Hacking Restoring a Wii to official only iOS's

[Storm101]

I play GameCube backups on my Wii but I need to send it in for repairs. So I want to get rid of all the custom iOS's and restore it to the default official stuff. Is there any program that can do this?

 

[techboy]

Restoring your IOSes won't do much. AFAIK, there's no way to completely remove homebrew (often called "virginize") a wii. Even if they do fix it, you'll wish they didn't. They'll send you back a wii that can't run bootmii/boot2 or play backup DVDs (this means NO GC backups!).

You're better off fixing it yourself. What's wrong with it? Dead DVD drive?

 

[Storm101]

Disc read error problems on every disc. Even worse on dual-layered games. Cleaning kit doesn't seem to do anything.

 

[JoostinOnline]

Disc read error problems on every disc. Even worse on dual-layered games. Cleaning kit doesn't seem to do anything.

Every disc as in retail and copies? Also, what do you mean about dual layer being worse?

 

[Storm101]

Yeah even on legit retail discs. And what I mean by worse is that the DREs are more frequent on dual-layered discs. I can always start up the game, but I'll get a DRE every 30 minutes to an hour while playing.

 

[some1ne]

Why dont you buy an HDD and backup your games ?

 

[JoostinOnline]

Yeah even on legit retail discs. And what I mean by worse is that the DREs are more frequent on dual-layered discs. I can always start up the game, but I'll get a DRE every 30 minutes to an hour while playing.

Your drive is dying, probably because you have been using backup discs (hard on the lens). Buy a HDD and rip your games to it. There is a compatibility list on the wiki.

As for GC backups, you can't play them from a HDD. Take a look at DIOS-MIOS Lite and Swiss for your options there.

 

[Storm101]

I've had this problem long before I started playing backups. And an HDD isn't going to do me any good, I need to be able to play GC backups on my Wii.

 

[some1ne]

I think there's a GC USB Loader on the internet, isnt there ?

 

[some1ne]

DIOS-MIOS does not use the Wii's backwards compatibility, but a "GameCube Emulator" in the main processor.

 

[JoostinOnline]

I've had this problem long before I started playing backups. And an HDD isn't going to do me any good, I need to be able to play GC backups on my Wii.

Oh, I thought you were getting errors on Wii discs.

You aren't going to get GC games running unless you replace the disc drive with another one capable of reading backups or start using Swiss/DML.

 

[XFlak]

Restoring your IOSes won't do much. AFAIK, there's no way to completely remove homebrew (often called "virginize") a wii. Even if they do fix it, you'll wish they didn't. They'll send you back a wii that can't run bootmii/boot2 or play backup DVDs (this means NO GC backups!).

You're better off fixing it yourself. What's wrong with it? Dead DVD drive?

not true, it's not without risks but check this out
http://gbatemp.net/t279750-ohneswanzenegge...try-pc-software

 

[techboy]

I've had this problem long before I started playing backups. And an HDD isn't going to do me any good, I need to be able to play GC backups on my Wii.
Oh, I thought you were getting errors on Wii discs.

You aren't going to get GC games running unless you replace the disc drive with another one capable of reading backups or start using Swiss/DML.

If you intend to replace the DVD drive, they can be had for $40-$80 depending on model. Models D3-2 and D4 will NOT play backups. All models fit in all wiis. Installing it takes an hour, and you'll need a triwing screwdriver to get the wii apart. Youtube has videos on how to replace it.

QUOTE

not true, it's not without risks but check this out
http://gbatemp.net/t279750-ohneswanzenegge...try-pc-software

Forgot about that...I saw it a while back but never had a reason to use it.

Also, you really need bootmii/boot2 to use that safely, so it's not ideal for virginizing a newer console. Using bootmii IOS would be almost begging for a brick.

 

[jskyboo]

Restoring your IOSes won't do much. AFAIK, there's no way to completely remove homebrew (often called "virginize") a wii. Even if they do fix it, you'll wish they didn't. They'll send you back a wii that can't run bootmii/boot2 or play backup DVDs (this means NO GC backups!).

You're better off fixing it yourself. What's wrong with it? Dead DVD drive?

not true, it's not without risks but check this out
http://gbatemp.net/t279750-ohneswanzenegge...try-pc-software

Well unless you write that with a flash programmer you would still be leaving a trail behind that Nintendo could see. And even so, don't you still have to desolder the nand chip to use a flash programmer and then resolder it back on. So unless you are really really good with a solder iron Nintendo would still be able to tell you messed with the Wii. So at least for most people trying to virginize a Wii so that Nintendo can't tell it has been hacked is still futile.

 

[techboy]

Restoring your IOSes won't do much. AFAIK, there's no way to completely remove homebrew (often called "virginize") a wii. Even if they do fix it, you'll wish they didn't. They'll send you back a wii that can't run bootmii/boot2 or play backup DVDs (this means NO GC backups!).

