Hacking What's wrong withmy DS?

[drfsupercenter]

Hi,

OK, so I broke my DS somehow, and I was hoping you experts could help me figure out what broke/how to fix it.

I have an original DS, not the DS Lite.

So basically, I've had it since 2007... and the screen started getting dust between the LCD and the plastic screen cover. So I thought I'd try disassembling and re-assembling it before my new shell comes. (As it's also really scratched up, and the plastic that connects the hinge to the top screen is breaking off...)

So I took it apart, carefully unscrewing everything, etc. I took care of wiping the case clean, and proceeded to put it back together. But there was a problem: It wouldn't turn on. So I took it all back apart again, where now I am sitting with just the circuit boards in front of me. The first thing I tried was only having the bottom screen (and the LCD)... as maybe it was a problem with the top screen. But nothing happened when I attached the battery and pressed Power. If I plugged it in, the orange light flickered... and if I pressed Power before the orange light shut off, the screen would flicker and shut off. I put the battery in, the orange light would stay on but it would still flicker if I pressed Power.

So upon doing some research, I found a common problem was blown fuses. However, I tested each with a multimeter, and there was continuity in both F1 and F2. The common symptoms matched mine, but people said it would make weird noises. So I attached the ribbon cable and antenna that go to the upper screen (and speakers)... only this time, it wouldn't work at all. The orange light would flicker, but nothing happened upon pressing power... no sounds, no flashing green LED/backlight, nothing. So I figured it had something to do with the upper screen as well. And then I discovered something interesting. If I had the ribbon cables connected, no battery in it, and plugged it in... If I kept rapidly pressing Power, the orange light would just stay on. Nothing happens with the green light or screens, but the orange light stays on.

So I'm curious if anyobody knows what's going on in my DS. It doesn't look like a fuse problem - but what would it be? Did I fry the motherboard due to static discharge or something? I think at this point I'll buy some cheap one on eBay with a broken screen and use that motherboard. Unless you guys have some suggestions.

 

[Kuschel-Drow]

Uhm... I wish I could help you, but... I only disassembled my DS-Lite to exchange its case... ^^"
But comparing the tutorials on how to do both I always thought that it would be much easier to exchange the shells on an old phat NDS.

But why would you consider to buy a 'new' broken DS? Better get a DSL. I mean it's much better than the old one anyway. (I've had them both)

 

[drfsupercenter]

No it's not... it's just flimsier. I like the old DS better, it's much more hardy (A DS Lite probably couldn't take the amount of damage my DS has!) and because it's bigger, it feels cooler.
I don't really care about it not fitting in a pocket.

Plus, I have a DSi now, which is more or less the same as a better DS Lite, just without the GBA slot (which is why I need my old DS - for save dumping and stuff that uses the slot 2 card)

 

[Kittymat]

Probs with DS (& Lite)

Turn on and the green light comes on for a few seconds one screen flashes and then it goes off (faulty screen or connector to the screen - the fault is with the one that does not flash) - the unit has to detect both screens are present before it will switch on

Fuses - F1 blown - unit won't charge. F2 - Blown - NOTHING happens but will still charge

Green light on - nothing else - WiFi board is U/S (or away from its connector - lite), on Phats the top metal cover can get pushed onto the pins of the wifi board - this also causes this

Orange light means it is charging?? is the power lead in when it is on??

 

[zuron7]

buy a gba
the other option is to give it to nintendo

 

[thieves like us]

So I'm curious if anyobody knows what's going on in my DS. It doesn't look like a fuse problem - but what would it be? Did I fry the motherboard due to static discharge or something? I think at this point I'll buy some cheap one on eBay with a broken screen and use that motherboard. Unless you guys have some suggestions.

it quite possible that you shorted out something. a flaw in the way that the original DS was designed (in my opinion) is that the metal frame surrounding the lower LCD display is not insulated as much as it should be. if you happen to make contact with the motherboard with any part of it during reassembly, you have the potential of shorting out something (be it the F1 or F2 fuses, or something else).

 

[Maz7006]

Most likely a short, i'd send it off to a specialist to analyze it for you, also getting another DS, maybe a lite isn't a bad alternative, you could use an update

 

[drfsupercenter]

it quite possible that you shorted out something. a flaw in the way that the original DS was designed (in my opinion) is that the metal frame surrounding the lower LCD display is not insulated as much as it should be. if you happen to make contact with the motherboard with any part of it during reassembly, you have the potential of shorting out something (be it the F1 or F2 fuses, or something else).

I may have... due to the popularity of the DS Lite, guides for assembling a DS are scarce so I was doing it from scratch (I have a guide on DISASSEMBLING it, but you can't always just reverse the steps

)

But from what I can tell, the F1 and F2 fuses are still good. Since there's continuity through them. I don't know how to test what was shorted, but I'm not doubting that that's the problem - since I recall that lower LCD screen flopping around a lot when I'd connect cables, and that could be the problem. However, I took it apart without the battery in (and obviously with it unplugged), would it still cause a problem?

What I'm gonna do for now is use my older DS (I had one and the top screen cracked due to it being in my backpack - and rather than fixing it, I bought a refurbished one from Nintendo) and put the working top screen in there. I just have to FIND it, LOL, I haven't touched that thing in 2 years.

And no, the Lite is not a good alternative. I've tried them, and just don't like them period. Plus, my DSi is too close to a DS Lite...