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Guide The Definitive Wii U Trimming Guide A5X Expansion

Lazr

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Preface

The A5X Expansion trimming guide is targeted for WUP-01, WUP-30, and WUP-40 boards ONLY. A guide for WUP-50 trimming can be found here.

Thanks to recent discoveries, the Wii U homebrew scene is rapidly evolving. Various bleeding-edge softmods are under development and the guide will undergo major edits as these softmods become available to the public. For portablizers, this means that some relocations may no longer be necessary! Check the Wii U R&D thread and this guide's changelog for the latest updates.

This guide was developed for the BitBuilt community, but BitBuilt was not involved in the writing of the guide, and is not responsible for its content.

Please note that Wii U portablizing is much more challenging than Wii portablizing! Fine-pitch via soldering (like the Wii AVE relocation) and trace-scratching (like Wii Bluetooth) are mandatory to produce a functional LOLWUN trim. This guide and the information contained within are provided “as-is”, and the trim should only be attempted by experienced modders. Have fun!


Identifying your Wii U’s Motherboard Revision

This trimming guide is intended for WUP-01, WUP-30, and WUP-40 Wii U motherboards only. A guide on identifying your Wii U Motherboard Revision can be found here.

Prerequisites

Follow the PortablizeU Setup guide.

About vWii

The vWii is the Wii U's built-in Wii environment. It has a couple major caveats that make it unsuitable for Wii U portables at this time.
  • vWii cannot start without the disc drive.
    • Even with Priiloader installed and homebrew like USBLoaderGX set to autoboot, the vWii crashes when booting if the disc drive is absent, or SATA devices are disabled via either SEEPROM or Stroopwafel.
    • There are software patches, however they are not available to the general public due to there not being an easy way to install them.
  • Furthermore, games loaded from within vWii cannot be controlled with the Wii U GamePad.
    • GC/Wii VC injects installed to the Wii U Menu, on the other hand, can be controlled with the GamePad, if you enable that option during injection.
    • A Wii U Nintendont forwarder like CrisMMMod.ver.7.30 also allows Gamecube games to be played with the Wii U GamePad.
  • The vWii cannot load Wii or Gamecube games from the same USB drive you install Wii U games to without some extra patches. You must load Wii games from a second USB drive, the SD card, or use the wafel_usb_partition.
Because the vWii doesn’t fully support the GamePad, it’s recommended that you use VC injects for all Gamecube and Wii games that support classic controller or have patches to add support. GC/Wii VC injects can be installed to the same USB drive as your Wii U games and can be played using the GamePad, but may have minor compatibility issues and count toward the Wii U’s game/channel limit (300 per user profile.)

Trimming

Important pre-trim preparation!
  • Remove R116, located near the HDMI port and U14, and save it for later. It will be reattached during the video relocation. If you lose R116, it can be replaced with any 0402 or 0603 size 510Ω resistor.
R116.jpg


Only one trim is supported: the LOLWUN trim. The dimension are roughtly 120mmx95mm.
trim_top.jpg

trim_bottom.jpg


Remove any components the trim line intersects before trimming! Trim outside the lines, and sand toward the lines with increasingly fine grits of sandpaper (finish with at least 600 grit). The Wii U motherboard is 6 layers with very tight layer spacing, so careful sanding is imperative to avoid shorts.

1735863089233.png


Once sanded, visually inspect the edges of the mobo to ensure there are no shorts. Here are some ballpark resistance values for the voltage rails (see the Relocations section for voltage rail locations.) As long as the resistances are the same order of magnitude as the listed values, and there are no dead shorts (0Ω), you’re good.
  • 1V to GND: ~10Ω
  • 1.15V to GND: ~20Ω
  • 1.25V to GND: ~700Ω
  • 1.5V to GND: ~170Ω
  • 3.3V to GND: ~25kΩ
Relocations

The Wii U requires the following relocations in order to boot and play games. Some relocations are only required for boot, however they are all needed in order to play games.

Please follow the checklists in each section to ensure you’ve made all the necessary connections. You can also find photos of most of the relocations in the Wii U R&D Thread, where LOLWUN trim development was semi-documented. Most LOLWUT wiring also applies to LOLWUN, with slight differences in the pin layouts on the Motherboard.

