Hardware Help something is broken in my switch and I don't know what

[any_name_you_wish]

I just need to backup my saves (It's okay if i have to get all of the nand backed up)

So I was moving a few games from one SD card to another and then out of nowhere my switch tells me‏ that the SD card had been taken out even though I did not touch it and then I took out the SD card and put it back in and restarted my switch and then it said it again and then I kept doing this a couple of times until it finally gave me the error:"failed to initialize SD card" and then I took it to a repairing place, where the repair guy told me that it was irreparable and then I tried turning it on again and now the backlight only turns on. and then I took it to a different repair guy and this repair guy tells me that almost the entirety of the motherboard and everything on it had to be replaced. what do you guys think because from what me and my dad have gathered, the 4 things that could be broken are: the SD card slot or the CPU or The EMMC or the LCD itself. It's less likely that it's the EMMC because it still has the software to boot up and still makes the connection sound in Windows. Also I had to replace the sd slot and an ic once, so I can't replace those because another ic has been broken and to replace that It needs to be heated In order to be removed and replaced and its been heated once
(in my country Nintendo is not very popular and finding professionals is like finding a needle in a haystack which gives me the idea of taking my switch to a phone repair place as they are better with small electronics)

Please just help me I have no backups and I just need to copy my saves before buying a new one

P.s: I have no knowledge of how to fix this, but my dad does know how to solder as it is a part of his job

Batch 1:

Post automatically merged: Feb 9, 2023

And the second repair guy was like: "zoo wee mama jeez Louise it is br-ok-en, broken like sheesh dude it's really broken"
So it's probably beyond saving

Also, batch 2:

 

[binkinator]

I just need to backup my saves (It's okay if i have to get all of the nand backed up)

So I was moving a few games from one SD card to another and then out of nowhere my switch tells me‏ that the SD card had been taken out even though I did not touch it and then I took out the SD card and put it back in and restarted my switch and then it said it again and then I kept doing this a couple of times until it finally gave me the error:"failed to initialize SD card" and then I took it to a repairing place, where the repair guy told me that it was irreparable and then I tried turning it on again and now the backlight only turns on. and then I took it to a different repair guy and this repair guy tells me that almost the entirety of the motherboard and everything on it had to be replaced. what do you guys think because from what me and my dad have gathered, the 4 things that could be broken are: the SD card slot or the CPU or The EMMC or the LCD itself. It's less likely that it's the EMMC because it still has the software to boot up and still makes the connection sound in windows.
(in my country Nintendo is not very popular and finding professionals is like finding a needle in a haystack which gives me the idea of taking my switch to a phone repair place as they are better with small electronics)

Please just help me I have no backups and I just need to copy my saves before buying a new one

P.s: I have no knowledge of how to fix this, but my dad does know how to solder as it is a part of his job

Batch 1:

Post automatically merged: Feb 9, 2023

And the second repair guy was like: "zoo wee mama jeez Louise it is br-ok-en, broken like sheesh dude it's really broken"
So it's probably beyond saving

Also, batch 2:

here’s basic things to try (refer to the pic below)

1) for the screen, reseat all the cables circled in red. Disconnect the battery on the right first (for safety and to reseat last to reset everything.)


2) for the SDCard your pins look OK, try this low cost replacement from iFixit
https://www.amazon.com/Micro-Card-Reader-Compatible-Nintendo-Switch/
and go to their site for instructions on how to replace it:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Nintendo+Switch+Micro+SD+Card+Reader+Replacement/113031

3) if none of this helps you can get the game saves off of your emmc (circled in yellow) with this reader and a Linux box (raspberry pi will even do it)
https://www.tindie.com/products/ignas/emmc-reader-for-hac-emmc/

 

[any_name_you_wish]

here’s basic things to try (refer to the pic below)

1) for the screen, reseat all the cables circled in red. Disconnect the battery on the right first (for safety and to reseat last to reset everything.)


2) for the SDCard your pins look OK, try this low cost replacement from iFixit
https://www.amazon.com/Micro-Card-Reader-Compatible-Nintendo-Switch/
and go to their site for instructions on how to replace it:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Nintendo+Switch+Micro+SD+Card+Reader+Replacement/113031

3) if none of this helps you can get the game saves off of your emmc (circled in yellow) with this reader and a Linux box (raspberry pi will even do it)
https://www.tindie.com/products/ignas/emmc-reader-for-hac-emmc/

View attachment 352290

Can I do the third step on windows or do I have to get a virtual machine?

 

[binkinator]

Can I do the third step on windows or do I have to get a virtual machine?

I’ve never tried it. The drivers are very Specifically Linux though.

You could always boot into a live usb version of Linux.

https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/try-ubuntu-before-you-install#1-getting-started

 

[any_name_you_wish]

I’ve never tried it. The drivers are very Specifically Linux though.

You could always boot into a live usb version of Linux.

https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/try-ubuntu-before-you-install#1-getting-started

Also, I live in Iran, which means I can't buy from outside of my country (or else it can be really expensive, but still, if you can find it on amazon send a link) so can I follow this guide instead?
https://gbatemp.net/threads/switch-unbricking-guide-for-dead-or-replaced-emmc-consoles.609891/

 

[Hayato213]

Doesn't look like you are missing any pins.

 

[mrdude]

Did you have AutoRCM turned on? If so try injecting hekate and see if it boots into hekate. If it does you can disable Auto RCM and then boot into OFW.

 

[any_name_you_wish]

No it's either the orange part of the ad slot or an IC

View attachment 352301

Doesn't look like you are missing any pins.

