Hacking [Tutorial] How to port Preloader hacks.ini

[Bloodlust]

I'll give an arm and a leg for 4.0/4.1J hacks...

 

[arasium]

It doesn't work for all hacks...

In 4.0E to 4.1E, the "replace health warning screen" 000000008.app doesn't contain the same hex code!!

So i can't find it in the new system Menu.

Do you know how to do in case like this?

 

[SifJar]

It doesn't work for all hacks...

In 4.0E to 4.1E, the "replace health warning screen" 000000008.app doesn't contain the same hex code!!

So i can't find it in the new system Menu.

Do you know how to do in case like this?
In that case, you cant port it with this method. What did you search, just the four hex values, or a few either side as well? If you had some eithere side, try removing them and leaving just the four hex values. If you still can't find it, it can't be ported with this method.

EDIT: This has been ported, using this method I believe. Maybe you made a mistake? I did make a few amendments to the method, so please try again. I think I actually had an error or two in there, but it should be OK now.

QUOTE(jurai @ Jul 20 2009, 01:49 AM) perhaps someone should write an automated app which can scan new system menu's for the old known values and spit out the offsets for new system menu versions?

This isnt a bad idea, but is probably more hassle than its worth. Only one person needs the program really, then they can release the hacks.ini, so it would be almost pointless spending time on an app which wont be used much. Only needs to be used a couple of times when a new system menu gets released. If I had the programming knowledge to do such a thing, I'd give it a go, but I dont.

EDIT: Added screenshots to first post. Should be easier to understand now, I think.

 

[bdr9]

The 4.1U Hacks.ini is now on wiibrew.org!!

http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Preloader/hacks

 

[SifJar]

The 4.1U Hacks.ini is now on wiibrew.org!!

http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Preloader/hacks

Cool. Well, maybe this will be useful for future System Menus.

 

[Dteyn]

I was gonna suggest the automated program idea as well, for someone with decent VB chops it shouldn't be too hard to simply parse the hacks.ini file, and automatically search the 00000008.app files for the code to patch. Then keep a database of pre-hack values, to search for in new 00000008.app files. All it involves is parsing of the text and binary files and applying new values.

I have some VB experience and could help with the GUI and odds and ends, and could even build a database of pre-hack search values. Unfortunately my VB skills aren't that refined when it comes to parsing and file management, it would likely take me a lot of time to learn the necessary commands/methods etc for proper text parsing and file management.

I think an app like this would be useful, on one hand like SifJar said it is a lot of work for a small gain, but it would help with both new system menus as well as new preloader hacks. Some people still stick with the older system menu versions and could get some use out of newer preloader hacks that haven't been ported to the older system menu's.

Just my two cents.

Edit: oops typo lol

 

[SifJar]

on one hand like SifJar it is a lot of work for a small gain,

haha - I'm a lot of work for small gain? LOL

 

[Dteyn]

on one hand like SifJar it is a lot of work for a small gain,

haha - I'm a lot of work for small gain? LOL

 

[nubecoder]

perhaps someone should write an automated app which can scan new system menu's for the old known values and spit out the offsets for new system menu versions?

This isnt a bad idea, but is probably more hassle than its worth. Only one person needs the program really, then they can release the hacks.ini, so it would be almost pointless spending time on an app which wont be used much. Only needs to be used a couple of times when a new system menu gets released. If I had the programming knowledge to do such a thing, I'd give it a go, but I dont.

I thought of this as I was reading the guide. I did a very similar thing in the past for another project.

When I get some free time I'll look into throwing something together. Should be fairly easy.

 

[SifJar]

Oh cool. That'll make it much easier when new System Menus are released then.

 

[arasium]

I've done an app that implement your method.

But, in fact, it's would never really work for all the hacks because some hacks are different beetween versions of system menus.

The source isn't really the same, a byte can differ (in unmodified 0000008.app) so we can't find it. For exemple:
- "Replace Healthwarning with Backmenu" aren't identical
- "Skip disc update check" has some identical offset and some not
- etc...

So perhaps i've not understand your method, but i think this cannot be done with an application. An application can help, but a human is needed.

