This is a Guide designed as a one stop shop for those of you just starting out into the world of Wii Modding.
--==What's Possible==--Q. Can I play Backups on the Wii?
A. Yes you can, current modchips allow you to play perfect duplications of Wii Discs that play just like the original. Gamecube Backups also work.
Q. Can I play Wii Games from other regions?
A. Some Wii Imports work and some don't. Different modchips offer different levels of support for imported games so if this is an important feature for you do your homework before buying a chip. For Backups of Imports there is also an application call "RegionFrii" that will modify Wii ISOs for use in alternative region consoles. I would also recommend the use of "WiiBrickBlocker" which removes system updates from imported games that can "brick" your Wii if accidentally installed. While the use of imported Originals is depended on the modchip being used RegionFrii dramatically improves support for imported backups across all modchips. Though, even RegionFrii is not perfect.
Support for Gamecube Imports is usually better but again it depends on the chip some chips even boast perfect Gamecube Import support. Booting into the GCOS Homebrew application first and swapping in a GC import offers much improved support for GC imports as well when using chips that do not offer 100% support.
Q. Is there any Wii Homebrew?
A. Yes .... sort of.... "Homebrew" in the normal sense is not supported. Wii discs are encrypted meaning even with a modchip only perfect backups can be played and this blocks the use of game mods and homebrew. However there are still two avenues for homebrew enthusiasts
First, the Wii Opera Browser. the Wii Opera Browser (Available in the WiiWare section of the WiiShop Channel) Allows developers to use data from the Wii Remote, as a result a large number of homebrew flash and java based games have appeared written with the Wii in mind.
A list of Wii Compatible websites is available in the Wiki. There have been some other interesting homebrew apps as well such as a few media player apps that basically turn your desktop into a web server that can stream media over your network to the Wii, be sure to check out WiiCR and KawaX if you're interested in that. The nice thing about the Browser based homebrew is that it can be used on an unmodified Wii... that's right, no modchip required.
Finally, Gamecube Homebrew works on modified Wii consoles without any problems. This means that there are tons of Emulators available as well as Gamecube Linux and other applications. The downside is that these all require you to use a Gamecube Controller rather than the Wii remote and rather than using the internal Storage, SD Card Slot and Wifi available on the Wii it's limited to the Gamecube Memory card slots and no network connectivity is available. The Plus side is that since Gamecube homebrew can be used on the Wii a lot of the old Gamecube projects have been revitalized, emulators have been updated to make use of the Wii's larger disc capacity among other things and people have started getting creative with Gamecube Linux. For instance "MFE", a media player based on GC Linux that can be used to boot a DVD movie or Divx disc. While that's still Gamecube homebrew it wasn't possible with the Gamecube's limited Disc Drive.
Q. What else can I do with a Wii?
A. Beyond the use of modchips, casemods are fairly popular with the Wii. Everything from simple LED mods to DVD windows and paint jobs. For the weekend case modder there are direct replacement cases available in a myriad of colors from plain solid black to crystal clear with built in LEDs that change with the console's temperature and for the hardcore case modder the WiiFree modchip firmware offers a special build that allows the use of Character LCD screens (though they don't do much beyond tell you the status of the modchip and boot sequence). So there are a lot of modding possibilities available with the Wii.
--==Getting a Chip Installed==--Q. What Modchip Should I get?
A. Whoa.... hold on there tiger. Before You even think about a modchip you need to make sure your console is compatible and that you've got the necessary skills to install it. The difficulty of installing a Wii Modchip ranges from very easy to (literally) impossible and everything in between.
Before you start, find out what your Wii Has inside. Use the
WiiTracker to run your serial number against our database to find out what version of the Wii DVD drive you have. There are several types of DVD controller chips built into the Wii, known as: DMS, D2A, D2B, and D2C, the D2C chips have not yet been hacked so if you've got one of those there's nothing you can do about it. Also a large majority of consoles equipped with the D2B chips have pins cut off the chip to block the use of modchips. To get around this you'll need grind down the chip above the pins to give you something to solder to. It's no easy feat even for veteran modders.
The Wii Tracker will tell you which DVD controller chip your console probably has and whether or not the pins are cut. Based on the feedback we've got the WiiTracker accuracy seems to be very high. So if the WiiTracker results look good We still recommend opening up your console to double check before ordering your chip. Some people are interested enough to just pop it open and check for themselves anyway.
Q. How do I open/disassemble the Wii?
A. You can read all about that in the
Wii Disassembly tutorial 
Q. Ok NOW Which modchip should I get?
A. While you do need to install a modchip to play backups, imports, and homebrew really it's all in the firmware. Firmware in this sense is the software the runs on the modchip and that is where 90% of your features are either available or unavailable. The Features vary greatly between them and there really isn't any one firmware that works better than the others. Determine which features are most important to you and take a look at the
Firmware Comparison chart in the Wiki.
