You weren't lying about this thing being a nightmare to put back together; I got to removing the bottom screen from my system & called it quits. Brought a new battery & everything hoping I'd be able to fix my old 3ds. Ahh well. Wouldn't have made it that far without your video so thank you 🙃
Awesome guide, man. Managed to boot up a 3ds that was popping like crazy. The only weird thing is that it keeps popping if I put all the screws together, and if I don't, it turns on normally.
Thanks! Sounds like yours has an issue very similar to this one. I didn't first get this one to turn on until removing the back shell. I'm guessing the screw tension compressing the shell against everything was enough to open the broken trace on the flex cable. When that tension was removed the cable closed it's connection (at least temporarily) and the system could turn on..
I had a purple Nintendo 3DS that had this exact issue. Thanks for figuring out the problem for me, now I wanna try to repair the thing when I get the absolute chance to do so.
@@FantasticQuack I still have my New 3DS XL. I just got it a month ago before the Nintendo 3DS eShop starts to close. However, I still have a handful of memories on that old system I used to have. It should be buried inside my closet somewhere.
Got my 3ds when I was a little kid. It started having the same problem a few months ago. I opened it up today only to see that toddler me didn't take good care of his things. The camera cable connector actually ripped off while feeding it through, and All the upper screen cables had black spots on them. I was honestly surprised it had stuck around for those 10 years. I'm pretty sure I can repair it if I just replace the screen cables.
For me, the issue was caused by connectors that werent making great contact on the upper screen right side. I hot glued them together and it works like a charm
Yup, had this exact issue with my OG aqua 3DS. Lasted a good 8 years before breaking though. The battery was also bloated and the right speaker ribbon was severed right where it folds on itself behind the LCD.
Yeah I have had this issue on my new nintendo 3ds XL for 6 years, only looked into fixing it now. There is ABSOLUTELY no way in hell ima be able to do this myself. And I'm a tech nerd EDIT: came back a year later to reconsider... yeah there's still no way I'm doing this
I was in highschool when I tried to fix my old original 3ds by replacing the circle pad, camera module and top screen, I fixed it with no issue, still perfectly working to this day. You just need to be a bit patient and not yank on the cables, replacement components are really cheap too so you dont have to worry as much about breaking ribbon cables n such.
I had something similar like this happen with my first original 3DS. Except it only happened when you turned the system off, after pressing the power button it go to the power off screen only to immediately shut off with a pop. It would reset the date and time this happened.
I recently used my 3DS again after years, and as far back as I can remember, I always had problems with the L button-it just never worked. But now, I managed to completely replace it, along with the joystick, all by myself. There's nothing more satisfying than fixing something like that on your own haha and it's all thanks to amazing youtube videos like the ones you do
Omg I've had this issue with my new 3ds XL and it was to rare to find any info on it. I do appreciate you uploading this since I have a better understanding of what's going on with my new 3ds XL even if this is out of my range;;; but fascinating to learn about
@@FantasticQuack Yea we’ve encountered the issue more often than we would like, it could be any of the main cables required for boot which makes it a pain to pinpoint. There are a few variations with some being instantly popping, some popping only when opening the console and some not making the popping sound (which could mean bad speakers). For us about 30+ have been speakers, 5 or so have been top screen and few have been a variety of things.
@@FantasticQuack I’ve been wanting to make repair videos for a while now but haven’t found the time and am unsure of a proper POV setup that won’t get in my way :/
I had this exact problem with my 3DS XL when i was younger! I eventually got the New model as a replacement, but I lost the ability to play MarioKart 7 since it came with the broken 3ds lmao Also the new 3ds now has a broken screen, but i think I can hopefully just get that fixed some time in the future. At least I know what the problem could potentially be now aha
From my experience with the issue, it’s with the 3DS, not recognizing the top screen or the bottom screen, forcing a shut off it happened a lot with the DS
Wow disassembling a 3DS looks like a nightmare, glad my New 3DS still works, only issue is that mine shuts down if i tilt my upper screen to much. Apart from that works like a charm, but thx for the video and at least now i know what to do if it doesn't work anymore.
Ah I’m so glad I at least know what could be the possible issue, I have the same problem but i am not tech savvy at all, I went to go get it looked at and they told me it could be around triple digits to almost a thousand dollars to fix. I might have just try this in the future but I’m to nervous I might break it 😬😓
I am about to do troubleshooting on the exact console and color. Hoping its only a minor disconnection as opposed to a tear! If not, I will likely sell it for parts rather than break it all the way down!
Thank you for the video my original flame red 3ds just started this problem a few months ago but now I’m glad i know the exact problem i probably wont be tearing it down to replace because i would just mess it up so i need to find a professional that would do it for me
Thanks champ, I just and desconnect and reconnect the ribbon again, I'll never thought about doing that if is not for ur vid. I was just messing around with the SD card😅
Thanks man for the tutorial. I've opend mine today because of the same issue in the video with the audio ribbon cable and it seems like the opening and closing the lid over the years worn down the lcd screen ribbon cable black sticker like thing. I hope i can repair it, just have to wait for the replacement part.
i got a 3ds xl for $30, it had a similar issue except the bottom screen would also turn off and flicker, as well as the whole device turning off, unless you pressed down "above the power button next to the screen" which i deduced to actually be the battery contact points. only after having taken the motherboard out already lol. one new battery and some nice tight screws later, and it works perfectly.
same problem here, this chad of a ds held up years of abuse before it hit the pop of death, it sort of works but any nudge or shake of the screen kills it rip chad 3ds
Can the L/ZL ribbon cable being broken stop a 3ds from working completely? It's the only issue I've seen on my new 3ds xl, and I will be ordering a replacement
Well, i found my issue. It's just f##ked. I'll just send it to a service. I'm done trying. Unplugged everything, cleaned every single spec of dust, put it back together, still pops. Nope. I'm done. Too tired fighting stripped screws. Thanks for the tutorial. It was really good.
