Method to tell if a Wii can install BootMii as boot2 from the outside

TONS HAVE CONFUSED THE RVL-REGION with the MODEL NUMBER. DO NOT CONFUSE THEM.

This is a bit of an odd one. This is something that isn't even very often talked about, but it came to my eye recently.

I was looking at my stack of Wiis, and while looking at them, I noticed something on the sticker: "RVL-USA". But on my other Wiis, "RVL-USA-1". What gives? Well, as it turns out, we are blind. We have all been blind the entire time. Nobody realized that this signifies a Wii's age.

I will say right now, if your Wii is not white, or doesn't have GameCube ports, it is guaranteed to be too new for BootMii as boot2.

Previously we had to rely on the serial numbers of the Wii's to find the answer to this question, but now that's only being used to tell the accuracy of this method.

Attached I have two wii's here:

1737933966588.png
1737934010165.png


One of these can install BootMii as boot2, and one of them can't. What gives? How can you tell?

Well, neither of these are my Wii's, but on my own Wii's this is accurate. I will be using the old serial number USA console exclusive method to tell these apart:
The LU32 console can install BootMii as boot2, but the LU64 console can't.

DO NOT CONFUSE THE MODEL NUMBER. LOOK AT THE BOTTOM LEFT OR BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE STICKER, DEPENDING ON THE REGION.

Well, if you take a look, you see RVL-REGION on these Wii's on the bottom LEFT. On a European Wii, the RVL-REGION is on the RIGHT. Depending on your region, this will tell you which area to look.
1737934212591.png


If there is a 1 after the RVL-REGION (ex RVL-USA-1), then that means the board is at least an RVL-CPU-20 (though some RVL-CPU-20s are compatible, it is very inconsistent and the risk should not be taken of gambling if they can install BootMii as boot2 if you're just buying a Wii for something.) 99% of the time this means the Wii is too new.

If there is NO 1 after the RVL-REGION (ex just RVL-USA), then the Wii is guaranteed to be able to install BootMii as boot2. It will be either an RVL-CPU-01 or an RVL-CPU-10.

This could also be used to tell if a Wii is newer if you're looking for a 4 layer White wii for some reason.

I hope this helps somebody.

It is very interesting this was not found long ago.
 
Last edited by Aep,

CMDreamer

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2014
Messages
1,964
Trophies
2
Age
39
XP
4,222
Country
Mexico
Thanks for the info.

Wasn't a "non written rule" that all Wii console's without NGC controller ports weren't compatible to install BootMii as boot2?

At least that was what I had believed.

How about those console's that got their cases replaced by the user for any given reason?
Seeing at the serial numbers would not guarantee this method would work at a high rate.

Consider the Wii console was released in N.A. on November 19th, 2006, so its almost 20 years old and not many of them have survived without harm to their software and/or hardware.

But anyway, thank again for the info.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CoolMe

Aep

Active Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Jan 10, 2025
Messages
25
Trophies
0
Age
17
XP
98
Country
United States
Thanks for the info.

Wasn't a "non written rule" that all Wii console's without NGC controller ports weren't compatible to install BootMii as boot2?

At least that was what I had believed.

How about those console's that got their cases replaced by the user for any given reason?
Seeing at the serial numbers would not guarantee this method would work at a high rate.

Consider the Wii console was released in N.A. on November 19th, 2006, so its almost 20 years old and not many of them have survived without harm to their software and/or hardware.

But anyway, thank again for the info.
If the shell was swapped well theres no way to guarantee anything obviously.

And yes that is a non written rule that some might not know lol

And yea serial number was inconsistent, this is 99% accurate.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CoolMe and WG481

master801

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2011
Messages
1,328
Trophies
1
XP
2,915
Country
United States
How about those console's that got their cases replaced by the user for any given reason?
Seeing at the serial numbers would not guarantee this method would work at a high rate.
Actually, I managed to buy 2 Wii consoles that were bootmii (boot2) compatible based purely on serial numbers from that list of user contributed experiences.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aep

Aep

Active Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Jan 10, 2025
Messages
25
Trophies
0
Age
17
XP
98
Country
United States
Actually, I managed to buy 2 Wii consoles that were bootmii (boot2) compatible based purely on serial numbers from that list of user contributed experiences.
Yeah that's what I used to do too, now until I figured this out today.
 

