Partitioning HDD Questions Redux

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09-20-2012, 07:51 AM
Hikerakashiya

Partitioning HDD Questions Redux

Seeing how my last post somehow got corrupted, here I go again (Moral of the story copy and paste your messages to a notepad file before submitting you might lose it during the post, it is not the first time I have encountered a PHP/MYSQL error on this site) ... sigh ...

Before anyone says it, Yes I used the Search Function before posting. With that being said, this thread serves to show my findings and ask questions based on the conflicting threads I have read.

I bought a 16 GB SDHC card to be dedicated for my Wii apps. The external HDD is mostly for my GameCube and Wii game backups and possibly some Computer backup files. I want to partition my HDD using FAT32 and NTFS. I have a brand new 1.5TB External HDD. I know I will need FAT32 if I ever want to run Homebrew apps and GameCube games off the external. I also know FAT32 has a max file size of 4 GB. Which is why I want to have NTFS for my Wii backups and any computer files.

How big would you recommend partitioning the FAT32 and NTFS Partitions?
How big are typical GameCube game backups? How big are typical Wii game backups? (I read that most Wii game backups are around 2.5 GBs)
Which partition needs to be set as Primary and Active? (I read that the FAT32 would need to be set as Primary and Active. I also read someone set both partitions to Primary and Active, but this does not make much sense. Also if the FAT32 is Primary and Active will I still be able to use the NTFS partition on the Wii?
Will I still be able to use both Partitions for the USB Loaders?

I have read both FAT32 and NTFS Partition guides. Why is there no guide detailing the specifics to have a dual partition?

Off Topic: When soft modding your Wii, the guide has you format your SD card multiple times throughout the guide. After I performed the backup the guides has your remove the BootMii folder and the backup files and has you format the SD card. Wouldn't you want to keep the BootMii folder on the SD card? If I go to the Homebrew Channel now and select the BootMii option, wii it error since that folder is now gone? Also after installing Priiloader the guide has you format your SD card. I saved the Priiloader settings after installing and configuring the Priiloader Hacks. AFter that step though the guide has you format your SD card one last time. Will this make you lose your Priiloader settings? When I connected my Wii to my wifi, it asked me if I wanted to download an update, which I declined. But Priiloader should have prevented that right? I am just confused as to why the guide would have you remove these files. Right now my SD just has the App Pack it says to put on it.
09-20-2012, 08:03 AM
kunparekh18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hikerakashiya

Off Topic: When soft modding your Wii, the guide has you format your SD card multiple times throughout the guide. After I performed the backup the guides has your remove the BootMii folder and the backup files and has you format the SD card. Wouldn't you want to keep the BootMii folder on the SD card? If I go to the Homebrew Channel now and select the BootMii option, wii it error since that folder is now gone? Also after installing Priiloader the guide has you format your SD card. I saved the Priiloader settings after installing and configuring the Priiloader Hacks. AFter that step though the guide has you format your SD card one last time. Will this make you lose your Priiloader settings? When I connected my Wii to my wifi, it asked me if I wanted to download an update, which I declined. But Priiloader should have prevented that right? I am just confused as to why the guide would have you remove these files. Right now my SD just has the App Pack it says to put on it.

Yes, BootMii won't run if you do not have the BootMii folder with the armboot and ppcboot files. You can keep them if you want. You will lose your Priiloader settings, but you can just re-enable them after the format. Make sure you enabled the correct hack. It is "Block online updates."
09-20-2012, 04:42 PM
cjizzle

First, to correct the above post, you should not lose your priiloader settings after a sd card format. Once you have set them, the individual hacks are stored in your nand. You only need the hacks_hash.ini file if you want to go change them again.

On to your HDD...

Game sizes for Wii and GC games vary greatly. There is no magic number that tells you how big they will be, its all based on their content. SSBB is over 6 gigs, NSMB is a few hundred MB. All the COD games are right around 4 GB. So, as you can see, the question of "how big should it be", well, that is entirely your choice. Wii games larger than 4GB can be split using a program such as WiiBackup Manager. This is probably one of the best ways to manage your Wii games IMHO. It keeps them organized and will let you know if any are corrupt. In this way your Wii only needs to refer to the fat32 partition, so no need to worry about the Wii seeing both.

The only reason to have an NTFS partition is if you must have the ability to store PC files larger than 4GB. Most people I know have a drive dedicated to their Wii formatted as fat32, there isnt any need to have multiple partitions. If thats what you really want to do though, make sure the FAT is the first, set to primary and active and NTFS second and set active. Yes your PC will be able to see both partitions.

Why is there no guide detailing the specifics to have a dual partition? It would look something like this: Split your drive into two partitions using a partition manager of your choice, and make them the size of your choice. Format partition 1 as fat32 following Pob's fat32 guide. Format the second as NTFS and set as active. Done....

Hope I helped :)
09-20-2012, 06:14 PM
Hikerakashiya

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjizzle

First, to correct the above post, you should not lose your priiloader settings after a sd card format. Once you have set them, the individual hacks are stored in your nand. You only need the hacks_hash.ini file if you want to go change them again.

On to your HDD...

Game sizes for Wii and GC games vary greatly. There is no magic number that tells you how big they will be, its all based on their content. SSBB is over 6 gigs, NSMB is a few hundred MB. All the COD games are right around 4 GB. So, as you can see, the question of "how big should it be", well, that is entirely your choice. Wii games larger than 4GB can be split using a program such as WiiBackup Manager. This is probably one of the best ways to manage your Wii games IMHO. It keeps them organized and will let you know if any are corrupt. In this way your Wii only needs to refer to the fat32 partition, so no need to worry about the Wii seeing both.

The only reason to have an NTFS partition is if you must have the ability to store PC files larger than 4GB. Most people I know have a drive dedicated to their Wii formatted as fat32, there isnt any need to have multiple partitions. If thats what you really want to do though, make sure the FAT is the first, set to primary and active and NTFS second and set active. Yes your PC will be able to see both partitions.

Why is there no guide detailing the specifics to have a dual partition? It would look something like this: Split your drive into two partitions using a partition manager of your choice, and make them the size of your choice. Format partition 1 as fat32 following Pob's fat32 guide. Format the second as NTFS and set as active. Done....

Hope I helped :)

Thanks for the detailed response! I am in the process of formatting my HDD now. I just wanted some clarification before doing so.
09-20-2012, 06:19 PM
cjizzle

Oh, and just to let you know, the reason your first post of this problem didnt go thru was because you included an http link. Our system auto-moderates these posts to prevent spam (when the member has a very low post count). I cant remember what the threshold for post count is, but leave the http links out for at least a little while and you shouldnt have any more problems posting :)
09-20-2012, 06:37 PM
Hikerakashiya

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjizzle

Oh, and just to let you know, the reason your first post of this problem didnt go thru was because you included an http link. Our system auto-moderates these posts to prevent spam (when the member has a very low post count). I cant remember what the threshold for post count is, but leave the http links out for at least a little while and you shouldnt have any more problems posting :)

Good to know! The link was to the Soft Modding guide since I was referencing it.
09-20-2012, 06:53 PM
cjizzle

Yeah I saw that :) It does seem kind of silly from the outside looking in, but you wouldn't believe the amount of spam this place gets. If the system didnt do that it would take a full time person just to delete spam posts....oh what fun that would be...:007:
09-20-2012, 07:12 PM
Hikerakashiya

Success! I partitioned my drive for FAT32 and NTFS and I am now checking out the installing process. USB Loader GX is pretty slick! I should probably read up on DIOS MIOS now ...