Hacking System Menu questions/thoughts

[IronMask]

Well.. my opinion changed a little after yesterday's event. For obvious reasons. But I was still thinking that if you updated or used CIOSCorp on any other system menu version, you could still be screwed. Basically my setup has been CIOSCorp/Starfall/Preloader when ever I have installed a new system menu.wad I always go straight back into homebrew to "rearm" myself just for precautions.

I am going to do some more testing today with trying to figure out what it actually was that saved my ass from the terrible black screen of death. The thing that was weird was, when I got the black screen after returning to homebrew after installing the "newsystemmenu.wad" by IceFire...Using ARM's (thanks) Wad Manager-HBC return edition brought me safetly back in the my HBC. From there I went straight to preloader install screen, yet my install screen showed nothing but black screen. I was thinking, that maybe I had it on 480p resolution because sometimes that throws me a blackscreen using homebrew. (I wasn't, I checked after I recovered it was reg 480i setting) So the preloader install went screen black, never seeing the install screen. I waited...waited..waited... Ooops! was my response. I though to myself. I finally did it this time...

To continue this experience, I jumped back to the thread after knowing my Wii was "bricked" (so, I thought) a black screen was what I had. I turned my Wii off. Turned it back on. Black screen. Off, On. Black screen. Off, on while holding reset in. Nothing. (I only tried this out of hopefulness) By this time, I was in #wadder on efnet with IceFire.... My second attempt of response was to pull out my modified version of a gamecube controlled that I hadn't finished yet! So, I went to pull the plastic direction pad to file the middle down so I could try all 4 directions. LO and Behold! Trying to get the piece out I broke the GC controller main circuit board...Flail! (I was scrambling...yet still found it amusing!) I didn't want to embarrass myself and tell IceFire what I did, just yet... If I had only finished my JiizmoBlaster!

So...now I pondering I looked over at my other bucket o' controllers and ran my fingers through my long blackbeard and grabbed my generic unmodified,Purple Advanced GC Controller w/ fingerprint logo on it (if that helps). (Used at GameStop)... I inserted my Autoboot WAD manager disc patched to ios249 (I had patched it the 1st night of cioscorp testing when I originally chose to patch my system menu to 249 as well with Wiiblaster)...
I stuck the disc in while turning the Wii on and held Y on the GC controller in port 1.... No go. Tried one more time.... no go. I turned the Wii off... unplugged the GC controller and put it in the 4th port and held all directions on GC controller.... 3.2U showed up in bottom left corner of screen and then Wad Manager booted up... you obviously know what happened next....

Today, I am going to try and figure out how that exactly saved me...

I did reinstall preloader again, after reinstalling my native untouched systemmenu3.2(ntsc).wad and returning to HBC. After preloader installed I went to my system hacks settings and the ones enabled were still showing enabled and the ones disabled were showing disabled (GC region hacks that we have for preloader)

That tells me the hacks.ini was still alive in the NAND when I installed the corrupted system menu.wad

I am going to uninstall preloader and starfall and try my GC controller by itself with no hacks enabled just with CIOScorp alone and then work my way back.... I'd like to see exactly what saved my Wii...

Thanks for the support guys. And back to what I was really getting at... the reason my opinions of CIOScorp changed is because of the obvious ordeal. I still would not call this a safeway to park your Wii at.... especially if you plan to do future updates... We still don't know exactly what Ninty will throw at us...but I will say this... We always end up climbing out of the pile of rubbish when the smoke clears with new ideas! So this is only another mountain to climb in our journey to the ultimate Wii hack!

Sorry the message was so long... just wanted to share an interesting experience with how this whole thread has effected me. And I am sure it will help others learn.. because I really thought the all direction 4th port recovery feature was a myth..and it would never work on a non-chipped Wii.....well I just proved that theory wrong.

 

[goku1980]

i got to agree with wii power on this a lot of noobs dont bother to read warnings hell i waited 6 months after the twlight hack came out to even play with puting on my wii and i like CIOScorp that with the preloader v.25

 

[mhadf]

While I understand the fear of newbies bricking their Wii. I think that it's now possible to write a guide that 99% of people will follow to the letter AND UNDERSTAND THE RISK INVOLVED. Especially if it's in big huge letters.

I've seen no end of people screw up twilight hack alone, but that's not stopped anyone from trying it and even writing guides for it. Yes, there are idiots that will screw shit up badly, but tell them the risks up front...alot and if they don't follow the instructions to the letter then that is their fault they knew the risks, and they'll have to get it repaired (or savemii'd)

People are now more likely to screw up their wii trying this if they go from page one and do everything on the pages that follow too.

