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http://www.instructables.com/id/Replace-the-top-screen-of-a-Nintendo-DS-without-o/ Home Sign Up! Explore Community Submit Replace the top screen of a Nintendo DS (without opening up the bottom half) by ryzellon on May 24, 2007 Table of Contents intro: Replace the top screen of a Nintendo DS (without opening up the bottom half) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 step 1: Open the case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 step 2: Detach the ribbons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 step 3: Remove the broken screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 step 4: Reassemble with new screen in place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Customized Instructable T-shirts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Transcript
Page 1: Replace the Top Screen of a Nintendo DS Without o

http://www.instructables.com/id/Replace-the-top-screen-of-a-Nintendo-DS-without-o/

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Replace the top screen of a Nintendo DS (without opening up the bottom half)by ryzellon on May 24, 2007

Table of Contents

intro:   Replace the top screen of a Nintendo DS (without opening up the bottom half) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 1:   Open the case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 2:   Detach the ribbons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 3:   Remove the broken screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

step 4:   Reassemble with new screen in place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Customized Instructable T-shirts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

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intro:  Replace the top screen of a Nintendo DS (without opening up the bottom half)Do you have a DS Lite that needs repairs? HA HA HA SUCKERS. Er, head here for NDSL specific repairs.I'm warning you, though, any repairs to the NDSL requires a specialty (tri-wing) screwdriver, and the top screen needs a soldering iron!

If anyone tries out these instructions: could you give me a holler? (Comment, PM or email me at my user name at gmail dot com.) I want to get a sense of the successrate.

Pre-caution: This is a fairly wordy instructable. Most questions you might have, and problems you might run into are likely addressed in the body of the instructable (orwithin the comments). That means you need to read, and re-read carefully.

Actual intro!: Is the screen your Nintendo DS cracked? Don't throw it out, repair it. (And then sell it to help cover the cost of getting a new DS lite.) It is not expensive,nor all that difficult, to replace the screens on a Nintendo DS.I found PowerGamingParts.com's guide to DS repair to be pretty useful, but I didn't need to disassemble the whole contraption, since I was replacing the top screen only.(Opening up the bottom half also requires a specialty screwdriver which I didn't have.)I'm sure there's good directions for replacing the top screen without disassembling the bottom half, but I haven't found them. And since I'm feeling productive, I present toyou documentation of what I did to replace the top screen.

Go poke around on the internet to find a source of replacement screens. A quick Google search turns up prices in the 40$ range, but Ebay has cheaper. Most screenswill be "top/bottom" screens--they can be used to replace either, but the bottom screen does require an additional touch sensor overlay.

Tools needed:-Basic manual dexterity (Take a look at the photos to see the scale at which you'll be manipulating things)-Small philips head screwdriver

Useful tools:Board (on which to place all your components)Tape( to keep little parts from going missing)Wood/plastic/something blocks (see steps 2 & 3 for photos of it in action)

Disclaimers/warnings:These directions are reasonably devoid of dangerous actions, so if you break things or burn your house down, it's your own fault.

If your DS won't power on after repairs: it's probably an error related the the ribbon cables. I will repeat this litany often: go to step 2, look closely at the photos and thecomments on the photos. Look at the comments on this instructable and see if anyone else had similar trouble, and what they did. Then go back and check your work!And if that still isn't solving the problem, you can message me and I'll make sympathetic noises but probably not have any additional information that isn't posted all overthis instructable already. (Sorry?)

Image Notes1. Nasty crack in the LCD2. All better now3. Screw cover4. Screw cover5. Screw cover6. Screw cover

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step 1: Open the caseRemove battery!

Gently remove the 4 screw covers on the front face of the top section of the DS.

Unscrew all 4 screws.Gently pry apart the two halves of the shell. Set aside the top of the top.Remove the screws holding down both green boards. (You don't have to remove the second board, but I found that it gives me more slack on the wires and makesremoval of the ribbons (next step) easier.

