Hacking 3DS unbricking progress

[ryuga93]

Hello to everyone!

I converted my teensy 2.0++ (with voltage regulator) with teensyduino,i soldered it to the 3ds xl,I connected the teensy to the pc and powered on the 3ds using the battery. This is what I have with serial monitor:

Enabled outputs/inputs
Initialized SPI with 250khz frequency
Waiting the minimum 80 cycles for warm up
Keeping CS line on low for communication
Reset command sent on MOSI, but no answer from the slave. Please check your card connection/soldering
Initialization failed
Retrying...
Enabled outputs/inputs
Initialized SPI with 250khz frequency
Waiting the minimum 80 cycles for warm up
Keeping CS line on low for communication
Reset command sent on MOSI, but no answer from the slave. Please check your card connection/soldering
Initialization failed
Retrying...

Initialization failed after several retries

What should I do? I noticed that the GND is different in the arduino uno schematic,but the result is the same

Have you tested all your connections? However, I think the main problem is how you step down the voltage from 5v to 3.3v.

 

[vassildador]

Hey guys, I've been trying to fix my brother's bricked 3DS with this method tonight but ran into some issues. After running the unlock command the following error is thrown:

SD_init: error sending ALL_SEND_CID

I'm using a raspberry pi and didn't have the hardware mod yet. A friend of me took care of the soldering, the cables are attached directly between the SD adaptor and the mobo. GND, DAT0, CMD and CLK (from the back, under the bottom screen as described in http://gbatemp.net/threads/nand-flash-dump-3ds.353263/) are connected.

The error code does change when the raspberry is on vs off:

Raspberry off:

BOOTROM 8046
ERRCODE: 00F800FE
00000000 00000000
00000002 00000000

Raspberry on:

BOOTROM 8046
ERRCODE: 00F800FE
00000000 00000000
00000004 00000000

EMMC: resetting controller
CMD0: idle
CMD1(0) : init and querry OCR
CMD1(0x00FF8080) : repeat untill ready
CMD2: CID and id mode
SD_send_int: error occured whilst waiting for command complete interrupt
INTERRUPT:--------------------------------------
ACMD_ERR:      0
DEND_ERR:      0
DCRC_ERR:      0
DTO_ERR:        0
CBAD_ERR:      0
CEND_ERR:      0
CCRC_ERR:      0
CTO_ERR:        1
ERR:            1
ENDBOOT:        0
BOOTACK:        0
RETUNE:        0
CARD:          0
READ_RDY:      0
WRITE_RDY:      0
BLOCK_GATE:    0
DATA_DONE:      0
CMD_DONE:      0
SD_init: error sending ALL_SEND_CID

Any ideas of what I'm doing wrong, or what could be amiss ? Any help would be appreciated. If more info is needed it'll be gladly provided

Thanks!

 

[Razorbacktrack]

Have you tested all your connections? However, I think the main problem is how you step down the voltage from 5v to 3.3v.

All is ok. It's not a teensy problem to step down voltage from 5v to 3.3v because I'm using the voltage regulator

 

[r5xscn]

For the arduino a logic converter IC (I MEAN AN IC CHIP) is needed, I have tested with 2 sd shield that uses IC to step down the voltage but not working...All the connections are fine cuz the NAND can be detected with RPI.

Yeah, I already tried with 74HC125 and CD4050BE, and still unable to detect. Can I see your working scheme or configuration?

 

[ryuga93]

Yeah, I already tried with 74HC125 and CD4050BE, and still unable to detect. Can I see your working scheme or configuration?

The connections are as the schematic on the github. I think the critical part is to find an IC that is compatible to the 3ds, and try to keep the wires as short as possible.
If possible can you try it with sn74lvc245? A user is able to initialise the 3ds using this IC, but haven't perform any operations to the NAND...

 

[bkifft]

Hey guys, I've been trying to fix my brother's bricked 3DS with this method tonight but ran into some issues. After running the unlock command the following error is thrown:

[snip]
Any ideas of what I'm doing wrong, or what could be amiss ? Any help would be appreciated. If more info is needed it'll be gladly provided

Thanks!

Bad connection/communication: could be bad HW mod (crossed cables, bad joint), interference, act of god, aliens.

Check the joints, the pinouts (preferebly using a multimeter to measure resistance/connection from solderpoint to sd card contact), try rerouting the cables, try it with/without charger attached.

