can store up to 8 different folders at the same time. maybe it's not updating correctly.


About your sneek folder:
add the sneek folder on SD !
sneek folder on SD with Sneek files in it
sneek folder on USB with Uneek files in it
then, let usbgx automatic decision to use either sd:/sneek/ or usb:/sneek/ based on where your emuNAND folder is located.



yeah, too many games just slowdown the loader's interface loading speed.
there's nothing you can do on your side.
if you want to autoboot neek at console boot, then you need [email protected], sd:/sneek/ with corresponding neek file in it (uneek if your emuNAND is on USB, sneek if your emuNAND is on SD. IT'S NOT WORKING LIKE USBGX ANYMORE), and armboot.bin files in bootmii folder. you'll need different sd card to boot neek or not.

 

[NJBoss]

yeah, too many games just slowdown the loader's interface loading speed.
there's nothing you can do on your side.

Yup. Part of my "solution" was to re-dump the NAND. I had about 700 WW / VC titles installed before I re-dumped. Of course, UGX and Neek System Menu are faster to launch now.

reset your game setting.
if you previously had a setting for that game, it might have store the "emuNAND path" to use for that particular game.
if you change the global emuNAND path (in settings>custom path), then the path might not match anymore. maybe you could even have deleted the old path. so, just go to game > reset settings.

it's possible it's another bug, in that case just delete the "nandcfg.bin" file located in sneek folder. it contains the path to the emuNAND folder to use, and can store up to 8 different folders at the same time. maybe it's not updating correctly.

About your sneek folder:
add the sneek folder on SD !
sneek folder on SD with Sneek files in it
sneek folder on USB with Uneek files in it
then, let usbgx automatic decision to use either sd:/sneek/ or usb:/sneek/ based on where your emuNAND folder is located.

Would you believe I figured all this out on my own before your post? ;-)
I am not sure what brought Neek System Menu back to life. I suspect the large amount of WW / VC titles was causing a problem somehow. Anyway, here is what I did:

• re-dump NAND to emuNAND
• take the uNEEK "copy to USB" sneek folder generated by ModMii and place it on root of USB HDD.
• that sneek folder does NOT contain the di.bin file
• take the sNEEK "copy to SD" sneek folder generated by ModMii and place it on root of SD.
• that sneek folder also does NOT contain the di.bin file
• both sneek folders have kernel.bin and font.bin
• install a few WADs to test
• some are good as cIOS.
• Knowing Castelevania Rebirth is NEEK only, I installed it. Used UGX autoboot NEEK option... works!!!


*** Note - the following is for discussion. I don't think it's a problem that needs to be fixed but I think it's worth asking. ***
Is Neek considered a "universal solution"? Out of curiosity, in my latest test, I successfully launched Art of Fighting with UGX / cIOS. I then tried launching it from the Neek System Menu but got a black screen.
I didn't test Castlevania Rebirth with Neek System Menu yet but I think that will answer my question.

Anyway, my next step is to install more WADs for further testing. See what's working, what isn't. But I think we're (nearly) out of the woods! Thanks @Cyan !

 

[FanNintendo]

my wads not in order because of 4 characters is following by next files like WWRX, WXTZ no name of wads show so should i rename it on wad file or make new folder just like WBFS file or what??