Softmodding Wii up to Version 4.1: Tutorial

Softmodding the Wii gaming console has never been easier before! Although there are some things that a modder must watch out for, modifying your Wii for the use of (legal) backups and homebrew apps is a very easy and cheap means to getting the most out of your beloved Wii.

FIRST THINGS FIRST!! READ THIS!!!!

Ok kids, now what we are about to do can break your Wii. REPEAT, SOFTMODDING AND MODDING IN GENERAL RUNS THE RISK OF RUINING YOUR GAMING CONSOLE!!!! IT WILL VOID YOUR WARANTY! Although these days, the likelihood of ruining or "bricking" a Wii console is very slim, the possibility of corruption is very real. Please read ALL of the steps provided and make sure to do everything EXACTLY as it is written. DO NOT SKIP ANY STEPS OR GO OUT OF ORDER!!!

Alrighty, now that we have that bit of info out of the way, we can gather our materials.

BEFORE WE BEGIN! Check the version of your Wii's firmware. To do this, simply boot up your Wii and go into the "Wii Options" window located on the homepage as you start the console. From the new window, the top right hand corner should give you a number and a letter. What we need for this to work is any version from 3.1 to 4.1. The letter corresponds to the region for which the Wii was purchased. This softmod does not rely on region code, so focus on the Version numbers for now. If your system falls between the aforementioned version range, continue on for materials.

MATERIALS:

2 GB or higher SD card (FAT 32)
Nintendo Wii firmware ver. 3.1 to 4.1
Wii remote
Winrar- For Opening Custom Firmware Zip Files
Custom Firmware Files
NTSC-USA

NTSC J-Japan
PAL-Europe/Australia

After downloading the appropriate files, your first step is to format your SD card. In most cases, you can format an SD card by simply going to My Computer (Windows) and right clicking on the removable drive. From the pop out menu, select "Format", then under file system select "FAT 32". Uncheck the quick format box to ensure that full erasure of the drive occurs.  

Once the format is complete, open your SD card in Windows Explorer. The first window that you see after opening up an SD card will be the "Root". This is where your homebrew files and modifications will be stored, and many application's directories will point towards root.  With that said, it is time to open up the .zip file containing your mod files.

With the .zip file open, copy the entire contents of the folder *copy to sd card.rar* to the root of your SD card. After doing this, your file structure should look similar to the picture below. Notice how the "apps" folder is situated as the first folder on the SD card, following Private, WAD, etc. Check to make sure that they are all on the Root of your card.

Image borrowed from here

From this point on, you will no longer need your computer for the initial installation on your Wii system. After properly ejecting the SD card using the "Safely Remove Hardware" function, insert your card into the front loading slot on the Wii. After booting the console up, go into Wii Options once again, then Data Management, followed by Channels, then SD card. If everything goes smoothly, then a message stating weather you would like to load boot.elf appears. Click "Yes" then follow the onscreen instructions for installation.  

From here on, a whole world of homebrew and capability awaits those who dare to look. Some good starting resources would include Wiihacks.com, but searching for Wii Homebrew in Google search will grant you a ton of info. Have fun!