Wii Backup Disc

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Wii Backup Disc
Backup disc.png
Disc ID410E01/010E01 for v1.31
Disc IOS16
GameTDB Page
Other information about this disc (e.g. the internal name) is unknown.

The Wii Backup Disc is a disc which was used by Nintendo authorized repair centres to transfer save data and Virtual Console/WiiWare tickets from one console to another, similar to the consumer-facing System Transfer function on later Nintendo consoles. It was used in cases where a system could still launch and run discs, but needed to be replaced; it would copy the relevant data onto an SD card, and the disc would then be inserted into a target system to receive the data.

It is by far the most well-known and "mainstream" of the Wii repair discs, having been scene released in 2008 and used for piracy and hacking purposes due to its signature IOS (IOS16) having been left unpatched after an update. Since this IOS was signed for retail systems, but was not patched due to it only being distributed on these internal repair discs, copies of it were installed on systems in order to allow access to the Trucha Bug which could then be used to install unofficial software such as custom IOSes.

In summary, the disc shows information about the console, allows for the Wii's friend code to be changed, and transfers VC/WiiWare tickets and other data like save games and settings off the console onto an SD card. It also has an option to "install dev certs", which installs a pair of dummy WADs which do nothing.

A specific Nintendo employee responded via email that they recall another version of the Wii Backup Disc being made. The only version of the disc for which a physical copy has been seen in the wild is v1.31, but newer versions were found in the Zammis Clark Breach.

See also