Homebrew status
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Current homebrew status: Working for most Wii consoles as of System Menu 4.2.
The recommended method of homebrew application loading is currently the Homebrew Channel, which can be installed either via the Twilight Hack (works on System Menus below 4.0) or Bannerbomb (works on all System Menus as of 4.2).
Compatibility
Important information about what you can do based on your System Menu version.
Launch-day to 3.2
Best versions. These work with almost every Homebrew app out there; no exploits were fixed until 3.3.
3.3
System Menu 3.3 came with an unsuccessful attempt to block the Twilight Hack and a successful attempt to block booting of modified / fakesigned discs. It was quickly followed by the "October 23 (2008) update", which installed new versions of all IOSes to block the signing bug. Most Wii Homebrew can still be loaded with the Homebrew Channel, but any applications that rely on fakesigning will not work. This includes:
- This means you can't install any patched IOSes.
- You are unable to delete any unused channels, such as weather and news. This also affects the unofficial versions of AnyTitle Deleter.
3.4
System Menu 3.4 removes the Twilight Hack on every boot. Due to this inconvenience, you will have to copy the Twilight Hack back onto the console each time you want to use it. Bannerbomb does not suffer from this inconvenience, as it is never copied to the console.
4.0 and 4.1
System Menu 4.0 finally killed the Twilight Hack. You will need to use Bannerbomb to run the HackMii Installer, and from there you can install the Homebrew Channel, DVDx, and/or BootMii.
4.2
Most homebrew is currently functional. The BannerBomb v1 exploit currently cannot be used but Bannerbomb v2 can be used. You could also use Indiana Pwns or Smash Stack to load homebrew. Team Twiizers has found a way to install HBC, DVDx, And BootMii on 4.2. It is cautioned that you should still not update.
Newer Wiis
HackMii Installer will now work on all Wiis, but on some newer Wiis, downgrading an IOS will cause the IOS to become useless. IOS downgrading was a method popularly used by pirates prior to "LU64+ unsoftmoddable" Wiis, and is VERY dangerous. Do NOT follow a guide involving IOS downgrades.
Downgrading
It is strongly recommended that you do not attempt to downgrade your Wii's firmware to an older version. The methods used to do this are risky and often illegal. Instead, remember that even the latest version will let you enjoy most Wii homebrew, and that newer homebrew is likely to work with the latest version of the Wii software. The risks of downgrading are large at this point, and you could easily render your Wii completely bricked with no possible fix.
Things of interest
Hacks
Bannerbomb
Twilight Hack
Smash Stack
Indiana Pwns
Fake Signing (Signing bug)
Requires: Varies. For homebrew enablement, a drivechip and a Wii with IOSes prior to a System Menu 3.3 update.
This method of signing content for the Wii exploits a bug in the implementation of the RSA algorithm used in some of the Wii's software. It is simple to create a fake signature for any content, allowing the installation of custom channels (such as the Homebrew Channel) and IOSes (via PatchMii or Custom IOS Installer), the running of modified game discs (only with a drivechip), the Datel Freeloader disc, and more.
However, as of the System Menu 4.0 update, all IOSes have been patched to remove the signing bug, rendering all fakesigned discs, as well as any homebrew software reliant on the signing bug (such as AnyTitle Deleter and AnyRegion Changer) useless.
Homebrew Channel
Requires: Homebrew enablement via fakesigning (only on consoles that do not have the October 23 update), the Twilight Hack, Bannerbomb, or Smash Stack.
While not a hack in itself, the Homebrew Channel is the first homebrew loading interface that does not require any other software or hardware to run. Installation, however, requires the ability to run either the Twilight Hack, fakesigned discs, or Bannerbomb. It currently works on all Wii System Menus available up to this writing (the latest is currently 4.2). The Homebrew Channel installer utilizes various undisclosed exploits to install itself, depending on what exploits are still available on your Wii.
Updates that affect homebrew
There have been many Wii System Updates for the Wii. Listed here are the ones that in some way affect homebrew.
System Menu 4.2, updated Wii Shop Channel, removes homebrew applications
- Deletes old versions of the Homebrew Channel (ones with the ID of HAXX) and DVDx (ones with the ID of DVDX)
- Now uses IOS70.
- Wii Shop Channel updated.
