Hardware 3ds help please!!!

[WOOO1234]

So I recently bought a 3ds and have been troubleshooting it. ive replaced the battery and got it on so my next thing is the 3ds cart reader. the pins do not look bent and I've tried the card/paper trick, where you put the paper behind the game when you insert it. when I do that the game will pop up, so i know that it works, jsut somethings going on. Does anyone know a permanent fix the paper trick? or a few other ways to make it read proper. i would replace it but the soldering i would have to do looks more tough than im use to thanks for any help or advice.

 

[IC_]

You could try bending the pins up, or putting some alcohol on the pins of the cartridge and inserting/removing the cartridge a few times to clean the pins of the cartridge slot with the alcohol.

 

[WOOO1234]

would I have to bend every pin up??? (that would suck)

also I was thinking of trying rubbing alcohol with a cue tip, I just don't want to mess the system up by having it powered on and it being wet.

does the rubbing alcohol on cartridge work well? also best way to do it?

lastly as the paper trick works is there a way to bend the metal of the card reader "holder" like the metal part, so in a sense replaces the paper pushing the game forward?
i guess im just trying to understand WHY i need the paper i guess more pressure on the game

 

[IC_]

would I have to bend every pin up??? (that would suck)

also I was thinking of trying rubbing alcohol with a cue tip, I just don't want to mess the system up by having it powered on and it being wet.

does the rubbing alcohol on cartridge work well? also best way to do it?

lastly as the paper trick works is there a way to bend the metal of the card reader "holder" like the metal part, so in a sense replaces the paper pushing the game forward?
i guess im just trying to understand WHY i need the paper i guess more pressure on the game

You won't mess the system up by having some alcohol on the cartridge pins, you can turn off the power and remove the battery if you want to be safe. This solution doesn't always fix the issue but it can help.

Why you need the paper could be because the pins in the cartridge slot are bent down from heavy use, that's why bending them up would probably fix the issue. This would probably also be the best solution other than replacing the entire cartridge slot. Yes, you need to bend all of the pins up together, but it can be done. I think it's possible to remove the metal cover of the cartridge slot to get better access to the pins by just desoldering some big solder points that hold the metal part in, you could do that if you're comfortable with taking the soldering iron there.

 

[WOOO1234]

so do u put rubbing alcohol on a cue tip then rub the cartridge? then insert into 3ds couple times or let it sit there? also how long before u powered it back on?

i just wish i could fix it quick lol. i also feel that bending every pin would be very risky

 

[IC_]

so do u put rubbing alcohol on a cue tip then rub the cartridge? then insert into 3ds couple times or let it sit there? also how long before u powered it back on?

Yes, you put some alcohol on the cartridge like that and then insert it a few times. If your tip is small and long enough to reach the pins inside the slot, you could directly clean them like that too. I didn't wait before powering the 3DS back on, there's really nothing bad that could happen if you power it on right after doing this. If you really really want to be safe, I think waiting 5 minutes would be enough.

 

[WOOO1234]

ok i may try that. i popped off the back cover plate and everything looked fine, i pressed the little metal piece to see if that helps push it, didnt but may be if i bend that right it will push the game correctly. if i do manage to get a cue tip in the slot reader does it actually clean the pins???

 

[IC_]

ok i may try that. i popped off the back cover plate and everything looked fine, i pressed the little metal piece to see if that helps push it, didnt but may be if i bend that right it will push the game correctly. if i do manage to get a cue tip in the slot reader does it actually clean the pins???

If you can rub the pins with a tip covered in alcohol, then yes, you can clean them like that. But again I don't think cleaning will actually help much in this case, bending the pins is much more likely to fix the issue when the paper trick helps.

 

[WOOO1234]

so i tried the rubbing alcohol no luck, but i opened the back again, and messed with this part of the cart reader, like a metal tab in a sense, it pushes on the game, it did help a little as now if i apply light pressure on the back of the 3ds, and put the game in it reads, sometime the icon will pop up and then go away. i just dont think its the pins and would hate to have to solder

 

[WOOO1234]

so i ended up reopening the back again tinkered with the metal tab a little and also touched 2 pins that were slightly lowered i believe and hell yeah it works that for trying to help, i appreciate it