Difference between revisions of "Homebrew setup"

Revision as of 18:20, 7 January 2010

There are currently two methods of installing the Homebrew Channel on your Wii console: The easiest method is by using Bannerbomb or the Indiana Pwns exploit together with the HackMii installer; this method works for versions of the Wii System Menu between 3.0 – 4.2. Alternatively, you can use the Twilight Hack, however this method does not work for Wii System Menu 4.0 or newer, and it requires that you own a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Wii.

Because of this, this page will only cover documentation on how to install the Homebrew Channel through Bannerbomb, as this is the recommended method to use. However, if you would like to use the Twilight Hack instead, please see the step-by-step homebrew guide.

About

Bannerbomb

Bannerbomb is an exploit capable of loading .dol and .elf files. It is currently the only known method of loading .dol and.elf files in Wii System Menu 4.0

Homebrew Channel

The Homebrew Channel is a self-updating application created by Team Twiizers, which allows users to easily load and use homebrew applications, without having to use exploits such as Bannerbomb or Twilight Hack every time they run a new application. After installation, the channel is accessible from the Wii Menu just like any other Wii channel. The channel can be deleted at any time through the Wii's "Data Management" menu. The Homebrew Channel does not show up in the console's play logs, however this does not affect the Wii in any way whatsoever.

Setting up Homebrew Channel

What is needed

A Wii console (it does not matter what system menu version)
An SD card
The HackMii installer
The Bannerbomb Exploit^[1]
A computer (PC or Macintosh)
And SD card reader for your computer

Part 1: Formatting the SD card

Windows

Place your SD card into your reader;
Back up any data you might currently have on the SD card as this process will erase the data on the card
Open up "My Computer"
Right-click on the drive that contains the SD card and select "Format..."
Under "File system" make sure you select FAT (see picture to the right)
Click "Start" and let the process finalize
After the formatting is finished proceed to the next step

Mac OS

Back up any data you might currently have on the SD card as this process will erase the data on the card
Open up "Disk Utility"
Find your SD card in the navigation
Go to the "Erase" tab
Change the "Volume Format" to MS-DOS (FAT)
Click "Erase" and let the process finalize
After the formatting is finished proceed to the next step

Linux

Back up any data you might currently have on the SD card as this process will erase the data on the card
Open up a terminal
Execute the command "mkfs.vfat /dev/<location of your SD card>"
Caution not to reformat your hard disk. Think hard before formatting /dev/sda1, for example.
After the formatting is finished proceed to the next step

Part 2: Copying files to SD card

Download Bannerbomb and HackMii installer; if you have already done so proceed to the next step
Extract both Bannerbomb and HackMii installer in an easily accessible folder, such as your Desktop (see pic. 1)
Open up the folder called hackmii_installer_beta3 (see pic. 2)
Copy file boot.elf^[2] to your SD card (see pic. 3)
Finally, copy the folder called private (which you extracted from the Bannerbomb archive) to your SD card. Picture 4 shows what files your SD card should contain now.

Extract the files to your Desktop
Copy boot.elf to your SD card
Copy folder private to your SD card
Your SD card should look like this in the end

Part 3: Setting up your Wii

(Please Note that "setting up wii" instructions are for bannerbomb v1, for v2 click here)

Do NOT insert your SD card into the console yet
Power on your Wii and enter the Wii Settings menu
Go to "Data Management" then select "Channels" and then "SD Card"
Insert your SD card into the slot found in the front of your Wii console
A window should appear "Load Boot.dol/elf?" Click "Yes"
If all goes well, you should see a disclaimer (pic. 4); press 1 on your Wii Remote when prompted and you are ready to proceed to the next part of this tutorial. If this does not happen, please follow the next step:
If you did see the disclaimer as mention at step 6 you can skip this step. If not, go back to part 2 of this tutorial, but this time download a different version of Bannerbomb

Open the settings menu
Go into Data Management and then Channels
Press SD Card
A pop-up box will appear. Click yes.

Part 4: Installing the Homebrew Channel

In this section you won't see any GUI, just a blue bordered screen with words in the middle. On the first screen what sticks out is the Green/Red print. If you have a new Wii it will say something like this:

The Homebrew Channel: Can be installed
DVDx: Can be installed
BootMii: Can only be installed as IOS
The installed boot1 version prevents a boot2 install (-2)

If you have an older Wii then all three will be in green and say Can be installed

Bootmii is a replacement bootloader for your Wii - it is mainly useful if you are going to run or develop any risky homebrew and want a way to roll back to a previous state. It is also useful if you need direct access to all the hardware, for example, to run Wii Linux with more features. If you do not want to do either of these, you should not install BootMii.