Thanks for watching! Did you find any damage on the cables themselves? Sometimes the screen itself is cracked or otherwise bad and needs to be replaced.
@@FantasticQuack The cables look fine. I know the display isn't cracked because the 3DS only sits in a case, was never dropped and also sat in a drawer where there wasn't any dust. Taken care of would be an understatement.
I want to play Pokémon x so bad. The issue is I have the same problem here. I know for a fact I won’t be able to do what you just did. Plus I don’t even have the spare part. I want to play it on the citra emulator but I’m having issue with that as well. I looked up the prices for the Nintendo 3ds and Pokémon x on Amazon and from what I find in total it’s going to be more than $200. I was hoping it be less that and maybe I might consider buying it but the fact that it’s more than $200 I’m very uncertain especially to play one game. I of course would buy other Pokémon games as well but to start off I want to play x. I just don’t see the worth in buying it. Also the 3ds shop is closed so I would have to keep ordering games from Amazon which is a slight inconvenience. If anyone has any tips for me pls let me know. Or maybe I just forget about this whole thing and just move on. I do have a switch but I really want to visit the 3ds Pokémon games.
If you check local listings or even ebay you should be able to get the game and system for $150 or less. Still kind of a lot, but better than overpaying on Amazon. Hope you can get to play it eventually, also I'd recommend Sun/Moon over X/Y :)
My New 3DS has started doing this rarely, and it's terrifying every time. I'm so glad I own most of my games physically, even just losing the few I have digitally is going to suck if the system eventually pops 100% of the time. BUY. PHYSICAL. Especially on nintendo consoles since they love to nuke their stores, so you can't redownload stuff on a new system after the store dies.
Yeeeeah...3DS systems are a bitch to work on. This is why GBA is furthest I will go for repairs. Adding that flip screen made it way more complicated. The 2DS doesn't seem as bad as it's just one big screen and doesn't flip. This power/cable issue seems to be happening more recently and I wonder if we are going to start seeing alot more of these with the same issue.
You're right on 2DS being easier to work on. I used to think the flip screen on the GBA SP was annoying, but after working on the 3DS it doesn't seem so bad, haha. I wouldn't be surprised if this issue started showing up more often in the near future, might be like xbox capacitors all over again..
I may be pretty late but I'm having the same problem with my 2ds XL and even got a new battery thinking it was shot but after seeing this now I know I also accidentally disconnected the speakers so they can't get back on tried to fix one but I suck what if I just sent it to you before I anything else happens
I've suffered the exact same problem for years. The First Time this happened i brought the unit to a shop that was usually able to fix any problem with the 3ds but i was told the connector was broken beyond repair and that there was no replacement available on internet. This led me to think that there Was nothing to do and i Just accepted what happened, but this video really gives me some Hope. Is It really hard to learn how to handle all the components as seein in the video?
It's difficult for sure and requires a high degree of patience. I have a follow up video with the rest of the repair coming out very soon, stay tuned for that! If one of the connectors is damaged, that adds another step as now you need to replace it. If you take some measurements I guarantee there is an equivalent connector option to be found on Digikey or Mouser. I go through a similar process on my GBA micro video where I had to identify and replace the switches for the start/select buttons.
I've had this problem on my ds all day. However, suddenly, it started working... no more black screens, flashes, or popping sound... I'm not sure what to think of it!
God thanks, I have the same problem, with the exact same type, even the color is the same 😀. i was locking for two years to find a way, how to dismantle the Lid. Thanks for this video
In case you arent lucky enough to find a sweet spot where the device does turn on, is there any way to determine whether the fault lies in the speaker cable vs the bottom backlight cable?
Finding a sweet spot where it turns on doesn't tell you where the fault lies either. The root problem was determined by visual inspection (where I show the tear in the cable) so I would recommend the same for you--inspect all the cables carefully.
i fix mine by adding 3 wires from the speakers to the motherboard, because they were not giving continity but the the best is the replace the flex cable.
Mine "pops" doing the opposite. If I fully open the lid, it turns of immediately, so I might try to disassemble it and look up to see if I can find the flex that might be defective online I thought swaping joycon shells was hard
I haven't ran into a 2DS XL with this problem yet but if and when I do I will make a video! The hardware will be slightly different (screw locations, size/type of ribbons/connectors) but the general procedure should be largely the same.
Broke down my 3ds xl to replace the bottom face plate. After assembling it back, it would come on, top screen would display, and touch would work on the bottom screen, but the bottom screen wouldn't display. Tried to reset the ribbon cables, and now I'm getting the screen flash and audible pop issue. Hopefully it's just the ribbon cables need to be reset again.
There are 3 separate cables for the bottom screen so a lot of opportunity to miss a proper connection. If you're certain the connections are good then it could be the screen itself went bad--if you tilt it around at various lighting angles can you detect any hairline cracks on the screen? Even if no cracks it could still be damaged, that's just easy evidence to be confident of the problem. Luckily the lower screen is infinitely easier to swap than the top screen. Hope you can get it fixed!
If the screen or its cables are damaged then no there is no other way. The only "easy" thing to try is disconnecting and reconnecting the cables. But it won't solve anything if the cable or screen itself is damaged.
Interesting video! I have something possibly similar, but its a 3ds xl. My question is: when your 3ds shuts off, is the date and time reset as well? Mine shuts off intermittantly and date and time is reset to 1/1 at 00:00 o'clock.
I had similar problem but when the 3ds screen move a bit it would pop and turn off immediately. Out of boredom, I replaced the battery and never had the problem since.