Hint: get a piece of paper or something and tape/stick your various removable components to the paper. This will deter screws from getting lost. Scribble some labels onthe paper next to the various components, too.

Hint: work on a sufficiently large, sturdy, mobile surface. Eventually I found a 1ft. sq. piece of plexiglass. This allowed me to pick up the mess of disassembledcomponents and move it out of the way of other things, all without disturbing the pieces & layout.

Image Notes1. Nasty crack in the LCD2. All better now3. Screw cover4. Screw cover5. Screw cover6. Screw cover

Image Notes1. Hinge2. Speaker Held in by green board3. Speaker This is held in only by the green board.4. Remove screw (optional)5. Remove screw (not optional)6. Be careful not tear these thin wires7. "Front" of the DS

Image Notes1. Screw covers

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2. Case screws, taped to the back of a scrap envelope3. Circuit board screws

step 2: Detach the ribbonsREAD THIS:Here's the most difficult part of the whole process. You are manipulating small, DELICATE items. Breaking these clips will pretty much render your repairattempt useless! You need to be very careful here.If I find any way to fix a broken clip, I will post it, but so far I haven't and no one else seems to have any ideas either.

The actual steps:Flip the green board with the ribbons over.You need to detach all three ribbons (a really small one is under one of the others).-Two of them are pretty simple--you flip the black bar up. Gently.-The final (tiny) ribbon is more obnoxious--you need to pull the little clip out enough to unlock the ribbon. (Gently.)**Apparently this step is exceedingly easy to bork. The big ribbons are unlocked by flipping the bar up, but the tiny ribbon's lock must be slid out. Out. Not up. See photo& comments.It is possible to do this one side at a time, but this tends to tear up the plastic somewhat, and there's not much plastic there in the first place, so you need to be careful. (Very careful.)If you have tweezers or really fine point pliers, or a fork with the proper tine spacing, you should slide the clip in one go.If you have trouble getting things to power up at the end, this is the likely culprit! Look closely at the photos of how the ribbons are locked in & removed.

The tiny ribbon and the broader one over it are attached to the screen and will be removed, and therefore can be damaged as much as you want. The other, remainingribbon, will connect to your new screen, so please don't damage it.

Disengage all three ribbons, and you're good to continue on!

Image Notes1. Ribbon 12. Ribbon 23. Under here is ribbon 34. Gravity is the only thing holding the speaker in. Don't drop it.5. Work on a surface large enough to hold the various pieces of DS you're takingapart.6. Board (it's about 3"x6"x.75") provides study surface upon which to work. This ishelpful when you're unlocking the ribbons.7. Don't damage this ribbon, you still need it8. If you're intent on damaging things, this ribbon is a good target.

Image Notes1. The bar is in the "locked" (down) position Flip this up. Gently.

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Image Notes1. The bar is "unlocked" (up) Now you can pull the ribbon out

Image Notes1. Here's the other half of the clip. Slide this out too.2. Slide clip out to about here.

Image Notes1. These diagrams apply ONLY to the two large ribbons.

step 3: Remove the broken screenMove all the various bits and pieces of the DS out of the way.(Hint: I used a piece of wood approximately the same thickness as the DS and placed my components there. This way the wires were given enough slack so as not todamage them. And I gently taped my pieces to the board to prevent anything from falling off/getting lost.)

Towards the hinge side of the screen is a little wedge of plastic with a notch. Pry this up. It should come up easily.

Pry up the screen. There is adhesive around the edges of the screen face, so it's going to resist a bit. Gentle even pressure should be sufficient to pry the screen off, justdon't damage any of your other components. (The screen is broken already, so you probably don't care as much about it.)

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Image Notes1. There was a bit of adhesive here2. The adhesive residue from ribbon 23. Components taped down to prevent loss/damage4. Board holding the components up, approximately level with the top of theDS5. Plexiglass! (it's still got the protective paper on it) Mobile work surface6. The speaker magnet attacked my screwdriver, so it's sitting here for a time-out.

