Hacking Has a DS Lite actually been bricked?

[WickEd]

I recently ordered my M3 swag from WinSunx - (PH Wiki links Mini SD and PassKey2 - for usage with my new DS Lite. I do plan on flashing the DS Lite when the goods arrive. Although I am a little cautious, I've read some positive feedback on these forums that it's entirely doable.

I was just wondering: has there actually been any reports of a DS Lite that has been bricked? Has anybody posted anything about a permanently damaged DS Lite? I've read that it can be harder to short circuit the SL1 while in the flashing process and that sometimes the Lite can even turn off midway through the ordeal. But given that people have talked about how the process is restartable and essentially just pauses when a problem occurs, I'm wondering if anyone out there has actually even reported their DS Lite as bricked.

I would like to make a tutorial (like the well-received one at dspassme.com) possibly with a video, once I've determined the risk justifies the cause. If anyone wants to help out (and provide information so we can cover all aspects of flashing the DS Lite, i.e. essentially: what works and what doesn't) let me know.

I didn't order any NoPass style devices, so I was also curious as to whether tools like the Max Media Launcher (MML) or PassCard 2 would enabling flashing of the firmware.

Most importantly, I'm trying to determine whether there actually has ever been a bricked or otherwise permanently damaged DS Lite. Let's get to the bottom of this!

 

[bradtn]

if u did a little search you could answer your own questions

 

[CorruptJon]

I recently ordered my M3 swag from WinSunx - (PH Wiki links Mini SD and PassKey2 - for usage with my new DS Lite. I do plan on flashing the DS Lite when the goods arrive. Although I am a little cautious, I've read some positive feedback on these forums that it's entirely doable.

I was just wondering: has there actually been any reports of a DS Lite that has been bricked? Has anybody posted anything about a permanently damaged DS Lite? I've read that it can be harder to short circuit the SL1 while in the flashing process and that sometimes the Lite can even turn off midway through the ordeal. But given that people have talked about how the process is restartable and essentially just pauses when a problem occurs, I'm wondering if anyone out there has actually even reported their DS Lite as bricked.

I would like to make a tutorial (like the well-received one at dspassme.com) possibly with a video, once I've determined the risk justifies the cause. If anyone wants to help out (and provide information so we can cover all aspects of flashing the DS Lite, i.e. essentially: what works and what doesn't) let me know.

I didn't order any NoPass style devices, so I was also curious as to whether tools like the Max Media Launcher (MML) or PassCard 2 would enabling flashing of the firmware.

Most importantly, I'm trying to determine whether there actually has ever been a bricked or otherwise permanently damaged DS Lite. Let's get to the bottom of this!

Well I'm sure some people have bricked their Lites from trying to flash and accidentally shorting something else, But I have only read of one person doing so (thats just me though. There may be tons of reports.) Oh and Yes, nopass devices can be used to flash DS's/DS Lites.

 

[nintendofreak]

Sadly, yes people have bricked their DS'es

This link
HERE
in my opinion is one of the most helpful links and posts on this forum. it gives the do's and donts of flashing your ds and what to do in the "what if" scenario
the only way to brick your ds is if you dont read the instructions. make sure you have ur ds plugged in, tape the battery in so it doesnt fall off, and make sure not to wiggle the metal object when you short s1, cause you could short something like a fuse, then ur really screwed!! I would say, use the "stealth" version, so if something happens or dead pixles, you can send it back to where you got it, and they'll change it on the spot (of course dont send it to nintendo cause they'll notice)


Good luck and have fun!!!

 

[Darkspark]

Sadly, yes people have bricked their DS'es

 This link
HERE
in my opinion is one of the most helpful links and posts on this forum. it gives the do's and donts of flashing your ds and what to do in the "what if" scenario
the only way to brick your ds is if you dont read the instructions. make sure you have ur ds plugged in, tape the battery in so it doesnt fall off, and make sure not to wiggle the metal object when you short s1, cause you could short something like a fuse, then ur really screwed!! I would say, use the "stealth" version, so if something happens or dead pixles, you can send it back to where you got it, and they'll change it on the spot (of course dont send it to nintendo cause they'll notice)


Good luck and have fun!!!

No they wont. They simply replace your Nintendo DS without looking at it or even reading the material accompanying it. How do I know?

