Hacking Hardware Picofly - a HWFLY switch modchip

[Dee87]

Thank you. D and C are clear.is the one in the middle A?

Post automatically merged: May 24, 2023

I did a fun little project. V2 modded but with broken SD card slot. I manually soldered each connector to the motherboard and got into Hekate, I got this message although SD card info was shown correctly. It boots into main screen and SD card size is shown in data management.

check ur solder point if they are soldered properly i had this issue somethimes when the sd Card slot was connected properly the latches on the sides where broken and when u put pressure on the connector it works normaly

clean the flux that might also help

 

[QuiTim]

thanks for answering me, you answered politely, i just want to make correct choice, i'm asking for help who wants to help, i'm not here to destroy Topic, i got answer from one person, i can't make important decisions, with just one opinion. can you understand?

Ok, so....
Hwfly is safe choice, it is in the market long, it has been installed in thousands of devices.
Pico is new, works great but is still work in progress.
If you are paying the same price get Hwfly. If you want to experiment and save some money get Pico.

 

[QuiTim]

Thank you. D and C are clear.is the one in the middle A?

Post automatically merged: May 24, 2023

I did a fun little project. V2 modded but with broken SD card slot. I manually soldered each connector to the motherboard and got into Hekate, I got this message although SD card info was shown correctly. It boots into main screen and SD card size is shown in data management.

Found this on another thread:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/1-bit-mode-on-hekate.587690/
"Assuming the replacement board is good, that would mean that the connector on the motherboard has some loose pins.
There are more people reporting such issues.
Maybe due to the internal heat the moderboard slightly expands and contracts,causing the pins to come loose.
A good repair guy with the right tools can fix that for you easily.

When the sd card runs in 1 bit mode, it only uses DAT0.
Either DAT1,DAT2 or DAT3 can be disconnector.
Someone posted this image in case you want to check with a multimeter which pin(s) might be causing the problem"

 

[bilalhassan341]

Finally done!!!! with my fourth switch..

 

[FreeLander]

check ur solder point if they are soldered properly i had this issue somethimes when the sd Card slot was connected properly the latches on the sides where broken and when u put pressure on the connector it works normaly

clean the flux that might also help

Found this on another thread:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/1-bit-mode-on-hekate.587690/
"Assuming the replacement board is good, that would mean that the connector on the motherboard has some loose pins.
There are more people reporting such issues.
Maybe due to the internal heat the moderboard slightly expands and contracts,causing the pins to come loose.
A good repair guy with the right tools can fix that for you easily.

When the sd card runs in 1 bit mode, it only uses DAT0.
Either DAT1,DAT2 or DAT3 can be disconnector.
Someone posted this image in case you want to check with a multimeter which pin(s) might be causing the problem"

Thank you both, I have:
resoldered the DAT points, look pretty solid to me.
Rechecked all points. Pretty solid too.
Cleaned it with IPA twice.

I'm thinking maybe the board reads it as one bit since the connector is removed, but maybe functionality is ok? All SD card info is shown in both hekate and main screen.
Say that only DAT0 is connected, what limitation does that give me? I was able to download Tinfoil and loaded a game into SD card, and take a full-nand backup. Speed is 400mg , all works fine. Was that not possible without other DAT points?

 

[QuiTim]

Thank you both, I have:
resoldered the DAT points, look pretty solid to me.
Rechecked all points. Pretty solid too.
Cleaned it with IPA twice.

I'm thinking maybe the board reads it as one bit since the connector is removed, but maybe functionality is ok? All SD card info is shown in both hekate and main screen.
Say that only DAT0 is connected, what limitation does that give me? I was able to download Tinfoil and loaded a game into SD card, and take a full-nand backup. Speed is 400mg , all works fine. Was that not possible without other DAT points?

I have no personal experience with this issue but if it works then i guess it's job well done.
The error might be because of some difference in resistance/conductivity of the wire

 

[Zm1231]

So I have an oled and picofly with a oled flex cable at the time 2.67 was the firmware available and was flashed I took it to a shop to have it installed they where able to get the picofly installed and have the cpu connected to the 3-4 pins on the flex cable but it seems to boot blue then cyan.

if we remove the 3.3v and gnd from the picofly the switch powers on but doesn't boot with the power on the pico it will flash blue then cyan .

so this indicates that something was messed up but we are not sure what to look for anyone have any ideas

 

[Dee87]

So I have an oled and picofly with a oled flex cable at the time 2.67 was the firmware available and was flashed I took it to a shop to have it installed they where able to get the picofly installed and have the cpu connected to the 3-4 pins on the flex cable but it seems to boot blue then cyan.

if we remove the 3.3v and gnd from the picofly the switch powers on but doesn't boot with the power on the pico it will flash blue then cyan .

so this indicates that something was messed up but we are not sure what to look for anyone have any ideas

cyan is cpu kabel or mosfet

 

[Zm1231]

cyan is cpu kabel or mosfet

I was thinking I might possibly have a bad flex cable but we where testing to make sure the board wasn't messed up shouldn't removing power and gnd form the pico (Basically powering it off) allow the switch to boot unmodified.

