Warning

Use this at your own risk. Messing with the isfs superblocks is dangerous and can brick your Wii U. Make sure to make a SLC backup before installing isfshax. If something goes wrong, you will need defuse to restore this backup. The superblock linked here was tested and confirmed working. Installing an broken superblock will brick your Wii U.
Also while ISFShax is installed standby services and with that the quick start menu won't work. (Your Wii U will hang once you turn it off till you remove power if standby services are enabled).
Also keep in mind: if you are restoring an old SLC backup, which was taken before installing ISFShax, ISFShax will remove by restoring that backup.

To protect against Nintendo pushing a boot1 update (very unlikely, but you newer know), which would brick a console with ISFShax, system updates get blocked by the wafel_isfshax_patch.ipx plugin. If you need to do a system update, you can use the v1.0 of said plugin, which doesn't contain the update block. Game updates are not affected.

Update

04.04.2024 - Add Fastboot
13.03.2024 - System updates now get blocked by the wafel_isfshax_patch.ipx plugin.
29.12.2023 - Standby Services are now supported. For that to work you need to have the latests ISFShax superblock installed and need to use the latest minute fw.img and wafel_core.ipx. Also autoboot needs to be enabled.

What is this for?

ISFShax exploits boot1 with specially crafted ISFS (the filesystem of the SLC) superblock. Once it is installed ISFShax provides similar capabilities to defuse once it is installed. Since it launches before IOSU, so it can be used to apply early patches to IOSU and can be used to fix most bricks. But it won't protect you of bricks caused by: breaking boot1, seeprom bricks or installing a broken ISFShax superblock. ISFShax also doesn't help you if you already bricked the Wii U.
Usecases are:

• Rebuilding / upgrading the MLC
• Removing 64GB MLC limit and disabling SCFM
• Brick protection (e.g. before doing region change)
• Cold booting redNAND (useful when when the eMMC is failing)
• It gives a minimal CFW, which can launch old homebrew using the homebrew launcher (not sure how usefull since we have Aroma and Tiramisu)
• Stop the Wii U from turning the Tablet on during boot (using a stroopwafel plugin)

Choosing the Exploit

There are multiple ways to launch the ISFShax installer:
If you already have Tiramisu or Aroma installed and can launch it follow the Instructions for [Tiramisu]
If the Browser still works and you can launch the browser exploit u.wiidb.de follow the Instructions for [Browser]
If you can't access the Browser, but Settings still work follow Instructions for [DNSpresso]
If you your Wii U crashes in the initial setup on Mii creation follow Instructions for [DNSpresso]
If your Wii U can't launch the browser anymore or can't connect to the internet follow the Instructions for [UDPIH]
Steps without a prefix apply to all.

Preparing the SD card

Make sure the SD card is formatted FAT32 (already the case if you are using it for Tiramisu). You can use guiformat for that.

Get the following files and put them in the root of the SD. Choose the release tagged with "Latest" for each.

1. ISFShax installer (ios.img) from https://github.com/isfshax/isfshax_installer/releases
2. ISFShax superblock.img and superblock.img.sha from https://github.com/isfshax/isfshax/releases
3. Put the stroopwafel wafel_core.ipx from https://github.com/jan-hofmeier/stroopwafel/releases in wiiu/ios_plugins
4. Put the wafel_isfshax_patch.ipx stroopwafel plugin from https://github.com/isfshax/wafel_isfshax_patch/releases in wiiu/ios_plugins
5. [Tiramisu | Browser | DNSpresso] minute fw_encrypted.img from https://github.com/jan-hofmeier/minute_minute/releases and rename to fw.img
6. [Browser | DNSpresso] fw_img_payload from https://github.com/wiiu-env/fw_img_payload/releases extract the zip and put the wiiu folder, containing the payload.elf on the SD
7. [DNSpresso] Extract the root.rpx from https://github.com/wiiu-env/PayloadFromRPX/releases and rename it to launch.rpx and place it in the root of the SD card
8. [UDPIH] minute fw.img and boot1.img from https://github.com/jan-hofmeier/minute_minute/releases
9. [UDPIH] recovery_menu from https://github.com/jan-hofmeier/recovery_menu/releases

The structure on the SD should look like this:

boot1.img (only for UDPIH)
fw.img
ios.img
recovery_menu   (only for UDPIH)
superblock.img
superblock.img.sha
wiiu
    ios_plugins
         wafel_core.ipx
         wafel_isfshax_patch.ipx

Launching into minute

This step heavily depends on the used Exploit.

