Tutorial  Updated

Region Changing the Wii U

The way I used to do it was tedious and was quite complex, however with the v2.0 release of the wafel_setup_mlc plugin, region changing has become much simpler.

It is identical to just rebuilding the MLC, but this has region changing specific notes added.

This does not change the region of the Gamepad, however you can still use an out-of-region gamepad with Aroma, which can be loaded with the wafel_payloader Stroopwafel plugin, so you don't need to worry about getting a Gamepad from the region you are changing to. If you do want to change the Gamepad region, there is a section at the end of the guide with instructions.

It also does not change the vWii region. If you want to region change the vWii as well, use vWii Decaffeinator on Light Mode to region change. I think you also need to regenerate the setting.txt.

Following this guide will wipe the MLC. You should back up any saves you care about before following. Its possible to do it without wiping the MLC, but you're on your own should you ta

Keep an OTP and SEEPROM backup. Nothing should go wrong, but it is better to have the most important backups and not need them vs. need them and not have them.

DO NOT UNINSTALL ISFSHAX AFTER ERASING THE MLC AND DELETING THE SCFM UNTIL YOU HAVE SUCCESSFULLY REBUILT THE MLC AND CONFIRMED EVERYTHING IS WORKING.
I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU FAIL TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS PROPERLY.

If you need support, you can join my server and ask in #help

What you need


  • Install isfshax. This is a requirement. You cannot region change without it. (You can also use de_Fuse, but at that point you probably already know what you are doing.)
    • Stop at the "Booting" section.
  • The release of the MLCRestorerDownloader for your OS.
  • The latest release of the MLC setup plugin.
  • The latest release of the Payloader plugin.
    • Get the 5payldr.ipx.
  • The latest Aroma files (If you have Aroma already, ignore this.)
    • Read and tick the 4 boxes -> Click on Download Payloads and Download Base Aroma

Downloading the MLC Titles


  1. Extract the MLCRestorerDownloader you downloaded.
  2. Copy the otp.bin into the extracted folder.
    1721326901000.png
  3. Open a command prompt / terminal (Linux/Mac only).
  4. cd into the directory with the MLCRestorerDownloader (ie. cd /Downloads/MLCRestorerDownloader) (Linux/Mac only).
  5. Run the application (ie .\MLCRestorerDownloader for Linux/Mac users). Windows users can just double click the .exe
  6. Type in 1 the for MLC titles.
  7. Type in the number for the region you want to change to (ie 2 for USA).
    1721326853774.png
  8. Wait for it to finish downloading. You can do part of the next section while you wait.

SD Setup


  1. Copy the wafel_setup_mlc.ipx to sd:/wiiu/ios_plugins.
  2. Copy the 5payldr.ipx to sd:/wiiu/ios_plugins.
    1747859617670.png
  3. Copy the two wiiu folders from the Aroma .zip files to the root of the SD.
  4. Make a folder called wafel_install on the root of the SD and copy all 52 MLC titles here.

Region Changing


  1. Boot the console.
    • If it does not automatically go into minute_minute, go install isfshax.
  2. Navigate to Backup and Restore.
  3. Select Erase MLC and then press EJECT to confirm.
    • If it tells you MLC Erase not allowed!, go install isfshax.
  4. Select Delete scfm.img and press EJECT to confirm.
    • If it tells you SCFM delete not allowed!, install isfshax and quit trying with no safety measures.
  5. Go back to the main menu and select Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc).
    • During the setup you won't use the screen and stay at the GO GO GO minute message. You have to go by the power led.
  6. Wait for the LED to start blinking blue, this means the setup has started. Wait for it to stop blinking, that is when the setup has finished.
  7. Shut off the console and put the SD back into your PC.
    • Almost everything should have returned 00000000.
    • SetInitialLaunch will have returned 1.
    • If Set Region to X returned error FFFBFFEE, ask for help. That should not happen.
    • Otherwise boot the console again (select Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc)), and you should be greeted with initial setup. Success!

