I used to suggest WBFS manager 3.01 but have grown to like Wii Backup manager.

WBM has a menu system and then you need to press buttons in a button bar. This is quite confusing the first time around but once you got the point it’s just to do it.

The program doesn’t have a public site or anything, but a thread in the GBAtemp forum. Please find it here.

http://www.console.se/forum/showthread.php?14389-Gudie-Softmodda-%28hacka%29-ditt-Wii-4.3E-%28Svensk-Guide%29

So, this is how to do it, and also the why in a sketchy outlines form, assuming system 4.2E as I have. Do also ensure that you have a working internet connection to the unit; Wireless via the built in set-up or wired via a USB to LAN type of connection. I have a third party version of the latter that works nicely.

Install HackMii
This is a step needed to install Homebrew channel (HBC) and BootMii. A channel is an icon in the system menu and HomeBrew Channel is hence what you need to do in order to get a button that gives a menu which contains the homebrew stuff on the SD memory.

In order to install HackMii, you first need to install Bannerbomb Version 2. Instructions on the page, which also instructs you how to install HackMii. Install all three components of the HackMii (HBC and BootMii being the two most important at this point).

Install Homebrew Browser – Optional but highly recommended
I would suggest you already at this point create a directory on the SD that is called “apps” and get Homebrew Browser. HBB allows you to download Homebrew material directly from the unit. Download link and instructions all on the page.

What you do with apps – all in DOL or ELF format – is to depack them into a directory of the apps folder on your SD card. Then rename the file to boot.dol/elf (whichever extension the original file had). Talking about the SD card, I will call it SD: in the examples below.

Install a USB loader
There are several to chose from, but to keep it simple there are basically two that stands out to do the job.
- USB Loader GX
- Configurable USB Loader
I installed both of them, and there is really no harm in doing just that. They don’t conflict so there is no harm in having both. If one fails, try the other.

Mess with IOS
See IOS as releases of the OperatingSystem. In order to have this working there are a zillion things to do here that fiddles with IOS files and installs special version of them. This seem to be a complete science of it’s own, but again to keep it short, there seem to be two things you are recommended to do. Install an IOS222 and a IOS249
- IOS 249
- hermes IOS 222/223 (End of the page – search for “Descarga”)

Install to SD://apps/IOS249 … A very detailed guide is available here.
Optionally you can also install Hermes 222/223. Again, I think this is something to do just in case the 249 fail you and you need a plan B. Described here. I didn’t do this and it works fine without it. By the way, the IOS249 giude talks about another app called AnyTitle Deleter Mod v6b, which can uninstall IOS files. Might be handy for some.

If you have done all things right now, you will have one or possibly two USB loader options available in the Homebrew Channel.

Final part
Starting the HBC every time may seem tedious. There is something that is called the WAD manager 1.5, that you can install and start from the HBC. It creates channels for Homebrew applications. So, using it you can have a link directly from the Nintendo Wii menu directly to the USB loader application (or any other application). I failed this step repeatedly, and the reason was that you need to you run BootMii and back-up the NAND memory to a file on the SD card for it to work. So, please ensure that you install it (unless you did in the earliest steps). Start it but starting the HBC and pressing “Home” (the house on the controller). There you will see a menu that allows you to run BootMii. Now control the app with reset (step on step forward) and reset (select current option). Awkward steering mechanism but it does work. While at it, I can strongly recommend reading the FAQ here. These are qualified guys for sure!

Let’s now prepare the games
The early USB loaders could only access drives using the WBFS, so you needed special programs to format and manage. Now the loaders can do it also for FAT32 disks and USB Loader GX can possibly also do NTFS. Again, for maximum compatibility I would advice you to use the WBFS option and get a nice program that will allow you to take the ISO files (or possibly even the RAR files) and copy a playable image on the drive.

So, obtain a unit that can connect to the USB port of the Wii. A larger USB stick will do, but in order to have a point I do recommend a harddisk. Preferably the “portable category” where you need no external power, but it’s all taken from the USB port. I parted with some money for this beauty. It’s a white 2.5″ drive from Western Digital. Please mind; 320GB is A LOT. The average game is around 2GB. I think I have stuffed over some 40 games (all of which I own the original disk of course and it takes some 90GB.

I use WBFS manager 3.01 (Windows only) and it works like a charm. Takes the ISO files (not to be mixed with the IOS files), converts them and places them on the disk in a MOST userfriendly way. It can also take cases where the ISO is RAR compressed and depack it transparently in the conversion process.

So, with games on the disk and the machine prepared, start the USB Loader GX. You now see a graphical representation of the games installed on the harddisk if it worked. (A reason for failure is if you connected the using to the wrong USB port). You can download themes but more importantly you can download representations of the covers in 2D and 3D, plus also for the discs. There will be spinning disc images that you click to start the game in at least some of the layouts of the menu. I pressed a blank cover and selected to download. hey presto, I had an AMAZINGLY nice menu to chose from. For every game you can select IOS version and a lot of other things than might be relevant in some cases. For the New Super Mario I needed to select IOS 222 as IOS 249 didn’t work.

In general I must say that obviously a tremendous amount of time must have been invested in making and perfecting this and it looks and works SO good! I am totally blown away by how good it works and home crisp the design is! The Configurable USB Loader can most likely do the same, but I didn’t go all the way with it quite yet.

Installing HomeBrew was pretty easy. Depacking the BannerBlaster V2 and HackMii 0.6 was just depacking and putting it on the CD card.