Spoiler: Tiramisu

1. Hold B on the Gamepad while booting (if coldboot is enabled) or launching the H&S app
2. A black and white menu should show up asking you to choose a payload.
3. Select fw_img_loader

Spoiler: Browser

1. Open the Browser and browse to u.wiidb.de
2. Click on "HAXX"

Spoiler: DNSpresso

If you can a access the settings just follow these instructions (you already have the right files on the SD): https://gbatemp.net/threads/dnspresso-a-wii-u-dns-exploit.642123/
If you are stuck on the Mii creation in the Inital setup:

1. If you already connected your Wii U to your AP / Router, turn the AP / Router or the Wifi on it off.
2. When the setup asks you if you already have a NNID, say yes (even if you don't have one)
3. Now it tries to connect to the Internet, but will fail and ask you to take you back to the Wifi settings, follow back to thge settings.
4. Turn your Router / AP on again and give it time to start.
5. If you don't already have your Wifi configured there, connect to it now, but enter a wrong password.
6. Edit your wifi connection and configure 85.215.57.182 as Primary DNS, if you entered a wrong password before set the right one now.
7. Press (B) Back and select Connection Test.

Spoiler: UDPIH

1. Load the recovery using UDPIH: https://gbatemp.net/threads/udpih-usb-host-stack-exploit-recovery-menu.613369/ (don't replace the recovery_menu)
2. Unplug the Pico
3. select the "Load BOOT1 payload" and proceed. (If you don't have screen output: 18x eject, 1x power, 1 eject, 1 power)

Now you should see the minute main menu. If not something went wrong, make sure you have the correct fw.img file on the SD.
In minute you move the cursor with the power button and enter with the eject button (swapped compared to the recovery menu).

Note minute only outputs 1080p through HDMI, no picture on the gamepad, and nothing on the analog outputs.
Some people reported that the screen output is not working for them when minute was loaded from the recovery. If you made sure nothing else is the problem (right fw.img, TV supports 1080p HDMI), you can still follow along blindly by pressing the approriate buttons. Make sure to wait long enough between the presses, so the system has time to load. Without display output skip the first backup and go directly to Installing ISFShax.

Backup

1. Navigate to Backup and Restore
2. Dump SEEPROM & OTP
3. Dump SLC.RAW
4. Return to Main Menu

Installing ISFShax

1. Choose Boot `ios.img` (5x Power, 1x Eject)
2. Now the ISFShax installer should launch (this takes a few seconds)
3. Follow the Instructions on the screen, the buttons are the same as in minute. (3x Eject, 1x Power, 3x Eject)
4. The console should now turn off.
5. [Tiramisu | Browser | DNSpresso] replace the (encrypted) fw.img on the SD with the fw.img (NOT the encrypted one) from https://github.com/jan-hofmeier/minute_minute/releases
6. If the install was successfull the Wii U should directly start into minute once you turn it on again.

Backup ISFShax

Dump the SLC.RAW again. This will overwrite the previous SLC.RAW file on the SD. This is required if you need to restore the SLC for unbricking, without loosing ISFShax. Keep that backup in a safe place.

Booting

If you came here from the redNAND or the MLC rebuild tutorial continue with that tutorial now.

For now your Wii U needs the SD card to boot. From there it loads minute (fw.img), which then applies the required patches from SD card. (IOSU needs to be patched, so it doesn't fall over the ISFShax superblock).
To boot into the Wii U OS select Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc)

Aroma / Tiramisu

1. To install Aroma or Tiramisu put the corresponding files on the SD.
   Tiramisu: https://tiramisu.foryour.cafe/
   Aroma: https://aroma.foryour.cafe/ (You don't need to have install Tiramisu to have Aroma, also the FTPiiU plugin will become handy later)
2. Put the wafel_payloader.ipx in the ios_plugins folder https://github.com/jan-hofmeier/wafel_payloader/releases
3. Put the root.rpx from PayloadFromRPX in the wiiu folder on the SD https://github.com/wiiu-env/PayloadFromRPX/releases

Note: if you are already coldbooting Tiramisu / Aroma via the PayloadLoaderInstaller, you have to disable the coldboot in the PayloaderLoaderInstaller first. For more detailed instructions on this, see this post by ZaMaster: https://gbatemp.net/threads/how-to-set-up-isfshax.642258/post-10343876

Booting without SD

This step is optional but highly recommended. Now the Wii U doesn't show anything on the screen without the SD. That could lead to confusion if the SD ever gets lost or corrupts.
To make it from the internal memory we need to install the minute fw.img and the ios_plugins to the SLC. This can be accomplished using FTPiiU Everywhere, which can be launched from Tiramisu and is already part of the Aroma Package (enable Everywhere in the settings) or you can use the haxcopy homebrew https://github.com/mackieks/haxcopy/releases
Using haxcopy is recommended for most users, but if you copy a wrong plugin to the slc or need to delete one for whatever reason you still have to use FTP for that.

