Just a warning - use short screws for the circuit board screw holes (the two circled ones), and be extra careful not to screw them in too hard. Do this to avoid pushing holes through the outside of the shell, which is what I did :(. Although the damage isn't too bad, it's enough for me to want to buy a replacement shell. Good thing they're cheap, plus the extra experience taking apart and reassembling a DS Lite is fine by me.
That is a great point! Always make sure you use the correct screws in their designated spots. If you don’t, you risk running into issues like you’ve mentioned. But like you said, every failure is a chance for more experience! :)
what site or seller did you get your shell from? All I can find is either fake or scam shells or Aliexpress shells (which will definitely be non official shells made of cheap plastic). who or what would you recommend
Hey, thank you for this tutorial! I was able to do the whole swap (in 5x as much time as you). It was my first time and so much more than I could chew, thanks again. If anyones having trouble feeding the antenna through, I used a needle and thread, tied it to the antenna wire, and pulled the needle through the right course. It, the thread, and the antenna wire all popped out the right part on the correct side.
That's a great idea! In my case, I had already reshelled it a number of times before this video. The first time I did one though, it was definitely probably 5x as long for me to do too!
I did my first ds lite restoration thanks to you. Took me like a month and a half. Two fails and a bit of raging I figured it out and I’m happy with the end product. Thank you !
For those of you replacing the bottom screen completely with a new one, make sure the new one you got has the black tape or foam backing the original has. If it's just bare metal, apply tape to it or a sheet of anti-static material to protect the motherboard from dying from a short-circuit, or like what happened to me, it still works but it burned some metal components, like the tiny metal dishes inside the trigger buttons.
Thank you so much for this!!! I've had an old DS Lite and a replacement shell waiting around for a couple years that I was too scared to try and case swap my self... but this level of detail and attention to the process was exactly what I needed! I followed along with you and got it done with minimal stress... though the hinges gave me heartburn LOL! I had the same problem getting the back to fit without gapping...but I don't mind so much for a fun new purple shell. :3 Thank you again!
There are two potentiometers on the bottom of the battery slot, one for the top screen and the other for the bottom. The new top screen you bought is actually fine, you are supposed to adjust it to make the flicker/tint/noise go away every time you swap in a new one. The scan rate is slightly different on each one at the factory.
Thanks for the tip! I will definitely have to check that out, and see if it fixes the issue! I haven't actually played this one since I swapped it, so I didn't spend anymore time taking a look at it. But I will definitely have to check that out now. Thanks!
This guide is very useful. Helped me replace the shell and refurbish an old DS Lite with a broken hinge. Thank you! Any chance you'll ever try to do a 2DS XL top screen repair?
Yes! I'd love to get my hands on a broken 2DS XL. I've been putting a few bids on some on eBay, but they all seem to go higher than what I think is reasonable to pay for one. I can buy a refurbished one from GameStop for about $130, so I have a hard time paying near that much for a broken one online (plus the cost of a replacement screen!). As soon as I can get one at a decent price, I plan to do so!
Warning: The 2ds in nearly impossible to replace without breaking. I tried to and it took me 6 hours to do. Every ds-3ds line of handhelds are difficult but this is one of if not the hardest to do. Also, the 2ds is very cheap and flimsy.
Thank you for an excellent very detailed video. Many RUclips repair videos are too quick, and have little if any explanation. I found yours to be perfect, and I particularly appreciated the fact that you left in your mistakes. Good job! You have a new subscriber.
I can’t believe I’m saying this but I did it! I’ve never taken anything into parts but with this tutorial I was able to replace my Nintendo DS Lite shell! Thank you.
You definitely earned a sub, I like this style of video where it shows clearly what you are doing and everything you are doing. Most people have crappy angles or just dont mention stuff. Keep it up man!
I looked up how to replace DS lite shells because my pink ds lite from when I was a kid has a broken hinge on the right side and I wanted to replace the shell with a gold LoZ shell I found on ebay. And much to my surprise this video is literally exactly what I need! So thank you!
I need to replace my broken DS hinge 😩 upper case replacement because now it's broken, I'm not a tech kind of person but I'll try, thankfully there's videos like this to follow every step of the way! 🙏🏻
Just recieved my new shell, new top and bottom screens and new shoulder button switches because mine are unresponsive. I'm going to tackle this pretty soon, wish me luck! Also thanks for the video this is going to be a really big help! The only thing i've ever done before was a gameboy or my snes, nothing to this extent!
I AM IN THE SAME SITUATION !!!! I WANTED TO OPEN THE TOP SHELL AND I USED A KNIFE .... AS A STUPID I CUT THE SCREEN TAPE !!!! I feel so stupid !!!! So I BUY a new top screen and I want to change the screen correctly .... I know that I am fighting to pass the ribbon cable in the small STUPID HOLE !!!!!
for anyone stuck at 1:08:16, i ran mine by tying a sewing thread to a toothpick and running it underneath the ds game cartridge port first, then the sewing thread is tied/attached to the black wire so you just gently pull it across underneath.
