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[Terrell]

Trust Nintendo to make something like this so difficult and annoying. I'm so glad the last VC game I bought was Yoshi's Story and then stopped because of their shitty implementation of digital downloads.

Ehhh, outside of my iOS devices, I haven't met a piece of electronics hardware that makes a transition like this an easy one.

I mean, even in gaming, this is still better than waiting, hoping and praying for compatibility updates to play old games or getting it right but only if you buy gigantic overpriced launch hardware cuz they stripped the feature out of a hardware revision.

 

[Panajev2001a]

They didn't plan ahead properly when they made the Wii digital download functionality and there's no way to go back and fix it.

Until they invent time travel.

Edit: Also in a decision between better compatibility and extra functionality Nintendo will always choose the former.

The problem is that what the poster described does not have to hurt compatibility quality. Once a frame is ready to be sent to the video output to be displayed, the Wii emulation core does not CARE what happens to it... GamePad should be just another TV out connector to it.
Same thing about classic controller input...

Nintendo did not want to bother writing some GamePad drivers for Wii Mode maybe, but I think the decision was caused by paranoia. They probably fear that people would somehow expose GamePad's secrets, maybe the GamePad's communication protocol could be copied/decrypted (so they fear), or something could be learned that would allow hackers to find exploit on WiiU. Nintendo probably feels that Wii is a completely insecure system, so they try not to have any WiiU OS code even sitting close by Wii code it seems.

What is less acceptable is the inability to let you use more Flash space than the original 512 MB Wii exposed...

 

[vall03]

Or to buy them from Wii Shop Channel, yes.

They have 600+ VC titles to retrofit for Gamepad play on Virtual Console, not to mention licensing changes to confirm/adjust, and judging by this software update business, they had bigger priorities than that.

I just saw the Siliconera article on Wii mode. It really is a Wii on the Wii U, now I understand why anything on Wii wont work on Wii U. Theres no way Nintendo will spend the time and resources to make these stuff work on a system level on the Wii U right away. Guess I'll take it, this kind of BC is better than nothing.

 

[MarkusRJR]

Holy shit at the 1080p not being able to be 4:3. Both of my HDTV's act like that. Are you kidding me Nintendo? So fucking lazy there isn't an option to not have it go 4:3. *sigh*

 

[Terrell]

Well, most likely a lot of that can be done quickly once the big hurdles are dealt with, I doubt the 8-bit and 16-bit system emulators vary wildly between games. If anything I'm mainly worried about the fact Hudson's gone, wouldn't surprise me if most of the TG16 library got left behind.

That really depends. Operating outside of the Wii sandbox + adding features could create bugs in the emulator that weren't present before. Everything will need to be tested and tweaked again, more than likely. 100% compatibility comes at the price of a highly customized emulation method, which doesn't usually play well when hardware is changed. The fact that they're essentially VC emulating within another emulator (which is how I understand the Wii sandbox essentially works) is probably why nothing was fiddled with, since it's a pretty ballsy solution if you want everything working at 100%.

With what we're hearing about eShop, though, I have a feeling some of those Wii Shop titles as well as VC games will be making a jump to a native game, but how that's handled is a whole other kettle of fish.

 

[vall03]

Sorry if this is a bit off topic but I think its still related to BC stuff, what did Sony do with PSP and PSOne Classics compatibility on Vita? did they just run off on PSP mode(?) or did they rebuild the software for compatibility on Vita? Because if its the latter, I can understand Nintendos decision on Wii mode.

 

[BocoDragon]

Sorry if this is a bit off topic but I think its still related to BC stuff, what did Sony do with PSP and PSOne Classics compatibility on Vita? did they just run off on PSP mode(?) or did they rebuild the software for compatibility on Vita? Because if its the latter, I can understand Nintendos decision on Wii mode.

I am no Vita expert but I believe they were rebuilt... Brand new comparability list, being enabled game by game...

 

[Joeshabadoo]

wow, i literally have 160 games between wiiware and VC (relax didnt pay for most of em). Redownloading will be a nightmare, and now the fucking DKC games are gone from the shop, as well as some demos I had.

ffs

 

[MarkusRJR]

I am no Vita expert but I believe they were rebuilt... Brand new comparability list, being enabled game by game...

