Worklog Yet another Ashida build (My First)

[Stitches]

I found I wasn't completely satisfied with my thermals after extended sessions, just using the Digi key heat syncs. I managed to lower my temps down to 42-48C while gaming for 1-2 hours at a time by placing some of these between my CPU/GPU and the heat syncs. You'll need to remove the white adhesive thermal pads and cut the silicone pads to the correct size. I also sanded the black paint off the side of the heat sink that mates with the CPU/GPU by placing it flat on my desk and stroking it against the sand paper, otherwise called "lapping" it.

I've also seen some people use actual thermal grease for computer CPUs, I tried that as well but every time I had to open the Ashida up for troubleshooting I ended up finger painting with it.

EDIT: Also, silly question, but what direction do you have your fan oreintation? Are you blowing in or out of the Ashida?

Can confirm the blue thermal pads are very gud for this purpose

 

[Retro95]

With all the testing I did it made little to no difference which way the fan was oriented.

That's good to know. I would have though blowing cool air in, over the heat sinks, then out the exhaust would have made at least a marginal difference but I will 100% take your word.

 

[Stitches]

That's good to know. I would have though blowing cool air in, over the heat sinks, then out the exhaust would have made at least a marginal difference but I will 100% take your word.

I assumed the same, because in PC liquid cooling there's a difference of a few degrees between pulling air through a radiator and pushing air through a radiator. I guess that difference isn't as tangible at the temps a 4 layer Wii gets to with that much heatsink

 

[atkfromabove]

Alright, I was able to fully charge the batteries up to their 4.2V max. There are some new things I have noticed however:

1. RVLoader refuses to boot while charging giving some weird green and purple artifacts on the screen.
2. Booting into RVLoader is very inconsistent, however, it does consistently boot after removing and reinserting the USB (which I won't be able to do once it's screwed together).
   1. Sometimes it gives me a Lua error (code 6). Sometimes it displays the RVLoader loading screen and when this happens it always doesn't load. Sometimes it outputs "rvloader bootloader 1 loading" as text and also doesn't load. Sometimes it tells me it couldn't read the FAT FS device. My USB lines are coiled tightly and have good connections to the vias, so I think this might just be the USB itself, not a wiring issue.
3. I did use heatsinks that I found on Amazon as the ones on Digikey were backordered at that time, so I believe that might be the source of the cooling problem. Luckily the Digikey ones have been shipped and should arrive soon. Though, I don't know whether I will be able to remove the ones that are already in the case.

Did you figure out the issue on #2? I am having the same thing happen from time to time.

 

[soda]

Did you figure out the issue on #2? I am having the same thing happen from time to time.

More or less, I was previously using 30 gauge magnet wire and switched from that to 36 gauge. On top of that, I coiled the cable more than before and didn't allow for the ends to be a little uncoiled. Also I switched from a Samsung MicroSD reader to the highest-rated USB for RVLoader at the moment. Now, it's more like 1/6 doesn't load properly.

 

[soda]

On that note a little time for an update:

I have added the Bluetooth module and it works great! I did have a bit of trouble scratching the traces but I believe I have solid connections now and they haven't come off in about 4 days of playing.

Previously my speakers' wires weren't connected and now they are! At first, I thought I messed them up but I read the forums and saw that connection between the contacts and the speakers was a common problem, and it was the problem. I just bent them out a bit more and now I have them working!

New problems:

I tried to play a Virtual Console game, specifically, Paper Mario for the N64, and it was stuck on the Installing WAD text for an extremely long time (20+ min) so I assumed that something was up. Previously before I had trimmed the Wii I had a lot of inconsistency with booting VC games, however, installing the WAD through WiiModLite seemed to fix this issue. This would mean, however, that I would have to go to the Wii menu and click on the Wii Channel and load it that way. I attempted to do the same thing I had done before with Paper Mario, and now the console refuses to load the VC games menu and hits me with a LUA script error. Actually, while writing this I tried to turn on the console and now it's giving me this new error:

My thoughts are that I should attempt to reinstall RVLoader. If I were to do that, are there any precautions I should take? I believe I just go into Priiloader and attempt a new install, right?

Thanks, everyone.

 

[soda]

Okay.. I think I know what's broken:

 

[atkfromabove]

Okay.. I think I know what's broken:
View attachment 28462

Looks like you are missing RVLoader entirely

 

[soda]

Looks like you are missing RVLoader entirely

Yeah lol some serious corruption occurred. I don’t know what caused it but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have a folder called “GCPMap_S.TAR” that I edited in 2036 .

 

[atkfromabove]

Yeah lol some serious corruption occurred. I don’t know what caused it but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have a folder called “GCPMap_S.TAR” that I edited in 2036 .

Lol I didn't even notice that at first.

 

[soda]

Update: This corruption keeps happening with only this USB drive which is really odd. It could be a coincidence but what is a shame is that the other working Samsung MicroSD reader posted above doesn't fit in the Ashida.

New Corruption, very similar:

If these folder/file names mean anything to you @Aurelio any info would be appreciated.

Thanks

Edit: At first I didn't realize how similar the corruption was but it's the same names at the same exact time and date that they were last modified for those that have one. The only difference in corrupted date modified is with lastdisc.sys

 

[Aurelio]

Update: This corruption keeps happening with only this USB drive which is really odd. It could be a coincidence but what is a shame is that the other working Samsung MicroSD reader posted above doesn't fit in the Ashida.

New Corruption, very similar:
View attachment 28464

If these folder/file names mean anything to you @Aurelio any info would be appreciated.

Thanks

Edit: At first I didn't realize how similar the corruption was but it's the same names at the same exact time and date that they were last modified for those that have one. The only difference in corrupted date modified is with lastdisc.sys

That is odd. I believe this happens when running Wii games. Have you tried testing if it happens only when running a specific game?

 

[soda]

That is odd. I believe this happens when running Wii games. Have you tried testing if it happens only when running a specific game?

Thanks for the response! I tried playing just playing GC games and no corruption occurred, so that means it is definitely Wii games. The main Wii game I have been playing is Mario Kart Wii, and that is because I am also having a separate issue. The issue is, when I open the settings menu for a Wii game, for example, to enable Bluetooth, I cannot exit the menu as when I press B it freezes the whole console. Even if I don't change anything the freeze still happens. I know that the configs are saved on the USB drive so I was thinking that they could be related. I tried editing a config using a text editor and trying to play Wii Play using that method and now upon pressing A to open the game the console freezes.

What is odd is that still with that Samsung MicroSD reader, none of this happens.

Edit: Got a 128GB version of the same drive and now it works as well as the Samsung Reader but still has inconsistent booting, but once it does boot it works flawlessly.