You're better off fixing it yourself. What's wrong with it? Dead DVD drive?

not true, it's not without risks but check this out
http://gbatemp.net/t279750-ohneswanzenegge...try-pc-software

Well unless you write that with a flash programmer you would still be leaving a trail behind that Nintendo could see. And even so, don't you still have to desolder the nand chip to use a flash programmer and then resolder it back on. So unless you are really really good with a solder iron Nintendo would still be able to tell you messed with the Wii. So at least for most people trying to virginize a Wii so that Nintendo can't tell it has been hacked is still futile.

I don't think you don't need to remove the IC to flash it. IIRC, Infectus can be hooked up using the vias on some boards, or wires can be soldered to the legs of the IC.

But, if you know how to do any of the above, you're more than capable of fixing the wii yourself...

 

[JoostinOnline]

None of this really matters since it is a hardware issue and the drive will get replaced if he sends it to Nintendo.

 

[Taleweaver]

Using bootmii IOS would be almost begging for a brick.

Erm...is it me, or is the use of bootmii as IOS to restore a backup getting worse and worse over time?

A few years ago, it was "if you have the choice between IOS and boot2, use boot2". Then it was "it's better to use boot2". Later, it became "there is a chance to full-brick your wii with bootmii as IOS". Even later, I've heard things like "it's dangerous to use bootmii/IOS to restore your nand". And now your statement. I mean...bootmii hasn't seen updates, so I'm thinking it's rather the "risk warning" that gets an upgrade every so often.

@jskyboo: I'm too lazy to do the search, but I'm pretty sure Giantpune mentioned somewhere that you COULD a ohneswanseneggered wii to nintendo and they wouldn't be able to see the trail. It was even tested at some point.
Now I know that doesn't exactly proves it (perhaps the nintendo repairman just did basic tests rather than the full checkup), but I think that it's the safest bet IF you really are going to send it back.



...but as Joostin mentioned: that would be a bad idea in this case. I've heard more than one testimony that nintendo replaces the drive with a D3-2 one, even if the original problem has nothing to do with the drive to begin with. So if the OP wants to keep backup gamecube discs, then that isn't an option. The alternatives are already mentioned in this thread.

 

[techboy]

Using bootmii IOS would be almost begging for a brick.
Erm...is it me, or is the use of bootmii as IOS to restore a backup getting worse and worse over time?

A few years ago, it was "if you have the choice between IOS and boot2, use boot2". Then it was "it's better to use boot2". Later, it became "there is a chance to full-brick your wii with bootmii as IOS". Even later, I've heard things like "it's dangerous to use bootmii/IOS to restore your nand". And now your statement. I mean...bootmii hasn't seen updates, so I'm thinking it's rather the "risk warning" that gets an upgrade every so often.

I was basing that on ohneswansenegger only. Because the app makes such drastic changes to the dump (or builds a completely new one), there's no guarantee it'll even boot afterwards. While the risks of making brick-NANDs are very low with this app (assuming it's used correctly, user error definitely increases the odds), bootmii/boot2 would still be better since flashing a malformed NAND would be an instant full-brick with Bootmii IOS.

@jskyboo: I'm too lazy to do the search, but I'm pretty sure Giantpune mentioned somewhere that you COULD a ohneswanseneggered wii to nintendo and they wouldn't be able to see the trail.

He mentions it in the program's topic (in the feature list):
QUOTE

"undetectable by nintendo's "pre-repair check" disc ( removes all traces of homebrew )"

 

[jskyboo]

@jskyboo: I'm too lazy to do the search, but I'm pretty sure Giantpune mentioned somewhere that you COULD a ohneswanseneggered wii to nintendo and they wouldn't be able to see the trail.
He mentions it in the program's topic (in the feature list):
QUOTE"undetectable by nintendo's "pre-repair check" disc ( removes all traces of homebrew )"

I was just pointing out if you used bootmii to write it to flash that you would then have to remove bootmii. That would leave a trace that is detectable. Maybe Nintendo doesn't always look THAT closely but they could. But anyways as Joostin pointed out this still isn't going to help the OP and the options he has have already been mentioned.

 

[DeadlyFoez]

I've used punes app many many times. I've never had it make a nonworking nand for me. But just in case, after you are done having punes app build the nand for you, you should run it through punes NandBinCheck app to make sure that everything is correct with it.

In all reality, either way it would be a win for the OP. If the nand made by punes app works, then great, but if it fails then oh well, it will still get replaced by nintendo either way and they wont find any homebrew on it.

Personally, I would just fix it myself instead of sending it to nintendo.

I was just pointing out if you used bootmii to write it to flash that you would then have to remove bootmii. That would leave a trace that is detectable. Maybe Nintendo doesn't always look THAT closely but they could. But anyways as Joostin pointed out this still isn't going to help the OP and the options he has have already been mentioned.

If done with bootmii IOS and bootmii was never installed to boot2 then yes it would remove all traces. Even if bootmii was installed to boot2 then all you do is run the hackmii installer from bootmii and uninstall bootmii when you first turn on the wii. All traces gone. well... there are some that argue that not all traces are gone...