I believe so too, but I'm not 100% sure.

wow, i literally have 160 games between wiiware and VC (relax didnt pay for most of em). Redownloading will be a nightmare, and now the fucking DKC games are gone from the shop, as well as some demos I had.

ffs

Wait so you lost the ability to redownload the DKC games on your Wii U?

 

[Eusis]

wow, i literally have 160 games between wiiware and VC (relax didnt pay for most of em). Redownloading will be a nightmare, and now the fucking DKC games are gone from the shop, as well as some demos I had.

ffs

Gifts?

Anyways I'll need to check on Wii, but I believe delisted stuff is supposed to still be in the download list at least. Only got DKC2 of those though.

 

[defferoo]

The problem is that what the poster described does not have to hurt compatibility quality. Once a frame is ready to be sent to the video output to be displayed, the Wii emulation core does not CARE what happens to it... GamePad should be just another TV out connector to it.
Same thing about classic controller input...

Nintendo did not want to bother writing some GamePad drivers for Wii Mode maybe, but I think the decision was caused by paranoia. They probably fear that people would somehow expose GamePad's secrets, maybe the GamePad's communication protocol could be copied/decrypted (so they fear), or something could be learned that would allow hackers to find exploit on WiiU. Nintendo probably feels that Wii is a completely insecure system, so they try not to have any WiiU OS code even sitting close by Wii code it seems.

What is less acceptable is the inability to let you use more Flash space than the original 512 MB Wii exposed...

Exactly, but even that can be worked around. See, you could create a restricted hardware mode on the Wii U CPU that only has access to the Wii instruction set as well as whatever is needed to manage some additional parts of the Wii U hardware like maybe a restricted portion of the larger flash memory, and the gamepad wireless chip and voila! you've got a sandboxed Wii environment that can also take advantage of select pieces of the Wii U hardware if you wish.

It doesn't necessarily need to be exactly like the Wii (down to the system menu..) to have full backwards compatibility, it just needs to be able to execute Wii code the same way a Wii does.

 

[Terrell]

I am no Vita expert but I believe they were rebuilt... Brand new comparability list, being enabled game by game...

I believe this is right.

It's my suspicion that Wii U VC will coincide with Nintendo Network IDs going live on 3DS and (with any luck) the NES VC titles on 3DS will get updated to include a Wii U VC license. So if you get it on 3DS, you get the Gamepad-compatible version available as well. But that's entirely speculative on my part.

 

[bobbychalkers]

So Pikmin came into my Wii packed everything up and moved everything to my Wii U.....Never change Nintendo, never change.

 

[Joeshabadoo]

Gifts?

Anyways I'll need to check on Wii, but I believe delisted stuff is supposed to still be in the download list at least. Only got DKC2 of those though.

Hopefully I can still DL them, but ill see.

Not gifts, actually. You may recall a Pepsi/Rockband promotion during the summer of 2009. Caps could get you free track downloads. I devised a way to always win a free track with every code entered using a web browser trick, and when you told them to give you the free track for your Wii version of the game, they just gave you 200 wii points and said, 'please just use it to download the track you specified'. Well I was only semi-employed that summer, and I run alot, and I started scheming ways to horde pepsi promo caps. Began with just keeping a keen eye to the ground for the trademark yellow, and then both recycling a bottle and gaining 200 wii points... eventually leading to buying dirt-cheap tickets to NY Mets games, getting in cool with some maintenance people, and then just RAIDING the stadium of it's pepsi caps post-game. I accumulated a total of over 800,000 wii points that summer. gave many away to people randomly online, as redeeming them in 200 point increments was not exactly fun. I got what I needed out of em. I also think I was the sole reason why Harmonix had to throw up some messages on their contest page in the vein of 'we are currently out of redeemable wii tracks, but check back later'

It was a weird time in my life

 

[TheGreatDivide]

Hopefully I can still DL them, but ill see.