Well, I sent back a unit to their HQ in UK, and a few days later I got another DS, with 4 dead pixels.

 

[hankchill]

You really have to be careless to brick a DS Lite. Honestly, it was easier to flash than the original DS, and the progress bar rose amazingly fast while shorting SL1.

My suggestion:
Take a toothpick, put some tin foil on the end of it, and wrap it in vinyl tape, leaving only the tip exposed. 100% success rate with 15 DS's, and 1 DS Lite. I usually flash people's DS's who live local to me, and recently did my first Lite, which is why I say it's easier to flash

Plus, SL1 on the Lite seems a lot bigger than on the regular DS.

--Henry

 

[shtonkalot]

Sadly, yes people have bricked their DS'es

 This link
HERE

That thread doesn't have anyone claiming to have bricked a DS Lite in it.
Unless I missed it, and I did read the whole thread. More than once even.

I'm bringing it up because I too would like to see confirmation that the DS Lite is brickable by shorting something.
There has been a lot of talk about it possibly shorting two points but I have not seen anyone say "I was shorting the DS Lite and then the screen went black and I couldn't turn it back on".

We seem to be getting a collection of people here who are sharing accounts of flashing without problem.
Maybe it is because we are all insulating our shorting tools. Maybe it's just not easy (or even possible) to short out the DS Lite by sticking something in the SL1 area.

I recommend people insulate before flashing the Lite(as I have here) but I would still be interested to know if there is good reason to.

Maybe we could get this tested on Mythbusters and waste discovery channels DS Lites?

 

[NetixRiqua]

can anyone from here contact them?



(no i mean seriously...)

 

[ConraDargo]

Too bad I can't remember where exactly I stumbled upon this piece of information, but there was this guy who tried to flash his DS and apparently managed to blow a fuse or something - because no button combination would make the unit come back to life. So, he placed an order for a new one and shortly thereafter read about how you could replace a... component of some sort (it’s been a while since I read the article) in order to resurrect a bricked DS Lite.
Once the new unit had arrived, he followed instructions and replaced what (according to the article he had found) had broken down in his first Lite. Miraculously enough, his Lite woke up after the operation and he was able to fully flash it this time.

He sure must’ve grown attached to his first Lite, seeing how he was willing to sacrifice the second just to resurrect it. Because, needless to say, after having removed the required component from the new unit - that unit was now dead instead.

 

[berlinka]

Read this http://scdev.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4339 and weep not!

 

[shtonkalot]

Read this http://scdev.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4339 and weep not!

Thanks heaps for that link.

i'm not too sure about his "scientific method" though.

Take his second point for example, I have flashed 2 new Aust release DS Lites and one of them I had to re-short the SL1 about 5 times. It NEVER powered off. So I call bogus on this as being conclusive.
Others in that same linked thread are stating that you can flash fine with out the AC adapter plugged in too. With USA release DS Lites too.

If the reports in that thread are to be believed (I have no reason to doubt them) then perhaps there is some difference between individual Lites that is causing this behaviour.
Wonder what that could be?

 

[kutis]

Thanks heaps for that link.

i'm not too sure about his "scientific method" though.

Take his second point for example, I have flashed 2 new Aust release DS Lites and one of them I had to re-short the SL1 about 5 times. It NEVER powered off. So I call bogus on this as being conclusive.
Others in that same linked thread are stating that you can flash fine with out the AC adapter plugged in too. With USA release DS Lites too.

If the reports in that thread are to be believed (I have no reason to doubt them) then perhaps there is some difference between individual Lites that is causing this behaviour.
Wonder what that could be?

agreed...

i flashed 2 aus ds lite, the first 1, my own, i use 3 tools,.. 1st, a nail, total failure, 2-3 minutes of 0%,.. then a tiny screw driver... i got up to 2% then stuck for about 5 mins... i wiggle alot then.. finally, alu-foil, less than 15 secs, finito... and it never power-off

on the 2nd ds lite, i just use the foil.. first when i look for the hole and short the sl1, and i turn it around, it's already at 9%, push the aluminium foil in again, 10secs, done.. again, no power off...

however, i came across some malaysian forum, where they talked about bricking some ds-lite,.. then again, they also promotes their flashing service for cash. So for me, when i read the forum, it sounds a little like this, "hey, don't flash your ds-lite on your own.. u'll kill it. come, let me do it for $30. Oh, and here're some blurry pics of bricked ds-lite"

oh, and they also post a pic of a blue ds-lite that has different brightness of the screen

i'm NOT saying that there are NO risk in flashing ur ds... but if you still want to flash your dsl, just use some pre-caution that has been recommended a million times on a hundred sites/forums. IF u dun want to take the risk,.. get max media launcher or passcard3 and be happy...

