Tutorial  Updated

Region Changing the Wii U

The way I used to do it was tedious and was quite complex, however with the v2.0 release of the wafel_setup_mlc plugin, region changing has become much simpler.

It is identical to just rebuilding the MLC, but this has region changing specific notes added.

This does not change the region of the Gamepad, however you can still use an out-of-region gamepad with Aroma, which can be loaded with a Stroopwafel plugin, so you don't need to worry about getting a gamepad from the region you are changing to.

Following this guide will wipe the MLC. You should back up any saves you care about before following. Its possible to do it without wiping the MLC, you just skip the Erase MLC and Delete scfm.img steps, but you will have to remove the old titles with this wupclient (Right Click -> Save As).

Keep an OTP and SEEPROM backup. Nothing should go wrong, but it is better to have the most important backups and not need them vs. need them and not have them.


I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU FAIL TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS PROPERLY.
If you need support, you can join my server and ask in #help

What you need

  • Install isfshax. This is a requirement. You cannot region change without it. (You can also use de_Fuse, but at that point you probably already know what you are doing.)
    • Stop at the "Booting" section.
  • The release of the MLCRestorerDownloader for your OS.
  • The latest release of the MLC setup plugin.
  • The latest release of the Payloader plugin.
  • The latest files for Aroma. (If you already have it, you do not need to recopy it)
    • Read and tick the 4 boxes -> Click on Download Payloads and Download Base Aroma

Downloading the MLC Titles

  1. Extract the MLCRestorerDownloader you downloaded.
  2. Copy the otp.bin into the extracted folder.
  3. Open a command prompt / terminal and run the application (ie .\MLCRestorerDownloader.exe for Windows users).
  4. Type in 1 the for MLC titles.
  5. Type in the number for the region you want to change to (ie 2 for USA).
  6. Wait for it to finish downloading. You can do part of the next section while you wait.

SD Setup

  1. Copy the wafel_setup_mlc.ipx to sd:/wiiu/ios_plugins.
  2. Copy the wafel_payloader.ipx to sd:/wiiu/ios_plugins.
  3. Copy the two wiiu folders from the Aroma .zip files to the root of the SD.
  4. Copy the root.rpx from sd:/wiiu/environments/aroma to sd:/wiiu.
  5. Make a folder called wafel_install on the root of the SD and copy all 52 MLC titles here.
Region Changing

  1. Boot the console.
    • If it does not automatically go into minute_minute, go install isfshax.
  2. Navigate to Backup and Restore.
  3. Select Erase MLC and then press EJECT to confirm.
    • If it tells you MLC Erase not allowed, go install isfshax.
  4. Select Delete scfm.img and press EJECT to confirm.
    • If it gives you a warning about bricking the console, do not continue and install isfshax. It's not playing around.
  5. Go back to the main menu and select Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc).
  6. Wait for the LED to start blinking blue, this means the setup has started. Wait for it to stop blinking, that is when the setup has finished.
  7. Shut off the console and put the SD back into your PC.
  8. Check the wafel_setup_mlc.log file on the root and make sure there were no errors (everything should have 00000000, except for SetInitialLaunch, which will have a 1).
  9. If everything looks right, delete the wafel_setup_mlc.ipx file from sd:/wiiu/ios_plugins.
  10. Boot the console again, select Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc), and you should be greeted with initial setup. Success!
Manually fixing the sys_prod

You only need to do this section if the MCP_SetSysProdSettings returned error FFFBFFEE, if it returned a 0, then you can skip this section.
  1. Install Python on your PC.
  2. Download this wupclient.py. (Right Click -> Save as..)
  3. Edit the IP Address on line 140 with the Wii Us IP. Do not change the port.
    • You can get the IP by looking at your router settings.
  4. Make sure the console is booting into Aroma and is on the AutobootMenu.
    • Hold + on the Gamepad while booting to get to the AutobootMenu.
    • Aroma should automatically load with the wafel_payloader plugin.
  5. Open a terminal where the wupclient.py is.
  6. Run python -i wupclient.py.
  7. When it successfully connects (should have a 0x0), run w.dl("/vol/system/config/sys_prod.xml").
  8. Open the sys_prod.xml in a text editor, and change product_area and game_region to the new region.
    • JPN - 1. USA - 2. EUR - 4.
  9. Save the file, and then run w.up("sys_prod.xml", "/vol/system/config/sys_prod.xml").
  10. Run exit() on the wupclient window, and then reboot the Wii U.
  11. If you did everything right, loading the Mii Maker in the User creation should not crash.
After Region Changing

You can keep isfshax installed, or you can uninstall it. I would keep it, so you can load Aroma on boot without needing to install PayloadLoader, or as some form of 'brick protection'.


