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Advice for complete Newbie - Re Non Modded Wii With Backups
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WJ99
Senior Member
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10. November 2008 @ 07:09 |
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Hello people, please be kind for my first post!
I've been looking over all the guides and there's a lot of things that currently go over my head, although I'm quite computer literate so should be able to grasp things in time.
I noticed a load of guides for already modded Wii's but I'm very wary of modding my Wii, as I've been scaremongered by the phrase 'Brick the Wii'
My first question is, to what extent can you 'brick it?' Is it repairable, obviously if someone solders it wrong, then that would really fluff it but what about updates that I hear about in games? once that update is installed, is it completly useless
Secondly I've heard about a way that we will be able to load backed up games without modding the Wii? What's happening on this? Prehaps a link to a thread about it?
Lastly, the biggest question.
If I decide to mod my Wii, software or hardware, what are the DO'S & DONT'S.
Is there something I should never go on, and equally something I should download and get.
Sorry if this is a dupe post, I have read the rules and I have searched for simular posts. Although not in 'dummies' way of explaining it. If i've done something wrong hereon my post please point out, so I wont do it next time?
Thank You Everyone
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penguin98
AfterDawn Addict
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10. November 2008 @ 07:31 |
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Well, since you know you're asking newbie questions I'll give you the copy/paste newbie answer
Choosing and installing a modchip:
Before choosing a modchip it is important to know what chipset your wii is. Entering your wii's serial number here http://wiitracker.nintendo-scene.com/search.php will give you a pretty good idea what chipset you have. If you cannot do this for some reason then there are a handful of chips that support all chipsets.
If you have an earlier wii, then a wiikey is probably the way to go. But the Wiikey only works on DMS, D2A and D2B chipsets. If you have a D2C, D2C2 or a D2E then you need a different modchip. D2Pro 9 wire, wiikey2 and the newest wasabi version support all current chipsets. Also, if you have a D2C or later you don't have to worry about cut pins. Only some D2B chipsets had cut legs. Cut lets made it more difficult to mod the console.
If you are bad at soldering then something to keep in mind is a wii-clip. Solder the clip to your modchip and then you wont have to solder anything to the console. It makes an install MUCH easier, though does have the drawbacks of coming loose and being generally less reliable.
Firmware issues:
At the current time THERE ARE NO WII FIRMWARE UPDATES THAT CAN DETECT MODCHIPS. This may change in the future but for the time being it stands. Some newer games can detect some older modchips (giving error 001) but this can be fixed on most modchips by updating the chip's firmware.
You can safely allow the console to do updates from a game so long and ONLY SO LONG as the game you are updating is from the same region as your console. Updating with a firmware from a different region can brick or semi-brick your console and should never be attempted.
A semi-bricked console can be fixed by running a later update than the one that bricked the console from the proper region. Example: You have a NTSC console at firmware 3.1 and update it with the PAL version of 3.2. The console is now semi-bricked. Games still play but the wii settings cannot be accessed. If you run the NTSC 3.3 firmware it will fix the console.
Questions on firmware 3.3:
Wii firmware 3.3 wet briefly blocked the twilight hack (not gonna explain what that is here, if you don't know search for it) but the hack has been fixed now and will work again. And it blocks truncha signed disks. Truncha disks can still be run by loading them through the gecko OS on the homebrew channel. Scrubbed and brickblocked disks still work. If you want more info on truncha and scrubbed disks search for them. As was said earlier, NO FIRMWARE UPDATES CAN DETECT MODCHIPS, AND THIS INCLUDES FIRMWARE 3.3.
Theres also a second update to firmware 3.3. This one blocks wad installers and the firmware downgrader. These programs can be re-enabled by installing a custom IOS through the homebrew channel.
Online play:
Online play with a modchip and a backup copy of a game works exactly the same as it does on an unmodded console with an original copy of the game. It works just fine and you won't get banned.
Gamecube Game Backups:
Gamecube game backups can be safely run from any region without fear of bricking because none of them have updates. They can also be burned on normal sized DVDs, and more than 1 can be burned to a single disk using GCOS.
Updating the modchip:
Not all modchips can be updated. There is a very nice for updating the wiikey here http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/597460 but some D2C chips cannot be updated. Others lack the ability to update from a DVD and instead use a USB ribbon cable that connects to the PC. Not going to go into all the details here. Again, if you need the info try searching for it.