Bot-Dott

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Feb 3, 2025
Messages
3
Trophies
0
Age
25
XP
6
Country
Argentina
So if it says "MODEL NO.RVL-ARG-001" (I'm from Argentina) technically it wouldn't be possible because why does it have to say "MODEL NO.RVL-ARG"?
 

Aep

Active Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Jan 10, 2025
Messages
25
Trophies
0
Age
17
XP
98
Country
United States
So if it says "MODEL NO.RVL-ARG-001" (I'm from Argentina) technically it wouldn't be possible because why does it have to say "MODEL NO.RVL-ARG"?
again, do not confuse the model number

look at the bottom left/right
i should add circled pictures
RVL-ARG = good
RVL-ARG-1 = patched boot1 potential
 

Bot-Dott

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Feb 3, 2025
Messages
3
Trophies
0
Age
25
XP
6
Country
Argentina
again, do not confuse the model number

look at the bottom left/right
i should add circled pictures
RVL-ARG = good
RVL-ARG-1 = patched boot1 potential
It appears to me as RVL-ARG(B)
 

Attachments

  • 20250203_183333.jpg
    20250203_183333.jpg
    13.5 KB · Views: 2

Bot-Dott

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Feb 3, 2025
Messages
3
Trophies
0
Age
25
XP
6
Country
Argentina
Interesting. But the Wii is black, so it is already guaranteed to not support it.
So in addition to the ports for the GameCube controller, the serial number and the RVL digit, the color of the console also influences or is taken into account.
 

Aep

Active Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Jan 10, 2025
Messages
25
Trophies
0
Age
17
XP
98
Country
United States
So in addition to the ports for the GameCube controller, the serial number and the RVL digit, the color of the console also influences or is taken into account.
This post only applies mainly to wiis that are both white and have GameCube ports, as those are the ones that could potentially support bootmii as boot2
 

lwiz

May sarcasm turn my tongue into a crisp
Member
GBAtemp Patron
Joined
Sep 23, 2012
Messages
428
Trophies
2
Age
54
XP
1,344
Country
Finland
White Euro Wii with GC ports but patched boot, RVL-EUR-1. Starting to look surefire way of checking the vulnerability. Still, not enough data to be 100% sure.
 

Aep

Active Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Jan 10, 2025
Messages
25
Trophies
0
Age
17
XP
98
Country
United States
White Euro Wii with GC ports but patched boot, RVL-EUR-1. Starting to look surefire way of checking the vulnerability. Still, not enough data to be 100% sure.
We haven't found an inaccurate Wii yet.
Post automatically merged:

We haven't found an inaccurate Wii yet.
that wasnt shell swapped
 

lwiz

May sarcasm turn my tongue into a crisp
Member
GBAtemp Patron
Joined
Sep 23, 2012
Messages
428
Trophies
2
Age
54
XP
1,344
Country
Finland
While I completely believe you're right, ~10 Wiis are statistically too small a sample to make anything but an assumption yet.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SylverReZ

bryceshaw06

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Oct 5, 2022
Messages
5
Trophies
0
Age
24
Location
Indiana
XP
208
Country
United States
Yes, it's based on the revision of the Wii. I can't post links currently, but you can lookup "Identifying a Wii's Revision Based off of Serial Numbers" on bitbuilt and find a list of Wii's serial numbers compared to the revisions. Much larger sample size

Thanks for this post
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aep

Aep

Active Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Jan 10, 2025
Messages
25
Trophies
0
Age
17
XP
98
Country
United States
Yes, it's based on the revision of the Wii. I can't post links currently, but you can lookup "Identifying a Wii's Revision Based off of Serial Numbers" on bitbuilt and find a list of Wii's serial numbers compared to the revisions. Much larger sample size

Thanks for this post
(from shank i think)
 

Attachments

  • chart.png
    chart.png
    1 MB · Views: 1

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    _Ruri_ @ _Ruri_: @Xdqwerty, Thank you 👍 +1