☐ SMC and RTC
☐ NAND and eMMC
☐ 2.4GHz Wi-Fi module
☐ 5GHz GamePad module
☐ Bluetooth module
☐ SD card (for homebrew)
☐ USB (for games)
☐ Power / custom regulators
☐ Video and Audio

Unlike the WUP-50, all motherboards with the A5X do not have plugged vias, so you are able to insert magnet wire into the via barrels, as opposed to creating a solder bubble on top the via.


SMC and RTC

The SMC (system management controller) handles the Wii U’s power button and power/status LEDs. The RTC (real-time clock) performs boot, power-up/power-down, and clock functions. Both are required for the Wii U to function. You must trim an SMC/RTC daughterboard from the motherboard to relocate these two ICs. In the future, a custom PCB to relocate the SMC/RTC may be released.

Wii U motherboards have two separate RTC footprints, one on the top layer and one on the bottom layer. Only one of the RTCs is ever populated, and which one is populated is seemingly random. A top-side RTC is preferable as this allows the SMC/RTC daughterboard to be trimmed smaller, but both variants are usable.


Top-side SMC/RTC Daughterboard Trim
smc_top_trim.jpg

Be advised that this trim line ONLY applies to boards with the RTC on the top. Do not use this trim line if your RTC is on the bottom. This board has it on the bottom, and the trim line is only to illustrate for boards that have it on the top.

Bottom-side SMC/RTC Daughterboard Trim

smc_bottom_trim.jpg


Remove any components the trim line intersects before trimming!
Treat this daughterboard as you would the main motherboard trim. Trim outside the lines, and sand toward the lines with increasingly fine grits of sandpaper (finish with at least 600 grit). Check for dead shorts (0Ω) between 3.3V and GND after sanding.

SMC and RTC Connections
smc_top.jpg

  • The solder points in the diagram are universal to both top and bottom RTC variants.
  • There are six 3.3v points on the SMC/RTC daughterboard that need to be reconnected. Wire them together with magnet wire as shown, and supply 3.3v to any one of the points. Supply GND to the marked via, the screwhole, or any other portion of GND plane.
  • The power button and eject button lines are active-low. Connect these lines to momentary, normally-open switches to GND. The eject button is used to navigate minute_minute, so relocating it is recommended.
  • The Red, Blue, and Yellow LEDs indicate console power status. The LED pins supply current, so make sure the other side of the LEDs are connected to GND. Connect the LED pins to the LEDs via series ~1kΩ resistors. You can deadbug the resistors onto the Wii U’s front IO board LEDs, or wire up your own LEDs.
  • If you wish to preserve real-time clock functionality, connect a coin cell to the RTC B+ trace and GND.
SoC Connections
soc_smc_rtc.jpg


TP148 Connection

You must connect a ~10kΩ resistor between TP148 and 3.3v.

tp148.jpg


SMC and RTC Relocation Checklist
☐ All SMC/RTC 3.3v points soldered together with magnet wire
☐ 3.3V and GND reconnected to SMC/RTC daughterboard
☐ 10kΩ resistor soldered between TP148 and 3.3v
☐ SMC SDA, SCL, and RESET reconnected to SoC (3 wires)
☐ Power/eject button and LEDs reconnected to SMC (5 wires + GND)
☐ RTC reconnected to SoC (6 wires)
☐ Coin cell reconnected to RTC (optional)


NAND and eMMC

The TSOP NAND and eMMC store vital system files and are required for the Wii U to function. Like the SMC and RTC, you must trim a NAND+eMMC daughterboard from the motherboard to relocate these two ICs. In the future, a custom PCB to relocate the NAND and eMMC may be released.
nand.jpg

emmc.jpg


Remove any components the trim line intersects before trimming! Treat this daughterboard as you would the main motherboard trim. Trim outside the lines, and sand toward the lines with increasingly fine grits of sandpaper (finish with at least 600 grit). Check for dead shorts () between 3.3V and GND after sanding.

34AWG or thinner magnet wire is highly recommended for this relocation.

People with a console that has a SK Hynix eMMC should be wary of the bottom right corner, as that eMMC takes up the whole footprint.
1735865448376.png


soc_nand_emmc.jpg


NAND and eMMC Relocation Checklist
☐ NAND rewired to SoC (17 wires)
☐ eMMC rewired to SoC (6 wires)
☐ 3.3V and GND reconnected to NAND+eMMC daughterboard


2.4GHz Wi-Fi Module

The Wii U’s 2.4GHz Wi-Fi module is required for the system to boot games, and is used to connect to the internet and transfer games and homebrew.

