Hacking HELP! Wii channels crashing in under 1 min. (w/ softmod)

ateam · Jun 8, 2009

Hello everyone,

Let me start by explaining my problem...

I upgraded to the 4.0U menu through the Wii menu on my un-modded console. In an attempt to install the Homebrew Channel and load game ISOs from an external HDD, I followed this guide (click here). I stopped after finishing Step 6, since the rest are optional. I did all of this with a 1 GB SanDisk SD card.

The Homebrew Channel and all of the applications in it run flawlessly. While I do have the USB Loader channel present on my menu, I have not tested it yet. My plan was to see if all of this worked and then purchase an external HDD or IDE->USB enclosure. Every other channel, including Virtual Console games, crash in under a minute. Sometimes the screen simply goes black and other times the "An error has occurred, please eject..." message appears.

I thought that perhaps installing cIOS38rev13b would solve the problem. However, after a successful install, my problem persists.

Lastly, after these crashes, strange things occur after rebooting the Wii. Sometimes I hold the power button down until it turns off and then press it again to power it back on, while other times I unplug the power cable from the Wii and then plug it back in again. Regardless, I've had times where the Wii menu was completely without sound or worse, with ridiculously obnoxious screeching sounds (coming from the TV's speakers, not the physical console itself). One time I even received a message stating that my Wii system files were corrupt!

One thing I'd like to add is that my Wii's DVD drive is currently broken. I am awaiting a replacement in the mail and until then, the broken one sits in the console. I'm only mentioning this because I figure that every detail is needed and also in case somebody asks me to test a game.

techboy · Jun 8, 2009

The link to your guide is not a link. Which guide is it?

Your dead DVD drive might have something to do with it. Is that drive still connected? Wii's have been known to behave strangely w/o their drive.

If the drive is still connected, maybe the system files are actually corrupted (hence the strange menu issues & error message you've experienced)...It's odd though that VC/wiiware is crashing like that. Typically it just doesn't run if its damaged or its IOS is missing.

If the system is not an LU64, you could try installing bootmii (as boot2) and making a backup, then downgrading it to 3.2, which will reinstall the system menu and IOS30 it runs on. That would ensure they aren't corrupt.

ateam · Jun 8, 2009

Sorry about that link problem. I fixed it.

The DVD drive is not connected in any way, since it is broken. I suspected that this could cause problems, but like you said, it doesn't seem to quite add up.

I have a 1st generation Wii that I camped out at midnight for on its release day, by the way.

I'll look into BootMii. Does that allow for downgrading to 3.2U?

Once you've taken a look at that guide, techboy, let me know if you think removing some of the things it had me install could fix it. If not, are you familiar with AnyTitleDeleter? I've heard it works miracles! Haha.

techboy · Jun 8, 2009

Ironically, this is the exact guide everyone is complaining about here: http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=159977

The DVD drive is one of your issues. It needs to be connected even if it is broken and can't read discs. Even the USB Loader (some versions anyway) won't work without it connected. Without it, anything's possible. This is likely the main cause of your weird behavior. Try connecting the old one until your new one shows up.

That guide that you posted (apart from the above complaints) should actually work, even though it is extremely lengthy (and shorter versions can be found on here that accomplish the same thing).

As for your question about bootmii, it's mostly anti-brick software. It lets you make a backup of the wii's internal NAND, which it can restore later if you brick your wii. I suggested it just so you can unbrick the thing if the downgrade goes south.

If the dvd drive doesn't fix it, look for a guide on here about downgrading 4.0 to 3.2. You can skip the CMDVDX34 downgrade/IOS35 part and cIOS install, since you already did that.

One final thing - cIOS rev10 is more stable IMO than rev13. You might consider reinstalling 10 over top of 13 once you get this fixed.

ateam · Jun 8, 2009

Wow, thank you so much!

I am unable to connect my DVD drive, unfortunately. The ribbon cable plug is broken. My new drive should be here by the end of the week, though.

Once I connect the drive, I'll report back. I have a brand new DriveKey, too. I plan on using that to run backups because of its greater media (DVD+R, etc.) compatibility compared to the USB Loader.

To your knowledge, if the new drive fixes my problems with the various Wii channels and I install the DriveKey, will any of the changes I made to my Wii in that guide affect any of the chip's functions?

techboy · Jun 8, 2009

The guide shouldn't matter. Sorry to here about the drive's cable. That explains the reason it wasn't plugged in.

If you want, you can delete the USB Loader channel by just deleting it with the wii data management. It'll leave the ticket behind, but it won't matter. If you remove the forwarder, you can also remove the usb loader from your SD Card, since you won't be using it.

cIOS is always a good thing to have, so I'd leave it. Many things rely on that now (especially since you're on the official 4.0), like Wad Manager. Your IOS35 can be left alone. Any game with a newer version of IOS35 will re-update it.

