Wii System Update 4.2 now live
by David Hinkle 
{ Sep 29th 2009 at 8:45AM } 
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Ossot @ Sep 29th 2009 8:50AM
Gonna take longer than a few minutes for a workaround. From what I read they destroyed all softmods and all current methods at installing them.
ZaxCG2 @ Sep 29th 2009 12:31PM
Hard hit for the community. I trust in them though. I won't update as usual.
http://hackmii.com/ HackMii always seems to pull through.
Durando @ Sep 30th 2009 6:44PM
@ZaxCG@ (and everyone else:)
http://hackmii.com/ has already found a fix around the update's problem, if you end up being forced to update.
Spartan [Planeteer | Power of Sunshine & Lollipops] @ Sep 29th 2009 8:51AM
Speaking of homebrew;
I can't seem to get the Twighlight hack to work.
Do I HAVE TO use a 2gig or less card?
After I load the files to the card and copy them to the system
the Wii does not see the save files at all.
Spartan [Planeteer | Power of Sunshine & Lollipops] @ Sep 29th 2009 8:52AM
On topic:
Meh.
You would have to be a serious nintendophile to care about this for what it is meant to be.
Nightwish @ Sep 29th 2009 8:59AM
Dude, that was disabled ages ago. Other than that, yes.
2kings @ Sep 29th 2009 9:05AM
I'm pretty sure any card up to 2gigs works
and google "bannerbomb"
twilight hack is old news
Spartan [Planeteer | Power of Sunshine & Lollipops] @ Sep 29th 2009 12:05PM
Geez, i get downvoted for asking a question?
It's not like i wanted to pirate software, i only wanted to play homebrew and watch dvds on my way.
CJLopez @ Sep 29th 2009 3:41PM
asking a question about hacking a system were we dont condone this kind of activity gets you downvoted.
Go ask a hacking community for answers. I myself have hacked my wii waaaay back, and yes, i play burned games and isos from my hdd, but it had kept me from wasting money on games i though were pretty awesome (sonic and the black knight, facebreaker ko party and indiana jones to name a few)
patrick @ Sep 29th 2009 9:07AM
People with homebrew don't generally run Wii updaes, so unless this is being forced upon the wii, most homebrewers should be safe for now. ;)
Kawaiipikachu @ Sep 29th 2009 9:15AM
I guess they don't care about Virtual Console & WiiWare as well as I Expect the Shop channel Request that you update if you want to log in.
I don't really care about the homebrew especally as it leads to people running pirate games of a harddrive.
Anyway I proudly updated my Wii to 4.2 & ishall expect the email itself to arrive tomorrow like usall.
Ossot @ Sep 29th 2009 9:22AM
@Kawaiipikachu: Not to turn this into a big homebrew discussion. But the whole point of a "softmod" is to NOT care about buying wiiware/VC. So no, they don't. They pirate it just like they do the retail games.
Taylor @ Sep 29th 2009 9:29AM
Sort of hard to care about the VC when Nintendo doesn't either...
guttertalk @ Sep 29th 2009 9:51AM
@Ossot:
No, that is NOT the whole point of homebrew. Yes, there are emulators and unfortunately pirates. Some gamers are interested only in the homebrew games and apps.
Killimus @ Sep 29th 2009 11:03AM
It's so hard to care about the VC when I can just toss an emulator on my PC and play any game I want and more.
And anyone who has the HBC is using it to pirate Wii games, since there isn't any homebrew that is actually useful (unlike the DS).
Shadow Hog @ Sep 29th 2009 11:51AM
"Sort of hard to care about the VC when Nintendo doesn't either..."
This. A million times this.
Mr Khan @ Sep 29th 2009 12:05PM
Really? I've had homebrew a long time, though i only use it for the DVD functionality, and for something called PlayStats (similar to Nintendo Channel's new statistics function, except it gets everything you've ever played), but i've also done all the updates, and not lost functionality
Mr Khan @ Sep 29th 2009 12:10PM
damn. Spoke too soon, my HBC is gone....
Though with the new Nintendo Channel, it's no great loss, aside from DVD functions, which were unnecessary anyway.
johnnynumber5 @ Sep 29th 2009 12:25PM
"aside from DVD functions, which were unnecessary anyway."
If it wasn't necessary then why have custom firmware in the first place? I think playing DVDs would be the best reason to have custom firmware on the Wii. If the thing is capable of movie playback it's beyond me why that functionality isn't built into the system. If it did have DVD playback built in we wouldn't need an additional DVD player in the kids room. So it's very practical and seems very necessary to me.
