Hacking n3DSXL has gave up on life

[Aquadraws]

UPDATE: For anyone reading this for the first time, I ended up destroying two ribbon cables connector by mistake, yes I blame myself I should have had more caution.

I hope you guys can help me with this one.

Since a while (around 2 years by now) my console is having crash issues. It can go from power light fading on and off(the micro sd card with a working boot.firm is inserted) to unable to load CTRNand firm. The weirdest thing is that console starts "working properly" only if I slap it very hard on the back (No, I'm not kidding). Here's a list of the things it does the most commong one being power light fading off:

- Blue Light fades away like if boot.firm wasn't detected
- Unable to mount ctrnand firm use an external one
- External firm payload too big (what?)
- <insert random system process> crashes on boot
- Black screen but powered on
- Most of times system freezes when I try to go to the home menu from a software
- Using the volume slider might occasionally crash the system
- Tilting the top screen might occasionally crash the system
- This also happens in external firm payloads (like godmode9) rarely
- DS mode isn't affected

It's not really a problem for me if I end up using this as a paperweight I dumped all my games and saves to Citra, but still hope you can help me.

 

[Shadow#1]

I hope you guys can help me with this one.

Since a while (around 2 years by now) my console is having crash issues. It can go from power light fading on and off(the micro sd card with a working boot.firm is inserted) to unable to load CTRNand firm. The weirdest thing is that console starts "working properly" only if I slap it very hard on the back (No, I'm not kidding). Here's a list of the things it does the most commong one being power light fading off:

- Blue Light fades away like if boot.firm wasn't detected
- Unable to mount ctrnand firm use an external one
- External firm payload too big (what?)
- <insert random system process> crashes on boot
- Black screen but powered on
- Most of times system freezes when I try to go to the home menu from a software
- Using the volume slider might occasionally crash the system
- Tilting the top screen might occasionally crash the system
- This also happens in external firm payloads (like godmode9) rarely
- DS mode isn't affected

It's not really a problem for me if I end up using this as a paperweight I dumped all my games and saves to Citra, but still hope you can help me.

Sell it for parts and buy another

 

[Aquadraws]

Sell it for parts and buy another

Maybe I should do that...

 

[StrayGuitarist]

Good Lord, man. How long have you had this thing?

I'd probably recommend the same thing, simply getting another console. But in my experience, the n3DSXLs are incredibly finicky and fragile. My o3DS I got the year after launch is still going strong to this day, and they seem to be the most robust (aside from the regular 2DS) in my experience. But if you're dedicated to having an N3DS, it'll be easier to find an XL than a regular sized one..

 

[lone_wolf323]

Good Lord, man. How long have you had this thing?

I'd probably recommend the same thing, simply getting another console. But in my experience, the n3DSXLs are incredibly finicky and fragile. My o3DS I got the year after launch is still going strong to this day, and they seem to be the most robust (aside from the regular 2DS) in my experience. But if you're dedicated to having an N3DS, it'll be easier to find an XL than a regular sized one..

the new consoles i find are better overall, the extra ram and the better hardware let games run smoother. I would never go back to any of the old consoles.

 

[StrayGuitarist]

the new consoles i find are better overall, the extra ram and the better hardware let games run smoother. I would never go back to any of the old consoles.

That is a definite benefit, I just find that the n3DSXL and the n2DSXL are both very fragile. I'd love to get my hands on an n3DS, though, I always wanted one but by the time I could afford one, they went out of production.

 

[SonicMC]

I would try a different SD card with a clean setup on it. Corrupted or bad SD cards can do funny things.

The contacts on the SD card could be iffy as well. Slapping the 3ds on the back could get the contacts to connect temporarily.

Just a few thoughts before throwing money at a new system. Try a few simple fixes if you have them available.

 

[Shadow#1]

That is a definite benefit, I just find that the n3DSXL and the n2DSXL are both very fragile. I'd love to get my hands on an n3DS, though, I always wanted one but by the time I could afford one, they went out of production.

My N3DSXL is quite solid I don't know how u abuse your consoles bud

 

[StrayGuitarist]

My N3DSXL is quite solid I don't know how u abuse your consoles bud

I don't abuse my consoles, lol. I've kept the same Dreamcast in fantastic condition for a little over a decade.

I've never owned an N3DSXL, but I have many friends who have, and have all had them die in various ways within 2 or 3 years or so.

 

[Aquadraws]

Good Lord, man. How long have you had this thing?

For more than two years by now, I remember it started to happen when I brought the console at school since it was like extra activities after the school year it self.

The contacts on the SD card could be iffy as well. Slapping the 3ds on the back could get the contacts to connect temporarily.