- Most of the IOS's have been updated or stubbed.
- Updates your boot2 to boot2v4, overwriting BootMii/boot2.
- Bricks region converted Korean Wiis
This update was dubbed the "Homebrew Killer" and is the most aggressive attack Nintendo have made against homebrew. There have been numerous reports of Wiis being bricked (whether they have homebrew installed or not) because the code Nintendo use to flash boot2 is not as well tested as some of the other update code.
System Menu 4.0, added IOS16 (stub), IOS60 and IOS61, updated IOS38, updated Photo Channel 1.1 (to 1.1-b), Wii Shop Channel and Wii Speak Channel (to 2.0).
Released: 25th March 2009
- Blocks installation of the Twilight Hack version 0.1beta2. To install homebrew, use Bannerbomb instead.
- This version of the System Menu uses IOS60.
- Blocks new installations of anything that uses the STM Release Exploit; so the Homebrew Channel and DVDx will not install. The HackMii Installer contains a workaround.
- The Photo Channel 1.1 and the Wii Shop Channel have been updated, use WiiSCU to update these and install truchasigned versions of IOS60 and IOS61.
- The Wii Speak Channel 2.0 is not compatible with the original. Update the Wii Speak Channel to version 2.0 by using the Wii Shop Channel (update it if required)
System Menu 3.4, added IOS50 and dummy IOS254 (just IOS9), updated IOSs 30, 31 and 37, bc and MIOS, updated Mii Channel.
Released: 18th November 2008 - Found in games
- Blocks the installation of the Twilight Hack version 0.1beta1. Twilight Hack version 0.1beta2 can still be installed for long enough to install HBC.
- This version of the System Menu uses IOS50.
- Does not appear to affect custom channels (although there have been unreliable reports to the contrary)
- Breaks PatchMii by installing a dummy IOS9 into the IOS254 slot.
- Adds the dev/flash/ blocks to IOSs 30, 31, and 37
IOS51 & Updated all IOSes except IOS30, IOS31 and IOS37 (these were already partially updated, see below), added some IOSes that were only previously available from Wii Discs, updated Wii Shop Channel.
Released: 23rd October 2008 - Found in games
- This blocks new installations of anything fakesigned, that is, Homebrew Channel beta 8 and below (beta 9 contains a workaround), unofficial wads (legal and illegal), Starfall/Preloader, cIOS, anything that installs IOSes secretly like AnyRegion Changer or AnyTitle Deleter, xyzzy and DVDX (used for apps which have DVD support; the latest version contains a workaround). This list is not exhaustive, but please add to it if you think of anything else.
- This also blocks access to /dev/flash in all IOSes but IOS30, IOS31 and IOS37. This means raw nand dumping utilities, for example Yet Another Wii NAND Dumper, no longer work, since by default homebrew uses IOS35
- If something is already installed then it isn't affected, like Homebrew Channel, etc.
- The Shop Channel backend was also updated at this time. You need the new Shop Channel (first available with this update) to access the Wii Shop Channel, but this can now be worked around with Wii Shop and IOS51 installer.
- If you already have the Homebrew Channel and DVDX, and aren't planning to install anything big that will affect your Wii, then you are most likely unaffected. Normal everyday apps such as Homebrew Browser are completely unaffected as long as you already have the Homebrew Channel.
- It updates all IOSes with the fakesigning bug, and adds IOS51.
System Menu 3.3 & Updated IOS30 and IOS31, updated bc and MIOS, updated Mii Channel.
Released: 16th June 2008 - Found in games
This update blocked old versions of the Twilight Hack. The newest version contains a workaround, and retains compatibility with all Wii firmware versions. IOS30 and IOS31 have fixes for the Signing bug backported from IOS37. Since the System Menu uses IOS30, fake-signed discs have been blocked.
IOS37
Released: 21st March 2008 - Found in games
This iteration of IOS contained a fixed signature checking routine--a fix for the Signing bug. Although installed on many Wiis, IOS37 has not been found active in any way that would disable any hacks.
Other Updates
Currently, no other updates, older or newer than these, affect homebrew. See System Menu Versions for more info on other updates.
Recent updates believed not to have affected homebrew are:
- System Menu 4.1
- (JP only) updated HCCJ (Room Channel & Food Delivery Channel apparently)