sdless wii u.md

Update for 2023 (Nov 17):

As of writing, there is no modern good solution for Wii U's that can't use the SD card. Some of the below information may still apply, depending on your specific scenario and use-case.

For modern feature requests or support in this area, for Aroma, please visit the Aroma Discord.

Original Doc (Outdated):

SD-less Wii U

Here's a quick writeup of the state of the Wii U scene for SD-less users, or users who have their SD card slot broken.

If there's no link to a program mentioned, you can probably find it on wiiubru.com

Running HBL

The problem you get when trying to run HBL is twofold:

1. HBL won't boot without SD (FSGetMountError)
2. HBL by design is made to boot apps from SD

By compiling HBL to not require the SD mounted, it's possible to avoid #1. #2 can't be avoided, but it can be worked around by using Wiiload to directly send apps to HBL over the network.

For a version of HBL with no SD mount, see http://maschell.de/l/. This will allow you to run any ELF on wiiubru.com via Wiiload and HBL from that link.

Running Mocha and Wupserver

Mocha can be run from the web without needing it to be downloaded to the SD card, and it also doesn't have any requirement on the SD card. (link coming soon™) Mocha is a CFW by dimok, that allows other homebrew to freely interact with iosu, on top of hosting smea's wupserver.

Wupserver can be thought of almost as root access to your Wii U. It provides useful functions, including the ability to install homebrew to the system menu (mcp_install)

Running Wupserver and using Wupclient

After booting Mocha from the link above, Wupserver will be running on your Wii U while it's at the system menu. At this point, from a computer, you should be able to connect via Wupclient.

This will allow you to install files that are on NAND, SD, or WiiUFS USB to your home menu. This can be done by browsing to them in the filesystem and right clicking -> install. However, since the SD card slot is broken, the only way to get installable titles on NAND or USB are over the network.

Wupserver provides wireless file transfer, but the connection is a bit shaky. You would be better off running Ftpiiu Everywhere.

Running FTPiiU Everywhere

FTPiiU everywhere takes advantage of the /dev/iosuhax device that Mocha provides to allow you to browse your Wii U filesystem via any FTP program. Be careful not to mess up any system files. This will allow you to copy wup-installable files directly over to NAND or a WiiUFS USB, which could then be installed via Wupclient.

Running Wupinstaller

Wupinstaller is a program to install files from SD to the Wii U system or a mounted WiiUFS USB. This unfortuntely won't help much, as there's no SD card. In theory it may be possible for a Wupinstaller to exist that installs from NAND or WiiUFS USB, but the only way to get files over on one of those

Getting sigpatches

Sig patches allow you to run unuathorized homebrew content installed to the Wii U menu. It is not required for playing most DVD-based retail backups, but is required to install homebrew to the Wii U menu, instead of going through HBL. This is useful for the SD-less user to run homebrew.

Installing Haxchi

Haxchi is an offline exploit for the DS virtual console emulator. At this time, it also will not run as it tries to mount the SD card. In theory, this could be worked around, but as a primary feature of Haxchi is quick-booting ELFs offline from an SD card, it's mostly pointless.

It would however allow quick offline booting into a sigpatched system menu.

With Mocha

Mocha doesn't require an SD card, and will boot into a sigpatched system menu.

The Future

Dimok is working on a FAT32 USB driver in Mocha, that will make life significantly easier for the SD-less user. Without this functionality, the Wii U will only recognize WiiUFS USBs, which you cannot write to from a computer.

Once that functionality is in place, presumably HBL and wupinstaller will also have support, allowing USB-only installation of wupinstallable files.

What I would do, if I were you

1. Run Mocha, and make sure it works (will launch wupserver in the bg)
2. Connect to wupserver with wupclient from your PC to your Wii U
3. Copy over some small, installable homebrew channel, like Flappy Bird
4. See if you can install it via wupclient, and run it on the System menu
5. If that works, in theory the same will work for a larger retail channel, such as a game dump. But I'd recommend FTPiiU Everywhere for that, to have something more reliable for the transfer than wupserver

Hello I have seen your publication in GitHub "sdlees wii u.md" where I could get the version of HBL that does not require the sd the link is down.

(I have the sd reader broken from the wii u)

where is the link for mocha? would you mindd posting it?

so um hi, this is akward for some reason but http://maschell.de/l/ <-- link down

I reached out to Maschell about the above, and will update this doc with a newer summary of what can be done as of 2023.

It looks like https://dumplingapp.com/ is one of the few options for HB.

So are you going to update it or no?

Sorry, I have been talking to Maschell and a few others, the situation is really just that SD-broken users are mostly out of luck besides the dumpling app URL.

If you want more specific support for the situation, or to suggest feature updates, I recommend visiting the Aroma Discord and making a thread or asking for specific things (like old URLs) there.