You can region change the Gamepad with DRXutil, but no instructions will be given here. Use at your own risk!

Credits


@SDIO: isfshax setup guides, the wafel_setup_mlc plugin, help get the PoC to work, cleaning up my code, making the region fixer more sane...
@GaryOderNichts: Also help me get the PoC working
@rw-r-r_0644: Finding isfshax and implementing it
 
Last edited by Lazr1026,

Paulo_Suzuki

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Jan 29, 2022
Messages
24
Trophies
0
Age
33
XP
379
Country
Brazil
Anyone update for this? "Everything went fine for me, the log showed no errors at the end, but it seems like I missed something, as I can't start from aroma or the Wii U menu, I only get the black screen of the 'minutes' app, what can I do to start the aroma? thanks."
 

AlexCasual

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Mar 31, 2024
Messages
11
Trophies
0
Age
23
XP
12
Country
Russia
i tried rebuilding my MLC with SLC files again. is it normal for the led to blink blue (not red or orange) for more than 30 minutes. is it normal for mlc replacement or isfs just not recognizing the problem and not showing errors or my NAND chip was broken idk xd
Post automatically merged:

btw it does not shows the logs
 

JeremyKO

Active Member
Newcomer
Joined
Dec 26, 2018
Messages
33
Trophies
0
Age
28
XP
185
Country
France
Hi,
I'm trying to change my European Wii U to a Japanese version, but the problem is that it crashes when I try to create a mii (in the initial console setup) and I can't skip this step unfortunately...

do I need to also install the SLC applications? (I still have the SLC European apps)

(Btw, when I restart the console, I get an error and I have to completely install the MLC again (because otherwise I am stuck permanently on error 155-0206)
1000028357.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 1000028356.jpg
    1000028356.jpg
    3.4 MB · Views: 6

SDIO

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2023
Messages
2,268
Trophies
0
Age
28
XP
1,387
Country
Germany
i tried rebuilding my MLC with SLC files again. is it normal for the led to blink blue (not red or orange) for more than 30 minutes. is it normal for mlc replacement or isfs just not recognizing the problem and not showing errors or my NAND chip was broken idk xd
Post automatically merged:

btw it does not shows the logs
seems like I was missing your last post. It shouldn't take that long. Please show the setup log.
You can also dump the system crash logs in Backup and restore. Maybe they show something helpful.

do I need to also install the SLC applications?
No, the SLC titles are the same for all regions. Can you show the setup log? Maybe something failed to install.
 

AlexCasual

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Mar 31, 2024
Messages
11
Trophies
0
Age
23
XP
12
Country
Russia
seems like I was missing your last post. It shouldn't take that long. Please show the setup log.
You can also dump the system crash logs in Backup and restore. Maybe they show something helpful.


No, the SLC titles are the same for all regions. Can you show the setup log? Maybe something failed to install.
sorry bro, the setup log file was not created on the sd, but i did create a system crash log. bro sorry, i am not very knowledgeable about programming, and low architecture programming in general, but can you tell me if i might have corrupted NAND memory after all and will have to do NAND aid?
here is the logs zip file
 

Attachments

  • logs.zip
    60 KB · Views: 4

SDIO

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2023
Messages
2,268
Trophies
0
Age
28
XP
1,387
Country
Germany
if it starts blinking blue it should have already created a wafel_setup_mlc.log on the SD. Else make sure the SD isn't write locked.
Post automatically merged:

Hm your logs are just filled with this
Code:
334: FSA fsa_core_ops.c(1511): failed to issue command to FS (-196640)
00:00:47:339: FSA fsa_core_ops.c(1511): failed to issue command to FS (-196640)
Beause that is spammed so much, everything else was evicted from the log. Maybe you could try to run it just short, so we see what happens before in the log.
The error means "UnsupportedCmd"
 
Last edited by SDIO,

JeremyKO

Active Member
Newcomer
Joined
Dec 26, 2018
Messages
33
Trophies
0
Age
28
XP
185
Country
France
No, the SLC titles are the same for all regions. Can you show the setup log? Maybe something failed to install.
Oh okay...

