Hacking Hardware Cannot get WiiKey 2 Modchip to work

[Horatiu19xx]

Hi everyone. I've soldered the WiiKey 2 to my Wii according to the instructions, I have a DMS chip. I'm looking to play US games on an EUR console. When inserting the disc, it lights up a blue light for one second but then nothing. The Wii works exactly as before and won't read out-of-region games. I was thinking maybe I need config disc or solder more wires? Thank you

 

[Deleted member 301661]

Hi everyone. I've soldered the WiiKey 2 to my Wii according to the instructions, I have a DMS chip. I'm looking to play US games on an EUR console. When inserting the disc, it lights up a blue light for one second but then nothing. The Wii works exactly as before and won't read out-of-region games. I was thinking maybe I need config disc or solder more wires? Thank you
View attachment 480998

why the hell would you wanna hardmod any wii these days? for you can read iso's from an external HDD for a long time now with any wii by softmodding it.
You can already play NTSC (USA) games softmodded on an EUR console, there is no advantage of hardmod over softmod unless you want to repair a broken nand.
You can even update the whole system first and then overwrite the region of said console at boot by softmod.
You should only undo this before you run an update, for the update might not boot the console anymore when the system menu installed is not matching the hardware region.
By the way: your wires seem to be correct for non D2C, D2C2 and D2E chipped consoles.
Have you installed the wiikey 2 firmware? https://gbatemp.net/download/wiikey-2-v1-3-odyssey-update-config-disc.37562/

 

[Horatiu19xx]

why the hell would you wanna hardmod any wii these days? for you can read iso's from an external HDD for a long time now with any wii by softmodding it.
You can already play NTSC (USA) games softmodded on an EUR console, there is no advantage of hardmod over softmod unless you want to repair a broken nand.
You can even update the whole system first and then overwrite the region of said console at boot by softmod.
You should only undo this before you run an update, for the update might not boot the console anymore when the system menu installed is not matching the hardware region.
By the way: your wires seem to be correct for non D2C, D2C2 and D2E chipped consoles.
Have you installed the wiikey 2 firmware? https://gbatemp.net/download/wiikey-2-v1-3-odyssey-update-config-disc.37562/

I am trying to get it working out of curiosity. But also because I have a Korean bricked Wii and maybe I can transplant the disk drive over.

No, I haven't installed the firmware. What happens if you didn't. And what types of CDs do you recommend to use for installing firmware

 

[Deleted member 301661]

I am trying to get it working out of curiosity. But also because I have a Korean bricked Wii and maybe I can transplant the disk drive over.

No, I haven't installed the firmware. What happens if you didn't. And what types of CDs do you recommend to use for installing firmware

Without firmware the modchip is idle, not doing a thing.
Burn the latest?
That should have the latest key embedded.

 

[SylverReZ]

This is the latest official update/config disc for the WiiKey v2. https://gbatemp.net/download/wiikey-2-v1-3-odyssey-update-config-disc.37562/

If your Korean system is bricked, then this requires removing the Korean key by first booting a game exploit like Mario Kart PWNS, and launching KoreanKii from HBC.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Hi everyone. I've soldered the WiiKey 2 to my Wii according to the instructions, I have a DMS chip. I'm looking to play US games on an EUR console. When inserting the disc, it lights up a blue light for one second but then nothing. The Wii works exactly as before and won't read out-of-region games. I was thinking maybe I need config disc or solder more wires? Thank you
View attachment 480998

Later Wii firmwares won't read out of region discs. The system menu itself blocks them. Priiloader is the solution to that.
As well as that, the firmware of the chip might need to be updated to play newer games.
Between those two things I believe all games are compatible.

Without firmware the modchip is idle, not doing a thing.
Burn the latest?
That should have the latest key embedded.

There is always a firmware. Without firmware the chip wouldn't be able to read the update.

 

[Farid]

Try to swap the B and C wires.
Also use a multimeter to check if there is any short circuit between the wires.

 

[Deleted member 301661]

Later Wii firmwares won't read out of region discs. The system menu itself blocks them. Priiloader is the solution to that.
As well as that, the firmware of the chip might need to be updated to play newer games.
Between those two things I believe all games are compatible.

There is always a firmware. Without firmware the chip wouldn't be able to read the update.

Why would the chip read firmware, mostlikely you burn (force) write to an IC.
Most IC's don't have to have software written in it to function.

Post automatically merged: Jan 18, 2025

Try to swap the B and C wires.
Also use a multimeter to check if there is any short circuit between the wires.

they're soldered as manufacturer describes them to be wired... would you say the manufacturer of wiikey made such a failure in thier official instructions with photo's?

 

[Horatiu19xx]

Thank you guys for the suggestion, got the Wiikey config disc to boot up, but unfortunately the tab for the connector is fragile and it broke. I bought a replacement connector, will get it soldered and see if it works