Search

[lopazopy]

I've been having some problems with my DS lite recognizing my SCSD, but when I push the SD card in with my thumb (past the click), it works just fine, as long as I keep it pressed in.  It does this with other SD cards that I tried also.  I took it apart and one of the connector pins doesn't look right to me, but I don't know if it is normal.  It is the fourth one from the right as pointed out in the picture.  It looks like a pin is touching the top of the metal casing.  Does yours look like this?


On the back side of the connector at that opening, it looks like there are two pins in that spot and there is a contact for both of them.  You can see that pointed out in the next pic.  I think the pin that is touching the top of the metal casing is supposed to be under the little lip of the contact on the left.  Does any of this make sense to you?  Please help me out.  Thanks.

[AOforever1]

I own SC SD, but I can just tell from the picture that then pin is indeed bent!
If you decide to try and fix it; I would like to remind you that it is possible to break the pin in the process, so be careful. GL

[lopazopy]

Thanks for the reply.  Now the question is, did the pin slip out of the slot in the back, and thus needs to be pushed down toward the board, or does it need to come all the way forward to the other pin that is in that slot?  From the way it looks, there are two pins at that position.  Is that right?

[lopazopy]

Well, too late.  I broke the pin.  I did have it pushed back down the right way, but I guess not enough.  When I put the SD card back in it to try it out, it bent it back.  When I tried to straighten it back out for the second time, it broke.  So, my next question is where can I get a SD push type connector to replace my broken one?  It is a PROCONN 64361A1 and I found their website, but couldn't find this specific product.  Will a different connector work?  I am definitely going to let the guys at work do the rework with taking the connector off and putting the new one back on.  It is a little out of my comfort level.

PS. I love voiding warranties and playing MacGyver to fix it. Sometimes I pay the price though.  

Edit:  I just found out the 64361A1 is a date code and not the product number.  I can't find the product number by looking at the website.  The pdf drawing for the push type SD connector doesn't look like the one in the SuperCard SD, but it does show a picture of the connector on their product page.  You can find more about the connector at: http://www.proconn-tech.com.tw/p2.asp

[lopazopy]

UPDATE:

I temporarily bridged the two pins at that fourth spot to see what would happen.  IT WORKED!  I got to looking at the pdf drawing at the Proconn website and those two pins just determine whether there is a card in it or not.  Circuit open = no card (because both pins touch the same pad on the SD card), circuit closed = card present.  So I just need to solder those two pads together on the outside of the connector.

Of course while I was messing around with it and trying to get that to work, I totally destroyed the write protection check mechanism on the connector.  This made it always be in the locked position.  I looked at the drawing again and it is the same things as the card check.  All I have to do is bridge those two pads and it will tell it that the write protection is unlocked.

Both of these bridges seem fine to me and as soon as the solder iron heats up, I'm gonna bridge those pads and I'll post pics if I'm successful.  Wish me luck!

EDIT: I added the picture of it fixed.  It works good as new now.  The "card present" bridge was easy.  The other two pads for the "write protect" were too far apart to bride, so I jumped it with some 30 AWG wire.  Of course it's not the prettiest thing in the world, but shoved back in its case, no one will ever know.  Can anybody think of any problems I might have with this fix?  I don't think I have to worry about power drain or anything, but I don't know.

Thanks for watching!