Hacking BootMii backup plan...

[ningling12]

A quick update: I formatted an old 1GB flash drive as FAT32, placed it in USB0 and an old, incompatible SD card in the slot. Having both present stopped HBC from throwing exceptions so I wa finally able to select USB as the source for apps. I loaded the the USB with the ModMii results and successfully opened YAWMM.

I need a little help to proceed though...

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

If I were you I would use ModMii to mod your wii, skip over installing the HBC, bootmii and making a nand backup, then continue on... and instead of copying files to an SD card, copy them to a fat32 formatted hard drive so you can load it from the HBC. Most apps should just work, but I think IOS236 installer mod will not (it looks for a wad on the root of the SD card). Instead you will need to launch a wad manager with ahbprot enabled in its meta.xml (try using yawmm) to install a cios236.wad, you can download both using ModMii Classic's download pages. Once that's done you can continue with the guide, priiloader installer mod should work and will offer some protection, but you might not be able to enable system menu hacks (not sure if this will work with a hard drive replacing the SD card).

Technically you don't even need an IOS236 but can instead use a wad manager with ahbprot to install your list of wads identified by ModMii, but there is slightly more risk involved in this method, so I would use ahbprot to install cios 236, then load cios 236 to install the other wads.

Note the wads ModMii will instruct you to install that carry any risk is system menu wads and system menu IOS (ios80 for 4.3). If your not changing system menus (I. E. You are starting and ending on 4.3) you can safely ignore installing IOS80 (because u should have it installed already, and you don't NEED to have it patched), then there is zero risk of using an ahbprot wad manager to install ModMii's list of wads excl IOS80.

So I have opened YAWMM and am first asked to choose an IOS to use. Since I have system menu 4.3U, should I select IOS80 here?

Next, you mentioned ahbprot and YAWMM's meta.xml. What line should I edit into the xml to achieve this?

Once that's fixed and I have chosen the correct starting IOS, you say I should install IOS236 so that it can later be used to install ModMii's recommended wads safely. Is this the file I should be installing with YAWMM: IOS36-64-v3551.wad ?

Thank you for all of your help and expertise!

 

[KleinesSinchen]

(...)Instead you will need to launch a wad manager with ahbprot enabled in its meta.xml (try using yawmm) to install a cios236.wad(...)

Next, you mentioned ahbprot and YAWMM's meta.xml. What line should I edit into the xml to achieve this?

Is this
<ahb_access/>
not already your xml file?

 

[ningling12]

Is this
<ahb_access/>
not already your xml file?

All that's there is the <?xml...> header, then:

<app version="1">
<name>Yet Another Wad Mgr</name>
... version, release_date, coder, short_description, long_description
</app>

Do I need to put <ahb_access/> within <app>? or before it? after it? Are there any other things that normally would be in this file that are not listed above? Thank you.

 

[KleinesSinchen]

All that's there is the <?xml...> header, then:

<app version="1">
<name>Yet Another Wad Mgr</name>
... version, release_date, coder, short_description, long_description
</app>

Do I need to put <ahb_access/> within <app>? or before it? after it? Are there any other things that normally would be in this file that are not listed above? Thank you.

Hmmh. I’m really not an expert but really paranoid in these things. So it is not easy for me to give advise. Where did you get you YAWMM from? There are so many versions out there. All apps I have with ahbprot enabled, like some version of YAWMM and WiiXplorer, have it within

<app version=”1”>
<name>
<version>
.
.
.
<ahb_access/>
</app>

 

[ningling12]

Hmmh. I’m really not an expert but really paranoid in these things. So it is not easy for me to give advise. Where did you get you YAWMM from? There are so many versions out there. All apps I have with ahbprot enabled, like some version of YAWMM and WiiXplorer, have it within

<app version=”1”>
<name>
<version>
.
.
.
<ahb_access/>
</app>

I used IOS Installer to install IOS36 as ISO236 successfully. Then, as XFlak recommended, I installed the other wads using YAWMM on the IOS236.

Now, I am moving the files onto a bigger flash drive to see whether USBLoaderGX can load a backup.

 

[ningling12]

I copied over my USBLoaderGX files and a backup of Super Mario Galaxy to an old 8GB flash drive and it launched!

So that brings me back to the purpose of this thread; get some form of brick protection on this Wii before I give it to my niece and nephews. Obviously, I need to pursue the possibility that the problem is not the SD slot but a compatibility issue. I will keep trying more cards.

In the meantime, is there some way to get either Priiloader to work so that the HBC launches instead of the system menu (without an SD card to set it up?) My son's Wii boots straight to the HBC without an SD card in the slot, but it originally was set up with one.