Press the A button on your Wiimote
Here you will be presented with a menu of options for now select "Homebrew Channel"
Select "Install the Homebrew Channel"
A new selection will come up asking to "Install the Homebrew Channel now?" Select "yes, continue"
After installation it should say "finished" and return you to the main menu
Select "Install DVDx" "install DVDx now?" will show up. Select "Yes, Continue"
If you want to install BootMii (see above), Select "BootMii" select the option that suits your Wii (If you can install as boot2 DO SO. If not install as IOS)

Running Bootmii Through HBC

If you're one of the late-comers to the Wii party you may have had to install BootMii via IOS. In that case you have to run BootMii by going into The HBC and hit the "Home" button on your Wii Remote. Place your cursor onto the "Launch BootMii" selection and press A.^[3]

Extra Note
While in BootMii, you should back up your NAND memory. This is mainly for those who have installed bootmii as Boot2, but should still be done when installed as IOS. when in BootMii, you will not have access to the wii-mote, so you will have to use a gamecube controller, or the buttons on the Wii itself. (power button is move cursor, reset button is select option.)
Select the 4th option then hit A/Reset, then you are taken to a new option.
The first corresponds to the backing up of NAND memory, the second; "injecting" NAND back into memory...
Select the first option (you must have at least 512MB of space on SD card to do so) to back up NAND.

Troubleshooting

When I insert my SD card to start the process nothing happens!

One of 4 things has happened:

You didn't place the data on the SD card right.
You went into the savegame data menu instead of the channel menu.
You need to set the archive bit of the private\wii\title\aktn\content.bin.
You need the next bannerbomb zip. Download the next one and start over.

OMG!! One of the selections is purple and says I can't install BootMii!!

You havn't read this page in detail, this is explained further up with a picture of the screen.

My Wiimote quit working when i loaded up BootMii! Why? and Can this be fixed?

You didn't read BootMii's FAQ or the README file located in the Hackmii installer archive.

Both State that you have to use a Gamecube controller or the Power/Reset/Eject buttons on the console. In order for this to be fixed a lot of coding will have to be done to make a custom Bluetooth stack and drivers for BootMii. This isn't on the top of the priority list.

Will my Wavebird wireless controller work?

Yes, but you must hold any (unused) button when you start up your Wii.

(Wavebird wireless controller now supported in beta3)

Any other questions whould be directed to the WiiBrew:FAQ. I'm human after all and can't remember every question that is asked but will update as necessary

Can Install BootMii as boot2
Can not install BootMii as boot2

If everything went as planned you should have everything installed and should select "exit" and your Wii will load into the Homebrew Channel, Or into the system menu with The Homebrew Channel on the menu.

Notes

The first time try the first file in the download list (aad20_v108.zip). If it does not work try one of the others.

The other three files contain information that made the creation of this tutorial possible but are not needed in the actual installation and use of the HackMii installer.

Once you press A on your Wii Remote it will power off and be unusable. You have to use a GameCube controller plugged into slot #1, or the three buttons on the front of the console.

External links

Homebrew showcase — A YouTube video presentation of popular Homebrew applications
HackMii blog — Blog of one of the creators of the Homebrew Channel

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 87: / Line 87: @@
 If you have an older Wii then all three will be in green and say <span style="color:green;">'''Can be installed'''</span><br />
+Bootmii is a replacement bootloader for your Wii - it is mainly useful if you are going to run or develop any risky homebrew and want a way to roll back to a previous state. It is also useful if you need direct access to all the hardware, for example, to run Wii Linux with more features. If you do not want to do either of these, you should not install BootMii.
 # Press the A button on your Wiimote
 # Here you will be presented with a menu of options for now select "Homebrew Channel"
@@ Line 93: / Line 96: @@
 # After installation it should say "finished" and return you to the main menu
 # Select "Install DVDx" "install DVDx now?" will show up. Select "Yes, Continue"
-# Select "BootMii" select the option that suits your Wii (If you can install as boot2 DO SO. If not install as IOS)
+# If you want to install BootMii (see above), Select "BootMii" select the option that suits your Wii (If you can install as boot2 DO SO. If not install as IOS)
 === Running Bootmii Through HBC ===