Hacking N3DS XL brick fixing (ideas required)

[TLNiles]

Not all card reader will work, have you ever done a hardmod before using that card reader you are using now?
I'll suggest for now is try another card reader, failing that it could be possibility be the soldering. Bad joints or wrong wires soldered to wrong test points.etc
Do you have a multi-meter with continuity?

Well, I at least expected to have different blue screen error with card reader. And no, it's actually my first time hard modding, so I'm just going through all card readers I have avaliable to see if it'll work.
Soldering I've done you can check in this post - https://gbatemp.net/threads/tutoria...-xl-n3ds-n3ds-xl.414498/page-113#post-7449203 There was already advice about bad CMD and CLK soldering, so I might try to redo all of it and use slightly less solder overall and see if it'll change anything.
Also, yes, I do have multi-tester with continuity. Any advices on what I should try and check with it?

Also, on matter of MCU - I still can't say if it's bricked, but visually MCU chip looks fine. Not burned out, at least.

 

[dpad_5678]

Well, I at least expected to have different blue screen error with card reader. And no, it's actually my first time hard modding, so I'm just going through all card readers I have avaliable to see if it'll work.
Soldering I've done you can check in this post - https://gbatemp.net/threads/tutoria...-xl-n3ds-n3ds-xl.414498/page-113#post-7449203 There was already advice about bad CMD and CLK soldering, so I might try to redo all of it and use slightly less solder overall and see if it'll change anything.
Also, yes, I do have multi-tester with continuity. Any advices on what I should try and check with it?

Also, on matter of MCU - I still can't say if it's bricked, but visually MCU chip looks fine. Not burned out, at least.

MCU brick is a Bootrom Error / Blue Screen of Death immediately on startup.

 

[TLNiles]

MCU brick is a Bootrom Error / Blue Screen of Death immediately on startup.

If that's the thing - then no. I haven't seen any blue screens so far, not even NAND one.

 

[ThisIsDaAccount]

@TLNiles

If you tried to place the B9S installer on the 3DS root as arm9loaderhax.bin, it won't work. I actually tried that on my 3DS, and for some reason B9S installer doesnt work when launched directly by A9LH, it only works when the 3DS launches another payload first for some reason. I confirmed this by testing it myself several times.

With that in mind, I actually prepared a little zip file for a friend of mine who has a hard time following directions. The zip includes a build of BootCTR9 preconfigured to automatically launch B9S installer. I'll attach it to this post, try extracting it onto your SD card to see if it works.

Edit: The version of B9S on there might be a previous one, make sure to update it. Dont delete the B9S installer in the boot9strap folder though, that's the payload it's set to launch.

 

[TLNiles]

@TLNiles

If you tried to place the B9S installer on the 3DS root as arm9loaderhax.bin, it won't work. I actually tried that on my 3DS, and for some reason B9S installer doesnt work when launched directly by A9LH, it only works when the 3DS launches another payload first for some reason. I confirmed this by testing it myself several times.

With that in mind, I actually prepared a little zip file for a friend of mine who has a hard time following directions. The zip includes a build of BootCTR9 preconfigured to automatically launch B9S installer. I'll attach it to this post, try extracting it onto your SD card to see if it works.

Edit: The version of B9S on there might be a previous one, make sure to update it. Dont delete the B9S installer in the boot9strap folder though, that's the payload it's set to launch.

Well, not like I've been attempting all that while seriously thinking it would work. I did it back then mostly to see what would happen. But as I mentioned in previous posts - console fails to run a9lh payload for some reason, even though it's clearly trying to. Thus, your update pack is actually of no use(and yes, I actually checked to see if anything changes. No, I still can't run arm9loaderhax.bin thus I can't run any payload at all).

 

[Natsuru]

I do have multi-tester with continuity. Any advices on what I should try and check with it?

Check the points from the board to the franken SD pins. If you hear the beep for each pin you should be good.
Also check to see if any of the wires are shorted to each other.

What I mean by this is with the franken SD connected.
Hold 1 multi meter probe to point 1 and test 2,3,4
Then hold on point 2 and test 3,4
Then hold on point 3 and test 4
If it beeps you have a short somewhere and will need to check the soldering. Most likely the franken adapter as the spacing between the pins really small.

 

[TLNiles]

Check the points from the board to the franken SD pins. If you hear the beep for each pin you should be good.
Also check to see if any of the wires are shorted to each other.

