Hacking WiiKey Installation

[Alastair]

I've had my modded Wii for about 6 months and sometimes and it wouldn't detect burnt games (originals work perfectly) but once they did detect they'd run flawlessly. Now it hasn't detected a burnt game in two weeks. I opened it up to have a look and see if there was a loose wire and was surprised. I did not mod the Wii myself and the modder appears to be out of business so I'm sort of stuck!
It appears to be a WiiKey and it is not soldered directly to the PCB but it appears that a chunk has been taken out of a black chip and the wires have been soldered into the cavity.

1. Is that a normal installation method?
2. Does anyone know any modders in San Francisco or somewhere reasonably close that could attempt a repair?

Thanks.

 

[RiotShooter]

just look at craigslist and u can find tons of modders around the sf area.

 

[Alastair]

Thanks. I e-mailed a chap that lives in my area. *fingers crossed*

 

[Armadillo]

Piece taken out of the chip with wires soldered to it sounds like a cut leg D2B install.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

yep thats a normal install. he should have rebuilt the legs if you paid him but whatever. it may just be your laser. you could try tweaking the pot before actually paying someone to fix something you may be able to do yourself.

 

[Alastair]

Turns out that the person that I e-mailed off of craig's list is the guy that did the install originally! I thought he was out of business - maybe just a new e-mail address. Some vietnamese guy. He's done my friends and me well many times but I have the devil's own job contacting and arranging appointments with him.

yep thats a normal install. he should have rebuilt the legs if you paid him but whatever. it may just be your laser. you could try tweaking the pot before actually paying someone to fix something you may be able to do yourself.

Thanks. He may well have re-built them but I didn't really knwow hat I was looking at other than a damaged chip that scared me.

The POT: on the Wii is it a simple screw-turn? I don't have a potentiometer so I'd be doing it in the dark.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

hmm i'm having trouble finding the pot tweak tutorial for the wii. plus i hav a crazy headache so im not trying too hard haha. maybe that guy will give it a quick lookover for you since he did the install.

 

[Alastair]

"I am now charging 100 for the install., on Wiikey

Very likely the chip went dead or something on yours., I can replace it for 30 bucks., if its defective" he says.

Edit: Now it's worse.