Minimal requirements (things you need to have for this method):

I can only fully describe the first two methods as I don’t have the necessary things for the others. So… how do we get our own software loaded? The GC will only start software from discs that pass the check. The security relies completely on disc authentication: GC discs are not standard DVDs¹ and have additional copy protection². Lacking a complete, big operating system and a NAND, there is no possibility to do fancy permanent custom firmware installations like on Wii or 3DS.

No signature checks or anything like this. The GameCube security system is not as complex as on newer consoles.

Copy files from memory card to SD and vice versa.

Load backups from DVD-R without modchip or from SD.

Load homebrew software (including various emulators) from SD or DVD-R.

Once having loaded Swiss, you can do virtually anything with your GC, for example: Swiss is THE homebrew tool for the GameCube. The goal for any method is reaching arbitrary ('unauthorized software' as Nintendo calls it) code execution which allows us to load Swiss. This means older IPL replacements (Qoob, Viper), or the discontinued WODE. This text will not cover methods requiring hardware which is not readily available anymore. Nevertheless they are put into spoilers and embedded as thumbnails to further ensure slow connections will properly load this thread in acceptable time. It should be acceptable to open the pictures on slower/limited connection. Less than 3MB in photos at the moment (smaller than a single image from a modern smartphone). Quality is not the my main concern as long as the information can be gotten from the images. The pictures are compressed and downscaled.

I could have used the plasma TV for better photos, but the work to get everything hooked up in the living room would be outrageous.

Real hardware is cool and I wanted to show it on real hardware!.

Latest Swiss didn’t work for me with Dolphin emulator.

Game cube memory card