Hardware New 3DS XL hardmod reassemble to no touch and diagonal movement

[nickveldrin]

Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone had run into an issue while attempting to hardmod a New 3DS XL where when putting it back together again, the unit acts as if the analog stick is being pushed diagonally for ~20sec before stopping that movement, but all the while not responding to touch?

Vid below:


I've been soldering and working on electronics projects for over 20 years, and even did a few successfully "old" 3ds and XL's, but this was the first "new" 3ds XL attempt. Following the thread of how to perform the hardmod on the one i had, even though what i had tried to mod was a XL version, the guide's photos were of the normal New 3DS where you had to remove the board to get access to the chip beneath.

I followed the iFixit guide to take it apart, from here: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Nintendo+3DS+XL+2015+Motherboard+Replacement/41361 and got everything out without problem. However, putting it back together again was a little bit more complicated, and some of those ribbon cables bent and flexed a bit as i tried putting them back in with the tweezers, but eventually got them all in.

After i got it all together and powered things up, i noticed right away that there was a diagonal movement, and initially thought it was the analog stick. I ruled that out after removing the analog stick's electronics. Then noticed that the touch wasn't working; i thought maybe the analog stick just needed calibration, but you cannot get to calibration without working touch.

After 3 more times of taking things apart and putting them back together again, the ribbon cables that you must only push in and not lock are not handling the abuse very well, and nothing's changed from my first attempt - so i'm making a post to see if anyone's run into this before or if i'm just screwed and must buy a new one.

It's hard to say what's wrong - if it's just the touch panel or if it's the motherboard, both of which can be bought reasonably from ebay, but that when added together end up being what you'd pay for a refurbished "old" 3DS XL at the store, which wouldn't require the motherboard to be taken out to hardmod.

Anyone seen this before?

 

[vb_encryption_vb]

Ribbon is not connected. 2 ribbons, they have the small grey clip that flips up to remove. Insert ribbon, clip it closed.

 

[Thee_BaBs]

It looks like your actual circle pad is not mounted on top of the joystick; there should be a hole in the middle of the pad that the plastic nub on the joystick should go into.

 

[nickveldrin]

Ribbon is not connected. 2 ribbons, they have the small grey clip that flips up to remove. Insert ribbon, clip it closed.

Which ribbon would do that? Can you look at step 13 to see which of the ones you think? https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Nintendo+3DS+XL+2015+Motherboard+Replacement/41361

It looks like your actual circle pad is not mounted on top of the joystick; there should be a hole in the middle of the pad that the plastic nub on the joystick should go into.

I took the circle pad out after determining that no matter how it's installed (or not), the movement still occurs.

 

[Thee_BaBs]

I took the circle pad out after determining that no matter how it's installed (or not), the movement still occurs.

then either the cable is not plugged in all the way or it is not making good contact with the connector.

 

[vb_encryption_vb]

Im replying from my phone. There is only 2 ribbons thatuse the flip lid connection. 1 is near the joystick, for the joystick obviously.

The second is on the top to the left of the 2 flex cables that overlap each other.

 

[nickveldrin]

then either the cable is not plugged in all the way or it is not making good contact with the connector.

Which cable? Wouldn't the analog stick have no relationship with the fact that the touch screen doesn't work at all? And wouldn't it not move at all if the item isn't plugged in?

I dug into this other tear down, here https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nintendo+3DS+XL+2015+Teardown/36346 that shows that there are three ribbons that look to control that bottom touchscreen. If i have any of them disconnected, the unit doesn't power up. The blue light turns on, then turns off.

Im replying from my phone. There is only 2 ribbons thatuse the flip lid connection. 1 is near the joystick, for the joystick obviously.

The second is on the top to the left of the 2 flex cables that overlap each other.

:/ I'll try to take it apart again and put it back together again, but i'm pretty confident i've got the ribbon connectors in right, since i've done it several times now.

I'm feeling more that there's something hosed with hardware.

 

[nickveldrin]

Same symptoms when fresh disconnect-reconnect it all, but i wondered what would happen if i switch one of those topright most ribbon cables to plug into its connector upside down (one of the two underneath, but no boot, so no good there..

 

[vb_encryption_vb]

Same symptoms when fresh disconnect-reconnect it all, but i wondered what would happen if i switch one of those topright most ribbon cables to plug into its connector upside down (one of the two underneath, but no boot, so no good there..

Its the 2 ribbons i mentioned. I assume that you messed the connector up.

 

[gamesquest1]

yeah the "diagonal movement" is the normal reaction to not having the analogue stick installed / installed correctly, i guess its possible even if you have it in correctly that you have bridged something somewhere causing the console to be constantly registering input

PS the ribbon cable in question if pretty obvious on the basis that its the only ribbon cable that runs to the analogue stick

 

[nickveldrin]

No go on installing one of the topright most ribbon connectors backwards. System didn't boot, nor on the analog gamestick either.

However, when pulling everything apart again, this time with rested eyes, i noticed that one of the ribbon cables had a tiny tear.

