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Author Topic: Wii Semi Brick Questions  (Read 5014 times)

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mike boss

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Wii Semi Brick Questions
« on: January 19, 2019, 01:34:53 pm »
Was feeling nostalgic over the holidays and picked up a Nintendo Wii for the kids for Christmas.
I have young kids, 3 and 5 I figured they might get a kick out of the motion controls.

In the end I ended up getting 3 units, a black Wii for $40 with one Wiimote and Nunchuk.
Then another 2 Wii's with 4 Wiimotes, 1 steering wheel, and 5 Nunchuks for $50 (Canadian).

One of the Wii's was Japanese, the other a North American unit. I was aware when I bought it, it was a Japanese unit.
What I later discovered is that it contained a "alteration" chip, and was able to play my backup games.
However it is a semi bricked Wii as I can not access the menu.

I'm trying to do my homework and find out how to fix it.
I believe I'd need a Japanese game with the newest menu update on it.

(A) Does anyone know of a resource I can look to and find out what game would contain what menu ?
(B) If I can fix this, being that it is Japanese, can I set my country to Canada and language to English ?

Any help would be appreciated.

ark_ader

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Re: Wii Semi Brick Questions
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2019, 03:36:44 am »
Take it back to the store.  Nobody should sell you illegal modifications on a home console, and having that unit is illegal, especially in Canada.  Report it to the police.   :angry:

Crap, Wii games are pretty cheap, buy your own games and set a good example for your kids.  :police:


https://www.gamecrate.com/console-modders-beware-nintendo-wins-lawsuit-against-modchip-retailer/15782
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lilshawn

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Re: Wii Semi Brick Questions
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2019, 06:15:04 pm »
eww hard mods.

Softmod has ALWAYS been the way to go on the wii.

google "hackmii" and "letterbomb"

basically put a file on an SD card, pop it in and it crashes the wii to a state where you can install homebrew channel. then you can install whatever you want. i think you can even change the firmware of the jap console to USA (which is what someone probably did initially. (changed it to jap accidentally))

SlammedNiss

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Re: Wii Semi Brick Questions
« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2019, 06:43:23 pm »
eww hard mods.

Softmod has ALWAYS been the way to go on the wii.

google "hackmii" and "letterbomb"

basically put a file on an SD card, pop it in and it crashes the wii to a state where you can install homebrew channel. then you can install whatever you want. i think you can even change the firmware of the jap console to USA (which is what someone probably did initially. (changed it to jap accidentally))
Had my Wii modded when I purchased it with a D2CKey chip, because at the time a softmod was unheard of then. But yea, I agree, softmodding them is as easy as they come and have since done mine so I can run games from a HDD.

Are modded consoles really illegal in Canada?
« Last Edit: January 20, 2019, 06:46:36 pm by SlammedNiss »
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lilshawn

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Re: Wii Semi Brick Questions
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2019, 08:47:11 pm »
Are modded consoles really illegal in Canada?

it's a stupid, mostly unenforceable law written by retards that have a half clue about how computers work.... then basically police bend the vaguely worded law to fit the situation. TECHNICALLY the law is:

Quote
Unauthorized use of computer

342.1 (1) Everyone is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years, or is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction who, fraudulently and without colour of right,

(a) obtains, directly or indirectly, any computer service;

(b) by means of an electro-magnetic, acoustic, mechanical or other device, intercepts or causes to be intercepted, directly or indirectly, any function of a computer system;

(c) uses or causes to be used, directly or indirectly, a computer system with intent to commit an offence under paragraph (a) or (b) or under section 430 in relation to computer data or a computer system; or

(d) uses, possesses, traffics in or permits another person to have access to a computer password that would enable a person to commit an offence under paragraph (a), (b) or (c).

The " spirit" of the law was to prohibit use/manufacture of devices that would allow access to a computer system (IE bypass any restrictions set in place by the owner) for example a device, when plugged into a computer, would bypass a password lock put on that system to prevent unauthorized use. some kind of "hack box" or the like.

the law was bent so that the "computer" (the console) is being controlled by a "device" (the mod) changing the "function of a computer system" modding the (operation of the device). basically because the device intercepts information and modifies it to change the function of the system (the service) it's a real stretch. being that it's not laid out what a "service" is the function of the console "unauthorized"? it's left for interpretation.


they've bent the law to fit the "crime"

much the same as it's not illegal to drive the speed limit, but accelerating very quickly to the speed limit is a distraction to other drivers and a punishable offence. 
Quote
drive a vehicle so as to perform or engage in any stunt or other activity on a highway that is likely to distract, startle or interfere with other users of the highway

so honking your horn is also illegal, cause it can startle someone.  ::)

ark_ader

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Re: Wii Semi Brick Questions
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2019, 10:32:42 pm »
Are modded consoles really illegal in Canada?

it's a stupid, mostly unenforceable law written by retards that have a half clue about how computers work.... then basically police bend the vaguely worded law to fit the situation. TECHNICALLY the law is:

Quote
Unauthorized use of computer

342.1 (1) Everyone is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years, or is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction who, fraudulently and without colour of right,

(a) obtains, directly or indirectly, any computer service;

(b) by means of an electro-magnetic, acoustic, mechanical or other device, intercepts or causes to be intercepted, directly or indirectly, any function of a computer system;

(c) uses or causes to be used, directly or indirectly, a computer system with intent to commit an offence under paragraph (a) or (b) or under section 430 in relation to computer data or a computer system; or

(d) uses, possesses, traffics in or permits another person to have access to a computer password that would enable a person to commit an offence under paragraph (a), (b) or (c).

