Note: this is work-in-progress. This note will be gone when the post is finished.
Being the distro with the most versatile CPU architecture support, it was no wonder that Debian and its derivative systems were the first to be installed and run on homebrew-enabled Wii once the linux kernel was successfully ported. Debian is equipped with a powerful and easy-to-use Debian Installer, which enables people unfamiliar with linux to install and enjoy Debian without needing any fancy tool or ‘professional help’. Unfortunately, installing Debian-based systems on Wii has always been a headache, because Debian Installer can not output correct colour due to an issue with Wii’s framebuffer data format, and the user is unable to interact with it. It may be a little bit late, but that issue can now be dealt with and it is now possible to install Debian on Wii in the real ‘Debian way’.
This post will guide you through the process of installing Debian on homebrew-enabled Wii using a customized Debian Installer. However, if you prefer to go the lazy/easy way, there is a pre-installed disk image file available for download towards the end of the post, along with explanations on usage.
Requirements
- Homebrew-enabled Wii
Checkout WiiBrew if you have no idea what this means.
- Debian Installer for Wii
Download: Lenny (Debian 5), Squeeze (Debian 6)
The compressed archives contain both IOS and MINI versions of the installer, which can be loaded by Homebrew Channel (HBC) and Bootmii, respectively.
Note: only Lenny supports the currently available version of ‘cube’ Xorg driver.
- SD(HC) card
This will hold the Debian Installer for Wii files and go into the front SD slot of Wii. The card should be formatted as a single FAT(16/32) partition or has its first partition formatted as FAT(16/32).
Extract the ‘apps’ folder, which holds files of IOS version of the installer, or the ‘bootmii’ folder, which holds files of MINI version of the installer, to the root folder of the (first partition of the) card. For the MINI version to work, Bootmii files (armboot.bin, ppcboot.elf and bootmii.ini) should also be placed inside ‘bootmii’ folder.
- Debian CD/DVD ISO image
One businesscard (smallest), netinst (medium size) or DVD (HUGE!) ISO image is needed. A copy of netinst ISO is included in the Installer packages for your convenience. For other types of images, please use this debian-cd mirror, which has the most complete collection. Just select a version and browse into ‘powerpc/iso-cd’ or ‘powerpc/iso-dvd’. Larger images usually save some installation time, because fewer packages need to be downloaded. Remember to use Lenny ISO for Lenny Installer, and Squeeze ISO for Squeeze Installer.
- USB storage device
This will hold the Debian ISO image during installation onto the card in front SD. Extract the ISO image from downloaded installer archive and save it, preferably in the root folder, to any partition of this device.
(Alternatively, you can place the Debian ISO image on the front SD card and install Debian onto this USB device. In fact, this device can be omitted. Advanced users can partition the front SD card into at least 2 partitions, which is not a trivial task in Windows, but trivial enough in Linux, with the first formated as FAT to hold both the Installer files and ISO image, and install Debian onto the second partition.)
- USB Keyboard
USB mouse is only required after the installation is complete and if you intend to install and use a GUI desktop.
- Network connection through USB LAN/wifi adapter (IOS/MINI) or Wii native wifi (MINI)
Actually, this is not absolutely necessary, except when businesscard ISO is being used, but without it, you will end up with a very limited (base) system, unless you use the Debian DVD ISO image for installation. As much support for various USB LAN adapters and USB wifi adapters as possible have been built into the Installer. Note that the Installer’s wifi support is limited to WEP-based security mode.
You most likely will also need a USB hub. Just remember that USB 1.0/1.1 hubs might slow down transfer speeds of connected USB storage devices, especially in MINI.
Boot Debian Installer for Wii
The IOS version of the Installer can be directly loaded through HBC by selecting ‘Debian Installer’. In this version, Wii’s native wifi and DVD drive are unavailable.
The MINI versions are in the ‘bootmii’ folder with names like ‘d-i.480i(NTSC).elf’. You can load the file corresponding to your TV signal format through Bootmii GUI, or rename the file to ‘ppcboot.elf’ and let Bootmii auto-launch it at Wii power-on, or boot directly into it by launching Bootmii installed as IOS from HBC. You might want to remove all files incompatible with your TV signal format to avoid confusion and make selection in bootmii GUI easier.
so, the wifi driver can’t be selected, i pressing ENTER, screen reboots and i can select driver again. If i’ll setup debian without wifi, it will not load
A good idea might be to insert a USB hard drive in the back. a few things achieved this way are:
1. you can create a swap partition (yes, it’s horribly slow on USB 2, but hey. It’s still better than on the SD or even no swap at all)
2. copy /usr and /var to a hdd and bind-mount it, so your SD wears off slower!
3. if you remove your HDD, you still got a working env to fix things up
4. you could use your Wii as an almost silent NAS or what ever you can think of
Hi,
Could you please publish the source code, configuration, build scripts you used to build these kernels? I’d like to try to update these to current squeeze, and hopefully even testing/unstable so my Wii can run wheezy when it’s ready.