 

[akuma99]

Well I got my ds lite and tried the flashme. It got to 3% and turned off (I think the tool moved a bit). Anyway I thought I was SOL but i found out that if you take out the passme or whatever you use from the ds slot and use the A+B+START+SELECT. Then the ds will boot from the gba cart then just try it again. I tried it and it worked like a charm now my DS Lite has been resurrected. Just make sure that there is nothing in the DS game slot or the flashme wont boot.

 

[Del_Griffiths]

That thread doesn't have anyone claiming to have bricked a DS Lite in it.
Unless I missed it, and I did read the whole thread. More than once even.

I'm bringing it up because I too would like to see confirmation that the DS Lite is brickable by shorting something.
There has been a lot of talk about it possibly shorting two points but I have not seen anyone say "I was shorting the DS Lite and then the screen went black and I couldn't turn it back on".

I don't think it's possible to brick the DS lite just by the act of shorting itself. It's gets bricked when you're flashing the bios, you short the wrong circuit, and then the Lite shuts off and Flashme progress is below whatever % allows recovery. Then there's no way to boot the Lite, and thus no way to recover the bios or put in a new one.

I think most people think shorting the wrong circuit equals a blown fuse, when really it just means tripping the fuse. Once the fuse trips and and the Lite shuts off, the fuse returns to normal operation. Any bricking after that is solely Flashme's fault.

 

[kalibar]

I think most people think shorting the wrong circuit equals a blown fuse, when really it just means tripping the fuse. Once the fuse trips and and the Lite shuts off, the fuse returns to normal operation. Any bricking after that is solely Flashme's fault.

You are exactly correct -- I'm pretty sure all this "blown fuse" stuff is just hubbub, and people are misinterpreting what happens when they hit the "evil" connection to the left or right of SL1.

 

[slandar]

You all might also take a look at this thread for info on Unbricking a DS Lite. There are even pictures showing the bios chip location and the fuse locations in the thread (page two or three). The fuses are surface mount and machine soldered, but if you have a steady enough hand to fix SMT soldered components, I doubt that you have bricked a DS during something as simple as installing FlashMe.

"Fix your NDS Lite after FlashMe faild.": http://scdev.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3931

I have had no reason to try it myself, so I am unable to verify this personally. However, if one of my friends were to screw up like usual, this is how I would try to fix it if there was not enough of FlashMe to use the A+B+SELECT+START recovery method.

I would tell you to read the whole thread, but you are going to do that without direction... right? ::grumbles something about RTFM::


I am of the opinion that bricking is a darwinian defense mechanism of electronics. They only die because you are stupid.

-Zach

 

[5uck3rpunch]

Unfortunately, I bricked my 1st DS Lite (USA) today. I have a green light on but the screens do not power on. That one link that BELINKA posted really doesn't help much because of the person's Enlish language abilities. No one in that forum really explains what needs to be done well enough. I guess I made a nice paperweight unless anyone here knows how to help. Thanx..

 

[_Mazza_]

Send it back to nintendo and say the screens don't turn on, it worked for my friend they sent him a new one

 

[chooch81]

Send it back to nintendo and say the screens don't turn on, it worked for my friend they sent him a new one

Worked for me!!:

http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=31749&hl=


I'm Mazza's friend

 

[5uck3rpunch]

HOLY CRAP! After about 18 tries (out of desperation) of starting the DS holding A,B, Start & Select it booted to the Supercard screen with the FlashMe 7 file! It was still at the 3% mark & I got it to flash & work the rest of the way. WOW! What a scare. It's my wife's new DS & I almost bricked the damn thing! I'm also not a newb to this. This was my 4th DS Lite flash & I also did flash a phat DS. Glad it worked!