Topic: Question on moving data from a Wii U onto an external HD

[VANGUARD]

hey all,

I understand a nintendo forum may be the best, but if someone here knows the answers, I figure why create an account for one question.

So here's the deal, my hard drive on the Wii U is nearly full. I've been able to get some answers online such as using an external HD to free up some space.
Big question is, do I need to format the external HD and use only Wii U data or can I have my own personal files from a computer as well?

[D2Disciple]

I can't answer this question with any degree of experience, but I imagine that Wii U storage is not formatted in a standard PC or MAC format. It might be formatted in a way that Linux could read though, although even if that's the case I don't know how the Wii U would respond to find data other than that which the console uses. Nintendo desperately tries to prevent homebrew games, bootlegs, and hacks to make it on their consoles, so it could cause problems. I'd probably just copy the Wii U data to it and put it away for safe storage.

That's just me thinking out loud though; feel free to take that with as small a grain of salt as you desire. Haha

[Scyphi]

I concur with D2Disciple--I don't have anywhere enough experience to definitely answer this question either, but I agree that it's doubtful the data off a Wii U could be readily read by other devices like a PC or even could be easily converted into such a format where it could be, and to me, it seems like it'd be smarter and safer to just leave the Wii U data formatted as Wii U data and not try to mess with it.

But yeah, again, I'm no expert on the matter.

[D2Disciple]

I do know certain actions regarding messing with data (particularly with an SD card) could brick the original Wii due to Nintendo's notoriously draconian copyright protection measures. I dunno if the Wii U is quite so finnicky, but I wouldn't push it.

[VANGUARD]

I have a Linux system, but I don't wish to read it off the computer. I only have one true external Hard drive, and that's really about it.
I have two 32GB flash drives, but a Zelda game already is about 35 GB. That clearly won't work.

I could possibly ask them. I'd hate to take away one of my only sources of backing up files just to potentially satisfying the Wii U data from getting too full.
I appreciate your reply, two cents, grain of salt

[-<WillyP>-]

Or you could just try it and see what happens. Make sure you have a recent backup first.

[Thunderbird]

The Wii U will completely wipe the external drive. Last time I plugged my Wii U hard drive into my PC (just for giggles), it looked like an unpartitioned drive. I had no issues plugging it back into the Wii U though.

You will not be able to use it with anything else though, unless you reformat it.

I have two 32GB flash drives, but a Zelda game already is about 35 GB. That clearly won't work.

Eh? I don't know of any Zelda game that is near this size (the biggest I can think of is BOTW, which is only 13GB). Wii U discs can only hold 25GB.

[VANGUARD]

Or you could just try it and see what happens. Make sure you have a recent backup first.

I could try. and I plan to make sure I have copies of my data. I lost all my stuff last Thanksgiving and don't wish to have this happen a third time, or fourth 
This would make three I believe if I lost my stuff again.

Anyways,

Opps. I thought I saw 35, it says 12. Sorry about that. I don't know what I saw.
I have no idea what the full storage is, but I only have 1288 MB left.

Maybe that's why people on Nintendo aren't helping me. They did the first night, then.............silence.
I always feel the "they'll be mean to the noobs" when I enter new forums.

I trust real hard drives the most. I don't know what kind of life span a SD card or flash/thumb drive would have VS an external Hard drive.

I goofed on the data with Zelda's BOTW, sorry, but seeing it all now, I know I have 1288MB left.

[Thunderbird]

Don't use a SD card/flash drive. Nintendo recommends against those options, and I've heard stories of people having such drives go bad because the Wii U assumes you have an actual hard drive there. I bought an external enclosure for about $30, and grabbed a hard drive from my dead desktop machine to use.

[VANGUARD]

I feel the same way. I dont know how much i trust those little devices.

Thanks for the unputs, help, advice, etc...
Nintendo forum still hasnt replied.

[Scyphi]

Wonder if it's because they're viewing the Wii U as a dead console now...you know, one of those things not worth responding to anymore...no offense, Vanguard.

[VANGUARD]

None taken. But i dont think thats the case. Who knows. I probably asked too stupid of a question.

update: You're right. Someone replied and stated that they're pretty dead.  I just stated that I was getting help from some PC gaming forum and was a little curious on what was going on there.