Just watched this all the way through, it was very detailed, and thank you for leaving in the mistakes! I just found my old Nintendo DS Lite and it is broken! When I turn the power on, the green light turns on, and the bottom screen flashes white then everything turns off. After doing some research, it seems like the ribbon cable is either damaged, dirty, or disconnected. I am very new to opening up DS's, so to a beginner, this is an amazing video. I'm going to try to fix my Nintendo!! So thank you for posting this! Just subscribed :)
Thank you so much for the kind words! When I made this video about a year ago, I hoped it'd be beneficial to someone who wanted to do the same thing, but were hesitant to do so. In the end, this ended up being my second most popular video, so I'm glad that this was able to help you! :) Yep, the flash, and then shut off is usually indicative of a fault with one of the panels; either due to a broken ribbon cable, or a loose connection (and sometimes a fault within the panel itself). Since you mention you see the bottom screen flash and not the top, I suspect it'll likely be the top one; most likely due to a cracked ribbon cable, from repeated opening and closing of the display. You should be able to at least verify and try reseating the cables first, before doing a full disassemble. Hopefully it's just a loose cable, and you don't need to go through the work of an entire reshell. Good luck on your repairs. Please update us when you give it a go. I look forward to hearing of your success!
Mine seems to have the same problem, green led comes on, bottom screen flashes white, but then immediately turns off, also, the top screen stays black, but seems to display some vertical lines that are slightly larger than the rest. I think this is because I may have poked the ribbon cable with the tweezers when trying to close the black hinge, and it appears to have a slight dent in it now, not really sure what to do now...
@@frogking9514 I wasn't, the ribbon cable that connected the top screen was slightly ripped which caused the problem. You could try finding a replacement top screen on ebay! (I'd have to do the same but I've been busy with college lol)
Thank you so much for the detailed tutorial! I got two DS lites years and years ago and one had a broken hinge. after all these years the top screen of the damaged one started going on the frits. I'm definitely trying this soon.
I can't get the top screen shell to stay lined up to put the 4 small top screen screws in!! Think my after market shell is a bad one and it doesn't link up
I forgot to thank you for this video. I had it playing on my laptop while I did the shell swap and I couldn't have done it without it. My shell swap went great! I didn't tear any ribbon cables or anything. The most difficult part about this whole procedure for me was putting the shoulder buttons back on. Makes me want to tear my hair out just thinking about it. The ribbon cable part of it was also nerve-wracking. It took me in total I would say 4 hours. I went a bit slow to make sure I didn't tear something. And I now successfully have a clear DS Lite. :) I will upload a video showing my DS soon.
Unfortunate you sped up the video at a critical point, feeding the cables through the sleeve and ribbon through the housing. Otherwise very useful thanks!
This was incredibly helpful, thanks. Spent the afternoon going step by step through this and did the job no problem! Except I managed to damage the digitiser cable with my stupid fat hands so will have to wait on a replacement digitiser. No worries though because your video is spot on mate, thanks again!
thank you for this ! ive done many 3ds shell swaps so i have that experience yknow, but ive never done a ds lite shell swap. with bdsp out i offered to repair my friend's dp ds lite and boy was that a challenge. this vid rlly helped with what exactly i had to do and how everything needed to go back together once i got it apart ! :) ty again !!!!
Amazing video. I did a blind tear down of mine for a housing swap and jacked the whole console up, so I gotta do it again on one I bought for real cheap. I wish I would’ve found this video before I did it and I wouldn’t be down another 30 dollars for parts
I myself bought a pink DS lite in great condition in my local town. It's in phenomenal shape, and she was just trying to get rid of it. So score for me. Too bad it's pink! This video is certainly helping me reshell it in yellow! That ribbon cable is a real pain for that top screen.
Thanks for the video! My bottom screen flashes white and then powers off immediately after turning it on. I checked the top ribbon cable. not sure what to do next.
This is a very detailed and useful video. I think I'd watch it even if I weren't trying to fix a DS Lite! The only part that confused me - why did you remove the wi-fi/BIOS card at about 9:10? Maybe I missed something, but removing it didn't seem to serve a purpose? Thanks for making this video.
Great question! Thanks for asking. You're right, removing it wasn't really necessary. I usually remove it because it makes it a bit easier to get to the microphone cable that connects to a socket right beside the board. By removing the board, it makes it a bit easier to get to the cable. But you can definitely remove the cable without needing to remove the board, if you don't have sausage-fingers like I do!
Got the same ds lite that I got off eBay with liquid damage but got it cleaned up and replaced a fuse and now it works and now i am going to replace the shell
Hey Dude! Just want to say thank you so much for making this video! First time disassembling a DS Lite and doing a Reshell. You instructions and video really helped me do it!
I've been following along your video, to reshell my DS lite, and recording it for my tiktokblog. Just as you mentioned being frustrated about your camera dying mine died too. It's the worst kind of Solidarity -.- Lol
I followed all the steps but now my ds won’t turn on anymore :c when I try to charge it my Nintendo only flashes the orange light for a second and then nothing. What could I have done wrong? Edit: the F2 fuse overloaded. 3 times. (Bought 2 new F2 fuses which also overloaded) so I bought a new motherboard. Edit2: The fuse in the new motherboard also overloaded so I ended up buying a new ds. I think it somehow kept overloading because of the new screens I bought on aliexpress. -.-
@@arielabraham6683 I think it happened because of the new screens I bought on aliexpress (that was the only thing I changed). The F2 fuse in the new motherboard also overloaded after only turning it on once. I ended up buying a new ds.
