Hardware New 3DS buttons and touch not working

[giofrida]

Update:
user @testerfan helped me out troubleshooting the issue. Apparently, I/O lines connecting CPU to the many microcontrollers (such as the touch screen controller) are damaged and cannot be repaired since Nintendo engineers traced them between top and bottom layers of the board.
I ended up buying a new board for around 30 euros and console now works again.

 

[MrMcTiller]

Update:
user @testerfan helped me out troubleshooting the issue. Apparently, I/O lines connecting CPU to the many microcontrollers (such as the touch screen controller) are damaged and cannot be repaired since Nintendo engineers traced them between top and bottom layers of the board.
I ended up buying a new board for around 30 euros and console now works again.

Well... at least you got it fixed...

 

[Squirrel61]

Update:
user @testerfan helped me out troubleshooting the issue. Apparently, I/O lines connecting CPU to the many microcontrollers (such as the touch screen controller) are damaged and cannot be repaired since Nintendo engineers traced them between top and bottom layers of the board.
I ended up buying a new board for around 30 euros and console now works again.

I think @testerfan is on the right track, but not fully spot-on. I have a New 3DS with the same problem. When cold booted, it is working perfectly well for about 30-45 mins, then erratic movements are starting, caused by the circle pad and shortly thereafter, the buttons stop working, except for the home button, zl/zr buttons and the thumbstick. When I leave it cool down for 1-2 hours, it is working again.

My opinion is that one of the microcontrollers, which is responsible for the touchscreen, circle pad and most of the buttons, is not making good contact with the solder pads it is mounted on. This happens a lot with chips that are BGA-mounted and heat up and cool down. When the microcontroller is properly reflowed, the board will most probably work again.

If @testerfan is reading this: do you happen to know which microcontroller is responsible for touchscreen, circle pad and buttons? I like to have a go at reflowing but I'm not sure which chip it is.

 

[testerfan]

I think @testerfan is on the right track, but not fully spot-on. I have a New 3DS with the same problem. When cold booted, it is working perfectly well for about 30-45 mins, then erratic movements are starting, caused by the circle pad and shortly thereafter, the buttons stop working, except for the home button, zl/zr buttons and the thumbstick. When I leave it cool down for 1-2 hours, it is working again.

My opinion is that one of the microcontrollers, which is responsible for the touchscreen, circle pad and most of the buttons, is not making good contact with the solder pads it is mounted on. This happens a lot with chips that are BGA-mounted and heat up and cool down. When the microcontroller is properly reflowed, the board will most probably work again.

If @testerfan is reading this: do you happen to know which microcontroller is responsible for touchscreen, circle pad and buttons? I like to have a go at reflowing but I'm not sure which chip it is.

Here is the picture of the chip, it's a New 3DS XL motherboard, but it's the same architecture and the chip is roughly in the same place on a regular New 3DS model. This chip controls the touchscreen input and audio, but when the touchscreen signal is shorted - it doesn't let you do anything with the buttons as well (all buttons controlled directly by the CPU and not really affected by this failure, just same effect when touchscreen has physical dent in it - the system won't respond to the buttons).
Nintendo used this chip on every model starting with 3DS, and I've only seen the actual failures on original 3DS and 3DS XL models. Never seen this chip fail on New 3DS or New 3DS XL, even though the system may act exactly as though it's defective, reflowing it or replacing it with a new chip on New 3DS model won't do anything, as stated before the chip itself is not a problem, otherwise you would never get any audio or touch from the system no matter if it's cold or hot, once this chip fails - those functions are never coming back

 

[Matt1534]

Here is the picture of the chip, it's a New 3DS XL motherboard, but it's the same architecture and the chip is roughly in the same place on a regular New 3DS model. This chip controls the touchscreen input and audio, but when the touchscreen signal is shorted - it doesn't let you do anything with the buttons as well (all buttons controlled directly by the CPU and not really affected by this failure, just same effect when touchscreen has physical dent in it - the system won't respond to the buttons).
Nintendo used this chip on every model starting with 3DS, and I've only seen the actual failures on original 3DS and 3DS XL models. Never seen this chip fail on New 3DS or New 3DS XL, even though the system may act exactly as though it's defective, reflowing it or replacing it with a new chip on New 3DS model won't do anything, as stated before the chip itself is not a problem, otherwise you would never get any audio or touch from the system no matter if it's cold or hot, once this chip fails - those functions are never coming back

View attachment 144723

I have exact same problem put the board in a known working device and all symptoms returned.(Mine may work no more than 30 seconds before all buttons and touch except zr and xl and c stick. Mine will eventually freeze completely as well. Also put the good board in my device and everything works great so it's 100% the main board. I could see it being a chip and isn't getting a 100% connection causing the failure. Has anyone managed to fix their board.

 

[Matt1534]

I think @testerfan is on the right track, but not fully spot-on. I have a New 3DS with the same problem. When cold booted, it is working perfectly well for about 30-45 mins, then erratic movements are starting, caused by the circle pad and shortly thereafter, the buttons stop working, except for the home button, zl/zr buttons and the thumbstick. When I leave it cool down for 1-2 hours, it is working again.

