Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Replacement

Step 1 Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Replacement

• Unscrew the four Phillips #00 screws along the top of the back cover.
• The screws are held in place by locking washers, and will not come out of the back cover.
• The comments section is full of unlucky souls who will tell you that the screws here through step 4 will strip incredibly easily. Press down fairly hard, and go slow.
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Step 2



• Hold the device in one hand and turn it over.
• Grab the top edge of the back cover with your opposite hand so that the cover does not fall back into place.
• Flip the 3DS over again so that the back cover is facing up.
• Pull the back cover up and away from the rest of the device to remove it.
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Step 3
• Insert a plastic opening tool into the notch in the lower case above the battery.
• Pry the battery up with the plastic opening tool.
• Grab the top edge of the battery and lift it out of the lower case.
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Step 4
• Remove the nine 6.3 mm black Phillips screws from the lower case.
• Remove the 2.4 mm silver Phillips screw above the game cartridge slot.
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Step 5
• Lift the bottom edge of the lower case off the rest of the 3DS.
• There are still two ribbon cables connecting the mother board to the case, so be sure not to pull the lower case all the way off.
• Use a plastic opening tool to pry the shoulder button ribbon cables off their sockets on the motherboard.
• Remove the lower case from the device.
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Step 6
• Remove the two 7.7 mm Phillips screws securing the back of the Circle Pad to the motherboard.
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Step 7
• Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the back of the Circle Pad off the motherboard.
• Lift the Circle Pad joystick off the motherboard and lay it on its back so that the ribbon cable connector is accessible.
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Step 8
• Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the Circle Pad ribbon cable ZIF socket.
• Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
• Lift the Circle Pad joystick off the motherboard.
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Step 9
• To decrease the chance of losing it during repairs, you may want to remove the two thin pads underneath the Circle Pad joystick.
• Use a spudger or screwdriver to lift the pads up and remove them from the device.
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Step 10
• Remove the two 4.5 mm Phillips screws securing the SD board to the motherboard.
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Step 11
• Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the SD board ribbon cable connector off its socket on the motherboard.
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Step 12
• Insert the flat end of a spudger between the SD board and the motherboard.
• Run the spudger along the sides of the SD board to free it from the adhesive pad holding it in place.
• Once completely freed, lift the SD board straight off the motherboard.
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Step 13
• Slide the flat end of a spudger under the corner of the Wi-Fi board, and lift it away from the motherboard.
• The Wi-Fi antenna cable is still connected to the Wi-Fi board, so you cannot completely remove the Wi-Fi board yet.
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Step 14
• Lift the Wi-Fi board off the motherboard and rotate it so that the bottom side is facing up.
• Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the Wi-Fi antenna cable connector off its socket on the Wi-Fi board.
• Remove the Wi-Fi board from the device.
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Step 15
• Grasp the microphone ribbon cable near the microphone with a pair of tweezers.
• Pull the microphone straight up out of the upper case.
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Step 16
• Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the speaker assembly ribbon cable ZIF socket.
• Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, NOT the socket itself. Damaging the socket or cable will result in a 3DS that will blink its power LED when you press the power button - and do nothing else.
• Disconnect the speaker assembly ribbon cable with a pair of tweezers.
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Step 17
• Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the camera ribbon cable ZIF socket.
• Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
• When reassembling, note that the gold contacts face toward the motherboard (as opposed to the camera cable's gold contacts facing away).
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Step 18
• Remove seven Phillips screws securing the motherboard to the upper case:
• Four 2.5 mm gold screws
• Two 3.5 mm black screws
• One 2.5 mm silver screw
• Lift the side of the motherboard that sits along the bottom edge of the 3DS.
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Step 19
• Continue lifting the motherboard assembly and rotate it until it is resting next to the rest of the device.
• Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the LCD ribbon cable ZIF socket.
• Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
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Step 20
• Remove the motherboard assembly from the rest of the device.
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Step 21
• Set the motherboard assembly down so that the lower LCD is side-by-side with the motherboard.
• Use the tip of a spudger or your fingers to peel back the white tape covering the touchscreen ribbon cable connector.
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Step 22
• Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the touchscreen ribbon cable ZIF socket.
• Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
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Step 23
• Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the lower LCD power ribbon cable ZIF socket.
• Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
• Pull the ribbon cable out of the connector with a pair of tweezers.
• Grasp the ribbon cable as close to the connector as possible with the tweezers to avoid tearing it.
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Step 24
• Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the lower LCD data ribbon cable ZIF socket.
• Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
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Step 25
• Grasp the lower display assembly and pull it directly away from the motherboard.
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Step 26
• Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the microphone ribbon cable ZIF socket.
• Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
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Step 27
• Lift the microphone and its attached ribbon cable off the motherboard.
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Step 28
• Turn the motherboard over.
• Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the volume switch connector out of its socket on the motherboard.
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Step 29
• Remove the volume switch from the motherboard.
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Step 30
• The motherboard remains.
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Member since: 09/24/09

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