IOS history

This page is intended to track changes in IOS (the operating system that runs on Starlet) such as: added features, bug fixes, etc. It will also cover what different minor versions are known to exist.

Overview

The Title ID of the IOSes follow this convention "00000001-000000xx" where xx is the IOS number in hexadecimal. The "IOS number" is best thought of as a "Major" version number for the firmware, and probably corresponds to a specific version of Nintendo's (proprietary) SDK. For example, the version of the SDK used to compile Zelda: Twilight Princess probably was tailored to run on IOS9.

In general, IOSx0 is used for the system menu (IOS20, IOS30, IOS40, IOS50, IOS60, IOS70). IOSx1 seems to be used for Nintendo channels (e.g. IOS31, IOS51, IOS61).

Each IOS has a 16-bit version number in its TMD. This version number is seen in decimal form in the filenames of IOS WADs on update partition (e.g. "IOS9-64-v516.wad" for version 516 (decimal)). Converted to hex, that 516 becomes 0x0204, and can be read as "2.4" -- IOS9, version 2.4.

As a rule, an existing IOS will never have new features added to it, to protect binary compatibility. This means that any updates for existing IOSes are only meant to fix bugs (generally, security bugs).

Placeholders

As of late 2008, Nintendo has been replacing some versions of IOS with small non-functional "place holder" IOSes. This is to prevent the reuse of the IOS "slot" for software other than official Nintendo Software which utilized that IOS number. Nintendo can come back at a later date if necessary and "reuse" an IOS slot at their own discretion by simply increasing the version number of the title and replacing it with a functional IOS once again. These IOSes have been marked as Mothballed on the table denoting that Nintendo may have planned on reusing them during the Wii's lifetime.

Version Table

Highlighted versions are not available on NUS.