Image Notes1. Make sure this notch is aligned with the gap in the hinge when you re-assemble.2. Also on a time-out

Image Notes1. Pried up!

Image Notes1. Tape holding the screen in place. The paper scraps are there to reduce theamount of adhesive in contact with the screen. (Makes for easier removal)2. Ready for your new screen!

step 4: Reassemble with new screen in placeTake your new screen, and make sure there's a little adhesive around the edges. I used two layers of double sided tape trimmed to fit. This is just to ensure that thescreen doesn't slide around.mizW also reminds you to make sure any protective film on the screen needs to be removed! (But be careful you don't leave any giant fingerprints on your pristinescreen.)

Place screen in, making sure it retains the same ribbon orientation as the original screen.

Start reversing your steps!

**Place the new ribbons in the proper slots on the green board. Lock them in (either flip the bar down, or slide the clip in).** These ribbon cables are very important!Make sure they're going in the right slots, and that they go all the way in before you lock them.

My original "ribbon 2" had a bit of adhesive holding it to the back of the screen. I imitated this with the new screen with a little bit of double sided tape.

Make sure your speakers are in place.

Replace the screws in each board.

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Pop the top of the shell back on.

Flip open the DS and replace the 4 screws holding the shell together.

Stick the screw covers back on.

Replace the battery.

Power her up!*Final Fantasy victory theme*You're done!

Unless you're not.If your DS does not turn on, odds are that you've done something wrong in replacing the ribbons. Go back to step 2 and look at the photos. Scoll and look at all thecomments--plenty of people have reported their problems and how things turned out. Finally, go and recheck that the ribbons are inserted when the latch is unlocked,aligned properly, firmly in place, and locked in. If this doesn't fix your problem, I really don't know what will.

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Comments50 comments Add Comment view all 103 comments

 Ranka Lee says:  Dec 14, 2008. 2:10 PM  REPLYNot quite sure how, but when I was doing some random web searching on going about fixing my DS since it was out of warranty, I came across your niftyguide, and needless to say that I am very happy at the prospect of fixing my DS without having to pay 60+ usd in order to do so.

At the moment since I'm going to be going home in a few days for Christmas vacation, I've removed the screen and just left the ds lying with parts open in asmall box, so that I may just order and pop in the new screen. This has been my first time opening up anything other than a PC (to install the random newpiece or replace something) and I must thank you for the detailed instructions... especially the one regarding the tiny release which I thankfully managed toremove without injuring anything (as far as I can tell).

You did mention something about mods... is it possible to modify the DS Phat as you put it to have a nifty appearance? I have the standard gray one, whichis pretty much out of warranty and not much to lose if it breaks. So it might be fun to try to beautify it some hehe.

 cyrozap says:  Dec 19, 2008. 2:32 PM  REPLYFixing things yourself FTW! My original DS's hinge broke, but the sysstem was still working. I got a DS Lite, but I will replace the case on the original DSbecause I still love it ($150 when it was new!).

 lucario_jr says:  Dec 13, 2008. 8:40 AM  REPLYWhere does the little spring go back into? The power switch? and how? the switch is not powering on.

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 gamingnut_123 says:  Dec 31, 2007. 7:44 PM  REPLYI have repaired many an SP, this was not extremely different, and easy compaired to the problems I had with the Lite. I just have one problem, the DS was ingreat shape when I started out just the touch screen didn't respond. I replaced it, all cables are great, and all tabs on board are in place but the unit will noteven power on any suggestions?

