Hardware Recovering data and NNID from a dead 3DS

myshitisbroke

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Hello there, in an attempt to replace the buttons on my new 2ds XL one of the connectors on the PCB for the bottom display ribbon cable broke. It was one of the ones that you have to bend up the pins directly to open, unlike a normal ZIF connector, and it ended up snapping the first time I tried to bend it open. I made sure to be very careful doing so, only bending it 45 degrees like the other similar one nearby.
I tried holding it to the contacts with tape, museum wax, and butyl putty and the butyl putty ended up tearing the rest of the connector off the pcb, leaving only the traces on the motherboard. In a desperate attempt to salvage what I had, I tried soldering the cable directly to the board and nothing would work, as the 3DS doesn't boot unless that cable is plugged in.

So my real question is, how do I go about recovering my save data and my NNID off of it? From my understanding the data on my SD card in the Nintendo 3DS folder is encrypted so copy and pasting it onto a new system won't work. I have nand backups saved, but I don't think those will help if the original system won't turn on.
 

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Last edited by myshitisbroke,
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Are you able to turn on this 2DS, access and navigate home menu, and launch a homebrew app?

Edit : Better question. Has this 2DS you worked on had custom firmware installed already?
 
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myshitisbroke

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Are you able to turn on this 2DS, access and navigate home menu, and launch a homebrew app?
I tried soldering the cable directly to the board and nothing would work, as the 3DS doesn't boot unless that cable is plugged in.

If I could launch checkpoint or JKSM, do you think I would have still made the thread asking this question?
 
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You didn't specify if your system was hacked or not and whether you had any ability to interact with the system despite a broken cable for the bottom screen.

Edit : OKAY. I get it. You don goof with that connector itself. Try using pencil lead to increase conductivity between whatever leads & pins you got left. You're going to want to keep it open and try wedging one of those mini binder clamps over the ribbon onto the motherboard to apply pressure. Make sure to tape the on the clamp edges so not to short it.

Edit #2: If that doesn't work either, try using single thin strands of copper wire to bridge the old connector pinouts on the motherboard to the flex cable. Try to get good, fat contant lands in the cable without breaking the leads by lighting scratching the film off on a flat table and needle. Do not further solder. Use 1/4-in clear tape.
 
Last edited by TurdPooCharger,

myshitisbroke

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You didn't specify if your system was hacked or not and whether you had any ability to interact with the system despite a broken cable for the bottom screen.

Edit : OKAY. I get it. You don goof with that connector itself. Try using pencil lead to increase conductivity between whatever leads & pins you got left. You're going to want to keep it open and try wedging one of those mini binder clamps over the ribbon onto the motherboard to apply pressure. Make sure to tape the on the clamp edges so not to short it.

Edit #2: If that doesn't work either, try using single thin strands of copper wire to bridge the old connector pinouts on the motherboard to the flex cable. Try to get good, fat contant lands in the cable without breaking the leads by lighting scratching the film off on a flat table and needle. Do not further solder. Use 1/4-in clear tape.

Alright, thanks for the tips. I used some wire from an old usb cable and tried to arrange four very small wires parallel to each other to mimic the ribbon connector along the pcb, holding it in place with scotch tape.. I'd like to think i did a good job but it still does not turn on when I hold the ribbon cable to it.

And sorry for the snarky response, im just a little upset that I have a $150 almost brand new piece of electronics sitting in front of me :sleep:

Is there nothing I can do if the system won't turn on?
 
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Alright, thanks for the tips. I used some wire from an old usb cable and tried to arrange four very small wires parallel to each other to mimic the ribbon connector along the pcb, holding it in place with scotch tape.. I'd like to think i did a good job but it still does not turn on when I hold the ribbon cable to it.

Can you take and post a picture of the condition of where the connector was? I want to see if it can be bridged. This is the deciding factor if the 2DS is salvageable or not.

On the ribbon cable side, you can try to fabricate a make shaft extension flex cable using single strands of copper and tape. I should have specified more about this but was running on fumes at the time of reply. This picture is what I mean.

flex_cable.png

What you want to do is expose the 2DS flex cable's copper traces by removing the film on one side using a sewing needle to scratch it off. Try to expose enough length, about 1/4-in should sufficient. Then, you use the make shaft flex cable to try to get bridge the traces by taping the actual flex cable to the make-shaft one. DO NOT SCOTCH MAGIC TAPE. They suck at adhesive strength compared to the Scotch clear tape. Also, you can see better if you accidentally cris-crossed, shorting any of the copper leads within the tapes.


And sorry for the snarky response, im just a little upset that I have a $150 almost brand new piece of electronics sitting in front of me :sleep:
It's cool. It's understandable what you're feeling in your predicament. Actually, coming from your side, I probably sounded like an idiot to you. I first misread your problem in that I thought you could still turn on the 2DS but had trouble navigating without the bottom screen. [/QUOTE]

Is there nothing I can do if the system won't turn on?
If all else fails, you're just gonna have to move on transferring your NNID by calling up Nintendo and explaining your 2DS is out of action/cannot physically do System Transfer. They can NNID transfer with provided serial numbers of the old broken one and the new system. For your game saves, you could try to recreate them using Powersaves 3DS accessory if you own physical game carts. There are forum threads where you can request other people's posted saves. Depending on the game, like the pokemon series, there are programs that can edit the saves. Hope this helps. Hang tight, you'll make it buddy.
 