What I mean by this is with the franken SD connected.
Hold 1 multi meter probe to point 1 and test 2,3,4
Then hold on point 2 and test 3,4
Then hold on point 3 and test 4
If it beeps you have a short somewhere and will need to check the soldering. Most likely the franken adapter as the spacing between the pins really small.

Well, wires clearly come to their respective pins on SD. As well as they're not shorted to each other, that I also checked.
GND seems to be going to 2 SD pins at once though, but I can't say if it's an issue, and person who made frankenSD for me said that he done that intentionally for "safety measure". I personally would not risk to open it up and redo the wiring inside of adapter myself. Overall, none of the pins that should be DAT0, CMD, CLK and GND seems to short each other.

 

[Natsuru]

I have never herd of this "safety measure". Seems kinda odd if you ask me.
Following the hardmod guide it never says to do this. https://gbatemp.net/threads/tutorial-noob-friendly-nand-dumping-2ds-3ds-3ds-xl-n3ds-n3ds-xl.414498/
I would love to see where he found this info from.
This could be causing the issue, maby.
Other then that it could be just the card reader still.
If you know the person ask it they have a compatible card reader and see if they will let you borrow it.

 

[TLNiles]

I have never herd of this "safety measure". Seems kinda odd if you ask me.
Following the hardmod guide it never says to do this. https://gbatemp.net/threads/tutorial-noob-friendly-nand-dumping-2ds-3ds-3ds-xl-n3ds-n3ds-xl.414498/
I would love to see where he found this info from.
This could be causing the issue, maby.
Other then that it could be just the card reader still.
If you know the person ask it they have a compatible card reader and see if they will let you borrow it.

From looking at this image - http://s3.amazonaws.com/bundlr-app-...875bfaf18bd0002000a17/3dsDump4.jpg?1414034880 it appears that GND goes to both pins 3 and 6. Not sure why and not sure if it's also okay. I'll see what's about that. Also will be asking to that person if he might have compatible card reader. But again, if I understand correctly, I should get blue screen in any case, it's just that error will differ depending if I can r/w NAND or not?
Also redone soldering, it's much cleaner now with less solder. Haven't changed anything though.
UPD: I decided to check pins 3 and 6 on my normal SD adapter, and it appears that they're short by default, so I believe it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[TLNiles]

Okay, I've tried a whole lot of card readers and I'm somehow unable to get any bootrom error at all. Does anyone have any idea why would that happen? I'm kinda at loss. Visually, everything is fine on the board itself. I can't see any burned details, MCU chip also looks completely fine, nothing wrong with NAND as well seemingly, the thing charges and power led turns on when I press the button, so there should be no issues with powering, right? Is there any technician who might suggest where the problem lies, if console refuses to even give a error to me? Should I test continuity on something to see if it's in working state, I dunno?

 

[Just3DS]

Okay, I've tried a whole lot of card readers and I'm somehow unable to get any bootrom error at all. Does anyone have any idea why would that happen? I'm kinda at loss. Visually, everything is fine on the board itself. I can't see any burned details, MCU chip also looks completely fine, nothing wrong with NAND as well seemingly, the thing charges and power led turns on when I press the button, so there should be no issues with powering, right? Is there any technician who might suggest where the problem lies, if console refuses to even give a error to me? Should I test continuity on something to see if it's in working state, I dunno?

Like the members initially suggested to check wifi card and ribbon cables are inserted properly, so kindly check those first. Since you not getting any display (bootrom error, etc) and it makes pop sound when it suddenly powers off is due to some hardware issue, causing console to shut off to protect itself.

 

[TLNiles]

Like the members initially suggested to check wifi card and ribbon cables are inserted properly, so kindly check those first. Since you not getting any display (bootrom error, etc) and it makes pop sound when it suddenly powers off is due to some hardware issue, causing console to shut off to protect itself.

Well I can't see checking wifi card as a good suggestion, since on N3DS XL wifi chipset is integrated into motherboard and hidden under the shielding, thus it can't be mistakenly detached(only antenna), and removing it would be unadviceable. All the ribbons I have also checked, and as they are in place, I only can suspect that something just died somewhere out of my reach. Problem is, I can't see any way how I can make any diagnosis - if with PC you can find faulty hardware by BIOS signals while you reattach stuff one by one, in this situation it is not possible. If I just disconnect all the ribbon cables and see which one might be causing issues by connecting them back one by one, I'll get nothing anyways, right?