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Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Assembly Replacement

Prerequisite Only
This guide is only intended to be used as a prerequisite for other guides. It's incomplete by itself.

Introduction

Prerequisite guide for removing the motherboard assembly.

What you need

  1. Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Assembly Replacement, Motherboard Assembly: step 1, image 1 of 2 Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Assembly Replacement, Motherboard Assembly: step 1, image 2 of 2

    • Grasp the microphone ribbon cable near the microphone with a pair of tweezers.

    • Pull the microphone straight up out of the upper case.

    Edit

  2. Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Assembly Replacement: step 2, image 1 of 3 Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Assembly Replacement: step 2, image 2 of 3 Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Assembly Replacement: step 2, image 3 of 3

    • 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.

    Edit

  4. Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Assembly Replacement: step 3, image 1 of 2 Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Assembly Replacement: step 3, image 2 of 2

    • 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).

    Edit

  5. Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Assembly Replacement: step 4, image 1 of 3 Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Assembly Replacement: step 4, image 2 of 3 Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Assembly Replacement: step 4, image 3 of 3

    • 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

    • When you remove this screw the volume slider can fall out.

    • Lift the side of the motherboard that sits along the bottom edge of the 3DS.

    Edit

  6. Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Assembly Replacement: step 5, image 1 of 3 Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Assembly Replacement: step 5, image 2 of 3 Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Assembly Replacement: step 5, image 3 of 3

    • 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. Damaging the socket or cable will result in a 3DS that won't have a functional top screen.

    Edit

  7. Nintendo 3DS Motherboard Assembly Replacement: step 6, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the motherboard assembly from the rest of the device.

    Edit
Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Author

with 6 other contributors

David Hodson

Member since: 04/13/10

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