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Wii U external HDD thread

G

GreatMightySymp

Member
I switched out my PS3's HDD for a bigger size and have the old 320GB laying around now without an enclosure.

Ideally wanting to repurpose the HDD for my Wii U, but there's a ton of listing on Amazon and I dunno what's best to get. Anyone know of a good enclosure + cable that would work?

Ideally for the enclosure I'd prefer aluminum or something similar so it absorbs the heat (not sure if this is an issue with the Wii U when it's reading from the HDD.
 
D

Dereck

Member
Eyothrie said:
I couldn't reformat mine using the generic Windows formatting tool. The drive wouldn't show up. I was able to reformat it using a program called Easeus - www.easeus.com/
Click to expand...
Thank you.

It's stupid how the Wii U will not use multiple storage devices and will only use one at a time, even more stupid how I had to download a 300MB update for NGIII onto my flash memory, and again onto the external. It won't even download onto the external, it fails at the beginning of the download, and it won't even let me transfer the update from the flash memory to the external. Something's wrong, I'm gonna just have to buy a brand new hard drive instead of trying to spend money trying to get the Wii U to work with my HDD.

I went ahead and bought a USB 3.0 Y Cable since people have been reporting that that fixes the problem.
 
M

metsallica

Member
Yes, it should be bolded in the OP: copying issues, taking a long time to format, etc, are almost always a result of your drive not receiving enough power. In that case, buy a USB power adaper cable, commonly called a "Y" cable. Ideally, though, you should be using a drive with its own power adapter, per Nintendo's recommendation (a desktop-class external drive, NOT a portable one). Far less chance of issues that way.
 
E

enigmaxtreme316

Neo Member
Mistle said:
Using Y-cable, light on USB turns on... But nothing happens on Wii U. When I go into settings to set it up, it's endlessly says "checking USB storage device". Any ideas?

EDIT: Given up. For Australians in Officeworks who see a big bargain bin of "Imation 320GB Apollo M100 portable HDD"s, it doesn't work. I'll take it back and hopefully a refund. Hell, store credit would even be fine, as I'll just get a Seagate or Toshiba or WD or something more likely to work :p An extra $20 or so, but eh.
Click to expand...

Wish I knew about this, bought one at Officeworks for $39, looks like I know what I'm returning tomorrow
 
R

richman555

Member
I recently bought one of these - Toshiba 1.5TB Canvio Basics 3.0 Portable Hard Drive

along with a Y cable shown here .

It uses 2 USB ports on the Wii U but it works great with no extra power cable.
 
D

DarkWish

Member
Just a friendly tip... if you get a USB powered hard drive, get a Y cable. I initially didn't use a Y cable and things seemed okay, but my games kept freezing every now and then. Finally one day I got an error message saying something about my hard drive not having enough power. So I hooked up the Y cable and no more freezes.

So not having a Y cable hooked up to a hard drive may allow it to work, but it'll probably freeze every now and then since it's not properly powered.
 
B

beje

Banned
I have a question, which is a good 2.5" internal HDD I can buy to use it with a enclosure? Are WD and Samsung the best options like 3.5"?
 
T

tsab

Member
beje said:
I have a question, which is a good 2.5" internal HDD I can buy to use it with a enclosure? Are WD and Samsung the best options like 3.5"?
Click to expand...

since usb2.0's transfer rate cap is 48MB/s I don't think it really matters
 
B

beje

Banned
tsab said:
since usb2.0's transfer rate cap is 48MB/s I don't think it really matters
Click to expand...

There's some news about recent HDDs being highly unreliable unless bought from certain manufacturers and specific models (due to Thailand floods and all that) and the question was towards that. I guess the same applies for 2.5" stuff but I have no idea what are the "officially sanctioned" models.
 
B

Berg

Member
Bought this Seagate 500gb external for my wiiU. formated without a problem, and downloaded bit trip runner 2 with no problem. I can play the game no problem, but when I exit the game, my system gets stuck on the wiiU menu loading screen. I havn't tried other games off my HD, but i've noticed that CD games takes a ridiculous time to close (2 mins). I'm assuming it's the HD because I've never noticed games taking so long to close.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Seagate...=9609412&st=500gb external hardrive&cp=1&lp=5

edit: sorry, this is post 2/4 patch.
 
B

beje

Banned
Berg said:
Bought this Seagate 500gb external for my wiiU. formated without a problem, and downloaded bit trip runner 2 with no problem. I can play the game no problem, but when I exit the game, my system gets stuck on the wiiU menu loading screen. I havn't tried other games off my HD, but i've noticed that CD games takes a ridiculous time to close (2 mins). I'm assuming it's the HD because I've never noticed games taking so long to close.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Seagate...=9609412&st=500gb external hardrive&cp=1&lp=5
Click to expand...

That's a specific Bit Trip Runner 2 bug. Update your system, as it looks like Nintendo fixed this in yesterday's update.
 
S

Shin Johnpv

Member
beje said:
There's some news about recent HDDs being highly unreliable unless bought from certain manufacturers and specific models (due to Thailand floods and all that) and the question was towards that. I guess the same applies for 2.5" stuff but I have no idea what are the "officially sanctioned" models.
Click to expand...

The Thailand floods leading to bad products, and other such things related to it stopped being an issue months ago. Unfortunately for us, prices still haven't dropped back down to their pre-flood per gb prices though.
 
