First Wii Mini exploit found

Nintendo-Wii-Mini-Console-FL.jpg

And they said it couldn't be done. Almost seven years after its release, @Fullmetal5 (the same developer behind str2hax and flashhax) has finally managed to find an exploit compatible with Nintendo's so-called "unhackable" Wii Mini and crack it wide open! Instead of using internet browsers or loading code from the SD card slot, both of which are (in)famously absent from the Mini, this new approach takes advantage of a vulnerability found in Broadcom's Bluetooth driver to gain arbitrary code execution and run a payload from the included USB port. This finally lets homebrew enthusiasts have fun with the console, and may also open the door to online play as well with the help of hacks and a LAN adapter!

While the exploit is making good progress, having already reached 90% completion for the Bluetooth stager and also being consistent enough to be called usable, there's still a lot of work to be done before a public release is available. There's also the possibility of HackMii Installer being incompatible with the Mini's version of IOS, in which case further new exploits will need to be found in order to make it work. You can get an idea about the state of the project in the roadmap below, which was written and shared by the dev itself:

Roadmap written by @Fullmetal5 (from the Discord server) said:
Just to give a small roadmap: (So that people can get an idea as to what needs to be done now)

1. Write a bluetooth stager to upload payloads (%50 complete) (Note: this was stated to have reached 90% in later posts)
2. Write something to load larger payloads from usb.
3. See if the HackMii Installer's exploits work against the versions of IOS that are there (If they are similar to the Wii U's then it may already have exploits but it's possible they are different)
4. If the HackMii Installer's exploits don't work then I will need to write my own. (Shouldn't be too bad, IOS is known to be buggy. Also I'll probably do this step anyway for the fun of it.)

The exploit doesn't have an official name yet, but it's currently being referred to as "bluehax". Right now it's being tested on some specific games, however, there's a real possibility it will work out of the box with the Wii's System Menu alone due to its nature, thus removing the need of a dedicated game. It only takes a computer with a Bluetooth interface to make it work: there's no definitive usage guide just yet, but it should be as easy as running a program on your PC, hitting the SYNC button on the console, et voila - you're good to go! There is a small catch, however: development is targeting just Linux and no Windows version is planned. If you can get behind that, you'll soon be able to enjoy that sweet, sweet homebrew on the tiniest Wii Nintendo has ever made!

:arrow: Source 1 (Twitter)
:arrow: Source 2 (Discord server)
 
Last edited by RattletraPM,

tbb043

Member
Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2008
Messages
1,754
Trophies
0
XP
1,488
Country
United States
And they said it couldn't be done.

No, they said existing methods for the Wii would not work, and it was unlikely (not impossible) anyone would bother to spend time finding a new method for the mini when there were so many of the previous systems out there already easily exploitable.
 

SuzieJoeBob

NOT a New Member
Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2008
Messages
687
Trophies
0
XP
1,313
Country
United States
nice!

fun fact, the board for wii mini is a bit smaller than it seems. for some reason, nintendo decided they needed to add a lot of empty space and plastic to the wii mini. I guess they didn't want it to be too mini? or could be for stabilization of the disc drive. not sure.

this will be fun! always good news when we can add functionality.
That means people can and eventually will make even smaller portable Wii consoles using hacked Wii minis as long as they don't mind sacrificing official GameCube backwards compatibility. There is still Nintendont, but now an HDD/SSD is needed or an SD card mod is needed along with soldering an SD card slot.
 
  • Like
Reactions: osaka35

osaka35

Instructional Designer
Global Moderator
Joined
Nov 20, 2009
Messages
3,753
Trophies
2
Location
Silent Hill
XP
5,991
Country
United States
That means people can and eventually will make even smaller portable Wii consoles using hacked Wii minis as long as they don't mind sacrificing official GameCube backwards compatibility. There is still Nintendont, but now an HDD/SSD is needed or an SD card mod is needed along with soldering an SD card slot.
usb->microsd might be possible without too much of an issue for size. I'm actually pretty excited about the possibilities.

Something the size of the switch should be possible (though not nearly as thin), I think, but it's been a long time since I've held one of those boards.

I believe it's not really viable/possible to soldered an sd card, or else it probably would have happened already (I forget the technical details).
 

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Going with that right now with a dental claim morons put the wrong company name and rejected claims been on hold an hour for the claims department
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    @Sicklyboy, BTW is it better to go usb or bt for these mini Pcs figure you may know since you play with rack systems so much
  • Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy:
    Counting my blessings that my insurance hasn't caused me really any headache (yet, at least) despite the fact that I've been getting way more appointments and what not recently due
  • Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy:
    @K3Nv2, what do you mean, what are you trying to do?
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Just looking at a built in mouse pad keyboard combo
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    I loose the dongle constantly but they may have better connection with usb frequency
  • Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy:
    Imo Bluetooth is always a option of last resort for me
  • Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy:
    Except for phones because it tends to be pretty reliable there
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    I got a bad habit of taking out usb transmitter and loosing it because they can't you know print names on the damn things
  • Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy:
    But any desktop OS, I've never had anything but frustration trying to get Bluetooth devices to work reliably and stable. It might pair and connect once, and then next time I go to use it I have to delete and re-pair it again
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    5.3 has been so good I think 6 is really going to make it stable
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    I remember how shit 3 was
  • Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy:
    Ptouch labeler aren't terribly expensive, label shit yourself fam. This is the one I own and there are cheaper ones too https://www.amazon.com/Brother-P-Touch-PTH110BP-Portable-included/dp/B09QXYND6S
  • Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy:
    Solves part of the problem, mixing up which dongle is which. Then you just have to not lose them lol
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Double D would be proud
    +1
  • Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy:
    Even my Xbox One controller I have it paired to my desktop over Bluetooth, it USUALLY works but sometimes it refuses to connect and I have to delete and re-pair it. Maddening
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Gigabytes built in mobo bt/wifi pairs pretty decent
  • Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy:
    That's what I'm using :(
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Ran a driver update in device manager?
  • Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy:
    Not recently but I think it's less a driver issue and more just Windows having a garbage Bluetooth stack
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Could be I was having issues when I first upgraded it and didn't realiser gigabyte has specific driver revisions which is stupid
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Which is married to the boards revision
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    Made my first review
  • RedColoredStars @ RedColoredStars:
    I've gone years without ever removing a logitech usb transmitter. Across several replacements of keyboards and mice. It just stays put.
  • Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy:
    tldr usb > bluetooth imo
    +1
    Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy: tldr usb > bluetooth imo +1