Region Changing the Gamepad


  1. Download the latest release of DRXUtil and copy it to sd:/wiiu/apps.
  2. Launch DRXUtil from the Wii U Menu.
    • If it doesn't show up, press L + DPAD Down + Select on the Gamepad and set the "Hide all .rpx" configuration in the "Homebrew on Wii U Menu Plugin" to false.
  3. Select Flash firmware.
  4. Select Built-in Firmware Patches. Read the warning, then select Continue.
  5. Read the second warning, then select Continue.
    • With the patched firmware, the Gamepad will now show "Modified Firmware" while booting up.
  6. Select Set region and select the target region.
    • Note that Japan/Americas/Europe are the only regions that are actually used.
  7. Press A to confirm. Press B to go back to the main screen.
  8. Select Show DRC/DRH information and verify that the region under DRC info has been set to the one you selected.
  9. Press B to go back to the main screen and select Flash firmware.
  10. Select Original Firmware. Read the warning then select Continue.
  11. Read the second warning, then select Continue.
  12. Wait for the firmware to flash. Press B once finished and go back to the Wii U Menu.
  13. Launch System Settings, select Console Information (Icon with a red Console/Gamepad), select Set System Language, and select the target language. This will change the Gamepad language.
  14. Once it's finished, you're done!

After Region Changing


You can keep isfshax installed, or you can uninstall it. I would keep it, so you can load Aroma on boot without needing to install PayloadLoader, or as some form of 'brick protection'. You can set up autobooting in minute to have it automatically load IOSU. Instructions for that are on the isfshax guide.

Credits


@SDIO: isfshax setup guides, the wafel_setup_mlc plugin, help get the PoC to work, cleaning up my code, making the region fixer more sane...
@shinyquagsire23: de_Fuse, minute_minute, and stroopwafel
@GaryOderNichts: Also help me get the PoC working, DRXUtil
@rw-r-r_0644: Finding isfshax and implementing it
 
Last edited by Lazr1026,
@neverendsDull
After "Rebuild MLC", to European region (EUR), the system started up and the initial installation began.
But during the initial installation process, the console froze (after selecting languages and region).
Now the console starts only in a "minute"

I did "Rebuild MLC" again
Everything is fine in the log wafel_setup_mlc.log
screen-2.png

During the "Rebuild MLC" process, the LED flashes blue (for about 15 minutes) then remains solid blue.

I turn off the console.
Checking wafel_setup_mlc.log
I delete wafel_setup_mlc.ipx

I run "Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc)" again
But nothing further happens.
screen-1.jpg


What can i do next?
 
Last edited by xstas13,
Hello, just wanted to say huge thanks for this guide - worked perfectly and my Japan console is now European. No hurdles at all.

Thanks again!
 
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Reactions: Lazr1026
Redownload the mlc titles, make sure all 52 were downloaded, then do the erase mlc and delete scfm.img again and try the setup again.
 
My console is getting stuck at this point:

5. Go back to the main menu and select Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc).

20240712_085352.jpg


It stays on this screen (after hearing the disc eject twice) I left it on over night and nothing changed. I also went ahead and redid steps 1-4. Any help?

No log is being created.

Here is my SD card as well.

Capture.PNG


All 52 MLC inside folder. I even redownloaded them to be sure it didn't miss any.

**Apparently i was missing the wafel_isfshax_patch.ipx from my plugins.
 
Last edited by Atrophie,
Hello @Lazr1026
Can you help me, pease :)
After changing the region, my console is not able to loading the system.

I have a console (JPN) region.
It has NAND-AID installed
I downloaded (52 titles) for (EUR) by “MLCRestorerDownloader”, and did “Rebuild MLC” according to the instructions from this thread.

After installing all the Titles, the system started up normally, in English.
The system asked for the language for Wii U, then asked for the language for Wii, then asked for Region. After selecting a region, the console has frozen.
I forcibly turned it off (holding the power button).

