Wii-Linux

Wii-Linux
General
Author(s)	GC-Linux Team
Type	Operating system
Links
[[file system Kernel|Download]]
[[GPL|Source]]
Peripherals

The Wii-Linux is a small Linux OS for the Wii, based on GC Linux.

Notice

isobel has made official intructions. Here.

Information

Creator: GC-Linux Team

Accessories needed: Computer running Linux, SD card with a FAT16 and a ext3 partition.

Accessories compatible (not required): GameCube controller, USB Gecko, Wiimote

Best PAL mode: 480i/p

Button to return to loader: N/A

Loaders usable: Twilight Hack, Homebrew Channel

Installation for Twilight Hack: As usual.

Optional: Setup USB gecko and load the software on the PC beforehand (see the readme).

Software type: Operating System

Instructions

Official Instructions

• 1. Make a second partition on your SD card and format as ext3 it is suggest that you use the GParted Live CD if you don't use Linux or are experiencing problems. There is a guide for formating an SD card using this CD here. If you are using Linux then follow these instructions

• 2. Then extract the debian-etch-4.0+whiite-0.1.tar.bz2 package to the ext3 partition of your SD card.

Note: It has been reported that you must extract the package in root if you are using Linux.

• 3. Copy the whiite-linux folder from the whiite-linux-0.1a.tar.bz2 archive to /apps/ for HBC or put the boot.elf on the root for the TP-Hack.

• 4. Load the file using TP-Hack or HBC

• 5. Log in and you will have a Terminal you can now run commands and navigate to directories.

• 6. To connect your Wiimote type hciconfig to configure bluetooth if you type hcitool scan and press 1+2 on your wiimote it will connect.

Logging in

After you have booted Linux you will have 60 minutes (before the timeout) to log on with the credentials below

For POC
Username: root
Password: cube

For debian-etch-4.0+whiite-0.1
Username: root
Password: whiite

Things that works

The debian release comes with a lot of news, only available if you boot using the kernel that comes with that package. You will need a USB keyboard to use this release. If you are able to boot with it and to login, you will stop in a command line where you can navigate through the filesystem, and execute some applications. There are working drivers for the usb bus and internal bluetooth, but not fot the internal wireless adapter. These are the things that you can do:

- Play MP3:

   mp3-decoder <mp3 file> 
 There is an mp3 sample in the /root directory. You can play it if you type 
   mp3-decoder Synapse-Stealing_Science.mp3
 You can also use this 
   mpg321 <mp3 file>
 If you type & after the command you can have the mp3 play while you do other things
   mpg321 Synapse-Stealing_Science.mp3 &

- Write text files:

   nano [text file]

- Mount an external USB hard disk: Not all the usb hard disks works, but if they are formatted in FAT or EXT2, they might be recognized. Connect a pendrive to the USB, and type:

  dmesg

That command will show you the last kernel message. If the pendrive is compatible, it will show you some debug messages, and a message with the status of the new drive. If it is recogniced as sda, you can mount and navigate to that using these commands:

  mkdir mnt
  mount /dev/sda1 mnt 
  cd mnt 
  ls

- Play MP3 from the USB drive: Navigate to the directory where they are stored on your USB stick, and use the "mp3-decoder" or the "mpg321" tool to play them.

- Use the internal bluetooth: There is a driver that manages the wii internal bluetooth. You can connect to the wiimote, but there isn´t any application to manage it. You can type these commands to configure it:

 hciconfig: This will show you the bluetooth configuration 
 hcitool scan, and press "1&2" on the wiimote. This will find the wiimote and will show some information

- Install new debian packages, using apt or dpkg: If you find a usb network adapter that works with this kernel (the Nintendo USB network adapter works), you will be able to install new packages using apt-get. Or you can download by yourself and use dpkg to install them manually.

- Chat on IRC:

   irssi

- Show the identifiers of the things connected to the USB: Type lsusb

- The USB works if you connects a USB-HUB

- cmatrix is confirmed to run which displays a simple curses screensaver. The font suggested for it has not been tested.

- ninvaders is a simple curses based game played like Space Invaders. Seems to work 100%

- sc is a curses spreadsheet application.

Using Mplayer

• Download the source to Wii MFE
• Copy these files to the corresponding places on your SD card

/src/native/fs/shipped/lib/ /src/native/fs/shipped/root/ /src/native/fs/shipped/usr/

• Extract the contents of these archives to your SD card

/src/native/libsdl/mfe-libsdl.tar.gz /home/zach/Desktop/src/native/mplayer/mfe-mplayer.tar.gz

• Log on to whiite and type

 mknod /dev/fb0 c 29 0

You only need to do this once

• type

 mplayer <file>.avi

Troubleshooting

I get a black screen when I load the DOL.

Something is wrong with the filesystem format your SD card and try again.

I boots up but a lot of errors saying file system read-only show up and it freezes.

Turn off Wiiconnect24 or load from TP-Hack.

GUI

A GUI is still needed. XORG?

Releases

• Debian etch 4.0 and Whiite 0.1 - Major update with many new apps and features - http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/debian-etch-4.0%2Bwhiite-0.1.tar.bz2
• Proof of Concept 0.4 - adds support for USB keyboards through the IOS keyboard interface - http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/wii-linux-PoC-0.4.tar.gz Mirror
• Proof of Concept 0.3 - adds read and write support for the front SD card slot - http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/wii-linux-PoC-0.3.tar.gz
• Proof of Concept 0.2 - http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/wii-linux-PoC-0.2.tar.gz
• Proof of Concept 0.1 - http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/wii-linux-PoC-0.1.tgz

External links

• A video showing how wii-linux debian boots, with some features and applications:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpDcnaeftsc

• A video showing T2 SDE 6.0 linux booting from an external HDD using the sd card as pivot root. X runs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1UCQEMO8yc

• A video showing T2 SDE 6.0 linux booting from an external HDD using a ramdisk card as pivot root. In this video the xserver works with a driver for wii/gamecube and has correct colours.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pvHvcq8qJ8

• http://www.gc-linux.org/
• http://www.tehskeen.com/forums/showpost.php?p=33699&postcount=19