Power switched is soldered direct to board so at that point just need a battery connection. But you should assume that if anything is disconnected, or not connected properly, that it can cause a problem
Random question why didn't you try to tape it just for the sake of it to see if it changes anything I did once to a Joycon witch rail buttons weren't working because the ribbon was damaged and I fixed it and still works
I have this same problem happening with my 2ds xl, even though they are different systems will this tutorial work the same, if not can you maybe do a tutorial on the 2ds xl? thanks!
It should work for all 3DS types with a rotating hinge. The process will be 95% the same, you just might find some minor differences in the cables & connector locations. If I run into a different 3DS model with this problem I will probably make another video, but until then this content (and the follow up video where I complete the fix) is the best I can offer, cheers!
I tried fixing my red OG 3DS, but the most of the screw on the layer with the battery won't come off, I was able to get 2 of them out but the rest won't budge
Probably the same issue. I'm not sure what the top screen being ripped off means in a physical sense in your circumstance, but certainly sounds like something that would damage a cable, connector, or the screen itself.
@@FantasticQuack I do worry for the connector. The cable and screen are not my biggest concern. Thanks tho. The work you do is something else for people like me. Who miss their consoles. Good times. . . Thanks for your insight. Take care.
Hey my 3ds turns off and pops, but when i unscrew and open the shell, and use the battery to turn it on, it turned on! Even the lower screen can be pushed without it turning off! But when i put everything back, and the shell, then turning it on, it turns off with a pop again... Help me
That sounds exactly like the situation in this vid. I wasn't able to turn it on until the shell was removed (relieving some stress/pressure from the cable and causing it to re-establish contact). I'd recommend replacing the cable, if you haven't seen yet, I made a part 2 to this video where I do just that.
im having the same issue with my "new" 2DS XL, i'm wondering if the procedure is the same since they both run on the same operating system, though, because of my age i can not perform this procedure and will most likely have to pay for an expert
I've seen and repaired the same issue on a regular 2DS in a different video (the same in that the screen was the problem), so I would say it's very likely to be the cause on the 2DS XL as well.
try the following (from ifixit): Remove the battery Press the power button a couple of times Plug in the power adapter. Try turning it on. Remove the power adapter Insert the battery, plug the adapter in Try to power the console on again. If it works, you’re good, otherwise I’d try the same again also with removing the SD card.
I really dont know but i have an old normal modded 3ds. When i turn it on or enter a game it does a popping sound which i have no idea if it is normal. I had a problem that made it so that pressing L made the system shut down but now it works fine for reasons. I had a problem recently with it not turning on doing that same *POP* for a while but then being fine. I really have no idea what it may be because it just happened randomly, i didnt use any service that could identify a mod or something of the sort. So i wonder if it has to do with age and it being worn down, because mine is old. Packaged with 3dLand levels of old.
Popping sound when entering a game could be related to the mod.. but if you're sometimes seeing the behavior shown in this vid where it pops and powers down, then it sounds symptomatic of an intermittent connection, and if so it will get worse over time/use. Not sure what problems or "glitches" if any could be related to the mod, so it's hard to say.
Hey man, a few days ago, my new 2ds xl started to turn off whenever i played monster hunter 4 ultimate for a while. Note that i play this game since 2019 and have about 800 hours in it, so it just doesn't make sense to me
@@FantasticQuack yeah, it turns on perfectly after that. And as far as i tested, it's only happening with mh4u, which is extra weird. I'll try to uninstall and install it again to see if it fixes the problem, but i'll keep my hopes low
I have a 3DS with the popping problem, but it’s a motherboard issue. I placed the faulty motherboard into a working 3DS and got the fault (proving the cables were not the issue). Both F1 and F2 fuses are good. Any suggestions for where on the motherboard to look? I’ve cleaned the ribbon cable connectors. It looks like there’s a small amount of liquid damage, but I don’t see any damaged components. Also tried checking many capacitors, all of which are fine. Thanks for your time
I would focus on the connectors for the screen, you can check the continuity between the connector pins and the nearest pad they run to if you have a multimeter (and ideally a magnifying glass or microscope). Could be some corrosion that's ate away a trace beneath the soldermask, oxide on the connector contacts, other dirt gunk blocking electrical contact, or even solder joints needing reflow at the connector lands. If you don't want to troubleshoot too much, it would be a safe step to simply: A) thoroughly clean each connector with IPA and a toothbrush B) reflowing the solder joints at connectors as a secondary step if needed. If neither of those things work it's time to bust out the meter if you haven't already. If you get it figured out let me know what the solution was, cheers!
Holy crap I found the problem and fixed it. Thank you so much for the advice. I was following traces and correlating them with the minor liquid damage. One of the speaker connector pins was not getting through the board because of a corroded through-hole. I was able to run a tiny jumper wire through the hole to bridge the circuit, and the popping issue went away. The 3DS is still in pieces so I can’t diagnose other issues (which there are many I can already see), but I’m so happy I was able to fix the popping issue. This is my first trace wire success!! Thank you so much for the suggestion; I would have definitely given up on this.
Last update: I got the 3DS turned on and both screens working while it was disassembled, but I accidentally put I tiny tear in the top screen ribbon cable when trying to reassemble. It’s okay though because there were a LOT of issues when I purchased it. Bulging battery, torn camera cable, plastic missing from charge port and charge port only half soldered, scratched bottom screen, and the pop fault. The description on eBay was “does not power on”. Oh well, I’m still ecstatic about the fault find and temporary fix. Thanks to you @FantasticQuack, and I will be watching more often to this newly subscribed channel
I'm guessing either the water caused some corrosion at a connection or the water did nothing and it was just general folding/unfolding that caused the problem like in the case of this unit.
