Wii Region hack status, AnyRegion Changer / Gecko OS / GC Booter / Starfall

[Spatial]

You could set the delay with the first Beta, it was just a case of editing the .ini file to remove a # from the relevant line and then after four seconds it goes through to the Wii menu if there's no interuptions from the user.

Shame they've still not put in an uninstall feature. BootMii's Ok but it does add considerably to the time it takes the system to start up (even with the above file edit which adds extra again). It's probably because it's jigging about with the Wii code as it starts.

If you think this is the sort of thing that might bug you after a relatively quick boot on an untouched Wii, then it might be best to leave it alone for now.

[charlesr]

I've got bootmii on. Loading a game via homebrewchannel and gecko doesn't take much longer than waiting for the warning screen and wii channel menu to load on a normal wii I reckon. EDIT: also using gecko via this ensures you don't get caught out with games with updates on them.

I have successfully downgraded from 4.0 to 3.2U and have used anyregionchanger to set the shop to 1 (JPN) and it all works fine (before I started all this I deleted my shop account so the account would be freshly JPN on first use) If I had some J points I could dl muscle march.

Ommitting the news channel etc didn't do anything because I already had them. I did install the latest shop channel during the process in case anyone else tries to replicate what I did.

Now I just need a spare SD card to back up the entire wii using bootmii since it's in a nice state right now

[Jaz]

If BootMii is a pain just remove it from the SD Card and put it back when you want it.

Why is everyone downgrading to 3.2?

I upgraded from 3.2j to 4.0j. Then used AnyRegionChnager and some other applications to switch to 4.0u. Everything works great. I can even use AnyRegionChnager to switch my display mode to PAL and run C64 games.

[egparadigm]

I'm downgrading because I want to install preloader. Which I understand is the only safe way to play imports without them auto-updating the console(?) It won't work on 4.0u.

One thing I'm not sure of is whether I'm OK to use 4.0u if I've installed it with the downgrader or if I need to stick to 3.

[Escape-To-88]

i have preloader installed on a 4.0u machine and everything works no probs, even games that try to update the system.

[charlesr]

If BootMii is a pain just remove it from the SD Card and put it back when you want it.

Why is everyone downgrading to 3.2?

I upgraded from 3.2j to 4.0j. Then used AnyRegionChnager and some other applications to switch to 4.0u. Everything works great. I can even use AnyRegionChnager to switch my display mode to PAL and run C64 games.

How did you upgrade to 4? Normaly Nintendo process? anyregionchanger doesn't work with 4 according to every thread I've found and it certainly didn't work for me.

[egparadigm]

i have preloader installed on a 4.0u machine and everything works no probs, even games that try to update the system.

Out of interest, what happens when you insert such a game? Does it prompt you or does it just avoid the whole thing?

Gonna buy some PAL Wii games at some point, and I don't want it patching my system!

Managed to successfully downgrade my Wii. Took the best part of 2 hours! Curious to hear you have 4.0 and Preloader. Did you install that straight off onto your 4.0 Wii or from 3.2? Mine just gave up during installation if I tried it with 4.0.

[JB@XL]

How did you upgrade to 4? Normaly Nintendo process? anyregionchanger doesn't work with 4 according to every thread I've found and it certainly didn't work for me.

I dont have anyregionchanger so cant vouch if this will work but i used starcube 4.0 to update the firmware to 4.0 as it leaves the important stuff for homebrew intact.

http://www.starcube.co.uk/2009/03/wii-40e-homebrew-firmware-released-starcubes-launcher/

[Escape-To-88]

Out of interest, what happens when you insert such a game? Does it prompt you or does it just avoid the whole thing?

I believe it prompts me, but if I load said game through preloader and/or the homebrew channel it avoids it. The best way, I found, is install the game on an external HDD - then this avoids the problem completely. Obviously you need usbloader and an external disk to do this. I think I did it another way where I could get it not to prompt me, but now I use a Hard Disk I can't remember to be honest.

Curious to hear you have 4.0 and Preloader. Did you install that straight off onto your 4.0 Wii or from 3.2? Mine just gave up during installation if I tried it with 4.0.

Oh actually it may be custom 4.0 f/ware thinking about it - it did it all automatically. I installed the HBC on a virgin 4.0u machine and the system menu still say 4.0u. I installed preloader 0.29 after I had installed the HBC. Thinking about it now it may be a custom 4.0, to be honest I'm not sure as it was all inclusive in the package I used - but regardless it still let's me transfer to SD card etc. so wouldn't that be 4.0? And, like I say, it displays in the Wii Menu as that. It runs everything and has all the features of 4.0 so God knows!

[Strolls]

This is what puts me off soft-modding my Wii - the confusion about versions & concerns about official updates & all that. If it were a one-off job I'd have no hesitation.

[Jaz]

I was on 3.2j. I installed the Homebrew Channel using the Twilight Hack.

I used this guide to go from 3.2j to 4.0j:

http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=144835

I then installed BootMii and saved my NAND in case of a brick.

I used the same steps from the guide to grab a copy of 4.0u as a WAD. I cannot update online as I have no Wii internet connectivity.

I used AnyRegionChanger and set all settings to USA.

I used WAD Manager to install the 4.0u.

Bingo.

[charlesr]

Yeah, I was on Nintendo's 4.0 So anyregionchanger didn't work.

[egparadigm]

What tool do you use to backup the current state of your Wii?

[charlesr]

Not done it yet - waiting for a spare SD card to arrive. As Jaz says though, bootmii lets you back up the entire thing in a few minutes.

[egparadigm]

I actually did this yesterday. I have a HackMii installer and I installed BootMii to boot2. Is that it – it's backed up?