Hardware 2DS doesn't recognise 3DS or DSi titles

[Kazzie]

I have recently refurbished a "sold-for-parts" original 2DS. (Case swap, replacement screen, etc.) This means I don't know anything about its history.

The 2DS recognises and plays practically every DS cartridge in our collection: they're recognised on the home screen and power up correctly. 3DS cartridges are not recognised at all on insertion: the cartridge icon on the home screen doesn't respond to its insertion at all.

• To be specific, every DS cartridge with a NTR- code works, the only one that doesn't is Sonic Classic Collection, which has a TWL- code. (I believe it has some DSi enhanced functionality.) All our 3DS carts are LNR-, and all are ignored.

My investigations tell me that the pinout of DS and 3DS cartridges is identical, so I see no way that dirty slot contacts could be to blame.

Other faults with the machine, which may or may not be related, include:

• When opening the 3DS camera, a an error message is shown: "An error has ocurred. Hold down the POWER Button to turn off the power, then turn it on and try again". I've double-checked that the rear camera module is correctly connected to the board, and substituted a spare too, with no change.

• The 2DS charges correctly when plugged in, but the orange LED doesn't illuminate, system on or off. The home screen gives correct feedback on the battery's charging activity, though.

My current theory is that some of the System Software titles are missing or faulty, possibly due to some previous owner mucking around with custom firmware. I reckon that could explain the cartridge and camera issues, if not the LED. The system feels a little slow booting up and turning on to me, but I might just have forgotten how slow vanilla 11.3 is compared to older firmwares!

Do any readers agree with me in this assessment? I'm open to alternative suggestions.

If you do agree, is there a straightforward way to repair this damage? The best idea I've got so far is installing FBI or similar and going through a title list looking for missing titles, but that could be a bit of a slow-go.

Thanks.

 

[IC_]

Installing FBI is not a bad idea, it might detect those 3DS and DSi cartridges even when the normal OS doesn't.

To repair any missing titles or other broken things in the system software, you should do a CTRTransfer or the better CTRTransfer Type D9. If the CTRTransfer Type D9 doesn't fix the issues, then it's most likely a hardware issue.

 

[3DSBricker]

Godmode9 can mount and read cartridges too.

 

[Kazzie]

Thanks for the advice. While getting ready to install boot9strap and get started on the above, I realised that this 2DS is sporting a 11.3 U firmware, and I'm sat on the other side of the Atlantic. So that'll be the reason it's not recognising any of our region E DSi/3DS carts, while it has no issue with the non-region-locked DS carts. </facepalm>

On the plus side, the advised CTRTransfer will allow me to do a region swap and get the cartridges recognised, so thanks IC_ !

 

[Kazzie]

Mid-progress update:

boot9strap and luna installed, I started following the CTRTransfer instructions at https://3ds.hacks.guide/ctrtransfer, but it borked because I'd managed to torrent the New 2/3DS rather than Old 2/3DS image. Having reflashed the NAND backup I took as part of the luna installation, I found that my E-region DSi and 3DS carts are now recognised and launched by the 2DS, despite the NAND being "Sys 11.14.0-46U". Odd. Is that Luna at work there?

The 3DS camera is still faulty (and something my kids like to play with) so I'm pulling the correct CTRTransfer image down now, and I'll have another go.

 

[Kazzie]

Right, that's the E-region CTRTransfer installed, but there's no change with the camera. No change with the charging LED either (not that I expected any).

On the plus side, it'll play all our carts, so the kids can have fun with it in the morning as it is.

I'll put my thinking cap on, and see when I feel inspired to take it to pieces again and inspect the innards.