Disassembly
BATTERY COVER
The first thing you should do before disassembling your 3DS XL is remove any cartridge, stylus, or SD card from your system. Next, unscrew the two screws that secure the battery cover to the bottom of the system (highlighted below - note, the screws will not actually separate from the cover.):
After unscrewing the battery cover, remove it in the following fashion:
BACK SHELL
Next, after removing the battery, you will need to remove the screw covers seen below. You can do this with a small flathead screwdriver. Place these aside and don't forget to put them back later!
After removing the screw covers, you will need to remove the seven screws highlighted below:
Once the screws have been removed, the back of the shell should simply lift off. Flip the back of the shell over using the cartridge slot as a pivot point, as seen below:
To completely remove the back of the shell, you will need to unplug the two connectors highlighted above. These connectors should lift off easily, and you can remove them with a finger:
WIRELESS MODULE
Next, remove the wireless module (labeled J27H023.01). Note the location of the connector in the second photo below, and remove the module by lifting with your fingersnear the connector(so as not to risk bending the module.)
TAKE A DEEP BREATH...
The majority of the rest of this procedure involves manipulating some fairly delicate electronics and brittle plastic. If you've had your thrill and are ready to put your 3DS XL back together, go ahead and simply reverse all the steps outlined in the document thus far. If you're serious about swapping your system's color, read on, andbe careful!
CIRCLE PAD MODULE
The next step is to remove the Circle Pad Module. First, unscrew the screws highlighted in the picture below. Note, these screws are longer than the screws holding the back of the shell onto the system, so make sure to keep them separate from the rest of the screws you've removed so far. After you've done this, you will be unlocking the connector attached to the Circle Pad Module's flexible PCB by "flipping" it to the open position, as seen in the second and third pictures below:
Once you've unlocked the connector, simply pull the Circle Pad Module away from the motherboard and set it aside for now.
SCREENS, MICROPHONE, TOUCH PANEL, AND VOLUME SLIDER
Next, you will remove the rest of the flexible PCBs connected to the motherboard. These are all attached in a similar fashion to the Circle Pad Module. Once unlocked, some PCBs may be difficult to remove from their connectors. As seen in the pictures below, using the barrel of your screwdriver as a lever makes removing them much easier.
BOTTOM SCREEN
The bottom screen is connected with two flex PCBs. For the thin one, unlock the connector by lifting on the edge that is farthest away from the flex PCB. For the fat one, unlock the connector by lifting on the edge that is closest to the flex PCB.
Once you've disconnected the PCBs, leave them where they are for now.
MICROPHONE
Surprise...this part's easy! You can leave the microphone's flex PCB connected to the motherboard. Simply lift the microphone out of the upper case as shown below, using either your fingers, or a pair of tweezers:
VOLUME SLIDER
I think by now you probably understand how these connectors work...right? Unlock the Volume Slider, remove the module, and set it aside for now:
TOUCH PANEL
Unlock and remove the flex PCB connecting the Touch Panel to the motherboard:
TOP SCREEN STEP 1
Removing the top screen from the motherboard isn't the most difficult part of this procedure (though connecting it again certainly is...but more on that later!), but due to the nature of 3DS XL's internal layout, it must be disconnected in a two-step process. The first step involves removing the two flex PCBs connected on the topside of the motherboard, as seen below:
REMOVING THE MOTHERBOARD AND TOP SCREEN - STEP 2
You're almost halfway done...are you excited?
To remove the motherboard, you must remove ten screws. They're easy to locate on the board as they're all circled in white, but they've been highlighted in the picture below as well. Once you've removed the screws and set them aside, remove the two black pieces in the bottom left and right corners of the shell (as seen below, not highlighted), then gently lift the motherboard and flip it over to reveal the final connector for the top screen, attached to the bottom of the board. Unlock it as shown below, then set the motherboard aside and get ready to do it all over again!
Step 3— Rear Bezel
· Turn the DSi XL over and open the display.
· When re-assembling the device, be sure to re-install the ABXY and Start/Select buttons, as they are likely to fall out once the handheld console is turned over.
· Use a pushpin to remove the four plastic screw covers on the front bezel.
· Remove the four 3.5 mm silver Phillips screws securing the rear bezel to the front bezel.
