Archive: Wii Nand

BootMii will automatically verify the dump. Ensure it says "Success." Copy the entire contents of the SD card (nand.bin, keys.bin, and the bootmii folder) to your PC and two additional storage locations (external HDD + cloud).

Projects like the NAND Repository (now defunct) once collected anonymous, cleaned dumps of clean System Menus. Today, sites like Archive.org host verified retail NANDs stripped of user data (no saves, no Miis, no shared keys) for use in emulators.

Nintendo closed the Wii Shop Channel in 2019 for new purchases, and while redownloading existing titles remains possible for now, it won't last forever. Creating a NAND archive with all your purchased titles installed ensures you have a permanent copy of your digital library, safe from server shutdowns. wii nand archive

Unlike the GameCube, which relied almost entirely on memory cards, the Nintendo Wii introduced internal flash storage. This storage is technically referred to as NAND Flash memory.

The Wii’s NAND is 512 MB of raw storage space. While that sounds tiny by modern standards (you could fit it on a modern phone thousands of times over), it held the entire soul of the console. It wasn't just where you saved your Super Mario Galaxy progress; it was the home of the System Menu, the Wii Shop Channel, the Mii Channel, and all the "virtual console" titles you purchased. BootMii will automatically verify the dump

When we talk about a "NAND Archive," we are talking about a raw, bit-for-bit dump of this storage.

To understand the archive, you must first understand the hardware. The Wii uses a 512 MB NAND flash chip (though some early models use a 512 MB Samsung or Toshiba chip). Unlike the optical disc drive that reads game discs, the NAND is where the Wii stores everything that makes it unique. Nintendo closed the Wii Shop Channel in 2019

Here is a breakdown of its contents:

Once you have your nand.bin and keys.bin, what do you do?

Archiving your own Wii’s NAND is legal in most jurisdictions as a personal backup measure. However, sharing or downloading another console’s NAND archive is generally illegal because it contains copyrighted system software and potentially console‑unique cryptographic keys. Preservation projects operate under strict fair‑use or research exemptions.