What to do with a new external HDD? (to be used with a Wii)

[gennes]

I just got a 3TB HDD, and before I start using it, I wanted to make sure it was formatted properly for use with my Wii.

So for DIOS MIOS, you need an FAT32 partition as the first partition. How large should this be? Google tells me that FAT32 only go to 32GB before they start becoming unstable. Should I just go with that?

Also, I was just reading that you can use an HDD as a virtual NAND. Should I look more into that, and is there anything else I'm missing that is neat to do with an HDD?

[Zorlon]

I have a 2TB drive in the correct Fat32 format no issues at all, windows can't do this you do require a 3rd party format tool but I would just use modmii or if you have already it comes with a format tool with it

I use virtual NAND for WiiWare and other Wad installs, it can also be used for save data also, if you plan on running that much it is worth doing as the internal nand will fill up very quickly


WiiWare/and Virtual console via HDD/via Virtual Nand
Emulators up to PSX via HDD
Wii via HDD
GC via HDD (if you have a wii with GC ports)

It is still a good idea to partition the drive maybe a partition for each use GC, Wii, Virtual Nand and Emulators but it realy is not needed so I leave that up to you

HDD format options
Fat32 with the correct cluster size will work for everything
NTFS will work for most things, not GC though
WBFS will only work for Wii games (it is not needed now and makes it difficult to work with so best avoided now)

Wii games in WBFS format will work on all HDD formatted formats and still recommend you use that as a format for the Wii games just not for the drive itself

[gennes]

Thanks for the reply. I have an original Wii that I've recently been using successfully with a much smaller NTFS drive that I was using, in part, to run Wii games. I didn't want to solely use the new drive for the Wii either. I know FAT32 is a more limited format than NTFS, so I was trying to consider what would be the right size for the partition. How much of your drive do you find yourself using for GC games?

The virtual NAND is sounding really useful, because the Wii has filled up quickly and I've been juggling the space with a small SD card. Can I just make a copy of the internal NAND and start with that, or would I have to start fresh?

Also, what are the pros to making a partition for each Wii use?

[Zorlon]

The limitations for Fat32 is the file size of 4GB max I think it is but WBFS wii games will get split but the Wii will read those as a single disc image so that is not an issue

GC games are apx 1.4GB per disc so depends what you are playing I don't have a full set or anything that would possibly take up the entire drive, I don't have my drive at my house so can't check to see what I am currently using or what is on it (My kid sister has that) [I think I just have the GC games on there that I actually own as it happens]

Pros... none really it just keeps it organised but you can do that with folders instead

I made a post about V.NAND a long while back, let me see if I can find it for you..

EDIT I did add that to the guides

http://www.epforums.org/showthread.php?83529

[gennes]

That guide looks great. And I think I'm going to go with a 1TB FAT32 partition. It seems like way more space needed for GC games alone, and I can use that space for anything under 4GB including the other Wii uses.

[Zorlon]

You can use that for everything for the wii

Including Wii games over 4GB as I said WBFS format will auto split the file anyway so you are not limited at all using FAT32 /32kbit clustes for Wii use