Alright, so, I got a used 3DS today as a birthday gift. It was working perfectly fine. I played Theatrhythm on it for a while, then went to try out another game. When I put in the game and started it up, it told me shortly after "Game card removed from 3DS" even though the game was clearly still inserted. I tried with a couple other games, and it wouldn't even read them enough to let me start them up. I turned it off, and when I turned it back on, I just got a blank screen. It sometimes shows up normally, but it usually does the black screen, and takes a long time of holding the power button to turn off. It still won't read any other games, either. Anyone know what's wrong? (Also, please, no sarcastic replies or anything... I need real help here. My parents might just get me a new one if this keeps up.)

Huh...I've never heard about this before! Maybe you could look at the Nintendo website and see if there's anything about it? But of course if you were looking it up you wouldn't be asking here, so I'll google it and see if any decent websites pop up. I could ask my friend about it, although he sold his 3DS he's really good with this stuff.

Have you had it plugged in the whole time?

It's best to call Nintendo about this problem. Nintendo has one of the best customer services around. I'd definitely ask them to fix it.

Try formating the system memory and then updating it afterwards if you have not yet. Should help.

Huh...I've never heard about this before! Maybe you could look at the Nintendo website and see if there's anything about it? But of course if you were looking it up you wouldn't be asking here, so I'll google it and see if any decent websites pop up. I could ask my friend about it, although he sold his 3DS he's really good with this stuff.

I checked their site, they had nothing about what to do if the screen blanks out when you start it up, and all they had for games not being read is to send it in to get it repaired. I'm not even sure if there's a warranty on it since it's used, so I don't know that'd we'd be able to do that. I did a little research before this to get some ideas, but asked on here in case anyone knew exactly what to do. I have it turned on, but not charging so it dies, as I heard that helps with the screen failure. I should probably look around on Google too, so I can see if I can find anything. I really don't have much else to do anyway.

 

Have you had it plugged in the whole time?

No, it wasn't plugged in. I plugged it in a few times, but not since I got it. It's battery life was perfectly fine when I first got it.

 

It's best to call Nintendo about this problem. Nintendo has one of the best customer services around. I'd definitely ask them to fix it.

That's one of the options I've been considering. I'm not entirely sure how their repairs work, though.

It's best to call Nintendo about this problem. Nintendo has one of the best customer services around. I'd definitely ask them to fix it.

Can't have pre-own fixed if I remember right.

Try formating the system memory and then updating it afterwards if you have not yet. Should help.

I can rarely even get it to turn on. Until I can turn it on again, I can't do that.

I checked their site, they had nothing about what to do if the screen blanks out when you start it up, and all they had for games not being read is to send it in to get it repaired. I'm not even sure if there's a warranty on it since it's used, so I don't know that'd we'd be able to do that. I did a little research before this to get some ideas, but asked on here in case anyone knew exactly what to do. I have it turned on, but not charging so it dies, as I heard that helps with the screen failure. I should probably look around on Google too, so I can see if I can find anything. I really don't have much else to do anyway. No, it wasn't plugged in. I plugged it in a few times, but not since I got it. It's battery life was perfectly fine when I first got it. That's one of the options I've been considering. I'm not entirely sure how their repairs work, though.

Wait is your 3DS near any other electronic device? (Cellphone, laptop, etc.) maybe it could be getting in the way? When I put my ipad near my 3DS the screen of the DS blacks out.

I can rarely even get it to turn on. Until I can turn it on again, I can't do that.

Hmm... It's possible that they jailbroke it and didn't to it effectively or it corrupted the system's main data.

Can't have pre-own fixed if I remember right.

Where did you hear about that? From what I've heard Nintendo can fix consoles even if it's pre-owned.

Where did you hear about that? From what I've heard Nintendo can fix consoles even if it's pre-owned.

I heard that if you don't have the warranty or whatever you couldn't repair it, and since it's pre-owned you wouldn't have the warranty. But maybe my info guy is an idiot.

Wait is your 3DS near any other electronic device? (Cellphone, laptop, etc.) maybe it could be getting in the way? When I put my ipad near my 3DS the screen of the DS blacks out.

It was somewhat near my laptop, but it was perfectly fine right before then. I also tried it while walking over to tell my mother it wasn't working.

 

Hmm... It's possible that they jailbroke it and didn't to it effectively or it corrupted the system's main data.

There was nothing pre-installed on the system, so I'm not sure. That's definitely possible, though. My mother's actually said that if we can't fix it ourselves, we're going to send it back to the person who sold it to us and buy a brand new 3DS at a store so we don't have to worry about getting another broken one. When my dad gets back, we'll ask him if he can do anything. I'm trying to see if I can fix it myself before he gets back, though. The sooner, the better.

It was somewhat near my laptop, but it was perfectly fine right before then. I also tried it while walking over to tell my mother it wasn't working.

 

There was nothing pre-installed on the system, so I'm not sure. That's definitely possible, though. My mother's actually said that if we can't fix it ourselves, we're going to send it back to the person who sold it to us and buy a brand new 3DS at a store so we don't have to worry about getting another broken one. When my dad gets back, we'll ask him if he can do anything. I'm trying to see if I can fix it myself before he gets back, though. The sooner, the better.

Odd. But you never know, and corruption in the files is unrepairable without a repair making code, so just deleting the software would be easy.

Odd. But you never know, and corruption in the files is unrepairable without a repair making code, so just deleting the software would be easy.

That's true, too. By the way, for anyone reading this thread, my parents decided to just get me a new one. The current one I have has so many issues with it, they decided we're best off with a brand new one. Thanks for trying to help, though!