Nintendo DSi XL Lower LCD Replacement
By David Hodson • Difficulty: Moderate
Introduction

See the action on your DSi XL with a new lower LCD screen.

Step 1
  • 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
  • Remove the four rubber screw covers on the lower case by prying them up with a push pin.
Step 4
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Use a spudger to pry the microphone cable off the motherboard.
  • Pry from underneath the cable.
Step 11
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Insert a spudger between the touchscreen and top right corner of the display.
  • Slide the spudger down the right side of the display to free the edge of the touchscreen.
Step 23
  • Continue around the bottom right corner of the display with the spudger.
  • Slide the spudger along the bottom edge of the touchscreen to separate it from the display.
Step 24
  • Continue around the bottom left corner of the display with a spudger.
  • Slide the spudger along the left edge of the touchscreen to remove it from the display.
Step 25
  • With three sides freed, remove the touchscreen from the lower display.
Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.