Homebrew Noob question re: Wii U Softmod/CFW

michael2016

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Hi guys,

I've been looking through endless threads on here and feel a little overwhelmed by the vast amounts of information and methods that seem to achieve the same result.

I'd just like to know what the simplest method is for installing Homebrew on my Wii U. I have a Japanese Wii U on the latest OFW, and I'd like to have Homebrew installed so that if/when someone releases a language patch for BotW, I can patch my legitimately bought e-Shop version which is in Japanese, over to English. I know this is probably wishful thinking, but one can dream I guess.

Thanks for your help.
 
D

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For this, I think the best option would be Haxchi.
Haxchi is an exploit that is installed on top of a Virtual Console DS game, purchased and downloaded from the eShop.
Once Haxchi is installed, booting into your CFW is as easy as pressing an icon on your Wii U Menu.

If you'd rather not purchase a DS VC for Haxchi, you could also continue using the web browser to access the Homebrew Launcher, and from there use Simple Signature Patcher to launch a basic CFW.
 
D

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Either get Brain Age DS VC for Haxchi/CBHC or suffer from browserhax which doesn't always work.
If you want to simply, just make your life harder then go with browserhax. [Insert Mocha CFW in sdcard://wiiu/apps/mocha [You can find it here: wiiubru.com/appstore, Also grab HBL from there]
Just bootup googiehax.xyz or loadiine.ovh, press one button and you're in HBL.
Now press on Mocha CFW/Simple signature patcher [why] and tap "Load".

Bam! sigpatched.
 

michael2016

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Cheers guys.

The problem with the VCDS game is that it doesn't mention anywhere whether a Japanese version will work (JP Console), or if it's even available on the JP E-Shop.

Any ideas on whether or not I can do it with a non EU/AU/US console?

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Also - it's a black Pro console, so I believe I need a 64gb SD Card, right?
 
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Cheers guys.

The problem with the VCDS game is that it doesn't mention anywhere whether a Japanese version will work (JP Console), or if it's even available on the JP E-Shop.

Any ideas on whether or not I can do it with a non EU/AU/US console?

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Also - it's a black Pro console, so I believe I need a 64gb SD Card, right?
Nope, even 8GB SDCard will be enough, redNAND is useless.
Every DS VC will work since they're exploitable. [Well, not every but some, in this case Brain Age DS VC]
 

michael2016

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Oh, I see.
I'll check the E-Shop on my JP console and see if Brain Age is even on there. If it is, I'll get it. I assume that region doesn't matter.
Once I've done that, the rest is fairly easy? Even for an idiot like me?
 

LichbannMejolaro

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I must admit that using Haxchi is the best option by far. No need to enter the browser everytime, and most important, zero chances of your console being "accidentally" updated.

On my case, I'm 100% on losing the access to online features but having a reliable way to enter CFW and WUP offline than risking being online all the time.
 

michael2016

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In my case, I'm not looking to pirate or run any illegally obtained software, but I'd love to be able to bypass the archaic region restrictions on my console.

I feel very foolish for buying the Japanese E-Shop version of BotW 2 days ago, only to find that there's now a way to region unlock my console .. meaning I could have bought a local copy in English :'(

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

with mocha in your SD ... go here www.wiiubru.com/mocha :)
That's literally all I need to do??

Nothing else??

Remember, I'm coming from absolutely clean official firmware :/
 

Dust2dust

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I just downloaded brain training from the Japanese E-Shop. I'm not sure if it's the correct software tho :/

I think it may be a trial version? At the main menu it says, "Trial/Daily Training/Download Play".

Correct one??

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/titles/20010000006826
You should be alright. These are the DS games compatible with Haxchi: https://github.com/FIX94/haxchi/blob/master/installer/src/gameList.h#L14-L102
Anyway, when you run the Haxchi installer, it will detect the installed game, and ask you if that's the game you want to use for Haxchi. Remember that the game will no longer be playable after Haxchi is installed. So goodbye Brain Training! Also, I guess you'll be tempted to also install CBHC, but I suggest you wait and just use Haxchi by itself for a week or two. You'll get accustomed to how it works, and won't risk bricking. CBHC's only advantage is saving you from pressing the haxchi icon once, after the console has booted. But bricking risks are much higher than if you just use normal Haxchi. My two cents.
 
D

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You should be alright. These are the DS games compatible with Haxchi: https://github.com/FIX94/haxchi/blob/master/installer/src/gameList.h#L14-L102
Anyway, when you run the Haxchi installer, it will detect the installed game, and ask you if that's the game you want to use for Haxchi. Remember that the game will no longer be playable after Haxchi is installed. So goodbye Brain Training! Also, I guess you'll be tempted to also install CBHC, but I suggest you wait and just use Haxchi by itself for a week or two. You'll get accustomed to how it works, and won't risk bricking. CBHC's only advantage is saving you from pressing the haxchi icon once, after the console has booted. But bricking risks are much higher than if you just use normal Haxchi. My two cents.
CBHC only real risk is that DS VC can corrupt itself, oh and partial CBHC is a thing also.
 

michael2016

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You should be alright. These are the DS games compatible with Haxchi: https://github.com/FIX94/haxchi/blob/master/installer/src/gameList.h#L14-L102
Anyway, when you run the Haxchi installer, it will detect the installed game, and ask you if that's the game you want to use for Haxchi. Remember that the game will no longer be playable after Haxchi is installed. So goodbye Brain Training! Also, I guess you'll be tempted to also install CBHC, but I suggest you wait and just use Haxchi by itself for a week or two. You'll get accustomed to how it works, and won't risk bricking. CBHC's only advantage is saving you from pressing the haxchi icon once, after the console has booted. But bricking risks are much higher than if you just use normal Haxchi. My two cents.
Thank you for the list of titles, mate.
My game is indeed the first on the list, so I guess I'm good to go.
There are an abundance of guides/tutorials available, but is one better than another?
 

michael2016

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Thank you all for your help :) I got it working!!