If that all checks out/still fails: try to shorten the wires or in a different location (like at a friends house).

 

[r5xscn]

The connections are as the schematic on the github. I think the critical part is to find an IC that is compatible to the 3ds, and try to keep the wires as short as possible.
If possible can you try it with sn74lvc245? A user is able to initialise the 3ds using this IC, but haven't perform any operations to the NAND...

I will try to get that IC. So what you use to convert the voltage? My last wire length was 10 cm.

 

[ryuga93]

I will try to get that IC. So what you use to convert the voltage? My last wire length was 10 cm.

A seeedstudio sd card shield that uses IC as voltage converter instead of resistors, a user reported that it worked for him but luck was not on my side....The wire length should be ok

 

[vassildador]

Bad connection/communication: could be bad HW mod (crossed cables, bad joint), interference, act of god, aliens.

Check the joints, the pinouts (preferebly using a multimeter to measure resistance/connection from solderpoint to sd card contact), try rerouting the cables, try it with/without charger attached.

If that all checks out/still fails: try to shorten the wires or in a different location (like at a friends house).

Okay, thanks a lot! If we manage to fix it I'll get back to you guys

 

[r5xscn]

A seeedstudio sd card shield that uses IC as voltage converter instead of resistors, a user reported that it worked for him but luck was not on my side....The wire length should be ok

Okay, thanks. I will try with more ICs and resistors.

 

[mirakl577]

Just want to say thank you to the bkifft for the tool, and other members for tips, unbrick worked without nand backup, confirmed.

Just used rasp pi and bkifft tools.

The console has been bricked after using of r4i gold deluxe.

 

[ringsakira]

View attachment 6303

Hi everybody, I've just registered, nice to be here!
I'm trying to unbrick a 3DS XL using a Raspberry Pi and I have the same output as plog here.
As I've seen later in this thread, he fixed it and could unbrick his unit but I don't get how, and also another member had this problem and the general recommendation was to check for long wires, bad soldering, external interferences and such.

The issue I'm having with that is that as I wanted to ensure myself that the problem isn't coming from the HW mod on the 3DSXL, I've inserted a normal SDCard on the Raspberry Pi to check if it can detect a normal SDCard (which doesn't have any soldering, cables, etc just a regular SD) and the ouput as I press s on bkifft app it's the same

I'm not even sure if that's normal or not. bkifft app it's supposed to detect a normal SDcard or as these are not "powered" the output I'm receiving with the regular SD is expected?

1.- I've soldered the wires as you can see in this picture (not mine, from other gbatemp member) http://i75.servimg.com/u/f75/13/46/22/09/mmc_ad10.jpg
2.- Then starting the Pi with an SD and a USB flash drive both with the linux image and the update RPU.zip on the USB (as I get an error about a certificate when the app tries to do online update) and I know I've been updated since the options have changed and I get the whole "GATEWAY IS A VIRUS" message
3.- unplug the sdcard from the pi and plug the HW mod, then turn on the 3DSXL
4.- when I try "s" command (without the quotes) I get the mentioned output.

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks to everyone and specially to bkifft for the app and krisztian1997 for the arduino option, Cheers!

 

[bkifft]

Hi everybody, I've just registered, nice to be here!
I'm trying to unbrick a 3DS XL using a Raspberry Pi and I have the same output as plog here.
As I've seen later in this thread, he fixed it and could unbrick his unit but I don't get how, and also another member had this problem and the general recommendation was to check for long wires, bad soldering, external interferences and such.

The issue I'm having with that is that as I wanted to ensure myself that the problem isn't coming from the HW mod on the 3DSXL, I've inserted a normal SDCard on the Raspberry Pi to check if it can detect a normal SDCard (which doesn't have any soldering, cables, etc just a regular SD) and the ouput as I press s on bkifft app it's the same

I'm not even sure if that's normal or not. bkifft app it's supposed to detect a normal SDcard or as these are not "powered" the output I'm receiving with the regular SD is expected?

1.- I've soldered the wires as you can see in this picture (not mine, from other gbatemp member) http://i75.servimg.com/u/f75/13/46/22/09/mmc_ad10.jpg
2.- Then starting the Pi with an SD and a USB flash drive both with the linux image and the update RPU.zip on the USB (as I get an error about a certificate when the app tries to do online update) and I know I've been updated since the options have changed and I get the whole "GATEWAY IS A VIRUS" message
3.- unplug the sdcard from the pi and plug the HW mod, then turn on the 3DSXL
4.- when I try "s" command (without the quotes) I get the mentioned output.