Thanks for this video! I watched a lot of different tutorials and I found yours to be one of the most helpful. I appreciate you explaining things slowly. I successfully swapped my shell, (unfortunately the touchscreen doesnt work but that's not too bad of a result for my first time doing something like this).
eurrggh i tried to replace the shell on my ds because the hinge was broken, but i ended up pinching the top screen ribbon cable! so the top screen isn't working now T_T... but i'll probably just come back this video later when i have to replace it! anyways... thank you so much for making this video! i've repaired other consoles before, but omg the ds is the worst thing i've ever had to crack open. this vid was SUPER helpful :D
Is there any advantage to replacing the top screen with a better LCD, like with GameBoy Advance? If so, can you link to a place to order the better quality LCD?
What is the diagnosis if the bearing/cylinder that houses the LCD ribbon, black, and white isn't clipping in all the way? Is there a specific orientation it should be? Everything is original minus the new faceplate.
Great step by step. I’ll be getting the same case to replace this sky blue one I picked up last year for macro mod. Prolly just keep it as a ds lite for now.
Amazon! Here's a link to the exact one I bought: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073RGVB39/ And yep, it's silicone, and heat-resistant to solder. I haven't tried to get it too closer to the soldering iron, but soldering circuit boards directly on top of it seems to be working well!
Hey T.B.P. , I followed your instructions I didn’t break the ribbon cable , everything snapped together properly and powered up but now I can’t see anything on the top screen and it was fully functioning before . Any ideas what I might have done wrong? Please help , thanks
@@The_Dork_Knight You could try reseating the ribbon cable for the top screen. That's not too hard to do, since you only need to remove the motherboard a bit to get to it. See if it's loose in there at all. Otherwise, I would suspect a micro-tear in the ribbon cable. It's extremely easy to do when trying to twist the cable to insert through the hinge. Hopefully it's just a loose connection though, and reseating it will take care of it!
Very helpful video, thank you! My DS Lite was broken and unfortunately the hinge fell off years ago. I may have to find a cheap ds just for the hinge :')
Is a triwing screwdriver and a precision screwdriver all I need? Is there a list of what I need somewhere? I’ve done some looking and I’ve seen these two things only in a list to 15 different tools in a list. I’m only looking to replace my shell at the moment. Down the line I’m looking to replace the touch screen, but I know those can get pretty pricey so I’m going to wait.
Haha, I'm sorry for that! I sped through it because it was a really boring segment of me struggling with it! The big pointer I would give is to take your time, and wrap it tightly, but avoid pinching it. What I've done is taken my tweezers, grab the connector part of the cable, and gently rotate it into a tight circle. Once tight enough, you should be able to feed it through the shell loop, and then the metal ring as well. It takes a bit of trial and error; especially on a new display that doesn't have a pre-curved ribbon, as it tries to keep unwrapping itself and straightening back out. Take your time, go gently and don't force it, and you should get it through eventually!
Please help! I'm new to repair and I just refurbished my first Nintendo DS and it went well for the most part. Everything works except when. go to charge it the orange light doesn't come on and it won't charge. I then swapped the motherboard with another ds and now this one isn't charging either. They were both charging before I did the repair. What could I be possibly be doing wrong? Oh by the way if I put in a full battery the DS powers on and plays just fine.
I'm having an issue with the ds booting up. When I move the power slider, the light turns green for a second (because the battery is fully charged), I hear a faint click, and then it turns off. Sometimes, the top screen flashes for a split second, but rarely. I did have an issue with the antenna, though. The wire had come undone and I had to sodder it back on. besides that, I followed the video exactly. Any ideas?
Seems like the ribbon cables for the top and bottom screen could be loose. On both of the ribbon cables, theres these little pieces of it that stick out on both sides and those should be pushed up against the connector as close as possible.
Great question! It's a Xiaomi Wiha set. You can buy them on Amazon, here: www.amazon.com/Xiaomi-Precision-Screwdriver-Magnetic-Electronics/dp/B07FZ5DSWC or find them online on various sites like eBay, AliExpress, GearBest, etc. I love the kit. It's got a great feel, and the clicky latch with the aluminum shell makes it feel like a premium product. The only negative is the triwing bit doesn't fit these smaller screws, so you will need a separate triwing driver, but most aftermarket shells you buy come with one that you can use as well.
Hi there! What screwdriver do you use to take the hinge screws out? I tried everything but they don’t work or fit and I was wondering if you could lmk so I can buy the same one before I give up on this project :’)
Great video! The ifixit site doesn't have shell replacement tutorials and the ones on youtube are all too fast and not explained much. I've already ordered a replacement shell for mine. Quick question though, if the shell has no cracks but the hinge is kinda loose and wobbly on my current ds, do I need to buy a replacement hinge?
Thanks so much I just received my new legends of zelda triforce shell cause my ds had a cracked hinge this video was so helpful thanks so much I liked and subscribed
For anyone else struggling to remove the pads on the front of the top screen, a sewing needle did the trick for me. Push it into a corner and when you feel it hit the bottom, pry the pad up. Didn't leave any damage on mine
Bro can you help me :/ ? My Nds lite is not working because it won't loading. So when I want to charg it, it charges for 0.5 sec and then stops! Why? Thank you very much
The battery is the first thing you can try. If it still doesn't work there are two tiny fuses that might be broken. You can fix it if you know how to solder those tiny SMD components.
i have scratches at the back of my top screen and im replacing my shell with a clear one so ill be able to see it, if i were to put like a thin sticker on would anything happen? like the same consistency as clear tape
Okay so I did this repair got a new top LCD & then before putting the bottom assembly together I tried to power it on & the light flickers green & red and system wont turn on now🤷🏼
This it my go-to video for DS lite disassemble-reassemble. I have a hard nut to crack these days: a DS lite that charges (orange light works) but won't turn on, no green flashes, no screen flashes, just sits there. Tested all the usual suspects (F1, F2, L2) and they're fine, the board seems fine, no burn marks, tested with a 100% full working battery and an AC adapter, but it still won't turn on. Any hint or tip?