 

[Hayato213]

Looks like your original problem needed one of this, does your switch still boot up?

 

[binkinator]

Also, I live in Iran, which means I can't buy from outside of my country (or else it can be really expensive, but still, if you can find it on amazon send a link) so can I follow this guide instead?
https://gbatemp.net/threads/switch-unbricking-guide-for-dead-or-replaced-emmc-consoles.609891/

No need to unbrick. Your emmc is likely still good.

if you can buy from AliExpress, here is a thread talking about an alternative way to backup your emmc. It will requires Linux and is the exact setup I bought.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/switch-oled-256gb-nand-upgrade.608377/page-2#post-9762068

 

[any_name_you_wish]

View attachment 352304

Looks like your original problem needed one of this, does your switch still boot up?

it does but only the backlight, it's definitely supposed to display "failed to initialize sd card" but it doesn't

 

[Hayato213]

it does but only the backlight, it's definitely supposed to display "failed to initialize sd card" but it doesn't

The arrow it is pointing to is the ribbon cable for the screen.

 

[any_name_you_wish]

View attachment 352306

The arrow it is pointing to is the ribbon cable for the screen.

here’s basic things to try (refer to the pic below)

1) for the screen, reseat all the cables circled in red. Disconnect the battery on the right first (for safety and to reseat last to reset everything.)


2) for the SDCard your pins look OK, try this low cost replacement from iFixit
https://www.amazon.com/Micro-Card-Reader-Compatible-Nintendo-Switch/
and go to their site for instructions on how to replace it:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Nintendo+Switch+Micro+SD+Card+Reader+Replacement/113031

3) if none of this helps you can get the game saves off of your emmc (circled in yellow) with this reader and a Linux box (raspberry pi will even do it)
https://www.tindie.com/products/ignas/emmc-reader-for-hac-emmc/

View attachment 352290

it did nothing, still only the backlight

 

[Hayato213]

it did nothing, still only the backlight

Looks like Ribbon cable is damaged then.

 

[any_name_you_wish]

Also, I had to replace the sd slot and an ic once, so I can't replace those because another ic has been broken and to replace that It needs to be heated In order to be removed and replaced and it's been heated once

Post automatically merged: Feb 9, 2023

bthe repair guy might've heated my switch twice but did nothing the second time so my switch might be actualy beyond saving but i dont know

Post automatically merged: Feb 9, 2023

No need to unbrick. Your emmc is likely still good.

if you can buy from AliExpress, here is a thread talking about an alternative way to backup your emmc. It will requires Linux and is the exact setup I bought.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/switch-oled-256gb-nand-upgrade.608377/page-2#post-9762068

does it have to be a specific emmc reader or can it be a generic one too? the transfer thread that you recommended me seems to say yes but I would also like to ask an expert

 

[binkinator]

Also, I had to replace the sd slot and an ic once, so I can't replace those because another ic has been broken and to replace that It needs to be heated In order to be removed and replaced and it's been heated once

Post automatically merged: Feb 9, 2023

bthe repair guy might've heated my switch twice but did nothing the second time so my switch might be actualy beyond saving but i dont know

Post automatically merged: Feb 9, 2023

does it have to be a specific emmc reader or can it be a generic one too? the transfer thread that you recommended me seems to say yes but I would also like to ask an expert

I bought this set and it works really well on my V1 Switch w/ Samsung emmc. Not sure if other memory requires a different option...might need to check w/ the vendor to be sure.

 

[jkyoho]

I bought this set and it works really well on my V1 Switch w/ Samsung emmc. Not sure if other memory requires a different option...might need to check w/ the vendor to be sure.

View attachment 352343

Are u able to write backup to new emmc with this tool?

 

[any_name_you_wish]

I’ve never tried it. The drivers are very Specifically Linux though.

You could always boot into a live usb version of Linux.

https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/try-ubuntu-before-you-install#1-getting-started

How do you decrypt the boot0&1 files?
I have no keys to decrypt them with.
Is there some sort of key finding algorithm I can use since my switch's board is all messed up?

 

[binkinator]

Are u able to write backup to new emmc with this tool?

Absolutely! I was upgrading my emmc to a 256G and that is what I used to transfer my emmc backup. It reads AND writes to any emmc you put in it.

Post automatically merged: Feb 26, 2023

How do you decrypt the boot0&1 files?
I have no keys to decrypt them with.
Is there some sort of key finding algorithm I can use since my switch's board is all messed up?

Game saves are in the rawnand.bin partition rather than boot0 or boot1.

You would absolutely need your keys. Do you not have your prod.keys file? They are in there.

 

[any_name_you_wish]

Absolutely! I was upgrading my emmc to a 256G and that is what I used to transfer my emmc backup. It reads AND writes to any emmc you put in it.

Post automatically merged: Feb 26, 2023

Game saves are in the rawnand.bin partition rather than boot0 or boot1.

You would absolutely need your keys. Do you not have your prod.keys file? They are in there.

Speak English doc!

Can you explain in more detail please?

Post automatically merged: Mar 2, 2023

Absolutely! I was upgrading my emmc to a 256G and that is what I used to transfer my emmc backup. It reads AND writes to any emmc you put in it.

Post automatically merged: Feb 26, 2023

Game saves are in the rawnand.bin partition rather than boot0 or boot1.

You would absolutely need your keys. Do you not have your prod.keys file? They are in there.

Can you leave a Tutorial on how to extract my saves and get my keys and decrypt them and stuff?