 Anax says:  Nov 3, 2008. 8:11 PM  REPLYI had the same problem with my DS.So i plugged in my charger and turned on my DS and it worked.So i turned off my DS and unplugged my chargerand now it works fine.

 ryzellon says:  Jan 16, 2008. 4:29 PM  REPLYCurious. Unless something shorted out, the only likely problem is with the cables. I don't know what to tell you in this case. (Sorry!)

 pengie says:  Nov 1, 2008. 5:22 PM  REPLYHow would I go about fixing this problem? Pressing downwards allows the ds' top screen to function normally. Do I leave something in the hollow to pressdownwards?Picture

 boxx says:  Oct 22, 2008. 10:26 AM  REPLYFor those of you who are having trouble when powering on (bottom screen flashes, top screen does nothing, then DS powers off) the culprit is more thanlikely the tiny ribbon cable. Make sure you insert the cable on TOP of the black locking mechanism and NOT UNDERNEATH it. The cable Will insertunderneath the locking mechanism, but since that mechanism is designed to push the cable up to connect to the contacts, you will not have contact..

Ryzellon: you might want to add an exclamation about this in the tutorial - I have a feeling it'll save a few headaches.. maybe a diagram..?

 BHEV70 says:  Oct 20, 2008. 4:45 PM  REPLYHI... I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACINNG THE SHELL FOR MY SONS DS ,EVERYTHING WENT WELL EXCEPT FOR THAT CLIP IT BROKE COZ I DIDNT

QUITE UNDERSTAND HOW TO TAKE IT OUT AND SO IT BROKE IS THERE ANYWAY TO FIX IT...MY SON HAS A DS LITE BUT I JUST WANTED TO FIX IT ANYWAY...HELP

PLEASE ....THANKS

 DSplayer says:  Sep 16, 2008. 5:29 PM  REPLYThanks for article!

Though im having a little trouble with mine. I just put in the top screen, ribbon cables in all secure, everything im pretty sure is in like it should be. When i turnit on though, the top screen is just white. any suggestions?

 thebandit_nd says:  Sep 3, 2008. 12:13 PM  REPLYThanks for putting up clear precise instructions. Took my time, followed each step by step & hey presto! Worked first time no problem.

 mickh2 says:  Aug 30, 2008. 1:02 PM  REPLYThanks for an excellent article. Easy when you know how (and get the flexi clip on the correct side of the flexi)

 drwatershed says:  Oct 24, 2007. 4:47 PM  REPLYIf anyone else has the issue with the small ribbon that I did be aware that the small black clippy thing goes under the ribbon and apparently pushes it up tomake contact. I tried four times before I noticed the picture that shows how it was in in the first place. You saved my son at least 20 minutes of hysterics. Ifyou are not getting a restart, the screen flashes and then clicks off, that is probably why. yours was the only instruction I could find that showed how thatribbon should look. THANKS

 mickh2 says:  Aug 30, 2008. 12:54 PM  REPLYThanks for the info. Clip on the wrong side. Doh!

 Fenwick says:  Jun 4, 2008. 11:11 PM  REPLYTHANK YOU!

I broke the sides of the little clip while pulling it out. It wouldn't work with the clip on top, and I almost gave up, but then I noticed this comment. I amrelieved to see that my DS is FINALLY working again. This comment kept me from throwing my DS away, and it's an old-school silver one too!

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 ryzellon says:  Oct 24, 2007. 8:00 PM  REPLYThank you for posting this info--I've had lots of panicked "HELP!" requests that will probably benefit from your observations, since I don't have a DS onhand anymore to tinker with myself.I made a few minor tweaks to step 2, in the hopes of making it more clear. Do you have any suggestions for what I can do to more effectively convey theinformation?

Glad to know that my guide is pretty authoritative, and thanks again for sharing your experience.

 steed1172 says:  Jul 14, 2008. 1:51 PM  REPLYnooooooo the tiny ribbon of E V I L broke@!!@!@!@!.........:( my ds is killed

 mickh2 says:  Aug 30, 2008. 12:00 PM  REPLYIf you're careful you can dismantle your old screen, peel the backlight flexi off and transplant it to the new one. (I'm assuming you're fitting a new screen)I had the same problem.

 motorsk8er says:  Aug 9, 2008. 7:34 PM  REPLYouch.

