How to determine hardware failure

Hi guys. I got my friend's bricked wii to take a look at it and maybe repair it.
Now, the problem is that it loads a black screen and nothing else. When I try SaveMii it loads up the menu, but it won't update with my disc.
Is it possible that he corrupted an ios so that it won't update or is my disc not the right one.
However, I fear more for a hardware problem. The disc drive spins noisy, like as if it is broken. Does a broken disc drive have this symptoms? Or is it my bluetooth or wifi chip?
My biggest question is just how you know which part is broken. Is there something I can look for when breaking it open? I know my friend messed with his SM so I honestly don't know if it's soft or hardware.

Its not bluetooth module if Recovery Menu comes up when using SaveMii (System Menu version in bottom right corner).

What is the System Menu version displayed in the corner of the screen when using SaveMii? What game where you trying to use to update? Does the Wii have a modchip or any modified IOS installed? Is the System Menu patched at all using something like StartPatch or Priiloader? I assume BootMii/boot2 isn't installed or you would have already tried that, right?

(Sorry for all the questions, but we need more info to try and help you)

EDIT: If you don't know the answers to these questions, ask your friend.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/2011 08:41PM by SifJar.

The recovery menu says 4.0. I tried wii sports resort, as I read somewhere it had 4.1. My friend messed a bit with his ios, but his wii broke some time after that. Do I use the wrong disc or is it possible he installed a patched menu so the real version is higher. I can only get my Epic Yarn disc back on Monday, maybe I can then try again.
He doesn't have a modchip, he did have preloader however, but it was deleted before the brick.

He may have patched his System Menu to prevent disc updates, in which case this brick can't be fixed unless he happens to have a keys.bin from BootMii, and even then you'd need a NAND reprogrammer and you'd have to open the Wii and mess about with stuff inside. This is why patches like that one are completely stupid. They do more harm than good, seeing as updates never actually cause damage, so they're unnecessary in the first place.

I spoke to him about that kind of patches and he said he didn't install them.
However, he said he used those illegal wad-installers. Is it possible he has a banner brick or that he mothballed an ios?

Mothballed IOS wouldn't make a difference, unless it was System Menu IOS, in which case not even recovery menu would work, so that's not it. Its possible he could have a banner brick, but probably only if he installed custom channels, generally i think a pirated channel won't banner brick.

Quote
qyzoxus
The recovery menu says 4.0. I tried wii sports resort, as I read somewhere it had 4.1. My friend messed a bit with his ios, but his wii broke some time after that. Do I use the wrong disc or is it possible he installed a patched menu so the real version is higher. I can only get my Epic Yarn disc back on Monday, maybe I can then try again.
He doesn't have a modchip, he did have preloader however, but it was deleted before the brick.

Wii Sports Resort does NOT have 4.1, it has 4.0. System Menu 4.1 contains a fix for Wii Sports Resort (something about System Menu forcing you to watch a clip from the game?).

I recommend trying a newer game. I believe New Super Mario Brothers Wii is a good candidate.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/09/2011 04:19AM by winmaster.

NSMB is indeed a good candidate, IIRC it had 4.2.

EDIT: Wait, no. It had 4.1 with a bunch of 4.2 IOS and boot2v4, which was included with 4.2 from NUS. Still should do the trick provided it isn't a banner brick.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/09/2011 07:54PM by SifJar.