Awesome! Just followed your thing while I did mine. I failed. And by failed I mean it's done, everything works., and it looks neat, but some of the shell warps. Now when I replace my digitizer I gotta figure out why my the shell is being a douche. I'm really hoping its not the right trigger. In any case, Now I figure out how to cut a vinyl sticker to place on the top, and get a clear protective case with screen protectors so my beaut stays a beaut. Also oddly enough the ribbon cable wasn't the most annoying part. It was the triggers. And partially the black antenna wire. In any case, it's done and whomever dare attempt this I bid you luck and better ideas. Or that you just hire someone.
My DS Lite wont boot anymore after the shell, top screen and digitizer replacement. When iboot it, neither the screens nor the led turns on. When i charge it the led turns orange for 1 second and then turns off again. The device wont boot while charging either. Do you have any idea what could be the reason? Before the replacing process everything worked...
Thatnk for this tutorial. I cant seem to get the back shell of the bottom half to connect to the front. Its being stopped by something, its either the charging port or the cartridge slot. Have you ever had this problem? Could it be the casting?
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“ i don’t know why people are so scared to change DS shells”
*takes an hour and a half to do it with EXPERIENCE*
ikr, lol.
I have all the proper tools and experience and tore the ribbon cable, it’s garbage now
@@darrell5363 not yet. New top screens have the cable so just get a replacement and try again.
Or turn it into a GBA
@@slyp5409 i got it for like $5 its not worth my time it went in the trash
@@darrell5363 If not then the Gameboy macro idea isn't a terrible way to go
Just a warning - use short screws for the circuit board screw holes (the two circled ones), and be extra careful not to screw them in too hard. Do this to avoid pushing holes through the outside of the shell, which is what I did :(. Although the damage isn't too bad, it's enough for me to want to buy a replacement shell. Good thing they're cheap, plus the extra experience taking apart and reassembling a DS Lite is fine by me.
That is a great point!
Always make sure you use the correct screws in their designated spots. If you don’t, you risk running into issues like you’ve mentioned. But like you said, every failure is a chance for more experience! :)
what site or seller did you get your shell from? All I can find is either fake or scam shells or Aliexpress shells (which will definitely be non official shells made of cheap plastic). who or what would you recommend
Cheap? WHERE DO YOU BUY THEM.
i only found shells that costed me like 13$ or maybe 7$ from aliExpress but i want a quality one
just had the same thing happen to me :D Good thing the whole thing isnt turning on for me so its the least of my worries :P
@@Its_Asteria there are no official shells unless you buy a used one
Dang, looks exactly like mine. Except mine wont work..
That stinks! What's wrong with it?
@@TheBrokenPast won't turn on, and has a crack on it's back.
Check if all of the cables are plugged in correctly. If not the bottom DS Screen will flash and the system won't turn on.
If it doesnt turn on then maybe it needs a fuse replacement
@@TheBrokenPast Same with mine😔...It doesn't read games...It has bent pin that is the reason..
Hey, thank you for this tutorial! I was able to do the whole swap (in 5x as much time as you). It was my first time and so much more than I could chew, thanks again.
If anyones having trouble feeding the antenna through, I used a needle and thread, tied it to the antenna wire, and pulled the needle through the right course. It, the thread, and the antenna wire all popped out the right part on the correct side.
That's a great idea!
In my case, I had already reshelled it a number of times before this video. The first time I did one though, it was definitely probably 5x as long for me to do too!
I did my first ds lite restoration thanks to you. Took me like a month and a half. Two fails and a bit of raging I figured it out and I’m happy with the end product. Thank you !
For those of you replacing the bottom screen completely with a new one, make sure the new one you got has the black tape or foam backing the original has. If it's just bare metal, apply tape to it or a sheet of anti-static material to protect the motherboard from dying from a short-circuit, or like what happened to me, it still works but it burned some metal components, like the tiny metal dishes inside the trigger buttons.
Thank you so much for this!!! I've had an old DS Lite and a replacement shell waiting around for a couple years that I was too scared to try and case swap my self... but this level of detail and attention to the process was exactly what I needed! I followed along with you and got it done with minimal stress... though the hinges gave me heartburn LOL! I had the same problem getting the back to fit without gapping...but I don't mind so much for a fun new purple shell. :3
Thank you again!
There are two potentiometers on the bottom of the battery slot, one for the top screen and the other for the bottom. The new top screen you bought is actually fine, you are supposed to adjust it to make the flicker/tint/noise go away every time you swap in a new one. The scan rate is slightly different on each one at the factory.
Thanks for the tip! I will definitely have to check that out, and see if it fixes the issue! I haven't actually played this one since I swapped it, so I didn't spend anymore time taking a look at it. But I will definitely have to check that out now. Thanks!