T

tsab

Member
H3XAntiStyle said:
When it comes in, would you be able to post if it works or not? I'm probably going to pick this up myself, but you can be the guinea pig first haha.
Click to expand...

Well it arrived nd I test it. I put my old 120GB from my PS3Slim v1.

I had a save error with ZombiU which I am not aware if it's a game bug or a incompatibility with my enclosure/hdd.

I had to open/close my gamepad multiple times during saving for the game actually finish saving...

Haven't tried playing after the latest OS update.
 
J

Jachaos

Member
Anyone know if this will work with this sort of plug as I have a Toshiba external HDD (USB 3.0) and that Y-cable doesn't seem to have the same Micro-B port as the one on the HDD.

3447753_sa.jpg;canvasHeight=500;canvasWidth=500
Click to expand...
 
SuperPac

SuperPac

Member
I got a Seagate Expansion 1TB USB 3.0 external drive which is one of the recommended drives from Nintendo.

Everything before the most recent episode seemed fine though the only 2 things I'd downloaded/played on it were Punch-Out!! and Kirby's Adventure. Ever since the system update, it doesn't want to download anything - it either says the data's corrupted and doesn't finish the download or the system restarts and says the USB storage device was disconnected (when it wasn't).

Anyone run into this? What sort of Y cable would I need to get (if that's the problem)? It has that weird combo connector on the back of the drive that's like a micro USB mixed with something else... Help!
 
JimboJones

JimboJones

Member
SuperPac said:
I got a Seagate Expansion 1TB USB 3.0 external drive which is one of the recommended drives from Nintendo.

Everything before the most recent episode seemed fine though the only 2 things I'd downloaded/played on it were Punch-Out!! and Kirby's Adventure. Ever since the system update, it doesn't want to download anything - it either says the data's corrupted and doesn't finish the download or the system restarts and says the USB storage device was disconnected (when it wasn't).

Anyone run into this? What sort of Y cable would I need to get (if that's the problem)? It has that weird combo connector on the back of the drive that's like a micro USB mixed with something else... Help!
Click to expand...

Standard Micro USB3.0 y-cable would be the cable you are looking for.
 
G

GJS

Member
So why doesn't the Wii U power single port USB 2.0 drives properly if it is up to USB 2.0 specification?

If the HDD works with every other USB 2.0 compliant port and device without any problems and without requiring any extra power than the USB 2.0 specification says (hence being shipped without a Y cable), why is the Wii-U different?
 
C

Christberg

Member
GJS said:
So why doesn't the Wii U power single port USB 2.0 drives properly if it is up to USB 2.0 specification?

If the HDD works with every other USB 2.0 compliant port and device without any problems and without requiring any extra power than the USB 2.0 specification says (hence being shipped without a Y cable), why is the Wii-U different?
Click to expand...

Power is only 1 part of the USB 2.0 interface spec. You have a selection of voltages and you don't necessarily need to provide all of them to be compliant.

In this case, they're providing a smaller PSU for price and form factors reasons and expect you to get a powered desk purpose USB drive, not a laptop one.
 
B

Black Republican

Member
havent got a Wii U yet but i wonder if other brands like Freecom work, which is the one ive got, 400gb usb 2.0 drive

or is the ones that nintendo listed the only ones that work? dont feel like buying a 1tb drive for the wii u when i can use a smaller cheaper gb ( doubt id fill up 1tb on the Wiiu) lol
 
G

Goodlife

Member
Sorry, sure this has already been covered, but my HDD has died so getting a new one for my birthday.

Looking at getting this one.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00560Z2ZM/

Only 500gb but that's more than enough for me I think.

But it's USB 3 and has this connection
210nqNITuqL.jpg

(I'm sure that's normal for USB 3's, but I'm completely out of the loop recently...)

So if I bought that with this with the below lead, it'll do the job for the Wii U won't it?

http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/1211...&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=63
 
R

Reluctant-Hero

Member
Goodlife said:
Sorry, sure this has already been covered, but my HDD has died so getting a new one for my birthday.

Looking at getting this one.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00560Z2ZM/

Only 500gb but that's more than enough for me I think.

But it's USB 3 and has this connection
210nqNITuqL.jpg

(I'm sure that's normal for USB 3's, but I'm completely out of the loop recently...)

So if I bought that with this with the below lead, it'll do the job for the Wii U won't it?

http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/1211...&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=63
Click to expand...

Yeah, you should be okay with that cord on eBay.
 
J

JennyTablina

Member
Picked up a Vertebrim 500GB 3.0 USB HDD from Tesco the other day because I could nab it up cheap. It's been working okay for the most part, but tried playing Pikmin on it tonight and kept getting moments where the drive would take time looking for something, and then my Wii U is all like NOPE. It's using a single slot USB so...if I get a Y cable - that should fix the problem right?
 
M

MatthewB92

Member
JennyTablina said:
Picked up a Vertebrim 500GB 3.0 USB HDD from Tesco the other day because I could nab it up cheap. It's been working okay for the most part, but tried playing Pikmin on it tonight and kept getting moments where the drive would take time looking for something, and then my Wii U is all like NOPE. It's using a single slot USB so...if I get a Y cable - that should fix the problem right?
Click to expand...
Y cable will fix it.
 
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