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Hmm, that looks doable. Try carefully (baby gentle) cleaning the crude around that area with 91% isopropyl rubbing alcohol (not the 71% stuff, that has too much water, can risk water/rust damage) and precision type q-tip (the pointy ones). This will help the clear tape to stick better, too. Make sure the cotton fabrics does not snag onto the tiny surround components, ripping off resistors, etc. To minimize harm, point the tip at an angle. Only do single push strokes, no back and forward ones. If it catches and resists, stop and use a toothpick to loosen the offending cotton strand. Examine and leave behind no strands of cotton as a wet one can create a short.

81E08kBStRL._SX522_.jpg





Here's the some good news. You don't need to create 4 separate wires. The adjacent two on the left and two on the right share their own nodes. For the old connector, use cut out thin sheet of aluminum foil, put wires on their respective top sides, and tape over. CAREFUL NOT TO BRIDGE BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES. That would be equivalent of Ghost Buster's crossing the stream on your 2DS. Also, I pointed out at the way bottom what appears to be a missing SMD resistor. If this was ripped off, you're going to need an multimeter and take a reading of the one on the left to get a replacement.
repair_diagram.png
 
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freeza

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Ugh... Same here on my n3dsxl. Probably gonna have to just count it as a loss
 

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wicksand420

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This is why you have to be very careful and read thoroughly about your devices before taking them apart, these connectors do not pull up, you have to use a tweezers at the base of the connector and gently pull the ribbon from the socket, I'm sure this is described in any tear down guide on the internet.
 

myshitisbroke

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This is why you have to be very careful and read thoroughly about your devices before taking them apart, these connectors do not pull up, you have to use a tweezers at the base of the connector and gently pull the ribbon from the socket, I'm sure this is described in any tear down guide on the internet.
Thank you for contributing nothing to the thread except your useless input and doing nothing to help. I'm sure this (shitposting) is described in the etiquette and rules of any forum on the internet.

Ugh... Same here on my n3dsxl. Probably gonna have to just count it as a loss
What you have is what I ended up with before using the butyl putty, and it ripping off the rest of the connector off the PCB. Try holding the cable to the connector, then applying a very small dab of hot glue to the top, and then licking your finger and pushing on the dab. Licking it will prevent you from being burned, and your finger will apply pressure to make the connection.
 

wicksand420

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screw you pal, you are the one that broke it, maybe next time you will know when something is beyond your capabilities.
 

freeza

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Thank you for contributing nothing to the thread except your useless input and doing nothing to help. I'm sure this (shitposting) is described in the etiquette and rules of any forum on the internet.


What you have is what I ended up with before using the butyl putty, and it ripping off the rest of the connector off the PCB. Try holding the cable to the connector, then applying a very small dab of hot glue to the top, and then licking your finger and pushing on the dab. Licking it will prevent you from being burned, and your finger will apply pressure to make the connection.

Good idea! Thank you for the suggestion. Hope you can get yours sorted.
 
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Ugh... Same here on my n3dsxl. Probably gonna have to just count it as a loss

!!! Don't throw in the towel, yet. Try wedging in thin pieces of paper, note card, and toothpicks in. It's not a long term fix when it does work after a while it'll loosen.

* Works with personal experience of breaking GBA, PSP, and iPod.
 

Pigi

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!!! Don't throw in the towel, yet. Try wedging in thin pieces of paper, note card, and toothpicks in. It's not a long term fix when it does work after a while it'll loosen.

* Works with personal experience of breaking GBA, PSP, and iPod.

First time i broke my 3ds trying to solder a wire into the tiny clock(CLK) pin on my old 3ds, and then desoldered the cartridge slot and accidentally took one of the smd resistors, even with some soldering skill, i found that the best solution was look for someone that really knows about these kind of stuffs(with better soldering skills) and told him what to do. So, as long as he knows what need to be done, he can look for someone with skills, and tell him what need to be done, pointing the right way to avoid things to get even worse. As he didn't know how to release that ribbon cable you can imagine that he knows nothing about hardware, and he can't learn while "tries to recover data he needs from his device".

I recommend you to look for someone with hardware fixing skills, it will be easier, once you already know what need to be done. You'll spend few more bucks, but it worths sometimes.
 
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I recommend you to look for someone with hardware fixing skills, it will be easier, once you already know what need to be done. You'll spend few more bucks, but it worths sometimes.

This depends IF he can find such a person to have work on his console. When that isn't possible for a variety of reasons, a non-working 3DS like that might as well be considered good as dead at that point. Not everyone lives at have readily available repair technicians or can afford to outsource those repairs to. At the point, sell your broken 3DS at a lose or take a gamble of possible resuscitation. The answer and solution is not always clear cut; it is by needs meet possibility basis.
 

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