HomebrewChannel worked and I had mixed it up with the HomeBrew Browser, so the HBC was empty. Stupid me was waiting and waiting. I was expecting it to update but read up and realised the mistake. I run WLAN using MAC address control and no WEP/WPA so I basically cannot use the Wii’s WLAN capability, and did get a corded access (USB LAN converter).

So, I downloaded the HomeBrew Browser and depacked it to a newly created “Apps” folder on the SD card. Now I could add a bunch on nice applications and run them.

Next work item is adding the new 320GB USB disk and ensuring I can access ISOs from it.

I understand that there are a few things to do in order to make that work;
- Fiddle with the cIOS
- Install something that allows accessing units connected via USB (USB Loader GX seems to be the program people recommend). Download from here. There are other alternatives. Check here to see which they are and a very detailed comparison.
- Connect a USB disk. A compatibility list is provided here
- Get a WBFS manager (These are available, the best Windows one seem to be WBFS Manager. Current version is 3.0). It can access WBFS formatted device.

Seems there are a comprehensive guide here: http://gwht.wikidot.com/usb-loader

A channel is an icon on the Wii starting screen, and HomeBrewChannel (“HBC”) is adding such a channel that gives you access to HomeBrew applications. HomeBrew is a fair pick of a word as it’s home made stuff, which is not officially authorized and can come in any quality from professional/commercial to pure rubbish.

The obvious starting point for reading up is HERE

The law
So, naturally Nintendo didn’t intent us to use the equipment we purchased in a manner they do not approve of. It’s not only unauthorized, they are trying their best to prevent it from happening. If somebody claims it’s illegal, then rest assure in most jurisdictions it’s not. Actively bypassing protections schemes to be able to copy a game might be, but to do it to install a custom DVD player is for sure not no mater how hard a hoard of Nintendo lawyers will tell you something else. Please mind that legislation works; you have the actual legislation but nothing there in any law says you cannot fiddle with your Wii. NOTHING! However something in your local law can establish a principle of enforcing mechanisms that impose limitations of usage and the Nintendo lawyer will say it is applicable for the case. Even a pretty lousy lawyer would be able to state that this is obviously a clear case.

System Updates
The menu system of the Wii is software. Some games requite a revision of the system software that is newer than a certain revision. Nothing more strange than that a PC program cannot run on Win95 and ME but only later ones, or need DirectX 9 or later. Games can seemingly enforce updates for you, presumably only if the unit is Internet connected.

Any hack of the system software is logically eradicated from the system if it’s updated. It’s not supposed to be there, to there is no reason to ensure that it stayed if Nintendo didn’t want it there in the first place.

So there are two things to know;
- How to install, and
- What to install

Installation
Depending on the system you have, you need different methods to perform the installations. The installer uses loopholes in the system to allow to be installed. Loopholes are shut per the Nintendo updates, why new need to be found for newer versions.

From what I read, if you have a recent system (which at the time of writing seem to be Version 4.2 – I have 4.2E where E is for Europe. It’s visible under Wii Options and then Wii Settings – top right corner) the best solution is to install the Bannerbomb Version 2, which is the mean to facilitate the installation of the program that will enable HomeBrew.

What you then install is the HackMii package. Current version is 0.6. Bannerbomb installations guide asks you to install it with the HackMii package described below. Installation guide is here

HackMii contains three parts;
* BootMii – Current version: public beta 4 This is the piece that allows a nice set of features. It can make a safety copy of the system memory so that it can be restored and also facilitates the activation of the HomebrewChannel. The program is nicely presented here, and it’s pointless for me to repeat that very comprehensive text.
* The Homebrew Channel 1.0.6 – is a self-updating homebrew application loader by Team Twiizers which allows users to load homebrew applications without having to run an exploit every time. Once installed, users can access the channel from the Wii System Menu just like any other Wii channel. It can launch or install homebrew applications from an SD or SDHC card or via TCP/USB Gecko using Wiiload.
* DVDX v2 – Installs a hidden “channel” which can be used by other homebrew applications to access home burned and factory pressed DVD content without the need for a modchip. This does not modify any IOS in any way, making it very safe

A nice read with screen illustrations can also be found here

So, you have read this far and have come to the conclusion that it’s doable (right you are) but think “Why do it?”. Some are into the sport of proving it could be done. Assuming you are the kind that need a bit more tangible use in order to spend a night on getting this to work, then the answer is to run Homebrew applications. There is actually a fairly impressive range of stuff available that turns your Wii into a much more versatile machine that you found it to be out of the box.

A list of relevant software is here

Extra reading
CompleteSoftmodGuide – It looks most complete. Lots to read, and not to that you necessarily are interested in all of it, even if you are interested in the topic.

For the dare devils of you. Can’t recommend this. It’s playing with fire for real! HERE

So, just to ensure that we do not wear out the original games we plan to buy, I have ensured that the unit can play backups of our own originals. There are several options available but they are pretty much the same.

Wiikey 2 – http://www.psxcare.com/product.php?xProd=900&xSec=86

Argon 2 – http://www.psxcare.com/product.php?xProd=952&xSec=86

I am still reading up on installing the HomeBrew channel. Look very interesting if one wants to execute stuff from the SD card that can be installed. We have installed such a card (8GB one) but key usage is still to be able to use the DVD player as a region free DVD player, and we already have a computer attached so I am not sure of the added benefit.