Hardware After hardmod N3DS XL with A9LH no longer works

[Smynos]

Hello,

I have sent a new 3DS XL to a guy to do a hardmod.
The N3DS was basically new and I have successfully installed A9LH and Luma3DS following the instructions of Plailect's Guide (https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki) before I sent it for hardmod.

Unfortunately I didn't tell the guy doing the hardmod that A9LH was installed.
So, after he installed the hardmod he tried to use it without the SD card inserted. And this didn't work like expected because of A9LH. The blue LED turns on and turns off immediately within a second and nothing else happens.
He tried a few things like installing the main board into another N3DS just to check if the board has a problem and of course, it didn't work. Then he gave up thinking he had ruined the N3DS.

After I told him all about A9LH he tried to use it again with the SD card inserted but to no avail.
Even when the SD card is inserted when the N3DS is switched on the blue LED turns on and goes out immediately and nothing happens.
He then did send it back to me.
And now I have it with this condition.
I checked the contents of the SD card and everything looks ok to me. The file arm9loaderhax.bin is present and all the other files are untouched.

What can be the cause of the problem?
What can I check?

 

[yacepi15]

Hello,

I have sent a new 3DS XL to a guy to do a hardmod.
The N3DS was basically new and I have successfully installed A9LH and Luma3DS following the instructions of Plailect's Guide (https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki) before I sent it for hardmod.

Unfortunately I didn't tell the guy doing the hardmod that A9LH was installed.
So, after he installed the hardmod he tried to use it without the SD card inserted. And this didn't work like expected because of A9LH. The blue LED turns on and turns off immediately within a second and nothing else happens.
He tried a few things like installing the main board into another N3DS just to check if the board has a problem and of course, it didn't work. Then he gave up thinking he had ruined the N3DS.

After I told him all about A9LH he tried to use it again with the SD card inserted but to no avail.
Even when the SD card is inserted when the N3DS is switched on the blue LED turns on and goes out immediately and nothing happens.
He then did send it back to me.
And now I have it with this condition.
I checked the contents of the SD card and everything looks ok to me. The file arm9loaderhax.bin is present and all the other files are untouched.

What can be the cause of the problem?
What can I check?

1. The ribbon cables of the motherboard are connected properly and undamaged? Looks like that.
2. The SD reader is damaged.
3. Try with another SD and/or recopy the Arm9loaderhax.bin to the SD, reinsert it to the PC and check if the file is still there.

 

[zoogie]

Did he complete the nand mod? You should just be able to reflash the old backup nand and it'll work.

As long as you have the otp.bin, it should be extremely easy to re-install a9lh after the backup restore.

 

[Deleted User]

had the same problem when i tried to do the nandmod myself.
i accidentally broke one small connector when i tried to open it.
it is a really soft one that got slightly almost non visible damage.

Well end of story: i threw it away and bought a new one.... maybe he broke the connector too. its a super small one and really had the same problem (long before A9LH was even imagined xD)

 

[Smynos]

1. The ribbon cables of the motherboard are connected properly and undamaged? Looks like that.

Yes, all ribbon cables are connected properly. I don't see any damage.

2. The SD reader is damaged.

Maybe; I will try to swap the SD reader with another N3DS.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Did he complete the nand mod? You should just be able to reflash the old backup nand and it'll work.

As long as you have the otp.bin, it should be extremely easy to re-install a9lh after the backup restore.

I cannot test the hardmod because the N3DS immediately turns off after I turn it on. Even when the SD frankenconnector is connected.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

had the same problem when i tried to do the nandmod myself.
i accidentally broke one small connector when i tried to open it.
it is a really soft one that got slightly almost non visible damage.

...

Can you please be a little bit more specific what connector you mean?
Notice, that my system is a new N3DS XL not an old one.

Thanks.

 

[gamesquest1]

Yes, all ribbon cables are connected properly. I don't see any damage.
Maybe; I will try to swap the SD reader with another N3DS.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------


I cannot test the hardmod because the N3DS immediately turns off after I turn it on. Even when the SD frankenconnector is connected.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Can you please be a little bit more specific what connector you mean?
Notice, that my system is a new N3DS XL not an old one.

Thanks.

It will probably be the back light ribbon cable, and it's almost defiantly a ribbon issue as even with a9lh installed if you connect the console with the SD adapter to a pc it would bsod before a9lh kicks in

The most common issue is people trying to pry up the connector for the bottom screen back light this is a small 2 pin connector at the top of the board

 

[Smynos]

It will probably be the back light ribbon cable, and it's almost defiantly a ribbon issue as even with a9lh installed if you connect the console with the SD adapter to a pc it would bsod before a9lh kicks in

The most common issue is people trying to pry up the connector for the bottom screen back light this is a small 2 pin connector at the top of the board

Thanks.
That was it. The small 2 pin connector. I have inserted a foil together with the small ribbon cable into the ZIF connector and the N3DS did power on.

Now after some tests I found out that:

- microphone
- home button
- NFC (amiibo)

were not working.

The usual ZIF connector problem.

I could successfully repair the microphone and NFC connections inserting a foil together with the cable.
But the home button connector did break on the left side using this method.
So, I guess I have now ruined it.
Or is there anything I can do to repair this useless ZIF connector?

Anyway, thanks for your suggestion to find the problem.