Hacking A suggestion for all softmodded vWii's

[JoostinOnline]

If you don't care about the explanation, just skip to the last paragraph. Otherwise, read on:

Awhile back, it was discovered that Wii U updates would fail if you had a patched vIOS on your vWii in any of the used slots (so it's okay to use slots 200+). The update would be downloaded, but would fail to install. How it determines a non-vanilla IOS is unknown at the moment; it could be an md5/sha1 check, or maybe it simply checks if the ticket to see if it is fakesigned. Either way, it's a problem. Making a NAND backup is a must, and it is helpful in some ways. But not in this one.

When you create a wad from a NAND dump (usually with ShowMiiWads, but there are other programs as well), it's fakesigned (thanks to Cyan for pointing that out to me earlier). This wouldn't be an issue on a Wii, but the Wii U is bitchy. The HackMii installer is too, and refuses to use any IOS that is fakesigned.

If you want truly clean wads, you need to dump them directly from your console. You can do this with Yet Another BlueDump Mod. Go to System Titles and dump each IOS individually to a wad. When prompted to fakesign the ticket or TMD, say No to both. It's a tedious process, but it could save a lot of trouble in the future.

 

[Bug_Checker_]

If you don't care about the explanation, just skip to the last paragraph. Otherwise, read on:

Awhile back, it was discovered that Wii U updates would fail if you had a patched vIOS on your vWii in any of the used slots (so it's okay to use slots 200+). The update would be downloaded, but would fail to install. How it determines a non-vanilla IOS is unknown at the moment; it could be an md5/sha1 check, or maybe it simply checks if the ticket to see if it is fakesigned. Either way, it's a problem. Making a NAND backup is a must, and it is helpful in some ways. But not in this one.

When you create a wad from a NAND dump (usually with ShowMiiWads, but there are other programs as well), it's fakesigned (thanks to Cyan for pointing that out to me earlier). This wouldn't be an issue on a Wii, but the Wii U is bitchy. The HackMii installer is too, and refuses to use any IOS that is fakesigned.

If you want truly clean wads, you need to dump them directly from your console. You can do this with Yet Another BlueDump Mod. Go to System Titles and dump each IOS individually to a wad. When prompted to fakesign the ticket or TMD, say No to both. It's a tedious process, but it could save a lot of trouble in the future.

So if there are currently no pc programs that can work correctly with NANDs that were dumped with DumpMiiNand, (And currently writing the DumpMiiNand back directly to the NAND/hardware is a BIG NO-NO) can we:
use wiinandfuse(or something similiar) to extract the IOS's parts from the NAND
CAT a header/cetk/tmd/app/footer manually and then install the wad?

 

[JoostinOnline]

So if there are currently no pc programs that can work correctly with NANDs that were dumped with DumpMiiNand, (And currently writing the DumpMiiNand back directly to the NAND/hardware is a BIG NO-NO) can we:
use wiifuse(or something similiar) to extract the IOS's parts from the NAND
CAT a header/cetk/tmd/app/footer manually and then install the wad?

No. The problem is when the wad is packed by a PC program. Backing up your vWii NAND via FS Toolbox or Dump Mii NAND provide unpatched files, but they will always be fakesigned when you create the wad.

I imagine it would be possible to add the files individually (as opposed to installing a wad) with FS Toolbox and have it work, but it's better to plan ahead.

 

[Hielkenator]

Nice info Joostin, but why would anyone want to replace any of the vanilla vWii ios in the first place?
Anyway this is very valuable info!
Never pack your vWii dumped files with showmiiwads!

 

[JoostinOnline]

Nice info Joostin, but why would anyone want to replace any of the vanilla vWii ios in the first place?

The same reason people decide to stub their System Menu IOS. Because they think it's a good idea even though there is absolutely no reason to think so.

 

[Hielkenator]

The same reason people decide to stub their System Menu IOS. Because they think it's a good idea even though there is absolutely no reason to think so.

Ah, I figured this.

