Savemii
SaveMii is a small dongle that is plugged into a Wii's memory card slot. It mimicks a test interface that is believed to be used in Nintendo's own facilities (dubbed “Waikiki” by Nintendo).
The SaveMii can un-brick most consoles, but there is still one of two that are bricked in such a way where the SaveMii won’t work, or if your console was bricked by the latest firmware 3.4, you will have to wait for a game with v3.5 firmware to be released before you will be able to attempt to un-brick the console. Still the SaveMii is your best chance at un-bricking your console and is a worthy investment for installers that would possibly see a few bricked Wii’s in their time and having one of these SaveMii tools lying around could come in very handy. Below is some text from the official SaveMii website that explains about the product a little more.
When powered on your Wii displays nothing but an error message, or nothing at all. We may have just the solution for your problem. There's a good chance a nifty little piece of hardware can allow you to fix your system, we call it the SaveMii. Most Wii “bricks” are the result of poor error checking or bugs in the Wii's System Menu. For example, if you have installed a system update off a wrong region's disk, the System Menu will only display an “Opera” error message and halt without running disks anymore, this is where the SaveMii will let you break out of this condition.
SaveMii allows you to skip most of the System Menu start-up process, especially the part that fails and halts the boot process. Instead, it causes the Wii to directly run software off a disk. Depending on the Wii's system version, and whether you’re Wii has a modchip installed, this allows you to either run a system update off a legit Wii disk, or a custom-made disk containing updates or homebrew tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SaveMii ?
SaveMii is a small, experimental device that fits into the GC Memory Card slot of a Nintendo Wii, triggering a special factory diagnostic mode.
Why would I want to do that?
This factory diagnostic mode may be used to fix most “bricked” Wiis, including those broken by installing the wrong firmware update from an imported Wii game.
Who should buy this?
SaveMii is not designed for novices to use. Although it is not difficult to operate, it must be used in conjunction with the appropriate tools to do any good. Anyone who has a Wii which displays an “Opera error” on boot can use one of these, as can console repair shops. Hackers can tinker with it. Developers of channel banners and those who wish to experiment with “theming” the System Menu by editing its resources will find this to be an indispensable tool.
Is this a modchip? Can I use this to play burned DVDs? Can I run homebrew with it?
No. SaveMii does not bypass any restrictions. It activates a special testing mode that was built into the System Menu by Nintendo. It is only useful in the situation where your Wii refuses to read any disc.
Do I need a modchip in order to use SaveMii ?
Not necessarily. You will need a modchip so that the Wii will accept a custom-made “autoboot” disc with your recovery tools on it. However, even without a modchip, newer versions of the Wii system software (3.0+) will try to install any valid update that is present on any legit Wii disc you attempt to boot with SaveMii. In some cases, this will be enough to let you install a newer System Menu and recover your console.
I just received my SaveMii; how do I know if it works?
Insert it into the lower GameCube memory card slot (B), and power your Wii on. The red LED on the SaveMii should turn on, followed by the green one. You should seen a black screen, with a version number in the lower right of the TV screen.
Why do I get a black screen with no version number?
We've discovered that earlier versions of the System Menu (<3.0) will not display a version number, nor will they automatically install updates from non-autoboot discs. Worry not -- SaveMii is still useful, but you will have to have a drivechip installed (at least temporarily) and will need to use an autoboot disc.
