SWiiMM- Solving Wii Maintenance Mode

Does anyone know exactly what the Wii's Maintenance Mode does? I'm actually researching it and trying to discover if we can find any neat use for it. I've taken some notes on what I've observed from using Maintenance Mode:

-It has a very simple start-up (Hold down the Plus and Minus buttons on the opening boot screen)
-It starts the System Menu with a user-friendly notice (Your Wii is operating in Maintenance Mode)
-All possible online communications have been blocked as well as the Wii Message Board completely
-All Regular Wii channels are missing parts of their channel banners/animations on the System Menu
-The Mario Kart channel displays Japanese letters and the Karts will not move, but freeze once in position
-Even if you've updated your Wii to have the SD Card Menu, it does not appear
-The Mii Channel and the Disc Channel both seem to be unaffected
-This mode does not respond to control sticks and the control pad on the Classic Controller, but responds fine to the other buttons
-Nintendo is aware of this mode, but has not done anything about it via Wii System Update

I've come to one guess so far about Maintenance Mode: It's being used as a Debug Tool for Nintendo's testers. However, it's not a good guess because I can't back it up very well. I also noticed that returning to the Wii System Menu (In any way with the exception of going to options) will reset the System Menu back to normal. I've been trying to find out where Maintenance Mode is located in the Wii's Flash Memory and what exactly resets the System Menu back to normal. Does anyone know good tools to do this? I'll be posting my progress here.

I would assume you'd find it by disassembling the System Menu itself.

Is there maybe a Homebrew App that can do that? FSBrowser doesn't work.

Um, no. I think if you have to ask that, you are unlikely to do much disassembling. No offence. Maintenance Mode is simply a part of the System Menu, you will not find it in the Wii's NAND FS. It is not a file. Its some code within the System Menu binary (a .DOL file). You'd have to disassemble the whole thing, and read the assembly code, looking for the Maintenance Mode. And no offence intended, but I don't think you're up to the task. Sorry.

One of the theories is that Nintendo uses it when you send in your Wii so that they cannot pry into your Message Board (for your privacy).

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bg4545
One of the theories is that Nintendo uses it when you send in your Wii so that they cannot pry into your Message Board (for your privacy).

That could be very well true. But I'm curious of why the channel graphics are messed up. Does it not display the Photo Channel picture so Nintendo doesn't see it? That's something I'll look at.

EDIT: And I do need something that will allow me to explore the Wii's NAND FS so I can find that DOL you were just talking about.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/30/2010 05:47PM by Dr.MarioX.

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Dr.MarioX

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bg4545
One of the theories is that Nintendo uses it when you send in your Wii so that they cannot pry into your Message Board (for your privacy).

That could be very well true. But I'm curious of why the channel graphics are messed up. Does it not display the Photo Channel picture so Nintendo doesn't see it? That's something I'll look at.

CHANS/WC24 functionality in sysmenu is disabled for maintenance mode. Photo chan uses CHANS for the icon.(since that can be replaced with a custom pic)

Wait, an Idea, A Neat Use!!... Maintence mode, I've heard I've been it in. I know what it does, but something jumps out at me.

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Dr. MarioX-All possible online communications have been blocked as well as the Wii Message Board completely

SO know why it jumps at me, Is it blocked on the hardware level after booting?
or is the hardware for it disabled during booting?

Now, Depending on when the communtication is interuppted will effect my idea completly... Could maintence mode stop a brick resulting from a broken Wi-FI Doggle?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/03/2011 05:16AM by NotAWiiHacker.