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Wii Softmod

From Durbn

This is a rewrite of this howto in order to clarify what is actually going on with each step of the process.

This howto is for Wii's with System Menu 3.0 to 4.1, any region, including LU64+ and foreign equivalents.

System Menu 4.2 is out. This will NOT work for 4.2. See the Wiihacks forum for a guide for 4.2.

  • Author's Note: Personally, I started this softmod with a virgin Wii with a 4.0 system menu.

Contents

Step 1: Install Homebrew Channel & Bootmii

Why: We need a way to run custom software on the Wii. The Hombrew channel is the best way to do this. We also need piece of boot software (Bootmii) that starts before anything else begins to run when starting up the Wii. This will allow us to backup the Wii system to prevent bricking.

Requirements:

  • You need an SD card that is compatible for Bootmii to work. If you see a brief set of flashes from the blue slot LED after you hit the power button you will need to try a different SD card.

How: We can use either the bannerbomb hack (the easiest) or the twilight princess hack (system menu less then 4.0 only) to install the Homebrew channel and Bootmii. The steps are:

  1. Make sure the required files are copied to the root of the SD card.
  2. Insert the SD card into the Wii.
  3. Go to Wii Options, then go to Data Management -> Channels -> SD Card. You will get a message saying Load boot.elf?. Select 'Yes' and then the Hackmii installer will run.
  4. Install Bootmii as boot2
  5. Install the Homebrew Channel

Undo: You can safely uninstall both the Homebrew Channel and Bootmii.

Step 2: Backup your Wii NAND (optional but recommended)

Why: Having a complete backup of your Wii system will allow us to restore in case of bricking. This helps in the case of 99% of bricks.

Requirements:

  • 530mb free on SD card

How: We use Bootmii (installed as boot2, not IOS). The steps for backing up the NAND are:

  1. Put the SD card in the Wii and press the power button to start the Wii. Bootmii should start automatically.
  2. Use the power/reset/eject buttons to navigate the Bootmii menu and select the icon with the gears on it.
  3. Select the icon with the green arrow pointing from the chip to the SD card and follow the on screen instructions.
  4. In about 10 minutes you will have a NAND backup. It is normal to have up to 80 bad blocks so don't worry if you get some.
  5. Copy the nand.bin file from the SD card and store it somewhere safe. You can now delete it from the SD card.
  6. Move the bootmii folder and store it along with your NAND backup. If you keep this folder on the SD card Bootmii will keep loading every time you start your Wii.

Restore: The steps for restoring the NAND are:

  1. Copy the bootmii folder and your nand.bin file back onto your SD card.
  2. Put the SD card in the Wii and press the power button to start the Wii. Bootmii should start automatically.
  3. Use the power/reset/eject buttons to navigate the Bootmii menu and select the icon with the gears on it.
  4. Select the icon with the green arrow pointing from the SD card to the chip and follow the on screen instructions.
  • Do NOT restore your NAND from Bootmii if Bootmii is installed as an IOS, only from boot2!

Step 3: Restore the Trucha Bug

Why:There are three bugs that have been fixed in recent releases of the Wii update that needs to be restored. Certain applications need certain combinations of these patches. The three patches are:

  • The Trucha bug - allows installing of fake-signed code. This is the most important patch to install. More information about the bug can be found here.
  • ES_Identify bug - allows us to identify as the super-user (unconfirmed). Preloader needs this patch to be installed.
  • NAND permissions bug - allows access to /dev/flash.

If you are getting error codes -1017 or -2011 you are missing some or all of the above patches.

How: The Trucha Bug Restorer allows us to install these patches into whichever IOS we need. For this softmod we will use IOS36. Other applications need it installed into other IOS's as well. For example, RawkSD, a Rock Band 2 custom DLC needs the Trucha Bug patch installed into IOS37. Another example is in order to run WAD Manager (or other apps from Waninkoko) WITHOUT using a cIOS we need a copy of IOS36 patched with all three patches and then installed as IOS249. Because we ARE using a cIOS (see step 4) we don't need to do this.

