Hacking Hardware Picofly - a HWFLY switch modchip

[abal1000x]

I installed the picofly using the method of just one mosfet on the back of the board, the other points I used from the PicoFlyGuideV.6.2 tutorial here on the forum, the same way I did it on another V2 switch that works normally. Would it be a case of redoing the installation or even replacing the picofly?

Try using OFW then write something to the microsd.
If its corrupted than its for sure the hardware (not from software such as hekate, atmosphere, etc).

I feel its more about hardware, like something is shorting the power line, consistently.
Check the cable, especially if you use enameled cable, on the edge. If its shorting the board.

 

[Seco_Gobbo2]

SciresM answered that error 010041544d530000 is likely related to a malformed user-configuration ini file.
https://github.com/Atmosphere-NX/Atmosphere/issues/1914
It could be an humand error, some editor leaving some invisible unicode junk or maybe you have some corruption on your card.
The user reporting the issue said he had to comment out the setting : power_menu_reboot_function
More people are having issues with this setting it seems.

Thanks for the link, I just read it and the problem reported is starting atmosphere, the fatal error in my case I can get around using the archive bit fix via Hekate. The big question is why are the games installed by DBI corrupting?
The card used passed the H2testw test without any problems

Post automatically merged: Apr 3, 2024

Try using OFW then write something to the microsd.
If its corrupted than its for sure the hardware (not from software such as hekate, atmosphere, etc).

I feel its more about hardware, like something is shorting the power line, consistently.
Check the cable, especially if you use enameled cable, on the edge. If its shorting the board.

Thanks, I'll do that test tomorrow.
And yes, I used enameled wire, I was very careful during the installation so as not to damage anything, but a short could happen, I'll check everything, I'll probably change the wiring to be sure

 

[Schweino]

So, I installed a RP2040 (Aliexpress) in my patched V1 and I wondered if the RP2040 is defective or if I did something wrong installing it.

The RP2040 does not want to be flashed: It shows up on my PC and Chromebook as external drive but nothing happens when I copy the fw_2.73.uf2 to it. Not even when I hold the boot button while connecting it to my PC. Also, there is no LED activity at all on the RP2040.

I figured that maybe it has preinstalled FW so I went ahead to install in into my switch. Upon booting, the switch boots straight into OFW, and again, the RP2040 has no led activity.

Is this a case of a faulty RP2040 or is my installation not correct? I am assuming that if I incorrectly installed in my switch that the switch wouldn't even boot to OFW?

Does anyone have any advise? I received 3 more and they all have the same issue.

 

[bvang913]

Does anyone have any advise? I received 3 more and they all have the same issue.

Attaching pics of your install will help others in identifying what could be wrong.

 

[Nephiel]

Are they all RP2040-zero or RP2040-tiny? Do they have the Waveshare logo? If the Picofly firmware is on them, the LED should flash whenever the RP2040 is powered on. Not likely all 4 are defective.

Otherwise, they might be clone boards, some of those come with who knows what resistor values, and the LED wired wrong.

 

[Schweino]

Update: I just put a picofly in from a switch that is working and it booted up to the picofly logo (and led is working) so I assume it's not my soldering job. The RP2040 must be without firmware but I can't get them to flash.

Is there another way to flash these maybe (instead of copying the w_2.73.uf2 to it)?

It's the board below:

Post automatically merged: Apr 3, 2024

Update again: Seems the .uf2 was corrupt.... Though I did re-download it earlier, I did so again and now it worked.... Sorry for the confusion guys.... And thanks for your help.

 

[agelllos]

Hi can I mod my switch OLED with the modchip from this link? If yes, can you point me to a guide?
ali***ress c o m / _Ey08R

 

[rsilveira1991]

47k

so it is 4.7k and 47k.
right?

 

[ks100rr]

Hi can I mod my switch OLED with the modchip from this link? If yes, can you point me to a guide?
ali***ress c o m / _Ey08R

if you look up sthetix on youtube he has a bunch of great video on how to do the install as well as a github with a bunch of how to with numerous different mod chip being install on all different models.

