Hardware o3DS - issue with both screens, neither one displays an image

[RyanXx]

Information about the 3DS:
-Blue light comes on
-System charges (orange light comes on)
-3D slider light comes on
-Wireless communication switch light comes on
-Volume works (I can hear the home menu music)
-Backlight comes on for both screens
-Neither screen displays an image (both are black)
-The 3DS never had CFW installed on it

Any ideas what's going on here? I already tried reseating all the ribbon cables on the motherboard and reconnecting the wifi chip but nothing seems to work, is this 3DS for the dump or can it still be saved, I've practically given up all hope at this point.

 

[KleinesSinchen]

We can rule out WiFi chip. Missing or defective one would interrupt the boot process very early on.

The symptoms described fit very good for N3DSXL in case of bad camera module (disconnecting is a workaround). For O3DS I have no idea. Try recovery mode (this one works on N3DSXL in that situation given the screen cables are connected correctly --> shows the hardware is functional)

Did you first disassemble and remove ribbon cables for whatever reason (maybe inserted backwards? Yes, this happens) or did you try that after the problem appeared?

 

[RyanXx]

bad camera module (disconnecting is a workaround)

I tried booting the 3DS with the camera ribbon cable disconnected, didn't make a difference.

Try recovery mode

I tried booting into recovery mode but the screens still don't show an image at all, only the backlight comes on for both screens.

Did you first disassemble and remove ribbon cables for whatever reason (maybe inserted backwards? Yes, this happens) or did you try that after the problem appeared?

No idea how or when this problem happened because this is a very old system that's 12 years old that needed a bunch of repairs, plus the old battery in the system was swollen and unusable, so I haven't been able to turn on and test the system for the past year until recently when I got a new battery for it. I checked all the ribbon cables a few hours ago and I'm 99% sure all of them are connected properly. It's a weird scenario because I've never seen anything like this before. Basically everything about the system works except for the screens, even the backlight works. Doesn't even do the popping sound thing when you try to turn the system on.

 

[ghjfdtg]

What happens if you hold SELECT while powering on/boot? Anything shown on screen?

 

[Kwyjor]

What happens if you remove the SD card?

 

[RyanXx]

What happens if you hold SELECT while powering on/boot? Anything shown on screen?

Nope, nothing changes.

What happens if you remove the SD card?

I didn't have an SD card in the 3DS to begin with.