Or, is it possible to add a channel to the system menu that forwards to USBLoaderGX? (without the use of an SD card for setup)

 

[KleinesSinchen]

There’s not much brick protection if the SD-slot is toast. Installing Priiloader should be possible. Priiloader should be able to start the HBC in case of a banner brick. Other than that… without bootmii you will not be able to make a NAND-backup (and even if another tool writes to USB, you will probably not be able to restore without hardmod/this “infectus” XFlak mentioned).
This is really frustrating. A Wii with a vulnerable boot1, the best brick protection would be possible and the stupid SD-reader thwarts this.

Unfortunately there is a possibility that SD-reader will really not work again. Supposedly failure to read SD can occur even if there’s no visible damage to the reader/pins inside. See here for reference.

Have you yet tried to clean the slot with a can of compressed air with a…? Don’t know a suitable word for that thing. Just look at the picture:

Look inside if there’s any dirt or any pin(s) bent/corroded.
I tried to take a photo of a working card reader, but it is not easy without disassembling (which I won't do with a working unit).

According to ifixit it is a lot of work to get to the card reader to have a better look inside (last picture of the Bluetooth board replacement guide).
A forwarder channel for USB Loader GX exists.

 

[XFlak]

If you've already install IOS236 run the priiloader 236 installer mod (from modmii) - download it and save it to your working fat32 hard drive and it should work to give you some kind of brick protection. I mentioned this in an earlier post as well. Once this is installed you can set your wii to autoboot to the homebrew channel - that should work even without an SD card.

And to confirm, you've installed all the other wads modmii suggested (I. E. You installed 249)? Since you got usb loader gx working I'm guessing yes? So all you need to do now is priiloader that shit. And honestly bootmii is great but as long as you or your nephew aren't messing around with installing wads or themes you should be plenty safe even without it.

 

[DeadlyFoez]

I didn't read everything, only just a quick skim through.

I have run into a similar issue, but that is because of the way I have my wii with a hardware mod. What I can tell you is that the HBC installer runs differently than other general homebrew. There is definitely something funky about your SD card slot. It may need to be cleaned or there is a cold solder joint. Only way to find out for sure is to take it apart.

 

[ningling12]

There’s not much brick protection if the SD-slot is toast. Installing Priiloader should be possible. Priiloader should be able to start the HBC in case of a banner brick. Other than that… without bootmii you will not be able to make a NAND-backup (and even if another tool writes to USB, you will probably not be able to restore without hardmod/this “infectus” XFlak mentioned).
This is really frustrating. A Wii with a vulnerable boot1, the best brick protection would be possible and the stupid SD-reader thwarts this...

Thank you for all of this great info! I found some canned air and will give it a shot as well as compare my reader to your pic. BTW, I love the crazy ideas in the thread you linked (like soldering in an SD card adapter for micro SD)! I also found a replacement reader for a WiiU on ebay (might work?).

But, to be honest, since this is technically already capable of playing backups, I will probably just focus on a way to minimize bricks, then give the console to my family.

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

If you've already install IOS236 run the priiloader 236 installer mod (from modmii) - download it and save it to your working fat32 hard drive and it should work to give you some kind of brick protection. I mentioned this in an earlier post as well. Once this is installed you can set your wii to autoboot to the homebrew channel - that should work even without an SD card.

And to confirm, you've installed all the other wads modmii suggested (I. E. You installed 249)? Since you got usb loader gx working I'm guessing yes? So all you need to do now is priiloader that shit. And honestly bootmii is great but as long as you or your nephew aren't messing around with installing wads or themes you should be plenty safe even without it.

You're right, you did mention this already. This seems like the best option as it offers some protection and makes using the console as simple as possible for them. Thank you!

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

I didn't read everything, only just a quick skim through.

I have run into a similar issue, but that is because of the way I have my wii with a hardware mod. What I can tell you is that the HBC installer runs differently than other general homebrew. There is definitely something funky about your SD card slot. It may need to be cleaned or there is a cold solder joint. Only way to find out for sure is to take it apart.

Thank you! I am going to shoot some air in there and try to get a good look into the slot. If there is any obvious damage to the pins or corrosion, I may be tempted to tear it down, though I will likely just leave it as is since I will be giving it to my relatives in a couple of weeks.

BTW, I purchased one of these soldering stations for $10 https://datasheet.octopart.com/LF-7000-Xytronic-datasheet-7284407.pdf at an electronics reseller's liquidation sale! I just need to find a place to set it up, then get some practice with it. I noticed that you do micro soldering. How do you achieve magnification?

 

[DestroyedEDGE]

No problem.
EDIT: responding to post 18

 

[DeadlyFoez]

Be careful blowing air in there. If it is strong enough it will bend the pins.

Looks like a decent station there. I have a hot air rework station and that works wonders. I can easily take off full packaged chips with it. As far as magnification, I use bright lights and a headband magnifier similar to this https://www.amazon.com/Donegan-Optical-OptiVISOR-Headband-Magnifier/dp/B0068OSIIS

I can also tell you that having a beer before soldering helps ease an shakiness you might have.

 

[Jitoku]

Mine is also broken, I use usb to do stuff and it works like sd in everyway except usb has more storage.