I have not yet installed BootMii as boot2 (mostly because I've been too lazy to take my wii to my UPS or vice versa to avoid power loss and a possible brick), but I am now planning on doing so. I am currently on System Menu 3.3u (prior to the Oct 23 update) and I am running HBC 1.3. Everything works the way I want it, but I'd like to have SDHC support and install StartPatch (and overall just be more up to date). Since I'm gonna be mucking around a bit with manual updates and program installations (I still don't feel comfortable with Nintendo's official updates), I want to have a backup/brick protection via BootMii.

My understanding of BootMii is that, once installed as boot2, it will allow me to save a backup of my NAND in its current state that I can keep indefinitely. If I don't like my Wii after the updates/installations(i.e. if some programs don't work anymore, I partially brick my Wii, or I just liked it the way it was before), I can just run BootMii and restore my Wii to the way it was at the time the backup was made. Am I understanding this correctly? Is anything not restored with a BootMii backup?

Also, two more questions:
1. If I move the BootMii save off the original SD card that was used, is there a risk of the file being changed in such a way that it wouldn't be usable? (Can I move it to a HDD for long term backup?)
2. What happens if I don't update the boot2 to the newest version before installing BootMii? And if it becomes overwritten by the newer boot2 (for whatever reason), what happens and can I still use my previous backup?

don't worry about Nintendo's Update

Just update to 4.2, then install Bootmii. The only possible way Nintendo can prevent you from installing Bootmii on your Wii, if you have a vulnerable Boot1, is to send someone to your house with a sledgehammer, smash your Wii, and give you a Wii with a fixed Boot1.

However, you can install Bootmii now, make a backup, keep it (and all relevant files) on your computer until you need them. However, there is no point to this at all. You're all the way back on 3.3U, 4.2U is a worthwhile update. All you have to do is just make sure your power supply is steady, and that you don't have your Wii crapped up with cIOSCrap, or other cIOSes. If you have these things, remove them, then install them after the update if you really need to... Except cIOSCrap, that's just a bad idea altogether

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lordunlow
My understanding of BootMii is that, once installed as boot2, it will allow me to save a backup of my NAND in its current state that I can keep indefinitely. If I don't like my Wii after the updates/installations(i.e. if some programs don't work anymore, I partially brick my Wii, or I just liked it the way it was before), I can just run BootMii and restore my Wii to the way it was at the time the backup was made. Am I understanding this correctly? Is anything not restored with a BootMii backup?

This is correct.

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If I move the BootMii save off the original SD card that was used, is there a risk of the file being changed in such a way that it wouldn't be usable? (Can I move it to a HDD for long term backup?)

The backup won't be altered unless you change the extension. Its perfectly fine to move it around from place to place.

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What happens if I don't update the boot2 to the newest version before installing BootMii? And if it becomes overwritten by the newer boot2 (for whatever reason), what happens and can I still use my previous backup?

If bootmii is deleted when you update, you can simply re-install it via the hackmii installer. You will still be able to use your backup.

BootMii only takes about 5 seconds to install, so you shouldn't worry about that. If you do choose to move the backup off the card, it will not become unusable or corrupted. You might want to update to the latest boot2 before installing BootMii, because your old backup would contain the old boot2. If you have anymore questions, please ask! :)

Thanks to all for the speedy and helpful answers.

gameboy13: how does updating boot2 first help? This is one thing I don't understand about BootMii. I thought that BootMii replaces boot2. Apparently this is not how it works.

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lorddunlow
Thanks to all for the speedy and helpful answers.

gameboy13: how does updating boot2 first help? This is one thing I don't understand about BootMii. I thought that BootMii replaces boot2. Apparently this is not how it works.

It is how it works. Thing is, Nintendo updated everybody's boot2 to boot2v4 with the 4.2 update. If you had an earlier version of Boot2 before updating, it gets overwritten, since there are 3 versions of Boot2 on the NAND, bootmii only needs to overwrite one of them. Since your Wii has a vulnerable boot2, chances are you have a version of Boot2 that isn't Boot2v4.

I couldn't edit my post, due to the forum being moderated, so if a Mod could merge these two posts, it'd be a huge help.

You should also update your homebrew channel to 1.0.6 before updating to 4.2

I finally installed Bootmii and backed up everything. I feel more comfortable updating now. One more question: If I install StartPatch and disable all updates and update checks, is there any reason to update my boot2 to v4 at this time? Games don't use boot2, right? Just let me know what the thoughts here are.

By the way, now that I installed Bootmii I've played around with the new DOP-Mii and other similar tools. I have to say, these tools have improved by leaps and bounds in ease of use and functionality. I appreciate that there are so many people who have worked on these programs. I feel very comfortable now that I will never have any issues with updating manually, and I (personally) will never use Nintendo's official updates again. As an aside to that statement, is there anyone who is archiving the various versions of IOS, System Menus, etc. that are on NUS just in case Nintendo wises up and cleans up their servers by removing some of the older, more vulnerable IOSes?

Again, thanks for all of the help.

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lorddunlow
I finally installed Bootmii and backed up everything. I feel more comfortable updating now. One more question: If I install StartPatch and disable all updates and update checks, is there any reason to update my boot2 to v4 at this time? Games don't use boot2, right? Just let me know what the thoughts here are.

By the way, now that I installed Bootmii I've played around with the new DOP-Mii and other similar tools. I have to say, these tools have improved by leaps and bounds in ease of use and functionality. I appreciate that there are so many people who have worked on these programs. I feel very comfortable now that I will never have any issues with updating manually, and I (personally) will never use Nintendo's official updates again. As an aside to that statement, is there anyone who is archiving the various versions of IOS, System Menus, etc. that are on NUS just in case Nintendo wises up and cleans up their servers by removing some of the older, more vulnerable IOSes?

Again, thanks for all of the help.

There is no reason to not update your boot2, and no reason to not update through nintendo.