None of the connections to the SMC or SoC are required, however you must short pin 7 to 3.3v on the module for the relocation to work. Full pinouts are only on the guide for posterity.

The Wii U Wi-Fi module does not have testpoints, so you must solder directly to the original connector footprint. Magnification and 34AWG or thinner magnet wire is highly recommended for this relocation.
1735866069173.png


Data Lines
soc_wifi.jpg


SMC/RTC Connections
smc_wifi.jpg


SoC Connection

soc_wifi2.jpg


2.4GHz Wi-Fi Module Relocation Checklist
☐ Wi-Fi module data lines wired to motherboard (6 wires)
☐ Wi-Fi module pin 7 wired to 3.3v
☐ 3.3V and GND wired to Wi-Fi module
☐ One or more antennae reconnected (optional)


5Ghz GamePad Module

The Wii U’s 5GHz GamePad wireless module sends and receives data to/from the Wii U GamePad. Since many Wii U games require a GamePad to be connected before the game will even load, relocating the 5GHz module is required.

None of the connections to the SMC are required, and are only on the guide for posterity.

The Wii U 5GHz module does not have testpoints, so you must solder directly to the original connector footprint. Magnification and 34AWG or thinner magnet wire is highly recommended.

1735866491464.png

Pins 18 and 19 need pulldown resistors connected between the module pin and GND. Pin 18 needs a 10kΩ resistor (R266) and pin 19 needs a 47kΩ resistor (R689). R266 and R689 are located opposite the 5GHz module connector on the Wii U motherboard, and can be harvested before or after trimming.

Data Lines and TP99
5ghz.jpg


SMC/RTC Connections
smc_5ghz.jpg


On WUP-01:
  • The SDIO Data lines are similar to those found on the WUP-50.
  • If the relocation is not working, make sure you did not sever the DRH USB lines, as they are close to the trim line.
wup-01_drh.jpg

  • If you did, cut the traces next to the DRH USB vias and manually wire the USB connection to the SoC. Don't forget to tightly twist your magnet wire!
drh_usb.jpg
drh_soc_usb.jpg

5GHz GamePad Module Relocation Checklist
☐ 10kΩ resistor wired between module pin 18 and GND
☐ 47kΩ resistor wired between module pin 19 (or TP99) and GND
☐ 5GHz module rewired to TP99 (1 wire)
☐ 3.3V and GND wired to 5GHz module
☐ At least one antenna reconnected, or wired directly to GamePad


Bluetooth Module

The Wii U’s Bluetooth (BT) module is required for the Wii U to boot any title after the coldboot title. It also handles syncing controllers. Only non-GamePad controllers (Wiimotes, Pro Controller, Bloopair) connect to the console via the BT module. While initial GamePad syncing is triggered by the Sync button, the GamePad only communicates via the 5GHz module once connected.

Some Wii U BT modules have testpoints on the back, but most do not. If your BT module lacks testpoints, you must solder directly to the original connector footprint.


None of the connections to the SMC or SoC are needed, however you must short Pin 15/the SoC pad to 3.3v for the module to function. Full pinouts are only on the guide for posterity.

Magnification and 34AWG or thinner magnet wire are highly recommended for this relocation.
1735867497199.png

1735867514625.png


Sync is active high. Temporarily connect sync to 3.3V to trigger controller syncing.

Data Lines
bt_usb.jpg


SMC/RTC Connections
smc_bt.jpg


SoC Connection
soc_bt.jpg


Bluetooth Relocation Checklist
☐ BT data lines wired to motherboard (2 wires)
☐ BT module pin 15/SoC pad wired to 3.3v
☐ 3.3V and GND wired to BT module
☐ Sync button relocated (optional)


SD Card

An SD card is no longer mandatory for Pico de_Fuse and Aroma (homebrew) with patches to redirect the SD card to a FAT32 partition on a USB drive. Relocating it requires scratching and soldering directly to one trace next to the Wii U SoC (DAT2). Magnification and 34AWG or thinner magnet wire are highly recommended.

Short the CD (card detect) and WP (write protect) traces on the motherboard to GND. If this is not done, the Wii U will not mount or read the SD card. Since SD card slot pinouts vary, refer to the pinout of your particular SD card slot when connecting it to the motherboard.
sd.jpg

1735868367577.png


SD Relocation Checklist
☐ 3.3V and GND connected to SD card
☐ SDIO wired from SD card to motherboard (6 wires)
☐ CD and WP on motherboard shorted to GND


USB

A USB drive is recommended to install and run games. (While you can install games to the Wii U’s eMMC, the 32GB space runs out quickly.)