Step 4
· Using two hands, gently slide the rear bezel upwards.
· The rear bezel will move only about 2 mm.
Step 5
· Insert a spudger into the gap between the front and rear bezel.
· Rotate the spudger away from the DSi XL, prying the two bezels apart.
· In the same manner as described above, continue prying along the top edge of the front and rear bezels.
Step 6
· Separate the rear bezel from the front bezel.
· Do not attempt to completely remove the rear bezel yet. It is still attached to the front bezel by the rear-facing camera.
Step 7
· Using the flat end of a spudger, pry the rear camera off the rear bezel.
· Remove the rear bezel.
Step 8— Front Bezel Assembly
· Close the DSi XL and turn it over.
· Using a pair of tweezers, pull the microphone out of its housing in the front bezel.
· De-route the microphone cable, and pull it through the right hinge.
Step 9
· Using the flat end of a spudger, pry the left speaker out of its socket on the front bezel.
· De-route the speaker cable along the top edge of the screen.
· Work carefully and slowly, holding onto the wire and not the speaker itself. The solder joints may break if pulled on too hard.
· In the same manner described above, remove the right speaker from its socket on the front bezel.
· Place both speakers on the back of the upper LCD.
Step 10
· Ensuring that the upper LCD does not fall out of the front bezel, turn the DSi XL over.
· Remove the seven 2.5 mm silver screws securing the power board to the upper case.
· Lift the power board up off the upper case.
Step 11
· Peel the rubber button pads off the backside of the D-pad and power button.
Step 32
· Open the case slightly.
· Push the D-pad up through its housing in the upper case. Remove the D-pad.
· In the same way, remove the power button from the upper case.
Step 13
· Using a pair of tweezers, remove the LED diffuser bracket and the LED diffuser from the upper case of the DSi XL.
Step 14
· In the following steps, you will be using a spudger to remove the hinge pin from the left side of the DSi XL.
· Place the tip of a spudger in the LED diffuser compartment, on the face of the clutch hinge.
· Push the clutch hinge to the left.
· Some force will be required. You will hear an audible "pop" when the clutch has cleared the lower case. It will move about 0.25".
Step 15
· Lift the left side of the front bezel away from the upper case.
· Do not lift too far, or else the hinge pin will break. Only lift enough to clear the LED compartment, about 1".
· Pull the front bezel to the left, separating the front bezel from the upper case.
· Do not attempt to fully separate the two halves yet. There are still ribbon cables running through the upper case.
Step 16
· Grasp the camera and upper LCD ribbon cables between your thumb and forefinger, pulling them out of the upper case slightly, slide them down through the slit in the upper case.
· Rotate the front bezel assembly clockwise so that the ends of the camera and LCD cables slide sideways through the slit in the front bezel.
Step 17
· In order to remove the upper LCD and the cameras from the front bezel, it is helpful to coil the ribbon cables together.
· Carefully coil the two ribbon cables together, so that the connectors are on the inside of the spool.
· Wrap the ribbon cables tightly, but not too tight, as bending the connectors will render them inoperable.
Step 18
· Holding the upper LCD and the cameras together, pull the cables through the hinge in the front bezel.
· Pull slowly, making sure that the cables do not catch on the hinge pin and tear.
· Uncoil the ribbon cables.
Step 19— Camera Ribbon
· Lift the camera ribbon cable up off the upper LCD, minding any adhesive that may still be attached.
Step 20— Upper LCD front plastic screen removal
· Insert the flat end of a spudger underneath the adhesive pad on the front of the upper LCD.
· Slide the spuder to the left, detaching the adhesive pad along the bottom edge.
Step 21
· In the same manner as previously described, remove the adhesive along the right edge of the upper LCD.
Step 22
· In the same manner as previously described, remove the adhesive along the top edge of the upper LCD.
Step 23
· Firmly grasp the upper screen, and lifting from the right edge, pull the upper screen off of the upper LCD.
EditStep 44
· Removing the upper LCD, requires desoldering the speakers from the LCD assembly.
· Desolder the speaker wires.
· During reassembly, keep track of the location of each wire. The black wire is soldered to the right pad; the red wire is soldered to the left pad.
· Upper LCD remains.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
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