It looks as though the kernels might be 2.6.32.43 + gc-linux.org patches + your deferred I/O vfb patch; is that the case?
Am I right in thinking that each d-i kernel is the corresponding “d” kernel with a d-i initramfs linked into it? Did you get the initramfs images from an official powerpc d-i build, or build your own?
Hi,
1, If you just want to update userspace to whatever version of Debian, you only need to change apt sources.list and do a dist-upgrade. There is NO need to compile a kernel or do a new install.
2, Yes, you can use the GeeXboX for Wii build system to just build a kernel. Although the kernel updates in 2.6.32 series would have no significant impact on Wii.
3, Yes. All initramfs images are from official d-i.
I look forward to testing this on my wii, when my HDD enclosure arrives. One question though, can this procedure be applied to the ubuntu alternate PPC installer? I am sure ubuntu alternate installer *IS* the debian installer but I’m not sure/haven’t figured out, which steps actually change to use the ubuntu iso. I am planning on using the 10.04 LTS PowerPC iso, that I have previously used on a G3 iMac.
This installer most likely will not recognize ubuntu ISO, but you could install a minimal debian first and change sources.list to point to ubuntu iso and do a upgrade.
You don’t want to run Ubuntu 10.04 LTS on the Wii. The processor is fast enough but there’s not nearly enough RAM. Even 8.04 LTS Hardy is painfully slow. 6.06 LTS Dapper is the way to go. At least it will be if I can get WPA encryption working. Check out:
http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?29,70776
I have a working image of Dapper (which currently supports WEP but not WPA) there as well as Hardy (in which both WEP and WPA work).
my wii is fully softmodded. (as far as i knew). i was wondering if this will mess this up? or is this a program like windows/mac. an am i able to browse the net,with out using crappy opera. also am i able to use geexbox. as my media player. thank you.
Hi, this will install or change nothing on your wii. It will only affect your SD card/USB storage. The worst that could happen is you will not be able to boot into Debian, but functions of you wii will not be affected.
It IS like windows or macos, and you will be able to use iceweasel (firefox) to browse the net.
GeeXboX for Wii is independent of and from this, and cannot be used from within Debian.
I do have some patches to the cube driver to make it work with newer xorgs, I don’t recall the original author anymore but you can find them at. http://jonimoose.net/archii/
Thanks, I might have a look at whether it will be useful for Squeeze when time allows.
Hey. Im not sure what I did but i was hoping you could give me a hand. I got larger screen size to work (virtural screen) and it worked fine for several boots. Today however lxde is acting wierd. When the main screen comes up many of the icons on the menu bar are missing and replaced with red x’s over white file icons in several places. I know longer have a minamize,maximize top bar. The colors are fine and prorams run fine. It just looks clunky. Ive tried diffrent themes thinkin it was that as well as cgecking libs thinking icons got misplaced no dice. I saved an image b4 i tried modding the display reinstalled to the sd card. Went through several boot cycles and have thesame problem again! Any idea what may have happened? thanx
I came upon this phenomenon a few times. It usually disappears after rebooting or logging out/logging in. The red x is an indicator that specified icon image file is missing or unreadable, so it is likely a file system corruption issue.
Got a workaround that lets me pan the screen like it is in a higher resolution. i have (hopefully) one final question. i cant use the dvd drive. im booting through MINI and i believe installed the correct lib files. Any idea what im doing wrong? for all your help the least i could do is donate when i get paid. What amount seems fair to you? thanx again for all the help!
Feel free to share your ‘workaround’ here, it may help others.
As for native dvd drive in MINI, remember that the drive only works without modchips and with DVD-ROM/DVD-R. Something like ‘ln -s /dev/rvl-di /dev/cdrom’ might be good. Automounting of inserted media may or may not work, and if not, you will have to resort to manual mounting.
About donations, any amount is welcome and appreciated 🙂
thanx for all ur help its appreciated greatly! i got internal wifi working. some programs cut off the bottom part of their menus. i can resize some programs but others wont resize any smaller. any idea of a work around for that? thanx
These are mostly due to limitations caused by the low screen resolution. If your TV allows, you can try PAL and ‘nostalgic’ mode, which outputs highest resolution possible.
First, thanx for the great image file. It was way quicker and of higher quality than whiite built from scratch. Im having trouble getting the wireless to work however and hoping you could help. When i run the included wireless tool no networks show up. I use the MINI through bootmii so i have the internal wifi and it worked in xwhiite. I live in the boonies so no encryption on the network and i get a full stregnth signal in “normal” wii mode. Any ideas? thanx
Im running squeeze if thats any help
Hi, if you want to use Wii’s native wifi after installation, you have to ‘modprobe b43’, because the driver module is not automatically loaded.