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks to everyone and specially to bkifft for the app and krisztian1997 for the arduino option, Cheers!

yeah, about that SD card test... I was kinda lazy, the tool will only init (e)MMC. So in order to test it you'd need an MMC card (which you can get for really cheap of ebay if you want).

And as strange and disheartening as it may sound: sometimes when it comes to high frequency communications there's a bit of voodoo involved (at least to me as software person it seems this way). Only thing besides the stuff you've already mentioned I can advise you to do is to try it someplace else, like at work, in a library or at a friends house. This way you can strike radio and powerline interference of the list.

 

[everlast6996]

on the teensy 2.0++ do u need a sd card or just the teensy 2.0++ I got it all done but cant unlock it

 

[Redbluefire]

I realize I'm kind of coming out of nowhere, but I'm a relatively experienced digital hardware designer, and I'd like to offer my help possibly designing a pop-in PCB/kit to make these mods easier. I've always lurked console hacking and homebrew projects wishing I was better with software and could help, so I'm excited to see a chance to contribute now! I gathered from some of this thread that all of the pads needed to unbrick an XL are exposed behind the battery and accessible by pogo pin. Is this true? Regardless of if it is, if someone with more experience with this mod could contact me and let me know if there's any hardware I could design to help, I'd be happy to try my best. (Especially if we can reduce the hardware needed to a small board with an ATtiny or omething, though I'm not sure if code size allows..)

To be honest, I'm not sure what license I'd design it under, but I'm definitely leaning toward a open-hardware licence of some kind.

 

[Qtis]

I realize I'm kind of coming out of nowhere, but I'm a relatively experienced digital hardware designer, and I'd like to offer my help possibly designing a pop-in PCB/kit to make these mods easier. I've always lurked homebrew projects wishing I was better with software and could help, so I'm excited to see a chance to contribute now! I gathered from some of this thread that all of the pads needed to unbrick an XL are exposed behind the battery and accessible by pogo pin. Is this true? Regardless of if it is, if someone with more experience with this mod could contact me and let me know if there's any hardware I could design to help, I'd be happy to try my best. (Especially if we can reduce the hardware needed to a small board with an ATtiny or omething, though I'm not sure if code size allows..)

To be honest, I'm not sure what license I'd design it under, but I'm definitely leaning toward a open-hardware licence of some kind.

I think aliak11 has done quite a few hardware mods for the 3DS/3DS XL. And of course krisztian1997 would be a good contact. PM them and they'll probably be able to give more info.

Also Open-hardware licence is a good idea

 

[ryuga93]

on the teensy 2.0++ do u need a sd card or just the teensy 2.0++ I got it all done but cant unlock it

Try the code on a regular sd card first. The code does not seem run quite stable on teensy

I realize I'm kind of coming out of nowhere, but I'm a relatively experienced digital hardware designer, and I'd like to offer my help possibly designing a pop-in PCB/kit to make these mods easier. I've always lurked console hacking and homebrew projects wishing I was better with software and could help, so I'm excited to see a chance to contribute now! I gathered from some of this thread that all of the pads needed to unbrick an XL are exposed behind the battery and accessible by pogo pin. Is this true? Regardless of if it is, if someone with more experience with this mod could contact me and let me know if there's any hardware I could design to help, I'd be happy to try my best. (Especially if we can reduce the hardware needed to a small board with an ATtiny or omething, though I'm not sure if code size allows..)

To be honest, I'm not sure what license I'd design it under, but I'm definitely leaning toward a open-hardware licence of some kind.

An easy regular 3ds hardmod would be good, due to the tiny clock pin, plus the whole mobo needs to be taken out

 

[everlast6996]

how would I do that just 3ds to sd card and run?

 

[ryuga93]

how would I do that just 3ds to sd card and run?

No, connect the teensy to just a sd card and check whether it runs well by locking the sd card then unlock again. After you have confirm that it works, perform the unlock on 3ds

 

[mackieuk]

Hi sorry if i have posted in the wrong place,but i have a 3ds and r4i gold deluxe edition card bought them last november,they where working fine for a couple of days and then it bricked and i dont have a copy of my nand.

Can anyone recommend anyone from the uk who can unbrick my 3ds please?

I live near middlesbrough.