I had my Wii U bricked since 2017 when I messed up the SSL module trying to bypass Miiverse restrictions. Everytime I turned on the console it freezed while loading the Wii U Menu.

I hadn't a NAND backup so it was dead with no hope of ever be revived... until now.

With the help of @GaryOderNichts I was able to fix it. He developed a custom version of his tool Bluubomb which is capable of reinstall the module. So, this is how we (he) did it:


First of all, please check the Bluubomb thread and get familiar with the tool. Also, neither me nor Gary are responsible for any further damage you could cause to your console.

You will need:

- A PC running Linux, in my case I used Ubuntu 21.10.
- A bluetooth adapter.
- A full sized SD card or a micro SD card with an adapter.

Step 1: Download and set the Bluubomb requirements.

1. Run

   sudo apt install build-essential libbluetooth-dev libglib2.0-dev libdbus-1-dev git

   to install the required dependencies.
2. Run

   git clone https://github.com/rnconrad/WiimoteEmulator && cd WiimoteEmulator

3. Run

   source ./build-custom.sh

   to build BlueZ.
   Don't worry if building the emulator itself fails due to missing SDL headers. Just continue with the next steps.
4. Stop the already running bluetooth service

   sudo systemctl disable --now bluetooth

5. Reboot
6. Run

   sudo hciconfig hci0 reset

7. Run

   cd WiimoteEmulator && sudo ./bluez-4.101/dist/sbin/bluetoothd -d -n

Step 2: Download and set Bluubomb.

1. Get the custom version of Bluubomb from here (it has a fix that Gary is preparing for a future release). Unzip it and copy it to the folder where you gonna exec it.
2. Open a new terminal and make the bluubomb file executable by running

   chmod +x bluubomb

Step 3: Download and run JNUSTool

1. Get JNUSTool from here and then download the 0005001b10054000 wup (I have a US console, check the corresponding wup for your region!).

Step 4: Download the custom Bluubomb kernel.

1. Get the custom kernel bin from here, unzip it and rename it to bluu_kern.bin

Step 5: Copy the payload to your SD card.

1. Format your SD card to FAT32.
2. Copy the bluu_kern.bin to the root of your SD card.
3. Create a folder named install to the root of your SD card. Copy the contents of the 0005001b10054000 wup to it.

Step 6: Set the console.

1. Insert your SD card.
2. Turn on your console, wait a couple of seconds and turn it off by long pressing the Power button. This will trigger the "Force the console to shut down" screen the next time you Power on.
3. Power on the console again and when you reach this screen, press the Sync button on your console, this will display the Sync screen.

Step 7: Run bluubomb on your computer.

1. Run

   sudo ./bluubomb

   and wait for the pairing process to complete.
   This might take a minute. If nothing occours after a while, press Ctrl + C and try again.

At this point Bluubomb should have sent the payload to the console and installed a fresh copy of the SSL module, if everything went right the console should reboot by itself and load correctly. If you copied the files wrong the console will Power off.

Thanks again to @GaryOderNichts for his help and patience.

 

[Windi]

Nice guide, this should help some people to revive their lost Wii U.

Also, me nor Gary are responsible for any further damage you could cause to your console.

I believe that there is a crucial word "neither" missing in that sentence^^
I am not a native speaker though, so correct me, if I am wrong

 

[JaapDaniels]

no arch support?

 

[testing_this]

Nice guide, this should help some people to revive their lost Wii U.

I believe that there is a crucial word "neither" missing in that sentence^^
I am not a native speaker though, so correct me, if I am wrong

Me neither, haha. Please someone rephrase that portion so I can correct it.

 

[PalindromicBreadLoaf]

Me neither, haha. Please someone rephrase that portion so I can correct it.

Yes, as a native speaker, it should say "Also, neither me nor Gary are responsible for any further damage you could cause to your console." But people should get the idea anyways.

 

[linuxares]

Mother of god... this is wonderful!

