Hardware Debugging faulty BCM4356 / orange screen / boot loop

[IgraBIT]

Hello everyone, I apologize for the transfer, I am from Russia, I have several NS with WiFI problem, the new BCM4356 do not work, it is confirmed more than once, which is interesting, even in linux the new chip is not displayed, the datasheet says that it has its own solder Has anyone solved the problem with firmware? I also tried to install from another ns, it turned out only 1 time, maybe other chips are corrupted. Interestingly, the bluetooth works on everyone, even with non-original chips.

 

[Slothinger]

hey, i got this information over discord a while ago, mby someone can make use of them:

This guy told me something that the chip has two firmwares, one for bt and one for wlan.
The switch firmware has two modules and each module has its own fw which gets flashed on every boot.
The highest working firmware should be 8.1.0, so he told me his plan was to downgrade to 6.1 first.

He wanted to test this on 9.x with downgraded bt/wlan modules with my broken spare switch. (which sadly never happened)
If someone has the knowledge on how to do this, i would provide my switch as test object...

 

[flabbaba]

I had a switch that would not boot further than the switch-logo - Would not boot into Hekate either. Tried everything. Was a shorted cap above the BMC. Removed the BMC and short vanished. Ok. So then I removed the BMC from a pretty trashed board, reballed it, and resoldered it to the new board. Works perfectly! So thanks a lot for all your effort in this thread. Before putting the eMMC-cover thingy back in place, I put on some heat dissipating silicone rubber (the stuff they use on PS4 RAM chips and other chips).
So this I write to confirm that boot-logo hault may very well be that wifi-chip, and that it you can take the chip from another unit without any issues Also it is wise to check for shorts around that chip.

I reallly hope there will be some way of getting new usable / pre-programmed BMC-chips soon.

Thanks alot.

 

[PlayWorld]

Hello everyone, if can be helpfull i want to share my experience whith a switch, the console has the orange screen problem and sometimes black screen, so i decided to reflow the bcm and the problem was still here, so i bought a new bcm on ebay from my components vendor.

at the first try the switch boot correctly , no more black or orange screen, all seems work, wi-fi is perfect, but....when i detach the joycon it die....i look at this and at the end i can use joycon (tryed 8 joycon) only on handled mode, the bluetooth dont pair the joycon, so ok maybe i fault a soldering, i've ordered 3 of this chip, i retry and...nothing, all work but the joycon never pair in bluethoot ;(

 

[k28]

can the switch boot normaly without the bcm IC in place?

edit: it does

 

[Slothinger]

can the switch boot normaly without the bcm IC in place?

edit: it does

Really? With a faulty one it doesn't boot and with the chip removed it works?

 

[k28]

I had an persistent orange screen and now it boots without the bcm. Havens tested if new joycons are pairing when connected. Would be nice if some could test this.

 

[Ottoclav]

I had an persistent orange screen and now it boots without the bcm. Havens tested if new joycons are pairing when connected. Would be nice if some could test this.

Wait, how do you know it boots normally without the chip? you gotta be more scientific with your procedural methods so that someone else can confirm the same.

You removed the WiFi bcm IC chip and just plugged the board in and it booted up normally? This is a big deal.

 

[k28]

yes after removng bcm the switch booted to horizon. but couldnt test it further because it stucks most of the time at the nintendo switch logo. would be nice of you if you could test if joycons sync when the are attached to the switch when bcm is removed. thx

 

[Ottoclav]

yes after removng bcm the switch booted to horizon. but couldnt test it further because it stucks most of the time at the nintendo switch logo. would be nice of you if you could test if joycons sync when the are attached to the switch when bcm is removed. thx

To boot up normally, you would need to pass the boot logos and enter the HOS or CFW interface. Without the bcm chip it apparently does not boot "normally", which is why the rest of us in this thread were surprised by your response. The system does hardware checks as it is booting, and if certain requisites are not met, either orange, blue, black screens happen, or just getting stuck at the boot logos. The wireless chip is a necessary component to continue past the boot screens and enter the HOS or CFW.

 

[k28]

maybe it have been bypassed because of other hardware faults? i was definitly in horizon. unfortunatly im not skilled enough to investigate this further.

edit: maybe some software changes in newer software versions?

 

[Ottoclav]

maybe it have been bypassed because of other hardware faults? i was definitly in horizon. unfortunatly im not skilled enough to investigate this further.

edit: maybe some software changes in newer software versions?

So you were able to play games in handheld mode and in the dock?

 

[Slothinger]

If there is a way to safely remove the bcm chip without a expensive air solder station i can try this.

 

[Ottoclav]

If there is a way to safely remove the bcm chip without a expensive air solder station i can try this.

not in my experience, but im still new at this. if the chip truly is bad, then it is useless and can be heated up and broken apart to get to the metal heatsink, which you can, in turn, flux and then heat up to remove. This can be done with a broad tip soldering iron, mine was about 800 degrees Fahrenheit. Installing a new chip will not be possible though.

 

[STANirvanaIND]

Hey everyone, so if I'm reading the thread correctly, it's possible to fix the faulty BCM module either through reballing (if the chip itself isn't bad) or through a replacement chip from a doner switch (as new chips themselves won't work)? I'm going to be taking mine apart later today but I'm 99% sure it's the BCM chip as I was having WIFI issues before the boot problems started (WIFI was on but no network could be found, then the Wifi card would error out when trying to activate in games like PK:SW, now after the last shutdown it won't get past the Switch logo unless the battery has been drained).

 

[OniRj]

Yes @STANirvanaIND.
New chip does not work as it does not seem to be programmed properly.
You can do a reballing or reflux the chip, but it might only be a temporary solution.
The best choise at the moment is to get the chip from a donor switch.

 

[maynard14]

hi guys, i also have a NS that stuck on NS logo, but if understand if reballing or reflux the chip BCM4356 it will work, and i dont have use for wifi as it is hack for atmosphere, so it will be a permanent fix?

i drain the battery, removed the battery but it is still stuck on the logo. it driving me nuts. this is my personal and one and only switch i have.

 

[maynard14]

can anyone help, i tried to heat the wifi chip and tried to boot the switch but no luck, some say to replace the power Control IC Chip M92t36 on the switch and it will boot normally, no more stuck in switch joycon logo.

 

[ByteFun]

Hello! Any news about flashing new BCM IC? I have switch with new BCM without working bluetooth

 

[Ottoclav]

Hello! Any news about flashing new BCM IC? I have switch with new BCM without working bluetooth

maybe a tool out there, but you will have to look for it on the WWW.