Hacking Hardware Picofly - a HWFLY switch modchip

Dee87 · Jun 2, 2023

Takezo-San said:
Very good. You seem like a text book example of how it should be done. If you would be so kind to answer some of my questions would be a big help.

What tool do you use to pry open the apu shielding?

Do you use mini wire cutters?

Soldering iron make/model?

Flux brand?

At any point of the installation have you knocked or caused a shudder to the switch eg. Stripping wires with a yank reflex or metal shielding apu clips causing you to handle the clip mechanism more roughly?

Do you use Kapton tape near your solder joints to protect near by components?

Do you use anti static mat and or pcb holder and or anti-static wrist bands?

Solder type and mm of solder used?

Anything else that you feel might be beneficial to impart to the process for us.

Thank you in advance. I know its a lot but....I gots to know.

Well I'm not a text book example I also made a lot of mistake in my "career" as a technician we always make mistakes that how we learn to avoid them even the best technicians make mistakes that normal we are just humans.
U just gotta learn from ur mistakes and try to keep avoiding them that's all I can say about that point.

Prying open the metal shield I use a needle to open the latches
Yeah cheapest mini cutters fur the sides of the shield

Soldering iron just a cheap Chinese station 909d+ there are different makers its with soldering iron and hotair gun.

Flux I use Kimbo RMA 218 I think

Sure I striped traces , knocked off components and and and.

No kapton tape to protect anything just learn to control ur soldering iron/hot air/tweezers/knives.

All I can say is get defective boards and train and learn how to accomplice ur work everyone has a different way to get there work done.

No static map , if u live in a place with low humidity and have a carpet I would recommend it.

Sure lots of different PCB holders from aliexpress

For soldering point on boards like switches I always use lowmelt solder and thin wires so if I accidently to rip on a wire it breaks before the pads.
On switch boards I use 0.1mm enameled wires.
But that's just my preference

Well anything else u live and learn with the jobs u do don't go to confident on ur work and always assume anything can happen just be carefull that's all I can say

rehius · Jun 2, 2023

snaker said:
Ok guys. Who remembers old school RGH on xbox 360 to get the cpu keys. Do you remember the CPU Postfix Adapter? I think that this is what we need! Look at my pics.If someone could make an adapter like this it would be absolutely stable and work 100% fine.The cpu pin that you can see at the photo has a spring and the needle pin is pushed with tension from the spring. I used it a lot at good old days of xbox 360 era to get the cpu keys and flash the dvd drives with custom firmwares. This is the real deal.

already thought about that. you would need < 0.2mm pogo pin to go under the eMMC, the prices for such thing are insane

https://aliexpress.com/item/1005002107157285.html

even this (the smallest) one has 0.25mm in diameter (main part), which is too thick (available space is 0.2 +/- 0.05mm) since the needle length is not enough to reach the balls.

the flex thingy is the best we can get. (it is possible to make spring-kinda flex thingy, that would be perfect)

snaker · Jun 2, 2023

rehius said:
already thought about that. you would need < 0.2mm pogo pin to go under the eMMC, the prices for such thing are insane

https://aliexpress.com/item/1005002107157285.html

even this (the smallest) one has 0.25mm in diameter (main part), which is too thick (available space is 0.2 +/- 0.05mm) since the needle length is not enough to reach the balls.

the flex thingy is the best we can get. (it is possible to make spring-kinda flex thingy, that would be perfect)

OMG what price is this? Is this production procedure so expensive?

edit: I dont remember exactly the price but these cpu postfix adapters from team xecuter was not that expensive.

rehius · Jun 2, 2023

snaker said:
cpu postfix adapters from team xecuter was not that expensive.

There was enough 0.7mm pins, way more space.

Here are the prices for different kinds of pogo pins
https://aliexpress.com/item/1005005582098642.html

LogicalMadness · Jun 2, 2023

snaker said:
Ok guys. Who remembers old school RGH on xbox 360 to get the cpu keys. Do you remember the CPU Postfix Adapter? I think that this is what we need! Look at my pics.If someone could make an adapter like this it would be absolutely stable and work 100% fine.The cpu pin that you can see at the photo has a spring and the needle pin is pushed with tension from the spring. I used it a lot at good old days of xbox 360 era to get the cpu keys and flash the dvd drives with custom firmwares. This is the real deal.

My actual very first mod was an Xecuter with pogo-pins for the OGXB. I always had to give it '3 taps' near the chip to get it to work. This is actually what pushed me to learn soldering in the first place, I got real tired of the taps, soldered it in and said 'I'll never use pogo-pins again'.

If you use springs for your mod in a PORTABLE, you're gonna have a bad time...