The " spirit" of the law was to prohibit use/manufacture of devices that would allow access to a computer system (IE bypass any restrictions set in place by the owner) for example a device, when plugged into a computer, would bypass a password lock put on that system to prevent unauthorized use. some kind of "hack box" or the like.

the law was bent so that the "computer" (the console) is being controlled by a "device" (the mod) changing the "function of a computer system" modding the (operation of the device). basically because the device intercepts information and modifies it to change the function of the system (the service) it's a real stretch. being that it's not laid out what a "service" is the function of the console "unauthorized"? it's left for interpretation.


they've bent the law to fit the "crime"

much the same as it's not illegal to drive the speed limit, but accelerating very quickly to the speed limit is a distraction to other drivers and a punishable offence. 
Quote
drive a vehicle so as to perform or engage in any stunt or other activity on a highway that is likely to distract, startle or interfere with other users of the highway

so honking your horn is also illegal, cause it can startle someone.  ::)

Sounds like Canada has their act together.  :applaud:
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mike boss

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Re: Wii Semi Brick Questions
« Reply #6 on: January 21, 2019, 10:04:15 am »
I've actually got 4 Wii's in total.
My original Wii that I purchased new when it came out was "altered"
via a hard mod and contains a chip. The specific chip I honestly cant recall.

I picked up a second Wii for the kids, on that Wii I myself did do the letter bomb
hack and loaded GX Loader which is awesome. I preformed the same thing on my other
US Wii.

The issue with the Japanese Wii is that the semi-brick prevents me from getting to any
of the settings. So I'm unable to see the MAC address. Without the MAC address I can't
do the letter bomb trick.

From what I've read with the alternation on the Japanese Wii (and alteration I did not do)
the Wii is/was able to play games from any region. I guess on some titles they have a
partition with the newest Wii menu. If someone was playing a US game on the Japanese Wii
and preformed the update it would semi-brick the Wii. Which is what happened.

I found online someone had posted a fix that you simply burn to a DVD and it should fix the
problem. However with the Wii being as old as it is, the files were no longer hosted.
I was unable to find them elsewhere.
 
I've got a TON of Wii  titles form when I bought my original Wii. And I'm cool to leave the Wii as is.
If I can fix it I would like to do so.
I may look to order a Japanese Wii title off EBay, however I'd like to be able to know
if it has the menu partition.

yamatetsu

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Re: Wii Semi Brick Questions
« Reply #7 on: January 21, 2019, 10:37:29 am »
I looked around a bit and found this site. WII Somplete Softmod Guide

https://sites.google.com/site/completesg/unbricking

Go to semi brick

Required:
* NUS Downloader
* Wad manager (or YAWMM)

The links for the Wad managers work, the link for the NUS Downloader is a medifire link that doesn't.
To download it, go to Useful Tools/NUS Downloader on the left.

Maybe you'll find enough information on this site to solve your problem.
                  

mike boss

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Re: Wii Semi Brick Questions
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2019, 07:26:49 pm »
Thanks @ yamatetsu,

but because I don't have a s0ftm0d done on the Wii, I have no Homebrew channel, and no means to utilize the tools mentioned.
I'm going to continue my search for a solution.

EDIT - Found this page, https://hackmii.com/2008/05/semi-brick-fix-discs/

This appears to be the needed tool........... however the download isn't available.
« Last Edit: January 22, 2019, 07:28:45 pm by mike boss »

yamatetsu

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Re: Wii Semi Brick Questions
« Reply #9 on: January 23, 2019, 10:34:01 am »
The issue with the Japanese Wii is that the semi-brick prevents me from getting to any
of the settings. So I'm unable to see the MAC address. Without the MAC address I can't
do the letter bomb trick.

Have a look at this: http://kezamx.blogspot.com/2013/05/004-error-fix-semi-bricked-43-opera-bad.html

You can download fe100 keygrabber here http://wiibrew.org/wiki/FE100

If I understand correctly, you should be able to do the letterbomb if this works.
                  

nitrogen_widget

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Re: Wii Semi Brick Questions
« Reply #10 on: January 23, 2019, 10:32:46 pm »
bought a wii with a bum drive for $10 at a thrift store.
letterbomb was the ticket.