Method to tell if a Wii can install BootMii as boot2 from the outside
Rewritten as of July 29th, 2025, as the original version of this post was made with less knowledge than we have now.
WHEN I TALK ABOUT "RVL-REGION/RVL-USA", ETC, I DO NOT MEAN THE MODEL NUMBER (EX. RVL-001). THIS HAS TO BE HERE OR ELSE PEOPLE WILL BE CONFUSED.
As far as we know, Nintendo started shipping Wiis with a patched boot1 around August-September 2008. This has led to a search of trying to find a way to easily tell which Wiis are compatible and which ones aren't, so here I've written a post that should help you identify which Wiis have a vulnerable boot1 before buying them.
The guaranteed method works for Wiis in these regions:
USA
EUR
AUS
JPN
The secondary (although mostly accurate, not 100% accurate), only works on USA Wiis. Documentation might be provided for PAL/Japanese Wiis, but for those you can use the guaranteed (although far more recommended method)
GUARANTEED TO BE INCOMPATIBLE:
How to find a GUARANTEED to be compatible console:
There is a -1 after "RVL-USA" added on Wiis produced slightly before patched boot1 consoles started being shipped out. This does mean there are consoles with the -1 that are compatible, but since we have yet to figure out what the -1 actually means (hell, refurbished consoles by Nintendo produced after the patched boot1 released don't have the -1, even if the Wii originally had the -1 before being refurbished by Nintendo), we can't tell why it was added, but we can take advantage of it to know if the Wii was produced before or near/after the patch. This is why we fall back to the second method if the console is USA, else you take a gamble if it fits under the potentially compatible criteria above.
Notice the -1 that is added on later Wiis, If the -1 is NOT there, and it is one of the regions listed above, the Wii is guaranteed to be compatible, 100% WITHOUT A DOUBT. This means the Wii is compatible, 100%. Congratulations!
if you see a -1, this is where it gets more complicated:
Non USA: It's a gamble. (for now)
USA: Look at the serial number. If the serial number is LU35 or under, then it should be compatible. If the serial number is a low LU58, it might be compatible, but isn't worth the risk, it's recommended to just get one without the -1 by far if you want a Wii with BootMii@boot2.
WHEN I TALK ABOUT "RVL-REGION/RVL-USA", ETC, I DO NOT MEAN THE MODEL NUMBER (EX. RVL-001). THIS HAS TO BE HERE OR ELSE PEOPLE WILL BE CONFUSED.
As far as we know, Nintendo started shipping Wiis with a patched boot1 around August-September 2008. This has led to a search of trying to find a way to easily tell which Wiis are compatible and which ones aren't, so here I've written a post that should help you identify which Wiis have a vulnerable boot1 before buying them.
The guaranteed method works for Wiis in these regions:
USA
EUR
AUS
JPN
The secondary (although mostly accurate, not 100% accurate), only works on USA Wiis. Documentation might be provided for PAL/Japanese Wiis, but for those you can use the guaranteed (although far more recommended method)
GUARANTEED TO BE INCOMPATIBLE:
- NON WHITE WIIS (BLACK/RED/BLUE)
- WIIS WITHOUT GAMECUBE PORTS (WII FAMILY EDITION, WII MINI), RESPECTIVELY MODEL NUMBERS RVL-101/RVL-201
- (USA ONLY) LU6+ (not LU64), any serial number LU6XXXXXXXX or above
How to find a GUARANTEED to be compatible console:
There is a -1 after "RVL-USA" added on Wiis produced slightly before patched boot1 consoles started being shipped out. This does mean there are consoles with the -1 that are compatible, but since we have yet to figure out what the -1 actually means (hell, refurbished consoles by Nintendo produced after the patched boot1 released don't have the -1, even if the Wii originally had the -1 before being refurbished by Nintendo), we can't tell why it was added, but we can take advantage of it to know if the Wii was produced before or near/after the patch. This is why we fall back to the second method if the console is USA, else you take a gamble if it fits under the potentially compatible criteria above.
Notice the -1 that is added on later Wiis, If the -1 is NOT there, and it is one of the regions listed above, the Wii is guaranteed to be compatible, 100% WITHOUT A DOUBT. This means the Wii is compatible, 100%. Congratulations!
if you see a -1, this is where it gets more complicated:
Non USA: It's a gamble. (for now)
USA: Look at the serial number. If the serial number is LU35 or under, then it should be compatible. If the serial number is a low LU58, it might be compatible, but isn't worth the risk, it's recommended to just get one without the -1 by far if you want a Wii with BootMii@boot2.
Last edited by Aep,
