I am having lots of problems with external hard disks....just to share:
Section A: Wii software on external HDD (NTFS Formatted HDD)1) WD Passport 1TB , single USB port, SATA 3.0 - Use this for storing Wii games....most of the time can run, but i have occasionally get crash or hang before.2) Customized HDD external box + old 80GB HDD ,SATA 2.0 Y cable - Use for storing Wii games until i ran out of space and changed to the WD. It works perfectly fine.3) Try connecting the WD Passport 1TB and the Customized HDD external box above using powered USB hub....doesn't work at all, Wiiflow does not regcognize.
Section B: Wii U external HDD (WII U formatted HDD)4) Cliptec external HDD box + Intel 60GB SSD, SATA 3.0 single cable with Transcend Powered USB hub - Can detect but CANNOT FORMAT THE HDD (Conclusion: The controller used by the Cliptec box must be not compatible with Wii U).
5) Archon external HDD box + Intel 60GB SSD, SATA 3.0 single cable - can detect but lots of problem.
6) Archon external HDD box + Intel 60GB SSD, SATA 3.0 single cable + Transcend powered USB hub - able to detect, format and use. But occasionally, it will crash and asked to connect the Y cable...not really sure why. Doesn't seems to be really stable, but it's the best working model so far. Need to monitor for stability.7) I got ambitious. I try to hook up WD Passport 1TB (Wii games HDD, in NTFS format) + the Archon SATA 3.0 with Transcend powered USB hub : Major failed. It keep saying something one of the hdd is not being formatted correctly (which is normal if just connect alone) and keeps going back to main menu and restart and i can't do anything at all.
Conclusion:1) Connecting both Wii HDD (NTFS) together with a Wii U formatted HDD is a MAJOR FAIL.
2) If you use those external HDD box with your HDD lying around, it will depends on whether it is recognizable by WII U. Not all will work.
3) If you use customized external HDD box even if it works, might not be stable.
Anyone has tried to use branded external HDD like WD, Seagate, Toshiba etc as Wii U external HDD??? Please share your experience. I haven't try a branded external HDD for Wii U games yet...because now minimal also like 500GB, total waste. I won' be even using 60GB. So perhaps a good high speed quality flashdrive is a better solution than HDD? (Haven't try yet...)
I have ordered a SATA 3-->USB 3.0 cable from Lazada(arriving end of the month) and will be using it to test the WD Passport stability with a Y cable.
Used with the NTFS hdd for Wii games. Works fine. Wiiflow also seems to load a bit faster.
Stability with the WiiU hdd (using powered USB hub) seems weird also....previous night whole night on to download Tekken Tag Tournament 15GB to it no problem. Last night has some problem cannot detect...not sure why...tried many times unplug and restart, then try top USb and then switch back to bottom USB (rear of Wii U), and it works again...