Wii update blocks piracy, Freeloader

Wii News | Importers beware.

This morning Nintendo has made a new system update for the Wii available. The update appears to be quite small, and brings the Wii system to version 3.3E.

The update has added some features to the Mii Parade section of the Mii channel, but it appears it's main use is to block some methods that allow piracy on the system. Unfortunately for importing gamers, this means Datel's Freeloader device has been disabled, as the method it used to boot imports was the same as that used by pirates, a method of booting called 'trucha signing'.

The update also appears to cover an exploit that used a hackers Zelda save file to run unauthorised code on the Wii.

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71 Comments

genxevo

1 year ago

kaerlis wrote

It's been stated on various sites the update only affects the twilight hack used to install, not the homebrew channel. So if you have it allready installed it's fine, and if you install before updating to the latest version of wii firmware you're also fine.
EDIT:
" 17 June 08: Bushing has already announced a workaround after just 6-8 hours of work! Big thanks to all involved! (Note that the workaround is not yet available publicly)"
source: -http://www.wiibrew.org/wiki/Main_Page
So it looks like when publicly released in future, you'll be able to install homebrew channel even with the new firmware, but i'd still avoid the update.
Is the gecko region free thing with homebrew effected?

Been reading up on all of this in the past couple of hours, i don't quite understand half of it, but i'll learn it to play region-free games on my wii (Nintendo now making us all hackers)

from what i understand, if you haven't updated to 3.3E yet, do the the 'Twilight princess' hack to install a homebrew channel, install the usbgecko-region free homebrew and you should be fine

(there might be alot more to it, with the usbgecko-region free but it all looks promising at the moment)

sources: www.usbgecko.com and http://hackmii.com

EvilHayama

1 year ago

Another salvo in the war, I'm sure the hackers will find another exploit (the hackmii guys say the TP bug was just the first they tried, and it's specifically targeted by the update)

You can't really complain that you're not able to use an unauthorised 3rd party hack to do something, and it no longer works. The freeloader guys even warned of this specifically when they made the release! As someone else said, modchips still work, so get one of those if they're still legal wherever you are. You can't go online, but this is totally fair IMO, as people would use hacked games to cheat online, and Nintendo has no responsibility to support older/hacked OS versions for online play.

And for anyone hating on nintendo for this, do you think that MS or Sony don't already do this? Please hate them too. The only difference is they started with less strict region coding.

Benza

1 year ago

EvilHayama wrote

And for anyone hating on nintendo for this, do you think that MS or Sony don't already do this? Please hate them too. The only difference is they started with less strict region coding.

People arn't hating on Nintendo for stopping hackers, they're hating on Nintendo for implement an unefective fix that won't really stop anything while cutting out people legaly importing games, while at the same time enforcing draconian reigon codeing and massive delays on huge first party titles.

Phend

1 year ago

Benza wrote

Exactly. Region coding has nothing to do with stopping piracy or hackers. If the Wii was region free, none of this would matter.

admeister

1 year ago

Phend wrote

Benza wrote

Exactly. Region coding has nothing to do with stopping piracy or hackers. If the Wii was region free, none of this would matter.

Of course, but the Wii is not region free, as much as we'd all like it to be. It's not an ineffective fix, it closes up a hole in the OS which was allowing hackers to modify the console, and simulataneously allow the freeloader to work. By fixing it, they knocked out both, even if they weren't intentionally trying to stop the freeloader. Datel should have found a better way befroe going ahead and releasing the freeloader to the public. They even knew that what they were exploiting was shaky, and was likely to be fixed at any given time. Of course the hackers won't give up, but you can hardly blame Nintendo for trying to keep their console secure, even if you can blame them for making the Wii region locked.

Phend

1 year ago

admeister wrote

By fixing it, they knocked out both, even if they weren't intentionally trying to stop the freeloader. Datel should have found a better way.

It's Nintendo's fault that they region locked the console in the first place. Even if Datel could have found a better way, the point still remains that their product shouldn't be required at all.

Importing (legitimate/legal) product from the cheapest region is our right as a consumer in the world market.

Perhaps Nintendo could remove the region lock with their next firmware update? Won't happen, but it should.

Benza

1 year ago

admeister wrote

It's not an ineffective fix, it closes up a hole in the OS which was allowing hackers to modify the console, and simulataneously allow the freeloader to work. By fixing it, they knocked out both, even if they weren't intentionally trying to stop the freeloader.

They haven't knocked out hackers though, on the first page there are a couple of links to people have allready figured out ways around this within like, hours of the patch being released.

Thats pretty damm ineffective if you ask me.

So all they've really done is stop people importing games legally, so uh... **** em.

admeister

1 year ago

Benza wrote

admeister wrote

That may be so, but they have to try. Nintendo didn't know that they'd find a way around it (so quickly

). Anything that makes life harder for hackers is good for them. If Nintendo are smart though, they'll look for more holes in the OS themselves, rather than wait until hackers find them, that way them may stand a chance. So yes, all they've really succeeded in doing in the end is to knock out the freeloader, but they didn't single it out. If they had purposefully gone out of their way to block the freeloader, then you would have cause to be angry. They were just performing self defence. Of course it sucks for people with freeloaders, but you knew the risks.

Benza

1 year ago

admeister wrote

Benza wrote

admeister wrote

That may be so, but they have to try. Nintendo didn't know that they'd find a way around it (so quickly

So the people with a freeloader get **** around because Nintendo are completely moronic and arrogant, meanwhile they are too short sighted to actually make any dent into piracy. And we're not supposed to be cut at em?

Um... try no?

