Hardware HDD wii problems

[appeltje_eitje]

Hello I have 2 wii's and 1 ext. hdd is working just fine on both.. but my sons want each a working hdd on their wii, so i took a hdd from an old ps3 and did what I dit with the other hdd, but it's not working, the wii does not see the hdd.. i don't understand where the problem is, on the laptop with wiibackupmanager it shows the games..
So I was searching where the problem could be and I read about making the hdd smaller with minitool partition wizard, so i opend this and the hdd is about 250 gb and in the wizard shows it's 2 hdd I can't find why, disk 1 is my laptop hdd and disk 2 is 232 gb and disk 3 is 232 gb and that's both the same disk.. So I don't understand.. windows shows me only one disk in the disk managment.. Can I still use the hdd and how or must i try another hdd ???

My english is not so good, I'm from holland, sorry about that.. I hope someone can help me..

Sandra

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Hello I have 2 wii's and 1 ext. hdd is working just fine on both.. but my sons want each a working hdd on their wii, so i took a hdd from an old ps3 and did what I dit with the other hdd, but it's not working, the wii does not see the hdd.. i don't understand where the problem is, on the laptop with wiibackupmanager it shows the games..
So I was searching where the problem could be and I read about making the hdd smaller with minitool partition wizard, so i opend this and the hdd is about 250 gb and in the wizard shows it's 2 hdd I can't find why, disk 1 is my laptop hdd and disk 2 is 232 gb and disk 3 is 232 gb and that's both the same disk.. So I don't understand.. windows shows me only one disk in the disk managment.. Can I still use the hdd and how or must i try another hdd ???

My english is not so good, I'm from holland, sorry about that.. I hope someone can help me..

Sandra

In your USB loader you may have to change the active partition. Make sure it's plugged in the lower port (the one nearest to the edge)
If that doesn't help, try resetting the USB loader settings (USB loader GX has an option for that in the settings, not sure about other loaders)
Last thing you can try is formatting it through Wii Backup Manager. Choose FAT32, 32K or 64K cluster size. Then copy the games back on.

 

[mikefor20]

I am sorry for the language barrier. Best I can tell, this should work...

• Get Modmii https://gbatemp.net/threads/modmii-for-windows-official-support-topic.207126/
  
• Use Disk Management to DELETE all PARTITIONS. (I Like Gparted better if you have a Mac)
• Use the GUI Formatter included with ModMii to format the HDD.
• Use ModMii to ensure your hacks are up to date. (Select Re-Hack your Wii.)

I am not sure what the PS3 does to its HDD. That should solve it though. I do know the Wii, like all Ninty products, is a piece of shit. It's very very finicky. LOTS of HDD that SHOULD work DON'T! There used to be a compatibility list... you need FAT32 and need the right Allocation Unit Size too (64K). The GUI Formatter should take care of that for you. Maybe your USB drivers are out of date.. ModMii will fix it.

https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/USB_Devices_Compatibility_List <--Old thread on it..

 

[appeltje_eitje]

Okay I will try thank you..

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I am sorry for the language barrier. Best I can tell, this should work...

• Get Modmii https://gbatemp.net/threads/modmii-for-windows-official-support-topic.207126/
  
• Use Disk Management to DELETE all PARTITIONS. (I Like Gparted better if you have a Mac)
• Use the GUI Formatter included with ModMii to format the HDD.
• Use ModMii to ensure your hacks are up to date. (Select Re-Hack your Wii.)

I am not sure what the PS3 does to its HDD. That should solve it though. I do know the Wii, like all Ninty products, is a piece of shit. It's very very finicky. LOTS of HDD that SHOULD work DON'T! There used to be a compatibility list... you need FAT32 and need the right Allocation Unit Size too (64K). The GUI Formatter should take care of that for you. Maybe your USB drivers are out of date.. ModMii will fix it.

https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/USB_Devices_Compatibility_List <--Old thread on it..

Cluster size doesn't really seem to matter much. Higher cluster sizes improve speed a little and Nintendont relies on 32K/64K cluster size due to the 32K alignment of GC ISOs but for Wii games it shouldn't affect whether they work or not.

 

[mikefor20]

Cluster size doesn't really seem to matter much. Higher cluster sizes improve speed a little and Nintendont relies on 32K/64K cluster size due to the 32K alignment of GC ISOs but for Wii games it shouldn't affect whether they work or not.

Sure. I was recommending a reformat because of the dubious description. Not OP fault,ESL. IMHO Wii HDD should be set up for maximum compatibility. Nintendont, Uneek and Rawk SD all need the small cluster (Last I knew..) I love NEEK and Rawk got me running all the DLC for Guitar Hero. Tons of music. Load time doesn't change much. Negligible. Truth be told the Wii just might not like that HDD as well...
Might as well start on the 64k cluster though.. Reformatting to use an app is shitty, And nintendon't rawk and neek are cool.

 

[Cyan]

32k cluster size was a requirement for DIOS MIOS only. now everyone uses Nintendont or Devolution for gamecube games, so it's not a problem anymore.

 

[mikefor20]

32k cluster size was a requirement for DIOS MIOS only. now everyone uses Nintendont or Devolution for gamecube games, so it's not a problem anymore.

(S+U)Neek+ too. I LOVE Neek. I had separate EmuNANDs for the Kids. Just insert a SD at boot depending who's using it. I was awesome. Like I said, if reformatting, for the Wii, 64k, or was it 32k?. .