Finally, as above i recommend you install Bootmii as boot2 and make a backup once you get the wii working again. It should be simple enough to figure out on your own. If not, there are topics around here on setting it up.

If you plan on downloading WADs, you really should install at least preloader if you do not want bootmii, as you do need some form of anti-brick on the wii.

Let me know how the new drive goes.

ateam · Jun 8, 2009

Thanks again!

I am pretty proficient with computers, so I'll have no problem figuring all of that out. In fact, I plan on starting on some Wii programming when I get it working again. I have a lot of programming experience in Linux and so I am familiar with SDL.

Anyway, I recorded a video earlier to help with understanding my problem, but at this point it doesn't seem to necessary. Here's the YouTube link anyway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMMhBnlVALU&fmt=18.

Schubdogg · Jun 9, 2009

ateam, I too followed that guide and although all of my games run fine via the usb loader and my emulators run fine (everything is pretty much working flawless), I too get the odd occasional hangup where I can not use the power off button, reset button or eject button and the only way to fix it is to unplug the power cable and plug it back in. Once I do that it comes back to normal like nothing ever happened.

Also, I too have a 1st gen Wii I got the first month they came out, so perhaps its a bug with that first batch?

techboy · Jun 9, 2009

Hm that video was interesting. I am surprised about that buzzing after a crash. Not sure why a hard unplug is needed to fix that...Hardware ending up in a screwy state after crashing due to DVD drive missing?

The only reason the drive needs to be there in the first place is because IOS queries it often. IOS expects a reply of something back when it communicates with the drive. Its likely that because the reply is missing, some info that IOS expects to be returned is not, and it doesn't know what to do about the missing info and hangs. There's likely no error checking for this since an unmodified wii (as in one that hasn't been taken apart, not one that isn't softmodded) will always have a drive connected, even though its optics/loading mech may be defective. The wii wasn't meant to be user-serviced after all...

If you look up a mod on putting a 2.5" HDD inside your wii, you'll see most of them typically take the PCB off the DVD drive and hook it back up without the drive just for this purpose. If they don't remove the PCB, they usually leave the whole drive in there.

WiiBlaster · Jun 9, 2009

Hmm strange problem after watching the Video, Question can you repeat the same error without using that wireless controller, have you tried using a legit classic controller? just noticed that it happen after you plugged that wireless controller in, and not before, Just a thought

Lexip; · Jun 9, 2009

Downgrade to 3.2 and update back to 4.0 (waninkoko's or offical) assuming you don't have a LU64+ serial wii?

bugaveli · Jun 9, 2009

Lexip; said:
Downgrade to 3.2 and update back to 4.0 (waninkoko's or offical) assuming you don't have a LU64+ serial wii?

sum1 cant read

ateam · Jun 11, 2009

I received my replacement drive in the mail and all is well! The ribbon cable going from my DVD drive to my DriveKey is in-tact, but the one going from the DriveKey to the main board is somewhat damaged and so it can't do much more than boot a game and then give the disc read error. Now it's time to order a replacement ribbon cable!

Thanks for all of the help

techboy · Jun 11, 2009

Kinda thought that your busted drive was the issue.

My friend had a wii without a drive (bought used, no drive in it - found out when he put a game in and it just fell inside

) His wii didn't work right either 'til he bought a drive for it. His mostly just acted like it was bricked (hung at health screen or black screen at boot), but sometimes went into the menu and hung loading channels like yours.

Sorry to hear about the drivekey->motherboard cable. Hopefully you can get a new one easily.

You're welcome for the help! If you've got anymore trouble let me know!

ateam · Jun 13, 2009

I managed to cut the damaged tip off the ribbon cable that connects the DriveKey to the motherboard. Now, I can load one of the DVD-R games I have, Bleach. The only other -R one I have, Mario Party 8, doesn't boot.

If you have any opinion as to whether this damaged cable could be causing this, I'd appreciate it. Although I snipped the damaged part off, I think that a new, completely in-tact cable would allow me to boot all DVD-Rs and +Rs burned with the DVD-ROM booktype.

By the way, Mario Party 8 will boot, but then I receive that black DRE screen.

seljak140 · Aug 21, 2009

Many people have problems with their broken wii drives.

I have two wiis. One is ok, the other has broken drive and its drive is removed as well. As we all know the homebrew and other unoffical channels work just fine even if the drive is removed. In fact, all homebrew apps work unless they have something to do with the offical channels or games so I think that ios has nothing to do with black screen, it's the channel's "responsibility". If only the homebrew developers cared more about this issue, there would be some generic patcher released to fix this issue.

Important discovery: I found out The Conduit works, usb loader, cios36rev10, no dvd drive. Tested 58 games and only The Conduit worked.

Hacking HELP! Wii channels crashing in under 1 min. (w/ softmod)

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