Hacking Wii won't read Wii games...

[shadow1psc]

I decided to make my own topic for this because it is not really a brawl issue

I have an NTSC-U console with 3.1U firmware. My chip is a CycloWiz (the first ones to come out) that has been running 3.0b firmware up until last night.

I installed the toggle switch to enable firmware updates for my modchip last night. The install went well and first it went to 3.5 official firmware. Then I updated it to 3.6b to play brawl. Ever since then I have been getting DREs on all Wii games except my original copy of Elebits.

I've used nothing but DVD+Rs for 50+ games and never had a problem. Interestingly enough, my wii now is having trouble reading any Wii games (but GCN games work). I'm thinking something tweaked the laser or something when I was taking it apart? Like, I put in a game... my original Zelda won't even get a splash screen on the disc channel (it clicks a bunch then gives me DRE straight from the Wii menu). I have a burned copy of Tenkaichi 3 that does get read, boots up, but upon the opening cinematic starts distressing and making noises, then DREs. My No More Heroes copy DREs after pressing start from the disc channel, and so forth.

But, I can run an original copy of SSBM fine, and I ran the Cyclowiz 3.6b update dvd fine.

So I tried all my originals; Wii Sports, Zelda, Excite Truck, Elebits, Sonic, Wii Play, Guitar Hero III and Mario Galaxy. SMG and Sonic got a splash screen, then failed as DRE. Guitar Hero III spun up, i go the first nintendo screen, then the disc slowly stopped spinning and stopped (no funky noises) and i got a different error along the lines of 'the disc could not be read'. Maybe it's just GHIII's dre screen, i dunno. Elebits plays perfectly fine, all the way into a level, not any freezing or any DRE, tried it twice (i tried elebits, it worked, i used the home button to return to wii screen, tried GHIII, it failed, tried elebits again and it still worked). No other game even got the splash screen on the disc channel. Three burned games I've tried have gotten a splash screen, haven't tried any others (the ones I tried were Brawl, NMH and Tenkaichi 3).

So from all that, I think I've learned that either 3.6b really messes with the settings, or maybe my laser just suddenly needs a calibration. Anyone have any info on laser calibration? Is it safe to flash from 3.6b back to 3.5 to test games?

http://psx-scene.com/forums/cyclowiz/59098...-wont-boot.html

That TC's problem sounds A LOT like mine. Maybe it is something with the firmware update messing with the settings and needed to be calibrated or something. He talks about just using wiifree firmware instead. Is there a version of that firmware that works with smg? I would have no problem using some other firmware if that's a case. Or is the Cyclowiz 2.0 firmware out there somewhere to test if it's just 3.5/6b giving me trouble?

Tried Official CycloWiz 3.5 Firmware, nothing changed.
Tried WiiFree 2.45 USA Fullspeed and that didn't change anything either. Would medium speed maybe do anything different?
Tried Official CycloWiz 3.0b Firmware (what I started out on) and it's not working still.

 

[SectionX]

rumor has it that DVD+R are very bad for your laser, but dunno if it is true.

 

[SavageWaffle]

To SectionX
No thats fake. DVD+R works FINE to your laser.
On Topic:
Try putting your firmwire w/e to 3.5. Porbley the 3.6 messed up. I have a wii but not modded. So i dont know much.

 

[shadow1psc]

Yeah, if you read the bottom of my post, I have tried 3.5 and 3.0b. I also tried WiiFree 2.45, though to be fair after each flash I only tried running Wii Sports and it still made the loud grinding noises. I tried googling around for information on recaliberating the Wii laser but couldn't find anything, does anybody have any information about that, I know that the Cyclowiz page talked about recaliberation after the 3.5 update, but that looked like it was only for DL discs and RW media =\.

 

[vasage]

bump, friend of said wii owner, help us out >_

 

[shadow1psc]

Ok, I completely desoldered and resoldered my chip to make sure all contacts were being met completely and that the chip is securely fastened. The first time i installed the switch and turned the Wii on, the chip light blinked (which means something wasn't right with one of the connections), but then all proceeding times the chip light stayed fully green and workable.

I noticed today that indeed one of the contacts had been broken, so I redid the whole chip, and it works, but it turns out that wasn't the problem. Same Wii games procure the same results (only Elebits fully works. Guitar Hero III spins up, I press start, and it spins down and kicks me back to the Wii menu).

I tried updating back to 3.6b to see if maybe all my previous updates messed up due to a bad connection, but the problem persists. The only thing I can think of is taking the drive apart, but I'm sure that's going into dangerous, dangerous territory there. Still no one with any advice or suggestions?

 

[paOol]

My chip is a CycloWiz (the first ones to come out)

thats probably your problem right there.
there are 2 versions of the cyclowiz. v1 and v2.
v2 was made in order to correct a fault in the v1 chip.
points A and B were almost touching in the v1 chip.
the good news is, team cyclops replaces it for free with a v2.
so get in contact with them and you shouldn't have problems anymore.

 

[Rammoth]

My chip is a CycloWiz (the first ones to come out)

thats probably your problem right there.
there are 2 versions of the cyclowiz. v1 and v2.
v2 was made in order to correct a fault in the v1 chip.
points A and B were almost touching in the v1 chip.
the good news is, team cyclops replaces it for free with a v2.
so get in contact with them and you shouldn't have problems anymore.

There is a v3 actually

 

[paOol]

really? can you link proof. i tried a google search and nothing,.

 

[shadow1psc]

I don't think my chip has a problem with that. A and B are far enough apart easily. Maybe B and C could be considered close, but if there was an error the chip wouldn't hold the steady green LED would it? And I don't think the chip would have worked fine for many many months and magically not be working because of a hardware problem related to the chip if it didn't start until a firmware flash? Though by that logic, flashing back to the firmware I've been on should have fixed it if that were the case =\

 

[beano311]

I had a similar problem... I updated my Cyclowiz to 3.5 and it stopped reading backups and had trouble with original Wii games (never tried GC discs). What happened was, I never put a real switch in, just two wires that I pressed together to emulate a switch flip... long story short, the wires shorted (aka switch flipped) when they weren't supposed to during the update, and my chip got busted... It's not broken, I can repair it if I need to if I solder it back on and update it using the wired update method (as opposed to the update DVD). This was a year ago though, before that method was available, so I contacted TeamCyclops (team that makes the CycloWiz) and they sent me one totally for free. Now I have two CycloWizzes.

 

[shadow1psc]

I don't think i really had that problem here. Are you saying just reflashing again with the DVD would work if you put a correct switch on?

At any rate, I completely removed my switch and made sure there were no bridges or incomplete connections for the rest of the chip. I get a solid green light on my chip's LED while trying to run Wii Sports, but it still sounds like it is eating it for breakfast.

UPDATE!!!

Well, Elebits has been running fine, I played a level with it, and then I put it back to the title screen to let it run for awhile. The opening FMV gets near the end before going back to the title screen, and my Wii starts making noises like it's going to stop working/get a DRE, but chugs through it. Once the title screen comes back, the Wii starts humming as normal (soft and silent, no signs of distress). There are no visual glitches either as a result of this. Just the funny noises.

What does make these damn noises? I remember the PS2s DREs made em too, but I got mine fixed through Sony.

Update Two
Naruto GNT Ex 2 (burned) works the same as Elebits. Plays funky noises during the intro movie, but it works and plays.

 

[shadow1psc]

Last post:

I finally got fed up with it, put it back together, and exchanged it for a brand new Wii seeing as I had an extended warranty. I have an extra wiikey laying around so i'll trade my new wii for a friend's launch wii and chip that one.