 

[Cyan]

ah? I didn't remember the cluster size was a problem. That's maybe why I couldn't help some users, I thought only about the sector size.
Maybe I should add a cluster size check in usbloadergx too. (it's checking everything else)

 

[appeltje_eitje]

I did not have partitions on the hdd, but I deleted the whole thing and made it back useable and used modmii and the fat32 gui formatter and put the usb things on the usb and with wiibackupmanager I put on a few little games, so I am going to try again, but with mini tool partition wizzard it's still the same, it still thinks it's 2 hdd.. strange thing..

 

[mikefor20]

ah? I didn't remember the cluster size was a problem. That's maybe why I couldn't help some users, I thought only about the sector size.
Maybe I should add a cluster size check in usbloadergx too. (it's checking everything else)

Yeah, I think the DIOSMIOS code was a bit borrowed from NEEK.. Same dev. Thanks Crediar!! Maybe he can weigh in..

Cyan, you know your stuff. You probably remember like me, Wii HDD support was spotty. I modded LOTS of Wii's and always told people to get a WD My Book, or passport. Because I knew it would work.. There is a lot of drives that should work but just don't

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

I did not have partitions on the hdd, but I deleted the whole thing and made it back useable and used modmii and the fat32 gui formatter and put the usb things on the usb and with wiibackupmanager I put on a few little games, so I am going to try again, but with mini tool partition wizzard it's still the same, it still thinks it's 2 hdd.. strange thing..

Anyone know what the PS3 does to it? Maybe some BS left over? Doubt it. I used G-parted and deleted partitions Windows Disk Management couldn't see before though...

 

[appeltje_eitje]

hd num sector does not match is what i see.. still not working

 

[mikefor20]

hd num sector does not match is what i see.. still not working

IDK what PS3 does to it.. Try Gparted? maybe Easus or something?

 

[Cyan]

yeah, some drives are just acting differently.
Like the one who seems to go to sleep even if there's an anti-sleep timer in cIOS.
And all the new drives which have initialization issue with cIOS, I tried to force IOS58 but its still not helping
Wiiflow works, so there's no reason I can't fix it too. I just have to understand what's done wrong.

@appeltje_eitje, like I just said, some HDD have initialization and detection problem with USBLoaderGX.
could you try your drive with other homebrew ?
Wiixplorer, or Snes9xgx, Wiimc, or even The Homebrew Channel (go to the settings to list homebrew /apps/ on usb instead of SD), etc.
so, we will know if the problem is the drive, or the loader.

Do you know if your drive is using MBR or GPT?
try resetting/editing that info to force recreating the partition table, maybe the PS3 did something to that info.

edit: I guess I supposed you were using USBLoaderGX. you never said you did.

 

[appeltje_eitje]

no usb disk (Snes9xgx)

 

[mikefor20]

Which USB port are you plugged in to?

 

[appeltje_eitje]

The one we Always use, my other hdd works just fine in both wii's in the same usb port..

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

Do you know if your drive is using MBR or GPT?
try resetting/editing that info to force recreating the partition table, maybe the PS3 did something to that info.

It was GPT in first place but i changed it to mbr before i put my questions here.. So it is mbr just like the other hdd..

 

[Cyan]

I guess you are using a HDD enclosure.
Did you already use that enclosure on Wii with another hdd ?

usually, when a hdd is not compatible, it's not the hdd itself but the USB to S/ATA interface which is not compatible.
if you have another enclosure, please test it.
if you have another internal hdd, please test it with the same enclosure.
If the drive makes clicking sound, you might not have enough power if the enclosure is not externally powered.

sorry if I missed you already did that, I took the thread in the middle

 

[eyeliner]

Slap the disk in windows.
from the command line, invoke diskpart
then in diskpart:

1. 1 list disk
2. 2 select disk #
3. 3 clean
4. 4 format fs=fat32 quick (or if you want) format fs=ntfs quick

 

[mikefor20]

The one we Always use, my other hdd works just fine in both wii's in the same usb port..

Ok, I now it's frustrating. I am trying to help. It's not working . So, something I think is obvious is probably not obvious to you. Or the drive is just incompatible. These are all the things I can think of that affect loading. Seems you need to go get a new HDD. Wii is only USB 2.0 and a !TB drive should suffice. Get an old WD My book. USB #.0 is overkill so you can find one cheap i suppose. Make sure you turn off auto sleep.

Your current problem is likely caused by:

• incompatible or bad hardware (HDD OR ENCLOSURE)
• Sleep mode on HD. (did the enclosure come with software to turn off power management?)
• Incompatible format. you need FAT32 32k cluster Primary Active MBR (should be fixed by GUI formatter but who knows and Wii didn't support GPT or <2TB drives IIRC)
• Bad jumper setting on the HDD.
• Plugging it in wrong. (Why I asked)
• Wii not up to date. You might need to update the Wii to rule it out. Use ModMii and Re-Hack your Wii to get all the updated cIOS and latest greatest hacks.
• Shitty cable. USB cables have caused many problems on Wii's.

I would check those things. Wii is picky. I have seen a drive that works on one not work on the next. I have hacked at ton of the things. I would be careful about which HDD you pick up as it's hard to tell what works. Those WD passports ALWAYS worked for me. Ive done at least 50 consoles. Probably a lot more. And you can get an old HD because USB 3.0 won't help the Wii.