Hardware Well, what are my options now?

[codezer0]

So been hanging on to my o3ds xl for a long time. Several revisions, shell swaps, a9... Lately, it was having an issue where it would - with no apparent rhyme nor reason - just power off. It wouldn't lose time or anything of the sort. Just be like if I hit the power button.

Today though, while on break from work, it does this to me. Just days after I replaced the bottom screen because one of my co-workers accidentally punched a hole in its ribbon cable.

Spoiler: Pic in here

... What are my options here? What would you, if you've been through as much to keep a 3ds alive, would do upon having this suddenly happen?

 

[bitjacker]

check the connection of your ribbon cable. clean it.

 

[codezer0]

check the connection of your ribbon cable. clean it.

Even though it was working perfectly that same morning?

Well, tried that now. And after re-seating everything, I try to turn it on, and... immediately turns off again.

 

[bitjacker]

what did you clean it with?

 

[codezer0]

what did you clean it with?

I used a can of compressed air. Somehow some dust and a stray hair got in there.

 

[bitjacker]

i want you to put 90% rubbing alcohol on a (several if they get dirty) q-tip and give all contacts a good rub. shiny. also re-fidget with r/l cables. something is not connected right.

 

[codezer0]

Tried that, yet again, it still refuses to turn on.

This isn't funny. I definitely don't even have the money for parts to fix this one, let alone get another one anytime soon.

 

[codezer0]

Tried re-seating the ribbon cables several times over the past several days, nothing changes. It won't even turn on anymore. What the hell? This is such bull.

I'm seriously angry right now.

 

[Pippin666]

I feel sorry for you. Maybe life just wants to tell you that it is time to move on to the N3DS XL.

Pip'

 

[codezer0]

Yea, which are all on current firmware and can't be a9d at all. Damn it... And what about all the save data and the games on this as card? Last I checked, nintendo still binds stuff to the hardware.

 

[gamesquest1]

if you ever made a dump of your movable.sed or nand xorpad pads you will probs be able to recover your saves, or see if @vb_encryption_vb might be interested in taking it for parts and seeing if he can dump your movable.sed whilst he is there, don't be expecting too much on a faulty unit with likely faulty screens though

 

[mikefor20]

I have a red N3DS Brand new in box from launch on 9.0U. Turned on once to check firmware (9.0u) and make sure it turns on then formatted. Bought it on N3ds launch day from Gamestop with the intention to sell it. Brand new in box. For sale.. Looking to get my money out of it.

 

[codezer0]

if you ever made a dump of your movable.sed or nand xorpad pads you will probs be able to recover your saves, or see if @vb_encryption_vb might be interested in taking it for parts and seeing if he can dump your movable.sed whilst he is there, don't be expecting too much on a faulty unit with likely faulty screens though

If it was part of plailect's guide, I think I have those files copied on external hard drive, and certainly my Google drive.

It irks me because I had a completed Dex in alpha Sapphire, among other things. I would presume the .sav files created in GW red card stuff would be easier to migrate. But not like I was expecting such a sudden loss of this 3ds xl.

 

[gamesquest1]

If it was part of plailect's guide, I think I have those files copied on external hard drive, and certainly my Google drive.

It irks me because I had a completed Dex in alpha Sapphire, among other things. I would presume the .sav files created in GW red card stuff would be easier to migrate. But not like I was expecting such a sudden loss of this 3ds xl.

check if your movable.sed file is present then, if you setup a9lh since the addition of ctrtransfer then you will probably have a backup of it, but the plailect guide changes quite often so it really depends on when you followed it

 

[codezer0]

Emergency_movable.sed, right? Typing from my phone, but Google drive shows it's in there.

 

[gamesquest1]

yeah should be ok to recover your saves then by following this guide
https://gbatemp.net/threads/tutorial-manual-system-transfer-for-saves-content.388033/

 

[mikefor20]

Hey codezer0, I know you want a new 3ds but I wont pay for you to have one. You get what you pay for. Go to Nintendo, get a refurbished machine. Enjoy your TN screen and your 11.0 firmware. No one will sell you a new one at less than retail. This guy wants a Brand new in box red 3ds ips screens for 170 LOL. Nobody deal with this guy he is shady as hell. and whines when he does not get his way.

