Hacking Bricked Wii - Boots Directly to "System Files are Corrupt" n

[dmillerzx]

Good afternoon all,

I come to GBATemp in hoping to receive some advice on my recently bricked Wii. I currently have a launch Wii (bought on release day). Originally the system had been hacked with a modchip an open source chip that a friend of mine programmed. I was able to play backups and games from any region. More recently I began following the softmod guides ontop of having the modchip so that I could plays games that required newer firmware. I believe before the brick I was running 4.2 as I followed this guide https://sites.google.com/site/completesg/ . Everything was working fine and as expected. Until one day I developed a mailbox brick. The system would only boot when using maintenance mode. I was working to resolve this issue but was having difficulties as I couldn't access the system settings even when using maintenance mode. I would always get a "system files are corrupt" error. So after researching I attempted to re-install the 4.2u system menu in hope of fixing the mailbox brick. Upon doing this through wad manager I was unable to install via the default IOS so I changed to IOS 36 and the system menu appeared to install. Upon rebooting the system after this I am completely bricked. The Wii powers on, I am able to eject, sync a wiimote ect. However I am presented with a "system files are corrupt" message that is distorted and its self appears corrupt.

I'm currently planning on buying a triwing screwdriver so I can attempt SaveMiiFri. I had bootmii installed at one point but not before the time of the brick. No nand backup, prilioader or bootmii. Is there any point to attempting a SaveMiiFri fix? Or should I simply send to Nintendo. This seems pretty bad, and I can't find much documentation on the net with regards to a brick specific to the one I'm experiencing.

I also do not know whether or not my modchip supports autobooting.... Any recovery disk I make will be patched to autoboot.

Any feedback / suggestions??

Any help is GREATLY appreciated. Really hope to fix the Wii, had a homeless dude camp outside target for 3 days so I could get this bad boy at launch

 

[Fudge]

Try SaveMii and see where you get. If it works, try loading a disc with WAD Manager and repair the System Menu and IOSes from there.

 

[shortz1994]

well as far as i read, an have read on this site, no bootmii, no saving, unless you use infectus, an that i'm not 100% sure of. hopfully deadlyfoez could answer this one if he see's this. but if at all possiable if you can get to homebrew, or to system menu your best chance might be to do a system update or a reformat. thats if you can get this far, then rehack using letterbomb or a game exploit. then update every thing an add priiloader. but to me sounds like your wii is only good for a door stop or paper weight. i would try an keep the parts that are good,( dvd drive) by one from craigslist or ebay, or even brand new, an swap the drives. then hack away. good luck on your adventures. but yea this sucks.

 

[dmillerzx]

Great, thanks for the replies. I'm just waiting on my triwing to take apart an official GCN controller to try savemiifrii. Last night I took apart an off brand madcatz controller but haven't actually been able to attempt loading the recovery. Will try when I get home. I'm afraid though, the recovery mode isn't going to work as I've obviously botched the system menu hardcore... I've read a corrupt system menu will not allow the recovery mode to work... Not sure if this is accurate though. Again thanks for the replies!

 

[DeadlyFoez]

You might have borked things beyond your repair, but I can fix it. Don't send it to nintendo because cchances are that they will find homebrew or evidence of it being opened and they will tell you "tough shit" or you will get a wii back that is not bootmii boot2 compatible and a disc drive that can't read dvd discs.

I charge $40 for my repair. It takes me about 2-3 days to complete depending on my work load in front of me. If you are interested any more then PM me.

You're only chance is a retail disc with recovery mode that has 4.3 on it and have it update your wii, but you still may be stuck with a mail brick.

 

[ThatDudeWithTheFood]

You might have borked things beyond your repair, but I can fix it. Don't send it to nintendo because cchances are that they will find homebrew or evidence of it being opened and they will tell you "tough shit" or you will get a wii back that is not bootmii boot2 compatible and a disc drive that can't read dvd discs.

I charge $40 for my repair. It takes me about 2-3 days to complete depending on my work load in front of me. If you are interested any more then PM me.

You're only chance is a retail disc with recovery mode that has 4.3 on it and have it update your wii, but you still may be stuck with a mail brick.

He's not lying and won't scam you he is LEGIT.

 

[dmillerzx]

Good news! Don't have to give up yet! The samemiifrii worked with an official GCN controller and I am able to load recovery! However, after making an netflix disk, and a few other bootable recovery CDs (at least I think bootable) the only disk that boots is Universal Unbrick Disk v4. This means I'm able to get into WAD Manager! However I tried reverting the change the caused such a brick (uninstall system-menu wad 4.2u via IOS36) and no luck uninstall fails... Any ideas on what to try next?? At this point is it safe to assume that any stock game running 4.3 wouldn't completely save my system using samemiifrii? Would this be the best option?? Then simply softmod once on 4.3? My current system version via recovery is 4.2u. Thanks!

 

[shortz1994]

well you can get into wad manager, i would think, you'd be able to run modmii, an use the wizard. an redownload all the wads, adding 4.3u , or might be able to even do 4.2. this will also come with a new system menu.(4.3u) or old one.(4.2u)

 

[dmillerzx]

After reading up on Modmii I think that'd be the most guaranteed fix as that will replace everything. And since I don't know exactly where the problems lie it'd be a good start. However I don't know if I can create a ModMii Autoboot disk that can be loaded through recovery?? Is this even possible? Currently the only thing I can autoboot to is "Universal Unbrick Disk v4".

