STEP ⭐✨
@vulpvibes.bsky.social
33 • HE/HIM • ARTIST • LOVER • RAVER
a small fox fix this morning (though they are all small when I am involved hehe); this switch game cart reader would not read games, and I traced the issue to a severed via on one of the reader pins, leaving that line open. I snuck a jumper wire through a nearby ground via, and now it works again 🦊👍
November 28, 2025 at 5:32 PM
a small fox fix this morning (though they are all small when I am involved hehe); this switch game cart reader would not read games, and I traced the issue to a severed via on one of the reader pins, leaving that line open. I snuck a jumper wire through a nearby ground via, and now it works again 🦊👍
late night fox fix.. this switch had significant board damage in the battery charging controller area, as well as no output from it to the rest of the board. I rebuilt the damaged area with repair pads and UV solder mask, replaced the controller, and now it is back to life 🦊👍
November 28, 2025 at 9:05 AM
late night fox fix.. this switch had significant board damage in the battery charging controller area, as well as no output from it to the rest of the board. I rebuilt the damaged area with repair pads and UV solder mask, replaced the controller, and now it is back to life 🦊👍
another fox fix on this unit; it had no touch screen response, and upon taking measurements I found one of the I2C signal lines for the touch IC was low. I traced those lines to these tiny pull-up resistors way on the opposite side of the board, fixed them up, and I think the results are touching 🦊👍
November 27, 2025 at 6:09 PM
another fox fix on this unit; it had no touch screen response, and upon taking measurements I found one of the I2C signal lines for the touch IC was low. I traced those lines to these tiny pull-up resistors way on the opposite side of the board, fixed them up, and I think the results are touching 🦊👍
replacing the USB port that the previous tech did; covered the damaged area between the rows with UV mask, and used a clever technique I learned recently to tin the pins without flux, to create peaks that reach down onto the pads for better contact. it all takes a while but the result is worth it 🦊👍
November 26, 2025 at 9:47 PM
replacing the USB port that the previous tech did; covered the damaged area between the rows with UV mask, and used a clever technique I learned recently to tin the pins without flux, to create peaks that reach down onto the pads for better contact. it all takes a while but the result is worth it 🦊👍
another console rescued from the parts bin 🦊👍 this one needed a rebuild of the battery charging area, as well as a new cpu voltage regulator, LCD driver, and a USB port replacement for good measure.. but I am always happy to see that home screen and have a result for the work I put in
November 26, 2025 at 6:19 PM
another console rescued from the parts bin 🦊👍 this one needed a rebuild of the battery charging area, as well as a new cpu voltage regulator, LCD driver, and a USB port replacement for good measure.. but I am always happy to see that home screen and have a result for the work I put in
another fox fix for today; this was my first time dealing with a short on the main voltage rail. the voltage regulator for the cpu/gpu would immediately get boiling hot if the battery was connected, so on just a little bit of a hunch I replaced it with a reballed donor and now all is well 🦊👍
November 25, 2025 at 11:38 PM
another fox fix for today; this was my first time dealing with a short on the main voltage rail. the voltage regulator for the cpu/gpu would immediately get boiling hot if the battery was connected, so on just a little bit of a hunch I replaced it with a reballed donor and now all is well 🦊👍
my giant sleepy sword dog....
November 25, 2025 at 6:59 PM
my giant sleepy sword dog....
an easy fox fix for today 🪛🦊 this switch was not charging, and replacing a missing resistor at the battery management IC fixed it right up. and to my delight it had pokemon sword on it, so I was able to inject the save that I extracted from my own broken switch and rescue my beloved sword dog 🗡️🐺
November 25, 2025 at 3:14 PM
an easy fox fix for today 🪛🦊 this switch was not charging, and replacing a missing resistor at the battery management IC fixed it right up. and to my delight it had pokemon sword on it, so I was able to inject the save that I extracted from my own broken switch and rescue my beloved sword dog 🗡️🐺
comparing the components in the service manual and pictures of that board and yours, I think those are C4002, C4003, and R4010, on pin 10 of IC4301. coincidentally in trying to track down what revision you had from your image I think I found the exact ebay listing it was from haha
November 25, 2025 at 5:08 AM
comparing the components in the service manual and pictures of that board and yours, I think those are C4002, C4003, and R4010, on pin 10 of IC4301. coincidentally in trying to track down what revision you had from your image I think I found the exact ebay listing it was from haha
(hopefully) one last fix on this board; after replacing a damaged joy-con rail connector, I noted that it would not play the attach/detach animation. I tracked it down to this one burnt resistor, which made the console think the joy-con was always present. a tricky puzzle to close out a good job 🦊👍
November 21, 2025 at 7:50 PM
(hopefully) one last fix on this board; after replacing a damaged joy-con rail connector, I noted that it would not play the attach/detach animation. I tracked it down to this one burnt resistor, which made the console think the joy-con was always present. a tricky puzzle to close out a good job 🦊👍
I think my most recent repair is the one I am most proud of; I took a dead board and fixed every issue it had, one by one. replacing the ram, the wifi ic, the fuel gauge, and eventually reflowing the apu to top it all off.. I really feel like I did everything right and gave this switch a second life
November 21, 2025 at 5:36 PM
I think my most recent repair is the one I am most proud of; I took a dead board and fixed every issue it had, one by one. replacing the ram, the wifi ic, the fuel gauge, and eventually reflowing the apu to top it all off.. I really feel like I did everything right and gave this switch a second life
immediately upon testing I found it was freezing under load and occasionally showing an orange screen again. I noticed that my USB controller was disconnecting before the freeze, so I assumed it to be bad solder balls under the APU. I reflowed it with my professional tinfoil nozzle, and.. it works!