Cerebral

1 year ago

admeister wrote

If they had purposefully gone out of their way to block the freeloader, then you would have cause to be angry. They were just performing self defence. Of course it sucks for people with freeloaders, but you knew the risks.

This.

It sucks that this seems like another '**** you' to importers, but Datel released the Freeloader without Nintendo support, and they have no obligation to ensure its compatibility. Much like virtually every software distributor in the world, it's well within their right (and some could argue, duty) to patch a security exploit in their product.

That said, I'll now be keeping an eye on the Homebrew Channel.

EvilHayama

1 year ago

Benza wrote

It's fine to complain because Nintendo release things slow, but it's not sensible in Nintendo's eyes to allow a circumvention device like the freeloader or TP hack when they can stop it with online updates. It would have happened for PS and DC hacks too if it were possible back then.

Datel said when the wii freeloader was released that this could happen, and now you're complaining that it did. If you want your import games there are options still, but Nintendo has no obligation to make them work.

Have you told Nintendo what you think about their "Draconian Region Coding"?

Dare

1 year ago

Well i know i won't be updating my wii menu for awhile, unless of course the next update has something i really want, no crummy Mii Channel stuff

I had a feeling this would happen (blocking freeloader), i could tell in the way in which the Ninty message was....

grrr Nintendo

kaerlis

1 year ago

Quote

(there might be alot more to it, with the usbgecko-region free but it all looks promising at the moment)

sources: www.usbgecko.com and http://hackmii.com

Thats roughly it, but you don't need a usb gecko i don't think.
gecko region free is an application that has some extra features that can be accessed with a usb gecko, but will work fine without it.
http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Homebrew_apps/Gecko_Region_Free
It also states you can only use it via homebrew channel if you have beta 5, the info on the channel says beta5 introduced reading of .elf files, which the gecko region free app uses, so i think beta 6,7,8 etc. should work too.

DarkYoshii

1 year ago

Yeah, Gecko Region Free works fine.

Additionally, there's a new Twilight Hack now that works anyway.

Didn't update the Wii anyway, but for those that were Twilight Hacking, you still can. Just look up more details on it.

Cerebral

1 year ago

DarkYoshii wrote

Yeah, Gecko Region Free works fine.

Not with an NTSC Brawl on a PAL console - the only imported game I have!

genxevo

1 year ago

^ not yet, but at least sometime in the future it'd work, and thats better than nothing.. just don't update until it does work

the only import game i have is no more heroes, so its good i can take my time

DarkYoshii

1 year ago

Next Gecko patch will fix the Brawl problem, Cer.

Benza

1 year ago

EvilHayama wrote

Look I understand this, but why should I care? Honestly, yeah they're trying to run a buisness and they'll do whatevers best for there bottom line. But why should I support them and do whats best for them then? They're obviously not looking out for me so if I don't no one else will.

Quote

Have you told Nintendo what you think about their "Draconian Region Coding"?

I spoke with my wallet and haven't purchased anything from Nintendo that involved reigon locking since Twilight Princess for the cube. I'm importing my Wii from the US exactly because of this ****.

kaerlis

1 year ago

Cerebral -as i understand it version 1.4 of gecko runs brawl fine, version 1.5 doesn't but is convenient in that it launches off the homebrew channel, and when version 1.6 comes out it will have a few options and support both brawl and use via the homebrew channel.

1 year ago

I'm sick of being treated as a Pirate. I use the Freeloader for Gamecube & Wii titles and I think it a pain that Nintendo forced me to spend money removing their region code hurdles in the first place. At least Freeloader is cheap and cheerful.

As an avid Gamecube gamer – I found many titles where never released in Australia for example Baten Kaitos Eternal Wings was released here but Baten Kaitos: Origins (the prequel) was not... hence you had no choice but to import in order to play both parts.

As for importing because the local product was inferior in release, packaging, or not competitively priced... well that is a consumer right to do so. Does Nintendo not import parts into the country they assemble? Does Nintendo not source materials at the lowest possible cost? Does Nintendo not seek out value from candidate suppliers?

The real damage from Nintendo's latest decision is that it forces consumers of legitimate products to seek out more extreme methods of protecting their existing investment. So as I stroll down a dark alley in Sydney's Chinatown with my Wii in hand, I can't help but wonder what future lies ahead for Nintendo as consumers like me take their consoles to the chop shop to get fixed up - and maybe browse through catalogues of $5 games in the waiting room.

If you’re treated as a pirate you may grow up to be a pirate. Not smart Nintendo.

cmdwedge

1 year ago

If any console deserves to be hacked, and any software deserves to be pirated, it's Nintendo. They have, for many years, treated PAL territories like rubbish. We get releases MONTHS after Japan and the US. Trauma Center is still not released here - and it was a release day title in the US!

To those who have been doing the right thing, by importing (and thus paying for) games and using the Freeloader to experience some great software which has not yet been released here - please Google 'wiikey' and pay the $10 to have your console back. Whilst you CAN pirate with a chipped Wii, you can choose not to - and can still import and pay for your software legitimately.

Region locking anything - software, movies, etc, is utterly disgusting. The only reason for it is to enforce pricepoints on different territories. That it's remotely legal in first-world countries is utterly astounding.

PS3 got it right - no coding. The 360, at the very least, does worldwide releases of software so that no-one misses out. The Wii, and Nintendo in general, has a long, long way to go.

**** Nintendo.

admeister

1 year ago

cmdwedge wrote

The Wii, and Nintendo in general, has a long, long way to go.

**** Nintendo.

Hey, let's not go completely overboard here, the DS is completely region free.

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