Can the damage get worse over time? ,cause mine can still turn on play just fine as long as i dont pull back the top screen all the way or to a certain point
I believe it will gradually get worse over time as the lid is open and closed. The only way to prevent it then is to just leave the lid open. Or to try and get in there and repair it if you're brave enough ;)
I had same type problem with my n2ds xl. Mine's broken with the top screen is detached so I have to unplug the flex and wifi antenna that connected to the bottom screen, so with the lower screen only I try to power it on and suddenly got "pop" sounds and immediately turn off But as you said that when "pop" sounds appear the screen would flash and then turn off, mine's same but there seems to be a crack like lightning shape at the screen, so does that mean my bottom screen also needs to be replaced? do you think the speakers are the problem too?
If you see even a tiny crack on a screen it definitely should be replaced. I'm not sure about the speakers but a bad digitizer/connection can cause the Pop too.
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You weren't lying about this thing being a nightmare to put back together; I got to removing the bottom screen from my system & called it quits. Brought a new battery & everything hoping I'd be able to fix my old 3ds. Ahh well. Wouldn't have made it that far without your video so thank you 🙃
Sorry you weren't able to get it working it's a tricky repair for sure!
I fixed so many old 3DS XLs. Never want to go through that again. lmao
Awesome guide, man. Managed to boot up a 3ds that was popping like crazy.
The only weird thing is that it keeps popping if I put all the screws together, and if I don't, it turns on normally.
Thanks! Sounds like yours has an issue very similar to this one. I didn't first get this one to turn on until removing the back shell. I'm guessing the screw tension compressing the shell against everything was enough to open the broken trace on the flex cable. When that tension was removed the cable closed it's connection (at least temporarily) and the system could turn on..
I ended up buying a new one because I’m too scared to do this myself. And I still have hope I’ll be able to fix it one day
I hope you can!
Try it out
I had a purple Nintendo 3DS that had this exact issue. Thanks for figuring out the problem for me, now I wanna try to repair the thing when I get the absolute chance to do so.
Hope you can get it working one day!
@@FantasticQuack I still have my New 3DS XL. I just got it a month ago before the Nintendo 3DS eShop starts to close. However, I still have a handful of memories on that old system I used to have. It should be buried inside my closet somewhere.
Got my 3ds when I was a little kid.
It started having the same problem a few months ago.
I opened it up today only to see that toddler me didn't take good care of his things.
The camera cable connector actually ripped off while feeding it through, and All the upper screen cables had black spots on them.
I was honestly surprised it had stuck around for those 10 years.
I'm pretty sure I can repair it if I just replace the screen cables.
Hope you can make the repair!
For me, the issue was caused by connectors that werent making great contact on the upper screen right side. I hot glued them together and it works like a charm
Glad you got it working!
Yup, had this exact issue with my OG aqua 3DS. Lasted a good 8 years before breaking though. The battery was also bloated and the right speaker ribbon was severed right where it folds on itself behind the LCD.
I'll have a part 2 of this out before January with the rest of the repair. Hope it can help/inspire you to try it out yourself!
The same thing happened to my original all black 3ds this past month, I was devastated and didn’t know how to fix it until now. Thank you!!
Glad I could help and I hope you get it working again!
Yeah I have had this issue on my new nintendo 3ds XL for 6 years, only looked into fixing it now. There is ABSOLUTELY no way in hell ima be able to do this myself. And I'm a tech nerd
EDIT: came back a year later to reconsider... yeah there's still no way I'm doing this
Don't sell yourself short, anyone can do this stuff with enough practice and patience!
Lol me too I'm in college now looking back at my original 3ds that broke like 8 years ago. Might as well try before throwing it out
I was in highschool when I tried to fix my old original 3ds by replacing the circle pad, camera module and top screen, I fixed it with no issue, still perfectly working to this day. You just need to be a bit patient and not yank on the cables, replacement components are really cheap too so you dont have to worry as much about breaking ribbon cables n such.
I had something similar like this happen with my first original 3DS. Except it only happened when you turned the system off, after pressing the power button it go to the power off screen only to immediately shut off with a pop. It would reset the date and time this happened.
I've not seen that before, interesting problem... At least it was mostly working for you!
I recently used my 3DS again after years, and as far back as I can remember, I always had problems with the L button-it just never worked. But now, I managed to completely replace it, along with the joystick, all by myself. There's nothing more satisfying than fixing something like that on your own haha and it's all thanks to amazing youtube videos like the ones you do
Glad this helped you out and nice work on getting yours fixed!
Omg I've had this issue with my new 3ds XL and it was to rare to find any info on it.
I do appreciate you uploading this since I have a better understanding of what's going on with my new 3ds XL even if this is out of my range;;; but fascinating to learn about
Glad you enjoy the content and hope you can get yours fixed one day!
At least you found the issue!
Heck yea, thanks for watching!
@@FantasticQuack It’s typically the speaker, but I’ve had it happen with other cables required for boot.
@@adamwayne101 I've encountered this problem exactly twice and it was the screen both times.
@@FantasticQuack Yea we’ve encountered the issue more often than we would like, it could be any of the main cables required for boot which makes it a pain to pinpoint. There are a few variations with some being instantly popping, some popping only when opening the console and some not making the popping sound (which could mean bad speakers). For us about 30+ have been speakers, 5 or so have been top screen and few have been a variety of things.
@@FantasticQuack I’ve been wanting to make repair videos for a while now but haven’t found the time and am unsure of a proper POV setup that won’t get in my way :/
I had this exact problem with my 3DS XL when i was younger! I eventually got the New model as a replacement, but I lost the ability to play MarioKart 7 since it came with the broken 3ds lmao
Also the new 3ds now has a broken screen, but i think I can hopefully just get that fixed some time in the future.
At least I know what the problem could potentially be now aha
broken top screen? That's the one that's a pain to replace!
you can still play MK7 is you saved the SD card
This entire process sounds very tedious. I replaced my old battery and now I’m trying to find the solution.