This guide is very useful. Helped me replace the shell and refurbish an old DS Lite with a broken hinge. Thank you! Any chance you'll ever try to do a 2DS XL top screen repair?
Yes!
I'd love to get my hands on a broken 2DS XL. I've been putting a few bids on some on eBay, but they all seem to go higher than what I think is reasonable to pay for one. I can buy a refurbished one from GameStop for about $130, so I have a hard time paying near that much for a broken one online (plus the cost of a replacement screen!). As soon as I can get one at a decent price, I plan to do so!
Warning: The 2ds in nearly impossible to replace without breaking. I tried to and it took me 6 hours to do. Every ds-3ds line of handhelds are difficult but this is one of if not the hardest to do. Also, the 2ds is very cheap and flimsy.
@@BELDAM808 I love a good challenge! I've still been watching out for one on the cheap on eBay. Hopefully soon!
Damn, I tore the ribbon cable. Guess I'm doing a screen replacement too
Same happened to me D:
same. why would you redo the steps again and again if this is a tutorial? :S
Same here :( my screen didn’t on
I burnt a screen while soldering.
Thank you for an excellent very detailed video. Many RUclips repair videos are too quick, and have little if any explanation. I found yours to be perfect, and I particularly appreciated the fact that you left in your mistakes. Good job! You have a new subscriber.
Thank you for the kind words! Welcome to the channel!
I can’t believe I’m saying this but I did it! I’ve never taken anything into parts but with this tutorial I was able to replace my Nintendo DS Lite shell! Thank you.
You definitely earned a sub, I like this style of video where it shows clearly what you are doing and everything you are doing. Most people have crappy angles or just dont mention stuff. Keep it up man!
I looked up how to replace DS lite shells because my pink ds lite from when I was a kid has a broken hinge on the right side and I wanted to replace the shell with a gold LoZ shell I found on ebay. And much to my surprise this video is literally exactly what I need! So thank you!
I need to replace my broken DS hinge 😩 upper case replacement because now it's broken, I'm not a tech kind of person but I'll try, thankfully there's videos like this to follow every step of the way! 🙏🏻
Just recieved my new shell, new top and bottom screens and new shoulder button switches because mine are unresponsive. I'm going to tackle this pretty soon, wish me luck! Also thanks for the video this is going to be a really big help! The only thing i've ever done before was a gameboy or my snes, nothing to this extent!
I just got a 40$ ds lite for a friend! It works perfectly fine and all i need to do is reshell it with a zelda case! Thanks for the video man!
I wasn't planning on doing the top screen replacement but I tore the ribbon cable so I guess I have no choice now -_-
Same here
Hey bro a tip I came up with is to put tape over the ribbon cable so it will be less likely to rip.
Alex Servantez instructions not clear, teared ribbon cable and replaced with tape
Me too
I AM IN THE SAME SITUATION !!!! I WANTED TO OPEN THE TOP SHELL AND I USED A KNIFE .... AS A STUPID I CUT THE SCREEN TAPE !!!! I feel so stupid !!!! So I BUY a new top screen and I want to change the screen correctly .... I know that I am fighting to pass the ribbon cable in the small STUPID HOLE !!!!!
for anyone stuck at 1:08:16, i ran mine by tying a sewing thread to a toothpick and running it underneath the ds game cartridge port first, then the sewing thread is tied/attached to the black wire so you just gently pull it across underneath.
This was my idea when I do mine once my shell comes in, but I feel like I can get the mic cable under fine by hand
Just watched this all the way through, it was very detailed, and thank you for leaving in the mistakes!
I just found my old Nintendo DS Lite and it is broken! When I turn the power on, the green light turns on, and the bottom screen flashes white then everything turns off. After doing some research, it seems like the ribbon cable is either damaged, dirty, or disconnected.
I am very new to opening up DS's, so to a beginner, this is an amazing video. I'm going to try to fix my Nintendo!! So thank you for posting this! Just subscribed :)
Thank you so much for the kind words! When I made this video about a year ago, I hoped it'd be beneficial to someone who wanted to do the same thing, but were hesitant to do so. In the end, this ended up being my second most popular video, so I'm glad that this was able to help you! :)
Yep, the flash, and then shut off is usually indicative of a fault with one of the panels; either due to a broken ribbon cable, or a loose connection (and sometimes a fault within the panel itself). Since you mention you see the bottom screen flash and not the top, I suspect it'll likely be the top one; most likely due to a cracked ribbon cable, from repeated opening and closing of the display. You should be able to at least verify and try reseating the cables first, before doing a full disassemble. Hopefully it's just a loose cable, and you don't need to go through the work of an entire reshell.
Good luck on your repairs. Please update us when you give it a go. I look forward to hearing of your success!
Mine seems to have the same problem, green led comes on, bottom screen flashes white, but then immediately turns off, also, the top screen stays black, but seems to display some vertical lines that are slightly larger than the rest. I think this is because I may have poked the ribbon cable with the tweezers when trying to close the black hinge, and it appears to have a slight dent in it now, not really sure what to do now...
Were you able to fix it? Mine has the same issue and it looks like everything is connected correctly...
@@frogking9514 I wasn't, the ribbon cable that connected the top screen was slightly ripped which caused the problem.