Someone recommend to me that I should attempt to reinstall IOS70 then the system menu wad for 4.2 as my first attempt at fixing. Haven't actually seen if the system can install or delete wads even though I can load wad manager.... Hopefully since I can get to wad manager I should be able to repair... Is this a safe assumption? Thanks for the reply.

 

[shortz1994]

After reading up on Modmii I think that'd be the most guaranteed fix as that will replace everything. And since I don't know exactly where the problems lie it'd be a good start. However I don't know if I can create a ModMii Autoboot disk that can be loaded through recovery?? Is this even possible? Currently the only thing I can autoboot to is "Universal Unbrick Disk v4".

Someone recommend to me that I should attempt to reinstall IOS70 then the system menu wad for 4.2 as my first attempt at fixing. Haven't actually seen if the system can install or delete wads even though I can load wad manager.... Hopefully since I can get to wad manager I should be able to repair... Is this a safe assumption? Thanks for the reply.

well i would just go with 4.3u an redo the system. yes this should repair everything. an add priiloader (all the extra brick protection.) an do a nand dump. that way if this should happen again, you'll have a back up.

 

[dmillerzx]

Bad news, I installed IOS70 this installed fine, then tried to re-install the system menu... System menu wad install didn't load now after rebooting complete black screen of death and can't seem to boot recovery

didn't think my brick could get worse than it already was lol

 

[shortz1994]

Bad news, I installed IOS70 this installed fine, then tried to re-install the system menu... System menu wad install didn't load now after rebooting complete black screen of death and can't seem to boot recovery

didn't think my brick could get worse than it already was lol

was this the "regular iso70/ or the fake signed one? if it was the regular then that was a stub, so you stubbed your system menu. but there is a way to use mini bootmii. not sure of the full steps to do this, but you can look through the threads, it has been discussed recently. this suck monkey nuts.

 

[DeadlyFoez]

Yeah, unfortunately, your only hope now is me or someone else that does the same things I do. Good thing we are already chatting in PM's.

Future rule though, Never try to uninstall a system menu wad. Luckily it did not let you. If anything you always overwrite the old one because if you uninstall it then you lose SOOOO much more important stuff that is a HUGE headache to try to get back. I think it was something about not ever being able to resync a wiimote or something like that.

 

[dmillerzx]

Bad news, I installed IOS70 this installed fine, then tried to re-install the system menu... System menu wad install didn't load now after rebooting complete black screen of death and can't seem to boot recovery

didn't think my brick could get worse than it already was lol

was this the "regular iso70/ or the fake signed one? if it was the regular then that was a stub, so you stubbed your system menu. but there is a way to use mini bootmii. not sure of the full steps to do this, but you can look through the threads, it has been discussed recently. this suck monkey nuts.

Well at this point since I can't load recovery.... a NAND rebuild is my only option... I know I should have applied all of the patches via NUSD before downloading IOS70. -_- oh well at least it's salvageable

 

[JoostinOnline]

Well at this point since I can't load recovery.... a NAND rebuild is my only option... I know I should have applied all of the patches via NUSD before downloading IOS70. -_- oh well at least it's salvageable

It has nothing to do with patches. You downloaded the latest version (v6912) of IOS70, which is a stub. It gives a big warning when you try and do so. You needed v6687.

Here is the warning:
QUOTE--- IOS70 ---

Version 6912 of this IOS a stub, meaning it has no functionality besides simply existing. You will not be able to run any code from a stub IOS. You should NOT install version 6912 unless you know what you're doing!! If you're using System Menu 4.2, BY ALL MEANS avoid this version!

 

[dmillerzx]

Well at this point since I can't load recovery.... a NAND rebuild is my only option... I know I should have applied all of the patches via NUSD before downloading IOS70. -_- oh well at least it's salvageable

It has nothing to do with patches. You downloaded the latest version (v6912) of IOS70, which is a stub. It gives a big warning when you try and do so. You needed v6687.

Here is the warning:
QUOTE--- IOS70 ---

Version 6912 of this IOS a stub, meaning it has no functionality besides simply existing. You will not be able to run any code from a stub IOS. You should NOT install version 6912 unless you know what you're doing!! If you're using System Menu 4.2, BY ALL MEANS avoid this version!

Yep looks like I'm retarded.

 

[JoostinOnline]

Yep looks like I'm retarded.

Lol, don't feel bad. Just be happy Foez can still fix your Wii.

Trust me, I did some really stupid things back in my newbie days. I won't be specific because I would have to flee gbatemp in shame.

 

[Midna]

I will refrain from comment on this situation. It seems you took all the precise steps to personally make your brick nigh unrecoverable.

 

[DeadlyFoez]

Yep looks like I'm retarded.

Lol, don't feel bad. Just be happy Foez can still fix your Wii.

Trust me, I did some really stupid things back in my newbie days. I won't be specific because I would have to flee gbatemp in shame.

No one can automatically know everything about something. Mistakes happen. Don't feel bad. 200+ people have done similar to the point that they needed me to fix it. It is not all that uncommon. Shit happens. I'm sure you have learned a lot from this experience.

 

[dmillerzx]

Yep looks that way.