It is
same issue with the exact same aqua 3DS, thank you for this!
Glad I could help! Part 2 with the full fix is coming very soon!
From my experience with the issue, it’s with the 3DS, not recognizing the top screen or the bottom screen, forcing a shut off it happened a lot with the DS
Same from what I've seen, dang screen connections!
I still remember what killed my 3Ds XL. Me playing Mario party DS on the piranha boss level, eating a bit of ramen, then it died.
Did you spill a bit of ramen on it or you just happened to be eating a bit of ramen?
OMG thanks my old 3ds shut down with a pop but when i clicked left trigger it randomly shut down the problem was the screen cable you reconnected
Glad you got it figured out!
There is a part two!! 😭😭 bro I’m so happy!!!
Haha hope it helps!
Wow disassembling a 3DS looks like a nightmare, glad my New 3DS still works, only issue is that mine shuts down if i tilt my upper screen to much.
Apart from that works like a charm, but thx for the video and at least now i know what to do if it doesn't work anymore.
Sounds like the same issues shown here, and yes it is a pretty rough time haha
Thank you for take the time to explain this :D I have mi 3DS but im afraid to break something doing this.
If it's already broken you don't have much to lose, right? Hope you can get it fixed--part 2 to this vid is coming very soon
@@FantasticQuack you're right, thank you, I'll be waiting for it.
Ah I’m so glad I at least know what could be the possible issue, I have the same problem but i am not tech savvy at all, I went to go get it looked at and they told me it could be around triple digits to almost a thousand dollars to fix. I might have just try this in the future but I’m to nervous I might break it 😬😓
Most people don't want to even try fixing these so they quote big $$$ hoping you'll say no
Going to buy one with the same problem just to fix it for fun, thanks man!
Glad I could help!
How much would i have to pay in order for you to fix mine?
Unfortunately, it's annoying enough where it would probably be more than simply buying another used/working unit
I am about to do troubleshooting on the exact console and color. Hoping its only a minor disconnection as opposed to a tear! If not, I will likely sell it for parts rather than break it all the way down!
A man can dream.. I was hoping for the same thing ;)
@@FantasticQuack Unfortunately, a complete teardown will be required. boo hoo
*I have the same problem!!! Where in California can I get it fixed!*
ask around at retro game stores near you!
Thank you for the video my original flame red 3ds just started this problem a few months ago but now I’m glad i know the exact problem i probably wont be tearing it down to replace because i would just mess it up so i need to find a professional that would do it for me
Working on these 3DS's is no joke, hope you can get it fixed and thanks for watching!
Thanks champ, I just and desconnect and reconnect the ribbon again, I'll never thought about doing that if is not for ur vid. I was just messing around with the SD card😅
Glad I could help and that the simple option worked for you! In my experience it is usually a worse problem :)
Thanks man for the tutorial.
I've opend mine today because of the same issue in the video with the audio ribbon cable and it seems like the opening and closing the lid over the years worn down the lcd screen ribbon cable black sticker like thing. I hope i can repair it, just have to wait for the replacement part.
Glad it's helpful and I hope you can get yours working, cheers!
Those hinge ribbon cables are a complete nightmare, I managed to break two "new" lcd screens trying to feed them through lmao
Agreed those ribbons are no joke!
i got a 3ds xl for $30, it had a similar issue except the bottom screen would also turn off and flicker, as well as the whole device turning off, unless you pressed down "above the power button next to the screen" which i deduced to actually be the battery contact points. only after having taken the motherboard out already lol. one new battery and some nice tight screws later, and it works perfectly.
Thanks for sharing, glad you got it working!
Thank you I’m starting to understand what’s the problem
Glad I could help!
I have the same issue I picked it up thinking it was a bad connection but nah the ribbons fucked 😭😭 I hope you have a part 2 uploaded
I do!
same problem here, this chad of a ds held up years of abuse before it hit the pop of death, it sort of works but any nudge or shake of the screen kills it
rip chad 3ds
Sorry to hear that, I hope you can get it fixed!
My 3DS got this in about 2015! I sent it to Nintendo and they said "Nothing was wrong with it." It wasn't fixed, it still would pop and die!
That's rough, did they ever resolve it for you?
Homebrewing this model would be a living hell
As long as you don't need to remove the top screen, working on it isn't so bad!
Can the L/ZL ribbon cable being broken stop a 3ds from working completely? It's the only issue I've seen on my new 3ds xl, and I will be ordering a replacement
Not to my knowledge, all that should happen in that case is the shoulder button not working.
Well, i found my issue. It's just f##ked.
I'll just send it to a service. I'm done trying. Unplugged everything, cleaned every single spec of dust, put it back together, still pops. Nope. I'm done. Too tired fighting stripped screws.
Thanks for the tutorial. It was really good.
Thanks for watching! Did you find any damage on the cables themselves? Sometimes the screen itself is cracked or otherwise bad and needs to be replaced.
@@FantasticQuack The cables look fine. I know the display isn't cracked because the 3DS only sits in a case, was never dropped and also sat in a drawer where there wasn't any dust.
Taken care of would be an understatement.
I want to play Pokémon x so bad. The issue is I have the same problem here. I know for a fact I won’t be able to do what you just did. Plus I don’t even have the spare part. I want to play it on the citra emulator but I’m having issue with that as well. I looked up the prices for the Nintendo 3ds and Pokémon x on Amazon and from what I find in total it’s going to be more than $200. I was hoping it be less that and maybe I might consider buying it but the fact that it’s more than $200 I’m very uncertain especially to play one game. I of course would buy other Pokémon games as well but to start off I want to play x. I just don’t see the worth in buying it. Also the 3ds shop is closed so I would have to keep ordering games from Amazon which is a slight inconvenience. If anyone has any tips for me pls let me know. Or maybe I just forget about this whole thing and just move on. I do have a switch but I really want to visit the 3ds Pokémon games.