 

[The Real Jdbye]

That's useful.
Wonder if Bluubomb could also be used to fix CBHC bricks?

 

[linuxares]

That's useful.
Wonder if Bluubomb could also be used to fix CBHC bricks?

Oh that's a interesting idea. I hope it's possible!

 

[GaryOderNichts]

That's useful.
Wonder if Bluubomb could also be used to fix CBHC bricks?

Sadly not. The system menu has to be working to get to the pairing screen.

 

[mive]

....

1. Stop the already running bluetooth service

   sudo systemctl disable --now bluetooth

2. Reboot

...

Does just stopping bluetooth.service also work (systemctl stop) without reboot?

no arch support?

this should also work with arch (as with any other linux disto)
but instead of hciconfig you'll probably have to use either bluetoothctl or btmgmt

if you really need hciconfig, see https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/bluetooth#Deprecated_BlueZ_tools

edit:
hciconfig tool will be built if you compile bluez

 

[testing_this]

....

...

Does just stopping bluetooth.service also work (systemctl stop) without reboot?


this should also work with arch (as with any other linux disto)
but instead of hciconfig you'll probably have to use either bluetoothctl or btmgmt

if you really need hciconfig, see https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/bluetooth#Deprecated_BlueZ_tools

You have to reboot in order to prevent Simple Paring Mode to be stuck on Enabled.

See:

https://github.com/GaryOderNichts/bluubomb#simple-pairing-mode

https://gbatemp.net/threads/bluubomb-a-primary-wii-u-entrypoint-via-bluetooth.588522/post-9654196

 

[RGeeK]

Can i use this to replace the seeprom.bin of my old wii u which i bricked?

 

[GaryOderNichts]

Can i use this to replace the seeprom.bin of my old wii u which i bricked?

Why exactly do you want to "replace" your SEEPROM?

 

[RGeeK]

Why exactly do you want to "replace" your SEEPROM?

I was wrong, I wanted to talk about the sysprod.xml file sry. I bricked my old wii u in 2018, I replaced the sysprod.xml of my wii u by that of my friend who doesn't have the same wii u (not the same serial number), the solution for the unbrick will be to recreate the sysprod.xml of this wii u using the serial number written on the console. I saw tutorials on the internet with NAND DUMPER (I need a tency 2 or something like that I think) but I don't want to buy something to solder it to my console.

 

[GaryOderNichts]

I was wrong, I wanted to talk about the sysprod.xml file sry. I bricked my old wii u in 2018, I replaced the sysprod.xml of my wii u by that of my friend who doesn't have the same wii u (not the same serial number), the solution for the unbrick will be to recreate the sysprod.xml of this wii u using the serial number written on the console. I saw tutorials on the internet with NAND DUMPER (I need a tency 2 or something like that I think) but I don't want to buy something to solder it to my console.

If you can get to the pairing screen to pair a Wiimote, it should be possible.

 

[RGeeK]

If you can get to the pairing screen to pair a Wiimote, it should be possible.

I think not, if I understood correctly there are 2 scenarios, either we brick completely with an error code and a black background like me, or we freeze when launching the home menu

 

[gavinlai]

Is your custom kernel bin, only automatically install sd:/install/0005001b10054000/ title ? or all of the sd:/install/ titles will be installed?

 

[GaryOderNichts]

Is your custom kernel bin, only automatically install sd:/install/0005001b10054000/ title ? or all of the sd:/install/ titles will be installed?

Put the WUP directly into the install folder with no subfolders.

 

[gavinlai]

Put the WUP directly into the install folder with no subfolders.

Deleted

 

[gavinlai]

Put the WUP directly into the install folder with no subfolders.

Hi GaryOderNichts, I put bluu_kern.bin (from your attached) to SD:\, and put some wup files to sd:\install\

wup files in sd:\install\ folder like this:

But after I run sudo ./bluubomb and wait connected to console sent a payload, no any happen, no reboot, no shutdown.
The bluubomb version I tried your version(downloaded from your link) and the official bluubomb v5.