Wii Update 4.2 -- DO NOT INSTALL

[DeadPoolX]

According to SlashDot and complaints on Nintendo's own tech forums, the 4.2 update bricks Wii consoles. This update has reportedly bricked both modified and unmodified Wiis.

It won't brick every single Wii, but it seems to do it more often than not. If you've already updated to version 4.2 and your Wii works, that's great. If you haven't updated, I'd advise holding off for now. The 4.2 update doesn't even seem to do a whole lot (aside from removing Homebrew material).

What occurs is the system will freeze during the update process and won't turn off. Eventually, the only way to shut the Wii down is to pull the plug. Once that's done, the system won't boot up.

If your Wii is no longer covered by Nintendo's warranty (and it probably isn't unless you've bought it recently), you'll have to pay $85 USD to get it repaired. Some people might have taken out a store warranty from wherever they bought it (i.e. Gamestop, Best Buy, Future Shop, etc) and if that's the case, that store would probably honor the warranty so long as it's still active.

The good news is that Nintendo doesn't force uses to update and because of this, you don't HAVE to accept the update. Everything that can be done post-update can still be done pre-update. At this point and time, no games require the 4.2 update.

[Collector]

Sounds like the beginning of a lawsuit.

[Tawmis]

Lawsuit? "So there I was playing with my Wii..."

Ahem - anyway - my Wii (z0mG) is in my office. And thanks to the wonderfulness of the XBOX 360 (which is in the living room - bigger tv, flat screen, high def, the whole 9 yards) - I hardly touch my Wii (z0Mg!). So I think I am probably about two or three updates behind on my Wii. But I will keep this in mind. I don't have wireless for my Wii (can it even do wireless?) and certainly no LAN line (unless the times I want to download something on the Wii, like Toejam & Earl )- so I don't even think it would check for an update.

[DeadPoolX]

The Wii is designed for wireless Internet connections. You can buy a cable adapter to link the Wii up to a wired network, but why?

Maia and I have our Wii connected to our wireless connection and it works really well. I've played online with it before and no lag whatsoever. Although that's probably due to our connection speed rather than the Wii itself.

Even though our router can do wireless, we have both of our computers on a wired network. Wireless is fine for unimportant things, but we use our computers for online banking and other sensitive information. Aside from the Wii, the only other device we have on a wireless connection is the PSP (those few times we actually use it unless we're on a vacation).