Hacking Hardware Picofly - a HWFLY switch modchip

[bepaqui]

If your problem is a burned component, installing another modchip will not help you. In terms of debugging, HWFLY has more capability than Picofly.

I know, I ordered the MAX77812EWB+T and will try replacing it to attempt ofw boot, then it's out with this chip, I do not trust it..

 

[psycho-neon]

Is there any do's and dont's when setting up the DAT0 adapter for oled? Before I close the system, everything seems to be working fine. I can boot to hekate and CFW. However when I started to use the switch (stress testing), and gets a lot of heat, the dat0 adapter seems to be getting disconnected. So when I restart I get no response to the chip and instead directly boots to OFW.

After some time of being turned off, cooling down, the dat0 adapter again gets connected.

Any tips for this matter what to do better?

 

[LuigiGad]

Is there any do's and dont's when setting up the DAT0 adapter for oled? Before I close the system, everything seems to be working fine. I can boot to hekate and CFW. However when I started to use the switch (stress testing), and gets a lot of heat, the dat0 adapter seems to be getting disconnected. So when I restart I get no response to the chip and instead directly boots to OFW.

After some time of being turned off, cooling down, the dat0 adapter again gets connected.

Any tips for this matter what to do better?

there are "orange" adapters that have C-shaped forks, those with heat tend to dilate and touch the dat1 altering the signal and the picofly indicates dat0 disconnected. The only solution, as abal said, is to cut the left fork so as to avoid the short with dat1. Then there are black adapters with U-shaped forks that work better

 

[psycho-neon]

there are "orange" adapters that have C-shaped forks, those with heat tend to dilate and touch the dat1 altering the signal and the picofly indicates dat0 disconnected. The only solution, as abal said, is to cut the left fork so as to avoid the short with dat1. Then there are black adapters with U-shaped forks that work better

I have the orange one with C like. I could try this, tomorrow I will reset my adapter and try to cut of the fork like.

If you can guide me in a sketch what to cut or how it should be cut I would appreciate it.

 

[LuigiGad]

I have the orange one with C like. I could try this, tomorrow I will reset my adapter and try to cut of the fork like.

If you can guide me in a sketch what to cut or how it should be cut I would appreciate it.

I've shown you the way, you've got to walk it

 

[psycho-neon]

I've shown you the way, you've got to walk it

Just to be sure, facing the emmc, cut it left or right? From schematic of emmc, dat1 seems to be on the right side if you are facing it.

 

[LuigiGad]

Just to be sure, facing the emmc, cut it left or right? From schematic of emmc, dat1 seems to be on the right side if you are facing it.

 

[psycho-neon]

This is the D0 adapter. And yes the other side has high probability of touching the dat1. I will trim few millimeters out of it or maybe totally cut it off.

 

[QuiTim]

This is the D0 adapter. And yes the other side has high probability of touching the dat1. I will trim few millimeters out of it or maybe totally cut it off.

While the contact point does not look that bad, the adapter as the whole looks really flimsy.
The adapter needs to be rigid to some point because it needs to transfer the forward force that you apply when you solder the anchor points. This one just doesn't seem to have that kind of quality (if it's the same as the one in attached pic).
And if you want to cut, cut like the diagram on the 2nd attached picture (complete left part)

 

[psycho-neon]

While the contact point does not look that bad, the adapter as the whole looks really flimsy.
The adapter needs to be rigid to some point because it needs to transfer the forward force that you apply when you solder the anchor points. This one just doesn't seem to have that kind of quality (if it's the same as the one in attaache pic).
And if you want to cut, cut like the diagram on the 2nd attached picture (complete left part)

Yes I do have the same, and they are flimsy as you said. Basically cut the full right fork and leave only the left one?

 

[QuiTim]

Yes I do have the same, and they are flimsy as you said. Basically cut the full right fork and leave only the left one?

Cut left fork (if you are looking at the adapter from above the way it's ment to be inserted under emmc), but if I were you I would just try a get another model of the adapter (or try and set a permanent point by reballing the emmc if you have the equipment).
The risk of something going wrong with this adapter looks high to me (like corrupt emmc). If you already backed up the keys and nand you could go ahead and give it a try.