Spoiler

Potentionally this could be an easy way to prevent accidentally updating your Wii u, without having to hassle through blocking Nintendo's IP/servers, by installing a fakesigned vWii ios.
It would require that you have the original untouched vWii ios dump, and a way to replace it if you want to update your Wii U.

 

[JoostinOnline]

Potentionally this could be an easy way to prevent accidentally updating your Wii u

In which case it's important to have a vanilla wad should you want to restore that functionality.

 

[Hielkenator]

In which case it's important to have a vanilla wad should you want to restore that functionality.

Are vWii ios console bound?
If not, this is the way I would go to block updates
Otherwise it would be to dangerous in my opinion.
Since you might lose your files in the future.
Interesting....

 

[JoostinOnline]

Are vWii ios console bound?

A vIOS from one Wii U will work on another.

 

[Hielkenator]

A vIOS from one Wii U will work on another.

Nice!

 

[megatokyo500]

Um, have you actually tried installing one of these "clean" wads? All the vwii IOSes specify key #2 (vwii common key) in their ticket, but the tools you're recommending are encrypting them with the regular wii common key instead...

 

[JoostinOnline]

Um, have you actually tried installing one of these "clean" wads? All the vwii IOSes specify key #2 (vwii common key) in their ticket, but the tools you're recommending are encrypting them with the regular wii common key instead...

Yes, and they work fine. Both HackMii and the Wii U detect them as valid.

 

[Cyan]

currently, installing a Wad is easy for most users.
But if it really requires ISFS access to write files to NAND directly from external media, maybe in the future we could create a tool to automate the process with a file pack or xml map to list files/crc/any info/target location/etc.
It will prevent users from forgetting to copy a file. It could even make backups, and check CRC of source/target files, restore backup is something went wrong, etc.
it's only ideas for the moment, as vWii packed Wad is good enough and cross-console compatible.

 

[Bug_Checker_]

One more suggestion:
Immediately after a Nintendo update, either dump the IOS/Titles that were changed or do a NAND backup with DumpMiiNand.
You would not want to put your WiiU/vWii at risk uploading a Stale/Outdated IOS/Titles on a current WiiU/vWii firmware version.(example 1.0x-2.x on a 5.1 system)

Btw usually you can trust http://wiiubrew.org/wiki/Title_database to be current and up to date. Although there are currently at least 6 errors/missing on the vWii part alone - under "00000007: Virtual Wii titles"
00000007-00000002 System menu v512,v544 JPN
00000007-00000002 System menu v513,v545 USA
00000007-00000002 System menu v514,v546 EUR
00070002-48435545 Wii Menu Manual HCUE v0, v1, v2,v3 v5 USA
00070002-4843554A Wii Menu Manual HCUJ v0, v1, v2,v3, v5 JPN
00070002-48435550 Wii Menu Manual HCUP v0, v1, v2,v4, v5 EUR

 

[JoostinOnline]

What's wrong with those?

 

[OriginalHamster]

mmmh I have only vIOS 58 patched, for SD store. The others are the typically 250, 249, 248.
There's chances that Nintendo updates vIOS +200?
I'm kinda worried now about this

 

[JoostinOnline]

mmmh I have only vIOS 58 patched, for SD store. The others are the typically 250, 249, 248.
There's chances that Nintendo updates vIOS +200?
I'm kinda worried now about this

Don't you mean vIOS80?

Anyway, it's highly unlikely that there will ever be official IOS's made for slots above 100. They occasionally skip some slots, but for the most part releases are sequential. Nintendo stopped making Wii games a few years ago, and I don't expect that any future third-party ones will be deserving of a new IOS.

 

[endoverend]

Why exactly is it that patching vIOS isn't useful on the wii u? Can't a patched IOS 36 still be useful on a Wii U? I think some homebrew refuses to run unless it's on IOS 36.

 

[Cyan]

Patched IOS 36 is installed in slot 236.
You don't replace the slot 36 with the patched version.

 

[endoverend]

Doh. It's been a while since I originally hacked my wii, forgot about how it's saved, thanks.