USB Loader

Page history last edited by Haruspex 1 day ago

Don't upgrade to Wii Firmware 4.2 or 4.3!

Instead of updating your Wii firmware, you can just use DOP-Mii to update specific channels such as the Nintendo Channel or Wii

Shop Channel (which also requires an IOS61 update) without updating the Wii Sytem Menu.  This will allow you to shop with the

latest Wii Shop Channel without updating the Wii System Menu.  The main reason you shouldn't update to Wii System Menu 4.2 or

4.3 is that there is no actual update for anything, just annoying ways attempting to prevent Wii hacking.

However, the USB Loader guide DOES work if you are on 4.2 and want to hack your Wii. We are testing 4.3 soon.

You can read about the problems with 4.2 and 4.3 on our Firmware page and the WiiBrew 4.2 and WiiBrew

4.3 articles.

  

Don't use IOS60-Patcher for launching games from SD!

Instead use DOP-Mii to re-install IOS60 (if you are on Wii Firmware 4.0 or 4.1) or IOS70 (if you are on Wii Firmware

4.2) or IOS80 (if you are on Wii Firmware 4.3) with the signature hash check (trucha bug). Also, if you are using Preloader and

you "dop" IOS60 or IOS70 or IOS80, remember to reinstall Preloader after "doping"; otherwise, you won't be able to load the

System Menu. Instead, boot HBC through Preloader to reinstall it.

What is USB Loader?

USB Loader is an application for the Nintendo Wii which allows you to to install and load your backup ISO game files to/from a USB storage

device. It also allows you to create such backups straight from the original DVD, or you can put ISO files which you have backed up to your

computer onto your USB drive and load them from there. This guide will prepare your Wii to use USB Loader GX, which will launch both the

USB drive and burned DVD-R discs.

 

What if I just want homebrew?

If you don't want to launch backup games and just want to enjoy the world of homebrew, homemade games and applications for the Wii, then you

only need to follow steps 2 through 4; it couldn't be simpler.

USB Loader Guide (These 8 steps take about 20 minutes)

Welcome:

This guide is targeted at people wit no hacks/mods on their Wii, so essentially a store-bought system. However, this guide can still help people

that have the HomeBrew Channel already installed (simply do step 1 and then skip to step 5).

Disclaimer: 

WiiHacks and its editors are not responsible for any harm done to your system by using our guides. This guide is meant to be simple and clean,

and works on all Wii systems to get them modified. However, after you have modified an LU64 or newer Wii system, DO NOT use downgrade

applications or anything that alters IOS files (besides what is in this guide), cIOS installers, and new IOS files from games released in 2009 and

beyond. (This may cause a brick [dead Wii].)

Korean Wii Systems:

You will need to alter this guide.  Do step 1 and 2 (load the Wii Hacks Package and Bannerbomb onto your SD card), but alter step 2 to launch

DOP-Mii (instead of the HackMii installer) by placing its boot.dol on the root of your card.  Then follow steps 5 and 6, then use DOP-Mii to

install the latest version of IOS34 and IOS61 (but say NO to the Sig Hash Check and ES_Identify patches).  A proper guide for this will be set up

at a future date if there is demand (there is also help on the CSG).

What You Need:

  An SD or SDHC card formatted as FAT32, and a card reader/writer. We recommend the SanDisk brand cards as they have been the

most successful. 

 If you don't have the Homebrew Channel or BootMii, download BannerBomb and the HackMii installer.

 Download the WiiHackWii Package

Summary:

In this guide you will

1. (Steps 1 through 4) Install the HomeBrew Channel and BootMii via BannerBomb

2. (Step 5) Restore the Trucha Bug to IOS36

3. (Step 6) Delete IOS stubs (installed by Nintendo to prevent hacking)

4. (Step 7) Install cIOS222 to enable homebrew access to the USB port and DVD drive

5. (Step 8) Install cIOSx (a.k.a. cIOS 249) to enable compatibility with a broader range of homebrew 

The terms IOS and cIOS are going to come up a lot in this guide.  If you're curious about what they mean, go check out the IOS

Information page.

Instructions:

This guide is meant to be simple for you and clean for your Wii. It will attempt to explain each step clearly and provides notes before certain

steps so that you can understand what you are doing, why, and how to address any problems. 

STEP 1. UnZip and load the contents of the WeHackWii Package to your SD Card. Optionally, you should read the included README.txt for
some useful information.

Note: Skip steps 2 through 4 if you already have the HomeBrew Channel and BootMii (but make sure to do step 4-1 if you don't have a NAND

backup, otherwise you will have a horrible time trying to recover from a brick).

STEP 2. Follow the BannerBomb instructions to load BannerBomb and the HackMii installer onto your SD card properly, and launch
HackMii installer.

STEP 3. You are now in the HackMii installer. Install everything (only the HomeBrew Channel is required, BootMii as boot2 is strongly
recommended [although if you can only install as IOS do it anyway], and DVDx is at your discretion).
 

Note: DVDx is an older method for playing DVD movies on your Wii. It is no longer the recommended method, and so we don't feel you should

install DVDx. Instead, the best way to play media content on your Wii (including DVD movies) is via WiiMC.

STEP 4. When done, exit to the System Menu.

4a If you installed BootMii as boot2, it is suggested to do a NAND Backup before continuing. Read the BootMii Guide for more

. information.