UPDATE:I'm thinking that the definition of cIOS *IS* the act of patching IOS36 and installing it as IOS249. This prevents updates from overwriting our patched IOS36. Except that system update 4.2 will mothball IOS249 (among others).

Requirements:

  • Trucha Bug Restorer installed and available from the Homebrew Channel
  • The following WAD's should be copied to the root of the SD card:
    • IOS15-64-v257.wad - needed for downgrading IOS15
    • IOS15-64-v266.wad - needed for downgrading or upgrading IOS15
    • IOS36-64-v3094.wad - needed for installing the patches to IOS36
    • IOS37-64-v3612.wad - needed for installing the patches to IOS37 (this is not needed for this softmod)

We do need to patch IOS36 though, and we do this by first downgrading IOS15 and then using the downgraded IOS15 to patch and install IOS36 with the three bugs. Then we use the new IOS36 to upgrade IOS15 again. The steps are:

  1. Run Trucha Bug Restorer from the Homebrew channel
  2. Load IOS36 - downgrade IOS15
  3. Load IOS15 - in the IOS36 menu, install patched IOS36 to slot 36
  4. Load IOS36 - restore IOS15
  • IOS15 is an IOS that contains a/the NAND boot program (NANDLoader). We downgrade this so that we can patch and install IOS36 with the Trucha bugs restored. We have to upgrade this IOS15 so that games won't call for an update and wipe out our patched IOS36.
  • You can find out more information about the Trucha Bug Restorer here and here.

Undo: You can undo this step by reinstalling a non-patched version of IOS36 overtop of the patched version.

Step 4: Install a cIOS

Why: cIOS stands for custom IOS. It adds a lot of new features not available in the official IOS. This is needed for a lot of homebrew apps and to enable backup launching from both NeoGamma and the USB Loader.

Requirements: This softmod howto uses IOS38 version 3610. You need the WAD file in the root of your SD card.

  • IOS38-64-v3610.wad
  • A cIOS38r14 installer app available in the Homebrew Channel

How: The cIOS is created by copying an official IOS, modifying it, and then installing it as a different IOS. Right now the common official IOS's are IOS36 or IOS38 and they are usually installed as IOS249. Currently there is also an IOS222 released to fix problems with using 2 USB devices at the same time. The steps to install the cIOS are:

  1. Start the Homebrew channel
  2. Run cIOS38r14 installer application.
  3. Select IOS36 as the one it should use. (Why is this? Because we need to use our previously patched version of IOS36 (step 3) to be able to install IOS38 as IOS249. The IOS38 we are installing also has the Trucha bug enabled plus USB 2.0 support.)
  4. Select WAD install.

Upgrade cIOS: You can upgrade the cIOS by running the installer and selecting IOS249 as the one it should use.

From now on we can use IOS249 as our base to install other IOS's.

  • You can head over here for more information about the cIOS.

Step 5: Install a patched IOS60

Why: IOS60 is used by System Menu 4.0 and 4.1. This patch actually puts the Trucha bug (see above) into IOS60. Without it we won't be able to play fake-signed WiiWare and Virtual Console games.

Requirements: This WAD needs to be copied to the wad folder on the SD card.

  • IOS60-patched.wad

How: These are the steps:

  1. Run WAD Manager from the Homebrew channel.
  2. Use IOS249
  3. Install the IOS60-patched.wad file.
  • Never uninstall IOS60 or you will brick!

Step 6: Install Preloader (optional, but recommended)

Why: Preloader lets you enable hacks like region-free, etc. A semi-alternative to this is Starfall/Starpatch.

Requirements:

  • Preloader app installed and available from the Homebrew channel

How: The steps are:

  1. Load Preloader from the Homebrew channel.
  2. Press 1 to install.
  3. Your Wii should reboot and load the Preloader menu. If it doesn't, turn your Wii of and on again while holding down reset.
  4. Select the System Hacks menu and enable the following hacks:
    • Skip disc update check
    • All the region-free ones
  1. Select Save Settings and wait for the confirmation message to display settings saved.
  2. Press B to go back.
  3. Enter the Settings menu and set Autoboot to System Menu.
  4. Select Save Settings.
  • You can start Preloader by holding in the reset button while turning on the Wii.