Now the system won't start. Only loads in “minute”.
Repeated “Rebuild MLC” on (EUR) or on (JPN) does not help.
I tried using MLCRestorerDownloader on cmd but I don't understand what to type.
 

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Last edited by T9PRO,
It looks like it crashed for some reason.
Looks like you are on windows 7. Not sure if that is supported by the downloader.
Using Windows 7 on the Internet isn't a good idea anyway, since it's not getting security updates from Microsoft anymore
 
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It looks like it crashed for some reason.
Looks like you are on windows 7. Not sure if that is supported by the downloader.
Using Windows 7 on the Internet isn't a good idea anyway, since it's not getting security updates from Microsoft anymore
Thank you very much.
It's now 4:05 A.M. here. Tomorrow I'm going to do it on a friend's computer.
Post automatically merged:

It looks like it crashed for some reason.
Looks like you are on windows 7. Not sure if that is supported by the downloader.
Using Windows 7 on the Internet isn't a good idea anyway, since it's not getting security updates from Microsoft anymore
I downloaded 2 sets each of MLC JPN and USA.
Do I have to use a different SD card? By copying every file from the 65MB SD CARD to the larger SD CARD because of the one being used. There is little space. Unable to include all MLC files.
Because I tried turning on the device without an SD CARD and couldn't enter minute.

I tried it with an SD CARD that didn't flash BOOT1 and it worked fine and I had to dump SLC.RAW again because I just realized that That is is incorrect -.-... Due to the lack of space, the dump is incomplete.
Post automatically merged:

It looks like it crashed for some reason.
Looks like you are on windows 7. Not sure if that is supported by the downloader.
Using Windows 7 on the Internet isn't a good idea anyway, since it's not getting security updates from Microsoft anymore

I have successfully installed MLC2SD(Hard ware), but I haven't run the program yet. I would like to know if it is possible to install MLC that is downloaded to emmc or not. Can it be done through the nand aid process?
After that, I will remove the MLC2SD.

Thank you very much for leading me to this point.

ไอคอนยืนยันโดยชุมชน
 
Last edited by T9PRO,
It looks like it crashed for some reason.
Looks like you are on windows 7. Not sure if that is supported by the downloader.
Using Windows 7 on the Internet isn't a good idea anyway, since it's not getting security updates from Microsoft anymore
I have looked at changing the region from Mr. Lazr1026, so I know that I didn't have to install the MLC2SD and it worked fine.
After that, I got error 155-0206. A member recommended using UDPIH. Which one should I choose? Because I don't know what happened.

I'm going to go see. Manually fixing the sys_prod
 

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Last edited by T9PRO,
So I see Set region to 2:, FFFBFFEE. That means I have to change the sys_prod manually. correct? Doing JPN system to US.

If I follow the manually sysprod update, do I have to still delete wafel_setup_mlc.ipx before running that?
 
Last edited by MetroidTalon,
What are the downsides to this? As far as I can tell - you can change the console firmware (including language/notifications) to PAL/EUR, and change the Wii mode too. What about the pad, are you saying the pad will no longer natively work with the console and requires booting into Aroma to be compatible? Will the pad itself display anything in Japanese or is it just a peripheral that receives from the console?

edit: okay I've done this now. yes, you can change the wii u console firmware and it will appear to be entirely in your language, I haven't seen any japanese since I changed it. the vwii required a bit of an extra fix, I had to edit the vwii settings, then use vwii decaffeinator to remove the system and menu manual channels, then disable aroma, bring back my updates folder and use an old version (1.0) of wafel forwarder in Minute because the latest version blocks system updates and doesn't allow an update. and with all that, the vwii does appear english and european.

however, the pad needs aroma to be compatible from what I understand and would not natively work.. though... I haven't noticed it not working? works for me even when aroma is off when I boot from minute. however, when the gamepad loses connection or when I turn it on before the wii u is booted, it's in japanese. changing that would require a hardware mod from what I've read. but this is fine
 
Last edited by Alexrose,
Hello. I'm stuck in "Copy the two wiiu folders from the Aroma .zip files to the root of the SD." section. I have already an Aroma for My Wii U. So can i skip this section? Is it for Aroma instal or something alse?
Post automatically merged:

Hello. I'm stuck in "Copy the two wiiu folders from the Aroma .zip files to the root of the SD." section. I have already an Aroma for My Wii U. So can i skip this section? Is it for Aroma instal or something alse?
I did already without replace wii folders and when i select "Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc)", this happened. Is this normal?