Not gifts, actually. You may recall a Pepsi/Rockband promotion during the summer of 2009. Caps could get you free track downloads. I devised a way to always win a free track with every code entered using a web browser trick, and when you told them to give you the free track for your Wii version of the game, they just gave you 200 wii points and said, 'please just use it to download the track you specified'. Well was only semi-employed that summer, and I run alot, and I started scheming ways to horde pepsi promo caps, eventually leading to buying dirt-cheap tickets to NY Mets games, getting in cool with some maintenance people, and then just RAIDING the stadium of it's pepsi caps. I accumulated a total of over 600,000 wii points that summer. gave many away to people randomly online, as redeeming them in 200 point increments was not exactly fun. I got what I needed out of em. I also think I was the sole reason why Harmonix had to throw up some messages on their contest page in the vein of 'we are currently out of redeemable wii tracks, but check back later'

It was a weird time in my life

 

[Eusis]

Hopefully I can still DL them, but ill see.

Not gifts, actually. You may recall a Pepsi/Rockband promotion during the summer of 2009. Caps could get you free track downloads. I devised a way to always win a free track with every code entered using a web browser trick, and when you told them to give you the free track for your Wii version of the game, they just gave you 200 wii points and said, 'please just use it to download the track you specified'. Well I was only semi-employed that summer, and I run alot, and I started scheming ways to horde pepsi promo caps. Began with just keeping a keen eye to the ground for the trademark yellow, and then both recycling a bottle and gaining 200 wii points... eventually leading to buying dirt-cheap tickets to NY Mets games, getting in cool with some maintenance people, and then just RAIDING the stadium of it's pepsi caps post-game. I accumulated a total of over 800,000 wii points that summer. gave many away to people randomly online, as redeeming them in 200 point increments was not exactly fun. I got what I needed out of em. I also think I was the sole reason why Harmonix had to throw up some messages on their contest page in the vein of 'we are currently out of redeemable wii tracks, but check back later'

It was a weird time in my life

... Damn.

Anyways, I took a look at "Titles you downloaded" or whatever list, and DKC2 was definitely there... with the gift option gone. So, yeah, you can redownload that and I believe others as you see fit. Though I guess the system can be lame and fail to transfer your ticket to the Wii U, but we'll see what others have happen.

 

[Joeshabadoo]

That's good news, but now more shit hitting fans. as the Wii is going through the process of moving over all the Wii stuff to the SD for the WiiU dump, it locks up when it gets to system memory save data and such, and I get an error message. I was worried about this because, while the brave little 2006 launch console still runs software, I occasionally get errors with the damn thing being unable to read system memory. My Wii is not exactly in perfect health. She's and old mare . . .

Calling customer service tomorrow I guess? I just dont want to keep all that delicious Wii shop content on the wii seeing as how it's on it's way out ... I mean, technically all of the software is on SD, but yea

 

[flatearthpandas]

Looks to work about how I expected, though I was hoping it would resemble the DSi to 3DS transfer and let you pick and choose what to transfer.

Super Smash Bros N64 and Brawl will both be totally pointless on my Wii U with only one Classic Controller Pro. I relied pretty heavily on my Wavebirds for multiplayer.

 

[Ein Bear]

The way Wii U handles BC with the Wii is bizzare... I knew it was hardware-based, but I didn't expect you to literally have to boot up the entire Wii OS to access it.

The 3DS is hardware back-compat too. But that plays DS games from the main OS like normal, DSi Ware titles show up in the standard eShop, and everything makes use of system features like the Activity Log and folders. I was expecting a similar implementation on the Wii U... wonder why they had to make the whole thing so cumbersome?

 

[fabricated backlash]

The way Wii U handles BC with the Wii is bizzare... I knew it was hardware-based, but I didn't expect you to literally have to boot up the entire Wii OS to access it.

The 3DS is hardware back-compat too. But that plays DS games from the main OS like normal, DSi Ware titles show up in the standard eShop, and everything makes use of system features like the Activity Log and folders. I was expecting a similar implementation on the Wii U... wonder why they had to make the whole thing so cumbersome?

Errh no, DS games are launched by the DS OS, in the system settings you can even access the OS settings.
It's the exact same thing, except for them having added a menu screen to return to the 3DS OS.

It's the exact same thing with the WiiU.

 

[Ein Bear]

Errh no, DS games are launched by the DS OS, in the system settings you can even access the OS settings.
It's the exact same thing, except for them having added a menu screen to return to the 3DS OS.

It's the exact same thing with the WiiU.

I meant that you stick your DS cart into your 3DS, it shows up in the 'Game Card' icon like a standard 3DS game does, and then you play it.

