Wii Freeloader Thread - FAQ & Info in First Post

[Tellyn]

I feel like a complete idiot for writing the news now.

[ghost_zero]

Hmm... I think the point is that the IOS37 itself doesn't change anything.

Currently it only uses IOS30 (for some strange reason as before there was already IOS36).

Until that is changed it shouldn't make any difference...

Games can swap between those menus though (but as the FreeLoader is loaded before them it shouldn't be a problem until the Wii itself is told to use the IOS37)...

 

EDIT:

So if I get this right, the update itself won't break the FreeLoader. It only prepares for blocking it with further updates..?

 

That would be nice though, in that case Datel could prepare a new version before that update gets active, couldn't they?

[flameboy]

So glad i didn't get a Wii and the Freeloader/Brawl combo now.

 

me to I can't be arsed with a constant should I shouldn't I update everytime a new update hits...

[tapedeck]

me to I can't be arsed with a constant should I shouldn't I update everytime a new update hits...

 

 

But it's so good! You wont want to update your Wii ever again!

 

This is a true desert island game. But yeah, I understand where your coming from.

 

I'm lucky though, we have two Wii's in the house - Whoop!

[ghost_zero]

Just don't update

The updates from disks shouldn't be a problem because of the alternative, selective update method.

It probably adds those updates (as the current update adds the new version) but doesn't change that the update should get used instead of the current system version (as it is with the current IOS37 update, it gets added for games and so but it won't get used, only the IOS30 will get used) and therefore the FreeLoader will keep working as it gets already loaded way before the game.

[EchoDesiato]

So is this just a bad April Fool's joke or not? We still don't have a 100% certain confirmation, do we?

[DCK]

@DCK

i did not update the page, i only inform you people, do you think I’m so pitiful

to update the page just to mislead you guys. I would never do that.

My apologies. You claiming it to be bogus, and the April Fool's appearing minutes later seemed a little too suspicious to me.

 

However, the April Fool's remark is gone now, in Internet Explorer.

 

All we do know is that this updates stops an exploit that allowed homebrewers to program their own Wii Channels (not actual pirating).

[Mike]

April Fool or not, those of us who have imported have to face the fact that sooner or later, there's going to be a Wii update that stops the Freeloader working. I just hope it comes after the PAL version of Brawl is available.

[ShadowV7]

April Fool or not, those of us who have imported have to face the fact that sooner or later, there's going to be a Wii update that stops the Freeloader working. I just hope it comes after the PAL version of Brawl is available.

 

I still don't think there's a 100% chance they will. If they do, I really don't think it'll be anytime soon.

[ghost_zero]

No it wasn't an april's fool or to be more exact it was a bit of an april fool as they haven't told at the beginning (at least didn't clarify it) that the update won't block anything. The update only adds the new System-Firmware to the Wii but it didn't tell the Wii to use the new one and therefore it is not activate and the Wii system won't use it (only games can load it but that won't effect the FreeLoader as that one gets loaded before the game and therefore the new update).

The point is that a firmware update doesn't replace the old firmware, it keeps the old firmware and just add the new one. That is for compitability with older games that need the old system to run. The point is each game then uses its own firmware according to what it needs. However, the Wii system itself uses the firmware it gets told to use, e.g. in that case it currently uses IOS30 but there have been newer ones before IOS31, IOS33, IOS34, IOS35, IOS36 and of course now IOS37 (which is the problematic one).

As long as there is no update that tells the Wii system to use the new IOS37 there is no problem with it.

 

It is more or less like you add something to the current firmware but say the firmware to don't use it - yet.

The question though is why they didn't set that update active, if they already have it?

 

Btw. I guess that this is probably how the alternative, selective update method of the FreeLoader works. It adds those updates to the firmware but doesn't tell the Wii system to activate them and so the FreeLoader will keep working and the games can still use those updates if the need them.

That way the FreeLoader would also work after games that needs updates, even if they are from our region - you just should need to use the alternative, selective update method of the FreeLoader for them, instead of updating without the FreeLoader (even for games from our region - this is just for the update part, afterwards it doesn't matter anymore).

[ShadowV7]

There was an update yea, it just didn't affect the Freeloader. But yes, alternate method we will need to use for PAL games. We'll be fine.

