Tutorial 

Wii Linux (XWhiite 0.2) with working WiFi tutorial

Requirements

- BootMii (either installed as boot2 or as IOS)
- SD(HC) card (at least 1GB, 2GB recommended)
- USB keyboard

Preparing the SD card

You have to create 2 partitions. One little FAT16/32 for BootMii, HBC and the kernel and one big ext3 for the filesystem ("userland"). You can do this for example with gParted in Ubuntu. If you don`t have Ubuntu installed, use the latest LiveCD. For this tutorial it is important to set the descriptions of the partitions.

- Backup your current BootMii folder
- 1. partition: At least 32 MB, FAT16/32, "kernel" as description
- 2. partition: Remaining free space, EXT3, "filesystem" as description
- Copy your BootMii folder to the first partition

Installing the kernel

The mike kernel must be booted via BootMii! If you boot it with the homebrew channel, wifi and other things won`t work.

There are two ways to boot the kernel:

1.)
The first one (and also the recommended one) is to copy the kernel to the first partition of your sd card, for example to the BootMii folder. To boot the kernel you can use the sd card explorer in BootMii and select the kernel. It could happen that it doesn`t work and return to the BootMii main menu. If this happens try to update to the newest BootMii version (beta4). If it also doesn`t work with beta4 then you have to use the second way.

2.)
With the second way you will have to replace the executable of the BootMii GUI with the kernel. This should always work, but the disadvantage is that the kernel will boot immediately after launching BootMii. So you won`t see the GUI of BootMii. If you need the BootMii GUI you may use a second sd card for Linux only.

- Rename the file "ppcboot.elf" in the BootMii folder to "ppcboot.elf.backup"
- Download the latest mike kernel (mikep5) with your appropriate TV mode:

- 480i PAL: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/...480i(PAL60).elf
- 576i PAL: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/...i.576i(PAL).elf
- 480p PAL: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/...i.480p(PAL).elf
- 480i NTSC: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/....480i(NTSC).elf
- 480p NTSC: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/....480p(NTSC).elf

- Rename the kernel to ppcboot.elf and copy it to your BootMii folder
- If you have BootMii beta1 or beta2 you need to download the latest armboot.bin to prevent an error with the mike kernel: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/gc-linux/mikep1-armboot.bin. Rename it to "armboot.bin" and replace it with the one in your new BootMii folder. If you are running BootMii beta3 or later you might skip this step, because it should already include a newer version of armboot.bin

Installing the filesystem

- Download XWhiite 0.2 to your Desktop: http://hbcapps.com/debian-etch-4.0+whiite-...ite-0.2.tar.bz2
- Open a terminal and login as root (sudo su)
- Change the directory to your Desktop:
Code: 
cd /home/yourusername/Desktop
- Extract the filesystem to your sd card:
Code: 
tar -C /media/filesystem/ -xjvf debian-etch-4.0+whiite-0.1+xwhiite-0.2.tar.bz2
- Backup your xorg.conf:
Code: 
cd /media/filesystem/etc/X11/
cp xorg.conf xorg.conf.backup
- Open your xorg.conf and set your TV mode (pal or ntsc):

Code: 
gedit /media/filesystem/etc/X11/xorg.conf
- Find the Subsection "Display" in the section "Screen"
- Replace "pal_50" with "ntsc_60" if you have a NTSC TV
- If you have the problem with the "small line" try to remove the lines with "HorizSync", "VertRefresh", "Modeline "pal_50"" and "Modeline "ntsc_60"" in the section "Monitor" and the whole subsection "Display"

- Now you can try to boot your Wii with Linux.

Getting WiFi to work

- Download the necessary debian packages and put them to /media/filesystem/home/wii/:

- nano: http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/...ch1_powerpc.deb
- wpasupplicant: http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/...5-2_powerpc.deb
- wireless-tools: http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/...f.1_powerpc.deb
- udev: http://security.debian.org/debian-security...ch1_powerpc.deb
- libiw28: http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/...f.1_powerpc.deb
- libvolume: http://security.debian.org/debian-security...ch1_powerpc.deb
- wifi firmware: http://sourceforge.net/projects/gc-linux/f...tar.gz/download

- Boot your Wii Linux
- Open a terminal and login as root (pwd is "whiite")
- Install the packages:
Code: 
cd /home/wii/
dpkg -i *.deb
- Extract the wifi firmware:
Code: 
cd /
tar -xzvf /home/wii/openfwwf-5.2-bin.tar.gz
- Edit the wifi settings:

Code: 
nano /etc/network/interfaces
- For WPA 1/2 add this:

Code: 
auto wlan0
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwpa-ssid YOUR_SSID_GOES_HERE
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwpa-psk YOUR_SECRET_GOES_HERE
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwpa-key-mgmt WPA-PSK
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwpa-pairwise TKIP CCMP
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwpa-group TKIP CCMP
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwpa-proto WPA RSN
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwpa-ap-scan 1
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwpa-scan-ssid 1
- For WEP (ASCII string key) add this:

Code: 
auto wlan0
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwireless-essid YOUR_SSID_GOES_HERE
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwireless-key YOUR_ASCII_SECRET_GOES_HERE

- For WEP (binary key) add this:

Code: 
auto wlan0
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwireless-essid YOUR_SSID_GOES_HERE
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂwireless-key s:0123-4567-89


- Test your wifi connection:
Code: 
ifup wlan0
ping www.google.com
- If you get responses: CONGRATULATIONS! Now your Wii will automatically connect your wifi on every boot

And what now?

