Hacking Hardware Picofly - a HWFLY switch modchip

[Zm1231]

Yea trying to figure out what may be wrong. I'm picking the switch up tomorrow from the shop. as of right now the wiring is still in place I asked the installer to remove the Pico and flex cable for now but leave the wiring and I can work on it from there. I just need to get it working again so it will boot like normal then once I know its booting like normal reinstall the chip and confirm that the flex cable is truly working or not.

I'm assuming I get the CYAN light because the switch wont actually boot right now even normally so something else is wrong after I can get it working normally again That will let me know if the Flex cable is good or bad.

When they installed it I know they said they had accidentally knocked off this resistor but was able to get it back on not sure if this is the reason it wont boot maybe this was damaged.

 

[QuiTim]

Yea trying to figure out what may be wrong. I'm picking the switch up tomorrow from the shop. as of right now the wiring is still in place I asked the installer to remove the Pico and flex cable for now but leave the wiring and I can work on it from there. I just need to get it working again so it will boot like normal then once I know its booting like normal reinstall the chip and confirm that the flex cable is truly working or not.

I'm assuming I get the CYAN light because the switch wont actually boot right now even normally so something else is wrong after I can get it working normally again That will let me know if the Flex cable is good or bad.

When they installed it I know they said they had accidentally knocked off this resistor but was able to get it back on not sure if this is the reason it wont boot maybe this was damaged.
View attachment 373651

That should be 47k 0201 resistor and they don't like the heat very much

 

[Mr Skinner]

Edited.

 

[Zm1231]

That should be 47k 0201 resistor and they don't like the heat very much

Once I pick up the switch tomorrow I can describe more of what's happening and then get photos of the board to post.

I took it to a chain shop here that does micro soldering and cell phone repairs they replace BGA and do all kinds of other things but it seems something got messed up but we're not entirely sure what that one resistor is the only thing that we are aware of he looked at it under an infrared scope and didn't see anything heating up red hot indicating a damaged component.

 

[1337_Ninja]

trust me its really not that hard . just take ur time .
when u take the emmc take ur time dont try to pull it to early and everything will be fine

also reballing is the easiest part :-)

I don't know about anyone else, but I'd think a video guide on how to reball the emmc with a permanent adapter would be very helpful.

 

[abal1000x]

Guys what you think if we should solder 2 gnd point to the picofly, as precaution.

I just thought the risk of GND disconnected while 3.3v connected is very dangerous. Please give me your opinion on this.

 

[lightninjay]

Guys what you think if we should solder 2 gnd point to the picofly, as precaution.

I just thought the risk of GND disconnected while 3.3v connected is very dangerous. Please give me your opinion on this.

I mean, how about solder well the first time and use solder mask to secure wires to the board like has been recommended from the beginning?

 

[detilmalala]

the clk point in oled is also very difficult for me, so far I have obtained the best result using a needle, what tool do you recommend to avoid wasting so much time with that point?

 

[lightninjay]

the clk point in oled is also very difficult for me, so far I have obtained the best result using a needle, what tool do you recommend to avoid wasting so much time with that point?

There is no such thing as a well-done and rushed mod. These types of mods (that were never intended to be done from Ninty's stand-point) are meant to be difficult, and are in fact, engineered to be difficult.

But seriously, with a steady enough hand, I've seen videos of people using dremels with very fine-tipped bits.

Would I ever attempt such a thing? GODS NO! But I applaud those who are capable. I am on your side, of using either a needle from a sewing kit, or the tip of some of my finest-tipped tweezers. But even then, the entire point is to go slowly, and to carefully peel away the mask ONLY over the point that you seek to solder to.

As crass as it may seem, these kinds of mods are akin to making love with a lover; it cannot be rushed, if you wish to have a happy ending on all accounts.

 

[Zm1231]

You are right, its max77 on oled
I was just refering to a similar issue someone else had on 2-3 switches (sd card init failed) turned out to have a short on that chip but I guess this is not the issue in your case

Post automatically merged: May 24, 2023

Did you try to use docking without pico? There were several cases where the display connector was damaged (it seems they are too fragile)

I haven't tried I'll take the doc with me to the shop when I go to pick it up tomorrow and see if it outputs video if so it could be a damaged cable.

 

[abal1000x]

I mean, how about solder well the first time and use solder mask to secure wires to the board like has been recommended from the beginning?