The only reasons I can think of is that Nintendo didn't enable DVD playback because it wasn't designed for it, they planned to introduce it in a future update, planned it for the next Wii iteration, internal testing showed adverse effects to system longevity or that it would up the door even more to piracy.
Mr Khan @ Sep 29th 2009 1:12PM
unnecessary to me. I don't watch too many movies on DVD or VHS or whatever, most of what i watch i stream off the internet, or just watch whatever's on cable.
Platy @ Sep 29th 2009 6:13PM
Media players to run every possible media type with subtitles is an exellent example of usefull hoembrew to make you wii the oficial player for all your anime stuff in your huge tv, not your micro pc monitor =3
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Sep 29th 2009 9:07AM
No need to update, I most likely wont update again until its something USEFUL, like the previous update of being able to play games of the SD card...or until forced by a game....that is if the Wii requires certain updates to play certain games like the 360, PSP, & PS3 do..
lomdr @ Sep 29th 2009 4:48PM
They do require updates for certain games. They required an update when I tried to run Carnival Games on an Wii straight out of the box after owning just Sports and Play. I'm sure that those that didn't stay up to date had to update when the motion+ was released with the 2 EA sports games
Quiggy @ Sep 29th 2009 9:10AM
The update also fully removes the homebrew channel and kills bannerbomb, so don't update it until there's a workaround. It seems this update was targeted squarely at homebrewers.
Scaevola @ Sep 29th 2009 9:14AM
Bannerbomb and Twilight hack is not working with 4.2. You need to use Indiana pwns or Smashstack.
But there are other additional piracy/homebrew protection measures, so there is not yet a complete workaround for this system menu update. Better not to install for now.
Kawaiipikachu @ Sep 29th 2009 9:22AM
Do you really want people to pirate ?
There are Software that let's play Pirate rips straight off a Harddrive.
So for this update it's a must update.
esposch @ Sep 29th 2009 9:40AM
There is also software to let you play music, legit games purchased overseas, and original games/apps like Harmonium and Mahjongg.
I always update through Nintendo as it usually only affects cIOS and pirate WADs, but this time they've gone that one step too far by removing the HBC too.
T @ Sep 29th 2009 12:48PM
It's sad that a site about an industry we all supposedly love will have so many commenters eager to just steal from the people who produce the content we play.
Hopefully downvoting and banhammers come fast and fierce to people using the Joystiq comment sections as a means of advertising their piracy methods.
johnnynumber5 @ Sep 29th 2009 12:14PM
esposch
You are the exception and not the rule. The overwhelming majority of users with custom firmware/software be it on the PSP, DSi (cart), Wii, 360, PS3 etc is for nefarious purposes and stealing content. Just because someone uses legitimate features from a custom firmware/software install (playing music, dvds, circumventing region protecting) doesn't mean they also aren't stealing games.
Jimbotron @ Sep 29th 2009 9:29AM
I am happy about this update. I was looking to remove the Homebrew Channel, and this update saved me the hassle of doing it myself.
erikbauer @ Sep 29th 2009 9:34AM
@Kawaiipikachu
Please do not freely mix homebrew with piracy.
I do have homebrew as it allows me to play Quake1, SCUMMVM and with an Amiga Emulator.
As you can see I do not pirate any game yet I do use homebrew.
boot2skull @ Sep 29th 2009 3:59PM
But isn't playing Quake1 and using an emulator the same thing as piracy, whether or not it qualifies as "homebrew"?
Homebrew is independently made games, software or tweaks that GENERALLY do not have copy restrictions, and therefore are free to distribute.
As far as I know, downloading and playing a copyrighted game that was not officially released for a system, like Quake, and playing copyrighted games via emulator, qualify as forms of piracy.
Rob @ Sep 29th 2009 7:07PM
@boot2skull:
No. Quake 1 is Open Source.
Ninbrendo @ Sep 29th 2009 9:33AM
Jeezum, but that update took quite a spell...
Flo @ Sep 29th 2009 9:36AM
I'm not trying to troll here but after I hacked my wii and looked at all the wii games I could pirate. I honestly only found like 3 good games that were even worthwile. It was really sad :(
Diecast @ Sep 29th 2009 9:40AM
lol that's me too i had a wiikey put in about a year ago. i haven't played one game that i didn't already own. well take that back i played chocobo dungeon for about 15 minutes.
Wes Frazier @ Sep 29th 2009 9:39AM
You know there are people who use homebrew that don't pirate. In fact the Wii homebrew community has a pretty clear line of division between those who are trying to enable piracy and those who are not.