IOS Number	Minor(s)	Version Number(s)	Notes	NUS Availability	Status
IOS1 (boot2)	0.4	v4	The title ID where IOS1 would be is used during the update process to update boot2, so the only "IOS" in slot 1 is boot2, assuming the Wii has been updated to System Menu 4.2.	v4	Used for non-IOS purposes
IOS2 (System Menu)	?	?	The title ID used by the System Menu is what IOS2 would be, so the System Menu is in the IOS2 slot. Note that this is the only time a non-ARM binary is placed in an IOS slot. Switching to this slot loads the System Menu IOS.	?	Used for non-IOS purposes
IOS3	0.7.6, 255.0	v1798, v65280	Despite the version being 0.7.6 as seen in the SDK, the titleid is IOS3. IOS in beta used the IOS0 title id, then as it neared release they changed to IOS3. Later on it changed to IOS4 which is the first one that got shipped at retail. IOS3 is used in the factory and comes preinstalled as a stub on some wiis because of it; later version is a stub. The older version is lost but we know it exists because SDK.	Unavailable	Mothballed
IOS4	0.1, 0.3, 1.3, 255.0	v1, v3, v259, v65280	Previous versions only had minimal drivers (lacking KD, WL, WD, SSL), and were used during manufacturing. v3's timestamp is Aug 10, 2006; it was used by the Prelaunch System Menu present on pre-launch kiosk Wiis that shipped without a full System Menu. v259 was used on Korean Wiis at some point, although it is unknown what, if any, purpose it served. v1's existence is known through remnants in the Startup Disc NAND. v65280 is a stub; at one point, v3 was on CDN, likely by accident, but it was replaced with the stub version.	v65280	Mothballed
IOS5	255.0	v65280	We only know it exists because it's listed in the SDK. The IOS5 going around the internet is a modded version of IOS21 and is not real, the legit IOS5 will probably never be found. IOS with the same titleid exists as stub on some Wiis, probably same situation as IOS3 above where it's used for factory titles or possibly due to the aforementioned hack distributed under the IOS5 title ID.	Lost	Never Released
IOS6	?	?	We only know it exists because it's listed in the SDK. Will probably never be found.	Lost	Never Released
IOS7	?	?	We only know it exists because it's listed in the SDK. Will probably never be found.	Lost	Never Released
IOS8	?	?	We only know it exists because it's listed in the SDK. Will probably never be found.	Lost	Never Released
IOS9	0.1, 2.1, 2.4, 2.6, 2.8, 2.9, 4.10	v1, v513, v516, v518, v520, v521, v778, v1034	Has only one LED pattern: blinking. First "normal" IOS version. Used by System Menu 1.0 and launch games. v513 is a lost pre-release version, listed in SDK. Version 1's internal timestamp is Aug 22 2006 13:46:28. v518 was at some point found on Korean Wiis.	v520, v521, v778, v1034	Active
IOS10	?, 3.0	?, v768	First "stub" IOS. Origin of the shared contents used by all subsequent "stub / mothballed" IOSes. Used as a System Menu IOS on devkits and used by the Japanese version of System Menu 1.0.	v768	Mothballed
IOS11	0.10, v1.0	v10, v256	Internal timestamp says Nov 14 2006 16:26:01. Used by System Menu 2.0.	v10, v256	Mothballed
IOS12	0.6, 0.11, 0.12, 1.13, 2.13	v6, v11, v12, v269, v525, v526	This IOS has an internal date of June 4, 2006; this would make it the earliest known IOS, however it appears that this is merely when a related source tree (possibly not even for this specific IOS) was created, not the actual build date of the binary for any publicly released version of this IOS.	v6, v11, v12, v269, v525, v526	Active
IOS13	0.10, 0.15, 0.16, 1.11, 4.7	v10, v15, v16, v273, v1031, v1032	Used by the "All Regions" title of News, Weather & Photo 1.0 Channels	v10, v15, v16, v273, v1031, v1032	Active
IOS14	1.1, 1.6, 1.7, 2.8, 4.7	v257, v262, v263, v520, v1031, v1032		v262, v263, v520, v1031, v1032	Active
IOS15	1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.9, 1.10, 2.11, 4.7	v257, v258, v259, v260, v265, v266, v523, v1031, v1032	Contains NAND BOOT PROGRAM (AKA NANDloader) -- this was probably accidental	v257, v258, v259, v260, v265, v266, v523, v1031, v1032	Active
IOS16	1.1, 2.0	v257, v512	Initially used for Wii Backup Disc. The version on the Wii Backup Disc was infamously used by pirates, until System Menu 4.0 mothballed this IOS as of v512. The mothballed stub version was retracted from the Korean SOAP server 2 days after its original posting for unknown reasons. The System Menu 4.1 update for Korea added it back, along with stubbing IOS52.	v512	Mothballed
IOS17	2.0, 2.5, 2.6, 4.7	v512, v517, v518, v775, v1031, v1032		v512, v517, v518, v775, v1031, v1032	Active
IOS20	0.12, 1.0	v12, v256	Feb 22 2007 04:25:59 Used by System Menu 2.2.	v12, v256	Mothballed
IOS21	2.2, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.10, 2.13, 4.14	v514, v515, v516, v517, v522, v525, v782, v1038, v1039	Contains NAND BOOT PROGRAM. Most debugging messages are removed. Most common for third-party titles.	v514, v515, v516, v517, v522, v525, v782, v1038, v1039	Active
IOS22	3.4, 3.9, 3.10, 4.13, 5.13	v772, v777, v780, v1037, v1293, v1294		v777, v780, v1037, v1293, v1294	Active
IOS28	5.8, 5.12, 5.13, 6.14, 7.14	v1288, v1292, v1293, v1550, v1806, v1807	Starting with IOS28, firmware is divided into 15 modules. Added some ioctls to /dev/es.	v1292, v1293, v1550, v1806, v1807	Active