I deleted the old MLC download and completely re-downloaded everything... but unfortunately I'm having the same problem... here are the logs:

OpenDir /vol/sdcard/wafel_install: 0
OpenMCP /vol/sdcard/wafel_install: 0
InstallInfo 0005001b10053000: 00000000
Install 0005001b10053000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b10054000: 00000000
Install 0005001b10054000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b10056000: 00000000
Install 0005001b10056000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b10057000: 00000000
Install 0005001b10057000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b10058000: 00000000
Install 0005001b10058000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b10059000: 00000000
Install 0005001b10059000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b10063000: 00000000
Install 0005001b10063000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b10065000: 00000000
Install 0005001b10065000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b10067000: 00000000
Install 0005001b10067000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b10068000: 00000000
Install 0005001b10068000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b10069000: 00000000
Install 0005001b10069000: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500101004a000: 00000000
Install 000500101004a000: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500101004b000: 00000000
Install 000500101004b000: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500101004c000: 00000000
Install 000500101004c000: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500101004d000: 00000000
Install 000500101004d000: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500101004e000: 00000000
Install 000500101004e000: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500101005a000: 00000000
Install 000500101005a000: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500301001a10a: 00000000
Install 000500301001a10a: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500301006d00a: 00000000
Install 000500301006d00a: 00000000
InstallInfo 00050030100110ff: 00000000
Install 00050030100110ff: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500301001000a: 00000000
Install 000500301001000a: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500301001100a: 00000000
Install 000500301001100a: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500301001200a: 00000000
Install 000500301001200a: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500301001300a: 00000000
Install 000500301001300a: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500301001400a: 00000000
Install 000500301001400a: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500301001500a: 00000000
Install 000500301001500a: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500301001600a: 00000000
Install 000500301001600a: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500301001700a: 00000000
Install 000500301001700a: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500301001800a: 00000000
Install 000500301001800a: 00000000
InstallInfo 000500301001900a: 00000000
Install 000500301001900a: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001010040000: 00000000
Install 0005001010040000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001010041000: 00000000
Install 0005001010041000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001010043000: 00000000
Install 0005001010043000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001010044000: 00000000
Install 0005001010044000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001010045000: 00000000
Install 0005001010045000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001010047000: 00000000
Install 0005001010047000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001010048000: 00000000
Install 0005001010048000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001010049000: 00000000
Install 0005001010049000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001010062000: 00000000
Install 0005001010062000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001010066000: 00000000
Install 0005001010066000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005003010010009: 00000000
Install 0005003010010009: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005003010011009: 00000000
Install 0005003010011009: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005003010017009: 00000000
Install 0005003010017009: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b1004f000: 00000000
Install 0005001b1004f000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b1005c000: 00000000
Install 0005001b1005c000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b1005f000: 00000000
Install 0005001b1005f000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b1006c000: 00000000
Install 0005001b1006c000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b10042300: 00000000
Install 0005001b10042300: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b10042400: 00000000
Install 0005001b10042400: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b10050000: 00000000
Install 0005001b10050000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b10051000: 00000000
Install 0005001b10051000: 00000000
InstallInfo 0005001b10052000: 00000000
Install 0005001b10052000: 00000000
Flush MLC: 0
Set region to 1:, FFFBFFEE
SetInitialLaunch 0: 1

Flush SLC: 0
 

AlexCasual

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Mar 31, 2024
Messages
11
Trophies
0
Age
23
XP
12
Country
Russia
if it starts blinking blue it should have already created a wafel_setup_mlc.log on the SD. Else make sure the SD isn't write locked.
bro, no, i can put the files on sd so my sd is not locked, but wafel_setup_mlc.log is not created on sd. also I read that you created a plugin wafel_destroy_mlc. should i use it and maybe it will help me?
 

