Worklog Ashida build, 0 electronics knowledge, help much appreciated

[SartoZ]

Hello everyone
I'm trying to build an Ashida learning electronics and soldering from scrap in the process, encouraged from the titanic work of you guys in making this project as simple and clear as possible even to a total noob like me.
I already trimmed the mobo and tested the resistances (which were ok)
During the removal of LDO without hot air, using Wesk tecnique, I accidentally damaged the black component nearby whit Dremel. Is it a bad thing?

 

[Stitches]

That tantalum capacitor is required for operation. Whether it's dead or not I don't know

 

[SartoZ]

Thanks Stitches. Is there a way to know if it’s still ok besides of turning the wii on?

 

[Stitches]

Not unless you have a SMD capacitor testing kit handy

 

[SartoZ]

I did some voltage wiring but I having a hard time with the ground wire in the photo, that keeps breaking off. Is a mandatory soldering it in that specific spot?

 

[SartoZ]

Moreover I done the 3d print of the shell! Two prints failed and I have to sand some parts of the shadow line in order to make it fit perfectly. Then I'll smooth the surface and paint it in a more appealing color! I'm considering a metallic or an iridescent paint from green stuff world site

 

[a red box]

I did some voltage wiring but I having a hard time with the ground wire in the photo, that keeps breaking off. Is a mandatory soldering it in that specific spot?View attachment 28920View attachment 28921

Any ground point will work. Personally, I use this gold spot for wiring voltage.

I think its much more accessible, and easier to attach wires to compared to the spots on the diagram.

 

[SartoZ]

It's alive!

 

[SartoZ]

Is recommended to remove video capacitors once the mobo is trimmed or is it better to leave them there to avoid any unnecessary damage?

 

[a red box]

People generally remove them with pliers to make space. The damage on the board usually is very minimal(just ripped pads). Plus, i'm pretty sure you have to remove them for the Ashida.

 

[SartoZ]

Hello guys, big updates until the last post.
The case is finally ready after sanding, filling print layers with epoxy putty, then sanding again.


Then I fixed a broken insert damaged during the removal of print supports. I used a small tube and some superglue, it should be enough.


I also wanted a memory card slot as I still use my old ones a lot with my childhood friend, so this feature is a must for me!
The best spot is the tunnel under the heatsinks as the slot is pretty big, even after cutting it to the essential. I opened a hole with dremel, digged some structure inside the bulge underbody, inserted the slot and filled the spaces with epoxy putty. I could made it fit entirely inside the case but I wasn't sure that there would be enough space for the cables later. Anyway I'm pretty satisfied with the result


Last I sprayed with white primer paint to hide the fillers and the last small print layers


After finishing the build I will sand it last time with some 600/1000 grit sandpaper and paint it with Green Stuff World "psychotic illusion" chameleon acrylic paint

 

[SartoZ]

Ofc to make the memory card working properly the wii have to be time and date updated, so I relocate MX chip for the clock and the bluetooth module to be able to set the date in the wii configs. Pretty big work for such a secondary feature!


Now the question: can I use those convenient test pads for the memory card wiring or I have to solder before those DA components?

 

[SartoZ]

I finally made to the end of the build and...

It boots!!!

But as expected it's far from working. The games do not load, except sometimes the menu audio starts playing but most of the time it's just a silent blue screen.

I saw Dubesinhower guide that thinner wire gauge are recommended so started to change the data 30awg enamelled wire with a 38awg, of course as short as possible but for now no luck



Then during the test I tried to access wii menu via priiloader to update system time date but this message shows up

Any idea?

 

[Skibub28]

Something I've noticed with my Ashida was that before I ran any of the Gamecube games I had to enable progressive scan on each of them in the game configuration menu for each of them or it would do the same thing as yours. You can also enable it blindly when starting a game, since the game's still running but nothing's being displayed, but I'd recommend doing it the first way. No clue what the tax error is though.

 

[SartoZ]

Thanks for the suggestion Skibub, it was actually the game configuration!

 

[SartoZ]

Hey folks, big problems here
Since a couple of days the wii do not boot after a restart, but it work if I let it rest for some hours. I.e. I turn it on and it boots, then I turn it off after a couple of minutes to change game and when I turn it on again it works only the fan and the (blue) screen. After i come back from work I retry and it boots just the first time again.
Here are the last fixes and implementations I did before this issue began:

Twisting SCW and SDW together to fix the battery life estimation
Wiring the memory card slot to the mobo
Wiring the S2 pad on the ashida control pcb to the K5 pad on the screen driver pcb

I undo everything, desoldered also the U10 and the audio GND, MC, D, C and WS, cleaned everything with the solder wick and rewired just the SCW/SDW twist, U10 and S2.
Ofc nothing changed!






Please help! Where should I investigate?

 

[SartoZ]

I found this mf solder blob near a capacitor on pms, probably made it during some cable lenght adjustment. I cleaned and tomorrow I’ll test it! Hope I found the problem

 

[SartoZ]

Is there a way to know if the PMS is still working properly? I’m starting to think that either it or the wii are dead

 

[Retro95]

Best way to determine if your PMS is still working would be to check that your battery voltage is full (3.6/3.7v when charged) and that each of the power rails is outputting the correct power. Measure each voltage rail 1v, 1.15v, 1.8v(PMS2 only), 3.3v, 5.0v and make sure that they are within at least 5%

Then check the voltage at the actual Wii trim itself and make sure you aren't experiencing any voltage dropping

 

[SartoZ]

Luckly the PMS seems fine, all the voltages are perfect.
That means that the wii is dead †. But at this point I'm too committed so I have to buy another one to sacrifice!