Step 7: Install special WADs

Why: Some games need IOS's that come in disc updates (such as Animal Crossing etc). Instead of relying on the game disc to update these IOS's we update them ourselves. You can install these from the WAD Manager.

Requirements:

  • IOS38-64-v3610 - needed for newer games (Is the 38 a typo? One post suggests it should have been 58. UPDATE: I believe the 38 is correct!)
  • IOS50-64-v4889 - prevents disc update bricks
  • IOS53-64-v5149 - needed for newer games
  • IOS55-64-v5149 - needed for newer games
  • IOS56-64-v5146 - apparently needed for Guitar Hero 5. Not sure about that though.
  • NeoGammaR7 - let's you load Wii disc backups w/ 99% compatibility. Installs as a channel in the system menu. (Only uses IOS249 to load games.)
  • SoftChipR99 - let's you load Wii disc backups. Installs as a channel in the system menu. (Let's you use different IOS's to load games.)

How: The steps to install these are:

  1. Load Wad Manager from the Homebrew channel.
  2. Use IOS249.
  3. Install each of the WAD's listed above.
  4. Restart your Wii.

Upgrade NeoGamma: Uninstall the channel from your Wii options, data management tool and then install the new one using WAD Manager.

Step 8: Update the System Menu (optional)

Why: This will update your system menu to 4.1. LU64+ cannot downgrade!

Requirements:

  • you will need 250 blocks free or you will brick!

How:

  1. Open the Homebrew channel.
  2. Run Firmware updater 4.1

Note: You may need to redo the Preloader install step after updating to 4.1

Step 9: Install WiiWare etc

  • You can use WAD manager (using IOS249 as usual) to install any WiiWare or Virtual Console game

Step 10: Install Hermes IOS222/223

Why: Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero (among others I'm sure) won't work with the IOS249 installed as above. We need an IOS38 merged with IOS37 in order for these games to work.

Requirements:

  • cIOS 222 Installer installed on the SD card and available in the Homebrew menu.
  • A net connection to connect to NUS (Nintendo Update Service)

How: The steps to install IOS222 are:

  1. Start the cIOS 222 Installer.
  2. Select IOS249 to perform the install.
  3. Select to install Custom IOS 222.
  4. Select IOS38 merged with IOS37.
  5. Wait while it downloads and installs.

The steps to install IOS223 are:

  1. Start the cIOS 222 Installer.
  2. Select IOS249 to perform the install.
  3. Select to install Custom IOS 223.
  4. Select IOS38 merged with IOS60.
  5. Wait while it downloads and installs.

IOS223 is an alternative to IOS222.

Step 11: Install new Shop Channel & patched IOS61 (optional)

  • todo

Step 12: Install USB Loader GX & WBFS Manager 3 (optional)

Why: We want to play games straight off of the external USB drive! yay!

Requirments:

  • A compatible external USB drive.
  • WBFS Manager for formatting the USB drive and copying ISO's to it.
  • USB Loader GX

How:

  1. Using WAD Manager and IOS249 install USB Loader GX r899 wad. This will install the USB loader as channel in the system menu.

Step 13: Install the new cIOS 3.4 (optional)

This is for loading DVDr through the Disc Channel

  • todo

Required Media

You will need to use the following dvd brands in order to play backups:

  • Verbatim DVD-R
  • Ritek G05 DVD-R

I've had success with:

  • Maxell DVD-R

System Menu Notes

  • System Menu 2.2 uses IOS20
  • System Menu 3.2 uses IOS30
  • System Menu 3.4 uses IOS50
  • System Menu 4.0 & 4.1 uses IOS60
  • System Menu 4.2 uses IOS70

References

Some of these references are linked to above in context.

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