On the Wii U, it sounds like you have to start the system, select 'Wii Mode' from the options, which then boots up the entire Wii menu, from which you finally select the game.

 

[matthwq]

Ugh, this is really annoying news. I have way too much crap on my SD card in my Wii, I can't believe I'd have to re-download everything again.

At this point, I want to keep everything tied to my Wii, but I'm seriously worried (because I worry about these things) that my Wii is going to die in like a month or something.

This whole thing is so stupid.

 

[fabricated backlash]

I meant that you stick your DS cart into your 3DS, it shows up in the 'Game Card' icon like a standard 3DS game does, and then you play it.

On the Wii U, it sounds like you have to start the system, select 'Wii Mode' from the options, which then boots up the entire Wii menu, from which you finally select the game.

Oh, that would be weird, but I asume they would just simply boot to the Wii OS from selecting the Disc no?

The more I hear about the transfer, the less I think I should do it. My Wii disc drive is crapping out so I took the plunge and went full homebrew on it. All my discs are now loaded on a USB HDD and I don't know if it's worth to give that convenience up.

Concerning VC titles, I would only ever replay Super Metroid and Link to the Past anyway, so I'll just download the enhanced WiiU versions of those.

Ugh, this is really annoying news. I have way too much crap on my SD card in my Wii, I can't believe I'd have to re-download everything again.

At this point, I want to keep everything tied to my Wii, but I'm seriously worried (because I worry about these things) that my Wii is going to die in like a month or something.

This whole thing is so stupid.

Homebrew is there to help you with that. Seriously, the convenience and functionality it adds to the Wii is incredible, let alone loading times are actually improved.

 

[Tenki]

Does anyone know if I can move my save data just using a SD card (the save data is already copied to the card from my Wii)? I don't care about Miis, WiiWare and so, I just want my save data.

 

[brandonh83]

Chris Kohler's been tweeting about the process, and he has some massively shitty news. Apparently you CAN'T simply move the Wii's SD card over to the Wii U afterwards (a la 3DS). The games won't work.

Only the games already on the Wii's system memory will transfer, everything that was on the SD card has to be redownloaded on the Wii U itself. And the limit is still 512 MB, so you'll still have to use the card to store the overflow.

According to Chris.

http://twitter.com/kobunheat

It's okay. You can just move the contents from the SD card to the system memory without redownloading. That's not AS bad.

 

[radcliff]

I guess for now, I am keeping my Wii VC titles on the Wii and not transferring/re-downloading to Wii U. I will transfer them over as Nintendo adds the ability to play on Wii U GamePad (I'm sure at a 1 game per week pace).

 

[Glass Joe]

I managed to update my shop channel on Wii using MultiMod Manager and downloaded the transfer tool. I don't suppose anyone with homebrew has done the transfer yet, have they? By chance will it just take/delete the files it recognizes and leave the rest alone on the OG Wii or is there chance for brickage?

 

[brandonh83]

I moved over as many as I could, but considering I have almost 60 VC games the Wii memory wouldn't hold them all. Looks like I'll have to do the process twice. =\

 

[ScreenSplitter]

My question; can you pick and choose what data you take? Not every game on my Wii belongs to me.

Hopefully I can still DL them, but ill see.

Not gifts, actually. You may recall a Pepsi/Rockband promotion during the summer of 2009. Caps could get you free track downloads. I devised a way to always win a free track with every code entered using a web browser trick, and when you told them to give you the free track for your Wii version of the game, they just gave you 200 wii points and said, 'please just use it to download the track you specified'. Well I was only semi-employed that summer, and I run alot, and I started scheming ways to horde pepsi promo caps. Began with just keeping a keen eye to the ground for the trademark yellow, and then both recycling a bottle and gaining 200 wii points... eventually leading to buying dirt-cheap tickets to NY Mets games, getting in cool with some maintenance people, and then just RAIDING the stadium of it's pepsi caps post-game. I accumulated a total of over 800,000 wii points that summer. gave many away to people randomly online, as redeeming them in 200 point increments was not exactly fun. I got what I needed out of em. I also think I was the sole reason why Harmonix had to throw up some messages on their contest page in the vein of 'we are currently out of redeemable wii tracks, but check back later'

It was a weird time in my life

...teach me how to live.