Would anyone happen to know the correct diode values of each of the points?

the only one I can find is for the Dat 0 stating it should be between 0.500-0.800v which it is

 

[Dee87]

yeah its def the cable to flex or mosfet , saw some people have issues with the flex cables themself.
thats why i always install with mosfet only.

it should boot normal after disconneting the pico yes

 

[QuiTim]

I was thinking I might possibly have a bad flex cable but we where testing to make sure the board wasn't messed up shouldn't removing power and gnd form the pico (Basically powering it off) allow the switch to boot unmodified.

Would anyone happen to know the correct diode values of each of the points?

the only one I can find is for the Dat 0 stating it should be between 0.500-0.800v which it is

All the values from Phantomas77:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/help-with-hwfly-and-oled.623477/post-10033708

 

[Mr Skinner]

edited for better explanation

 

[Zm1231]

yeah its def the cable to flex or mosfet , saw some people have issues with the flex cables themself.
thats why i always install with mosfet only.

it should boot normal after disconneting the pico yes

ok looks like it doesn't boot with the 3.3v and GND Connected from the Pico so looks like something may have been damaged maybe a cap was popped during the install not entirely sure what to look for.

The only thing I know they did while performing the install but corrected was the CMD point they had knocked the resistor off next to it but was able to get it back on and in place and confirmed it was back in place

 

[Dee87]

ok looks like it doesn't boot with the 3.3v and GND Connected from the Pico so looks like something may have been damaged maybe a cap was popped during the install not entirely sure what to look for.

The only thing I know they did while performing the install but corrected was the CMD point they had knocked the resistor off next to it but was able to get it back on and in place and confirmed it was back in place

so if 3,3v and gnd is connected it doesnt boot at all or doesnt boot picofl and gives cyan ?

if it gives u cyan they need to check the cpu cable or/and flex cable

does it boot without pico to Ofw?

Post automatically merged: May 24, 2023

Well after my 8th picofly instalation, a had a issue with oled version. When sd card is attached, I have this error. Without sd card OFW boots normally. If I insert any sd in slot, the switch freezes. Any tips about it?

I'm. Using last firmware. The leds of picofly works flawlessly, no code error.

i would say there is a issue with the sdcard
does it have hekate properly installed? what format is the sd card? i always use fat32

 

[Zm1231]

so if 3,3v and gnd is connected it doesnt boot at all or doesnt boot picofl and gives cyan ?

if it gives u cyan they need to check the cpu cable or/and flex cable

does it boot without pico to Ofw?

Post automatically merged: May 24, 2023

i would say there is a issue with the sdcard
does it have hekate properly installed? what format is the sd card? i always use fat32

We disconnected the 3.3v and GND to cut the chip off to see if it would boot normal but it didnt.
We also completely remove the Pico and flex cable but the switch doesn't seem to indicate any activity at all so something is messed up. if we put the chip is put back in its will just go go blue then cyan so power seems to still be working

 

[M007P]

What do you mean with:
"tried 2, 47 Ohm resistor on data and clk…"

cmd and data, mistake


“one each on CMD and DAT0, like below, for a total of 94 ohms on each line”

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[QuiTim]

We disconnected the 3.3v and GND to cut the chip off to see if it would boot normal but it didnt.
We also completely remove the Pico and flex cable but the switch doesn't seem to indicate any activity at all so something is messed up. if we put the chip is put back in its will just go go blue then cyan so power seems to still be working

*Edited
Check for short on IC ENxx here (for Lite).
For oled is Max77

 

[M007P]

Check your wiring in diode mode. If still same issue try to flash a new firmware on new rp2040. Btw what your pico fly firmware is?

fw 2.73 showing debug errors, now i installed new chip and new wires location, error green green Long, real glitch hack as on xbox 360 you should watch where your wires go….


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Zm1231]

Check for short on IC ENxx here

Where is the EN IC Located it looks like it would be next to the 3.3v Source When I compare it to the OLED Board layout but the IC there doesn't have EN on it.

Is this the 7780 IC next to the 3.3v on the OLED?

I was able to check it and don't have a short here but the switch doesn't boot up.

 

[QuiTim]

Where is the EN IC Located it looks like it would be next to the 3.3v Source When I compare it to the OLED Board layout but the IC there doesn't have EN on it.

Is this the 7780 IC next to the 3.3v on the OLED?

I was able to check it and don't have a short here but the switch doesn't boot up.

You are right, its max77 on oled
I was just refering to a similar issue someone else had on 2-3 switches (sd card init failed) turned out to have a short on that chip but I guess this is not the issue in your case

Post automatically merged: May 24, 2023

You are right, its max77 on oled
I was just refering to a similar issue someone else had on 2-3 switches (sd card init failed) turned out to have a short on that chip but I guess this is not the issue in your case

Did you try to use docking without pico? There were several cases where the display connector was damaged (it seems they are too fragile)