I am running a Homebrew programme on my NTSC Wii and it has never had an update.  Just for the record, I only use it to bypass region coding and play NTSC-J games, which in itself is perfectly legal, so let's confine the discussion to just this.  
 
Anyway, today, I received a copy of Madworld from playasia and it asked me to do a system update (I wasn't expecting it).  Of course there was the warning that any unauthorised programmes could render the system inoperable.  Naturally, I ejected the disc and closed it down and came here to ask before committing my second act of stupidity for 2010 (actually my 3rd as yesterday I did a entire of computer work for my job and lost the entire lot when I didn't save it properly)  ^-^ 
 
Should I remove Homebrew, update and re-install it? 
Should I just do the system update? (highly unlikely)
 Should I just play the game through Homebrew itself and bypass the system update completely? 
Or another option I am not aware of? 
 
Those of you who use Homebrew and know the answers that can help are greatly appreciated.

If you can connect your Wii to the internet, then you can update the Homebrew Channel by going on it (it should ask you to update, if your connected online). If not, I'd un-install the Homebrew Channel off the system, then update your Wii, then download the latest Homebrew Channel and reinstall it onto the system.

" If you can connect your Wii to the internet, then you can update the Homebrew Channel by going on it (it should ask you to update, if your connected online). If not, I'd un-install the Homebrew Channel off the system, then update your Wii, then download the latest Homebrew Channel and reinstall it onto the system. "

I'd go with removing it and re-installing it, personally. I had to do it myself a few weeks back and it seemed like a safe option.
 
Good luck. :)

You should ask about it on some homebrew based forum, I'm not sure what this does as I'm always up to date through the online updates.

All I know is some of the latest official updates delete homebrew when they install, but you can reinstall it with the same methods you know.

Other than that they also have a very, very small chance of bricking the Wii (regardless of homebrew use), but Nintendo does free (even out of warranty) repairs IF they don't see any homebrew in your Wii. So, I guess you should uninstall homebrew yourself, update your Wii to whatever MadWorld asks, then reinstall homebrew as before using the latest versions of the homebrew applications. Though this may not even be necessary because I don't think MadWorld has new firmware that deletes homebrew and/or can brick the Wii, but better safe than sorry. This is weird because I would think New Super Mario Bros Wii would have already updated your Wii to the latest firmware or close to that.

Install preloader and disable game disc updates. Done.

" You should ask about it on some homebrew based forum, I'm not sure what this does as I'm always up to date through the online updates.All I know is some of the latest official updates delete homebrew when they install, but you can reinstall it with the same methods you know.Other than that they also have a very, very small chance of bricking the Wii (regardless of homebrew use), but Nintendo does free (even out of warranty) repairs IF they don't see any homebrew in your Wii. So, I guess you should uninstall homebrew yourself, update your Wii to whatever MadWorld asks, then reinstall homebrew as before using the latest versions of the homebrew applications. Though this may not even be necessary because I don't think MadWorld has new firmware that deletes homebrew and/or can brick the Wii, but better safe than sorry. This is weird because I would think New Super Mario Bros Wii would have already updated your Wii to the latest firmware or close to that. "

" Install preloader and disable game disc updates. Done. "

@oldschool
 
- I assume you have the Homebrew channel and know how to run .dol files with it. 
- Download preloader from Wiibrew.org. It includes a .dol file and a hacks.ini file
- Copy  the .dol to run in your homebrew channel and copy the hacks.ini file to the root of your HD card
- Run the homebrew channel, then run the preloader installer. It takes 5 seconds to install.
- When preloader is installed, holding down the RESET button when you turn on the console will open the preloader menu that lets you  change some minor things about the system menu, including:

• Disable game disc updates
• Region-free disc channel / wiiware
• Disable Health Warning
• Disable System Menu Sounds / Music
• Load Homebrew Channel on Boot
• Unlock disc channel so you can move it around
  

I don't see why he should skip all updates though, since homebrew works with all of them (so far) and they do offer the occasional feature, fix or whatever else. Since his has never been updated it probably doesn't even have SDHC support, though I don't think MadWorld's update has that. Then again most of that has to do with the storage issues which he doesn't have since his Wii is offline without the ability to get WiiWare/VC games.

You're wrong. If oldschool updates to 4.2, every region-free hack will stop working, and he would have to run NTSC games through loaders to get them working.

Which has the same result, being able to play them. I wouldn't trust hacking the Wii's functions further anyway, I'd rather use external applications. GeckoOS 1.9.3+ should work on 4.2 without issues from what I've seen. Though I haven't tried it, I don't have imports. MadWorld shouldn't be 4.2.

Yeah, but he explicitly asked for a way to run NTSC-J games without having to use loaders. Updating will not do that, but will in fact remove this function completely.
 
Preloader is perfectly safe and incredibly easy to use/install.

There is no reason to update your Wii console to play a video game EVER.
 
Preloader is the way to go.

OH! I am telling my mom on you! 
 
-_- It is funny that you have to MAJORLY warn giantbomb that it is for legal use ONLY. 
 
Anyways I have never used homebrew so I cannot help.