Problem with USB Loader and SanDisk Cruzer USB key

Since my Wii DVD drive can't read DVD-R and I don't have access to an USB HDD, I managed to get my hand on a SanDisk Cruzer 8GB USB key.
The particularity with this key is that there's a small reserved read-only (CDFS) partition for SanDisk tools that you can't delete, but I don't think it matter since the key model is confirmed to be working.

I started by removing the main partition and creating a new active one with no filesystem in "computer management" under win7.
I tried to use "WBFS Manager 3.0" but when I select the drive and press format, I keep getting this error: "an error has occurred while attempting to format the drive". Not much help.
I then tried "Wii Backup Manager" and it formatted perfectly, copied the game iso, loaded covers, etc.

When using the USB key in the Wii, I start USB Loader CFG and it tells me the drive have 4 partitions, the first one is 2048mb and the 3 others 0mb. The first partition say it don't know the partition type. I then tried to press - to format to WBFS from the USBLoader application and it switched the first partition type to WBFS, but when I load it it say it's empty.

I put the USB key back to my computer. Wii Backup Manager still say the game is in there, MD5 hash still match. WBFS Manager still can't read it. I put it back in the Wii, it still have 4 partitions, the first one still 2048mb, WBFS with no games.

What am I doing wrong?

Is the drive primary and set to active? Try and use easus to format. I would suggest fat32, which is the recommended usb setup. There is a link to the fat32 guide in the link below.

Why use an external application when what is included in Win7 (Disk Management) works perfectly? And yes, it set the partition to active and primary automatically.

I had tried FAT32 before, and since the ISO was larger than 4gb it wouldn't let me copy the file manually, that's why I though WBFS was needed. Turns out the WBFS filesystem type is not needed and just there to mix people up? Thanks to you, I realized Wii Backup Manager can copy iso files to FAT32 partitions. I though it would split the file, but it actually reduced it's size to 3.93gb (along with creating a disc.info file), is that normal?

Anyway, after everything it still won't work, I have the same result under USB Loader (still say there's one 2gb empty wbfs partition and three 0gb unallocated ones). I also tried USB Loader GX, it say 0.00gb free out of 127.98gb?? That's even more bugged up :). Is it possible that it try to read the CDFS read-only partition information instead? Any way I could redirect the search to another device?

FAT32 the usb flash drive. open WiiBackupMgr and format it, again, to wbfs
merge iso file(s) into the flash drive. yes, WiiBackupMgr shrinks file size, as normal. (for example, NSMB iso file size is ~400Mb in wbfs format.)
plug into Wii, usb-port2
play with Wiiflow or Cfg, recommended.
SanDisk Cruzer should work as is.

You are both suggesting different ways.
billyhome: if by merge you mean the transfer button, what you are describing is exactly what I described in my original post, except the "format to FAT32 first" part. I tried again, it don't change the result. Also strange you name it "usb-port2" when I only saw it named port 0 yet.

Just to be clear, under WiiBackupMgr:
playerkp420 way: Let it create a wbfs folder, select transfer > wbfs file... and select the wbfs folder on the key to save.
billyhome way: Under the drive1 tab, select the key letter then under the file tab select transfer > drive1.
Right?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dunge

Why use an external application when what is included in Win7 (Disk Management) works perfectly?

---

Obviously it is not working perfectly if you are getting crazy reporting errors as to the size from all of your loaders. Why ask for help, then when a staff member gives it you question the help given? Did you try it? Player knows what he is talking about here. Use EaseUS and delete every partition you can on that drive, then create a new one, FAT32 format, primary and active. After that use Wii Backup Manager to transfer the file to the wbfs folder. Yes it will make the game a bit smaller as it deletes any non game related info from the iso. If the final size is still larger than 4GB, it will split the file for you and your loaders will still read it.

FYI the wbfs format was the first and only way to play backups for a time period. Eventually some really smart coders were able to incorporate fat32 and ntfs (and put the games in a wbfs folder). Fat32 is currently the recommended format. WBFS file system is not "just there to mix people up" as you so eloquently put it. It was all we had for quite some time, and still is used by a lot of people.

Well I'll be damned.

Thanks for explaining the wbfs thing. I'm sorry if you think I don't follow the advices, I actually formatted the key over 5 times already trying suggestions. You got to admit it's very easy to get mixed up when instructions becomes contradictory.
I had skipped the easeus suggestion since from my knowledge I really though a partitioning utility cannot really create a partition differently than another one, especially FAT32 which is quite simple. And since it's from Microsoft, who else could format it better? The guide even mentioned different utilities on different operating systems. So I tried easeus anyway, and well you are right, it worked. Sorry.

By the way, are you aware that in the screenshots of the guide there's a second 39MB FAT16 partition not mentioned in the text? Just saying...

Glad you got it sorted :). Yes I do understand how things can get crazy when you get conflicting advice. Its frustrating on our end too when that happens. You should toss playerkp a thanks too for his suggestion ;)

And I will check out the screenshots you are referring to

EDIT: OK that FAT16 partition is probably just some manufacturer disc management tools or something. It has no affect on game loading. You can have as many partitions as you want, just make sure the one your games are on is set to primary and active as the guide states.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dunge

You are both suggesting different ways.
billyhome: if by merge you mean the transfer button, what you are describing is exactly what I described in my original post, except the "format to FAT32 first" part. I tried again, it don't change the result. Also strange you name it "usb-port2" when I only saw it named port 0 yet.

---

sorry to confuse u about the usb port2. my bad.
what really meant was to connect the usb flash drive (or hard disk) to the lower usb port, with Wii seating horizontally on desk.