If you check local listings or even ebay you should be able to get the game and system for $150 or less. Still kind of a lot, but better than overpaying on Amazon. Hope you can get to play it eventually, also I'd recommend Sun/Moon over X/Y :)
good vídeo, thank you for sharing this!!!! I have the same problem in the same cable... seems to be pretty common; take care!
Thanks for watching!
the cables though the hinge hole is a pain
kinda wish nintendo designed it to be a bit more simple in that area
Makes it tricky to work on that's for sure!
@@FantasticQuack yes it does,accidentally ripped the camera cable trying to get mine back through,good thing there are spare parts on ebay
My New 3DS has started doing this rarely, and it's terrifying every time. I'm so glad I own most of my games physically, even just losing the few I have digitally is going to suck if the system eventually pops 100% of the time. BUY. PHYSICAL. Especially on nintendo consoles since they love to nuke their stores, so you can't redownload stuff on a new system after the store dies.
Are the digital games tied to your account or can they be put on an SD card?
Yeeeeah...3DS systems are a bitch to work on. This is why GBA is furthest I will go for repairs. Adding that flip screen made it way more complicated. The 2DS doesn't seem as bad as it's just one big screen and doesn't flip.
This power/cable issue seems to be happening more recently and I wonder if we are going to start seeing alot more of these with the same issue.
You're right on 2DS being easier to work on. I used to think the flip screen on the GBA SP was annoying, but after working on the 3DS it doesn't seem so bad, haha. I wouldn't be surprised if this issue started showing up more often in the near future, might be like xbox capacitors all over again..
I may be pretty late but I'm having the same problem with my 2ds XL and even got a new battery thinking it was shot but after seeing this now I know I also accidentally disconnected the speakers so they can't get back on tried to fix one but I suck what if I just sent it to you before I anything else happens
Shoot me an email! Fantasticquack@yahoo.com
I've suffered the exact same problem for years. The First Time this happened i brought the unit to a shop that was usually able to fix any problem with the 3ds but i was told the connector was broken beyond repair and that there was no replacement available on internet. This led me to think that there Was nothing to do and i Just accepted what happened, but this video really gives me some Hope. Is It really hard to learn how to handle all the components as seein in the video?
It's difficult for sure and requires a high degree of patience. I have a follow up video with the rest of the repair coming out very soon, stay tuned for that!
If one of the connectors is damaged, that adds another step as now you need to replace it. If you take some measurements I guarantee there is an equivalent connector option to be found on Digikey or Mouser. I go through a similar process on my GBA micro video where I had to identify and replace the switches for the start/select buttons.
@@FantasticQuack Thank you man, really appreciated
I was going to buy a 3DS which i knew was faulty and had the same problem but now i dont think ill bother
Don't blame you for that haha
I've had this problem on my ds all day. However, suddenly, it started working... no more black screens, flashes, or popping sound... I'm not sure what to think of it!
Sounds like an intermittent connection somewhere. I expect the problem will come back but I hope not!
Hahaha. Pushing the screen back actually fixed my issue! I think it pushed the cable back into place or something
Awesome, glad it was an easy fix for you!
4:53 this is why I usually don’t do these repairs 😂 Nintendo chose the wrong design for 5 years 😂
😂
if you wanna get straight to the point . the top screen flex
cable ripped
Well saying that outright would spoil the journey of discovery..
God thanks, I have the same problem, with the exact same type, even the color is the same 😀. i was locking for two years to find a way, how to dismantle the Lid. Thanks for this video
Glad I could help! Hope you can get yours fixed up, cheers
In case you arent lucky enough to find a sweet spot where the device does turn on, is there any way to determine whether the fault lies in the speaker cable vs the bottom backlight cable?
Finding a sweet spot where it turns on doesn't tell you where the fault lies either. The root problem was determined by visual inspection (where I show the tear in the cable) so I would recommend the same for you--inspect all the cables carefully.
i fix mine by adding 3 wires from the speakers to the motherboard, because they were not giving continity but the the best is the replace the flex cable.
I did the full fix in a newer video, glad you got yours working too!
Thanks a lot for the video ❤
You're welcome 😊
Have the exact Same Problem since i gave mine away to get the Display fixed….
Hopefully whoever replaced the display is willing to fix it if they indeed caused the problem
Mine "pops" doing the opposite. If I fully open the lid, it turns of immediately, so I might try to disassemble it and look up to see if I can find the flex that might be defective online
I thought swaping joycon shells was hard
I can't guarantee it's the exact same cable, but it's almost certainly related to an intermittent connection. Best of luck on your search!
@@FantasticQuack thanks a lot!! I hope I can find the issue and be able to reassemble it... Fingers crossed 🤞🏼
Is there a video anywhere for a new 2ds xl? same problem but probably was different components. Also no screen flash.
I haven't ran into a 2DS XL with this problem yet but if and when I do I will make a video! The hardware will be slightly different (screw locations, size/type of ribbons/connectors) but the general procedure should be largely the same.
awesome guide, i think i found my problem: i got the black ribbon cable practicaly breaked in half, would it work buying a new ribbon cable?
Assuming no other issues then yes. I made a follow up video to this one where replacing the cable solved the issue, check it out if you want!
Broke down my 3ds xl to replace the bottom face plate. After assembling it back, it would come on, top screen would display, and touch would work on the bottom screen, but the bottom screen wouldn't display. Tried to reset the ribbon cables, and now I'm getting the screen flash and audible pop issue. Hopefully it's just the ribbon cables need to be reset again.
