Hardware nand flash dump (3ds xl)

[burningstallion]

Hiya. So I finally got around to having a go at doing the the solderless board thing for this, and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

Was lucky enough to get a ribbon cable and connector that I could use to create the adapter like that, so it's super easy to route the cable out of the 3DS without need to create holes anywhere or try and wrangle something with the lanyard holes on the corners.

I went over the whole thing with the multimeter, testing from the pogo pins to the pins on the SD adapter to make sure that each path only led where it was supposed to and there were no crossings with any of them, and that's all fine. But I can't seem to be able to do anything with it now. The 3DS turns on properly when nothing is connected, and I can get it to trigger a 200 or 400 error by bridging the CMD and CLK/DAT0 contacts on the SD adapter with a pair of tweezers. But I can't seem to do get it to get the right error with the SD reader so that I can dump to the PC.

I was planning on using this Belkin SD card reader that we have, but it doesn't trigger anything on the 3DS. Occasionally I have gotten a 200 error (and once even an F/F/0/0 one :/) but no idea why it shows up sometimes and not most. Tried various combinations of plugging it into the computer before plugging it into the 3DS, trying to safely remove it, etc, but all I can manage is to trigger a 400 error but be unable to read it.

The other one I have is a Chronos brand multi card reader, and it usually triggers a 200 error when switching the 3DS on while plugged into it. Although now it seems to be opting for 200 instead. But it seems to take a ridiculously long time to settle after plugging into the PC, although it's perfectly fine when plugging it in with a normal SD card. Same goes for the other, actually.


So yeah. Any ideas on what else I could test to make sure there isn't something else wrong/any ways to fix it?

I want to do something like this, I'm confused how they make the connection between the hardmod and the adapter. Anyone want to shine some light into this?

 

[Spore2]

Here are some bootrom errors with causes, so you may be able to diagnose bad soldering:

CMD is connected to DAT0. Or CLK is getting signal from one of the DAT lines.

00F800FE
00000000 00000000
00000200 00000000

CMD is connected to CLK. (Other DAT lines may be connected to this aswell, no way to tell)

00F800FE
00000000 00000000
00000400 00000000

CMD is connected to DAT1

00F800EF
FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFF
00000003 00000000

CMD is connected to DAT2

00F800EF
FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFF
00000007 00000000

DAT lines are connected to other DAT lines

00F800EF
FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFF
00000022 00000000

DAT line(s) are connected to GND

00F800EF
FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFF
00000024 00000000

(CMD is connected to CLK) AND (DAT lines are connected to other DAT lines). But the CMD/CLK connection and DAT/DAT connection are not connected to each other.

00F800EF
FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFF
00000005 00C00000

I had a 00F800FE FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFF 00000022 0000000 error code but was able to dump, patch and write to nand successfully. I think these error codes differ between nand chip types and card readers.

 

[vb_encryption_vb]

I had a 00F800FE FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFF 00000022 0000000 error code but was able to dump, patch and write to nand successfully. I think these error codes differ between nand chip types and card readers.

Error codes don't mean anything, its a matter of console to pc detection.

 

[Spore2]

Error codes don't mean anything, its a matter of console to pc detection.

Exactly what I learned from experience that's why I quoted the post and replied to it a it may mislead some newbie harmodders to think that there is something wrong with their setup when they get those error codes.

 

[brewder]

Are there alternative Dat0 and CMD points in an OLD XL?

I burned those two points And I want to know if my console serves

 

[SoopaSee]

Error codes don't mean anything, its a matter of console to pc detection.

@vb_encryption_vb I just soldered my second n3ds xl and I've got the bootrom error blue screen but only on the bottom screen. Soldered it exactly the same way as the first one I did which worked out perfectly but this second one isn't being detected by any pc I plug the card reader into. Not sure what to do. Any suggestions?

 

[gamesquest1]

some n3ds models don't get the bsod on the top screen (I guess it depends on if you have a ips screen or not or something like that) but yeah that's normal, as for it not being detected, for the n3ds you need a card reader that is compatible, there is a list of compatible readers in the n2ds hard mod thread, iirc the Samsung nand is more picky in regards to being detected properly so while one console may work with reader A another will only work with reader B

personally I used a traced rdp8k which works for all consoles on my experience

 

[SoopaSee]

some n3ds models don't get the bsod on the top screen (I guess it depends on if you have a ips screen or not or something like that) but yeah that's normal, as for it not being detected, for the n3ds you need a card reader that is compatible, there is a list of compatible readers in the n2ds hard mod thread

Hello @gamesquest1 I have the tekrepublic card reader recommended in the hardmodding thread on gbatemp and it worked for the other hardmod I did. That was a Korean model though and this one is a European one. Don't know if that makes a difference. And I tried plugging it into the same desktop that worked for the last one but no dice. Thanks for letting me know about the bsod one one screen being normal though. Makes me feel better.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

some n3ds models don't get the bsod on the top screen (I guess it depends on if you have a ips screen or not or something like that) but yeah that's normal, as for it not being detected, for the n3ds you need a card reader that is compatible, there is a list of compatible readers in the n2ds hard mod thread, iirc the Samsung nand is more picky in regards to being detected properly so while one console may work with reader A another will only work with reader B

personally I used a traced rdp8k which works for all consoles on my experience

Hello again, do you possibly mean this transcend all in one card reader?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Transcend-Flash-Memory-Card-Reader/dp/B001NS0OZ4

 

[gamesquest1]

Hello @gamesquest1 I have the tekrepublic card reader recommended in the hardmodding thread on gbatemp and it worked for the other hardmod I did. That was a Korean model though and this one is a European one. Don't know if that makes a difference. And I tried plugging it into the same desktop that worked for the last one but no dice. Thanks for letting me know about the bsod one one screen being normal though. Makes me feel better.

try making the wires shorter if your sure its a compatible reader

 

[SoopaSee]

try making the wires shorter if your sure its a compatible reader

Thanks. I'll try making the wires shorter. Just one last quick question. Have you modded a European one before? Did your rdp8k work on them? If the wire shortening doesn't do the trick then I'll get your card reader if you think it'll work for a European console. Thanks for all your help. You're amazing.

 

[gamesquest1]

all regions are the same, regions is only determined by what fw is installed on it

 

[SoopaSee]

all regions are the same, regions is only determined by what fw is installed on it

Hey @gamesquest1, I shortened the wires as you suggested and it worked. A working console again thanks to you. Much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[pedrohmc]

When i did mine i thought of making the cuts of the pcb attach to the bottom case protuberances, like Lego pieces, but I soon gave up as it would be a pain in the ass to get the position right, so I just decided to go with a piece of duct tape to hold it in place, that way can clearly see if the pogo pins are aligned with the 3ds pcb and when the shell is closed it will not move away, maybe that's the problem ur having...? I didn't have any problem with the plastic lump tho, didn't even notice if there was one there, everytime I tried to read the nand, windows never failed once to detect and read correctly.

You said that 4 years ago and this is a very long shot but how exactly did you manage to align the pogo pins with the 3ds pcb points using just duct tape?

 

[hecker_isaac]

is there a way to flash the nand on a 3ds xl with a raspberry pi pico? kinda like a picoflasher for a xbox 360! i know it can easily be done with a micro sd card adapter but im just curious.