[ghost_zero]

That I think is kinda cool because I don't really need the online updates. I just need the games to work. It would be only problematic regarding Virtual Console and WiiWare games if the shop channel would need an update - but first their was just an update regarding this (and also such updates probably wouldn't effect the FreeLoader - and also I could wait a bit in that case until an updated FreeLoader comes out which I could then get for free from Datel

 

Btw. as there still is no release date for Tales of Symphonia 2 that is probably another game I will import (if it works with the FreeLoader though I don't see any reason for games to don't work with it; only after Firmware updates - which should be no problem because of the alternative update method)

[ShadowV7]

I can't really download any VC or WiiWare games now anyway. Only 120 blocks left for me and I refuse to delete and re-download them untill a Hard Drive is announced. So that gives me even less of a reason to update my console, even though I update very little...

[ghost_zero]

I already had no space some time now. I have no problem with putting them on SD cards (I don't need a HD) - especially if they would allow bigger SD cards than 2GB (they are not that expensive anymore). However, I would like it to be able to load them from the SD card then.

 

And also I am now a bit off-topic

[marcel]

and again the wiibrew site is updated,

 

is it really so easy to edit such a page?

[dazzybee]

So to summarise?!?!?!??!

 

Does the update block anything? What are people on about using the freeloader to play PAL games - why do we need to do this?!?!

 

As a side note Nintendo really are beginning to take the piss with Brawls release aren't they? It's blatantly going to be the big xmas release for us!!

[Tellyn]

There WAS an update, but it didn't block the Freeloader.

[ghost_zero]

Does the update block anything? What are people on about using the freeloader to play PAL games - why do we need to do this?!?!

 

The update itself doesn't block anything.

However, the point is the update itself would include the possibility to block the FreeLoader IF it would be active. The point is though it isn't active.

 

 

 

A few thoughts regarding this:

Which is kinda interesting, as they could have activated it already. In that case it more or less is a warning for e.g. Datel to prepare an update version before the FreeLoader gets blocked (if it is possible at all afterwards).

The main point why such a possibilty occurs that fast is because the same "weak point" the FreeLoader uses to allow itself to load, had been used by Trucha Signer (to allow unsigned disks to load - though from what I know you still would need a modchip) sometime before the FreeLoader got released.

[ViPeR]

Maybe it's a subtle warning for people in the piracy/hacking game instead of just dumping it straight away. A bit like saying "We're going to stop you, but we're giving you fair warning to sell your imported shit first lolz". That's from a perspective Nintendo actually give a shit.

[Noku]

Maybe it's a subtle warning for people in the piracy/hacking game instead of just dumping it straight away. A bit like saying "We're going to stop you, but we're giving you fair warning to sell your imported shit first lolz". That's from a perspective Nintendo actually give a shit.

 

If they would actually give a shit (about us) they would let us go our way with imported games.

 

Now I don't dare buying a Freeloader anymore, even though No More Heroes NTSC is tempting me with its gory goodness...

[Tales]

Do I have to use the freeloader for every game I buy regardless of region after I have used it the first time? Remember reading something about that before the freeloader was released.

[Hellfire]

So let me get this straight... A TV can support 60 Hz, yet not support the freeloader?

Cause I finally tried it on my PAL Wii, and despite the fact that the TV supports 60 HZ, I play NTSC and Jap games on it on all sorts of consoles (ALL SORTS!), but NMH works in black & white. I am officialy stumped.

[Tales]

I just got told that(a minute ago actually) all you have to do is connect the cable that came with the Wii, disconnect it, then connect it once again all while the game is running and it should work. Can you test that? Sold my copy as soon as I got the black/white screen.

[Hellfire]

I just got told that(a minute ago actually) all you have to do is connect the cable that came with the Wii, disconnect it, then connect it once again all while the game is running and it should work. Can you test that? Sold my copy as soon as I got the black/white screen.

 

Sure I'll try that, I did that, but switching scart inputs, I'll give it a whirl with the same.

 

Nope, doesn't do a thing.

[Sparko]

I'll never forget that day that some Nintendo exec "confirmed" that the Wii was region free. That was exciting until it turned out to be a lie.