I can't imagine life without Mario kart DS.

 CapnTac says:  Aug 4, 2008. 5:49 AM  REPLYRIP DS. I feel bad for you, man.

 Eurytus says:  Aug 15, 2008. 10:56 AM  REPLYBuying a Brand screen will definitely run you $40, but I've found that on dealextreme.com there's a company selling off brand replacement screens for $15.The worst problems I've heard of are a couple dead pixels or some scratches on the screen, but at less than half the price, that's a risk I'm willing to take.

I have two broken DSes at the moment, one just has a broken top screen (and I have ordered one of said replacement screens for it) but the other doesn'tturn on. I haven't opened it up yet but before I do I wanted to ask about what the likely culprit(s) is/are.

 RooLees says:  Aug 13, 2008. 4:36 AM  REPLYThank you, thank you thank you! What precise, clear, easy to follow directions. You have made replacing the screen on my son's DS a breeze. Thankgoodness there are folk like you around. I would have been stumped by the ribbons without your pictures etc. Had to email to say nice one mate, you're myhero.

 steed1172 says:  Aug 7, 2008. 5:37 AM  REPLY(Getting a new screen again)

hey is there anyway easier to get ribbon 3 in(yes the tiny evil ribbon) that i'm not seeing?

please and thank you!

 rockstarvan says:  Jul 31, 2008. 2:18 PM  REPLYhello there,i just want to say THANK YOU for your very well written walkthrough! I sucessfully replaced my DS touch screen. You were right the tough part wasdetaching the tiny ribbon. I thought I was gonna fail because I removed a piece of paper(?)on the bottom of the tiny ribbon on the new touch screen, theribbon was all curled up. Somehow I stuck the curled ribbon back into the tiny clips. and now my DS is running fine, with a new touch screen! trying ninjagaiden at the moment. :)

 Kulawend says:  Jun 13, 2008. 9:29 PM  REPLYI had to do this to my good old DS Phat, it was really easy and straightforward. The only downside is the screen I ordered off eBay had spots with really badscratches, but hey, it's better then a cracked screen.

 dark sponge says:  Apr 12, 2008. 2:14 PM  REPLYIs there any way I can get a new ribbon cable to connect the top section and the bottom section? mine snapped : (

 NSXxS2000 says:  Jun 1, 2008. 3:47 PM  REPLYGo to the nintendo website or go to a videogame repairshop, if you cant find them there then I would check on ebay.

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 wenjo says:  May 29, 2008. 11:08 AM  REPLYhello I have a nds and its never been opened but recently it will switch on for a couple of seconds then it switches off on its own any one know whats wrongwith it and how to repair it

Thank you in advance

 Zipperneck says:  May 28, 2008. 5:03 AM  REPLYHi and thanks for the great walk through. I'm trying to replace the broken cover on my daughter's DS LIte. Even with all the help and warnings, I managed tobreak off the power switch tab - and I was so careful! Incredible. Anyway - the unit can still be turned on with a toothpick/needle but there is a problem withthe stylus. When powering up and entering the username - the stylus does not enter the correct info - like it's 1/4" off target! During the repair, the smallribbon cable came undone and I had to put it back in... could this be the source of the problem? Thanks

 ryzellon says:  May 28, 2008. 4:24 PM  REPLYSorry to hear about the power switch, but I guess it still works, eh?

And yeah, that little ribbon will probably be why your touchscreen calibration is off. Try putting it back in again.

 soviet434 says:  Apr 17, 2008. 9:07 AM  REPLYHi everybody!I have a nintendo DS but the top screen is broken.Is there anyway to play Nintendo DS games ONLY on the bottom screen?You see I bought a broken DS but it did not come with a charger.So im a bit stuck......Anyways thanks!