You mean the contacts on the card it self or the ones from the slot to the 3ds motherboard? Because this seems to weird to be caused by the sd...

 

[Shadow#1]

I don't abuse my consoles, lol. I've kept the same Dreamcast in fantastic condition for a little over a decade.

I've never owned an N3DSXL, but I have many friends who have, and have all had them die in various ways within 2 or 3 years or so.

Because they abuse ther systems I have had mine since March 23rd 2016 and it's sill going strong

 

[StrayGuitarist]

Because they abuse ther systems I have had mine since March 23rd 2016 and it's sill going strong

I suppose, knowing the people, it isn't terribly unlikely they treated them poorly. Yet I still don't like how cheap they feel.

 

[Aquadraws]

So trying with the original 4GB card that came with the console, I copied only Mario Kart 7 titles.db and imports.db from the other card and so far it hasn't crashed yet. I'll try a few online races.

 

[SonicMC]

For more than two years by now, I remember it started to happen when I brought the console at school since it was like extra activities after the school year it self.


You mean the contacts on the card it self or the ones from the slot to the 3ds motherboard? Because this seems to weird to be caused by the sd...

Could be the contacts on the SD card, could be ones on the motherboard. I've had sd card readers go bad before... but yeah pretty rare. That would be a difficult fix taking it apart to put a new one in. So wasn't recommending that. But the SD card is very easy to switch out and see if it makes a difference. Just don't copy everything from the old sd card to the new one. Download clean

Additionally... I've had bad/fake flash cards, sd cards and usb sticks that have gone bad... When they start going bad you can get some weird results. All sorts of crashes and weird things...

Edit: see it's working better after posting!

 

[Aquadraws]

Could be the contacts on the SD card, could be ones on the motherboard. I've had sd card readers go bad before... but yeah pretty rare. That would be a difficult fix taking it apart to put a new one in. So wasn't recommending that. But the SD card is very easy to switch out and see if it makes a difference. Just don't copy everything from the old sd card to the new one. Download clean

Additionally... I've had bad/fake flash cards, sd cards and usb sticks that have gone bad... When they start going bad you can get some weird results. All sorts of crashes and weird things...

Edit: see it's working better after posting!

Well both my "crashing" sd card and the original card are from trusted manufacters and so is my microsd/sd to usb.

I just put the 32GB class 10 back and the console froze on the home menu after scrolling for a few secs, I guess the card is the problem. Damn...

Edit: NVM, the 4GB card just crashed on MK7 online menu and went straight to power light fading off

 

[Deleted member 668561]

buy sd cards from walmart or a local store, avoid buying them online, as it will likely be fake or low quality, at local stores 8- 16GB card should be less than $10 bucks or so, with 32-64 GB sd around 20 bucks, 128gb is about 30 ish

onn, sandisk, kingston, pny class 10 or better, i recommend UHS-I or better, especially for cia installing

 

[Aquadraws]

buy sd cards from walmart or a local store, avoid buying them online, as it will likely be fake or low quality, at local stores 8- 16GB card should be less than $10 bucks or so, with 32-64 GB sd around 20 bucks, 128gb is about 30 ish

onn, sandisk, kingston, pny class 10 or better, i recommend UHS-I or better, especially for cia installing

Well all my cards were bought from kingston.com and tested with h2testw I still think my console just gave up and wanted to be used as a paperweight

 

[Deleted member 668561]

Well all my cards were bought from kingston.com and tested with h2testw I still think my console just gave up and wanted to be used as a paperweight

have you tried restoring a nand backup?

 

[Aquadraws]

have you tried restoring a nand backup?

Lost my pre A9LH backup and others nand backups I had still crashed, but I tried CTRTransfer type D9 (with a new micro sd) and same crashes occur. I'm thinking of trying to open up the console, not that I have anything to lose anyways

 

[TurdPooCharger]

Lost my pre A9LH backup and others nand backups I had still crashed, but I tried CTRTransfer type D9 (with a new micro sd) and same crashes occur. I'm thinking of trying to open up the console, not that I have anything to lose anyways

Here are others that have bricked systems not fixable with SysNAND Restore, CTRTransfer (Type D9), standard CTRTransfer, etc.

• Need help, is it possible to transfer my old game file on my 128gb sd card to my new nintendo 3ds xl
• Is my N3DS broken? Random crashes no matter what
• CTRtransfer stops partway through, just shows a qr code

There was one person (fatsocat) that managed to salvage his n3DS with a bad NAND chip. He was able to successfully switch over to EmuNAND setup when the results for eMMC Status Checker came back bad.

• Am exeption occurred for N3DS CFW