 

[zGHLooL]

Hey guys , i recently installed two hwfly V6 on oled switch , one works perfectly, the other one is acting weird, it wont show any led light on the mod chip , and boot to official firmware only with no sign of detecting the mod chip , i tested the points sometimes 3.3v point give me 1.3v and sometimes show 0.933v and B show 1.5v or 1.8v other points are between normal range (0.5v to 0.9).
Any idea that might help me in the right direction?

 

[BaamAlex]

What's the "recommended" wire thickness? I have awg 28, awg 30 and some enameled wires. Thin like a hair.

 

[eseldiem]

What's the "recommended" wire thickness? I have awg 28, awg 30 and some enameled wires. Thin like a hair.

I would recommend awg 36 or awg 38.

 

[abal1000x]

What's the "recommended" wire thickness? I have awg 28, awg 30 and some enameled wires. Thin like a hair.

awg40 insulated (not enameled).

You could bought it on aliexpress for as short as 10meter.

Something like this
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003682556719.html

I bought on different store though (the cheapest one around 3$ for 10m), its already sold out.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005518392770.html

 

[Phantomas77]

Hi all, would like to ask for some guidance, have this OLED with SKHynix which has been driving me nuts..

My usual install procedure:

• RP2040-Tiny FW2.75 + 47/100/100
• eMMC reball with leaded solder + AWG42 enamel wire for DAT0
• CPU flex with double MOSFET
• AWG36 insulated wires for the rest of points + AWG30 for 3.3/GND

The console on first boot showed ** RST is not connected I reflowed RST wire on the chip and then **= No eMMC block 1 read (should not happen). I verified and reflowed all DATA wires. Then it started to glitch and successfully boot to NO SD card screen. I did some more restarts and it always booted to NO SD screen within usual time. So I disconnected battery, started to apply some kapton on top of the chip, connected battery back to check before assembly and than I got =* D0 is not connected.

If I unplug and plug back the battery connector, sometimes it boots to NO SD, if I unplug and plug it again, I get D0 error. What I've done so far without success: reflowed eMMC, tested with RP2040-Zero (47/100/100), reballed again eMMC with new DAT0 wire, flashed RP2040-zero with 2.73 FW. I continue to get DAT0 error or successfull "NO SD boot" when I uplug/plug battery connector.

Whenever it glitches, the Hekate shows no problems with eMMC speed (400MB/s) and OFW works. I've already backup the prodkeys and Boot0/Boot1 data.

Right now on RP2040-zero sometimes I don't see any light on power on (black screen as well) or sometimes it slightly blinks blue... Seems like a short or something? Already checked all the power and data wires.

Spoiler: Here's the readout in diode mode (red probe on GND)

• +3.3V. 0.360
• DAT0 0.525
• CMD 0.570
• CLK 0.603
• RST. 0.424
• CPU. 0.431

Any help would be much appreciated

 

[abal1000x]

Hi all, would like to ask for some guidance, have this OLED with SKHynix which has been driving me nuts..

My usual install procedure:

• RP2040-Tiny FW2.75 + 47/100/100
• eMMC reball with leaded solder + AWG42 enamel wire for DAT0
• CPU flex with double MOSFET
• AWG36 insulated wires for the rest of points + AWG30 for 3.3/GND

The console on first boot showed ** RST is not connected I reflowed RST wire on the chip and then **= No eMMC block 1 read (should not happen). I verified and reflowed all DATA wires. Then it started to glitch and successfully boot to NO SD card screen. I did some more restarts and it always booted to NO SD screen within usual time. So I disconnected battery, started to apply some kapton on top of the chip, connected battery back to check before assembly and than I got =* D0 is not connected.

If I unplug and plug back the battery connector, sometimes it boots to NO SD, if I unplug and plug it again, I get D0 error. What I've done so far without success: reflowed eMMC, tested with RP2040-Zero (47/100/100), reballed again eMMC with new DAT0 wire, flashed RP2040-zero with 2.73 FW. I continue to get DAT0 error or successfull "NO SD boot" when I uplug/plug battery connector.

Whenever it glitches, the Hekate shows no problems with eMMC speed (400MB/s) and OFW works. I've already backup the prodkeys and Boot0/Boot1 data.