 Gwenhaven says:  Apr 9, 2008. 3:31 PM  REPLYWe lost the picture on the top screen, worked hard at repositioning that top ribbon that was stuck to the back, still no picture, and again the game won'tpower up when we snap the back on. Giving up and saving to buy a new DS. :(

 Gwenhaven says:  Feb 13, 2008. 9:37 PM  REPLYlast comment. I fiddled with it and reinserted the medium sized ribbon a few times, what seemed to work was pulling it a little snug and securing it withadhesive in the original spot (where it angles) so it lies very close to the back of the screen. That way the cover doesn't disturb it when you pop it on.one downside, though we have a picture, it's red instead of white like it should be.

 oCHUCKNORRISo says:  Apr 8, 2008. 10:45 AM  REPLYYea... I didn't do any taping, glueing, or screen replacing, but I did take it apart, and now the bottom screen is a cyan- light blue color. I'm pritty sure it'sthe tiny ribbon under that screen ribbon.

 mutley says:  Mar 17, 2008. 5:12 AM  REPLYI HAD THIS PROBLEM AND IT IS THE RIBBON WHICH YOU HAVE TO PLAY ABOUT WITH

STEVE

 ryzellon says:  Feb 14, 2008. 1:14 AM  REPLY"securing it with adhesive in the original spot" <-- It's in my instructions (in different words)

And are you saying that the display changes the white pixels to red? If that's the case, then it's probably the cable being slightly out-of-line. If youinserted the ribbon firmly and locked it down with the lever, then things should be properly aligned, but you can try re-inserting etc.

 aesop says:  Apr 7, 2008. 1:19 PM  REPLYHad to replace the case on my nephew's ds. :(Replaced the power switch (+solder)

And now the top screen is showing only the red colors. reseated the ribbon afew times and still no difference??

 Anti-Inferno says:  Apr 4, 2008. 6:10 AM  REPLYI used this guide, I found it very helpful. I'd like to point out something though.

It's about the two big ribbon cables...

Do not be afraid to use force when putting them back in. At first I followed the guide, nothing was broken, I gently slid the two fat cables into place and"locked them. Low and behold, it didn't work. I was on the verge of buying a new DS on ebay when I suddenly thought:

Hang on a second, It took a bit of force to get these guys out" - so, I put my nail (I have slightly long ones) over the back of the section of the ribbon cablethat locks in. You know, the tab that goes in? I pressed hard against it evenly working my way along and it pushed the fat ribbon(s) in further than they wentin before. And next time I booted the DS

It worked!

Page 11: Replace the Top Screen of a Nintendo DS Without o

http://www.instructables.com/id/Replace-the-top-screen-of-a-Nintendo-DS-without-o/

This is to help people with the following problems:

Bottom screen flashes for a split second, not all that brightly, and the DS does not boot

Bottom screen does not flash at all, nothing happens at all and the DS does not boot (if you put your ear to the speaker you may hear a faint *thwimpkkk* fora second as it tries to boot).

I'm just saying that, all these guides are full of "gently does it" and it's all well and good (especially when you're pulling things out! don't rip things!) but whenyou're putting the fat/wide ribbons back in, don't be afraid to press hard against the tab in a way which won't overly fold the ribbon cable.

Seriously, give it a limited amount of force because it's needed!

 mutley says:  Mar 17, 2008. 5:13 AM  REPLYDOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE YOU CAN GET THE SCREEN BOARD FROM THE TOP SCREEN AS I HAVE BROKEN THE SECURING PART ON THEBOARD

STEVE

 kjfred93 says:  Feb 28, 2008. 3:25 PM  REPLYCan someone please try to make a homemade tool for the back of the DS

 Gwenhaven says:  Feb 13, 2008. 9:00 PM  REPLYAwesome step by step instructions, you are incredible! And with pictures to help make sure the instructions are understood. I have the same problemthough, with the top screen being blank.

