Hardware Tutorial
Updated
DSi Screw Measurements and Differences.
This goes over the screws and other pieces within the DSi along with differences in screws used on a per-console basis. There are Four Variations that I am aware of, and to my understanding, they are benign.
There are a couple of other variations that I will be pointing out that aren't related to screws, but are something I want to document.
I did this exact post for the DSi XL some time ago, and now I have enough information to post on the DSi. The format of the post will be very similar.
With the exception of the Battery Door Nut, the DSi and DSi XL use the same screws and hardware.
How I measured these screws.
I measured the screws on a ruler with markings down to a single millimeter and a digital microscope. Measurements were taken similar to this image of measuring Thread Pitch below
Since I do not have specialty equipment to measure screws this small, I am forced to estimate. Take the measurements with the knowledge that it was done by someone who is a novice in screw measuring.
DSi
All Screws within the DSi have a JIS head (unsure of the exact size), but a Phillips #00 works. Screws seem to be a variety of Wafer, Truss, or Ultra Thin Head machine screws. Pan or Undersized Pan head is also possible. These are my best guesses. I don't assign a head name to the screws as I don't know for certain.
Below is the list of screws and Hardware grouped by size. Further information is further down.
I'll add links to an IFixIt Guide to match my terms to pictures (i.e. Motherboard Black Screw would point to the Motherboard removal step of an IFitIt guide). The screw names themselves will have a link to the picture of the screw removal with another link next to it just in case that link dies.
Screws
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Outer Shell Card Slot (Step 5 Smallest Screw) and Fine Thread Black Battery Daughter Board (Step 8)
M1.4– 0.4mm x 2mm
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Course Threat Black or Silver Battery Daughter Board (Step 8) and Small Black or Silver Motherboard (Step 10 Smallest Screw)
M1.4 – 0.6mm x 2mm
3.5mm x 1.5mm x 3mm
Large Motherboard (Step 10 ), Top Screen Shell (Step 12)
M1.4 – 0.6mm x 3mm
4mm x 1.5mm x 3mm
Gold SD/Stylus Cover (Step 15), and Gold Shoulder Button Covers (Step 15).
M1.4– 0.6mm x 3.5mm
4mm x 1.5mm x 3.5mm
Battery Door (Step 4)
M1.4 – 0.4 x 4mm
5mm x 1.5mm x 3mm
Bottom Shell (Step 5)
M1.4 - 0.6 x 4.5mm
Other
4mm width E-clip
3mm x 3mm x 1mm Battery Door Nut
6.5mm x 3.5mm Shoulder Button Spring
7mm x 1.25mm? Shoulder Button Pivot Post
Battery Door
I will sort the screw via disassembly order. For this, I will be borrowing IFixIt's images from their DSi Teardown to point to screws.
The battery door consists of Three Parts:
Two Screws:
M1.4 – 0.4 x 4mm
4mm x 1.5mm x 3.5mm
Two E-clips:
4mm Width
Two Square Nuts.
These are under the removable battery back plate and the right shoulder button plate in the bottom shell.
3mm x 3mm x 1mm
Bottom Shell
Six Long Screws:
(Only in Silver. There are no Black screws. Too lazy to retake photos.)
M1.4 - 0.6 x 4.5mm
5mm x 1.5mm x 3mm
One Small Card Slot Screw:
Fine Thread.
M1.4– 0.4mm x 2mm
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Motherboard and Power Daughter Board
The Motherboard and Powerboard are combined since the Motherboard Black Screw in the Top Right Corner can be the same as the screws used on the power board. It saves space on this post.
This is where all four Variations mentioned at the top of the post come in.
The screws used for the Power Daughter Board and the Top Right of the Motherboard can vary greatly.
This console used all coarse threaded black screws.
This console used all coarse threaded silver screws.
This console used five coarse threaded silver screws for the daughter board, and one black fine threaded screw similar to the small card slot screw.
And, lastly, this console* used all fine threaded black screws similar to the small card slot screw.
*Based on the image, I most likely began to take it apart before realizing there were differences in the screws used for the battery daughter board.
