Tutorial
Updated
How to use Paid The Beak (Wii U unbricking without soldering)
What is this for
If your console is bricked to the Point that not other Exploits like UDPIH work anymore, you can use Paid the Beak to unbrick from almost every situation without even opening up the console. This includes accidentally deleted system files, MLC corruption (very common with bad Hynix chips), SLC corruption and even corrupted boot1. So basically everything that required soldering De Fuse can now be unbricked without soldering. The only exception being seeprom bricks, but these usually don't happen by accident.
I also recommend checking out the original article on consolebytes.com: https://consolebytes.com/wii-u-sdboot1-exploit-paid-the-beak/
Since you probably want to use this to install ISFShax, start at the ISFShax guide and it will link you back at the appropriate step.
How do I know if I need Paid The Beak (PTB)?
That is usually the case if you can't install ISFShax anymore by using any of the other exploits listed there. If your console turns on with a static blue or blue blinking LED, doesn't give any display output and can't shutdown with a short (1sec) press of the power button, you likely need PTB. Also if your console is stuck on an old firmware, PTB will get you a foot in the door.
What is needed
- SD card with max 2GB. Larger cards won't work. This card will be overwritten
- Recommended: A second SD card with the ISFShax files (or whatever you want to do), else you would have to reformat the first SD once minute is loaded.
- Battery Jig for triggering "UNSTBL_PWR" (I will show how to build one)
For my version of the jig you need:
- A Raspberry Pi Pico
- A USB Battery Bank or a USB-Y cable (2 male connectors)
- some tape
- a bit of solid wire
- a tiny bit of soldering (but you might be able to do it without, if you are creative).
Preparing the SD card
You can either built PTB yourself or use the ptb_padded attached to the end of this post.
In addition you will need the sdboot1.ancast (37376 bytes). Sadly I can't share it here or link to it directly. But you might look at the consolebytes article for hints.
Also you will need minute, you can download the latest minute fw.img here: https://github.com/StroopwafelCFW/minute_minute/releases
If you want to build PTB yourself, just follow the instructions on @Rairii github repo: https://github.com/Wack0/paid-the-beak
If you want to use the prebuild, extract the zip, which is attached to the end of the post and also put the sdboot1.ancast and fw.img in the extracted ptb_padded folder. Then run the
merge.bat(Windows) or merge.sh(Linux / Mac OS).If that was successful, you should now find a
ptbminute.img ~1MB in size in the same folder.You need now to flash the ptbminute.img raw to the SD card. This will delete existing data on the SD. On WIndows you can use Win32Disk Imager. On Linux you can just use dd or the Media Writer of you choice (many distros come with one). The card will now be detected as unformatted an not initilized. Don't format or initilize it, or it will break the boot0.
Put the SD card in the Wii U.
DIY Jig
Flash the Microcontroller
Flash the firmware from @GaryOderNichts to the Pico: https://github.com/GaryOderNichts/wiiu_unstbl_pwr_jig/releases. Hold down the boot button on the Pico while connecting it to the PC. A flash drive should pop up. Copy the uf2 file there. It should disconnect and the LED should start to flash.
If you have another Microcontroller able to run Micropython, you can flash micropython and use my micropython script: https://github.com/jan-hofmeier/wiiu_unstable_power/blob/main/main.py
The console bytes article also has an example using a PICAXE. The code should be easy enough to port to whatever you have.
The console bytes article also has an example using a PICAXE. The code should be easy enough to port to whatever you have.
What the JIG needs to achive
The JIG needs to be connected to Ground of the console and TP73. TP73 can be accessed trough the slot for the coin cell battery, so you don't need to disassemble the console. To help you orient here is a picture from a dissembled console:
Building / using the Jig
To connect to the TP, you need to solder a short wire to the Pico, so when it gets inserted into the battery slot, it will touch the TP. The wire needs to be soldered to GP13 on the flat side of the Pico and bent inwards and away from the USB board. I recommend soldering from the top side of the pico (with the components) so the the wire won't get too much solder on it to stay bendy. I recommend cutting it to length after soldering. You also need to tape over the SWCLK and SWDIO on the front of the Pico, so they won't short to the negative terminal of the battery. It is fine if you also cover the GND pad there.
Now it time to connect the JIG to the Wii U.
Connect the Battery Bank to the Wii U, like you were trying to charge the battery from the Wii U (won't actually charge). This is just for providing a GND connection. Then connect the Pico to the power bank, so the pico is powered by it. (while keeping the Wii U and Power bank connected)
Connect the Pico the the USB-Y cable one leg of the Y cable will go to one of the USB ports of the Wii U. It is essential to connected it first. It will provide ground and without good grounding there might be a potential difference damaging the pico or the console when connecting it to the TP. The USB port won't provide any power that early in the boot, so you also need to connect a power source to the other leg of the USB Y cable. I recommend a Laptop running of Battery, but if you don't have other options, a PC or USB Power adapter will be fine too.
Now Remove the Coin Cell Battery from the Wii U and look inside the slot. The battery connector is on the bottom side of the board so will see the board upwards (relative to the consoles orientation). You should be able to make out the negative terminal of the battery connector (the one in the middle) and the two positve terminals which would connect to the side of the battery.
You want to insert the Pico at a little bit of an angle so it slides between the posive and the negative terminal. You have to depress the negative terminal a little bit. The flat (bottom) side of the pico should face the negative terminal. Insert it pico all the way until it hits the plastic of the battery connector. Then make sure it is straight and alligned towards the back of the console.
The you can push the pico up (from the perspective of the console) so the wire you soldered makes contact with the TP on the board. On the picture I don't have the USB connected, you should have it connected as explained above.
Now while pushing the pico up, try turning on the console. If everything is worked Power LED should flash blue once or twice and then turn static purple. You can now remove the Pico and Plug in HDMI. You should now see the minute menu on the TV. (Only HDMI 1080p will work. AV or other resolutions are not supported).
- If the console turns on like normal, then the Pico didn't make good contact to the TP. (Even if it doesn't look like it, the console is on and you have to unplug it)
- If the LED stays red then either the SD isn't compatible (SDHC and bigger won't work), or you didn't flash the image correctly or the sdboot1.ancast isn't correct.
- If the LED continues flashing blue, then either the fw.img or the ptb were not merged correctly.
Next Steps
I would recommend you continoue by installing ISFShax, so you don't have to the the PTB again and can use it as a base for your further unbricking actions. You would prepare another SD card (you could also reformat the same SD, once minute is loaded and the console stays on) with the ISFShax files, like described in the guide and then pick up the guide where minute is already loaded.
I also recommend taking a look at the Troubleshooting Guide after having ISFShax installed.[/h][/h]
Thanks
- DeadlyFoez
- Rairii
- Kelly
- wiicurious
- GaryOderNichts
Last edited by SDIO,