MegaDeKay · Jun 2, 2023

Dee87 said:
i Would account that as the only error.

i installed over 25 picoflys now in all switches with emmc types and i never had an issue.

so i can confirm the pico works on every variable of the hardware that are available if its installed correct

Agreed. It is poor tools, bad technique, and lack of experience that is the big Switch Killer. The mod works.

nico77 · Jun 2, 2023

hello guys...
so i manage to remove the usb-c port.

but
on the process of removing the leg
i accidently fell of my rp2040

im using pcb holder, and that holder accidently loosen, and my pcb fell off

and my iron solder touch one of resistor

and it not completely fell of, only on side is no connect(standing up ), so i soldering it back
like this image

after that, i soldering back that resistor/caps
i test using multimeter it give me value about
740-800
sometimes 1000

my question
is it normal???
do you think that part really important or not ???

i need help
thx

rehius · Jun 2, 2023

nico77 said:
do you think that part really important or not ???

this is a capacitor for the 3.3v regulator, you don't need it since you should desolder that regulator (5-legs black thingy) as well.

snaker · Jun 2, 2023

LogicalMadness said:
My actual very first mod was an Xecuter with pogo-pins for the OGXB. I always had to give it '3 taps' near the chip to get it to work. This is actually what pushed me to learn soldering in the first place, I got real tired of the taps, soldered it in and said 'I'll never use pogo-pins again'.

If you use springs for your mod in a PORTABLE, you're gonna have a bad time...

The first time you had to install it you may had to tap it a little bit to get in proper position. It had happened to me too. But after that i never had a problem. And i dont think that it should be a problem at switch too after proper placement, but these prices are forbidding so there is no point of discussion sadly...

LogicalMadness · Jun 2, 2023

snaker said:
The first time you had to install it you may had to tap it a little bit to get in proper position. It had happened to me too. But after that i never had a problem. And i dont think that it should be a problem at switch too after proper placement, but these prices are forbidding so there is no point of discussion sadly...

Nope, heating and cooling meant I had to tap it back every time I turned it back on and I'm not talking about the 360 stuff you posted.

Again, springs in portables sound like a horrible idea, just reball and set a line.

SQc04 · Jun 2, 2023

Everything will be solved quickly, I will take a break

nico77 · Jun 2, 2023

rehius said:
this is a capacitor for the 3.3v regulator, you don't need it since you should desolder that regulator (5-legs black thingy) as well.

so that caps only used when using that usb-c for example boot to pc ?? flashing?

then i can install rp2040 to my switch with no problem ??

snaker · Jun 2, 2023

LogicalMadness said:
Nope, heating and cooling meant I had to tap it back every time I turned it back on and I'm not talking about the 360 stuff you posted.

Again, springs in portables sound like a horrible idea, just reball and set a line.

I dont remember any pogo pins on original xbox. I mostly used aladdin and duo x chips with soldered pinheader.

M007P · Jun 2, 2023

bilalhassan341 said:
Error: *== No eMMC CMD1 request (poor wiring, or dead CPU)

Edit: Check the wires with multimeter.
Also, try to press the reset button when joycon logo appears. If it shows No SD Screen, then solder the SDA and SCL wires.

successfully installed Picofly [emoji482]

thanks for help

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Dee87 · Jun 2, 2023

MegaDeKay said:
Agreed. It is poor tools, bad technique, and lack of experience that is the big Switch Killer. The mod works.

Depends on what u mean with poor tools , the most expensive tool that I have is my HDMI microscope 200€ my solder iron and hotair station cost 100€.

Its more lack of not being careful enough

rehius · Jun 2, 2023

nico77 said:
so that caps only used when using that usb-c for example boot to pc ?? flashing?

yes. do not forget to desolder 3v3 regulator, there was 2 cases already where it shorted later

nico77 · Jun 2, 2023

rehius said:
yes. do not forget to desolder 3v3 regulator, there was 2 cases already where it shorted later

which one ?

rehius · Jun 2, 2023

nico77 said:
which one ?

rehius said:
5-legs black thingy

POPOLO · Jun 2, 2023

FreeLander said:
Do you think the *== error is caused by the MOSFET? I did two irfhs8342 on an OLED and got the same error.

“OLED single host board + PI2040 FW: 274 (naked version) connected USB-C POWER AUTO POWER ON PI2040 light blue light (HI) ~ blue light signal (LI) >>> yellow light flashing Remove USB-C POWER and reconnect PI2040 light blue light (HI) ~ blue light signal (LI) >>> white light flashes once indicating normal operation can be installed back to the host. If it is still yellow light flashing, try installing I2C SDA = 12, SCL = 13”

FreeLander · Jun 2, 2023

POPOLO said:
“OLED single host board + PI2040 FW: 274 (naked version) connected USB-C POWER AUTO POWER ON PI2040 light blue light (HI) ~ blue light signal (LI) >>> yellow light flashing Remove USB-C POWER and reconnect PI2040 light blue light (HI) ~ blue light signal (LI) >>> white light flashes once indicating normal operation can be installed back to the host. If it is still yellow light flashing, try installing I2C SDA = 12, SCL = 13”

Would you please provide the link for this quote? Thank you. Kind of difficult to break down.

Hacking Hardware Picofly - a HWFLY switch modchip

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