Hacking Reasons behind semi-bricking

[mwaddoups]

With the advent of trucha signer, I am looking at a hack for changing the language on a JAP wii to english. I was wondering if anyone knew the more technical reasons behind why a semi-brick happens when you update with the wrong firmware, rather than the firmware simply changing to (for example) 3.1J to 3.2E, with the correct language. Is the actual hardware in the different region Wii's different, or is there some other reason behind it? I'm trying to work out how you could apply a later update to a JAP wii that would change the language, rather than simply make settings inaccessible.


Many thanks for the info, and I apologise in advance for any dumb mistakes or inconsistencies in this post, I'm tired as hell atm.

 

[aaa2]

It could be that it is like the Xbox360 where there is a kernel installed right from the start and with the updates there are only patches coming. As a result you would always end up with a base firmware with wrong patches causing semi-brick

 

[Scorpei]

One advice before you start playing around with this, install a infectus or something similar --> makes you able to revert your screwups/tests

.

 

[Shuny]

Firmware updates doesn't replace the entire firmware. Maybe if you update from 2.0e to 3.2j it might replace the entire firmware and change the entire language - but I think nobody tried.

When you do a small update, like 3.0 to 3.1, it will only update some files like channels and the configuration menu, maybe to show the right version number.

 

[moquette]

Hi,

i have done some similar search few month ago, and the result is on WUM website on the development page.

I created WUM because i needed a soft who can replace any update partition in any iso file. And with this tools and its users feedback, i have made a database with all the updates.
Since WiiTools is disponible, I decrypted all updates and looked inside. Here is the result : http://wum.talevas.com/inside.html

With this table you can easily understand how games updates works.

Have fun

 

[Manny2319]

I have sort of the same problem. I cant access my wii settings or update my wii, so its only semi-bricked. What I did was play the Jap. Version of SSBB and now I cant do these things, I really don't know how to fix it.

 

[moquette]

if you semi bricked with SSBB JAP, you need to wait for a new game update (maybe Mario Kart Wii, as many new updates comes with nintendo developped games)...

I know it is hard to wait, i had to do it when i was semi bricked 2.2U on my JAP Wii, i had to wait for SMG JAP with the 3.0J firmware...

But after all, this wait will keep you in mind to be carefull in the future

keep waiting guy