Backing Up Games:
First off is downloading or backing up your games. If you choose to download one you will most likely get a collection of rar files. There's a guide on what to do with them to get the iso file here http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/555919
Backing up your games is a little more complex, but there are 3 ways to go about doing it.
First off remember that most DVD drives cannot read wii disks. In fact, only 4 models of DVD drive can read them, and they can be somewhat hard to track down.
The second option is to use an SD Gecko, its a gamecube memory card with an SD slot. If you have a modded console you can run a homebrew program that will dump an iso of the game in your wii console to the SD card in the Gecko.
Finally there is a program run through the homebrew channel that can dump games from the wii directly to your PC via wifi. I really don't know much about this program beyond it requiring the custom IOS wii firmware, and no one I know has even attempted it yet.
Burning Games.
Once you have your iso image the process of burning the game is simpler. Any DVD burner will work for burning wii games. Simply load up imgburn or nero and burn your iso file. I recommend burning at 4x to reduce errors. The brand of the disk used is also important. Verbatum DVD-R is preferred by most, but +R is fine as well. Don't bother with the off-brand disks as you'll probably end up with a bunch of coasters.
My guide doesn't have anything in it about softmodding because its a little out of date and I dont have time to work on it right now. But you can read this thread for most of what you want to know. http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/706332
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WJ99
Senior Member
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10. November 2008 @ 07:38 |
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Can you tell me about 'Bricking the Wii'? Is it salvagable?
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penguin98
AfterDawn Addict
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10. November 2008 @ 07:48 |
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I did cover that briefly, but if you want more info look here http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/523776
That covers region bricking exhaustively. It doesn't really cover general hardware level bricking, which is basically just user error and means you broke, fried or shorted something while installing a modchip. It can sometimes be fixed by fixing your short or bridging fuses that blew. And can nearly always be fixed if you replace the wii's DVD drive.
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WJ99
Senior Member
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10. November 2008 @ 08:01 |
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Thank you for the reply.
I guess I got to decide now, whether I want to risk my original games, or my entire Wii.
If I backup my own games then I should be fine, Just have to be wary if I get a game from USA.
I don't currently know anyone that I could trust to fit a modchip yet, so Im hoping on the way round without opening up the Wii will work.
The main bit I have taken out of this is to always update the firmware.
On my Wii currently I haven't updated it at all, and haven't accepted most of the T&C'S incase that if I got someone to fit a Wii chip such as the WiiKey, the latest firmware would automatically stop the Wii from working, and end up with a expensive block of plastic.
Can anyone recommend anything to put on the Wii? what is the most downloaded software for the Wii?
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penguin98
AfterDawn Addict
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10. November 2008 @ 08:07 |
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Most downloaded software is defiantly the homebrew channel. It allows booting of any sort of homebrew program.
If you want to do homebrew though install HBC and custom IOS before the latest update. Its still possible to do with the update, but easier to just do it beforehand.
I'd help more but I really gotta run out for awhile. Someone else will probably answer the rest of your questions.
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WJ99
Senior Member
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10. November 2008 @ 09:02 |
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Originally posted by penguin98:
Most downloaded software is defiantly the homebrew channel. It allows booting of any sort of homebrew program.
If you want to do homebrew though install HBC and custom IOS before the latest update. Its still possible to do with the update, but easier to just do it beforehand.
I'd help more but I really gotta run out for awhile. Someone else will probably answer the rest of your questions.
*Goes over the head*
Christ I really am a newbie.
Someone should really make a complete newbie guide, full with acronym meanings, and the do's and do not's
please can someone confirm that it's OK to bring down all updates from Nintendo?
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AfterDawn Addict
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10. November 2008 @ 11:14 |
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All of this has been covered numerous times in previous threads (most of this is covered in penguin98 above post). Most if not all is covered in the Ultimate Sticky Thread.
So I suggest you take some time and do a little research. Why should anyone make a "complete newbie guide" when you evidently haven't done any research and used the guides that are already out there.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 10. November 2008 @ 11:19
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WJ99
Senior Member
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10. November 2008 @ 12:01 |
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Originally posted by larrylje:
All of this has been covered numerous times in previous threads (most of this is covered in penguin98 above post). Most if not all is covered in the Ultimate Sticky Thread.
So I suggest you take some time and do a little research. Why should anyone make a "complete newbie guide" when you evidently haven't done any research and used the guides that are already out there.
There's a lot I just didn't understand that's all, I did do research, believe me, I just needed a little guidence. I've read the guides, a few times over. That is why i have started a new thread.
I will again read through the guides that are there.
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