The rear USB port buses (USB0 and USB1) are recommended, since they have vias you can solder to. Use tightly twisted magnet wire for D+ and D-. Wire 5V and GND directly to the USB port/drive.
usb_bottom.jpg

usb_top.jpg


USB Relocation Checklist
☐ 5V and GND connected to SD card
☐ USB data lines wired to motherboard (2 wires)


Power / Custom Regulators

The Wii U requires 6 voltage rails:
  • 1v @ 13A (Latte)
  • 1.15v @ 5.8A (Espresso)
  • 1.25v @ ~150mA (DRH-WUP)
  • 1.5v @ ~1A (RAM)
  • 3.3v @ ~400mA (video, SD, NAND)
  • 5v (for USB and accessories only)
Total WUP-01/30/40 board-level power consumption is around 23W.

There are a couple options for custom regulators:

  • YveltalGriffin’s Bistro Wii U regulator board is open source on GitHub and generates all 6 voltage rails from 1S lithium-ion batteries.
    • The board is designed for the WUP-50, however it will work just fine on the previous board revision. The 1.1v regulator on that board is unused on LOLWUN trims.
  • Off-the-shelf TI regulator modules
    • PTH08T210WAH for 1v
    • PTH08T240WAH for 1.15v
    • PTH08080 for 1.5v, 3.3v, 5v
    • PTH08080 or smaller linear regulators for 1.25V
Regardless of the custom regs you use, your battery pack should be able to deliver at least 10A continuously for safe operation. 1S4P Samsung 50E, 1S2P/1S4P Samsung 50S, and 1S4P Samsung 35E cells are good configurations.

Voltage Relocations

voltage_top.jpg

voltage_bottom.jpg

  • Supply 1v and 1.15v to the bottom side of the motherboard with short, 18AWG or thicker wire.
  • You must connect two dedicated 18AWG or thicker GND wires for 1v and 1.15v.
  • 1.5v can be wired with 24AWG. Connect an additional GND wire to the underside of the motherboard, near the 1.5v plane.
  • The other rails are low current and only require 28AWG minimum.
  • You only need to supply 1.25v and 3.3v at one of their marked locations.
Q1077/Q1078 Removal and Bypass

Locate Q1077 and Q1078 on the underside of the motherboard. Desolder both Q1077 and Q1078 and bypass them with wire as shown.
1735874701991.png

1735874676554.png


Q1077 Bypass
Q1077_full.jpg


Q1078 Bypass
Q1078_full.jpg


Power Relocation Checklist
☐ Q1077 removed and bypassed
☐ Q1078 removed and bypassed
☐ 1V, 1.15V and two GND wires (18AWG+) reconnected to motherboard for SoC
☐ 1.5V and one GND wire (24AWG+) reconnected to motherboard for RAM
☐ 1.1V, 1.25V reconnected to motherboard for DRH
☐ 3.3V connected to motherboard and SD card
☐ 5V connected to fan and USB (optional)
☐ GND connected to all peripherals and daughterboards (SMC/RTC/NAND/eMMC/SD/fan/USB/etc.)


Video and Audio

The Wii U can output composite video, component video (YPbPr), and HDMI. Composite video is limited to 480i; component can output 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, and 1080p; HDMI can output 480p, 720p, 1080i, and 1080p. 480i and 480p output anamorphic widescreen; higher resolutions are true 16:9 widescreen. The Wii U can only output either analog video or HDMI video at once; it cannot output both simultaneously. The system settings menu controls resolution and which outputs are active.

