Hacking Updating an Older Wii U Mod

[rorysl]

Hi there folks, I recently bought an older modded Wii U. The current configuration as described by the previous owner is:

- 32 GB SD Card with all retro games for use in Virtual Wii (I'm assuming emulators, etc.)
- 128 GB Flash drive with Gamecube and Wii Games
- 2 tb hdd with wii U games.

I know there's a newer version mod that removes the need for the flash drive.... Any tips on the best way to update this Wii U?

Should I reset to factory settings and start from scratch or try and update what I have?

Any thoughts or direction greatly appreciated!

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Hi there folks, I recently bought an older modded Wii U. The current configuration as described by the previous owner is:

- 32 GB SD Card with all retro games for use in Virtual Wii (I'm assuming emulators, etc.)
- 128 GB Flash drive with Gamecube and Wii Games
- 2 tb hdd with wii U games.

I know there's a newer version mod that removes the need for the flash drive.... Any tips on the best way to update this Wii U?

Should I reset to factory settings and start from scratch or try and update what I have?

Any thoughts or direction greatly appreciated!

Don't need to change anything on the Wii U side (the softmod process and tools haven't changed)
Use this WiiVC injector to make Wii/GC games that can be installed to the Wii U HDD https://gbatemp.net/threads/release-wiivc-injector-script-gc-wii-homebrew-support.483577/

 

[rorysl]

Thanks for that -- good to know not much has changed. Will definitely look into the injector although I'll definitely need to locate a tutorial to help me through it!

So this will install the wii and gamecube games to my hdd...will they show up as individual channels on the wii u menu or will I have to access them through vWii? Sorry if this is a total noob question!

 

[jeannotte]

So this will install the wii and gamecube games to my hdd...will they show up as individual channels on the wii u menu or will I have to access them through vWii? Sorry if this is a total noob question!

Hello,

yes, your games will appear directly from the wii U menu

 

[rorysl]

Hello again, friends. Well I located a tutorial on the injector and seemed to have successfully used it to create a WUP installable file. Stuck the SD card back in the Wii, booted up and....there doesn't appear to be a homebrew channel on my Wii U menu.... There is one in my vWii but I'm assuming there should be a Wii U specific one for WUP Installer? Any help appreciated as always!

 

[godreborn]

you have to install the homebrew channel via wup. you're right, it's a separate channel from the one on the virtual wii.

 

[rorysl]

Thanks for the reply! I've been researching a bit and am not entirely sure how to proceed -- keep in mind I purchased this Wii U pre-modded so I'm working backwards!

So...there's no home-brew channel installed, nor do I see a wup installer; all the tutorials I can find are designed to take someone through the hacking process from factory to modded and I don't want to load anything that might muck up the mod I already have, if that makes sense.

My mod is permanent -- I don't need to run anything on boot up. So how do I go about installing the home-brew channel? I know this is the ultimate noob question but I hope someone can help me out! Thanks!

 

[V10lator]

My mod is permanent -- I don't need to run anything on boot up. So how do I go about installing the home-brew channel?

1. Go to https://wiiu.hacks.guide/#/cbhc/sd-preparation and download the first 4 files. Follow the instuctions on the same site (but only for that 4 files you downloaded).
2. Put the SD card back into the Wii U.
3. Follow the instructions at https://wiiu.hacks.guide/#/cbhc/installing-hblc

 

[rorysl]

Thanks for the detailed reply -- hit another snag though, my Wii U doesn't display Autobooting... on startup. Just the Nintendo logo then wii U logo then my home menu. Holding down A or Home don't change anything.

I think this might mean I need to reinstall CBHC to get the autobot menu option back? If so, how complicated is that?

In the meantime, can I boot the Homebrew Launcher (to install the channel) by installing the files to my SD and navigating to loadline.ovh ?

 

[Roamin64]

Careful before you mess with CBHC. Pretty sure if you delete the game used for the hack and/or factory reset your wiiU , you risk bricking it. There are rules for CBHC that must be observed. (Taken from a post on reddit):

1. Don't format the system (Who would ever want to)

2. Don't delete your user account that bought the DS VC used for CBHC

3. Don't attempt to install the same DS VC game with WUP Installer in an attempt to play that game. It's a slave to CBHC now so you can't play it

**4. Don't try to install Haxchi over CBHC without first uninstalling CBHC using the CBHC installer app from HBL, if you ever decided you didn't want CBHC anymore and wanted to switch to Haxchi

 

[V10lator]

my Wii U doesn't display Autobooting... on startup. Just the Nintendo logo then wii U logo then my home menu. Holding down A or Home don't change anything.

Are you sure this Wii U is permanently modded? It doesn't sound like that if you neither have "Autobooting..." nor the homebrew launcher.

• Do you have an app called "DONT TOUCH ME" on your home screen?
• Any other app/homebrew which indicates a mod?
• If you open system settings, what's the fimware version shown on the upper right edge of the screen?

//EDIT: Please note that a hacked vWii does not indicate a perma mod of the Wii U.

//EDIT²: You could try to launch the HBL with the browser exploit, then install the homebew launcher channel via WUP installer from there. So basically do this: https://wiiu.hacks.guide/#/cbhc/browser-exploit , then do step 4 to 7 fom https://wiiu.hacks.guide/#/cbhc/installing-hblc , then reboot the console.