Yeah i know.
Just for precaution, since the risk is damaging apu.

 

[lightninjay]

Yeah i know.
Just for precaution, since the risk is damaging apu.

I wouldn't put it in the guide, as the only reason for something like that to happen would be incompetent soldering.

 

[abal1000x]

@Zm1231 The new firmware have a better debugging. If it is easy to upload the flash, you might try it.

Post automatically merged: May 25, 2023

Thank you @rehius and everyone in here, another lite modded.

Using 51ohm on CMD/CLD/Dat0, hwfly flex v2 and using 2 gnd as precaution.

Guys if i want to factory reset, is it from hekate or from ofw?

 

[lightninjay]

@Zm1231 The new firmware have a better debugging. If it is easy to upload the flash, you might try it.

Post automatically merged: May 25, 2023

Thank you @rehius and everyone in here, another lite modded.

View attachment 373685

Using 51ohm on CMD/CLD/Dat0, hwfly flex v2 and using 2 gnd as precaution.

Guys if i want to factory reset, is it from hekate or from ofw?

From OFW

 

[abal1000x]

From OFW

Thank you.

 

[cgtchy0412]

ive seen this vid

but im gonna try with
dee87 and sergiochendry method first
with adding low melt lead solder and absorb with solder wick


*last time i have use that video method, but i only heat on the 4 leg. im scared to ruin the front pin with many tiny resistor :V

Change to this tip, takes seconds.

Post automatically merged: May 25, 2023

@Zm1231 The new firmware have a better debugging. If it is easy to upload the flash, you might try it.

Post automatically merged: May 25, 2023

Thank you @rehius and everyone in here, another lite modded.

View attachment 373685

Using 51ohm on CMD/CLD/Dat0, hwfly flex v2 and using 2 gnd as precaution.

Guys if i want to factory reset, is it from hekate or from ofw?

Not Enough Cash Paste (Merchant)

 

[Zm1231]

@Zm1231 The new firmware have a better debugging. If it is easy to upload the flash, you might try it.

Post automatically merged: May 25, 2023

Thank you @rehius and everyone in here, another lite modded.

View attachment 373685

Using 51ohm on CMD/CLD/Dat0, hwfly flex v2 and using 2 gnd as precaution.

Guys if i want to factory reset, is it from hekate or from ofw?

@abal1000x that's what I saw but we already had the USB port and everything desoldered off the pico before that firmware came out. We can attempt to add it back on to update but the issue is right now even without the Pico installed in the switch it doesn't look like it boots so hopefully tomorrow when I get my hands on it I can attempt to find out why.

As others have said the display connector might be damaged which is why it doesn't look like anything is displaying I'll attempt to put it in a dock with the picofly removed and see if it works if it does then just a damaged display connector. If it doesn't then will need to diag and find out what died and try to fix it.

If it does boot and show video in the dock then we just damaged the connector and that would also indicate that my flex cable is probably bad. If it doesn't show video then I will need to figure out what broke fix it and try again.

 

[Mr Skinner]

SOLVED: GO TO https://gbatemp.net/threads/picofly-a-hwfly-switch-modchip.622701/post-10168505

*I extended the diagnosis a little further.

I had a strange problem with an OLED. This is my 8th installation.

I installed Picofly with no problems. No LED error. Currently I have been facing issue with SD card detection. When I turn on the switch with the sd connected, "Failed to Int SD Card" appears, even with the HATS files. When I turn the Switch on OFW with SD already connected, the switch hangs on the logo screen. If I remove the sd and initialize the OFW, it initializes normally, however if I connect the SD, the switch freezes.

 

[abal1000x]

*I extended the diagnosis a little further.

I had a strange problem with an OLED. This is my 8th installation.
View attachment 373707
I installed Picofly with no problems. No LED error. Currently I have been facing issue with SD card detection. When I turn on the switch with the sd connected, "Failed to Int SD Card" appears, even with the HATS files. When I turn the Switch on OFW with SD already connected, the switch hangs on the logo screen. If I remove the sd and initialize the OFW, it initializes normally, however if I connect the SD, the switch freezes.

Seems issue with the voltage. When the logo shows up especially the joycon logo, the voltage of the cap inside the apu (which connected to the mosfet) will be decreased, from around 2V, to around 1V then stopped at 0.643V.

Do you use mosfets or hwfly flex cable?

 

[namikaze]

Just curious, would this chip work on the latest TOTK OLED model?