SD-boot tutorial for Wii

[dragbe]

Hello GC-forever community,

here is a small tutorial to launch SD-boot on Wii. It contains basic instructions to run not burned GameCube ISOs on a Wii.

WARNINGS
Knowing that any manipulation of the nand can brick your Wii, make a nand backup with BootMii before to follow this guide

A) REQUIREMENTS
- a SD GECKO adapter (also called Wiikey SD card adapter). You can buy it on webstores (metashop, dealextreme, ebay, ...) at a price ranging from 4 to 8 euros. You can make your own SD GECKO adapter with this guide
- an official Wii or GameCube game/DVD required yet by the existing versions of SD-boot until the 0.4 RC4
- Homebrew Channel installed on your Wii
- a SD CARD (2GB recommended)
- an IOS with nand access installed on your Wii (Waninkoko's cIOS for example)

B) PREPARATION OF THE SD CARD
- store your GameCube ISOs (not shrinked with extension .gcm or .iso) and the cheats file cheats.qch provided with SD-boot 0.4 RC4 package in a folder named GCGAMES

Code: Select all

sd:/GCGAMES/yourgciso.iso
sd:/GCGAMES/cheats.qch

- install the Wiigator's cMIOS installer

cMIOSWiiGator0.2.zip

Wiigator's cMIOS installer

(304.91 KiB) Downloaded 2194 times

Code: Select all

sd:/apps/cMIOSWiiGator/boot.dol
sd:/apps/cMIOSWiiGator/icon.png
sd:/apps/cMIOSWiiGator/meta.xml

the Waninkoko's custom MIOS rev5 is also compatible to run SD-boot on Wii

- install SD-boot in the root of this SD card by renaming the SD-boot 0.4 RC4 dol file in start.dol

Code: Select all

sd:/start.dol

- install Wii GameCube Homebrew Launcher 0.2.3

Wii Gamecube Homebrew Launcher v023.zip

Wii gamecube homebrew launcher v0.2.3

(128.67 KiB) Downloaded 2208 times

Code: Select all

sd:/apps/GCBooterHomebrew/boot.dol
sd:/apps/GCBooterHomebrew/icon.png
sd:/apps/GCBooterHomebrew/meta.xml

- if your Wii don't have internet access, put the RVL-mios-v10.wad file in the root of this SD card.

Code: Select all

sd:/RVL-mios-v10.wad

To download this file, use NUS downloader:
--> click on database>system>MIOS>v10



--> click on the Start NUS Download! button with the Pack -> Wad, SaveAs, Delete Contents options enabled and save the file on the root of your SD card by naming it RVL-mios-v10.wad

C) PATCHED MIOS INSTALLATION ON YOUR WII [step to execute once only]
The Neogamma and GameCube Backup launcher users playing with burned GameCube games can skip this step because they already have a patched MIOS installed on their Wii. Other users must run the Wiigator's cMIOS installer from Homebrew Channel with the SD card inserted in the Wii front SD slot. In the first screen, select an IOS with nand access and press A button.

if you have Waninkoko's cIOS installed on your Wii, select IOS249
if you have Hermes's cIOS222 installed on your Wii, you can also select IOS222
In fact, it's recommended to use a cIOS with base 38 at this step

When the message Press 1 or Start to start the application... appears press 1 and go into MIOS menu. In the new screen, select install patched MIOSv10 to install the cMIOSv10 with the default settings (Patch for homebrew&backups: yes and Set revision to 65535: no). At the next prompt, select Download MIOS from NUS if your Wii have an internet access or load MIOS from sd card otherwise. And finally, perform the cMIOS installation by pressing A button.



D) HARDWARE INSTALLATION TO PLAY WITH SD-BOOT



- the SD GECKO adapter in the GameCube memory cards slot B
- the SD CARD inserted in the SD GECKO adapter
- any GameCube memory card in the GameCube memory cards slot A

E) PLAY GAMECUBE ISO
- In Homebrew channel, go to the options screen by pressing the X button on the Gamecube pad to select the SD GECKO adapter
- if you have an official Wii or GameCube game, put it in your Wii before running Wii GameCube Homebrew Launcher 0.2.3 from homebrew channel
- Once SD-boot loaded, set the first option to 32 mhz and the second option to slot B in order to view the GameCube isos list installed on your SD GECKO
- In this list, select your favorite GameCube game and boot it. If you don't have an official GameCube or Wii game inserted in your Wii, red warnings will occur in SD-boot during boot game process. In this case, try to boot game by pushing B button when red warnings messages appear.

View SD-boot on Wii running super mario sunshine : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYbf8tp6iCE

F) CREDITS
- emu_kidid for his SD-boot app and its important contribution on the GameCube/Wii scenes
- the Twiizers team for their well known homebrew channel, bootmii and more...
- Megaman, StarWolf3000 for their Wii gameCube homebrew launcher app
- Wiigator for his MIOS patcher app
- Waninkoko for his homebrews, custom IOS/MIOS
- WB3000 for his NUS downloader freeware
- YuanZ and zoomx for their tips and tricks
- ...

[Cubelover]

I found a more detailed guide on a german board but I dont think that Im permitted to translate it. Well maybe Google translator helps.

[dragbe]

Cubelover,

Thanks for this link, this german guide looks pretty good and I recommend it to all german users. Now, the purpose of this topic is to give basic instructions to run sd-boot and gamecube isos on a wii. Ideally, the details about all the features, options and settings available in sd-boot should be discussed in another topic or a small manual. Furthermore, Emu_Kidid is the most qualified person to provide such information. Wait for the next version of SD-boot before publishing such information.