Right now on RP2040-zero sometimes I don't see any light on power on (black screen as well) or sometimes it slightly blinks blue... Seems like a short or something? Already checked all the power and data wires.

Spoiler: Here's the readout in diode mode (red probe on GND)

• +3.3V. 0.360
• DAT0 0.525
• CMD 0.570
• CLK 0.603
• RST. 0.424
• CPU. 0.431

Any help would be much appreciated

Looking the error such as RST wire, then D0 error, then plug and unplug the battery.
Seems like theres common issue.

The RST might occured because the 3.3V power goes to rp2040 is not 3.3V.
The D0 error similar to RST, checking the voltage and outside of the normal voltage.
And again plug and unplug the battery might also affecting the 3.3V voltage goes to rp2040.

Maybe the first probe is checking the 3.3V voltage goes to the rp2040.

 

[Phantomas77]

Thanks for your insight @abal1000x, I didn't have a chance to do anything and it's always a black screen now, no light on pico after power button press. Seems like I burned something... I uninstalled the chip and CPU flex, black screen persists and the board seems to be heating if I plug it with power supply.

Any idea where should I start? Will check the M92T and PI13USB for shorts now...

Update: no shorts on those two IC's.

 

[superxoi]

Thanks for your insight @abal1000x, I didn't have a chance to do anything and it's always a black screen now, no light on pico after power button press. Seems like I burned something... I uninstalled the chip and CPU flex, black screen persists and the board seems to be heating if I plug it with power supply.

Any idea where should I start? Will check the M92T and PI13USB for shorts now...

Update: no shorts on those two IC's.

Do the console boot without the chip? If not check the 3.3v rail if it is shorted or not. If it is not shorted check the voltage when you plug the power cable in to see if the 3.3v rail give you 3.3v or not. If it is not then check your 3.3v regulator.

Post automatically merged: Apr 8, 2024

Update: I just put a picofly in from a switch that is working and it booted up to the picofly logo (and led is working) so I assume it's not my soldering job. The RP2040 must be without firmware but I can't get them to flash.

Is there another way to flash these maybe (instead of copying the w_2.73.uf2 to it)?

It's the board below:

Post automatically merged: Apr 3, 2024

Update again: Seems the .uf2 was corrupt.... Though I did re-download it earlier, I did so again and now it worked.... Sorry for the confusion guys.... And thanks for your help.

Maybe you can switch to use @psycho-neon board instead. It is too much fun using your own chip. I have tested on 20+ devices now all work great.

 

[Myst0gan]

On switch OLED I'm getting everytime the same error *== "No eMMC CMD1 request (poor wiring, or dead CPU)" does anyone has any clue what it could be??



Here is what I've checked until now:

1. All the wiring, they're soldered properly (I'm using the same wire that I've already used in the past with other oleds)

2. Added a second resistor on dat0 and cmd (in total 97 Ohm)

3. Chaged the dat0 adapter

4. Changed hwfly flex cable for the apu (from v3 to v2, that has previously worked)

5. Changed the wire of the the clk with a thinner one, the error hasn't changed, so I switched back to my usual wire

6. Switched rp2040 with another one



After all this, the picofly keeps giving m
e the same error.

 

[psycho-neon]

Maybe you can switch to use @psycho-neon board instead. It is too much fun using your own chip. I have tested on 20+ devices now all work great.

Thanks for the feedback! I appreciate it. I enjoyed the chip as much as you do. Perfect placement for every device.

Post automatically merged: Apr 8, 2024

After all this, the picofly keeps giving m
e the same error.

Did you check the cmd line? The one on top of the SoC?

 

[Myst0gan]

Thanks for the feedback! I appreciate it. I enjoyed the chip as much as you do. Perfect placement for every device.

Post automatically merged: Apr 8, 2024

Did you check the cmd line? The one on top of the SoC?

Yup!! If I disconnect the cmd from Picofly I get the correct error "cmd isn't connected". If I measure from the top side of cmd resistor till the end of my wire, I get 4.7 KOhm

I get *== only when I disconnect clk and CPU, I've checked again both wires and diode readings, everything is normal like I used to get with the OLEDs that I've modded in the past