IOS30	4.13, 4.15, 4.16, 10.16, 11.0	v1037, v1039, v1040, v2576, v2816	Added USB Keyboard support. Used by many previous versions of the System Menu.	v1037, v1039, v1040, v2576, v2816	Mothballed
IOS31	4.13, 4.15, 4.16, 10.16, 12.16, 12.20, 13.21, 14.23	v1037, v1039, v1040, v2576, v3088, v3092, v3349, v3607, v3608	Used by News/Weather/Photo 1.1 channel	v1037, v1039, v1040, v2576, v3088, v3092, v3349, v3607, v3608	Active
IOS33	4.16, 11.14, 11.16, 12.19, 14.23	v1040, v2832, v2834, v3091, v3607, v3608		v1040, v2832, v2834, v3091, v3607, v3608	Active
IOS34	4.15, 12.15, 12.19, 13.20, 14.23	v1039, v3087, v3091, v3348, v3607, v3608		v1039, v3087, v3091, v3348, v3607, v3608	Active
IOS35	4.16, 12.16, 12.20, 13.21, 14.23	v1040, v3088, v3092, v3349, v3607, v3608		v1040, v3088, v3092, v3349, v3607, v3608	Active
IOS36	4.18, 12.18, 12.22, 13.23, 14.23	v1042, v3090, v3094, v3351, v3607, v3608	Used by Mario Kart Wii (non-Korean) and Super Smash Bros Brawl (non-Korean)	v1042, v3090, v3094, v3351, v3607, v3608	Active
IOS37	8.22, 14.25, 14.28, 22.30	v2070, v3609, v3612, v3869, v5662, v5663	First to fix the signature-checking function bug	v2070, v3609, v3612, v3869, v5662, v5663	Active
IOS38	14.19, 14.20, 16.27	v3609, v3610, v3867, v4123, v4124	Used by Animal Crossing: City Folk (non-Korean)	v3610, v3867, v4123, v4124	Active
IOS40	9.17, 11.19, 12.0	v2321, v2835, v3072	Present in Korean system.	v3072	Mothballed
IOS41	9.16, 11.19, 12.19, 13.20, 14.22	v2320, v2835, v3091, v3348, v3606, v3607	Present in Korean system.	v2835, v3091, v3348, v3606, v3607	Active
IOS43	9.16, 11.19, 12.19, 13.20, 14.22	v2320, v2835, v3091, v3348, v3606, v3607	Present in Korean system.	v2835, v3091, v3348, v3606, v3607	Active
IOS45	9.16, 11.9, 12.19, 13.20, 14.22	v2320, v2835, v3091, v3348, v3606, v3607	Present in Korean system.	v2835, v3091, v3348, v3606, v3607	Active
IOS46	9.18, 11.21, 12.21, 13.22, 14.22	v2322, v2837, v3093, v3350, v3606, v3607	Used by Korean Mario Kart Wii. Present in "Need for Speed: Undercover" and in "Shin Chuuka Taisen: Michael to Meimei no Bouken" (Korean).	v2837, v3093, v3350, v3606, v3607	Active
IOS48	16.27	v4123, v4124	Used by Korean Animal Crossing: City Folk. Bundled with System Menu 4.3K provides the same features as IOS38 but has a newer SDI module and an FFSP vs FFS module.	v4123, v4124	Active
IOS50	19.25, 20.0	v4889, v5120	Came with the November 17, 2008 update. Used by System Menu 3.4.	v4889, v5120	Mothballed
IOS51	18.25, 19.0	v4633, v4864	Used by a previous Shop Channel. Released at same time as fixes to remaining fakesigning bugs.	v4633, v4864	Mothballed
IOS52	22.29, 23.0	v5661, v5888	Included with and used by System Menu 3.5 for Korean Wiis.	v5661, v5888	Mothballed
IOS53	16.17, 20.29, 21.30, 22.30	v4113, v5149, v5406, v5662, v5663		v4113, v5149, v5406, v5662, v5663	Active
IOS55	18.25, 20.29, 21.30, 22.30, 22.31	v4633, v5149, v5406, v5662, v5663	Seems to have changes in the DI Module.	v4633, v5149, v5406, v5662, v5663	Active
IOS56	19.26, 20.26, 21.29, 22.29	v4890, v5146, v5405, v5661, v5662, v5918	Used by the Wii Speak Channel 2.0 and some games. Used by the Wii Shop Channel update as of Sept. 7, 2010.	v4890, v5405, v5661, v5662	Active
IOS57	21.28, 21.51, 22.29, 23.30	v5404, v5661, v5918, v5919	Contains new or updated modules "OHCI0 USB USB_HID USB_HUB USB_MSC USB_VEN ETH"	v5404, v5661, v5918, v5919	Active
IOS58	23.30, 24.31	v5918, v6175, v6176	Comes with the game "Your Shape" to allow the USB camera to work.	v6175, v6176	Active
IOS59		v6689, v7207, v8737, v9249	Used by titles that require WFS functionality, such as Dragon Quest X and the USB Repair Channel.	v8737, v9249	Active
IOS60	24.30, 25.0	v6174, v6400	Used by System Menu 4.0 and System Menu 4.1	v6174, v6400	Mothballed
IOS61	19.26, 21.29, 22.29	v4890, v5405, v5661, v5662	Used by the Wii Shop Channel update that came with System Menu 4.0, 4.1 and 4.2 Also used by Photo Channel 1.1 v3+	v4890, v5405, v5661, v5662	Active
IOS62	25.30	v6430	Used by the Wii U Transfer Tool, to allow it to change its UID (this version specifically whitelists that). The vWii versions (not listed here) have different whitelists.	v6430	Active
IOS70	26.31, 27.00	v6687, v6912	Used by System Menu 4.2	v6687, v6912	Mothballed
IOS80	27.31, 27.32	v6943, v6944	Used by System Menu 4.3	v6943, v6944	Active
IOS222	255.0	v65280	Piracy prevention.	v65280	Preventative
IOS223	255.0	v65280	Piracy prevention.	v65280	Preventative
IOS249	255.0	v65280	Piracy prevention.	v65280	Preventative
IOS250	255.0	v65280	Piracy prevention.	v65280	Preventative
IOS254	0.2, 0.3, 1.04, 255.0	v2, v3, v260, v65280	Distributed along with all System Menus since System Menu 3.4 as a quick fix for PatchMii. It's just a copy of IOS9. As Nintendo releases new versions of IOS9 this title will also receive updates.-ex IOS9 v521 corresponds to v3 of IOS254.	v2, v3, v260, v65280	Preventative
IOS256 (BC)	0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6	v0, v1, v2, v4, v5, v6	Much like IOS1, IOS256 is used for BC, which is responsible for loading MIOS.	v2, v4, v5, v6	Active
IOS257 (MIOS)	0.0, 0.1, 0.4, 0.5, 0.8, 0.9, 0.10	v0, v1, v4, v5, v8, v9, v10	The IOS used in GameCube mode. Its main purpose is to allow the PowerPC to directly access GameCube hardware. Note that the MIOS binary contains both ARM and PowerPC code.	v4, v5, v8, v9, v10	Active