Hacking My M3 SD doesn't boot up anymore.

[kalibar]

Hey all, my M3 SD just decided a few days ago to quit working. This is complete bullshit. Is there anyway I can send it in to the M3 folks for a repair or diagnosis or possible replacement or someshit? I've only had it for about six months.

Here's some pictures to illustrate what I'm talking about.

It's not the SD card that's the issue; my fiancee has an M3 SD slim and this SD card works on her M3 with no problem whatsoever. The problem is definitely with the cart itself -- when I take out the SD card and try to boot it, I usually don't even get the "couldn't find SD" message.

Help me!

 

[Orc]

Try removing the card, reinserting it, putting it back in the DS, then booting it. My stupid M3 SD works like that. I have to do it quite alot of times too before I get the stupid not supported by Nintendo message. Hopefully I can save up for a G6 lite.

 

[kalibar]

Try removing the card, reinserting it, putting it back in the DS, then booting it. My stupid M3 SD works like that. I have to do it quite alot of times too before I get the stupid not supported by Nintendo message. Hopefully I can save up for a G6 lite.

Yeah, this is pretty much the only way I can ever get it to come on. It's been taking more and more tries though to the point where it just never fucking turns on anymore unless I seriously do it 10-20 times, and to me that's completely unacceptable. I mostly use this thing to dick around with DSOrganize, and it's not worth my time if it takes longer to turn the DS on than it would to hunt down a pen and paper, write down a list, grab a sandwich, laminate my list, and mail it to myself.

Don't M3's come with a manufacturer warranty or someshit? I don't want to just be out the money, these flashcarts are fucking expensive.

 

[AshuraZro]

Try contacting both the shop you ordered it from and the M3 website. Even if they won't, there is no harm in trying.

 

[kalibar]

Yeah, I just an e-mail to the M3 folks explaining everything. As for the shop itself, I'm not sure where it came from -- it was a gift. Suppose I could ask.

 

[falco123]

If it's been 6 months, I doubt they will do anything....unless they have a very generous warranty =)

 

[kalibar]

If it's been 6 months, I doubt they will do anything....unless they have a very generous warranty =)

Christ, I hope that's not the case. Don't most products like this have a year? It's not like they could prove the age of the M3 (other than by its old-style form factor) anyway, unless they required me to send them a sales receipt or something like that -- which I don't have and would feel tacky trying to get ahold of.

They still haven't responded to my e-mail, but I included the photos along with it so hopefully that gets something done.

 

[Zantagor]

Have the same issues with mine, and when it works, you'll risk the problem of DS games freezing randomly.


The problem is the contacts, after a while the card's contact won't touch the cart's own contacts well enough. I'm still not sure what causes this, but I think it's just the case being cheap and slack over time.


What I did, and it does seem to do wonders, take a piece of cardboard from a packet of matches for exemple, and lodge it above your SD Card in the slot (trying to lodge it between the card and the metal slot if possible), This should make it so the contacts stay connected.

I tried that for over a week (until I had to reflash and misplaced the piece of cardboard) and I didn't have to bother with the problem at all. (Megaman ZX kept crashing during the intro because of the problem, and now it works like a charm)


anyway, try it, it might make your life easier.

 

[kalibar]

Hey, thanks for the suggestion. That's definitely what's going on with my M3 (good fucking diagnosis!), only the issue for me is that the M3 itself isn't touching the contacts inside the DS Lite well enough. I've tried lodging a piece of thin cardboard down in there a couple times with mixed results -- sometimes it works well, and sometimes it acts as if it's not helping at all. Hopefully once I figure out the "sweet spot" I can just tape the cardboard to the back of the M3 itself.

This is a completely fucking ghetto solution, though. I have a lot of friends with DS'es and I like to be able to have them try the M3 in their systems to see what they think of it. And in any circumstance, this sucker is going to be super touchy about being removed and put into new DS'es. Also, the actual back wall of my DS Lite is starting to bow out from having the cardboard in there, and that shit sucks too.

Still no response from the M3 folks, not that I should really expect anything. Hopefully I'm not just out an M3, these fuckers cost like a hundred bucks.

 

[Retrievil]

Mine has the same problem. It seems like its just a tiny warping iin the plastic or something. Maybe after charging the DS with the M3 in it, heating it up a little?

It boots everytime if I have little piece of paper in between the slot of the top of the M3.

 

[kalibar]

It boots everytime if I have little piece of paper in between the slot of the top of the M3.

Could you maybe show me a diagram of this? "Top" can be a relative term.

 

[takieda]

I didn't see any rules stating I can't list other forums, so here's a tutorial I made on how to fix this exact issue http://www.m3-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2132

Warning: BIG pictures... VERY high detail. I hope this helps,
-Tak

 

[kalibar]

I didn't see any rules stating I can't list other forums, so here's a tutorial I made on how to fix this exact issue http://www.m3-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2132

Warning: BIG pictures... VERY high detail. I hope this helps,
-Tak

Thanks for the link, I just read through that and I'll definitely give that a try if there's no way I can send the unit in first. It turns out that the M3 itself came from GamerSection, so I'm in the process of trying to work something out with them to have them send the cart to the M3 folks or replace it or something. I doubt I'd be eligible for such a lovely deal if I cracked the cart open and started screwing around with its innards.

 

[takieda]

I didn't see any rules stating I can't list other forums, so here's a tutorial I made on how to fix this exact issue http://www.m3-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2132

Warning: BIG pictures... VERY high detail. I hope this helps,
-Tak

Thanks for the link, I just read through that and I'll definitely give that a try if there's no way I can send the unit in first. It turns out that the M3 itself came from GamerSection, so I'm in the process of trying to work something out with them to have them send the cart to the M3 folks or replace it or something. I doubt I'd be eligible for such a lovely deal if I cracked the cart open and started screwing around with its innards.

Actually, unless you completely screwed things up on the inside, you can always remove the extra sticker material, and return it without them knowing you've done so - the unit has no protective seal or warranty sticker, etc... Plenty of people have done this fix, and others tried it without success, then did their return - it's worth a shot, as most returns take at least 2 weeks turnaround time before you have another unit in your hand.

 

[epitom3]

same thing happened w/ mine. I went out and bought a MiniSD and I'm hoping that it wont happen again w/ my new Mini. So far its only been occurring on the regular SDs right?

 

[mr_ding]

Mine is also having the problem. Realhotstuff.com refuses to refund/exchange it (I shipped to them, but they said it works fine for them and ship it back to me)

I just got it today, and tried like 50 times (it didn't even get recognized once)

 

[tyger]

M3 is supposed to be warrantied for one year but they dont honor it or return emails it seems when of a warranty nature. My M3 perfect CF wont boot and I have emailed them dozens of times without any responses. I am holding off on replacing it but can say after this experience I wont be buying another M3 product.

 

[Zantagor]

I've just got the new M3 model today... it's seems a whole lot sturdier than the previous model too.

Works like a charm, it has 2 screws in the corners this time instead of only 1 screw.

When you shake it, you don't hear anything, unlike the old M3 model where you heard the inside jingles

 

[mr_ding]

My M3 Slim SD does have 2 screws, but I'm running into this M3 not booting problem.
Hopefully, you will have better luck than I do.

I've just got the new M3 model today... it's seems a whole lot sturdier than the previous model too.Â

Works like a charm, it has 2 screws in the corners this time instead of only 1 screw.

When you shake it, you don't hear anything, unlike the old M3 model where you heard the inside jingles

 

[Zantagor]

just a hit in the dark like that, but maybe the contacts for the SD Card reader oxyded and needs cleaning.