Homebrew setup
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The easiest way to setup and use Homebrew on your Wii is by using the Twilight Hack to install the Homebrew Channel.
General information
Twilight Hack
The Twilight Hack is currently the only free, safe and publicly available way to enable Homebrew on the Nintendo Wii. It is executed by playing a specially designed savegame for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess that loads and executes a Homebrew application or installer from the SD card in the Wii's SD slot.
Inside the zip file you will find versions of the hack for all three regions (USA, Europe, and Japan). You may copy the whole folder containing all of them to your SD card, your Wii will only recognize the savegame for your region.
For USA users: when entering the savegame loading screen in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, you will be presented with two savegames of which only one will work (the other one does no harm, but only halt the game). The easiest way to find out which one to use is to look up the last digit of the text on the inner circle of the data (usually bottom of disc) surface of the game disk (it's either 0 or 2).
| Region | Inner circle text | File | Save slot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe/Australia (EUR) | RVL-RZDP-0A-0 JPN | /private/wii/title/rzdp/data.bin | Twilight Hack |
| Asia (JPN) | RVL-RZDJ-0A-0 JPN | /private/wii/title/rzdj/data.bin | Twilight Hack |
| America (USA) | RVL-RZDE-0A-0 JPN | /private/wii/title/rzde/data.bin | TwilightHack0 |
| America (USA) | RVL-RZDE-0A-0 USA | /private/wii/title/rzde/data.bin | TwilightHack0 |
| America (USA) | RVL-RZDE-0A-2 USA | /private/wii/title/rzde/data.bin | TwilightHack2 |
Homebrew Channel
The Homebrew Channel is a self-updating homebrew application loader by Team Twiizers which allows users to load homebrew applications without having to run the Twilight Hack every time. Once installed, users can access the channel from the Wii System Menu just like any other Wii channel. This channel can be deleted at any time, and while it does show up in play logs that does not affect the Wii in any way.
Homebrew Setup
Requirements
- SD card (at most 2GB, not SDHC) formatted as FAT16/32. (The Wii System Menu, which is used to copy the save, only reads SD cards, not SDHC).
- SD card reader or device that can be used as one (Camera, some phones, etc)
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess that has been played in the target wii at least once
- Twilight Hack (Download for System Menu 3.3 and Below | Download for System Menu 3.4)
- Homebrew Channel (Download)
Note: You can find out your Wii's System Menu version by entering Wii Settings and looking in the top-right of the screen.
Step by Step
- (Optional) If you have an existing Zelda save that you want to backup, do so before proceeding:
- Put your SD card in your Wii and turn it on.
- Go into Wii Options --> Data Management --> Save Data --> Wii
- Find your Zelda save, click on it, click "Copy", and click Yes
- Put your SD card in your computer, and copy the "private" folder from the card to a safe place.
- Make sure that Zelda has been played at least once and you have saved the game.
- Copy the "private" directory from the Twilight Hack download to the root of your SD card.
- Copy "boot.dol" from the Homebrew Channel download to to the root (the top folder) of your SD card.
- Put your SD card in your Wii and turn it on.
- Go into Wii Options --> Data Management --> Save Data --> Wii.
- Find your Zelda save, click on it, click "Erase", and click Yes.
- Open the SD card and select the "Twilight Hack" save that corresponds to your game region.
- Click copy and then yes. Now exit out to the main Wii Menu.
- Insert The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess game disc and run the game.
- If you have the USA version of the game, load the "TwilightHack0" or "TwilightHack2" version of the game as appropriate (see the table above).
- Otherwise, load the only "Twilight Hack" save game.
- Once in the game, either walk backwards or talk to the man standing in front of you. Do not do anything else, like opening the inventory or it will freeze you console and you will have to hold the power button for five seconds to reset.
- The Homebrew Channel installer should now load.
- READ THE DISCLAIMER! In the VERY unlikely case your Wii should be bricked (rendered inoperable) by the installer, this will let you know where you stand in regards to Team Twiizers.
- Press the RESET button on your Wii. (or "1" button on the Wiimote)
- Done!
Troubleshooting
- If you get an error such as Failed to read boot.elf (-1), your SD card may not be formatted as FAT16/32. Try reformatting your SD card with the Official SD Card Format Tool. In addition, some SD cards simply do not work with the Twilight Hack, and a new SD card needs to be used. Borrowing from a friend is recommended :).