[YuanZ]

First, thanks a lot for the tutorial! I thought I never run backup gc games on my Wii Black.

But I have a question. SD-Boot changelog says it is SDHC compatible, can I use a SDHC with this?

[emu_kidid]

Yes, you can use SDHC.

[YuanZ]

Yes, you can use SDHC.

Thanks.

Well, tried to install MIOS Patcher, both versions are giving me a Hash BAD error when attempting to access the files (both online and SD files)

System Menu 4.2, never patched MIOS before.

Attached my syscheck report

EDIT: Solved using Wiigator 0.2 v10 based -> http://www.mediafire.com/?4ayvwgqey66qc9v

[ALSINJAN]

Wonderful Tutorial.

I've tried several games and it works fine using the B button trick when he calls an original disc, but with "Eighteen Wheeler (PAL)" message appears: "Please close the Disk Cover Nintendo GameCube."
What can we do?.
"Would improve using an original disc?.
Thank you.

PS: Sorry for the translation (Google translator).

[dragbe]

I will test Eighteen Wheeler soon with a GC disk inserted into the wii to see if it works

[dragbe]

EDIT: Solved using Wiigator 0.2 v10 based -> http://www.mediafire.com/?4ayvwgqey66qc9v

Thanks for this link, the guide has been updated

[ALSINJAN]

I see you've removed the link miospatcher mod by Attila and you've replaced the version 0.2 of WiiGator.

Does that mean it is more compatible than the previous?

[mikog]

Yes, you can use SDHC.

if SD-Boot is SDHC Compatible do i still need a SD Gecko?

[dragbe]

if SD-Boot is SDHC Compatible do i still need a SD Gecko?

The SD Gecko adapter is required in all cases

[dragbe]

I see you've removed the link miospatcher mod by Attila and you've replaced the version 0.2 of WiiGator.

Does that mean it is more compatible than the previous?

No, it's just a more stable cMIOS installer

[dragbe]

Wonderful Tutorial.

I've tried several games and it works fine using the B button trick when he calls an original disc, but with "Eighteen Wheeler (PAL)" message appears: "Please close the Disk Cover Nintendo GameCube."
What can we do?.
"Would improve using an original disc?.
Thank you.

I tested Eighteen Wheeler (PAL) using the B button trick and I had the same error message but it works using an original disk.

[zoomx]

Wonderful Tutorial!

Just add two tricks
1) SD-Boot doesn't work in 480p (you get a black screen), you must use the other interlaced modes. Next version will use 480p
2) You need an original disk but I found that it can be also a Wii original disk. I used Wii Fit

[YuanZ]

Just another addendum:

You can run it with only one SD Card. Since HBC can run homebrew from SD Gecko (even supports SDHC on it), already tested here, it even loads start.dol from Gecko =]

Just remember to use wiimote 1 button on HBC to change your device to SD Gecko B.

[zoomx]

I experienced that HBC doesn't start SDboot well (it freezes) so you have to use Gamecube Homebrew Launcher, like written in the tutorial. GHL launches the start.dol that is on the front SD and not in SDgecko.

[YuanZ]

I experienced that HBC doesn't start SDboot well (it freezes) so you have to use Gamecube Homebrew Launcher, like written in the tutorial. GHL launches the start.dol that is on the front SD and not in SDgecko.

Can you please test it again? I removed my front SD card and tested it with HBC 1.0.8 on IOS58. Five times now and on all it loaded start.dol from SD Gecko without freezing.

[zoomx]

I tested it some months ago with HBC 1.0.6. You can find other post about this issue, also in this forum.
If you coinfirm that now HBC 1.0.8 is able to start SDboot (I know that it is able to start other homebrew from SDgecko) without freezing I am very happy, so this tutorial can be more simple since you don't need GHL anymore.

[dragbe]

YuanZ, thank you for this tip
zoomx, thank you for your tricks
Gamecube homebrew launcher is still required to launch the start.dol (SD-boot) file from SD gecko but you can also install it on the SD gecko knowing that the Homebrew Channel can load apps from SD gecko.
--> the guide will be updated soon

[YuanZ]

YuanZ, thank you for this tip
zoomx, thank you for your tricks
Gamecube homebrew launcher is still required to launch the start.dol (SD-boot) file from SD gecko but you can also install it on the SD gecko knowing that the Homebrew Channel can load apps from SD gecko.
--> the guide will be updated soon

I forgot to mention, I was using a SHDC too. So, HBC also has support to SDHC on gecko.

[TheManuel]

I've been wondering, could some sort of adapter be used from USB to SD Card (opposite from commonly available adapters), to give the Wii access to a USB hard drive through the SD card in the SD Gecko?
Imagine a little dongle from the SD Gecko to a nearby hard drive.
If this were possible and the loading process got refined further, this could become a fine Gamecube USB loader similar to the ones already available for Wii.

[doktor_krotch]

Yeah, I'm fairly sure that's what the homebrew HDD adapter basically does but it's IDE -> SD. Check the news forum.

[TheManuel]

Hmm...
Very interesting.
I'm sure some enterprising individuals will eventually find out how to do something like that for the Wii.

[doktor_krotch]

It should work for the Wii too if you have software that will support it. So far only a modified sdboot 0.3 from the original author of the device has support for it.