Hacking I'm making an app to check if your Wii has been region changed

[JoostinOnline]

This is all I'm going to do as a stand-alone app. Something like this is better suited to be built into other apps, so the source is also available for download. I did make a nice icon and a meta.xml file if you want to run it from the HBC.

All you need is a way to run the dol. Any exploit or app/channel capable of loading dol files should work. No cIOS is needed.
CheckRegion v1.0
Source Code

 

[techboy]

Don't have a real RC'd wii to try it on, but it said my wii was originally USA (which it was and still is).

What's it checking for? Beginning of Serial# in setting.txt? (Thinking this since it's one of the setting.txt values not changed during an RC).

Also, something else to consider: Unless there's region identifying info stored outside the NAND (e.g. Korean Key in EEPROM is a giveaway on those units), something like giantpune's NAND.bin formatter might eliminate traces of a previous region.

 

[The_Dragons_Mast]

Well I got a region-changed korean wii region changed to 3.2u years ago & currently on 4.1u when I ran the app it said that my wii is originally ??? .

 

[DeadlyFoez]

I know that there is already an app to check for the korean key, but beyond that how can it be possible to know for sure since every other bit about a region does get changed on a region changed wii.

 

[damysteryman]

Just tested it on both of my Wiis... both my PAL one and my region changed Korean one (RC'd to PAL)...

Both spat out "Your Wii's original region was ???"

 

[techboy]

I know that there is already an app to check for the korean key, but beyond that how can it be possible to know for sure since every other bit about a region does get changed on a region changed wii.

Does a typical RC done with AnyRegion change the serial number that's saved in setting.txt? If it doesn't, the letters at the beginning of the serial will tell you. If the stored SerNo is LUxxxxxx but it's current region is PAL/JAP, that tells you something...

The person who RC'd it would have to go to extra effort to change it...and of course hope that an RC check tool doesn't ask the user to compare the stored serial with the sticker.

 

[JoostinOnline]

Well I got a region-changed korean wii region changed to 3.2u years ago & currently on 4.1u when I ran the app it said that my wii is originally ??? .

Just tested it on both of my Wiis... both my PAL one and my region changed Korean one (RC'd to PAL)...

Both spat out "Your Wii's original region was ???"

Could both of you use this app to dump "title\00000001\00000002\data\setting.txt" for me? Thanks.
http://www.mediafire...k0o1a7e2djkb427

I know that there is already an app to check for the korean key, but beyond that how can it be possible to know for sure since every other bit about a region does get changed on a region changed wii.

That app (MiiKorean) doesn't even work most of the time.

Does a typical RC done with AnyRegion change the serial number that's saved in setting.txt? If it doesn't, the letters at the beginning of the serial will tell you. If the stored SerNo is LUxxxxxx but it's current region is PAL/JAP, that tells you something...

The person who RC'd it would have to go to extra effort to change it...and of course hope that an RC check tool doesn't ask the user to compare the stored serial with the sticker.

That's what this app checks. It is not fool proof, but it ARC doesn't touch the serial number so you would have to create your own setting.txt file if you wanted to change it, which I doubt anybody would do.

 

[giantpune]

are you just reading the serial number from the setting.txt? that file is editable. reading it proves nothing. you might as well make a PC app where you can type in the serial# from the sticker on the side of your wii.

you can also look at the sticker inside the cover that covers the gamecube ports. it has a model# with USA & KOR in it.

 

[JoostinOnline]

are you just reading the serial number from the setting.txt? that file is editable. reading it proves nothing. you might as well make a PC app where you can type in the serial# from the sticker on the side of your wii.

I know it's editable (that's why I said it's not fool-proof), but only if you replace your old one which isn't a normal step in region changing. Cases often get swapped to hide that a Wii has been region changed, so the sticker is far less reliable.

 

[giantpune]

i say the stickers are more reliable than your method. i can go right now and change the setting.txt to reflect any region i want and it will take a fraction of a second. but in order to change the stickers, i have to physically get another cover from another wii or somehow get another sticker, boil the old sticker off, and put the new one on there. any way you cut it, replacing the sticker will take hundreds or thousands of times longer than editing the file in the nand.

 

[JoostinOnline]

i say the stickers are more reliable than your method. i can go right now and change the setting.txt to reflect any region i want and it will take a fraction of a second. but in order to change the stickers, i have to physically get another cover from another wii or somehow get another sticker, boil the old sticker off, and put the new one on there. any way you cut it, replacing the sticker will take hundreds or thousands of times longer than editing the file in the nand.

But cases are frequently swapped when region changing (to sell later). Creating a new setting.txt file and replacing it is not.