Spoiler: haxcopy

1. create a folder hax on the SD card (this will be copied to the slc)
2. copy the fw.img to the hax folder
3. create a subfolder ios_plugins in the hax folder
4. rename the wafel_core.ipx to 0core.ipx and copy it to the hax/ios_plugins folder
5. rename the wafel_isfshax_patch.ipx to 6isfshax.ipx and copy it to the hax/ios_plugins folder
6. if you want to coldboot aroma or tiramisu, rename the wafel_payloader.ipx to 9payldr.ipx and copy it to the hax/ios_plugins folder
7. If you need any other plugins like the wafel_unlimit.ipx, you have to rename and copy it to the hax/ios_plugins folder
8. Copy the haxcopy app to the wiiu/apps folder (like you usually install homebrew)
9. Put the SD in the Wii U and run haxcopy to copy the hax folder to the slc.

Spoiler: FTP

On Aroma you have to make sure access to system files is enabled:

1. Open the Aroma Plugin Configuration Menu using L + Down + SELECT (-) on the GamePad or Pro Controller (or B + Down + Minus (-) for WiiMotes)
2. Open the FTPiiU option, then settings and set ‘Allow access to system files’ to ‘true’ by pressing A

Uploading the files:

1. (Tiramisu only) Make sure FTPiiU Everywhere is running on the Wii U
2. Using a FTP client on the PC browse to /storage_slc/
3. If you see a scfm.img file and sys folder go into the sys folder. If you see a bunch of folders (config import logs proc rights security title tmp) just go to the next step.
4. create a subfolder hax and enter it
5. Make sure your FTP client is in binary mode (not ASCII mode)
6. upload the minute fw.img to the /storage_slc/sys/hax folder
7. create another subfolder ios_plugins in /storage_slc/sys/hax
8. enter that /storage_slc/sys/hax/ios_plugins folder
9. rename the wafel_core.ipx to 0core.ipx and upload it
10. rename the wafel_isfshax_patch.ipx to 6isfshax.ipx and upload it
11. if you want to coldboot aroma or tiramisu, rename the wafel_payloader.ipx to 9payldr.ipx and upload it
12. If you need other plugins like the wafel_unlimit.ipx, you have to rename and upload them too

Now the Wii U should autoboot if no SD card is inserted.
If a SD card is inserted the minute menu should show up (even if the SD doesn't contain a fw.img). In that menu you can select the Patch (slc) and boot IOS (slc) to load the plugins from the slc and boot (no need to have them on the SD anymore).

The Wii U will first try to load the fw.img from the SLC and if that fails it falls back to the SD.
If you installed a broken fw.img which doesn't load, you can force isfshax to load the fw.img from sd by repeatly pressing power till the menu shows up.

Warning: A factory reset will delete the hax folder. Without the fw.img on the SD the Wii U will then just have a black screen with a orange LED

Optional Autobooting with SD

To make the Wii U autoboot with an SD card inserted you need to create the file sd:/minute/minute.ini with the following content:

[boot]
autoboot=1
autoboot_timeout=3

You can adjust the timeout (in seconds) to your liking. The autoboot option specifies which entry from the minute menu will be loaded. 1 corresponds to Patch (slc) and boot IOS (slc), which loads the ios_plugins from the SLC. If you haven't installed them to the SLC or want to load them from the sd for another reason you can change that value to 3 which corresponds to Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc)

As an Alternative check out the Fastboot option below.

Optional: Fastbooting (Advanced)

To make the Wii U boot as fast as possible, without showing minute, you can now use the fw_fastboot.img. This won't work with redNAND
It is hardcoded to go straight to the first option (booting the slc, with patches from SLC). It won't display anything and ignore any autoboot configuration in the minute.ini.

1. First make sure the system can boot using the first option in minute. (see booting without SD)
2. Replace the the fw.img in the hax folder on the SLC with the fw_fastboot.img (renamed to fw.img)

In case you ever get stuck and need to load the full minute from SD you can do this:

1. Place the minute fw.img on the SD card
2. repeatedly press the power button until the minute menu shows up on the screen.

Uninstalling ISFShax

DON'T just restore an older SLC backup, as that would break SCFM!