 

[rorysl]

@Roamin64 thanks for those tips -- this is the main reason why I've been updating this thread with so many questions, I'd hate to brick this Wii U!

Are you sure this Wii U is permanently modded? It doesn't sound like that if you neither have "Autobooting..." nor the homebrew launcher.

• Do you have an app called "DONT TOUCH ME" on your home screen?
• Any other app/homebrew which indicates a mod?
• If you open system settings, what's the fimware version shown on the upper right edge of the screen?

//EDIT: Please note that a hacked vWii does not indicate a perma mod of the Wii U.

//EDIT²: You could try to launch the HBL with the browser exploit, then install the homebew launcher channel via WUP installer from there. So basically do this: https://wiiu.hacks.guide/#/cbhc/browser-exploit , then do step 4 to 7 fom https://wiiu.hacks.guide/#/cbhc/installing-hblc , then reboot the console.

To answer your questions:

• No Don't Touch Me app.
• No other app/homebrew BUT lots of Wii U games installed and running from the external powered USB drive.
• Will check firmware these evening when I'm home from work!
• vWii is modded with homebrew channel, usb loader gx, wiiflow, etc. installed and working.

I'll try those steps -- thanks so much!

 

[Roamin64]

If you can play all those games without having to load anything when you power on, you should be in CBHC I believe.. It was common practice to make a folder on the main wiiu menu and move that folder to the very last page on the right. Inside this folder you would place the game with "don't touch me" title.

If you have folders, did you look in all of them?

 

[godreborn]

it depends on if you copied or moved the game. you can copy the game, then usb will take precedence, so the game will not change to "don't touch me." that's what I did myself.

 

[rorysl]

Hi all!

Ok, home now and double-checked booting a few Wii U games from the main menu, stored on the external USB and all boot up just fine.

Firmware: 5.5.1U

Found a folder with some icons in it -- none are the do not touch one, though. Pic attached.

This Wii U also decided it would forget the Nintendo Network ID so its prompting for that every time I boot up now, which makes no sense as I certainly didn't remove the password. I'm starting to think this Wii U is haunted!

 

[V10lator]

BUT lots of Wii U games installed and running from the external powered USB drive.

These could be games purchased from the eShop.

vWii is modded with homebrew channel, usb loader gx, wiiflow, etc. installed and working.

While it's exotic this wouldn't be the first time we see a hacked vWii but no CFW on the Wii U.

Firmware: 5.5.1U

This is the next sign that there's no permanent mod (with CBHC installed it should say 99.99.99 U) but we'll know for sure when the homebrew launcher is installed.

 

[rorysl]

Got some more info to help solve this mystery:

Followed @V10lator's advice and attempted to install the homebrew launcher channel using the web exploit.

• Web exploit ran fine and I was able to boot Homebrew Launcher and WUP Installer.
• However, when installing the Homebrew Launcher Channel I got the Sig Patch error below.
• When I clicked ok and the WUP Installer rebooted I did see the Mii Maker channel icon on the screen. If you'll recall the Mii Maker app was placed in a folder on one of the last channel screens to the right.
• Also when I exited WUP Installer using the Home button it booted me into the Mii Maker.

On another reboot, I started the Mii Maker channel thinking that might install the mod but it just led me into Mii Maker.

So does this tell me there is no mod installed on the Wii U at all? I would find it odd that the previous user would have downloaded all those games (there are 40 on there!) from the eshop...

So where does this leave me? Should I install CBHC now, or should I reformat and start from scratch with CBHC?

 

[V10lator]

When I clicked ok and the WUP Installer rebooted I did see the Mii Maker channel icon on the screen. If you'll recall the Mii Maker app was placed in a folder on one of the last channel screens to the right.

Try redownloading the files fom here: https://github.com/GaryOderNichts/homebrew_launcher/releases/tag/v2.1_fix - looks like the files are either damaged or something is missing.

 

[rorysl]

Try redownloading the files fom here: https://github.com/GaryOderNichts/homebrew_launcher/releases/tag/v2.1_fix - looks like the files are either damaged or something is missing.

@V10lator downloaded the files indicated and replaced them to test on both my SD cards. One is a 32GB, the other is a 256GB microSD in an SD adapter -- both formatted Fat32.

Neither worked -- the 32GB gave me the same error message and the 256GB gave me a weird black screen with "FSGetMountSource failed. Please insert a FAT32 formatted sd card."

HOWEVER, with some googling I did discover this -- when booting my Mii Maker channel and holding down B I access Homebrew Launcher automatically. So what would that indicate?

I can't believe figuring out this mod is so complicated! Thanks again for the patience and continued advice!

 

[rorysl]

Ok got the 256GB SD card working again: more news.

So if I hold down B when I boot the Mii Maker App I get into the Homebrew Launcher.

From there I booted the Homebrew App Store and downloaded and installed WUP Installer there.

Now when I attempt to install Homebrew Launcher Channel I get: Confirm Complete WUP Files Are In The Folder.

So.....what does that mean? It sounds like my Wii U is modded but what kinda crazy mod is on here!