If the region is the same as the one in setting.txt, then you can't say for sure if it has been region changed or not. If they are different, it is VERY likely that it has been region changed. That's the whole point of this. Do you disagree with that assumption?

 

[Coto]

Ironically I used Ohnoeswanzenneger to build a NAND file from scratch, and let me re-do a competely new serial.txt. So I bet Giantpune knows pretty well what he's saying here

 

[JoostinOnline]

Ironically I used Ohnoeswanzenneger to build a NAND file from scratch, and let me re-do a competely new serial.txt. So I bet Giantpune knows pretty well what he's saying here

I'm not really sure how that is ironic. He knows what he is talking about, I never said otherwise.

Later on I'll post a list of my reasons for why I think this is effective, but that's not why I created this thread. I just wanted some test results.

 

[DeadlyFoez]

TL;DR, in the case that wii's are region changed, it does (afaik) even change the reported serial number on the nand (setting.txt maybe). So the only distinction is if it is a korean wii or not. And no, that app that you mentioned is not the one I was thinking of. I almost want to say that wiipower wrote/contributed to it, but I could be wrong.

Later on I'll post a list of my reasons for why I think this is effective, but that's not why I created this thread. I just wanted some test results.

I'm telling you for a fact, the only real difference in any regions wii that can be determined for a fact is if it is a korean wii or not. NA, Jap, and Euro are all hardware and hard coded the same exact way, it's just the software that makes a difference. But Korean wii's have the korean key hard coded into them in the OPT (either OPT or EEPROM, I forget). Other wise any other region changed wii can software wise look exactly as if it is from the region that is was changed to without it being possible to know the difference besides if it has a korean key.

 

[JoostinOnline]

TL;DR, in the case that wii's are region changed, it does (afaik) even change the reported serial number on the nand (setting.txt maybe). So the only distinction is if it is a korean wii or not. And no, that app that you mentioned is not the one I was thinking of. I almost want to say that wiipower wrote/contributed to it, but I could be wrong.

It changes the region in setting.txt, but not the serial number.

Please try and find that app you keep talking about. I'm interested in seeing if it works.

 

[DeadlyFoez]

TL;DR, in the case that wii's are region changed, it does (afaik) even change the reported serial number on the nand (setting.txt maybe). So the only distinction is if it is a korean wii or not. And no, that app that you mentioned is not the one I was thinking of. I almost want to say that wiipower wrote/contributed to it, but I could be wrong.

It changes the region in setting.txt, but not the serial number.

Please try and find that app you keep talking about. I'm interested in seeing if it works.

Changing the software is not going to change what it says on the serial number sticker.

Dude, you of all people should know how to find this info on wiibrew.

The serial number is soft coded. It gets changed when you region change a wii, that is part of the region change. You can change the serial number at will if you damn so please. So you can not rely on that little piece of data at all.

I'd find the info for you, but I'm sorta stoned and hammered right now, so if I dont have a hangover in the morning and you have not already been found/shown/or relized the truth, then I will take my effort and show it to you.

Otherwise. g-night. -.-

 

[JoostinOnline]

TL;DR, in the case that wii's are region changed, it does (afaik) even change the reported serial number on the nand (setting.txt maybe). So the only distinction is if it is a korean wii or not. And no, that app that you mentioned is not the one I was thinking of. I almost want to say that wiipower wrote/contributed to it, but I could be wrong.

It changes the region in setting.txt, but not the serial number.

Please try and find that app you keep talking about. I'm interested in seeing if it works.

Changing the software is not going to change what it says on the serial number sticker.

Dude, you of all people should know how to find this info on wiibrew.

The serial number is soft coded. It gets changed when you region change a wii, that is part of the region change. You can change the serial number at will if you damn so please. So you can not rely on that little piece of data at all.

No it's not. Try it. There is no function to change to the serial number.

 

[DeadlyFoez]

It changes the region in setting.txt, but not the serial number.

Changing the software is not going to change what it says on the serial number sticker.

The software does get changed in a region change.

 

[JoostinOnline]

It changes the region in setting.txt, but not the serial number.

Changing the software is not going to change what it says on the serial number sticker.

The software does get changed in a region change.

What software?

 

[DeadlyFoez]

It changes the region in setting.txt, but not the serial number.

Changing the software is not going to change what it says on the serial number sticker.

The software does get changed in a region change.

What software?

I'm too tired for this, and before I get rude and belligerent to someone I like, i'm just going to call it a night and hope that pune (or xflak, or tj_cool, or wiibricker3000, or KongzNuts, or smashdude, or Joostin (oh wait, thats you) J/K), will fill in the blanks of knowledge, and tueidj will fill in the blanks for the flaming.