Now I have another question!!
Apparently I'm able to dump my own disc images onto my SD card, and can then install them via homebrew to my USB HDD, removing the need for me to change discs every time I want to play something.

If my dumps come from original discs that I own, am I able to play those dumps from my USB HDD without any issues? Is Nintendo going to mistakenly think that they are pirated games and ban my console?
Also, all of my physical games except 1, are from the JP region (same as my console), but I have a PAL version of SSMB that I've never been able to play due to it being a different region to my console.

Is there a way for me to now play this disc with CFW, or better yet, to also make a dump of it and put it on my USB HDD and use it just like I would my other games?
If so, can I take it online, even though the region is different to my console? Again, will this cause any problems between Nintendo and I?
I've heard about Regionhax, but is this still necessary now that there is CFW which "apparently" automatically makes your machine region free??

Admittedly, even though I've purchased all of these games myself, it feels like a somewhat shady grey area to be in, and I don't want to do anything that could potentially get my Nintendo ID or my console banned, as I've spent thousands of dollars on the E-Shop over the years.

Thanks dudes!
 

nexusmtz

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Is Nintendo going to mistakenly think that they are pirated games and ban my console?
They would know if they bothered to build something that would look, but no, they aren't. Historically, they ban for online cheating.
I have a PAL version of SSMB that I've never been able to play
I have no out-of-region discs, but since the OurLoader homebrew is meant for playing them, it's reasonable to conclude that the system mounts the disc just like it does any other. That being the case, you could rip the disc to SD using disc2app, then install it with WUPInstaller. If you only have the one out-of-region title, you can, with some effort, modify the region entry in the title's meta.xml so it will launch on your system without CFW. Some games have language related issues when run on other region's consoles. Check the loadiine compatibility list (even though you're not using loadiine) for more info.
can I take it online, even though the region is different to my console?
You can go online. Nintendo may be able to tell, but we haven't heard of anyone being banned for it.
I've heard about Regionhax, but is this still necessary
My order of preference for region fixing: Haxchi (Haxchi faq), meta.xml region change, Mocha, Regionhax. If you have purchased any DS virtual console titles for the WiiU, you may already have one that's compatible with Haxchi. Note that CFW does not actually make the WiiU 'Region Free'. It only bypasses the region check that's done when you launch the title. (But that's semantics for most people)
I don't want to do anything that could potentially get my Nintendo ID or my console banned
You have to make the decision, but running titles that you've installed from your own discs is almost indistinguishable from running eShop titles even if you're looking at the console directly, which is something that Nintendo is very unlikely to do. And if you did get banned, you'd have plenty of people to commiserate with.
 

michael2016

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They would know if they bothered to build something that would look, but no, they aren't. Historically, they ban for online cheating.

I have no out-of-region discs, but since the OurLoader homebrew is meant for playing them, it's reasonable to conclude that the system mounts the disc just like it does any other. That being the case, you could rip the disc to SD using disc2app, then install it with WUPInstaller. If you only have the one out-of-region title, you can, with some effort, modify the region entry in the title's meta.xml so it will launch on your system without CFW. Some games have language related issues when run on other region's consoles. Check the loadiine compatibility list (even though you're not using loadiine) for more info.
You can go online. Nintendo may be able to tell, but we haven't heard of anyone being banned for it.
My order of preference for region fixing: Haxchi (Haxchi faq), meta.xml region change, Mocha, Regionhax. If you have purchased any DS virtual console titles for the WiiU, you may already have one that's compatible with Haxchi. Note that CFW does not actually make the WiiU 'Region Free'. It only bypasses the region check that's done when you launch the title. (But that's semantics for most people)You have to make the decision, but running titles that you've installed from your own discs is almost indistinguishable from running eShop titles even if you're looking at the console directly, which is something that Nintendo is very unlikely to do. And if you did get banned, you'd have plenty of people to commiserate with.
Thanks for the thorough reply, mate!

I've already installed haxchi and have the homebrew launcher installed, as well as mocha.

You sound like you're coming from a position of knowledge and experience, so referring back to my initial post, what would you recommend I do about my legitimately purchased JP E-Shop BotW, which is desperately want English subtitles for?

Thanks again :)
 
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nexusmtz

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I can't see what files are in the JP version, because nobody who has a legitimately purchased JP E-Shop BotW has run tik2sd on their machine and uploaded their sd:/tik2sd/keys.txt (which doesn't contain console-unique info) to that title key site.

That aside, I don't get into game modding. The idea would be that you have to get the USen content files from the US version, then copy the files from that directory that aren't the stream (sound) files, and copy those into whatever directory your console/language combination is. (JPjp maybe?)
 

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