- Now you can update your system (as root!):
Code: 
apt-get update
apt-get upgrade
- You can also install a "normal" desktop environment like XFCE4. It`s more comfortable to use, but will use more RAM and will run slower. But it`s quite usable.
Code: 
apt-get install xfce4
- Install whatever you want! Have fun!

Problems and their solutions

Problem: No sound
Solution: CODEusermod -G audio


by elmurato
revision 5


PS: If something isn`t clear feel free to ask so that I can improve this tutorial. Thanks!

Sources

http://www.gc-linux.org/wiki/WL:whiite-linux
http://www.tehskeen.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9777
http://www.gc-linux.org/wiki/MINI:KernelPreviewThree
http://www.gc-linux.org/wiki/WL:Wifi_Configuration
 
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Pickle12122

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Looks awesome.
I'm not a big linux user but hearing about this made me want to try it out.
Definitely going to when I find the time.
 
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soued031

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ohmy.gif
great I didn't know that we could install xfce. I have to try it tomorrow hope I get it to work and that the xfce envrionement the wii not to much slowdowns. Thank you so much for this tutorial
bow.gif
.
 
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techboy

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Looks cool. Any chance on a method for installing this using Windows XP? I tried the live CD a while back for something else, it always hung while booting, even after re-burning to make sure i didn't have a coaster.
 
elmurato

elmurato

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techboy said:
Looks cool. Any chance on a method for installing this using Windows XP? I tried the live CD a while back for something else, it always hung while booting, even after re-burning to make sure i didn't have a coaster.
Click to expand...

There is a ext2/3 filesystem driver for Windows and WinRAR can extract linux archives, but I don`t recommend it. And again you will need the partition editor of Ubuntu. If the CD version makes problems, you can try to create a "LiveUSB" stick: http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/
 
O

ozguy

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Elmurato:

I think you are confusing what the Mike info says about wifi only working under mini and not IOS.
WiFi appears to still work if you have BootMii as an IOS (though as of yet I haven't been able to get it to work correctly, but the wifi is detected and it sees my router).
It just won't work if you try to run Linux directly from the Homebrew channel - you have to run it through BootMii.

(I have a newer Wii that cannot install BootMii to Boot2)
 
T

tempest69

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ozguy said:
Elmurato:

I think you are confusing what the Mike info says about wifi only working under mini and not IOS.
WiFi appears to still work if you have BootMii as an IOS (though as of yet I haven't been able to get it to work correctly, but the wifi is detected and it sees my router).
It just won't work if you try to run Linux directly from the Homebrew channel - you have to run it through BootMii.

(I have a newer Wii that cannot install BootMii to Boot2)
Click to expand...

That would be great because all the new wii cannot install bootmii as boot2...
so the first requirements should be changed to :
- BootMii (not launched from the HBC) (start with pressing reset if necessary).
- A gamecube controller if bootmii installed as a IOS.

am i right ?
 
fishears

fishears

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I'm now running this with XFCE4 rather than FluxBox. I find it a much nicer WM and it seems to run faster....

I'm still stuck with two problems though:
1) I've got no sound (unless I run a media player as root - then I get sound)
2) The top and bottom of the screen are missing no matter what I do with xorg.conf

Can anyone shed some light on these problems?
Thank you
 
Quiche_on_a_leas

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darren315

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Followed the instruction and it is working.

pls takenote that "Must boot from BOOTMII" is very important, i missed the part and linux reported "cannot read /proc/net/wireless"

after follow exactly the instruction, now it is working ~~

Thanks~
 
O

ozguy

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tempest69 said:
ozguy said:
Elmurato:

I think you are confusing what the Mike info says about wifi only working under mini and not IOS.
WiFi appears to still work if you have BootMii as an IOS (though as of yet I haven't been able to get it to work correctly, but the wifi is detected and it sees my router).
It just won't work if you try to run Linux directly from the Homebrew channel - you have to run it through BootMii.

(I have a newer Wii that cannot install BootMii to Boot2)
Click to expand...

That would be great because all the new wii cannot install bootmii as boot2...
so the first requirements should be changed to :
- BootMii (not launched from the HBC) (start with pressing reset if necessary).
- A gamecube controller if bootmii installed as a IOS.

am i right ?
Click to expand...

If you have BootMii installed as IOS (ie. You need to run it from the HomeBrew Channel), start the HomeBrew Channel, then press the HOME button to bring up the HomeBrew menu, then choose Launch BootMii.
A gamecube controller is optional. You can still control the IOS BootMii using the Reset/Power buttons.
You can also copy the Mike elf file to ppcboot.elf so it loads straight into Linux rather than loading into the BootMii menu.

Seems there are a lot of misconceptions about BootMii as IOS floating around. I guess because most of the people who have been around the longest and thus have most of the answers are lucky enoough to have older Wii's that can use Boot2.
 
cwstjdenobs

cwstjdenobs

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fishears said:
I'm now running this with XFCE4 rather than FluxBox. I find it a much nicer WM and it seems to run faster....

I'm still stuck with two problems though:
1) I've got no sound (unless I run a media player as root - then I get sound)
2) The top and bottom of the screen are missing no matter what I do with xorg.conf

Can anyone shed some light on these problems?
Thank you

for 1) it sounds like you have to add yourself to the audio user group, as root do

CODEpasswd -a audio
Click to expand...

can't help with 2. I haven't got round to trying Linux on the Wii yet
 
SifJar

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I have a question. In the tutorial, you renamed the .elf a .dol and replaced a file, meaning it bypassed the BootMii menu. Is it possible to leave it as a .elf and just select it from the BootMii menu? If you want to keep "Ceiling Cat" (the BootMii menu) and also be able to launch Linux I mean.
 

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