Hacking Wiikey creating black dots on screen?

[Fish on a Stick]

First off I didn't install the wiikey myself, I got it off ozmodchips and got one of their guys to install it for me, and they assure me it's not a clone. (From what I've read they're a very reliable site) Also I have a PAL Australian wii.

Ever since I got Super Mario Galaxy, PAL (legit copy, bought it) about 2 months ago and updated my firmware to 3.1 I get these black dots appearing on the screen, they're generally formed in lines going down, but during some cutscenes a lot appear on the screen. These look like dead pixels except they're not, since they disappear once in a while and they only appear when I play the wii, not when I watch tv or anything.

It bothered me for a while but I chose to ignore it, but I just updated my wiikey firmware to 1.9g and the amount of black dots increased quite a bit. I think the guy I went to might've botched the installation of the wiikey somehow.

I thought I might as well ask you guys what you think the cause of the problem is, and if there's possibly a fix.

 

[markish]

I believe they're called artifacts (or maybe artefacts in US English) and I have heard other people have it here. I don't know how to fix it, but you could try searching for artifacts

 

[Redsquirrel]

should have nothing to do with the wiikey. Its just bad luck.

The video chip in some wiis just starts messing up exactly like how you have described.

 

[Fish on a Stick]

Ouch, bummer. Well It's actually kind of comforting to know that it wasn't because of the wiikey, I felt like it was my fault for messing around with my wii in the first place.

Markish: Cheers mate, I'll look it up.

Thanks for the fast replies guys.

 

[Kingwad]

Too bad you voided your warranty by modding it...

 

[Vahnyyz]

wow wad, that was pretty mean

 

[Fish on a Stick]

Wad: Haha yeah twas unlucky, but I got it since launch and I'm pretty sure it's a 1 year warranty, so it wouldn't have mattered anyways =P

Vahnyyz: No hard feelings

 

[Redsquirrel]

you could get another wii, and swap drives and send the other back to nintendo for a replacement?

 

[II Murasaki II]

I think it is GPU related.

 

[Smidget]

you could get another wii, and swap drives and send the other back to nintendo for a replacement?

That's what I did, worked perfectly.

 

[FAST6191]

While it can be graphics chip about to die it can also be as simple as an overheating chip (search for overclocking graphics cards threads).
So did your chip obstruct air flow and do you have it in a place that can keep it cool?

 

[Fish on a Stick]

FAST: Thing is I hardly ever used my wii and had no problems with it till I booted up SMG, so I don't think it'd be due to overheating.

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'm keeping them in mind.

 

[Seraph]

Did you happen to leave it on standby mode since you barely ever used your Wii? That causes most of the overheating.

 

[Saylient_Dreams]

While it can be graphics chip about to die it can also be as simple as an overheating chip (search for overclocking graphics cards threads).
So did your chip obstruct air flow and do you have it in a place that can keep it cool?

FAST: Thing is I hardly ever used my wii and had no problems with it till I booted up SMG, so I don't think it'd be due to overheating.

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'm keeping them in mind.

I think FAST6191 is on the right track with this. Even if you don't play it often, so you have Wiiconnect on? Apparently the Wifi chip overheats, and creates stress I beleive on the GPU from what I understand. I read a few times on blog sites such as Kotaku/Joystiq, that that's the case.

 

[yuyuyup]

overheat problem, I had it, yank the chip, send your wii to nintendo

 

[Scorpei]

Wad: Haha yeah twas unlucky, but I got it since launch and I'm pretty sure it's a 1 year warranty, so it wouldn't have mattered anyways =P

Vahnyyz: No hard feelings

AFAIK a year and a half (if you registered it online). However I think here in Holland if it is a productional error (which this is as it isn't because you mishandled your Wii) you are still entitled to warrenty (or at least something similar --> a new Wii).

 

[tatanga]

I'm sure Nintendo will be super happy when they receive his Wii with a Wiikey soldered inside.

I'm on my second Wii (PAL) and both got this same problem. I just learn to live with it till it dies and I buy a new one (or I do).

 

[Salamantis]

Yes, this is a problem with the Wii. This is my THIRD Wii I have because the last 2 I had to return because they had the same problem.

 

[Shinster]

You have a fried GPU.
This can be caused by leaving the Wii on standby mode (yellow light) for long periods of time. On standby mode the fans are not spinning but somehow the GPU is still turned on.

That's why I use a USB cooler fan for my Wii which still operate even on standby mode.

 

[Fish on a Stick]

Hmm.. I actually had my wii unplugged the whole time I didn't play it though (Before SMG). But that would explain the recent increase in the amount of black dots, I've had it plugged in for about a month now, and yes wiiconnect was on (I thought I turned it off before I got it chipped, oh well)

Thanks for the clarifications, everyone.