There are 3 separate cables for the bottom screen so a lot of opportunity to miss a proper connection. If you're certain the connections are good then it could be the screen itself went bad--if you tilt it around at various lighting angles can you detect any hairline cracks on the screen? Even if no cracks it could still be damaged, that's just easy evidence to be confident of the problem. Luckily the lower screen is infinitely easier to swap than the top screen. Hope you can get it fixed!
Very interesting video :)
Thank you very much!
Is there a way to fix it without all this? I'm just a child and can't do any of this, neither can any adults I know/my family/
If the screen or its cables are damaged then no there is no other way. The only "easy" thing to try is disconnecting and reconnecting the cables. But it won't solve anything if the cable or screen itself is damaged.
@@FantasticQuack thank you so much
After 10 years of using my 3ds, its sad that this was the issue that kept shutting it off, at least o can tey to make a temporary solution, thanks!
Sad for all of us but I'm glad you got some use from this video!
Interesting video! I have something possibly similar, but its a 3ds xl. My question is: when your 3ds shuts off, is the date and time reset as well? Mine shuts off intermittantly and date and time is reset to 1/1 at 00:00 o'clock.
You're testing my memory but I'm pretty sure I did have to reset the clock after all this was said and done
I had similar problem but when the 3ds screen move a bit it would pop and turn off immediately. Out of boredom, I replaced the battery and never had the problem since.
huh that's odd
Worst issue I found is everything else works with another board and finding no solution or troubleshooting for the board.
Hi, what parts do you conect tô the mother board to turn on the console, the important parts ?
Power switched is soldered direct to board so at that point just need a battery connection. But you should assume that if anything is disconnected, or not connected properly, that it can cause a problem
I worked on an original 3ds top screen ribbon cable snapped. What a nightmare
Sorry to hear that :/ this one is tricky for sure
@FantasticQuack I didn't snap it I opened it because it was already snapped and I learned it was a nightmare to work on haha
Thank you
In my case i just needed to put the cable right
Glad you got it working!
Random question why didn't you try to tape it just for the sake of it to see if it changes anything I did once to a Joycon witch rail buttons weren't working because the ribbon was damaged and I fixed it and still works
This cable flexes pretty drastically every time you open and close the screen. Tape simply wouldn't have held up.
Can I follow this tuto to fix original 3ds xl with same symptoms ? Or the hardware is very different?
The hardware will be slightly different (screw locations, size/type of ribbons/connectors) but the general procedure will be largely the same.
I have the same exact issue but don’t have the technical skills to fix this. Know anywhere I can send it to be repaired?
You could try your local retro game store but the cost will be high I'd expect around $80 for labor alone.
I have this same problem happening with my 2ds xl, even though they are different systems will this tutorial work the same, if not can you maybe do a tutorial on the 2ds xl? thanks!
It should work for all 3DS types with a rotating hinge. The process will be 95% the same, you just might find some minor differences in the cables & connector locations. If I run into a different 3DS model with this problem I will probably make another video, but until then this content (and the follow up video where I complete the fix) is the best I can offer, cheers!
I tried fixing my red OG 3DS, but the most of the screw on the layer with the battery won't come off, I was able to get 2 of them out but the rest won't budge
If they are stripped badly you can always drill the heads off and buy replacement screws
Which flex do I have to buy for my 3ds xl I sent it to someone else to repair but they told me I need to provide the flex cable
put "3ds xl speaker flex cable" into google and peruse your options
Surprised there wasn’t a class-action lawsuit on this known defect.
They lasted just long enough where people had already moved on to the next gen I guess. Kinda like smart phones but maybe not that bad
Unlike yours, mine powers on at a 110° angle. Any further and it makes that characteristic popping sound and won't turn on.
Sounds like a near identical problem to what we had in this vid! Hope you can get it fixed up!
is this also the same with a 2ds xl? experincing that issue. but the top screen was ripped off. so a little help?
Probably the same issue. I'm not sure what the top screen being ripped off means in a physical sense in your circumstance, but certainly sounds like something that would damage a cable, connector, or the screen itself.
@@FantasticQuack I do worry for the connector. The cable and screen are not my biggest concern. Thanks tho. The work you do is something else for people like me. Who miss their consoles. Good times. . . Thanks for your insight. Take care.
My original 3ds has that same problem but it turns off when I rotate the hinge all the way
If it works for most of the rotation I'd just keep playing! but eventually it will get worse sadly
I still have this problem as well.
It's a darn shame, hope you can get it fixed!
I have a similar problem with my N3DSXL I think i need to get a new battery for it
Always best to start simple!
Are there any substitutes for the screwdriver
Need the screwdriver
Me looking at my 3ds:
You're not worth the effort.
😂😂
Hey my 3ds turns off and pops, but when i unscrew and open the shell, and use the battery to turn it on, it turned on! Even the lower screen can be pushed without it turning off! But when i put everything back, and the shell, then turning it on, it turns off with a pop again... Help me
That sounds exactly like the situation in this vid. I wasn't able to turn it on until the shell was removed (relieving some stress/pressure from the cable and causing it to re-establish contact). I'd recommend replacing the cable, if you haven't seen yet, I made a part 2 to this video where I do just that.
I have the same issue rn, but not sure if it’s normal if I can still boot up my 3Ds without it popping while it’s charging
You're saying it works normal on the charger but pops/turns off when unplugged?
@@FantasticQuack yes
@@deliriousdan41 Maybe need a new battery?
im having the same issue with my "new" 2DS XL, i'm wondering if the procedure is the same since they both run on the same operating system, though, because of my age i can not perform this procedure and will most likely have to pay for an expert
I've seen and repaired the same issue on a regular 2DS in a different video (the same in that the screen was the problem), so I would say it's very likely to be the cause on the 2DS XL as well.