I think that most of the people here know how competent they are, and won't try anything too far above that competency..... I can softmod a 3.4 in about 10 mins, I can cIOS all my IOS's apart from my system menu one, and I wouldn't do that without having the tools available and not just via PM.

You routinely talk about stuff with a higher brick risk (installing any wad's you like) yet something like this would help revolutionise the way in which we look at modding the wii, and also take it one step closer to being unbrickable.


I do genuinely understand your fears but you've done some amazing stuff in tandem with CIOSCORP.
So come on, do the community a huge favour and write the guide to get people that step closer to doing some of the amazing stuff you routinely do.

 

[Patryc]

So to save from a permanent brick what is the best thing to load onto my Wii? CIOSCorp/Starfall/Preloader All or a combination of 2, or just one? . I have tried almost every combination playing around with the Disc Channel. And thanks IronMask for sharing your experiences with us.. most helpful

 

[goku1980]

all bow befor ironmask and his mighty wii ,

@mhadf i have cios installed but im looking for some thing better for now it stays and i just remove/or replace updates from my games after i buy them.

@jizmo that worked

 

[IronMask]

OK... I uninstalled Preloader and Starfall... I reinstalled the orignina systemmenuv289.wad (to my ntsc Wii). I went in with homebrew and loaded the Hacks.ini deleter... It erased them from the NAND... I checked.
I then tested to see if hacks were disabled by sticking in my NFS Undercover 1:1 copy. I got the update banner in the disc channel.. So this tells me all I have is CIOSCorp installed. I took the game out and put my Wad Manager Autoboot disc in and turned the Wii off. Stuck the GC controller in port 4 and pressed all 4 directions (3.2USA) shows up in bottom right corner and then Wad Manager appears.

So... this tells me...thank God for CIOSCorp.

It is still HIGHLY recommended if you are NEW or inexperienced at this then it is HIGHLY recommended not to use CIOSCorp. CIOSCorp was really intended for the more Advanced users that are experimenting with ways to enhance the Homebrew part of the Wii.. like editing banners, making virtual console injections, etc. This is what we were looking for... If you are just a kid wanting to play some "backups" with your Wii. Then just stick to a loader channel and keep playing and amazing your friends that way... Only install CIOSCorp on your own Wii if you must have it. Don't be doing it on every friend of yours! You will have a them calling you back and nagging you about something happening when they accidentally update or stumble into some other situation we have not accounted for yet... This is method is still under testing... We want to be able to offer you the best...without a headache later... yes, I know my "testimony" sounds great and all... but how do you know that I am really even telling the truth?! You don't. -I really am by the way!

Overall, don't play with fire and you won't get burned. Simple. If you are going to install CIOSCorp and cannot wait for Wiipower to come out with his installer and must install the CIOSCorp.zip contents... Then by all means, don't let us stop you.. We did warn you, and you may not get as lucky as I did.... I know the risks I take. I don't care.. It's materialistic, I have a backup Wii, and I have methods to replacing a bricked Wii. You kids don't. And some of you just can't afford it... I really can't either, but that's beside my point.

Some of you know how I would handle my replacement...

Good luck if you try this. And READ, READ, read then do it while you're reading... even if you think it was easy... that's when you mess up, when it's too easy!

 

[goku1980]

wow ironmask way to go b u comit suicide come back and preach of being careful what they do to u man ? lol but u got a point i c it a million times on every thing i read on here READ FIRST .
you know they say if u want to hide some thing put it in a book (people wont read it)

 

[Patryc]

Iron man knew the risk, he took the risk, he didn't blame anyone so I am really happy all came good for him.

 

[jinxvorheeze1]

After watching the rise of the Wii Homebrew scene, I can tell you without a doubt that CIOSCORP is the most dangerous thing that has come to the Wii. That's not to say that it isn't a fantastic breakthrough, but this is the type of project that needed to be created over a private chat. In an IRC or private message board. Kids don't read warnings. They see the newest thing, and they go for it. They don't think about the consequences and they sure as hell don't think about stuff like breaking their friends Wii. They get the newest hack and they install it because they want to prove something, or think it's impressive to people that they can install a program made by someone else. These are not people you know. These are not people you can necessarily trust. We all hope that people would be honest, but I have seen far too many liars in this scene to feel safe going by what someone else has said. Don't be a hermit, try new things, that's fine. But don't trust for a second that anyone can or will help you. So if you don't have the means to help yourself in the situation that something goes wrong, then maybe you should step back and think whether or not what you have is good enough. If you can install a channel that runs backup games just fine, then why on earth would you want to install something that has so many risks, that you know almost nothing about, for no gain other than you don't have to click start on a channel? This is a development project, for people who wish to use this project, and it's idea's to make the Wii better for people like you.