Originally I could get it to power up with the cover off (blank screen still) but when I snapped it on, it wouldn't power on, so I glued down the ribbon that wasoriginally glued down, and it worked when I snapped the cover back on. But now it's just blank, same as Yogi's problem. Any ideas?Thank you so much!

 Gwenhaven says:  Feb 13, 2008. 9:05 PM  REPLYwoops I spoke too soon. popped the cover back off again, powered it up, got a picture, snapped the cover partway on, still got picture, snapped it all theway on, no picture. Something is happening when it gets snapped together, Im going to guess it might just be ribbon placement (or the way I'm holdingmy mouth). :D

 modeltford says:  Feb 11, 2008. 4:40 PM  REPLYWell guys and girls.... It was official. My ribbon cable was damaged and my top screen too. I got the ds all back together in its new shell. Thanks for the greatFAQ.

 yogi507 says:  Feb 8, 2008. 3:18 PM  REPLYthan you ,ill keep trying....if i get lucky,ill post it...

 yogi507 says:  Feb 3, 2008. 4:48 PM  REPLYhey there,ive got a question,i replaced the top screnn(great help by the way) the only problem is that it turns on,but white blank. also i noticed that the bottomscreen is showing the stat up screen,but faintly in the background i can see the clock that is supposed to be on top....any idea what im doing wrong? maybe ineed a top to bottom ribbon? any help ,please...thanks.

 ryzellon says:  Feb 8, 2008. 1:24 AM  REPLYThere should be a ribbon that links the bottom half of the DS to the top half, but if you replaced just the top screen, you should be able to re-use theribbon that was there originally.I might guess that the ribbon cables are not firmly connected, but other than that, I have no other ideas. Good luck!

 modeltford says:  Feb 7, 2008. 1:31 PM  REPLYNice guide, but I have a question. I've bought a replacement top screen, and it does exactly what my previous screen does. It works, but it is filled withcolored lines. I looked at the cable that connects the top and bottom screen and I believe it is damaged. I bought a replacement cable today so I'll have to letyou guys know if this does the trick.

 georgegi says:  Feb 1, 2008. 2:49 AM  REPLYSEEK and YOU SHALL FIND!

I've replaced the outer shell of more than 10 NDS for friends and my daughters and the time had come to break a long clip.

Here is how I repaired it.The black locking bar of the clip DOES NOT press the ribbon down for contact but forces the contacts to raise to the ribbon.

First remove the remains of the locking black bar over the clip.

Place the ribbon in the clip taking good care to insert it below the series of golden wires of the clips.

Insert a thin piece of paper OVER the ribbon but BELOW the golden wires. Insert the piece of paper all the way in.

Page 12: Replace the Top Screen of a Nintendo DS Without o

http://www.instructables.com/id/Replace-the-top-screen-of-a-Nintendo-DS-without-o/

Between the ribbon and the paper inserted push firmly a second thicker piece of paper, a piece of thin cardboard or a two folded 80 grams.

Be sure that the width of both papers is equivalent of the width of the ribbon.

Secure everything with scotch tape.

It really works.

GeorgeAthens, Greece

PS. If you need more explanatione e-mail me. I can prepare a drawing for you.

 Ryu_Wolf says:  Jan 29, 2008. 10:36 PM  REPLYThanks a lot for the help. With school and missing parts >_< it took me a while to finally find time. Love how your instructions were extremely detailed. Ithelped a lot! Just to let you know if not already stated, the size of the screw driver I used was a 1.4 m/m screwdriver. It fits perfect but, it's just forspecification reasons.

I'd give this instruction 3 thumbs up!

 yogi507 says:  Jan 28, 2008. 11:43 AM  REPLYhello ryzellon!!!!!!!just like others,i was going crazy till i found your page...thanks a lot!..here it is,i replaced my broken top screen,but it was blank...it lit up,butblank..do you think is the lcd connector from top to bottom? ill wait for any help/response...thanks..and greetings from MINNESOTA!!!!!!

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