I have a 3ds ll and when I turn it on, only the light appears, but the two screens do not work
try the following (from ifixit):
Remove the battery
Press the power button a couple of times
Plug in the power adapter. Try turning it on.
Remove the power adapter
Insert the battery, plug the adapter in
Try to power the console on again. If it works, you’re good, otherwise I’d try the same again also with removing the SD card.
I really dont know but i have an old normal modded 3ds. When i turn it on or enter a game it does a popping sound which i have no idea if it is normal. I had a problem that made it so that pressing L made the system shut down but now it works fine for reasons. I had a problem recently with it not turning on doing that same *POP* for a while but then being fine. I really have no idea what it may be because it just happened randomly, i didnt use any service that could identify a mod or something of the sort. So i wonder if it has to do with age and it being worn down, because mine is old.
Packaged with 3dLand levels of old.
Popping sound when entering a game could be related to the mod.. but if you're sometimes seeing the behavior shown in this vid where it pops and powers down, then it sounds symptomatic of an intermittent connection, and if so it will get worse over time/use. Not sure what problems or "glitches" if any could be related to the mod, so it's hard to say.
I have this exact problem but mine can boot up sometimes, but then it pops games out of existence.
Sounds like the same problem, especially if it pops off in response to even slight movement of the upper screen/hinge.
@@FantasticQuack Yes that is exactly what is happening, we are going to try to repair it saturday
The same thing happened to my 3ds when i try to unfold it
Hope you can get it fixed!
Hey man, a few days ago, my new 2ds xl started to turn off whenever i played monster hunter 4 ultimate for a while. Note that i play this game since 2019 and have about 800 hours in it, so it just doesn't make sense to me
Will it turn on again after that happens? Hard to say what's going on with this description alone
@@FantasticQuack yeah, it turns on perfectly after that. And as far as i tested, it's only happening with mh4u, which is extra weird. I'll try to uninstall and install it again to see if it fixes the problem, but i'll keep my hopes low
I have a 3DS with the popping problem, but it’s a motherboard issue. I placed the faulty motherboard into a working 3DS and got the fault (proving the cables were not the issue). Both F1 and F2 fuses are good. Any suggestions for where on the motherboard to look? I’ve cleaned the ribbon cable connectors. It looks like there’s a small amount of liquid damage, but I don’t see any damaged components. Also tried checking many capacitors, all of which are fine. Thanks for your time
I would focus on the connectors for the screen, you can check the continuity between the connector pins and the nearest pad they run to if you have a multimeter (and ideally a magnifying glass or microscope). Could be some corrosion that's ate away a trace beneath the soldermask, oxide on the connector contacts, other dirt gunk blocking electrical contact, or even solder joints needing reflow at the connector lands. If you don't want to troubleshoot too much, it would be a safe step to simply: A) thoroughly clean each connector with IPA and a toothbrush B) reflowing the solder joints at connectors as a secondary step if needed. If neither of those things work it's time to bust out the meter if you haven't already. If you get it figured out let me know what the solution was, cheers!
Holy crap I found the problem and fixed it. Thank you so much for the advice. I was following traces and correlating them with the minor liquid damage. One of the speaker connector pins was not getting through the board because of a corroded through-hole. I was able to run a tiny jumper wire through the hole to bridge the circuit, and the popping issue went away. The 3DS is still in pieces so I can’t diagnose other issues (which there are many I can already see), but I’m so happy I was able to fix the popping issue. This is my first trace wire success!! Thank you so much for the suggestion; I would have definitely given up on this.
@@DrDubs23 nice work man!!
Last update: I got the 3DS turned on and both screens working while it was disassembled, but I accidentally put I tiny tear in the top screen ribbon cable when trying to reassemble. It’s okay though because there were a LOT of issues when I purchased it. Bulging battery, torn camera cable, plastic missing from charge port and charge port only half soldered, scratched bottom screen, and the pop fault. The description on eBay was “does not power on”. Oh well, I’m still ecstatic about the fault find and temporary fix. Thanks to you @FantasticQuack, and I will be watching more often to this newly subscribed channel
Can you do this fix but with a 2ds xl
If i find a broken one I sure would!
i got that problem with my 3ds but i dont got the stuff to fix it
Links in the video for everything you need to repair. I'm considering doing a part 2 video as I still need to finish this repair.
I spilled water on mine and it was fine for a while until eventually it popped and never turned back on.
I'm guessing either the water caused some corrosion at a connection or the water did nothing and it was just general folding/unfolding that caused the problem like in the case of this unit.
@@FantasticQuack I mean it was the same one I got when they came out. And I remember flipping it when I wasn't doing anything
Can the damage get worse over time? ,cause mine can still turn on play just fine as long as i dont pull back the top screen all the way or to a certain point
I believe it will gradually get worse over time as the lid is open and closed. The only way to prevent it then is to just leave the lid open. Or to try and get in there and repair it if you're brave enough ;)
I had same type problem with my n2ds xl.
Mine's broken with the top screen is detached so I have to unplug the flex and wifi antenna that connected to the bottom screen, so with the lower screen only I try to power it on and suddenly got "pop" sounds and immediately turn off
But as you said that when "pop" sounds appear the screen would flash and then turn off, mine's same but there seems to be a crack like lightning shape at the screen, so does that mean my bottom screen also needs to be replaced? do you think the speakers are the problem too?
If you see even a tiny crack on a screen it definitely should be replaced. I'm not sure about the speakers but a bad digitizer/connection can cause the Pop too.
Does this work with the new 3ds (face plate edition)?
Should be fundamentally the same process you just might find connections are in different locations and cables look subtly different.
That's where I looked for!
Hope you can get it working!
what if i have this problem on a 3ds xl?
It's possible it's the same or similar issue, but you'd have to troubleshoot and the process of getting started would be similar to what is shown here