You could try finding a replacement top screen on ebay! (I'd have to do the same but I've been busy with college lol)
Thank you so much for the detailed tutorial! I got two DS lites years and years ago and one had a broken hinge. after all these years the top screen of the damaged one started going on the frits. I'm definitely trying this soon.
You're quite welcome!
Good luck on your repairs. Please come back and let us know how it went!
Thank you so much! I just switched my older sister's old black ds shell for a clear one. It fits my techy interests so much better now!
Best video on How to repair a ds lite
Thanks for the kind words!
I’m glad to see I’m not the only one that got a very messy replacement. Took me 3 hours to switch shells due to all the cutting I had to do
I can't get the top screen shell to stay lined up to put the 4 small top screen screws in!! Think my after market shell is a bad one and it doesn't link up
I forgot to thank you for this video. I had it playing on my laptop while I did the shell swap and I couldn't have done it without it. My shell swap went great! I didn't tear any ribbon cables or anything. The most difficult part about this whole procedure for me was putting the shoulder buttons back on. Makes me want to tear my hair out just thinking about it. The ribbon cable part of it was also nerve-wracking. It took me in total I would say 4 hours. I went a bit slow to make sure I didn't tear something. And I now successfully have a clear DS Lite. :)
I will upload a video showing my DS soon.
Unfortunate you sped up the video at a critical point, feeding the cables through the sleeve and ribbon through the housing. Otherwise very useful thanks!
Ye I’m still stuck how the fuck do I put the ribbon cable through that tiny hole I’ve been trying for ages
This was incredibly helpful, thanks. Spent the afternoon going step by step through this and did the job no problem! Except I managed to damage the digitiser cable with my stupid fat hands so will have to wait on a replacement digitiser. No worries though because your video is spot on mate, thanks again!
thank you for this ! ive done many 3ds shell swaps so i have that experience yknow, but ive never done a ds lite shell swap. with bdsp out i offered to repair my friend's dp ds lite and boy was that a challenge. this vid rlly helped with what exactly i had to do and how everything needed to go back together once i got it apart ! :) ty again !!!!
Amazing video. I did a blind tear down of mine for a housing swap and jacked the whole console up, so I gotta do it again on one I bought for real cheap. I wish I would’ve found this video before I did it and I wouldn’t be down another 30 dollars for parts
This is very usefull! I want to reshell my old DS Lite, and this video helps alot!
Thanks for the kind words! Glad it was helpful!
I myself bought a pink DS lite in great condition in my local town. It's in phenomenal shape, and she was just trying to get rid of it. So score for me. Too bad it's pink! This video is certainly helping me reshell it in yellow! That ribbon cable is a real pain for that top screen.
Thanks for the video! My bottom screen flashes white and then powers off immediately after turning it on. I checked the top ribbon cable. not sure what to do next.
My did that too i'm looking for help with this...
This is a very detailed and useful video. I think I'd watch it even if I weren't trying to fix a DS Lite! The only part that confused me - why did you remove the wi-fi/BIOS card at about 9:10? Maybe I missed something, but removing it didn't seem to serve a purpose? Thanks for making this video.
Great question! Thanks for asking. You're right, removing it wasn't really necessary. I usually remove it because it makes it a bit easier to get to the microphone cable that connects to a socket right beside the board. By removing the board, it makes it a bit easier to get to the cable. But you can definitely remove the cable without needing to remove the board, if you don't have sausage-fingers like I do!
Thanks so much for clarifying!
Got the same ds lite that I got off eBay with liquid damage but got it cleaned up and replaced a fuse and now it works and now i am going to replace the shell
Seems really doable, thanks for uploading this easy to follow video.
Could you send a link where you buy a shell?
Hey Dude! Just want to say thank you so much for making this video! First time disassembling a DS Lite and doing a Reshell. You instructions and video really helped me do it!
I finished the shell replacement successfully, but my touchscreen can’t work. What should I do??
Great video. I can listen to your smooth voice tell me how to refurbish my ds lite.
(And the video was amazing too I guess.)
Well, thanks for the kind words! I'm glad the video was amazing. :)
Finally I did it... thanks a lot mate my Nintendo is working again
where to get the tool called "Sater" and what is that heat tool so the wires could stay in place in order to connect the speakers
*solder and it is only needed if you replace the screen
@@antoniolemus1117 Thank you, very insightful.
Thank you for this video ♡ i’m completely new to this and the in depth tutorial makes me a little less nervous to try it out.
I've been following along your video, to reshell my DS lite, and recording it for my tiktokblog. Just as you mentioned being frustrated about your camera dying mine died too.
It's the worst kind of Solidarity -.- Lol
Thank you for this, I had an old pink ds lite and I am going to make it look all new and fancy.
thanks man
how did it go?
I followed all the steps but now my ds won’t turn on anymore :c when I try to charge it my Nintendo only flashes the orange light for a second and then nothing. What could I have done wrong?
Edit: the F2 fuse overloaded. 3 times. (Bought 2 new F2 fuses which also overloaded) so I bought a new motherboard.
Edit2: The fuse in the new motherboard also overloaded so I ended up buying a new ds. I think it somehow kept overloading because of the new screens I bought on aliexpress. -.-
How’d you blow the fuse on it? I’m going to attempt a shell swap soon and I really don’t want to screw it up
How tf that happen ?
