As you may already know, Wii U USB Helper has been discontinued, however, this shouldn't mean we're not allowed to use it anymore.
So I've made a launcher which makes it work again. Hooray!
Here's how to set it up:
Step 1 - Download the launcher.
Step 2 - Download a compatible version of Wii U USB Helper.
- Wii U USB Helper 0.6.1.653
- Wii U USB Helper 0.6.1.616 (RECOMMENDED)
- Wii U USB Helper 0.6.1.596
- View all preserved versions
If you have a version earlier than 0.6.1.653 that is not listed here, please PM me.
Step 3 - Extract Wii U USB Helper, then extract the launcher in the same folder.
Step 4 - Download MakeHostsJson.exe to the same folder, run it and follow the instructions.
Step 5 - Run USBHelperLauncher.exe and follow the on-screen instructions. Then make a shortcut of it on the desktop and you're all set!
If you have the time, please send feedback!
You may find it easier to follow this video guide.
News
Nintendo is patching the 3DS endpoint, which will result in 3DS titles not being downloadable anymore.
Press F to pay respects.
Wii U titles are still downloadable as per usual, though.
Version 0.9 fixes downloading 3DS content and removed the necessity for modifying proxy settings or trusting an SSL certificate.
You can now generate your own donation key at no cost! This will allow you to access all premium features.
Version 0.7 will now automatically patch Wii U USB Helper and allow you to generate a valid donation key, all you need to do is right click the launcher's tray icon and select "Generate Donation Key".
Then simply go to the helper and activate it.
Known issues
Some images will not display properly, this has to do with HTTPS proxying which is still a work in progress.(Fixed in 0.3)The launcher will not work with versions of Wii U USB Helper newer than 0.6.1.653.(Fixed in 0.3)Error while attempting to install emulator prerequisites: "The specified executable is not a valid application for this OS platform."(Fixed in 0.4)- Certain virtual console platforms' channels are not extracted properly, resulting in corrupted roms. This is Wii U USB Helper's fault and there's not much that can be done.
- A significant amount of 3DS titles will fail to download with a 403 error. Nintendo is patching the 3DS CDN. Wii U titles are unaffected.
Troubleshooting
Wii U USB Helper gets stuck at 'Preparing ticket cache'
Make sure you've used MakeHostsJson, check above if you haven't.
If you have, then right click the launcher's tray icon in the taskbar and go to Advanced -> Clear Install. Then restart your computer and try again.
The launcher gets stuck in the 'Injecting...' screen
Make sure you don't have any other instance of Wii U USB Helper running. Even if you can't see it, it could still be there, check the task manager for 'Patched.exe' and close it if necessary. Restarting the computer also works.
This will be improved in the future.
Error when trying to change the title keys site
For technical reasons it's not possible to change the title key site from the button in Wii U USB Helper itself, if you've done this unknowingly, simply force close Wii U USB Helper from the task manager. Then start it from the launcher again.
Why does Wii U USB Helper still say 'Wii U USB Helper has been discontinued'?
To avoid overwriting an already exisiting install, Wii U USB Helper will only apply the workaround required for Wii U USB Helper to run if no previous install is found.
To fix this, while the launcher it's still open, find the notification icon for the launcher in the task bar, right click it and go to Advanced -> Clear Install.
I have an issue that's not listed here!
While the launcher is still open, right click its notification icon on the taskbar and select 'Report Issue'.
This will generate a debug message and save a link to it in your clipboard, PM it to me.
FAQ
Why is the launcher being detected as a threat?
It appears the launcher is now being flagged as a trojan in Microsoft Defender and other antivirus software due to bad heuristics. I've already submitted it as a false positive. Exclude the Launcher for the time being.
Please read this article for more information.
This is a nuisance to other small developers as well.
Why do we need this? My Wii U USB Helper is working fine.
Newer 'discontinued' versions of USB Helper will allow you to continue using them as long as it finds files of a previously available install. So, for all intents and purposes, they are a ticking time bomb, because if you move to another computer, or your install gets removed, you'll not be able to launch them anymore.
You can download a patched version of Wii U USB Helper Go! for Android here.
You can download a copy of the latest Wii U USB Transfer Tool here. Mirrored GitHub repo.
The writeup I promised when I first released the launcher is finally out!
We now have an official Discord server for assistance and discussion!