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    • 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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    • 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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    • 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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    • Remove the nine 6.3 mm black Phillips screws from the lower case.

    • These screws will strip very easily unless you use the correct size bit. Apply pressure to the screws while turning to avoid stripping them.

    • Remove the 2.4 mm silver Phillips screw above the game cartridge slot.

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    • 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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    • Remove the two 7.7 mm Phillips screws securing the back of the Circle Pad to the motherboard.

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    • 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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    • 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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    • 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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    • Remove the two 4.5 mm Phillips screws securing the SD board to the motherboard.

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    • 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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    • Insert the flat end of a spudger between the SD board and the motherboard.

    • Pry up slowly to loosen the SD board from the RF shield underneath it. If you pry too quickly, you may tear the shield or break its solder points.

    • Run the spudger along the sides of the SD board to free it from the adhesive holding it in place.

    • Once completely freed, lift the SD board straight off the motherboard.

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    • 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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    • 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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    • 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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    • 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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    • 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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    • 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.

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    • 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.

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

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    • There is a black plastic ring that sits between the bottom of the circle pad and the underside of the upper case. The ring has a slit in it that allows you to remove and reinstall it.

    • Use a spudger to orient the Circle Pad and plastic ring so that the slit in the ring is 180o from the opening in the bottom of the Circle Pad.

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    • Insert the tip of a spudger into the slot in the bottom of the Circle Pad and under the plastic ring.

    • Use a prying motion to remove the plastic ring from underneath the bottom of the Circle Pad.

    • It is all right if the ring is slightly bent by the spudger during removal. As long as it is not torn, the ring will still perform its intended duty.

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    • Open the 3DS and hold it so that the bottom of the buttons are facing upward.

    • Grab the top of the Circle Pad and pull the tip of one of the "prongs" on the bottom of the Circle pad through the hole in the upper case.

    • Continue pulling the bottom of the Circle Pad through the hole in the upper case while rotating the Circle Pad until it is free.

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David Hodson

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150,529 crwdns2915208:0crwdne2915208:0

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crwdns2944067:031crwdne2944067:0

where do you buy the circle pad

Joe Leon - crwdns2934203:0crwdne2934203:0

Great guide, just upgraded my joystick. Bought my replacement from shapeways. The replacement is metal so it won't break like the last one. Also it's a lot more comfortable.

 

Anyway highly recommend this replacement:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/76RHQ7...

Omniwheel -

yeah where can I buy a new circle pad? mine broke in half the lower half is still inside my 3ds XL and I refuse to pay $135 nintendo non-warranty fee just for this problem.

TJ Celtic - crwdns2934203:0crwdne2934203:0

You can find them on Ebay and Amazon, the ones I found on Amazon were massively overpriced though…

Blyatac -

Hi can you tell me where i can get the replacement? thank you

linkjosef - crwdns2934203:0crwdne2934203:0

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