November 21, 2025 at 12:02 PM
immediately upon testing I found it was freezing under load and occasionally showing an orange screen again. I noticed that my USB controller was disconnecting before the freeze, so I assumed it to be bad solder balls under the APU. I reflowed it with my professional tinfoil nozzle, and.. it works!
success! after reballing a donor wifi chip and replacing it, it finally booted into the OS. this was a parts board from a previous repair tech that I took from blue screen (bad ram) to black screen (bad fuel gauge) to orange screen (bad wifi), and finally into the OS. now that is a fox fix 🦊👍
November 21, 2025 at 4:06 AM
success! after reballing a donor wifi chip and replacing it, it finally booted into the OS. this was a parts board from a previous repair tech that I took from blue screen (bad ram) to black screen (bad fuel gauge) to orange screen (bad wifi), and finally into the OS. now that is a fox fix 🦊👍
this switch motherboard had a blue screen, which can be an issue with ram. I reballed a donor set, and with working ram could boot into hekate, which showed me the fuel gauge was bad.. I replaced that, and was then treated to an orange screen, which can be the wifi chip.. this is gonna be a long one
November 20, 2025 at 4:09 PM
this switch motherboard had a blue screen, which can be an issue with ram. I reballed a donor set, and with working ram could boot into hekate, which showed me the fuel gauge was bad.. I replaced that, and was then treated to an orange screen, which can be the wifi chip.. this is gonna be a long one
country foxes without the correct solder paste stencil make do
November 20, 2025 at 5:49 AM
country foxes without the correct solder paste stencil make do
*who's that pokemon voice* IT'S VAPOREON
November 19, 2025 at 8:30 PM
*who's that pokemon voice* IT'S VAPOREON
to my.. delight.. I found a second board from that repair lot with the exact same overworked fuel gauge IC with separated layers beneath. I am getting better at PCB drilling, but unfortunately no closer to fixing either of these abused boards
November 19, 2025 at 7:01 AM
to my.. delight.. I found a second board from that repair lot with the exact same overworked fuel gauge IC with separated layers beneath. I am getting better at PCB drilling, but unfortunately no closer to fixing either of these abused boards
no repair today, but a considerable effort.. this board had separated layers due to hot air rework, which severed multiple vias including one that went straight to the CPU.. I used board scans to find a safe place to drill two layers and expose it to run a jumper. it didn't fix it, but I did my best
November 19, 2025 at 3:09 AM
no repair today, but a considerable effort.. this board had separated layers due to hot air rework, which severed multiple vias including one that went straight to the CPU.. I used board scans to find a safe place to drill two layers and expose it to run a jumper. it didn't fix it, but I did my best
the switch motherboards I work on often have factory writing and markings on them, but this letter B looks like some kind of 3D street graffiti? it's strangely beautiful for something so inconsequential
November 18, 2025 at 6:01 AM
the switch motherboards I work on often have factory writing and markings on them, but this letter B looks like some kind of 3D street graffiti? it's strangely beautiful for something so inconsequential
a second repair for today: I started on the loose motherboards from that big repair lot, and this one had no backlight. upon inspection, the IC that boosts the voltage to drive the backlight was damaged. I replaced it with a reballed one from a donor board, and now things are looking bright 🦊👍
November 18, 2025 at 4:24 AM
a second repair for today: I started on the loose motherboards from that big repair lot, and this one had no backlight. upon inspection, the IC that boosts the voltage to drive the backlight was damaged. I replaced it with a reballed one from a donor board, and now things are looking bright 🦊👍
that was indeed the issue, replacing the cart reader module fixed the touch screen. a very bizarre failure that also resulted in maybe my favorite diagnostic note ever
November 17, 2025 at 9:35 PM
that was indeed the issue, replacing the cart reader module fixed the touch screen. a very bizarre failure that also resulted in maybe my favorite diagnostic note ever
today's repair is a video! 🦊📽️
November 17, 2025 at 9:02 PM
today's repair is a video! 🦊📽️
and the end result! I was able to repair 14 out of the 15 assembled consoles, with only one having no power due to water damage and being set aside for later. and as a bonus, 12 of them are unpatched/hackable! this was a very good fix fox lot 🦊👍 now to work on all the loose motherboards hehe
November 17, 2025 at 8:06 PM
and the end result! I was able to repair 14 out of the 15 assembled consoles, with only one having no power due to water damage and being set aside for later. and as a bonus, 12 of them are unpatched/hackable! this was a very good fix fox lot 🦊👍 now to work on all the loose motherboards hehe
with all the docks and chargers that came with that recent repair lot, I realized I can stress test multiple switches at once... such decadence
November 17, 2025 at 2:43 AM
with all the docks and chargers that came with that recent repair lot, I realized I can stress test multiple switches at once... such decadence