• Make sure your Wii U doesn't depend on any patches (linke wafel_unlimit_mlc.ipx or redNAND). You can check that by booting with only the wafel_core.ipx and the wafel_isfshax_ipx plugins in the ios_plugins directory on the SD and using the Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc) option
• Delete the /storage_slc/sys/hax folder if you set up the slc booting
• run the ISFShax installer again from minute and follow the on screen instructions to uninstall.

Credits

• @rw-r-r_0644 for finding and implementing isfshax
• @GaryOderNichts and ashquarky for their direct contributions and help
• @vgmoose for all the support and for the Wii U that replaced the one Idestroyed during early isfshax testing
• @Maschell for his help and all other contributions to the Wii U scene
• hexkyz for the warmboot boot1 exploit which made all of this possible
• @shinyquagsire23 for de_Fuse, minute and stroopwafel
• Salt Team for the original minute CFW
• dimok789, FIX94 and others for the iosuhax CFW
• fail0verflow for mini
• and all other contributors to the Wii U scene!

 

[mirap0397]

Hey! I just saw that you might be able to save my old Wii U! :o
the problem is that mine is MLC brick (at least that's what I imagine)
Is there a solution for me?

Edit: I don't think it's the SLC that's damaged, I think it's perfect... it seems to me that it's because I installed a wup which prevented me from booting...

edit 2: oh yeah and UDPIH doesn't work (I do it with my hacked switch) in fact there isn't even the Wii U logo at startup, the screen remains black but I'm sure the console still works

 

[George35000vr]

You need to use the fw_encrypted.img and rename it to fw.img

Is this procedure just for installing isfshax? Cause i couldn't get my wii u to boot with this method (after updating to latest minute) and had to use the fw.img from ur github page instead of the fw_encrypted.img .

Post automatically merged: Apr 13, 2024

Hey! I just saw that you might be able to save my old Wii U! :o
the problem is that mine is MLC brick (at least that's what I imagine)
Is there a solution for me?

Edit: I don't think it's the SLC that's damaged, I think it's perfect... it seems to me that it's because I installed a wup which prevented me from booting...

edit 2: oh yeah and UDPIH doesn't work (I do it with my hacked switch) in fact there isn't even the Wii U logo at startup, the screen remains black but I'm sure the console still works

Use the UDPIH exploit, boot to homebrew menu and use ftpiiu_everywhere to remove the faulty app. Just read your edit. I guess you could only fix it with de_Fuse then, which requires soldering.

 

[mirap0397]

I guess you could only fix it with de_Fuse then, which requires soldering.

oh... ok

Unfortunately, I'm not skilled enough to do this sort of thing. So I'm going to leave my old Wii U dead...

edit: btw, thanks anyway for answering my question

 

[SDIO]

edit 2: oh yeah and UDPIH doesn't work (I do it with my hacked switch) in fact there isn't even the Wii U logo at startup, the screen remains black but I'm sure the console still works

If UDPIH doesn't work, you would need to defuse. ISFShax could only help in such a situation, if it was already installed. Now it is too late.

Is this procedure just for installing isfshax? Cause i couldn't get my wii u to boot with this method (after updating to latest minute) and had to use the fw.img from ur github page instead of the fw_encrypted.img .

the fw_encrypted.img is only for being loaded with the fw_img loader, which is used by the tiramisu, browser and DNSpresso methods. In all other places you would use the unencrypted fw.img. ISFShax also will only load the unencrypted fw.img

 

[CrazySquid]

@SDIO Question, is your quick start menu updating with ISFSHax? Because mine works, but after a while it stops updating titles on the GamePad. Here are the stroopwafel plugins I'm using:

-wafel_core
-wafel_isfs_patch
-wafel_noinit_tablet
-wafel_payloader


I'm also using the latest version of ISFSHax plus fastboot with that fw.img on the SLC. I think it worked with earlier versions no problem, but maybe is something on my end.

Steps to reproduce:
1.Disable stand-by functions to reset the quick start menu.
2.Enable Quick start menu by enabling stand-by features, I put my console to do standby every 24 hours, default is 1 hour.
3.Start using some apps and games.
4.After using around 10 games and apps, the Quick Start menu will appear.
5.It will work and update the title list for a while, but after a few more reboots and uses, it will not update anymore, this mainly happens when you use a disc-based game, digital games seems to not trigger the issue.

Is this an issue on my end, or does it happen with your Wii U too?

Some additional plugins I'm using is Inkay for Pretendo, but not sure if this is making some conflict.

