HWfly failed installation on Switch Lite. No boot after desolder.

[Chronologics]

Hey fellas, hope all is well.

I recently attempted the switch lite HWfly install with no avail (that flex cable was ruined in the process) so I thought to cut losses and desolder the SP1 SP2 connector on the processor unit and remove the flex cable as well.

Unlucky for me, now the switch doesn't seem to boot at all (no sounds, no image on LCD) but the device does seem to 'turn on' as when I hit the power button with the battery plugged in the components do heat up to around 40C (104F) like it's trying to do something. Here's some pictures on the parts I touched with the soldering iron under the microscope. Does anything look wrong from these pictures? Or would anyone have any idea on where I could start the troubleshooting process? Very curious and eager to learn. Any advice is seriously appreciated.

Cheers mates, take it easy.

processor unit caps:

area above processor unit:

3.3v:

 

[doom95]

hard to see but these pins are pretty much data lines surrounded by grounds, so even a slither of solder between two pins is likely to break comms between different parts

 

[jkyoho]

you are missing this resistor 120 100 ohm

 

[Chronologics]

Hey guys, thanks heaps for the info, the missing cap is a bit embarrassing I'm surprised I didn't notice it. With your help I replaced the cap with a 100ohm one from an oled board that I had that doesn't work. Also looking back I noticed this bridge after you bought the possibility of others to my attention, these two fixes and it boots again! Cheers guys couldn't have done it without your input.

Additionally, is there a good place to get replacement resistors/capacitors for these machines? Or is donor the best bet?

 

[IcyLetters]

If you know the resistance or capacity you can simply order an appropriately sized one off of Mouser or Digikey, whichever you prefer. They are dirt cheap and if you are working on multiple systems they are great to stock.

 

[doom95]

just dont go searching for 100 ohm capacitors when you need a resistor

 

[IcyLetters]

Yeah that lol, know what you need otherwise you can cause more damage

 

[hengtoo]

I, too, was missing the same resistor and have just ordered it after reading the above post (and comments from all the contributors)... thank you =)

Additional question:
While doing the mod, I ripped a solder pad (shown on pic where the red box is).

Is it crucial or can I just solder it to the pad next to it and "ignore" the ripped pad? I have checked the "bare board" (ie front and back) and the ripped pad doesn't seem to connect or link to anything.

 

[cilione]

I, too, was missing the same resistor and have just ordered it after reading the above post (and comments from all the contributors)... thank you =)

Additional question:
While doing the mod, I ripped a solder pad (shown on pic where the red box is).

Is it crucial or can I just solder it to the pad next to it and "ignore" the ripped pad? I have checked the "bare board" (ie front and back) and the ripped pad doesn't seem to connect or link to anything.

Ripped pad is connected to the eMMC.
You will need to restore the connection.
If you can't get solder to stick to the remaining copper in the ripped pad/via you'll have to grind and solder to trace (= not an easy job).

 

[hengtoo]

Noted with thanks cillone and REALLY appreciate the reply!

Just to double-check:
If I want to continue on the mod, I have get it to "stick" to remaining copper (as per your reply).
If I want decide to "abandon" the mod, the switch lite should be ok leaving it in it's current state (ie missing pad).
I'm asking the above as I have just ordered my 0102 100ohm resistor and can't test it out myself until the resistor is here.

Also, with the "bare metal" trace, I can't seem to find any trace of the "green" line that you have on your above digram. Is there anywhere that I can "tap" the trace from (aside from tapping from the eMMC).

 

[jkyoho]

If I want decide to "abandon" the mod, the switch lite should be ok leaving it in it's current state (ie missing pad).

your device wont boot due to missing pad cut the dat0 line from cpu to emmc

Post automatically merged: Jan 8, 2024

Also, with the "bare metal" trace, I can't seem to find any trace of the "green" line that you have on your above digram. Is there

the Green line is under one layer of ground, you have to grind to motherboard

 

[hengtoo]

Thanks jkyoho, that really helps!! This forum really ROCKS with people like you!!

There is a small "dot" on the ripped pad and maybe I'll try "flooding" it with solder paste and jump a wire to the pad next to it to see if it'll come to life... fingers crossed!

 

[PCR]

Ripped pad is connected to the eMMC.
You will need to restore the connection.
If you can't get solder to stick to the remaining copper in the ripped pad/via you'll have to grind and solder to trace (= not an easy job).

View attachment 412607

Where to get the Gerber/EPCB file ?

 

[hengtoo]

Hi. finally got the switch lite work again!

Just to share:
- Ripped pad is INDEED connected to eMMC & 100ohm resistor is required (as pointed by cilion & jkyoho)
- I managed to "pool" solder paste into the ripped pad and bridge a thin wire to the pad next to it

Then ALL good =) Thanks again to all!!

 

[hengtoo]

Instead of "calling it a day", I decide to try the HWfly mod again and now I have 2 ripped pad at the location where the 1st ripped pad used to be... thus, the switch lite NO longer boots.

I then tried to bridged the 2 inner exposed copper together but the switch still doesn't boot.

It was working when I bridged the 1st missing pad (on the left) to the top-most layer of the pad (on the right) next to it so I think I might have bridge it to the wrong layer now that both pad are missing.

Any advise or thoughts on this?

Explanation of pic:
- red rectangle is the 2 missing pad
- previously only left side pad was mssing and bridging the inner layer to the top most layer on the right works (ie boots up)

 

[hengtoo]

Success and works!



Just to share:

- I used green pcb mask and masked off the middle (several layers) there was a small small exposed copper in the middle (refer to pic)

- Bridged the 2 points using solder paste

Switch Lite sprung back to life.