NOTE: Still no blue light, i guess setup is not working right now
Post automatically merged:

Hello. I'm stuck in "Copy the two wiiu folders from the Aroma .zip files to the root of the SD." section. I have already an Aroma for My Wii U. So can i skip this section? Is it for Aroma instal or something alse?
Post automatically merged:


I did already without replace wii folders and when i select "Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc)", this happened. Is this normal?

NOTE: Still no blue light, i guess setup is not working right now
Anyway i solved already, for some reaseon there is no plugins files, but i was sure i added thise files. I added again and then it's worked.
 

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Last edited by AhmetOmer,
Hello. I'm stuck in "Copy the two wiiu folders from the Aroma .zip files to the root of the SD." section. I have already an Aroma for My Wii U. So can i skip this section? Is it for Aroma instal or something alse?
Post automatically merged:


I did already without replace wii folders and when i select "Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc)", this happened. Is this normal?

NOTE: Still no blue light, i guess setup is not working right now
Post automatically merged:


Anyway i solved already, for some reaseon there is no plugins files, but i was sure i added thise files. I added again and then it's worked.
hey everyone, I am getting the same error shown here. I checked all the ios_plugins files multiple times and everything is up-to-date.
I followed the guide and everything was working perfectly until I tried "Booting without SD" section. Since then, I cant load back in to wii u or get passed the "Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc)" button

Currently I am trying to delete and re-install MLC in case it would help but can't get past this "abort type: Alignment" error.

Since "booting without SD" had something to do copying the hax folder to the slc, is there anyway I could recover my dumped slc through minute?

Sorry if they are dumb questions, still trying to grasp the procedures
 

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Last edited by sysdr,
it just looks like you are either missing the plugins on the sd card or the sd card isn't detected.
Try dumping otp and seeprom and see if that works or if it gives you also an error.
Also check that you have the wafel_core.ipx in the ios_plugins folder in the wii u folder on the SD.

Also since you copied the stuff on the slc, did you try to just boot the first option, loading everything from slc?
 
it just looks like you are either missing the plugins on the sd card or the sd card isn't detected.
Try dumping otp and seeprom and see if that works or if it gives you also an error.
Also check that you have the wafel_core.ipx in the ios_plugins folder in the wii u folder on the SD.

Also since you copied the stuff on the slc, did you try to just boot the first option, loading everything from slc?
Thank you for all the suggestions SDIO ^^ I have spent the whole weekend wrestling with this.

When I try booting the first option, loading from slc I get to the "Jumping to IOS... GO GO GO" and nothing happens.

1722776711447.jpeg


It failed to dump otp and seeprom. Does that indicate an issue with the sd card?

1722776730931.jpeg
1722776867502.png


All the plugins seem okay :(

1722776652821.png
 
You are missing the isfshax plugin on the slc...
And yes that looks like for some reason your SD card doesn't work properly in minute. I guess that has something to do that minute is now loaded from slc so the SD card wasn't initialized by ISFShax. Normally it should work, but the SD stuff is always a little finicky.
You should be able to use the Patch ISFShax and boot IOS (slc) to boot with minimal patches. You can then load Aroma either from the browser exploit or from the H&S app if you had the Payloadloader installed.
Then you can use FTP to add the isfshax_patch plugin to the slc.

We already saw that once in the past, maybe I make a minute later, that allows us to see where it fails.
You could also try another SD card just to see if that makes a difference.
 

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