 

[Javier]

Does anyone know if you can transfer games in "batches" (like DSi --> 3DS let you), or do you have to transfer everything in one go?

 

[Unai]

Does anyone know if wii software is tracked in the activity log?

 

[Sixfortyfive]

I just completed a system transfer from a homebrew-enabled Wii. I'll provide what details I can. Relatively speaking, this was a lightly-used Wii with lightly-used homebrew. I didn't have much to lose if the process happened to fuck up my soft-modded system, so I figured I might as well be the guinea pig for GAF.

My Wii system details:

- Wii system menu 4.3 (latest version)
- Wii Shop version 21 (latest version, released about a week or two ago, required for system transfer)
- Homebrew Channel (latest version, updated it last night in preparation)
- BootMii version 1.3 (installed to boot2)
- Riivolution patching app (only homebrew app I still have; I basically just used it for custom TvC soundtracks)

Transfer process details:

- Everything that can be transferred will be transferred. You can't pick and choose, and you can't move or copy games back to the original Wii system after you complete the process because the content licenses will be moved to your new Wii U console. Save files that aren't locked to the system can still be moved around freely and copied back to your old system.

- The transfer process seems to ignore homebrew applications entirely. Not only was the Homebrew Channel not transferred (as should be expected), it remains intact on my original system. BootMii still seems to function as normal. I can still launch the one homebrew app I have and it appears to work fine.

- System-locked save files (such as Super Smash Bros Brawl) WILL be transferred, and it will now be locked to your new Wii U. If Gamecube controller ports are important to you, this may be a point worth considering. If you are capable of stripping out the system-lock on the original save via homebrew, I recommend trying that and then saving a backup copy of the save file on an SD card, then copying it back to your original Wii after the transfer process completes. Not sure if it would work, or if the transfer process would ignore tampered save files entirely, but it's worth a shot if that's important to you.

- Save files from imported Wii games WILL be transferred. My save file for the JP version of Sin & Punishment 2 made the jump.

 

[web01]

Hopefully I can still DL them, but ill see.

Not gifts, actually. You may recall a Pepsi/Rockband promotion during the summer of 2009. Caps could get you free track downloads. I devised a way to always win a free track with every code entered using a web browser trick, and when you told them to give you the free track for your Wii version of the game, they just gave you 200 wii points and said, 'please just use it to download the track you specified'. Well I was only semi-employed that summer, and I run alot, and I started scheming ways to horde pepsi promo caps. Began with just keeping a keen eye to the ground for the trademark yellow, and then both recycling a bottle and gaining 200 wii points... eventually leading to buying dirt-cheap tickets to NY Mets games, getting in cool with some maintenance people, and then just RAIDING the stadium of it's pepsi caps post-game. I accumulated a total of over 800,000 wii points that summer. gave many away to people randomly online, as redeeming them in 200 point increments was not exactly fun. I got what I needed out of em. I also think I was the sole reason why Harmonix had to throw up some messages on their contest page in the vein of 'we are currently out of redeemable wii tracks, but check back later'

It was a weird time in my life

If this really happened then you truly are the king of kings.

 

[WiiRevolution1]

I just completed a system transfer from a homebrew-enabled Wii. I'll provide what details I can. Relatively speaking, this was a lightly-used Wii with lightly-used homebrew. I didn't have much to lose if the process happened to fuck up my soft-modded system, so I figured I might as well be the guinea pig for GAF.

My Wii system details:

- Wii system menu 4.3 (latest version)
- Wii Shop version 21 (latest version, released about a week or two ago, required for system transfer)
- Homebrew Channel (latest version, updated it last night in preparation)
- BootMii version 1.3 (installed to boot2)
- Riivolution patching app (only homebrew app I still have; I basically just used it for custom TvC soundtracks)

Transfer process details:

- Everything that can be transferred will be transferred. You can't pick and choose, and you can't move or copy games back to the original Wii system after you complete the process because the content licenses will be moved to your new Wii U console. Save files that aren't locked to the system can still be moved around freely and copied back to your old system.

- The transfer process seems to ignore homebrew applications entirely. Not only was the Homebrew Channel not transferred (as should be expected), it remains intact on my original system. BootMii still seems to function as normal. I can still launch the one homebrew app I have and it appears to work fine.