I can post my source code if you want to check (C#)

 

[SifJar]

Well, I'm no programmer, but I think thsis should be possible by an app. Basically what the app needs to do is open a file in hex and then search for a string and find the address of the fifth hex value in that string, then add a hex value to it and spit it out. I dont see why this shouldnt be possible. It wont work for all hacks, but niether will this method. Some hacks are too advanced and cant be found with this method I think. But those that can, could be found with this app. Am I wrong in thinking that is app is possible?

 

[WiiCrazy]

Dudes, find the raven's menu loader clone app in wiibrew (http://www.wiibrew.org/wiki/Menu_Loader_Clone)

in that app, patches are defined as below,

ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ1,
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ{"Game IOS version"},
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ{
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ0x7F, 0x06, 0xC3, 0x78,
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ0x7F, 0x25, 0xCB, 0x78,
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ0x38, 0x7E, 0x02, 0xC0,
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ0x4c, 0xc6, 0x31, 0x82
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ},
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ{
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ0x3B, 0x20, 0x00, 0x01,
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ0x3B, 0x00, 0x00, 0xFFÂÂ//xx
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ},
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ16, 8, 0,
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂTYPE_TABLE,
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂNULL, NULL, 0, 7, 0,
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ0, 0,
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ0, 0
ÂÂÂÂ},
ÂÂÂÂ{
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ1,
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ{"No health check"},
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ{
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ0x41, 0x81, 0x00, 0x10, //bgtÂÂÂÂ l_check_pad_connected
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ0x88, 0x1D, 0x00, 0x7DÂÂ//lbzÂÂÂÂ %r0, 0x7D(%r29)
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ},
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ{
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ0x48, 0x00, 0x00, 0x34ÂÂ//bÂÂÂÂÂÂ l_start_menu
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ},
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ8, 4, 0,
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂTYPE_ONOFF,
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂNULL, NULL, 0, 0, 0,
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ0, 0,
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ0, 0
ÂÂÂÂ},

These are search & replace type patches, they are not offset dependent. If a new version system menu uses similar code but in different place then it's no problem for this kind of patchers... So it's just a matter of adding newly found hacks into this program and change it so that it prints the addresses where it finds the patches...

That way you can easily port preloader's patches to a new version...

Too bad, crediar didn't chose this way of patching but instead used offsets in his preloader..

 

[andymacross]

I have few Qus:

1.I use NUSDv1.2 to download 3.2E...but I can't find 00000008.app only 00000009

2.if I want to fix 4.1U's hacks.ini for 4.1J ... how to do such work ?

thx for help~~

 

[Dialexio]

[*]This tutorial was written with NUS Downloader 1.1a in mind. 1.2 doesn't rename the decrypted files to 00000000.app and such. Here's a direct download link: DOWNLOAD[*]... Have you read the first post? It's basically the same exact thing.
Regardless... Here are some offsets I got. Note that I have not tested these. (I might get more tomorrow... It's 2 AM here!)

[No health check]
version=448
offset=0x813BBFA0
value=0x48000034
[Skip disc update check]
version=448
offset=0x8137E35C
value=0x60000000
offset=0x8137E360
value=0x60000000
offset=0x8137E364
value=0x60000000
offset=0x8137E368
value=0x60000000
offset=0x8137E36C
value=0x60000000
offset=0x8137E370
value=0x60000000
[Move Disc Channel]
version=448
offset=0x813AE770
value=0x60000000

 

[andymacross]

I have read first post...

I use NUSD1.2 donwload 4.1U and 4.1J then pack like wad,
then use wwunpacker wad get 00000008.app

I do the same step like first post...
but I can't find that same hex string on 4.1J...@@"""

I will copy your work and keep trying~>

 

[Dialexio]

Yeah... As I was porting some of the hacks, I noticed that some offsets could not be located (via this tutorial).

 

[andymacross]

...same problem on 4.1E

4.1E

[Replace Healthwarning with Backmenu]
version=450
offset=0x81656344
value=0x814094D0

4.1U
QUOTE[Replace Healthwarning with Backmenu]
version=449
offset=0x81656084
value=0x814093D4

this two offsets's hex string is completely different...

 

[senkun]

I'll give an arm and a leg for 4.0/4.1J hacks...

And I'd give my arm and my leg to make a full set, can 4.0J / 4.1J hacks.ini be found anywhere?

 

[soopa]

so does the 4.1U hacks work with region free wii games