Hacking Damaged M3 Perfect MiniSD, need help.

[GreatCrippler]

So, I grabbed one of these up awhile ago as part of my GBA Flash Cart collection. Well, the Mini SD slot is messed up. One of the pins broke, and long story short, I made it worse trying to fix it. Is there anyone here able to fix it? I do have the Pro version as well which is the same size, and such, just an inferior device. Can the latter be used to fix the former? If its a pain, is there someone here able to do it? Please, and thank you.

 

[FAST6191]

If it is just an internal pin it should only be a matter of sourcing a replacement miniSD slot, indeed you might even be able to retrofit it with a microSD.

Not all miniSD slots were made the same but it should be possible to find one that matches the pin locations. I have not got good PCB shots right now (though I did not look hard) but you might be able to cannibalise a pro.

This looks like it will be a surface mount part of fairly fine pitch -- anybody that wants to claim they can solder can probably replace a battery but for this I would find someone that actually knows what they are doing. Such a person is usually easy to find in most towns -- TV repair, auto electrics, PCB assembly, proper electronics repair, general electrical engineer.... the problem will probably be in finding a replacement slot as it is not the sort of thing you typically find in radioshack or frys.
For the more cowboy style fix/mod I would consider getting a micro to mini adapter, spinning it around, gluing its back to the space on the PCB and then throwing wires back to the traces.

 

[GreatCrippler]

Good advice, I certainly know a place or two in town that fits your description. I am just a little iffy given the small size of the device. I was kinda hoping someone here might raise a hand, and say. "Oh yea, done it lots of times. Send me X dollars, and the Pro, and I'll fix you right up." Fingers crossed and all.

 

[FAST6191]

I have replaced countless ports, pin headers, cartridge slots (including DS slot 1 slots) and surface mount devices (power sockets on laptops, especially cheap and cheerful ones, are notoriously poor for this sort of thing) but I honestly can not say I have ever seen anybody do it to the ?SD/CF/whatever slot of an actual flash cart before, exception for springs in spring loaded sockets. Obviously it is possible (you can buy replacement DS cart slots which are mechanically similar devices) but if you might be waiting a while for someone that has done this particular repair before.

 

[GreatCrippler]

I'd settle for an attempt. :-P