Hacking Performed hard mod, can't mount NAND

[DocAmes1980]

I performed a hard mod just for funzies and the fact that it would be cool to be unbrickable. I got everything buttoned up. Everything is working fine except when I insert the fake SD card into my computer and power on the Wii U it doesn't mount the NAND. Disk management shows 'no media'. I tested continuity between my solder points and the pads of the fake SD. The SD adapter worked intermittently when I was using it with MicroSD cards but I figured it was the pins on the inside not making good contact with the Micro SD card. There's continuity from the solder points back to the pads so I don't get it. I made sure nothing was shorted. I followed the guide from reboot.ms. Anybody have any ideas. Obviously the first thing to try would be to use a different Micro SD adapter but I just want to make sure I'm not missing something first. Oh, and I've tried it on both my laptop and desktop. Both computers read other SD cards just fine.

Below is a picture of what's connected to what which I verified with a multimeter.

 

[Tommy084]

Have you tried win32 disk imager ? https://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/

 

[DocAmes1980]

Have you tried win32 disk imager ? https://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/

No. I decided not to use it because of too many reports of it doing rouge shit like imaging the wrong drive and screwing up partition tables. I downloaded dotNet Disk Imager instead. It doesn't matter though because neither of my computers see a disk. I tried Linux too. I think it's the Micro SD adapter even though I don't get how that's possible. It was flaky before so there's something going on. I'm going to try another adapter. My other Micro SD adapter is kinda janky too so I'm going to just get a new one tomorrow. Thanks for the reply though.

 

[C0mm4nd_]

I performed a hard mod just for funzies and the fact that it would be cool to be unbrickable.

lol, basically you can't unbrick nothing :\
With only mlc meh.... maybe wii u menu fucked?

 

[DocAmes1980]

lol, basically you can't unbrick nothing :\
With only slc meh.... maybe wii u menu fucked?

Well, at least be able to unbrick anything that I would do to it. If I was to mess with anything it would probably be something with the system menu although I'd have to wait for some developments because I know fuck all about it. Actually, I mostly just did it for no reason other than an excuse to take apart the console and solder something to it. I just tried to make it sound like there was a practical reason so I didn't sound crazy. Isn't it possible to dump the 512 MB NAND with a Teensy? I have no interest in doing it (yet...). I was just curious. Regardless it looks pretty cool with a Micro SD card adapter dangling from it. I ordered a new Micro SD card adapter. Hopefully that will do it.

 

[C0mm4nd_]

Isn't it possible to dump the 512 MB NAND with a Teensy?

Yes, lol
But it's very difficult, you can brick.

 

[DocAmes1980]

Yes, lol
But it's very difficult, you can brick.

Sounds like fun . Or maybe I'll just leave well enough alone.

 

[C0mm4nd_]

Sounds like fun . Or maybe I'll just leave well enough alone.

https://gbatemp.net/entry/wii-u-tsop-nand-fuckery.11356/

 

[Ryccardo]

Also, the wires may be too long, or simply your console is off and the nand isn't powered!

 

[DocAmes1980]

Also, the wires may be too long, or simply your console is off and the nand isn't powered!

I dunno. They're not very long. About 20 inches. It's IDE cable so it's not like it's super high gauge either. And yes, it tried to read the NAND with the console on. I'm pretty sure it's the adapter at this point. I don't understand how since I have continuity from the test points to the pads. It was an unreliable adapter but I though it wouldn't matter because for the mod you solder directly to the inside pins. I'm not messing with it again till I get my new adapter on Tues. Having the fake SD plugged in caused weird things to happen. Once it froze during power off and twice it failed to boot. Those things have never happened before. When I stopped trying to mount the NAND the issues stopped occurring.

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https://gbatemp.net/entry/wii-u-tsop-nand-fuckery.11356/

The link for the NAND pinout is broken so I can't see exactly what it entails but it doesn't sound too crazy. I suppose I'd have see the solder points to get a better understanding. If I had a compelling reason to spend the time, effort and $20+ I'd probably take a crack at it.