SDIO

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2023
Messages
2,268
Trophies
0
Age
28
XP
1,387
Country
Germany
Set region to 1:, FFFBFFEE
That is your problem. Look at the Manually fixing the sys_prod section in the guide, that should solve your problem.

my sd is not locked
Sometimes the Wii U detects SDs as write locked, even if they are not. Then it helps to tape over the WP switch.

I read that you created a plugin wafel_destroy_mlc. should i use it and maybe it will help me?
No, that never really worked and is not needed anymore. Earsing the MLC and deleting the scfm.img in minute is now the reliable way to do it.
 

AlexCasual

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Mar 31, 2024
Messages
11
Trophies
0
Age
23
XP
12
Country
Russia
That is your problem. Look at the Manually fixing the sys_prod section in the guide, that should solve your problem.


Sometimes the Wii U detects SDs as write locked, even if they are not. Then it helps to tape over the WP switch.


No, that never really worked and is not needed anymore. Earsing the MLC and deleting the scfm.img in minute is now the reliable way to do it.
ok thanks ill try then
 

JeremyKO

Active Member
Newcomer
Joined
Dec 26, 2018
Messages
33
Trophies
0
Age
28
XP
185
Country
France
That is your problem. Look at the Manually fixing the sys_prod section in the guide, that should solve your problem.
Really sorry to have bothered you with a fake problem... thank you very much for helping me (for not much 😭)

that said... I have a question...
would it be possible to downgrade on very old versions without risk of breaking anything? 🤔
 

SDIO

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2023
Messages
2,268
Trophies
0
Age
28
XP
1,387
Country
Germany
We weren't able to do that. Also you would be limited that we would to use the latest IOSU, since all the patches are written against that and that might require some level of the other titles
 

AlexCasual

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Mar 31, 2024
Messages
11
Trophies
0
Age
23
XP
12
Country
Russia
if it starts blinking blue it should have already created a wafel_setup_mlc.log on the SD. Else make sure the SD isn't write locked.
Post automatically merged:

Hm your logs are just filled with this
Code:
334: FSA fsa_core_ops.c(1511): failed to issue command to FS (-196640)
00:00:47:339: FSA fsa_core_ops.c(1511): failed to issue command to FS (-196640)
Beause that is spammed so much, everything else was evicted from the log. Maybe you could try to run it just short, so we see what happens before in the log.
The error means "UnsupportedCmd"
Ok, what can I say. I think I'm really dumb because I used a bad sd, and I also think that's the reason why the MLC files weren't writing to the sd, and maybe that was the cause of the problem. But I can also say that I just replaced my sd card with a smaller one (8gb) and everything is working correctly. I also realized why I used to have the 160-2203 error before. It was caused by wafel_payloader not loading aroma. On the new sd card this error is not there, but also WII U still does not load into the aroma, even with the payloader plugin installed. Also forgot to say that unfortunately, even with payloader, it gives me a gamepad region pairing error. I will attach screenshots of how I have the files installed on the sd, bro can you help me please?
Post automatically merged:

Ok, what can I say. I think I'm really dumb because I used a bad sd, and I also think that's the reason why the MLC files weren't writing to the sd, and maybe that was the cause of the problem. But I can also say that I just replaced my sd card with a smaller one (8gb) and everything is working correctly. I also realized why I used to have the 160-2203 error before. It was caused by wafel_payloader not loading aroma. On the new sd card this error is not there, but also WII U still does not load into the aroma, even with the payloader plugin installed. Also forgot to say that unfortunately, even with payloader, it gives me a gamepad region pairing error. I will attach screenshots of how I have the files installed on the sd, bro can you help me please?
also i pick up the gamepad error. it also shows me with loaded payloader and aroma file
1712859162921.png
 

Attachments

  • screen.png
    screen.png
    86.9 KB · Views: 6
Last edited by AlexCasual,

Tthat1guy

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Apr 12, 2024
Messages
4
Trophies
0
Age
24
XP
21
Country
United States
when I selected "Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc)" the power led started blinking yellow instead of blue. its been doing that for 15 minutes now. what should I do?

Edit: the light is solid yellow now, but the screen is the same.
Edit2: thought the mlc titles were corrupted and backed out to try redownloading them, retried and now it stalled with a solid yellow light on the loading "wii u menu" screen
 
Last edited by Tthat1guy,

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2: Right onto uremums 3d printed dildo