There are three options for console audio: analog audio, digital audio (I2S), and audio over HDMI. You can also rely solely on the GamePad’s audio, if you wish. The Wii U does not have an I2S MCLK signal, so its digital audio is incompatible with the U-AMP; however, it may work with other I2S amplifiers that don’t require MCLK.

ave_top.jpg

hpd_bottom.jpg


Mode must be connected to 1.25V if you are using component video with a resolution of 480p or higher. If you do not connect mode to 1.25V, the Wii U will only output 480i over component. Mode is unused when outputting HDMI.
mode.jpg


R116 relocation

Solder R116 between pin 3 and pin 8 of U14. If you didn’t keep the original R116, you can use any 0402 or 0603 sized 510Ω resistor. A convenient location for reattaching R116 is shown below.
R116_relocation.png


Video and Audio Relocation Checklist
☐ R116 relocated
☐ Analog, digital, or HDMI audio rewired (optional if using GamePad audio)

If using composite/component:
☐ Non-HDMI output selected in system settings
☐ Composite or component wired to screen
☐ If using component @ 480p or higher, mode wired to 1.25V

If using HDMI:
☐ HDMI output selected in system settings
☐ HDMI wired to screen (x4 TMDS pairs, DDC I2C, GND)
☐ HPD (TP10) wired to 5V


Cooling

The Wii U consumes much more power than the Wii, PS2, or Dreamcast, and therefore generates much more heat than those consoles. A large heatsink and fan are required to keep the console from overheating and crashing.

One compact setup that’s known to work well is a 45x45x10mm heatsink paired with a 50x40mm 5V blower fan as seen here in the R&D thread. While the A5X does consume more power, this cooling setup is more than enough to keep it cool.

Pico de_Fuse
This section is at the end of the guide because while it is not a hard requirement anymore, the information should still be out there on how to de_Fuse a LOLWUN trim, in case of any issues.

de_Fuse requires a non-SDHC SD Card to work.

If using an RP2040 Zero, you can desolder its 3.3V LDO and USB-C port after programming to slim down the board.

When powering up the motherboard, you should see flashing blue and red LEDs as the modchip de_Fuses the console, and a static purple (blue+red) LED once de_Fusing is complete and the system is booting. If you have/had isfshax, this is not a reliable way to tell if de_Fuse is working.

Connection list:

  • GPIO2 to D0 on motherboard
  • GPIO3 to D1 on motherboard
  • GPIO4 to D2 on motherboard
  • GPIO5 to D3 on motherboard
  • GPIO6 to D4 on motherboard
  • GPIO7 to D5 on motherboard
  • GPIO8 to D6 on motherboard
  • GPIO9 to D7 on motherboard
  • GPIO10, GPIO11, GPIO12, GPIO13 to TP176 (EXI0 MISO) on motherboard
  • GPIO14 to TP101 (EXI0 CLK) on motherboard
  • GPIO15 to TP144 (NRST) on SMC/RTC daughterboard
  • GPIO18, GPIO19, GPIO20, GPIO21 to D6 on motherboard
1735875751721.png


Debug Connections
34AWG or thinner magnet wire is highly recommended.
soc_debug.jpg


EXI Connections
soc_exi.jpg


nRST Connection
smc_reset.jpg


Troubleshooting

This section briefly covers some common issues and how to address them. Keep in mind the Wii U is a complex, delicate system and not as well-understood as the Wii.
  • No display on GamePad: 5GHz module isn’t connected properly, or DRH is unstable. Ensure at least one 5GHz module antenna is connected, or coax is hardwired to GamePad.
  • Console hangs when loading games or entering Settings menu: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi module or Bluetooth module isn’t connected properly.
  • Orange light for a second on bootup: fw.img not detected on SLC or SD. Did you copy minute_minute to the SLC? Did you short CD and WP to GND? Is the SD card properly formatted and wired?
  • System is extremely slow/unresponsive: Low 1.15V rail voltage, poor eMMC wiring, or filesystem corruption (see next bullet point)
  • Error 160-2215, Error 160-0103: May be filesystem corruption. Try restoring a NAND dump via minute_minute (this requires an SD card).

Changelog
  • 1/6/2025: Remove disc drive removal steps, link to PortablizeU setup, add note about non-SDHC SD Cards in the de_Fuse section.

Credits & Acknowledgments
  • Motherboard scans, guide, diagrams, and testing by @Lazr.
  • Trim development, layer stack-up image, module diagrams, RP2040 diagram, and trim name by @YveltalGriffin.
Special Thanks:
  • ShinyQuagsire23, likely would not be where we are today without his de_Fuse exploit.
  • @YveltalGriffin, Getting me into portablizing, incredibly helpful while creating the diagrams, and creating the LOLWUT trim guide, which this guide was heavily based on (can you tell?)
  • @Shank and @Nold, for their initial Wii U research and theorycrafting.
  • @CrashBash, @cheese, and Noah for providing BitBuilt.
  • @ShockSlayer and @YveltalGriffin, BB’s trim naming conventions.
 
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