Use bannerbomb to run the hackmii installer to install bootmii and the HBC:

http://wiibrew.org/wiki/BaNNeRBoMB
http://bootmii.org/download/

Do a backup of your NAND in bootmii then you can then install Waninkoko's 4.1 updater to update to 4.1 and then install preloader:

http://wii.ds-scene.net/?s=download&viewfile=3d1fd987cbfa69ee30f84e03d3c123b1
http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Preloader

Make sure to use the correct hacks.ini file with preloader for 4.1:

http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Preloader/hacks#Systemmenu_4.1

You can then turn on block updates, get region free gaming and get the added functionality of the Wii System Menu 4.1. Also you now have bootmii installed (and got yourself a NAND backup) so your Wii is pretty much resistant to getting any bricks