Hacking Hardware Homebrew Is it even possible to dump the Wii U Cleaning Disc?

KirbyBot · Jun 2, 2024

Okay, okay, I know this thread may sound a bit weird, but I wanted to know if it's possible to dump or if anyone has ever dumped the Wii U Cleaning Disc. As the name says, it was a disc that cleaned the Wii U's disc lens, but differently from the Wii's Cleaning Disc, this one actually appears as an app, so I started to question of it's possible to dump and install it? I just want to have it in my Wii U more as a joke lol.

Also, I heard this disc may appear when putting a dirty, blank or foreign DVD or CD in the Wii U for some reason.

(Also, here's a video of the disc working: https://packaged-media.redd.it/nbms...=204ec181681da68964e9e52e3cabec8df91af634#t=0)

V10lator · Jun 3, 2024

KirbyBot said:
Also this disc may appear when putting a dirty, blank or foreign DVD or CD for some reason.

Interresting. I tried to google some images of the disc and while it's hard to see I don't think there's any data track on it. Now when you look on any Wii U disc you'll notice a barcode - the so called BCA ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burst_cutting_area ). My guess is that this BCA tells the Wii U what type of disc it is. There might just be a one bit difference between normal Wii U games and this cleaning disc which would at least explain why dirty discs could falsely be detected as cleaning discs.

Note that all of this is just unconfirmed speculation from me through.

Anyway, when you're right and this can be falsely triggered with none cleaning discs this clearly means there is no data on the disc but it's either on the Wii Us NAND or the disc drives firmware. In case of NAND it might indeed be possible for homebrews to access it.

//EDIT: I searched and searched an found an old, blank DVD+R: This has a BCA area, too, but that's mostly blank (reflective) with just a serial number graved in. This might explain why other discs, even blank ones, can be falsely detected as cleaning discs. Note that this blank DVD+R I found just gets detected as invalid disc through.

//EDIT²: I wonder if it's possible for a disc writer to write into the BCA area to i.e. copy the barcode of a cleaning disc onto a blank CD or DVD.

LoggerMan · Jun 3, 2024

Someone would have added it to no-intro by now surely if it were possible?

V10lator · Jun 3, 2024

V10lator said:
//EDIT²: I wonder if it's possible for a disc writer to write into the BCA area to i.e. copy the barcode of a cleaning disc onto a blank CD or DVD.

It isn't it seems: https://debugmo.de/2022/05/fjita-the-project-that-wasnt-meant-to-be/

linkinworm · Jun 3, 2024

Most cleaning discs would have some sort of brush on them. Seems bit pointless to dump

Ryab · Jun 3, 2024

linkinworm said:
Most cleaning discs would have some sort of brush on them. Seems bit pointless to dump

No such thing as a pointless dump.

Larsenv · Jun 3, 2024

V10lator said:
Interresting. I tried to google some images of the disc and while it's hard to see I don't think there's any data track on it. Now when you look on any Wii U disc you'll notice a barcode - the so called BCA ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burst_cutting_area ). My guess is that this BCA tells the Wii U what type of disc it is. There might just be a one bit difference between normal Wii U games and this cleaning disc which would at least explain why dirty discs could falsely be detected as cleaning discs

incorrect, the barcode on the wii u disc is just another copy of the ringcode, only the wii and gamecube use bca

Post automatically merged: Jun 3, 2024

the wii u cleaning disc is weird, we've tried to dump it before, but it seems to be manufactured by different manufacturers rather than panasonic, which manufactured every wii, wii u, and gamecube game, I think it's some type of cd or not a standard wii u disc

Post automatically merged: Jun 3, 2024

I've heard that an audio cd will show up as a cleaning disc on your wii u but when I tried it it showed up as invalid disc

KirbyBot · Jun 3, 2024

V10lator said:
Interresting. I tried to google some images of the disc and while it's hard to see I don't think there's any data track on it. Now when you look on any Wii U disc you'll notice a barcode - the so called BCA ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burst_cutting_area ). My guess is that this BCA tells the Wii U what type of disc it is. There might just be a one bit difference between normal Wii U games and this cleaning disc which would at least explain why dirty discs could falsely be detected as cleaning discs.

Note that all of this is just unconfirmed speculation from me through.

Anyway, when you're right and this can be falsely triggered with none cleaning discs this clearly means there is no data on the disc but it's either on the Wii Us NAND or the disc drives firmware. In case of NAND it might indeed be possible for homebrews to access it.