Three Black Screws on the Lefthand side of the Motherboard:
M1.4 – 0.6mm x 3mm
3.5mm x 1.5mm x 3mm
5 or 6 Small Coarse Threaded Silver or Black Screws:
M1.4 – 0.6mm x 2mm
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
1 or 6 Small Fine Threaded Black Screw:
Fine Thread.
M1.4– 0.4mm x 2mm
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Since the two small screws are the same depths, it shouldn't matter which ones you use for the Battery Daughter Board and the top right of the Motherboard. There is the potential of stripping the screw post if you use the wrong screw, but the screw will not punch through the shell.
*Motherboard Serial Number
One quick thing I wanted to add was the different use and deployment of Motherboard Serial Numbers by Nintendo.
In the images above of the Motherboard, Nintendo switched from Stamping the serial numbers on with ink to the more modern sticker and barcode approach I am used to seeing on DSi XL consoles.
A weird, and somewhat annoying quirk of the stamped serial number is it can be rubbed off easily with rubbing alcohol. I also have a pair of motherboards that share the same serial number which is something I haven't seen with the printed sticker serial numbers. Not to say it cannot happen on the stickers, but given the length of characters, I would find that to be nearly impossible.
Upper Shell Screws
Four Silver Screws:
M1.4 – 0.6mm x 3mm
3.5mm x 1.5mm x 3mm
Bottom Shell (Shoulder Buttons and Stylus Cover)
8 Golden Stylus Cover and Shoulder Button Cover Screws:
M1.4– 0.6mm x 3.5mm
4mm x 1.5mm x 4mm
*Stylus/SD Card Slot colors.
This is not so much a difference or quirk, but more of Nintendo using different colored pieces for the Stylus/SD Card Slot cover within the bottom shell. When disassembling a lot of these consoles, I got lost as to which color belonged to which console, I have images of all of them that I have.
^ This last one is the Dark Blue/Purple colored Console.
If you end up in a situation with a pile of shells and didn't take into consideration the stylus/SD card cover color, just check the SD card slot cover and match the internal color.
Shoulder Button Hardware
These, being, the shoulder button pivots and the springs.
Two Shoulder Button Spring:
6.5mm x 3.5mm
Two Shoulder Button Pivots:
7mm x 1.25mm?
There are a couple of other variations that I will be pointing out that aren't related to screws, but are something I want to document.
I did this exact post for the DSi XL some time ago, and now I have enough information to post on the DSi. The format of the post will be very similar.
With the exception of the Battery Door Nut, the DSi and DSi XL use the same screws and hardware.
How I measured these screws.
I measured the screws on a ruler with markings down to a single millimeter and a digital microscope. Measurements were taken similar to this image of measuring Thread Pitch below
Since I do not have specialty equipment to measure screws this small, I am forced to estimate. Take the measurements with the knowledge that it was done by someone who is a novice in screw measuring.
DSi
All Screws within the DSi have a JIS head (unsure of the exact size), but a Phillips #00 works. Screws seem to be a variety of Wafer, Truss, or Ultra Thin Head machine screws. Pan or Undersized Pan head is also possible. These are my best guesses. I don't assign a head name to the screws as I don't know for certain.
Below is the list of screws and Hardware grouped by size. Further information is further down.
I'll add links to an IFixIt Guide to match my terms to pictures (i.e. Motherboard Black Screw would point to the Motherboard removal step of an IFitIt guide). The screw names themselves will have a link to the picture of the screw removal with another link next to it just in case that link dies.
Screws
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Outer Shell Card Slot (Step 5 Smallest Screw) and Fine Thread Black Battery Daughter Board (Step 8)
M1.4– 0.4mm x 2mm
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Course Threat Black or Silver Battery Daughter Board (Step 8) and Small Black or Silver Motherboard (Step 10 Smallest Screw)
M1.4 – 0.6mm x 2mm
3.5mm x 1.5mm x 3mm
Large Motherboard (Step 10 ), Top Screen Shell (Step 12)
M1.4 – 0.6mm x 3mm
4mm x 1.5mm x 3mm
Gold SD/Stylus Cover (Step 15), and Gold Shoulder Button Covers (Step 15).
