Hacking Does USB loading work without flatcable connected ?

[WalkerOfTheDay]

Hi guys,

Today I was given an abused Wii from a friend of a friend.
His DVD drive stopped working, and with a drunken head he tried to fix it without
the proper tools, tri wing etcetera.

So he drilled (yeah really) open the screws and found out that he wasn't smart enough
to fix the thing, and bought a new one.

He trashed the case, but I think the rest of the parts are all there.
The only problem is, I cannot get the flatcable ribbon to 'stick' to the dvd drive. I think there is some kind
of connector missing at the end of the ribbon. Am I right ?

So my first question is: could I still use it for USB loading without the ribbon connected ?
If not, my second question is: If I buy a replacement flatcable, does it come with the connector I think I need ??

To clarify some pictures below. Forgot to resize them, so I made them into links.

http://i.imgur.com/rlExj.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/fim95.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/dVqUk.jpg

 

[cwstjdenobs]

I think the only way you can run anything without a dvd drive connected is using Sneek.

And no there's no connector for the cable, there's a little clip you move you fix it in place.

 

[shamiko_]

Hi guys,

Today I was given an abused Wii from a friend of a friend.
His DVD drive stopped working, and with a drunken head he tried to fix it without
the proper tools, tri wing etcetera.

So he drilled (yeah really) open the screws and found out that he wasn't smart enough
to fix the thing, and bought a new one.

He trashed the case, but I think the rest of the parts are all there.
The only problem is, I cannot get the flatcable ribbon to 'stick' to the dvd drive. I think there is some kind
of connector missing at the end of the ribbon. Am I right ?

So my first question is: could I still use it for USB loading without the ribbon connected ?
If not, my second question is: If I buy a replacement flatcable, does it come with the connector I think I need ??

To clarify some pictures below. Forgot to resize them, so I made them into links.

http://i.imgur.com/rlExj.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/fim95.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/dVqUk.jpg

usb loading doesn't need the dvd drive n order for it to work, you just need a usb HDD and wiiflow and your set

(you won't be able to backup your orginal wii games by installing them to the HDD tho)

 

[cwstjdenobs]

You can't launch any channels without a DVD drive. Unless he's already got Pre/Priiloader or bootmii/boot2 you still need at least the controller board connected.

EDIT: Just looked at the pics and the clip is missing. You might be able to just stick it down with tape, or see if your friend can find it. I'm guessing he lost it by just pulling the ribbon out instead of looking first.

 

[WiiUBricker]

usb loading doesn't need the dvd drive n order for it to work, you just need a usb HDD and wiiflow and your set

(you won't be able to backup your orginal wii games by installing them to the HDD tho)

Wrong, if any USB loader doesnt detect your dvd drive, it refuses to work, so you need a drive in the case.

 

[shamiko_]

usb loading doesn't need the dvd drive n order for it to work, you just need a usb HDD and wiiflow and your set

(you won't be able to backup your orginal wii games by installing them to the HDD tho)

Wrong, if any USB loader doesnt detect your dvd drive, it refuses to work, so you need a drive in the case.

really?? never know that

 

[DarkMatterCore]

usb loading doesn't need the dvd drive n order for it to work, you just need a usb HDD and wiiflow and your set

(you won't be able to backup your orginal wii games by installing them to the HDD tho)

Wrong, if any USB loader doesnt detect your dvd drive, it refuses to work, so you need a drive in the case.

really?? never know that

I have more than a year without my DVD drive, and I can confirm this. Hopefully I'll receive the new one on December 12th from Spain. But yes, (U)SNEEK+DI is the only way to load games and channels without a controller board connected.

 

[thesund0g]

Your other option is to buy a new DVD drive online, or perhaps a SunDriver. The DVD drive itself doesn't have to be +-R read capable, if you're planning on doing USB loading anyway. Newer drives are super cheap online since they won't read 'em.

 

[Sao Mortel]

I think just connecting a flatmod type modchip(wasabi dx, drivekey) would make it work also without the drive. Yeah used drive like d3-2 must be real cheap there must be some people who have those ling around. post in the want to buy section

 

[hersuri]

Is WODE an option at all?

 

[WalkerOfTheDay]

You can't launch any channels without a DVD drive. Unless he's already got Pre/Priiloader or bootmii/boot2 you still need at least the controller board connected.

EDIT: Just looked at the pics and the clip is missing. You might be able to just stick it down with tape, or see if your friend can find it. I'm guessing he lost it by just pulling the ribbon out instead of looking first.

I modded this wii a couple of years ago, and I do know Preloader 0.29 is installed. I'm not sure about Bootmii though.

Unfortunately he doesn't have the clip anymore

Could I order a clip somewhere, does anyone know ?

I don't want to spend a lot of money on the thing, but I though it would be a nice 'backup' if my own Wii dies some day.
Maybe I'll try sticking it down with tape like you suggested.

 

[thesund0g]

So my first question is: could I still use it for USB loading without the ribbon connected ?

Have you not just tried it yet? You might be able to answer your own question there.

 

[steveo1978]

Try this slide the ribbon in then take a piece of paper on top of the ribbon cable into the plastic connector so that it will hold the ribbon in place and also so that the paper will put a little pressure on the ribbon cable. Then put a strip of tape to make sure the paper and ribbon cable does not just slide out. If you wanted a more permanent fix I would get a replacement drive and not buy a chip that may or may not solve the problem.

 

[Wiisel]

wode works without a drive connected idk about the cheaper alternatives but you may get away with a wiikey fusion.

you could always try a electronics repair shop they may have something lying around to do the job or bodge it up for you.

 

[WalkerOfTheDay]

I sent a Wii repair guy an email. Let's hope he can help me out cheap

 

[WalkerOfTheDay]

Unfortunately, he couldn't help me. Well he could, but I'd have to buy a new drive

I've sent DeadlyFoez the link to this topic, and will wait for his answer first.

If he doesn't have any other solution, I'll try the paper / tape thingy.

 

[DeadlyFoez]

I have a wii fully working without a drive in it at all. I have tested many different things on my tech wii without a drive connected and never once had a single issue.

 

[megazig]

Most things will work. There will be things compiled on older sdk doing drive checks that'll fail. But mostly it'll work

 

[DarkMatterCore]

I have a wii fully working without a drive in it at all. I have tested many different things on my tech wii without a drive connected and never once had a single issue.

Really? Because any official channel or any game launched with any USB Loader won't work in my case. The HBC and the injected SSB64 are the only things that do work (and the homebrew apps, of course).

Anyway, as I said before, if you don't want to buy a new drive just use SNEEK+DI.

 

[steve-p]

i tried about 18months ago, using firmware 3.2 and cfg-loader booted games fine.

however, there was a guy here at the time who wanted to fit a 2.5inch hd inplace of the dvd mech who couldnt get it to even boot into the main screen.

so it may be firmware version related.