 

[superxoi]

I had a problem I've never seen on this OLED. installation completed successfully, eMMC created, everything ok. the next day I turn it on and I have graphic artifacts and continuous freezes. by moving the wires a little it resumes but I have a Blue screen in the original and a yellow screen already created in the eMMC. I solve it with an unbrick level 1. what could be the cause?
The installation is perfect, I'm experienced enough to say, all the values were in the norm in fact the first day it worked perfectly. I also changed modchips no improvement. Now it works perfectly.

don't know how you could unbrink lv1 with it if it had a bluescreen. i had one before and the top ram of mine got very hot. i changed it the issue remain but the ram not hot anymore. i changed emmc and the issue gone, the problem was that i ddidn't have back up nand so the console can not use nintendo service anymore. Maybe you need to back your nand up now before the emmc got bad as mine.

 

[psycho-neon]

Cut left fork (if you are looking at the adapter from above the way it's ment to be inserted under emmc), but if I were you I would just try a get another model of the adapter (or try and set a permanent point by reballing the emmc if you have the equipment).
The risk of something going wrong with this adapter looks high to me (like corrupt emmc). If you already backed up the keys and nand you could go ahead and give it a try.

Thank you. Do you know which adapter is reliable? I’ll try and purchase.

Reballing at the moment is not an option tor me.

 

[abal1000x]

Thank you. Do you know which adapter is reliable? I’ll try and purchase.

Reballing at the moment is not an option tor me.

Reball and drilling method is the most reliable one.
Unfortunately both need experience and good tools.

 

[psycho-neon]

Reball and drilling method is the most reliable one.
Unfortunately both need experience and good tools.

Unfortunately I do not have the set of skills to do reballing just yet. And I do not have the necessary tools. Maybe I will try the drilling one, kamikaze method once I receive my grinding tool.

 

[deeps]

Just some info: after encountering yet another oled that glitches far too slowly with mosfet on the back - about 1 in 5 oleds, from my experience - I've reverted to doing single mosfet on APU by default instead. The problematic oleds glitch much faster with mosfet on the APU. The problematic oleds often take up to 1-2 minutes to glitch, if at all, with mosfet on the back. With mosfet moved to the APU, they are down to 3-20 seconds. Still slower than most other oleds, but good enough.

 

[lynyx]

Hi there. I managed to install a rp2040 tiny (from waveshare) in a patched V1 and everything worked like a charm until I put the heatsink on. I used a hwfly flex. When I put the top right screw of the heatsink on, I got the ==* code consistently. Upon removing the screw, the chip worked fine again. Any idea what might cause this? I think it's worth mentioning that the shield was pretty bulged up from the cable on the top side. I was thinking of cutting the flex so that it doesn't stick out of the APU shield, maybe it would help. Also don't worry about the isolated cable taped to the shield on the right side, it's dat0 from the board (I had the =* error, but it was from a missing resistor from the tiny on the dat0 line).

Edit: Any suggestions on how to better seat the chip so that the cables can be arranged in a nicer way?

 

[QuiTim]

Hi there. I managed to install a rp2040 tiny (from waveshare) in a patched V1 and everything worked like a charm until I put the heatsink on. I used a hwfly flex. When I put the top right screw of the heatsink on, I got the ==* code consistently. Upon removing the screw, the chip worked fine again. Any idea what might cause this? I think it's worth mentioning that the shield was pretty bulged up from the cable on the top side. I was thinking of cutting the flex so that it doesn't stick out of the APU shield, maybe it would help. Also don't worry about the isolated cable taped to the shield on the right side, it's dat0 from the board (I had the =* error, but it was from a missing resistor from the tiny on the dat0 line).

Edit: Any suggestions on how to better seat the chip so that the cables can be arranged in a nicer way?
View attachment 407148

Well you pretty much answered your own question it seems.
You know the "where" part the problem, now you just need to figure out the "why" part.
A couple of possible scenarios are:
1. The soldering points is apu caps are too big (when pressure is applied they move away from caps or create a short)
2. You did not flatten/cut the upper part of the shield (where the flex comes out) and it's shorting or cutting the mofest connection.
3. Bad solder joints (either to caps or ground (s) so the pressure is loosening things up.
The shield should not buldge in any scenario.

 

[LuigiGad]

At this oled I have the first serious problem that I have not been able to understand. No hardware damage, normal values of all points. Dat0 taken with modified adapter (I also tried different types, always the same normal value). The oled does not initialize the emmc. in original purple screen. Is there a way to fix it? An unbrick?

 

[MoeXzl]

Hello, your CMD point is not soldered correctly or the resistor no longer has the correct value.
I had the same problem (wrong tip)... just use a different resistor with 4.7k ohms and it‘s will work