//EDIT: I searched and searched an found an old, blank DVD+R: This has a BCA area, too, but that's mostly blank (reflective) with just a serial number graved in. This might explain why other discs, even blank ones, can be falsely detected as cleaning discs. Note that this blank DVD+R I found just gets detected as invalid disc through.

//EDIT²: I wonder if it's possible for a disc writer to write into the BCA area to i.e. copy the barcode of a cleaning disc onto a blank CD or DVD.

I tried using a foreign CD but it just gave the invalid disc error :/. Also, after a bit more research I found this thread on Reddit where someone says: "For anyone wondering: There was an accessory for the wii that was a clear fake plastic disc that you would apply cleaner to a soft patch on it, and you would then insert it and the wii would clean its laser using the disc. There was a version for the Wii U, the Wii U must have confused the dirty DVD for the foggy cleaner disc since neither would have a valid code/a code at all.", so if this person is right, the code is the important thing, but I'm not sure tho.

Post automatically merged: Jun 3, 2024

Larsenv said:
I've heard that an audio cd will show up as a cleaning disc on your wii u but when I tried it it showed up as invalid disc

Same, I also tried using one, but it showed as invalid

SylverReZ · Jun 19, 2024

I imagine that the disc is some form of dummy with small bristles on the bottom, similar to a regular laser lens cleaner. Generally, I wouldn't recommend using these discs, as it may be a fault with the drive itself.

Some typically recommend using a Q-tip and isopropyl alcohol to clean the lens, but be really careful not to put too much pressure on it, as you can permanently damage it. I would recommend this method, too, if the lens is covered in dust or dirt. Never use solvents and/or cleaning products, as this would ruin it further, leaving a small film on the lens.

You might not ever need the drive again once it's fully modded, unless you're willing to make legitimate backups of your games to play without the disc.

4d1xlaan · Jun 19, 2024

Ryab said:
No such thing as a pointless dump.

The one I made this morning was pretty pointless tbh

NinjaCheetah · Jun 27, 2024

I wasn't aware that this was a thing, but it's definitely very neat. Would be cool if it could be dumped in some way, even it really just has some sort of dummy data that tells the Wii U to show the cleaning disc icon. I'd imagine that would still at least allow you to make it show up, if you knew what that magic data was, even if it's just a dummy and does nothing.

Nhum70 · Jun 28, 2024

I didnt know this app existed, but its would be funny to have it in the home menu

flowlapache · Jul 1, 2024

Thanks to discover it! do you think we can find some of this wiiU cleaning disc to sell somewhere?

KirbyBot · Jul 1, 2024

flowlapache said:
Thanks to discover it! do you think we can find some of this wiiU cleaning disc to sell somewhere?

Afaik one of the few places to find it is eBay, but as they are super rare, they become quite expensive, like this one. So I'm trying to find people who already own it, or people that have a CD which the Wii U understands as a Cleaning Disc, to talk to them and see if they can try dumping it.

KirbyBot · Aug 17, 2024

Just found another video of the disc working on archive.org while searching about the Kiosk App and System Config Tool, I was hoping there would be a download or something, but it's just the video.

RazorLeafAttack · Aug 18, 2024

I have the Wii U cleaning disc and it unfortunately appears to be blank. The white area seen in the original photo is actually clear. The underside is black apart from the clear ring. The clear ring has a subtle rainbowy shimmer to it.

KirbyBot · Aug 18, 2024

RazorLeafAttack said:
I have the Wii U cleaning disc and it unfortunately appears to be blank. The white area seen in the original photo is actually clear. The underside is black apart from the clear ring. The clear ring has a subtle rainbowy shimmer to it.View attachment 453345
View attachment 453344 View attachment 453346

Thanks for the info!! So maybe the Wii U understands discs with no data as the Lens Cleaning ones?

RazorLeafAttack · Aug 18, 2024

KirbyBot said:
Thanks for the info!! So maybe the Wii U understands discs with no data as the Lens Cleaning ones?

I wonder if the clear area is part of it too, as I believe there is a disc error message instead when a disc is inserted upside down. Wonder if one of those clear discs that were commonly found as a protective spacer in a spindle of CD-Rs would work differently.

KirbyBot · Aug 18, 2024

RazorLeafAttack said:
I wonder if the clear area is part of it too, as I believe there is a disc error message instead when a disc is inserted upside down. Wonder if one of those clear discs that were commonly found as a protective spacer in a spindle of CD-Rs would work differently.

Have you tried using something like WUDD or disc2app to dump the disc and see if it errors or if it actually manages to dump it? That may help to understand more about it!

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