@@arielabraham6683 I think it happened because of the new screens I bought on aliexpress (that was the only thing I changed). The F2 fuse in the new motherboard also overloaded after only turning it on once. I ended up buying a new ds.
You probably changed the bottom screen without protecting the metal back so you connected parts of the motherboard by accident
Thanks for this video! I watched a lot of different tutorials and I found yours to be one of the most helpful. I appreciate you explaining things slowly. I successfully swapped my shell, (unfortunately the touchscreen doesnt work but that's not too bad of a result for my first time doing something like this).
i tried to swap but then the console does not turn on =[
help!
eurrggh i tried to replace the shell on my ds because the hinge was broken, but i ended up pinching the top screen ribbon cable! so the top screen isn't working now T_T... but i'll probably just come back this video later when i have to replace it!
anyways... thank you so much for making this video! i've repaired other consoles before, but omg the ds is the worst thing i've ever had to crack open. this vid was SUPER helpful :D
THIS is the video I needed. Ty so much. Got a ds reshell to do this weekend. This video is perfect
Is there any advantage to replacing the top screen with a better LCD, like with GameBoy Advance? If so, can you link to a place to order the better quality LCD?
What is the diagnosis if the bearing/cylinder that houses the LCD ribbon, black, and white isn't clipping in all the way? Is there a specific orientation it should be? Everything is original minus the new faceplate.
Great step by step. I’ll be getting the same case to replace this sky blue one I picked up last year for macro mod. Prolly just keep it as a ds lite for now.
Hi , I really like that blue mat, where can I find one? Is it silicone?
Amazon! Here's a link to the exact one I bought:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073RGVB39/
And yep, it's silicone, and heat-resistant to solder. I haven't tried to get it too closer to the soldering iron, but soldering circuit boards directly on top of it seems to be working well!
Hey T.B.P. , I followed your instructions I didn’t break the ribbon cable , everything snapped together properly and powered up but now I can’t see anything on the top screen and it was fully functioning before . Any ideas what I might have done wrong? Please help , thanks
@@The_Dork_Knight You could try reseating the ribbon cable for the top screen. That's not too hard to do, since you only need to remove the motherboard a bit to get to it. See if it's loose in there at all.
Otherwise, I would suspect a micro-tear in the ribbon cable. It's extremely easy to do when trying to twist the cable to insert through the hinge.
Hopefully it's just a loose connection though, and reseating it will take care of it!
Very helpful video, thank you!
My DS Lite was broken and unfortunately the hinge fell off years ago. I may have to find a cheap ds just for the hinge :')
Is a triwing screwdriver and a precision screwdriver all I need? Is there a list of what I need somewhere?
I’ve done some looking and I’ve seen these two things only in a list to 15 different tools in a list.
I’m only looking to replace my shell at the moment. Down the line I’m looking to replace the touch screen, but I know those can get pretty pricey so I’m going to wait.
Bro, thank you for this extremely detailed tutorial. It was a really fun. U got a new sub lol
Nice video. Enjoying the videos so far. Just started it. I love reshell videos.
Going to change my shell too after I get it from ebay
Good luck!
At 44:50 how in the hell do i get the ribbon cable back through the shell you sped right through it
Haha, I'm sorry for that! I sped through it because it was a really boring segment of me struggling with it!
The big pointer I would give is to take your time, and wrap it tightly, but avoid pinching it. What I've done is taken my tweezers, grab the connector part of the cable, and gently rotate it into a tight circle. Once tight enough, you should be able to feed it through the shell loop, and then the metal ring as well. It takes a bit of trial and error; especially on a new display that doesn't have a pre-curved ribbon, as it tries to keep unwrapping itself and straightening back out.
Take your time, go gently and don't force it, and you should get it through eventually!
Have you tried using a quilling tool on the ribbon connector it's made for twisting up thin straps of paper. It might make that easier.
Help, I put it back together and now the screen does a quick white flash and turns off!!!
What size tri wing does DS & GBA SP need? I have a 2.5 suggested for the Wii. This feels too big for any handheld. I will strip the hardware.
Please help! I'm new to repair and I just refurbished my first Nintendo DS and it went well for the most part. Everything works except when. go to charge it the orange light doesn't come on and it won't charge. I then swapped the motherboard with another ds and now this one isn't charging either. They were both charging before I did the repair. What could I be possibly be doing wrong? Oh by the way if I put in a full battery the DS powers on and plays just fine.
I'm having an issue with the ds booting up. When I move the power slider, the light turns green for a second (because the battery is fully charged), I hear a faint click, and then it turns off. Sometimes, the top screen flashes for a split second, but rarely. I did have an issue with the antenna, though. The wire had come undone and I had to sodder it back on. besides that, I followed the video exactly. Any ideas?
Seems like the ribbon cables for the top and bottom screen could be loose. On both of the ribbon cables, theres these little pieces of it that stick out on both sides and those should be pushed up against the connector as close as possible.
I'm at the part where you put the hinge bit in but it doesn't fit properly into the new shell
Hello, Can you please Link somewhere we can buy the 3 edged screws for the outside bit that you would recommend. I'm clueless about sizes and stuff
I have a serious question what kind of screwdrivers are those?