Update: Can definitely confirm that disc-based games make the Quick Start Menu stop updating for me, this was the third time in a row that happened. I will see how my console reacts without ISFSHax and Aroma tomorrow, then try with Aroma again no (ISFSHax) to try to narrow the error down and see what could be the cause.

 

[SDIO]

Interesting. I noticed that the QS menu stoped working on my test console too, but I thought that's just because I messed too much with it. I don't have a Disc drive there.
Maybe your is because minute turns the disc drive power off, but it didn't turn it back on when autobooting?
I attached a minute, which should turn it back on in all cases, lets see if that helps

 

[CrazySquid]

Interesting. I noticed that the QS menu stoped working on my test console too, but I thought that's just because I messed too much with it. I don't have a Disc drive there.
Maybe your is because minute turns the disc drive power off, but it didn't turn it back on when autobooting?
I attached a minute, which should turn it back on in all cases, lets see if that helps

I see, I thought it may be something on my end. Although if it happens to you without a disc drive... I wonder if it's really disc-games the issue? In my case I need to use them to replicate the issue, otherwise I think it works fine.

UPDATE: it seemed like it worked at first, but tried another disc and it doesn't work. It's minute really the issue? I don't know how it really works, but I think the Wii U stores a file in memory (MLC/SLC) with the lastest games that were played in that section, and then sends it off in ECO Mode to the gamepad. In that sense, if a disc game was written to the list, then it shouldn't matter if the disc drive was off in minute, right?

 

[SDIO]

Can you try without the no tablet plug-in?

 

[CrazySquid]

Can you try without the no tablet plug-in?

Yes, I wrote a bit more but seems I forgot to save the post, but I was using your odd (optical disc) version of fastboot.

I continue to use that odd version, now without the plugin, but the results are the same, loaded Bayonetta disc, but the Quick Start Menu isn't getting updated

I will try to remove ISFSHax and try it clean, just to discard something is wrong with my setup.

Update 3: Will further test for a week to try to pinpoint what is the setup that causes those issues, I'm using ISFSHax latest version as of writing this, without the no init plugin for DRC and no fast boot. If it works, I will start using the no init plugin and see how it behaves. Fast boot + no init plugin is definitely a no go

 

[zerachi]

I have prepped my SD card and when I try to switch payload using Aroma, I do not see fw_img_loader. I only have default, and nanddumper to choose from. Any idea how to make it show up?

 

[SDIO]

Just add the FW img loader like for the browser method. But rename your old payload.elf and then put your old payload.elf back once you have ISFShax installed

 

[zerachi]

Just add the FW img loader like for the browser method. But rename your old payload.elf and then put your old payload.elf back once you have ISFShax installed

So I launch into minute with browser instead of using the Tiramisu method?

 

[SDIO]

if you are coldbooting tiramisu / aroma, it should now dieectly load into minute once you turn the console on. If not launch the H&S app

 

[V10lator]

I have prepped my SD card and when I try to switch payload using Aroma, I do not see fw_img_loader.

A bit late but you probably didn't download the fw.img loader from https://aroma.foryour.cafe back in the days when installing Aroma or Triamisu.

@SDIO Remember that this package is disabled by default and also https://wiiu.hacks.guide/#/aroma/sd-preparation doesn't tell you to download it, so most users are probably missing the fw.img loader on their SD cards.

 

[SDIO]

once we have a fw img loader that can load unencrypted, I want to change that anyway

 

[George35000vr]

If UDPIH doesn't work, you would need to defuse. ISFShax could only help in such a situation, if it was already installed. Now it is too late.


the fw_encrypted.img is only for being loaded with the fw_img loader, which is used by the tiramisu, browser and DNSpresso methods. In all other places you would use the unencrypted fw.img. ISFShax also will only load the unencrypted fw.img

Thanks for clearing this out cause i got it confused.

 

[emes]

Where I have to put those files on the sd card?

 

[SDIO]

In the wiiu/apps folder. You only need one depending on your homebrew env. wuhb for Aroma or rpx for Tiramisu

 

[Gaara4]

I have a little problem,
Everything works fine but after i try to do this point "Booting without SD".
I install was succesfull but not my wii u boots to the wii u logo and then black screen.
All of this is only when the sd card is plugged in. Everytime it crash after 1 or 2 seconds after the wii u logo on boot.


Without the sd card it works fine but of course it can not load the payload.elf from the missing sd.

ok i fix it. the problem was the coldboot.

 

[Ddddddddd]

Need help, my wii u keeps bootlooping when i press patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc)