Hacking The Definitive Guide to Wii U Hacking

[fiveighteen]

It would be better if it was wrote like the vwii guide

I agree, @CJB100 did an amazing job with the The Definitive vWii Hacking Guide! Unfortunately, he wrote that after this thread had been out for 8 months and this had already been through one overhaul already.

Criteria to cause me to overhaul the OP again, including jump links and line breaks (since I didn't know those were even possible before seeing the vWii guide):

• IOSU exploit is released
• Homebrew takes off again
• The NX isn't out yet

In other news, for those who knew I was working on a VC replacement GUI for Windows, development has ceased due to a number of factors:

• (40%) I hit a wall in SNES/NES ROM replacement and it started to feel more like work than fun trying to figure it out
• (10%) I just moved in with my gf
• (20%) I started a new job
• (20%) I moved to a city I never have been to prior
• (10%) a certain rabbit chewed through my GamePad charging cable

I still have plans to get back to it eventually, for the sake of being a completionist if not to actually use the thing. Plus, perhaps it can eventually be adapted for NX VC if a better model isn't used to play them (I'm a fan of the Netflix model rather than buying each individual title again).

EDIT: Sorry for the double-post. I thought it would merge but I took too long to write this one.

 

[the_randomizer]

I agree, @CJB100 did an amazing job with the The Definitive vWii Hacking Guide! Unfortunately, he wrote that after this thread had been out for 8 months and this had already been through one overhaul already.

Criteria to cause me to overhaul the OP again, including jump links and line breaks (since I didn't know those were even possible before seeing the vWii guide):

• IOSU exploit is released
• Homebrew takes off again
• The NX isn't out yet

In other news, for those who knew I was working on a VC replacement GUI for Windows, development has ceased due to a number of factors:

• (40%) I hit a wall in SNES/NES ROM replacement and it started to feel more like work than fun trying to figure it out
• (10%) I just moved in with my gf
• (20%) I started a new job
• (20%) I moved to a city I never have been to prior
• (10%) a certain rabbit chewed through my GamePad charging cable

I still have plans to get back to it eventually, for the sake of being a completionist if not to actually use the thing. Plus, perhaps it can eventually be adapted for NX VC if a better model isn't used to play them (I'm a fan of the Netflix model rather than buying each individual title again).

EDIT: Sorry for the double-post. I thought it would merge but I took too long to write this one.

Ugh that sucks man >.> Take it easy and take your time getting the GUI up and running.

 

[CJB100]

I agree, @CJB100 did an amazing job with the The Definitive vWii Hacking Guide! Unfortunately, he wrote that after this thread had been out for 8 months and this had already been through one overhaul already.

Criteria to cause me to overhaul the OP again, including jump links and line breaks (since I didn't know those were even possible before seeing the vWii guide):

• IOSU exploit is released
• Homebrew takes off again
• The NX isn't out yet

In other news, for those who knew I was working on a VC replacement GUI for Windows, development has ceased due to a number of factors:

• (40%) I hit a wall in SNES/NES ROM replacement and it started to feel more like work than fun trying to figure it out
• (10%) I just moved in with my gf
• (20%) I started a new job
• (20%) I moved to a city I never have been to prior
• (10%) a certain rabbit chewed through my GamePad charging cable

I still have plans to get back to it eventually, for the sake of being a completionist if not to actually use the thing. Plus, perhaps it can eventually be adapted for NX VC if a better model isn't used to play them (I'm a fan of the Netflix model rather than buying each individual title again).

EDIT: Sorry for the double-post. I thought it would merge but I took too long to write this one.

Wow! Thanks much! And well let's also be a little more fair: vWii hacking is pretty much done and over with. It's much easier to write a guide for something that isn't going to change afterwards than it is to write a guide for something that is constantly being updated.

Also, the nature of Wii U hacking right now means lots of complicated writing. There's pretty much a definitive way to hack vWii but until the kernel exploit came out, and even still, there are many ways to go about Wii U hacking, hosting, browser exploits, etc. and you have to include them all or it isn't really definitive. I think the guide is exceptionally well written and imo easy to follow despite this.

Personally, I agree, this is as good as it gets until an IOSU exploit is released. At that point IOSU exploit will become the de facto method of hacking and the guide can be overhauled to appeal to that fact. I really wouldn't change it until an IOSU release.

 

[the_randomizer]

@fiveighteen Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't there be an updated package containing all the necessary files for those on 5.5.1? The reason I ask is sometimes my ISP has outages and I can't self-host with 5.3.2 exploits as the system just refuses to load them on earlier firmware. I just want to have a Mongoose-based setup should my internet go down again.

 

[Garou]

@fiveighteen Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't there be an updated package containing all the necessary files for those on 5.5.1? The reason I ask is sometimes my ISP has outages and I can't self-host with 5.3.2 exploits as the system just refuses to load them on earlier firmware. I just want to have a Mongoose-based setup should my internet go down again.

have you tried Kafluke's package? link

 

[the_randomizer]

have you tried Kafluke's package? link

No, I haven't, I was hoping I could use Mongoose to self-host, not familiar with the hosting program he uses.

 

[Garou]

No, I haven't, I was hoping I could use Mongoose to self-host, not familiar with the hosting program he uses.

you can use the "Without XAMPP and PC Software included" package, and extract the contents of www directory into mongoose web_root directory
the UI will be different than the one provided in the OP though (iirc the definitive package in the OP is based on eclipsesin website)

 

[TheLoZKing]

Ok, I am absolutely stumped here. I probably sound really stupid, but how in the heck do I get the Homebrew Browser to launch? I open the file directory in my browser and click the html for the latest version but I just get a blank page. Do I need the mongoose webserver or whatever? Please help.