As IronMask said, I have the means to replace a broken Wii. I have a spare, I know what to do in the event of a brick. But do you? Can you afford another $250 Wii? Can you fix the one you have if you break it. Don't be too foolish, there's some things that even Starfall can't save you from, and when that time come's the only person to blame will be your self.

 

[Jizmo]

After watching the rise of the Wii Homebrew scene, I can tell you without a doubt that CIOSCORP is the most dangerous thing that has come to the Wii. That's not to say that it isn't a fantastic breakthrough, but this is the type of project that needed to be created over a private chat. In an IRC or private message board. Kids don't read warnings. They see the newest thing, and they go for it. They don't think about the consequences and they sure as hell don't think about stuff like breaking their friends Wii. They get the newest hack and they install it because they want to prove something, or think it's impressive to people that they can install a program made by someone else. These are not people you know. These are not people you can necessarily trust. We all hope that people would be honest, but I have seen far too many liars in this scene to feel safe going by what someone else has said. Don't be a hermit, try new things, that's fine. But don't trust for a second that anyone can or will help you. So if you don't have the means to help yourself in the situation that something goes wrong, then maybe you should step back and think whether or not what you have is good enough. If you can install a channel that runs backup games just fine, then why on earth would you want to install something that has so many risks, that you know almost nothing about, for no gain other than you don't have to click start on a channel? This is a development project, for people who wish to use this project, and it's idea's to make the Wii better for people like you.

As IronMask said, I have the means to replace a broken Wii. I have a spare, I know what to do in the event of a brick. But do you? Can you afford another $250 Wii? Can you fix the one you have if you break it. Don't be too foolish, there's some things that even Starfall can't save you from, and when that time come's the only person to blame will be your self.

A bit Preachy today are we? Yes I suppose that this could have been taken behind closed doors, but the people who started the project decided to make it a group effort and have some fun with it. I welcome you to work on your own projects in private irc or channels.

{setver typemodesnideremark=0}

 

[ether2802]

Look there in the sky (first post of this page).......it's a bird.......no no, it's a plane..........NO! it's IIIIIRONMASK himself......whoa, when I grow up I want to wear a mask made of iron like him (or kevlar, just to be protected against bullets)

 

[fogbank]

After watching the rise of the Wii Homebrew scene, I can tell you without a doubt that CIOSCORP is the most dangerous thing that has come to the Wii. That's not to say that it isn't a fantastic breakthrough, but this is the type of project that needed to be created over a private chat. In an IRC or private message board. Kids don't read warnings. They see the newest thing, and they go for it. They don't think about the consequences and they sure as hell don't think about stuff like breaking their friends Wii. They get the newest hack and they install it because they want to prove something, or think it's impressive to people that they can install a program made by someone else. These are not people you know. These are not people you can necessarily trust. We all hope that people would be honest, but I have seen far too many liars in this scene to feel safe going by what someone else has said. Don't be a hermit, try new things, that's fine. But don't trust for a second that anyone can or will help you. So if you don't have the means to help yourself in the situation that something goes wrong, then maybe you should step back and think whether or not what you have is good enough. If you can install a channel that runs backup games just fine, then why on earth would you want to install something that has so many risks, that you know almost nothing about, for no gain other than you don't have to click start on a channel? This is a development project, for people who wish to use this project, and it's idea's to make the Wii better for people like you.

As IronMask said, I have the means to replace a broken Wii. I have a spare, I know what to do in the event of a brick. But do you? Can you afford another $250 Wii? Can you fix the one you have if you break it. Don't be too foolish, there's some things that even Starfall can't save you from, and when that time come's the only person to blame will be your self.

I agree but for a different reason.

One of the measures of a good "hack" is the size of the footprints you leave behind. The best hacks provide great functionality while making as few changes to the native system as possible (like getting admin priveleges on a system without being detectable by the "real" admins).

With CIOSCorp you are fundamentally and extensively altering the native system. As I pointed out before you are using a single .APP file to replace at least four different shared .APP files in the IOS titles. There is most likely a reason that those four shared .APP files are different. And that's just for the IOS titles 28 and higher. For the IOS tiles from 9-22 you are completely replacing the IOS title with a single instance of a patched (higher version) IOS title. Add to that the fact that nearly every IOS title on your system is now fakesigned and at least one of the .APP files in each IOS has a different hash than the original.

No one really knows what effect this will have on the system in the future. I admit that it's very possible that this will have no adverse effects at all, but no one really knows.

This is not something I would choose to install. I think the idea was very cool and I totally understand hardcore "tinkerers" messing around with it, but I shudder at the thought of widespread installation of this hack.