Edit: The link for the picture works now. Yeah, it really doesn't look that bad

 

[KevinX8]

So basically did all this just to avoid using rednand? lol I don't like it myself but damn do you hate it XD

 

[x65943]

I know it's a longshot, but maybe try tweeting at @smealum

 

[DocAmes1980]

So basically did all this just to avoid using rednand? lol I don't like it myself but damn do you hate it XD

I did it mostly because it was something to do with the Wii U. I was going to take the system apart anyway to clean her out and to remove a nickel that my girlfriend's son stuck in the disc slot. The mod itself is not terribly difficult if you have decent solder skills, an adjustable temp iron, and the right sized tip. It's four wires for Christ's sake. redNAND is almost useless as brick protection for users. No reported brick that I'm aware of could have been prevented with redNAND. Almost all bricks have been a result of setting up coldboothax/CBHC incorrectly or messing with the Haxchi'd title creating an unbootable console. I'm sure devs could come across a scenario where they might mess with something in redNAND that would brick it but still leave their console bootable. I don't hate redNAND, I just have no use for it.

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I know it's a longshot, but maybe try tweeting at @smealum

That's a good thought but I'm just going to wait for my new adapter to arrive. It seems like that's the likely culprit. I suspected the adapter first and foremost but I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing a trick first.

 

[Leeful]

It could be your card reader.
If the wiiU nand is anything like it is on the new 3ds or 2ds only a handfulf of card readers will work with it.
I had to buy a Anker USB 3.0 reader to hardmod the new 3ds whereas on my original model 3ds most common card readers worked.

Something else you could try is disconnecting the clk and see if your pc will read the nand then.
smea mentioned this in one of his tweets here.

 

[DocAmes1980]

It could be your card reader.
If the wiiU nand is anything like it is on the new 3ds or 2ds only a handfulf of card readers will work with it.
I had to buy a Anker USB 3.0 reader to hardmod the new 3ds whereas on my original model 3ds most common card readers worked.

Something else you could try is disconnecting the clk and see if your pc will read the nand then.
smea mentioned this in one of his tweets here.

That's good thinking. The three readers I've tried have been two integrated laptop ones and a 5.25 inch bay mounted reader that connects to an internal USB 2.0 header.

I'm a little confused by the wording in his tweet. I wonder if he meant that the jumper created an open on the MoBo or if the jumper simply disconnects the CLK signal from the fake SD card.

 

[ddurdle]

I'm probably simplifying too much, but have you tried to dump it using a raspberry pi? I think I recall hearing a lot of people using the Raspberry Pi's SD slot to hardware to eeproms/etc

 

[DocAmes1980]

I'm probably simplifying too much, but have you tried to dump it using a raspberry pi? I think I recall hearing a lot of people using the Raspberry Pi's SD slot to hardware to eeproms/etc

No. I have a Raspberry Pi 3 though. I'm not sure how I'd connect it though. Directly connected to MicroSD slot? SD to MicroSD adapter? Somehow use the GPIO pins?

 

[ddurdle]

No. I have a Raspberry Pi 3 though. I'm not sure how I'd connect it though. Directly connected to MicroSD slot? SD to MicroSD adapter? Somehow use the GPIO pins?

Should work over GPIO. Check out some of the PS4 NOR readers on google that use the Raspberry Pi. They'll give you which GPIO pins to use.

Last time I had to read an eeprom was back in 2004. And I had to construct the circuit myself. I put the leads on the chip and then wired them to a serial port on a PC to dump it. Man, I wouldn't even be able to find a PC with a serial port nowadays if I tried. Things have become much easier with all these embedded boards

 

[DocAmes1980]

Something else you could try is disconnecting the clk and see if your pc will read the nand then.
smea mentioned this in one of his tweets here.

Tried disconnecting the CLK signal from the fake SD. No joy.

New MicroSD adapter gets here on Tues. If that doesn't work I'll try the Anker 3.0 reader that works with the N3DS. If that doesn't work I'll just give up unless I have another reason to open the console. I just figured as long as I was opening up the console to clean it out and remove a nickel from the disc drive I might as well throw the eMMC mod in there. I really don't need it but thought it would be cool "just because" and maybe if a dev needed something risky tested. If it doesn't work out at least I'll have a cool looking appendage growing out of the console. Looks all haxor and 1337.

 

[Kafluke]

Tried disconnecting the CLK signal from the fake SD. No joy.

New MicroSD adapter gets here on Tues. If that doesn't work I'll try the Anker 3.0 reader that works with the N3DS. If that doesn't work I'll just give up unless I have another reason to open the console. I just figured as long as I was opening up the console to clean it out and remove a nickel from the disc drive I might as well throw the eMMC mod in there. I really don't need it but thought it would be cool "just because" and maybe if a dev needed something risky tested. If it doesn't work out at least I'll have a cool looking appendage growing out of the console. Looks all haxor and 1337.

I'm interested in your progress. I was the man back in the day for ps2 and xbox360 mods. I'm not afraid of a little soldering.

(Plus MK8 has become boring with all the cheating online)