I know logically Nintendo has to throw the baby out with the bathwater when they do these updates. Cutting off moral homebrewers and pirates simultaneously, However people should not assume that someone is not buying WiiWare or Virtual Console games or even retail games just because someone uses BootMii/Homebrew Channel.
Warlock @ Sep 29th 2009 9:40AM
This update did a nice job of reminding me why I hate the stupid glowing blue slit thing. I mean really, it's 11pm, I don't need a damn blue nightlight keeping me awake. I finally said "screw it" and turned the thing off for good.
T @ Sep 29th 2009 12:48PM
When you say "turned it off" you mean the light right? You know there's an option for that.
kevinski @ Sep 29th 2009 9:53AM
Ugh...tell me about it. I can't stand letting that stupid slot glow for long periods of time, mainly because its glow doesn't occur very smoothly. It brightens smoothly, but it gets dimmer in a very jerky fashion.
I suppose that the most disappointing thing about Wii updates is that nothing interesting is really ever added. Really, would it kill them to spruce up that bland-looking menu or something? Or how about offering more channels that are a bit more than ways of mining data?
dark_inchworm (stronger than never, ever before) @ Sep 29th 2009 10:00AM
Blue lights seem to assist me in my quest for slumber. I find them strangely soothing.
wienerdog @ Sep 29th 2009 10:28AM
You can turn that off in the system settings, you know.
Warlock @ Sep 29th 2009 1:24PM
Re: wienerdog - Uhh yeah, that's why I said I did that in the original post...
Scaevola @ Sep 29th 2009 9:44AM
I am not supporting piracy but I am not against it as well. It's just a matter of choice. The main problem is that Nintendo considers homebrew = piracy.
There are very nice and useful homebrew apps and games out there and this update eliminates not just piracy but also homebrew as well.
In my opinion, all consoles should have built-in external OS support just like phat PS3 so that homebrew can be encouraged while piracy is prevented. However, what Ninendo does is not a proactive solution, the update just attacks homebrew and deletes it.
Dummy00001 @ Sep 29th 2009 11:09AM
> The main problem is that Nintendo considers homebrew = piracy.
> In my opinion, all consoles should have built-in external OS support just like phat PS3 so that homebrew can be encouraged while piracy is prevented.
Never going to happen since it is integral part of console business model: only few blessed by vendor (Nintendo, Sony, MS) publishers are allowed to have SDK (and fork money for the privilege) and only blessed applications are allowed to run.
Otherwise, you better off with a PC and e.g. http://www.indiegamemag.com/ + http://www.impulsedriven.com/ (not affiliated, but yes this is a plug for indie PC games). And it makes lots of sense since there are more PC users than console gamers.
Homebrew IMO is only interesting to people who can't imaging gaming on anything else but consoles.
Badaro @ Sep 29th 2009 10:11AM
Unless Nintendo decided to be nice and finally make the Wii region-free, I'll hold on until a Homebrew fix is out.
There's no way I'm losing my freeloader with less than a month to the SRT:Neo release.
Eric @ Sep 29th 2009 10:23AM
i hate this notion that homebrew users pirate their VC and WW games.
I have been using wii homebrew before the channel was even released and the closest thing i ever did to "pirating" a game was to install Dr. Mario Online RX early because it wasn't yet available in the US. The day it was released I deleted the ill-gotten copy and made my purchase to no regrets.
I also own about 30 other WW and VC titles combined.
maduin @ Sep 29th 2009 10:45AM
You used homebrew to pirate a game. That's all that really matters.
johnnynumber5 @ Sep 29th 2009 12:33PM
Yup facts are facts and the bottom line is you exploited the console to pirate a game. You can make whatever excuses you like and give all the benevolant reasons in the world about the practical uses of homebrew but at the end of the day it's primary reason for existence and popularity is the fact it allows users to steal content.
Eric @ Sep 29th 2009 12:53PM
sorry guys but i have to disagree. i didn't download the game as a "trial". i wasn't going to ever *not* buy it if i didn't like it. when i chose to download the game i made the decision as a purchase, and Nintendo got their 10 bucks as soon as they were ready to take it from me.
and as an aside, i didn't "exploit the console to pirate a game". I exploited the console to play homebrew titles.. which there's nothing wrong with.
look...i can admit i pirated my fair share back when i was in college, and i have no excuse for that other than i was broke(which is no excuse at all), but playing a game that's not yet available in your region when you FULLY INTEND to purchase it is not the same-at least on a moral level if not a legal one.
heck,.. i did the same thing with scribblenauts. it's the only commercial rom that EVER made it to my R4 card. I played the game 2 days early and then went and bought my copy at lunch the day it was available. i'm such a monster!!
seriously... give me a break.