 

[Zeldalife89]

Hey codezer0, I know you want a new 3ds but I wont pay for you to have one. You get what you pay for. Go to Nintendo, get a refurbished machine. Enjoy your TN screen and your 11.0 firmware. No one will sell you a new one at less than retail. This guy wants a Brand new in box red 3ds ips screens for 170 LOL. Nobody deal with this guy he is shady as hell. and whines when he does not get his way.

what about brand new in the store will most of those have TN or at least IPS top?
because i went thru 6 of them only 1 being ips but had to exchange it cause of other defects got a TN again in return seems likr nintendo uses TN more than ever now even the new galaxy style 3ds with latest firmware i saw a post more of those are
all again TN.. but i do noticed multiplexing on the ips screens tho tn doesnt have that but not every one sees multiplexing so TN might be better for me..

also i heard anything anything below firmware 10 can be downgraded so if u can find like a
9.5 or something which u can u can downgrade it to 9.0 i read this somewhere

 

[Zeldalife89]

Hey codezer0, I know you want a new 3ds but I wont pay for you to have one. You get what you pay for. Go to Nintendo, get a refurbished machine. Enjoy your TN screen and your 11.0 firmware. No one will sell you a new one at less than retail. This guy wants a Brand new in box red 3ds ips screens for 170 LOL. Nobody deal with this guy he is shady as hell. and whines when he does not get his way.

what about brand new in the store will most of those have TN or at least IPS top?
because i went thru 6 of them only 1 being ips but had to exchange it cause of other defects got a TN again in return seems likr nintendo uses TN more than ever now even the new galaxy style 3ds with latest firmware i saw a post more of those are
all again TN.. but i do noticed multiplexing on the ips screens tho tn doesnt have that but not every one sees multiplexing so TN might be better for me..

also i heard anything anything below firmware 10 can be downgraded so if u can find like a
9.5 or something which u can u can downgrade it to 9.0 i read this somewhere

 

[codezer0]

Okay, finally had some time to actually take the original board out completely out of the system. Swapped in the refurb board of the unit that I had laying in parts bin.

Now this will turn on again, but I again have the same problem with the screens. top one is purple-y, and the bottom is grainy and looking like it has some interference going on. It's very grainy, and if I sit it idle to look at the regular system menu, it looks like it's refreshing horizontally, if that makes any sense.

The Refurb board is still on 8.1 sysnand, pretty much totally virgin.So at least that one would be worth getting working again. Not sure if I should try putting my original board in again, if it'll work now? Either way, screens are definitely screwed up.

 

[codezer0]

Okay, tried again today.

Just so everyone understands... I had previously bought a refurb O3DS XL, all complete from Nintendo. It shipped with 8.1 sysNAND. My original O3DS XL motherboard was still on 4.4.

When I received it from Nintendo, with the tools I had, I swapped out the motherboard so I could use it with the newer parts. That system had been working fine. It was on that one that had my official NNID stuff, and I was fully A9'd and updated.

Then, I had a moment where it had where the top screen went purple and the bottom one is grainy. Upon the next time of using the system, it wouldn't turn on again.

Yesterday, I tried swapping the refurb's original board back in, and find that the system will turn on. It is still having the same screen issue(s), but it does turn on. Today, I had some time to swap the original board back in, taking my time with the connections, but same deal... it won't turn on anymore.

Does this mean that the original board is basically dead? What else should I consider checking?

At this point, this basically puts me in a pickle as to what to do. The original system, I had a 32gig SD card for it where I had basically everything. All the freeshop stuff, the A9 stuff, the homebrew, the GW A9 stuff (since I still like using that card, and for better cheats), and not least of which the stuff installed via eShop. A lot of that included some very precious save data, not least of which, my completed pokedex file and tons of mystery gifts. Even if I do get the other board updated and A9'd, would I be able to still use that file? or is that all gone?

Further, what about the NNID stuff? My legit Ambassador items? If the original board with my data on it is indeed dead, is that all basically done for? Would it even be possible to say, flash a nand backup from the old unit to this newer one? I'm asking now before I do something I might regret later.

Lastly, assuming I get the (relatively newer) refurb up and running, obviously need to do something about the screens. Well, the last time I tried doing something involving the top screen, it led to basically ruining the ribbons for everything that was in the top screen and leaving me unable to use the system for even longer. And my google-fu on trying to find disassembly and shell swap guides for the 3DS XL never turn up anything that's full and complete. Not even the iFixit repair guides ever cover everything, not least of which dealing with that *expletive* hinge that causes me so much crap! There's got to be a better way to deal with this before I ruin another one.