Once you've picked a firmware that you like THEN you can pick a modchip. Only certain modchips support certain firmware and the modchips usually offer a few hardware based features like status LEDs, disable switches, and programing interfaces for reflashing the chip. Modchips also vary greatly in price from $2 homebrew modchips to $50 chips pre-programmed with quick solder interfaces. Some firmwares only work on one specific chip so your options may be limited by that. You can find the
Modchip Comparison Chart in the Wiki.
Q. My Wii has cut pins how do I mod my console?
A. Generally most people use a Dremel or other small rotary tool to carefully grind down the black plastic above the pin stubs. until you can see the base of the legs that were hiding inside the chip. From there you can either use 30ga wire to solder the pin stubs directly to your modchip or you can attempt to build three small solder bridges and some magnet wrapping wire to rebuild the legs of the chip and then attach the modchip to the original install points. Both of these options require an EXTREMELY skilled hand and should not be attempted by a beginner.
Q. I don't have the skill to do a cut pin install myself, what do I do now?
A. Head over to our
installer forum and find someone to install the chip for you.
Q. I have the dreaded D2C chip in my Wii, what can I do?
A. It has been confirmed that you can swap out the entire Wii DVD drive unit without problems. So if you can find just another Wii drive that uses a different chip,maybe swap your D2C drive with someone who doesn't have any plans to mod their Wii, that is an option. However due to the scarcity of Wii's in general you might have better luck simply selling your Wii and buying another one that is modifiable.
--==Games and Backups==--Q. Where can I download Wii and Gamecube Games?
A. Don't ask that question here, you'll get your account banned and no one will be happy about it. Nintendo-Scene doesn't encourage or endorse piracy. Understand that what you do on your own time is your business and we're not going to tell you how to run your life. We simply ask that you respect this site's Anti-Piracy stance by not not even mentioning the topic here. Asking for help with piracy, admitting to having pirated something, or helping someone with find or work with pirated material will get you banned.
Q. How do I make a backup of a Wii disc?
A. Everything you need to know is covered in the
Wii Disc Backup Tutorial in the wiki. This guide also covers preparing imported game images with RegionFrii and Wii Brick Blocker.
Q. Is there a different procedure for making Gamecube Backups?
A. You can make Gamecube backups using the same procedure as Wii Backups, However there is also an Alternative ripping method using a Gamecube Console if you've got one. The
Gamecube Ripping Tutorial can be found in the Wiki.
Q. Do I have to Burn Gamecube Games to mini Discs?
A. Nope, you can use full sized media, though if you'd like to also use those games on a Gamecube burning them on mini discs is probably a good idea anyway.
Q. Can I make multi-game discs (single discs with multiple games)?
A. Wii Games: No, Gamecube Games: Yes. Wii games need to be perfect backups and aside from the fact that they can't be modified they also take up the whole disc, so there's no room for more than 1. Gamecube games can be put many to a single disc using
WiiUI or a number of other applications.
Q. Can I play backup discs online? / Will I be banned for using a modchip?
A. So far there are no reported cases of anyone having been banned for using a modchip. It is unclear whether or not Nintendo can detect the use of a modchip either. Some experts believe that the way the current modchips work prevent them from ever being detected while other experts believe that they can be easily detected if Nintendo decides they want to. While no one has had any problems so far if you play online you
DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK.
People were playing Xbox 360 backups online without a problem for months and then Microsoft flipped the switch, there's no reason that couldn't happen with the Wii.
Q. I've heard that the 3.0 Dasboard Update made some games not work
A. This seems to only effect a very small number of games and who it effects seems to be fairly inconsistent. not too many details are understood except that it is rare that anyone will have a problem with it.
Q. How do I do the swap trick for booting Gamecube Backups
A. You'll need to compile and Burn GCOS, a homebrew Gamecube Operating System. Once that is booted you can use it to load your Gamecube Backup. This is only necessary when using certain modchips.
--==Homebrew==--Q. What homebrew apps and tools are available?
A. You can find a
List of Wii Applications in the Wiki, you can also Find a
List of Wii Friendly Websites (that include homebrew browser based games and apps) in the Wiki as well.
Q. Where can I download homebrew/modchip firmware?
A. Unlike the Xbox world Wii homebrew and Wii modchip firmware does not contain any copyrighted code and thus it can be readily made available. Most files can be found attached to their associated news post or Wiki Entry. While we do offer many files here we encourage you to grab the files from the official websites when available to ensure you have the latest version.
Q. How do I burn Homebrew apps for use in the Wii?
A. Since the 3.0 Dashboard update many homebrew discs stopped working properly. A
Tool kit has been created that allows you to compile ISOs with homebrew apps for use with the 3.0 Dashboard update if needed. This kit also includes many popular Gamecube homebrew apps too.
--==Case Modding==--Q. Where can I learn more about the different case mods that I can do with the Wii?
A. See the
Case Mod Tutorials Sticky in our
Wii Case and Hardware Mods forum.
Print