Hacking VWii recovery using WupHax?

[Mordenkainen]

This is not a fix, just posting a question to the community!

I have been seeing a few threads where people have bricked their vWii and it got me thinking...

Looking the the WupHax source, it appears to mount the vWii NAND and patch one of the Mii channels .app files with a loader.

Assuming someone with a bricked vWii backed up all their IOSs and SysMenu to wads prior to bricking, is there a technical reason that a modified WupHax couldn't use the same method to restore the SysMenu and IOS 80 from those wads?

If that could be done, it should get the vWii to the point that a wad installer could then be used to restore the rest of the system.

Of course I'm not real familar with exactly what WupHax is doing, so it may be that this is simply not possible.

Just thinking out loud...

 

[Irastris]

Just use FTPiiU Everywhere to move the backups back to SLCCMPT, instead of dealing with completely rewriting wuphax to do that for you.

 

[Mordenkainen]

Just use FTPiiU Everywhere to move the backups back to SLCCMPT, instead of dealing with completely rewriting wuphax to do that for you.

Interesting idea!

(As a note I am not one of the unfortunates that bricked their vWii)

So... If FTPiiU can write to SLCCMTP then it may be as simple as unpacking the WADs and transferring the files?

Hmmmm. I may try this with a non critical IOS... But no way I'm trying the Sys Menu...

 

[Irastris]

So... If FTPiiU can write to SLCCMTP then it may be as simple as unpacking the WADs and transferring the files?

Hmmmm. I may try this with a non critical IOS... But no way I'm trying the Sys Menu...

It's not like people can damage it any further, as long as they always kept their original backups.

 

[cmf2k1]

I've attempted this to reinstall vWii IOS 58 on my semi-bricked WiiU where I've replaced IOS 58 with original Wii IOS. FTPiiU everywhere removes the incorrect IOS files but doesn't upload new vWii IOS 58 files (file transfer errors). Any ideas on how to get upload working?

Also if anyone would be kind enough to send me their vWii IOS 58 files/screenshot showing the files in ticket and title files in 00000003a so I can compare it would be really appreciated. I found a WAD from internet but known working files would be better

I can now see that the IOS58 is missing if I use wuphax exploit to boot Homebrew Launcher and launch WiiMod Lite app.

 

[Ryccardo]

File-level backups are only really good (by themselves) to look at the system files, at least [v]wii uses a filesystem with a permission system which you wouldn't really be able to replicate with only the standard FTP upload commands...

 

[sj33]

It's not like people can damage it any further, as long as they always kept their original backups.

As an aside, how do we back up our vWii just in case?

 

[cmf2k1]

UPDATE: I can write to the /sd directory using ftpiiu everywhere but not the /slccmpt01. Does anyone know if this is restricted? I've tried booting ftpiiu everywhere launching HBL via CBHC and also loading ISOUHAX fw.img then launching HBL via web exploit but get same results.

 

[cmf2k1]

Anyone willing to share a pic of their IOS 58 folders (title ID 0000003a) in slccmpt01. I've managed to copy over .tik, .app and .tmd for the vWii IOS 58 I downloaded Wii Mod lite recognises the correct IOS version (v6432) but still cannot install Homebrew Channel.

 

[Ryccardo]

As an aside, how do we back up our vWii just in case?

Create a rednand and dump the partitions using the tool on Dimok's github, then you can remove the rednand

For wii mode only you can probably get away with a wii-mode dumper (can't remember many apart from Bootmii - which can probably be installed through a wad, but can't be actually used without a reset button or real gamecube ports)

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Anyone willing to share a pic of their IOS 58 folders (title ID 0000003a) in slccmpt01. I've managed to copy over .tik, .app and .tmd for the vWii IOS 58 I downloaded Wii Mod lite recognises the correct IOS version (v6432) but still cannot install Homebrew Channel.

That is the entire content of the .app, btw - it probably uses shared contents and all IOS look the same, with only one content, in my ftpiiu dump

 

[cmf2k1]

@Ryccardo - Thanks for the screenshot HEX matches the 00000000.app I transferred to vWii with title.tmd and 0000003a.tik.

Still cannot install HBC (freezes on hack scam screen). Interestingly when I look at title folder with FS tools the content and data folders for the files I have transferred are seen as directories but for all the other IOS they are seen as files.

Anyone got any suggestions maybe ftp a IOS with ahbroot then install the IOS58.WAD??

 

[lebrawurschd]

i gues simply transfering files via ftp isnt working installed ios have specific permission that need to be set

 

[Deleted User]

As an aside, how do we back up our vWii just in case?

"DumpMii NAND" for vWii, run it inside HBC.

 

[punderino]

i gues simply transfering files via ftp isnt working installed ios have specific permission that need to be set

And we have commands for that too? lmao

 

[cmf2k1]

@punderino really is there a way to change permissions? Can you send me link/info as I missed that

 

[punderino]

w.chmod("path-to-file", 0x000)

 

[cmf2k1]

@punderino thanks I assume this command has to be used in wupclient using python but not ftp client (winscp/filezilla). Is that correct?

 

[Ryccardo]

@punderino thanks I assume this command has to be used in wupclient using python but not ftp client (winscp/filezilla). Is that correct?

Yep!

 

[cmf2k1]

Sorry to be a tool but any kind soul able to advise on the commands for wup client?

I've got it wupserver/client installed and can connect to the wii u but don't know how to upload to the correct folders on the wii u and change the permissions and I'm nervous about bricking.

Thanks for continued support. happy to write up summary when/if can fix

 

[Irastris]

UPDATE: I can write to the /sd directory using ftpiiu everywhere but not the /slccmpt01. Does anyone know if this is restricted? I've tried booting ftpiiu everywhere launching HBL via CBHC and also loading ISOUHAX fw.img then launching HBL via web exploit but get same results.

Are you using FIX94's special version of FTPiiU Everywhere? For unknown reasons, dimok's original won't work with the patches that CBHC applies.