 

[lexluth0r]

Anyway to hack the vwii without a working disc drive?

 

[CJB100]

Anyway to hack the vwii without a working disc drive?

Nope.

 

[nexusmtz]

...how in the heck do I get the Homebrew Browser to launch? ...Do I need the mongoose webserver or whatever? Please help.

Yes, the pages have to be hosted. You can use a device on your own network, or one of the many sites listed in the OP under Hacking Methods->This sounds hard. To self-host the pages, follow this thread's OP (Hacking Methods section) or use the package in Kafluke's thread.

Whether you self-host or use an internet site, you'll need HBL on your SD card.

 

[TheLoZKing]

OK, I've made progress, but now when I enter my server ip into the Wii U, it doesn't work. It just says CGI failure. Then I realized maybe I need to put the SD card into the Wii U, so I did, but now it just says Error Code: 112-1404 Could not display page. That seems like a more normal error message, so I'm thinking I keep the SD Card in the computer.

 

[nexusmtz]

...when I enter my server ip into the Wii U, it doesn't work....

It sounds like you're trying to self-host. When you're looking for help, it's best to mention which method you're using and which guide you're following. Given that you're posting in this thread, we'll assume that you've set up mongoose or miniweb (but we don't know which), and that when you say 'server ip', you actually mean server and port (since neither runs on port 80 by default.) If your WiiU has internet access, you might instead want to try connecting to one of internet sites, e.g. http://loadiine.ovh. If those work, you'll at least know that your SD card is set up properly.

...Then I realized maybe I need to put the SD card into the Wii U...

Yes, after you format the SD card and put HBL on it, it goes into the WiiU. The payload in the web page tells the WiiU to launch it from there.

 

[TheLoZKing]

you might instead want to try connecting to one of internet sites, e.g. http://loadiine.ovh.

I'll try that and see where it gets me. My apologies for not being clearer about my method of hacking.

 

[Obveron]

Hi I'm currently on 5.3.2. Is there any benefit to staying on that FW? Would like to update to latest 5.5 so I can play my disc games online (I know there is FW spoofing but that is permanent and therefore I'm wary).

 

[7Robins]

Hi I'm currently on 5.3.2. Is there any benefit to staying on that FW? Would like to update to latest 5.5 so I can play my disc games online (I know there is FW spoofing but that is permanent and therefore I'm wary).

This has been asked time and time again, and the answer has not changed. NO, 5.3.2 yields no benefits to the end user.

 

[Obveron]

Thank-you. I've read these questions time and time again, and the answer has absolutely changed. Finding the same answer more than once is rare. The OP in this thread suggests to stay on 5.3.2 as it leaves more potential to having a IOSU exploit. The WUPinstaller thread, people suggest to stay as low as FW as possible and spoof the latest FW for online access. Others say to grab 5.5.1 as soon as possible as it has an upcoming IOSU exploit. Cyan says 5.3.2 offers more memory to loadiine.

I appreciate your response, but suggest that there has been only one consistent response to this question is false.

 

[fiveighteen]

Thank-you. I've read these questions time and time again, and the answer has absolutely changed. Finding the same answer more than once is rare. The OP in this thread suggests to stay on 5.3.2 as it leaves more potential to having a IOSU exploit. The WUPinstaller thread, people suggest to stay as low as FW as possible and spoof the latest FW for online access. Others say to grab 5.5.1 as soon as possible as it has an upcoming IOSU exploit. Cyan says 5.3.2 offers more memory to loadiine.

I appreciate your response, but suggest that there has been only one consistent response to this question is false.

The real answer is that there are pros and cons to each. If you trust that a 5.5.1 IOSU exploit is coming, just update to 5.5.1. You wont be missing out on anything right now. If you want to be 1000% safe, stay on 5.3.2 and spoof to 5.5.1, just to keep that sliver of possibility for a 5.3.2 exploit.

I bit the bullet and updated to 5.5.1 the other day. NX is coming soon anyways.

 

[TotalInsanity4]

I bit the bullet and updated to 5.5.1 the other day. NX is coming soon anyways.

I did as well, my sister kept complaining about not being able to go on Netflix lol

 

[7Robins]

Thank-you. I've read these questions time and time again, and the answer has absolutely changed. Finding the same answer more than once is rare. The OP in this thread suggests to stay on 5.3.2 as it leaves more potential to having a IOSU exploit. The WUPinstaller thread, people suggest to stay as low as FW as possible and spoof the latest FW for online access. Others say to grab 5.5.1 as soon as possible as it has an upcoming IOSU exploit. Cyan says 5.3.2 offers more memory to loadiine.

I appreciate your response, but suggest that there has been only one consistent response to this question is false.

There absolutely is a simple answer. To the end user (that being you, an assumed ordinary person), being on 5.3.2 holds no pros because no devs have created anything that an end user can take advantage of. And while that may possibly change, the majority of silent devs are said to be working on 5.5.1, and there are rumours of a 5.3.2 backport not happening.

Several WiiU devs have suggested to update because that's what the supposed exploit is going to be on, and who knows when Nintendo will push out an update, possibly eliminating any chance anyone that's not on 5.5.1 had. The reason that people suggested staying as low as possible in the past is because that's a common practice for exploiting. The lower a firmware, the less fixes implemented, resulting in more possible holes to exploit. 5.3.2 holds no significant holes that we can use.

Staying or updating both hold risks, but the majority of people will suggest that you update. The decision is yours, but I'd recommend updating. Even if an exploit never comes, we can still enjoy some homebrew.