 

[digitydogs]

Widespread installation of this hack is inevitable. The benefits, once a legal installer/uninstaller is released, far outweigh the risks, which honestly at this point only really exist if you are A.dumb enough to upgrade to 3.5 once it comes out before any testing is done B. you manually remove IOS's instead of overwrite them or C. You get an error installing the System menu wad and are dumb enough to exit wad manager without fixing the issue. The biggest benefit to this method is not the disc channel loading, although i admit it is nice, it is the fact that since doing this we can now play 100% of backup games without errors. All the problems the loaders had (random DRE's games freezing on load, HOD 2+3 etc not working, 002 errors) are eliminated when you patch your IOS. I have tested over 50 original games, and over 100 backups without a single problem. Games that never ran right before or randomly crashed, now work flawlessly. As for making as few changes as possible... All console hacks have always required what i would consider extensive and fundamental modification to the system, be it changing the firmware, IOS, or code in the actual system menu. I still as always advise against those new to the modding scene doing this, however for those who have become experienced installing wads and the like this is really an easy change to make, and just as easy to undo, with or without an installer. Like all progress and change risk is involved, and like anything else its up to you to ensure you have enough knowledge about the subject to minimize the risks before proceeding. Now can we get back to the region free issue??

 

[bozzer123]

i agree with you if they havent read the thread its there own fault if they brick

 

[nutta_nic]

is it possible to make a region free wii channel with video patch hack for preloader like the gc one, but make it more more of a force disk language patch, or is this just not doable?

and has anybody tried the current region free preloader hacks with original out of region games? with and with-out cioscorp installed?

 

[Patryc]

Widespread installation of this hack is inevitable. The benefits, once a legal installer/uninstaller is released, far outweigh the risks, which honestly at this point only really exist if you are A.dumb enough to upgrade to 3.5 once it comes out before any testing is done B. you manually remove IOS's instead of overwrite them or C. You get an error installing the System menu wad and are dumb enough to exit wad manager without fixing the issue. The biggest benefit to this method is not the disc channel loading, although i admit it is nice, it is the fact that since doing this we can now play 100% of backup games without errors. All the problems the loaders had (random DRE's games freezing on load, HOD 2+3 etc not working, 002 errors) are eliminated when you patch your IOS. I have tested over 50 original games, and over 100 backups without a single problem. Games that never ran right before or randomly crashed, now work flawlessly. As for making as few changes as possible... All console hacks have always required what i would consider extensive and fundamental modification to the system, be it changing the firmware, IOS, or code in the actual system menu. I still as always advise against those new to the modding scene doing this, however for those who have become experienced installing wads and the like this is really an easy change to make, and just as easy to undo, with or without an installer. Like all progress and change risk is involved, and like anything else its up to you to ensure you have enough knowledge about the subject to minimize the risks before proceeding. Now can we get back to the region free issue??

Yes, I agree too. Now Sam and Max runs perfectly (never worked before..I hadn't thought to try it until now, haha)

 

[Patryc]

Widespread installation of this hack is inevitable. The benefits, once a legal installer/uninstaller is released, far outweigh the risks, which honestly at this point only really exist if you are A.dumb enough to upgrade to 3.5 once it comes out before any testing is done B. you manually remove IOS's instead of overwrite them or C. You get an error installing the System menu wad and are dumb enough to exit wad manager without fixing the issue. The biggest benefit to this method is not the disc channel loading, although i admit it is nice, it is the fact that since doing this we can now play 100% of backup games without errors. All the problems the loaders had (random DRE's games freezing on load, HOD 2+3 etc not working, 002 errors) are eliminated when you patch your IOS. I have tested over 50 original games, and over 100 backups without a single problem. Games that never ran right before or randomly crashed, now work flawlessly. As for making as few changes as possible... All console hacks have always required what i would consider extensive and fundamental modification to the system, be it changing the firmware, IOS, or code in the actual system menu. I still as always advise against those new to the modding scene doing this, however for those who have become experienced installing wads and the like this is really an easy change to make, and just as easy to undo, with or without an installer. Like all progress and change risk is involved, and like anything else its up to you to ensure you have enough knowledge about the subject to minimize the risks before proceeding. Now can we get back to the region free issue??

Yes, I agree too. Now Sam and Max runs perfectly (never worked before..I hadn't thought to try it until now, haha)
Running CIOSCorp with Starfall BTW. OOps double post

 

[IronMask]

Yea, how we gonna do it DigityDogs, Ether, Jizmo, Wiicrazy, anyone?? I'm about to toss the towel in on this one... I wouldn't make a pimple on a good coder's ass..

Did I just say that out loud?!

 

[robiul]

Not everyones desperate, I have cioscorp on my desktop after much anticipated demand, 3 links were given to me, I have downloaded but I will not use it until I have the go ahead even if that means waiting a year, I'd rather have it on my system so that I may need it, however, I'll still be awaiting for a safe way do things.

 

[WiiBlaster]

Removed.