Seems like this may be my issue. I'm going to disassemble the whole unit to identify the exact destination of this ribbon cable, because it's not clear if it's for the top LCD or the bottom, or let alone if this is my only problem.

 

[vb_encryption_vb]

Small ribbon to your left that is not hooked up, thats responsible for the touch screen.

 

[gamesquest1]

the ribbon with the tear is the bottom LCD, if that is damaged the bottom LCD wouldn't work or have display issues (i.e no display,fuzzy picture, garbled display etc), but it shouldn't have any bearing on the analogue stick issue, its almost certainly something to do with the small ribbon cable that comes directly from the analogue stick.....maybe make sure there isn't anything shorting the contacts or that the port isnt damaged

the top ribbon that is disconnected is the digitizer as vb pointed out, and the brown one with 4 traces (on the bottom right of the picture) is the analogue stick, this should look similar to the digitizer port i.e it isnt a friction clip but should have a grey clip on it to hold the cable in place

 

[nickveldrin]

the ribbon with the tear is the bottom LCD, if that is damaged the bottom LCD wouldn't work or have display issues (i.e no display,fuzzy picture, garbled display etc), but it shouldn't have any bearing on the analogue stick issue, its almost certainly something to do with the small ribbon cable that comes directly from the analogue stick.....maybe make sure there isn't anything shorting the contacts or that the port isnt damaged

the top ribbon that is disconnected is the digitizer as vb pointed out, and the brown one with 4 traces (on the bottom right of the picture) is the analogue stick, this should look similar to the digitizer port i.e it isnt a friction clip but should have a grey clip on it to hold the cable in place

That's interesting. I've got it all disassembled, and it's definitely the digitizer cable that's slightly torn. I also saw that the digitizer cable for the top screen (what i tried to turn backwards last night) is now torn as well.

I know the analog stick's ribbon cable, because i had to pop it out to get to the bottom and have reinstalled it a few times.

I'm still in the process of disassembling it all, and will see what new parts will cost for it to see if it'd still be worthwhile attempting to replace them versus get a refurbished old XL for my friend.

 

[vb_encryption_vb]

That's interesting. I've got it all disassembled, and it's definitely the digitizer cable that's slightly torn. I also saw that the digitizer cable for the top screen (what i tried to turn backwards last night) is now torn as well.

I know the analog stick's ribbon cable, because i had to pop it out to get to the bottom and have reinstalled it a few times.

I'm still in the process of disassembling it all, and will see what new parts will cost for it to see if it'd still be worthwhile attempting to replace them versus get a refurbished old XL for my friend.

Morally its wrong to replace the console with a lower model.

N3ds is superior to o3ds

 

[nickveldrin]

Morally its wrong to replace the console with a lower model.

N3ds is superior to o3ds

I just don't think i could do these ribbon cables again if i've already failed once. I totally agree with you, but i feel frustrated at spending a whole day and failing, whereas it took me just 15 minutes to do the o3ds XL.

Based on what i see for the ribbon cables for the top hinge, it was the top screen digitizer cable that i also tore while trying to put it in upside down (thinking i may have had it incorrectly), so i'm pretty much screwed here.

I found an old 3ds XL on ebay with a broken game cart slot for 75$, which is fine for my needs of just playing homebrew and downloaded apps, so i'm going to give my friend my already modded fully functional one and set this broken n3DS XL in my parts bin.

Thank you to everyone who tried to help. I did learn a bit on how the new one works inside and feel 50% sure i could do it successfully if i attempted again, but that's not high enough to give me confidence to spend 180$ on another attempt.

 

[vb_encryption_vb]

I just don't think i could do these ribbon cables again if i've already failed once. I totally agree with you, but i feel frustrated at spending a whole day and failing, whereas it took me just 15 minutes to do the o3ds XL.

Based on what i see for the ribbon cables for the top hinge, it was the top screen digitizer cable that i also tore while trying to put it in upside down (thinking i may have had it incorrectly), so i'm pretty much screwed here.

I found an old 3ds XL on ebay with a broken game cart slot for 75$, which is fine for my needs of just playing homebrew and downloaded apps, so i'm going to give my friend my already modded fully functional one and set this broken n3DS XL in my parts bin.

Thank you to everyone who tried to help. I did learn a bit on how the new one works inside and feel 50% sure i could do it successfully if i attempted again, but that's not high enough to give me confidence to spend 180$ on another attempt.

I've got an o3ds xl with broken wifi only, just needs to wifi cable installed. I'd take $80 shipped for it

 

[gamesquest1]

to clarify digitizer = touch screen.....there is no top screen digitizer as the top screen is not touch screen

PS next time before you take on stuff always be sure you know how to fix it before you offer to do it, before i did unbricks and stuff way back when, i purposefully bricked my own system so i could firstly verify the fact gateway had brick code, B. that the unbricking software worked and C, get familiar with the process before i start taking other peoples systems

also if you do get him a replacement, he may get lucky and it comes on 10.7 or lower and can be downgraded without you having to disassemble it anyway, even a second hand n3DS is better than fobbing him off with a downgrade tbh most n3ds consoles should be on 10.7 or lower