Note: Step 5 is meant to restore the Trucha Bug to IOS36. The purpose of this is to allow step 7 to use IOS36 to install a cIOS (custom IOS).

The cIOS is what will allow backup launchers such as USB Loader GX to access the USB port and the DVD drive.

     If you don't wish to launch backup games, you are done and can move on to optionally upgrade/downgrade your Firmware and/or head over

to WiiBrew Wiki to get some fresh, homemade homebrew applications.

STEP 5. Run DOP-Mii from the HomeBrew Channel. 

Open the DOP-Mii Instructions, follow the "Restoring the Trucha Bug" section

Go to the HomeBrew Channel Upside-Down and Backwards section if that happens.

Note: Step 6 is only necessary for those on Wii Firmware 4.2, although it also ensures a clean Wii system for all others. The reason

step 6 is important for 4.2 is that along with the System Menu, stub IOS files were installed to slots 222, 223, 249, and 250 in order to

prevent cIOS files from being installed. These must be deleted in order for step 7 to succeed on a 4.2 or higher Wii system.

STEP 6. Run DOP-Mii from the HomeBrew Channel.

Open the DOP-Mii Instructions, follow the "Stub IOS Removal" section

OR
Use the included AnyTitle Deleter DB to delete (if they exist on your Wii) IOS202, IOS222, IOS223, IOS249, IOS250, IOS254

Note: Step 7 installs a cIOS, and is the whole reason for the previous steps. This cIOS gives HomeBrew access to the USB drive and the DVD

drive, among other things. This allows the included USB Loader GX to create/run backup games on/from your USB drive.

     If you are unable to get step 7 to work for you, then delete the 00000001 folder from your SD card and try again. If you're still having trouble,

check the cIOS222 page for additional help.

STEP 7. Remove all GameCube memory cards and controllers for this step! Open the HomeBrew Channel and run the cIOS222 v4
Installer.

7a. Select IOS <36> for install 

7b Install Custom IOS 222 

7c. Use IOS38 merged with IOS37 

Note: If you get ret= -1035 as an error message, it means you didn't properly delete the stub IOS files as mentioned in Step 6. 

STEP 8. Remove all GameCube memory cards and controllers for this step! Open the HomeBrew Channel and run the cIOS249

rev17 Installer.

8a. Select < IOS36 > for install 

8b. Select < WAD installation >

Note: If you don't have the latest WeHackWii Package which includes the IOS38 WAD file, then WAD installation won't work for step 8b and

you'll need to use < Network installation >.

 

You now have a fully hacked Wii with the following:

HomeBrew Channel, BootMii, cIOS 222, cIOS 249, and USB Loader GX

DOP Mii

Page history last edited by Haruspex 2 mos ago

Restoring the Trucha Bug

Part A:

1. Start DOP-Mii via Homebrew Channel and press A to continue.

2. Go down once to select Install IOS36 (v3351) w/FakeSign.

3. Press A to continue.

4. Press A again to confirm that you want to continue. 

Note: If the wii crashes (gives a code dump) for one of the following steps, hold the power button until the Wii shuts down. Then

reboot it, launch DOP-Mii and start again. Your Wii has not been harmed.

Part B - Downgrading IOS15 to v257:

1. It will want to load IOS15 v257 into memory. Change the option to Load WAD from SD Card (2 times right or left) and

press A.

2. Now let it install. You may get the message ERROR! Could not open file, but this can be ignored throughout this

process.

 
Part C - Installing IOS36 with FakeSign Bug                                                                                   

1. Once installation is completed, it will ask to Apply ES_Identify Patch to IOS36. Press A to accept.

2. Then it will ask if you want to Apply NAND Permissions Patch. Press A to accept.

3. Now it will want to load IOS36 v3351  into memory. Change the option to Load WAD from SD Card (2 times right or

left) and press A.

Part D - Restoring IOS15 v523 (optional, but recommended)                                                                                                    

1. Once installation is completed, it will ask to restore IOS15 to v523. Press A to accept.

2. Now it will want to load IOS15 v523 into memory. Change the option to Load WAD from SD Card (2 times right or left)

and press A.

3. It will tell you that installation completed successfully!!! Press A to return to the main menu.

Stub IOS Removal 

1. Start DOP-Mii via Homebrew Channel and press A to continue.

2. Choose the first option (IOS: 36) by pressing A.

3. You will see another menu, where you also have to choose the first option IOS, BC, MIOS by pressing A.

4. Use left/right to navigate the IOS files looking for stubs (it will display (STUB), on the right under Currently Installed).

5. If you find a stub IOS you want to uninstall, press [-] (minus), then A to confirm.

You should ensure you have uninstalled IOS 202, 222, 223, 249 and 250 if they are stubs.
 

SysCheck 

1. Start DOP-Mii via Homebrew Channel and press A to continue.

2. Go down twice to select Scan the Wii's internals (SysCheck).

3. Press A to continue.

4. Press A again to confirm that you want to continue.

5. Wait for the SysCheck to run...

6. As SysCheck prints information to your screen, if it reaches to bottom it will ask you to press A to continue or press

Home to return to the loader. Press A to continue each time (may only happen once).

7. When finished, it will say SysCheck Complete and offer to save the information. Press + to save to your SD card.