Great question! It's a Xiaomi Wiha set. You can buy them on Amazon, here:
www.amazon.com/Xiaomi-Precision-Screwdriver-Magnetic-Electronics/dp/B07FZ5DSWC
or find them online on various sites like eBay, AliExpress, GearBest, etc. I love the kit. It's got a great feel, and the clicky latch with the aluminum shell makes it feel like a premium product. The only negative is the triwing bit doesn't fit these smaller screws, so you will need a separate triwing driver, but most aftermarket shells you buy come with one that you can use as well.
Thank you for this video, I done the hole process with you. Greatings from Poland :)
Welcome! So glad it was able to help you out with your shell swap. Great job!
Hey, where can I find OEM housing shells? I don't wanna buy a cheap housing shell from China
Hi there! What screwdriver do you use to take the hinge screws out? I tried everything but they don’t work or fit and I was wondering if you could lmk so I can buy the same one before I give up on this project :’)
Silly question but what's that blue board which you place all your stuffs on, called?
Thanks for this really descriptive tutorial, now I have a custom ds lite made from 2 different cases!
Which colors? My friend did black and white
@A_GamingChannel mine is white and gold
Really good camera quality
What are the necessary tools to do this? Thanks in advance!
I’m having issue with the top screen case not clicking properly together. Any tips?
Great video! The ifixit site doesn't have shell replacement tutorials and the ones on youtube are all too fast and not explained much. I've already ordered a replacement shell for mine. Quick question though, if the shell has no cracks but the hinge is kinda loose and wobbly on my current ds, do I need to buy a replacement hinge?
Thanks so much I just received my new legends of zelda triforce shell cause my ds had a cracked hinge this video was so helpful thanks so much I liked and subscribed
Great, I'm glad it was helpful!
@@TheBrokenPast How good the quality fot his shells is?
For anyone else struggling to remove the pads on the front of the top screen, a sewing needle did the trick for me. Push it into a corner and when you feel it hit the bottom, pry the pad up. Didn't leave any damage on mine
Bro can you help me :/ ?
My Nds lite is not working because it won't loading. So when I want to charg it, it charges for 0.5 sec and then stops! Why? Thank you very much
Try replacing the battery pack
The battery is the first thing you can try. If it still doesn't work there are two tiny fuses that might be broken. You can fix it if you know how to solder those tiny SMD components.
Thanks, I just got a ds lite for $3 with a broken hinge, was looking at this exact case too
Hey that flickering on the top screen can be fixed by adjusting a screw on the back of the mobo
Snapped the small bit off that pinches the small cable on the touch screen, can this be saved or have I just killed it for good
i have scratches at the back of my top screen and im replacing my shell with a clear one so ill be able to see it, if i were to put like a thin sticker on would anything happen? like the same consistency as clear tape
You'll be fine
Mate do you any online site's where i can ship and have this done to my DSL for a service fee ???
Okay so I did this repair got a new top LCD & then before putting the bottom assembly together I tried to power it on & the light flickers green & red and system wont turn on now🤷🏼
This it my go-to video for DS lite disassemble-reassemble. I have a hard nut to crack these days: a DS lite that charges (orange light works) but won't turn on, no green flashes, no screen flashes, just sits there. Tested all the usual suspects (F1, F2, L2) and they're fine, the board seems fine, no burn marks, tested with a 100% full working battery and an AC adapter, but it still won't turn on. Any hint or tip?
Awesome! Just followed your thing while I did mine.
I failed.
And by failed I mean it's done, everything works., and it looks neat, but some of the shell warps.
Now when I replace my digitizer I gotta figure out why my the shell is being a douche. I'm really hoping its not the right trigger.
In any case, Now I figure out how to cut a vinyl sticker to place on the top, and get a clear protective case with screen protectors so my beaut stays a beaut.
Also oddly enough the ribbon cable wasn't the most annoying part. It was the triggers. And partially the black antenna wire.
In any case, it's done and whomever dare attempt this I bid you luck and better ideas. Or that you just hire someone.
Just bought 2 DSL for 6 bucks both have broken top screens I'm excited to replace the screens and the shells
My DS Lite wont boot anymore after the shell, top screen and digitizer replacement. When iboot it, neither the screens nor the led turns on. When i charge it the led turns orange for 1 second and then turns off again. The device wont boot while charging either.
Do you have any idea what could be the reason? Before the replacing process everything worked...
Hi, thank you for the comprehensive video! Any tips on feeding the cable under the game card slot, or is it just a shot in the dark every time?
I think you left the plastic protector on the top screen (not the plastic window that goes on the shell the actual screen itself)
he put it at the end of the video
sooo my ds's hinges aren't broken, do i just pull it out the same way? can't find any answers online for non broken hinges
what is the little flap for the removal of the ribbon cable
Thank you, can we replace a DS fat screen by a a DS lite screen,I think it’s the same size for both
Does everyone have a soldering tool at home? No one in the comments mentioning a lick about it. What can I use instead?
Just broke my volumen but everything else I did prety right. Nice tutorial, help me a lot, next time I will to better lol
I have the same pink coloured one and it's hinge is broken at same location as well.
It’s a pretty common flaw with this design, unfortunately. :(
Thatnk for this tutorial. I cant seem to get the back shell of the bottom half to connect to the front. Its being stopped by something, its either the charging port or the cartridge slot. Have you ever had this problem? Could it be the casting?
Question: Is it still necessary to remove the antenna and mic cables if you are reusing the screen?
My top shell won’t slide on in line is there a certain trick you have to do