Introduction
Get a better view of what you are playing by replacing a cracked, broken, or faulty Upper LCD in your DSi XL.
Step 1 Battery
Lift the battery cover off the back of the DSi XL.
Remove the two Phillips screws securing the battery cover to the back of the handheld console.
Lift the battery cover off the back of the DSi XL.
Step 2
Lift the battery from the DSi XL.
Step 3 Lower Case
Remove the four rubber screw covers on the lower case by prying them up with a push pin.
Step 4
Four silver 5.3 mm screws
Remove the following seven Phillips screws that secure the lower case to the rest of the DSi XL:
Four silver 5.3 mm screws
Two black 5.3 mm screws
One black 2.5 mm screw
Step 5
Insert a spudger between the upper and lower case at the bottom left corner of the DSi.
Turn the DSi XL over, and open the display.
Insert a spudger between the upper and lower case at the bottom left corner of the DSi.
Slide the spudger along the bottom edge of the upper case to release the latches securing the upper case to the lower case.
Step 6
Lift the lower case from the front edge.
Close the display and turn the DSi XL over.
Lift the lower case from the front edge.
Rotate the lower case away from the DSi.
The lower case cannot be completely removed yet, since it is still connected to the motherboard.
Step 7
Pry the volume button/left shoulder button connector off its socket on the motherboard with a spudger.
Using a spudger, pry the SD card/right shoulder button connector off its socket.
Pry the volume button/left shoulder button connector off its socket on the motherboard with a spudger.
Step 8 Wi-Fi Board
Do not attempt to completely remove the Wi-Fi board yet. It is attached to the motherboard by an antenna cable.
Lift the Wi-Fi board up off its socket on the motherboard.
Do not attempt to completely remove the Wi-Fi board yet. It is attached to the motherboard by an antenna cable.
Step 9
Use a spudger to pry the Wi-Fi cable off its socket on the underside of the Wi-Fi board.
Step 10 Motherboard
Pry from underneath the cable.
Use a spudger to pry the microphone cable off the motherboard.
Pry from underneath the cable.
Step 11
Use the pointed end of a spudger to pull the camera ribbon from the ZIF connector.
Using the flat end of a spudger, flip up the retaining flap on the camera ribbon ZIF connector.
Use the pointed end of a spudger to pull the camera ribbon from the ZIF connector.
Step 12
With the pointed end of the spudger, pull the touchscreen cable from its connector on the motherboard.
Using the flat end of a spudger, flip up the retaining flap on the touchscreen cable ZIF connector.
With the pointed end of the spudger, pull the touchscreen cable from its connector on the motherboard.
Step 13
With the pointed end of the spudger, pull the backlight cable from its connector on the motherboard.
Using the flat end of a spudger, flip up the retaining flap on the backlight cable ZIF connector.
With the pointed end of the spudger, pull the backlight cable from its connector on the motherboard.
Step 14
With the pointed end of the spudger, pull the lower display data cable from its connector on the motherboard.
Using the flat end of a spudger, flip up the retaining flap on the lower display data cable ZIF connector.
With the pointed end of the spudger, pull the lower display data cable from its connector on the motherboard.
Step 15
With the pointed end of the spudger, pull the D-Pad/power button cable from its connector on the motherboard.
Using the flat end of a spudger, flip up the retaining flap on the ZIF connector for the D-Pad/power button cable.
With the pointed end of the spudger, pull the D-Pad/power button cable from its connector on the motherboard.
Step 16
Using the flat end of the spudger, pry the battery cable up off its socket on the motherboard.
Step 17
A single 2.5 mm silver Phillips screw
Remove the screws securing the motherboard to the upper case:
A single 2.5 mm silver Phillips screw
Four 3.7 mm black Phillips screws
Step 18
Deroute the microphone and antenna cables through the slot in the motherboard.
Step 19
The motherboard cannot be completely removed yet. It is still attached by the upper LCD's display data ribbon cable.
Rotate the motherboard off the lower case.
The motherboard cannot be completely removed yet. It is still attached by the upper LCD's display data ribbon cable.
Step 20
With the pointed end of the spudger, pull the upper display data cable from its connector on the underside of the motherboard.
Using the flat end of a spudger, flip up the retaining flap on the upper display data cable ZIF connector.
With the pointed end of the spudger, pull the upper display data cable from its connector on the underside of the motherboard.
The motherboard is now free from the upper case.
Step 21 Lower Display Assembly
Remove the lower display from the DSi XL.
With the console still upside-down, open the DSi XL slightly.
Push the lower display away from the upper case.
Remove the lower display from the DSi XL.
Step 22 Rear Bezel
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.
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.
Step 23
Remove the four 3.5 mm silver Phillips screws securing the rear bezel to the front bezel.
Step 24
The rear bezel will move only about 2 mm.
Using two hands, gently slide the rear bezel upwards.
The rear bezel will move only about 2 mm.
Step 25
Rotate the spudger away from the DSi XL, prying the two bezels apart.
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.
Step 26
In the same manner as described above, continue prying along the top edge of the front and rear bezels.
Step 27
Do not attempt to completely remove the rear bezel yet. It is still attached to the front bezel by the rear-facing camera.
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 28
Remove the rear bezel.
Using the flat end of a spudger, pry the rear camera off the rear bezel.
Remove the rear bezel.
Step 28 Front Bezel Assembly
Using a pair of tweezers, pull the microphone out of its housing in the front bezel.
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 29
De-route the speaker cable along the top edge of the screen.
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 30
Remove the seven 2.5 mm silver screws securing the power board to the upper case.
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 31
Peel the rubber button pads off the backside of the D-pad and power button.
Step 32
Push the D-pad up through its housing in the upper case. Remove the D-pad.
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 33
Using a pair of tweezers, remove the LED diffuser bracket and the LED diffuser from the upper case of the DSi XL.
Step 34
Place the tip of a spudger in the LED diffuser compartment, on the face of the clutch hinge.
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 35
Do not lift too far, or else the hinge pin will break. Only lift enough to clear the LED compartment, about 1".
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 36
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.
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 37
Carefully coil the two ribbon cables together, so that the connectors are on the inside of the spool.
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 38
Pull slowly, making sure that the cables do not catch on the hinge pin and tear.
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 39 Camera Ribbon
Lift the camera ribbon cable up off the upper LCD, minding any adhesive that may still be attached.
Step 40 Upper LCD
Slide the spuder to the left, detaching the adhesive pad along the bottom edge.
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 41
In the same manner as previously described, remove the adhesive along the right edge of the upper LCD.
Step 42
In the same manner as previously described, remove the adhesive along the top edge of the upper LCD.
Step 43
Firmly grasp the upper screen, and lifting from the right edge, pull the upper screen off of the upper LCD.
Step 44
Desolder the speaker wires.
Removing the upper LCD, requires desoldering the speakers from the LCD assembly. If you require assistance soldering, please consult our soldered connections guide.
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.
Author
Brett Hartt
Member since: 04/12/2010
95,948 Reputation
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