- System-locked save files (such as Super Smash Bros Brawl) WILL be transferred, and it will now be locked to your new Wii U. If Gamecube controller ports are important to you, this may be a point worth considering. If you are capable of stripping out the system-lock on the original save via homebrew, I recommend trying that and then saving a backup copy of the save file on an SD card, then copying it back to your original Wii after the transfer process completes. Not sure if it would work, or if the transfer process would ignore tampered save files entirely, but it's worth a shot if that's important to you.

- Save files from imported Wii games WILL be transferred. My save file for the JP version of Sin & Punishment 2 made the jump.

Thanks for the info. Good news about Brawl since my Wii can't read dual layered games anymore.

To anyone that has it, can you tell me if Wii games appear on the activity log? And if not, does the Wii Mode itself appear on the AL? (That would be my guess based on how BC is handled. All Wii games count as 1 game on the AL lol.)

Just got the WiiU but don't wanna test it out since I am very specific about the first time played on the AL...

If they can't be read in the AL then I have no reason to transfer. Also does your Nintendo Channel on the Wii get its data deleted aswell? Because I'de rather have that AL then none at all.

 

[Jucksalbe]

I just completed a system transfer from a homebrew-enabled Wii. I'll provide what details I can. Relatively speaking, this was a lightly-used Wii with lightly-used homebrew. I didn't have much to lose if the process happened to fuck up my soft-modded system, so I figured I might as well be the guinea pig for GAF.

Thanks. That's great. That way I can at least keep my Wii for import games.

 

[Sixfortyfive]

To anyone that has it, can you tell me if Wii games appear on the activity log? And if not, does the Wii Mode itself appear on the AL? (That would be my guess based on how BC is handled. All Wii games count as 1 game on the AL lol.)

Just got the WiiU but don't wanna test it out since I am very specific about the first time played on the AL...

If they can't be read in the AL then I have no reason to transfer. Also does your Nintendo Channel on the Wii get its data deleted aswell? Because I'de rather have that AL then none at all.

Time spent in Wii BC mode does not get logged in detail in the Wii U log. All I saw was a note below all of the day's other items that said I used Wii Mode for that day.

Activity Log data from your old Wii does not seem to be transferred to your Wii U at all. The BC mode on the Wii U does have its own activity log though and it operates like the old Wii does; you just start from a blank slate again.

 

[Anticitizen One]

I was reading that you need a 32 gb SD card to do it but my biggest is only 15 gb. Do you have to transfer everything all at once or can you do it in chunks? Also would I have to redownload all the VC and Wiiware games I purchased to the wii and then transfer or can I just transfer the licenses?

 

[Sixfortyfive]

I was reading that you need a 32 gb SD card to do it but my biggest is only 15 gb. Do you have to transfer everything all at once or can you do it in chunks? Also would I have to redownload all the VC and Wiiware games I purchased to the wii and then transfer or can I just transfer the licenses?

You only need 512MB free on the SD card IIRC.

Everything on the system has to be transferred at once. I'm not sure how SD card saves complicate things; I never had to rearrange my fridge, so to speak. I would imagine that you wouldn't have to touch any data already backed up to an SD card at all. From what I understand, the SD card should just work on the Wii U like normal after the process is completed, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

Your licenses and shop download history will be transferred, and I'm pretty sure that's all that's needed to re-download games on the new console later.

 

[bryehn]

My Wii won't connect to the Internet any more, WTF do I do?

:/

 

[Lumpy Onion]

That was pretty painless overall. Everything went fine without any hitches. I absolutely love how they used the pikmin to haul my stuff across systems. It's those little things that make me cherish Nintendo.

 

[SephCast]

Fuck, I did the whole thing, then tried to do the transfer on the Wii and it gave me a memory error.....dammit

"An error occurred while accessing Wii System Memory. Refer to the Wii Operations Manual for Details."

 

[Eusis]

My Wii won't connect to the Internet any more, WTF do I do?

:/

Wi-fi I assume? I think you'd need an ethernet adapter, find a cheap one (made for the Wii?) and use that here.

 

[bryehn]

Wi-fi I assume? I think you'd need an ethernet adapter, find a cheap one (made for the Wii?) and use that here.

