Hardware Wiimotes not syncing, replace bluetooth module?

[blaisedinsd]

I loaned a softmodded wii to my buddy who lives out of town. He tells me the wiimotes will no longer sync with the console and he has tried all sorts of trouble shooting, even bought new first party controllers.

I see the Bluetooth modules are selling for about $5 so I am thinking I will go visit him and swap it out.

If the module isn't working wouldn't it prevent the thing from booting up though? He says it turns on and has video output and everything. Just can't get the controllers to sync.

Any knowledge/ advice would be appreciated. I am going to go visit him and try to fix it on Friday.

 

[blaisedinsd]

So he says controllers were working fine until one day one stopped syncing and then shortly after the other stopped syncing as well. Been through the normal troubleshooting procedures to sync controllers. Still not working. Brand new replacement first party replacement controllers also not working.

I'm at a loss.

Module wouldn't get here on time for me to replace it. I am thinking I will just try normal troubleshooting for this situation myself and if it still won't sync I will try and redo the softmod. Not sure if I will be able to do it without synch a controller but I will bring a GameCube controller and try. I am thinking I can use priiloader to launch HBC and do it that way right?

 

[JoostinOnline]

It wouldn't boot if the module was bad. Try the controllers on another Wii.

 

[blaisedinsd]

So I used priiloader and a gamecube controller to reinstall the softmod and it still did not work. Controllers were fine.

I was about to give up. He had already tried unplugging the console but I unplugged it anyway and went and did something else.

When I came back and plugged it back in 20 minutes later or so it was working again.

So unplugging it was not enough, it had to be unplugged for a good period of time in order to recover.

The Wii was having this problem for around 2 months. Really bizarre behaviour from this console but at least its all working now.

 

[BitBandit]

I was away on holiday once and when I returned my Wii wasn't working. After much Googling I found people suggesting that I unplug the Wii and leave it for a while (I think I left it for half an hour). After that it booted up straight away. So yes, sometimes you need to leave it unplugged for a while. In my case I think the power brick had decided not to work (I think they do this in certain circumstances to protect the Wii) and leaving it unplugged for a while was required to drain the capacitors of any residual power.

I'm not sure why this would be needed to get your controllers working again though...

Since the Wii's remotes use bluetooth for communication, are there any mobile phone apps that can use a phone's bluetooth to talk to the remote and the Wii to test that they're working? I know there are Android apps for hooking a Wii remote up to the phone and using it as a game controller.