M1.4– 0.6mm x 3.5mm
4mm x 1.5mm x 3.5mm
Battery Door (Step 4)
M1.4 – 0.4 x 4mm
5mm x 1.5mm x 3mm
Bottom Shell (Step 5)
M1.4 - 0.6 x 4.5mm
Other
4mm width E-clip
3mm x 3mm x 1mm Battery Door Nut
6.5mm x 3.5mm Shoulder Button Spring
7mm x 1.25mm? Shoulder Button Pivot Post
Battery Door
I will sort the screw via disassembly order. For this, I will be borrowing IFixIt's images from their DSi Teardown to point to screws.
The battery door consists of Three Parts:
Two Screws:
M1.4 – 0.4 x 4mm
4mm x 1.5mm x 3.5mm
Two E-clips:
4mm Width
Two Square Nuts.
These are under the removable battery back plate and the right shoulder button plate in the bottom shell.
3mm x 3mm x 1mm
Bottom Shell
Six Long Screws:
(Only in Silver. There are no Black screws. Too lazy to retake photos.)
M1.4 - 0.6 x 4.5mm
5mm x 1.5mm x 3mm
One Small Card Slot Screw:
Fine Thread.
M1.4– 0.4mm x 2mm
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Motherboard and Power Daughter Board
The Motherboard and Powerboard are combined since the Motherboard Black Screw in the Top Right Corner can be the same as the screws used on the power board. It saves space on this post.
This is where all four Variations mentioned at the top of the post come in.
The screws used for the Power Daughter Board and the Top Right of the Motherboard can vary greatly.
This console used all coarse threaded black screws.
This console used all coarse threaded silver screws.
This console used five coarse threaded silver screws for the daughter board, and one black fine threaded screw similar to the small card slot screw.
And, lastly, this console* used all fine threaded black screws similar to the small card slot screw.
*Based on the image, I most likely began to take it apart before realizing there were differences in the screws used for the battery daughter board.
Three Black Screws on the Lefthand side of the Motherboard:
M1.4 – 0.6mm x 3mm
3.5mm x 1.5mm x 3mm
5 or 6 Small Coarse Threaded Silver or Black Screws:
M1.4 – 0.6mm x 2mm
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
1 or 6 Small Fine Threaded Black Screw:
Fine Thread.
M1.4– 0.4mm x 2mm
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Since the two small screws are the same depths, it shouldn't matter which ones you use for the Battery Daughter Board and the top right of the Motherboard. There is the potential of stripping the screw post if you use the wrong screw, but the screw will not punch through the shell.
*Motherboard Serial Number
One quick thing I wanted to add was the different use and deployment of Motherboard Serial Numbers by Nintendo.
In the images above of the Motherboard, Nintendo switched from Stamping the serial numbers on with ink to the more modern sticker and barcode approach I am used to seeing on DSi XL consoles.
A weird, and somewhat annoying quirk of the stamped serial number is it can be rubbed off easily with rubbing alcohol. I also have a pair of motherboards that share the same serial number which is something I haven't seen with the printed sticker serial numbers. Not to say it cannot happen on the stickers, but given the length of characters, I would find that to be nearly impossible.
Upper Shell Screws
Four Silver Screws:
M1.4 – 0.6mm x 3mm
3.5mm x 1.5mm x 3mm
Bottom Shell (Shoulder Buttons and Stylus Cover)
8 Golden Stylus Cover and Shoulder Button Cover Screws:
M1.4– 0.6mm x 3.5mm
4mm x 1.5mm x 4mm
*Stylus/SD Card Slot colors.
This is not so much a difference or quirk, but more of Nintendo using different colored pieces for the Stylus/SD Card Slot cover within the bottom shell. When disassembling a lot of these consoles, I got lost as to which color belonged to which console, I have images of all of them that I have.
^ This last one is the Dark Blue/Purple colored Console.
If you end up in a situation with a pile of shells and didn't take into consideration the stylus/SD card cover color, just check the SD card slot cover and match the internal color.
Shoulder Button Hardware
These, being, the shoulder button pivots and the springs.
Two Shoulder Button Spring:
6.5mm x 3.5mm
Two Shoulder Button Pivots:
7mm x 1.25mm?
Last edited by KIlly728,