My opinion is that one of the microcontrollers, which is responsible for the touchscreen, circle pad and most of the buttons, is not making good contact with the solder pads it is mounted on. This happens a lot with chips that are BGA-mounted and heat up and cool down. When the microcontroller is properly reflowed, the board will most probably work again.

If @testerfan is reading this: do you happen to know which microcontroller is responsible for touchscreen, circle pad and buttons? I like to have a go at reflowing but I'm not sure which chip it is.

Hey did you have any luck or is the board truly no good? I guess I'll keep my eyes lot for a new board

 

[TurdPooCharger]

Hey did you have any luck or is the board truly no good? I guess I'll keep my eyes lot for a new board

Do the buttons work in GodMode9?

 

[sslmm]

Hi there guys.

My new 3ds has been having these symptoms for a long time but i thought that it was a faulty analog and replaced it and it worked for a year without problems.
But it started again and even with another new analog it simply doesn't respond to anything (except for the home button, zl/zr buttons and the thumbstick).

So is there any fix for this without changing the motherboard? i don't want to lose my saved games and if i change the motherboard i will lose them.

Thanks in advance

 

[lone_wolf323]

Hi there guys.

My new 3ds has been having these symptoms for a long time but i thought that it was a faulty analog and replaced it and it worked for a year without problems.
But it started again and even with another new analog it simply doesn't respond to anything (except for the home button, zl/zr buttons and the thumbstick).

So is there any fix for this without changing the motherboard? i don't want to lose my saved games and if i change the motherboard i will lose them.

Thanks in advance

There is jksm and checkpoint which allow you to extract your gamesaves to have as backups in case stuff like this happens.

 

[sslmm]

I know about those options but without buttons working i can't do anything. I thought that it was just a problem with the circle pad and that it would be solved by replacing it :/

 

[MaRC5]

I have the same problem on New 3DS. In addition, there is also a crackling sound from the speakers. If you close and open the console, then the buttons work for a couple of seconds. Disconnecting the touchpad from the board does not help - the problem is with the controller or the capacitors / resistors next to it, or the board.
In accordance with the wiibrew, the controller name is -TI AIC3010B
39C4ETW.

 

[nicker]

I have the same problem. No sound, no 3D, every button no response except c-s, zl and zr when system start.
But in GodMode9, the buttons looks normal.
So it s software problem or hardware?

 

[LordTwibill]

it could be me, but has it been wet? see how the pcb of the buttons is all smogey and differs from top to bottom?

Yeah, could it be that?

 

[SrBoromir]

Just got a console with these same issues, did anyone figure out if this was a solder problem? I have a donor 2DS board can I take the microcontroller from it and solder it to the nn3ds as a test?

 

[kaykyuu]

Just came here to say I had two New3DS with the same issue, no sound, 3D, buttons, touch screen, transplanted motherboard to working system and issues remained.

I said eff it, what do I have to lose so I waved hot air at around 400C around the main CPU and the other chips on the main board and got both consoles to work with full functions.

 

[rctgamer3]

so I waved hot air at around 400C around the main CPU and the other chips on the main board and got both consoles to work with full functions.

Can you provide specifics as to what tools you used? My n3DS KTR-001 is still in this state and there's not much to lose. All buttons seem to work in GM9 somewhat. Honestly I'd like to just do a system tranfer but I can't reach the settings :/

 

[AmandaRose]

Can you provide specifics as to what tools you used? My n3DS KTR-001 is still in this state and there's not much to lose. All buttons seem to work in GM9 somewhat. Honestly I'd like to just do a system tranfer but I can't reach the settings :/

When asking for information from someone when the thread is old it's a good idea to check their profile to see when they were last active on the site. For instance the person you are asking for help from hasn't been around here in nearly a year.

 

[rctgamer3]

When asking for information from someone when the thread is old it's a good idea to check their profile to see when they were last active on the site. For instance the person you are asking for help from hasn't been around here in nearly a year.

I'm aware, thank you, I've been away for years as well, so there's no time pressure, I'd still like to recover this hardware issue regardless.

In the meantime, I managed to do a System Transfer after four years because pressing hard on the left side of the touch screen border allowed it to work a final time.

 

[SubMana]

Just want to add to this thread by stating that I'm having the same issue as well on an n3DS KTR-001.
The buttons work completely fine in godmode9 and in the luma3ds boot menu, I've tested by just mashing buttons in gm9 repeatedly for 2 solid minutes and no inputs were delayed/dropped, so the problem certainly has to be either in software or due to a malfunction in hardware that isn't utilised until the 3DS's OS properly boots up.

Hopefully someone with a bit more experience might still be interested in chiming in as there's a lot I'd still like to do with this device and i'm not super knowledgeable about hardware replacements.

 

[rctgamer3]

@SubMana Because pressing on the middle of the left rim/border of the touch screen during power on allowed my n3DS to boot properly it seems to be a hardware error on the motherboard, try the same.

If you value your data I would recommend taking a NAND backup just to be on the safe side.

If you want the easy way out, find a replacement KTR-001 and try to do a system transfer to another one like i did, they're not expensive ($€ 100)