I should be able to get the Wii app from the Wii U side. This sucks. And yeah the wi-fi apparently doesn't work on my launch day Wii anymore.

I think I'll call them.

 

[Lupin the Third]

- System-locked save files (such as Super Smash Bros Brawl) WILL be transferred, and it will now be locked to your new Wii U. If Gamecube controller ports are important to you, this may be a point worth considering. If you are capable of stripping out the system-lock on the original save via homebrew, I recommend trying that and then saving a backup copy of the save file on an SD card, then copying it back to your original Wii after the transfer process completes. Not sure if it would work, or if the transfer process would ignore tampered save files entirely, but it's worth a shot if that's important to you.

Have you tried restoring a BootMii NAND backup to see if it restores your Wii licenses? (I would back up your current, not-quite-wiped NAND in addition, just to be safe.)

 

[Glass Joe]

I just completed a system transfer from a homebrew-enabled Wii. I'll provide what details I can. Relatively speaking, this was a lightly-used Wii with lightly-used homebrew. I didn't have much to lose if the process happened to fuck up my soft-modded system, so I figured I might as well be the guinea pig for GAF.

My Wii system details:

- Wii system menu 4.3 (latest version)
- Wii Shop version 21 (latest version, released about a week or two ago, required for system transfer)
- Homebrew Channel (latest version, updated it last night in preparation)
- BootMii version 1.3 (installed to boot2)
- Riivolution patching app (only homebrew app I still have; I basically just used it for custom TvC soundtracks)

Transfer process details:

- Everything that can be transferred will be transferred. You can't pick and choose, and you can't move or copy games back to the original Wii system after you complete the process because the content licenses will be moved to your new Wii U console. Save files that aren't locked to the system can still be moved around freely and copied back to your old system.

- The transfer process seems to ignore homebrew applications entirely. Not only was the Homebrew Channel not transferred (as should be expected), it remains intact on my original system. BootMii still seems to function as normal. I can still launch the one homebrew app I have and it appears to work fine.

- System-locked save files (such as Super Smash Bros Brawl) WILL be transferred, and it will now be locked to your new Wii U. If Gamecube controller ports are important to you, this may be a point worth considering. If you are capable of stripping out the system-lock on the original save via homebrew, I recommend trying that and then saving a backup copy of the save file on an SD card, then copying it back to your original Wii after the transfer process completes. Not sure if it would work, or if the transfer process would ignore tampered save files entirely, but it's worth a shot if that's important to you.

- Save files from imported Wii games WILL be transferred. My save file for the JP version of Sin & Punishment 2 made the jump.

Thanks, I was gonna Guinea Pig myself but you beat me to it. Still updating my Wii U, will give it a shot next.

 

[Sixfortyfive]

Have you tried restoring a BootMii NAND backup to see if it restores your Wii licenses? (I would back up your current, not-quite-wiped NAND in addition, just to be safe.)

That would be a worthwhile experiment, but no can do on my end because I have no old backups to test.

I really have no intention of using my old Wii anymore, so I didn't go through many precautions for the transfer. My primary gaming monitor for the past year and a half lacks component and composite inputs altogether, which is why my Wii has been completely unused for a long time. Dug out a tiny and ancient CRT specifically to handle this transfer, and now it'll likely return to indefinite storage.

 

[RedSwirl]

So it just transfers the game licenses? Not the actual games?

 

[Eyothrie]

Help! I'm getting the following error when attempting to initiate the transfer on my original Wii:

"This SD card is not the one prepared for use with the target Wii U console"

How do I prepare it on the Wii U? I downloaded the Wii Transfer Tool onto the Wii U's Wii Menu and also onto the SD card. The Wii U recognizes the SD card in Wii mode. What am I missing?

 

[Lupin the Third]

Help! I'm getting the following error when attempting to initiate the transfer on my original Wii:

"This SD card is not the one prepared for use with the target Wii U console"

How do I prepare it on the Wii U? I downloaded the Wii Transfer Tool onto the Wii U's Wii Menu and also onto the SD card. The Wii U recognizes the SD card in Wii mode. What am I missing?

Isn't the Transfer app on Wii U a Wii U-specific app, not a Wii one? Or am I mistaken?

 

[Eyothrie]

The transfer app is inside Wii mode