Have you ever opened up your game hardware?

[mαrkαsscoρ]

I'm wondering, how many of you guys ever opened up your game consoles or controllers? Whether its for a fix, cleaning, or even modification, have you ever opened something up? If not, do you think you will in the future?

I've opened up a few of my Game Boy games to replace their batteries( fairly easy to do). And I even opened up my brother's GameCube controller to replace his messed up control sticks. He didn't ask me, I just wanted to see if I could do it. And I actually attempted to open a Joycon to see if I can get to the control stick to replace it for drifting, but I chickened out. And this is the furthest I've done for opening things up. I'd like to try a screen mod or something for the original GBA that we have someday, but I might need more tools and expertise for that. And I'm curious about GC Loader

 

[Ninja]

I’ve taken apart my PC to fix some issues but as far as consoled and controllers I’ve always been too nervous of screwing it up lol, especially when it’s still in warranty. I’ll try just about anything (did we try putting it in rice?) before taking apart the device.

 

[A Link In Time]

Yes, but only once. I opened up my PS3 fat around 8 or 9 years ago when it was having some issues.

 

[twilitfalchion]

I've opened up my Game Boy Advance and the SP for shell replacements, and I cleaned up a used WaveBird after taking it apart, but beyond that, I haven't done much else. Too worried I'll break something.

 

[Fraxinus]

I had to replace the battery in my 3DS once but the battery is separated from the rest of the hardware by a plastic panel so I didn't have to worry about tampering with anything else.

One time I took apart a Guitar Hero controller to fix the whammy bar, and while I managed to fix the whammy bar, I screwed up something else and now the controller doesn't work at all.

 

[Chevywolf30]

Other than breaking a panel off of our Wii to find out it was too new for GameCube backwards compatibility... Nope.

 

[Spiritual Mask Salesman]

Everytime I took apart a console I messed it up more. RIP Playstation 2.

I took apart my Wii after it got fried during a power surge, didn't matter though because it was already a goner.

The only thing I ever took apart, fixed, and successfully put back together was an N64 controller.

 

[TL The Legend]

is anyone gonna point out that the title should say "opened up your game hardware"
also fairly often tbh. as a tech-savvy person I always love staring at the circuitry of consoles, and my consoles go on the fritz more often than you might think. Amazing how you can pack an entire Nintendo Switch's electronics into a 1-inch motherboard.

 

[Ten Thousand Needles]

I've never opened up a game cartridge, although I've been meaning to change the battery in my old Pokemon carts for ages. I've opened up several consoles, though. I took apart an N64 and NES to paint them (found an action figure hiding in the N64), I replaced the case on my Wii, and I opened my OG Xbox to put a new HDD in and remove the clock capacitor.

I've never done anything that "technical" with anything, but I like console mods so at some point I'm sure I'll try hard modding some systems.

 

[Bowsette Plus-Ultra]

It feels like kind of a cheaty answer, but I've opened my PC up numerous times for cleaning and upgrades. I have opened up my PS4 with the intention of replacing its hard drive with a larger one, but just kind of settled on cleaning it.

 

[VikzeLink]

My PC for cleaning it, but that is really meant to be opened anyway.
However, I have opened my PS2 after it stopped being able to read discs, so I opened it to clean it, but it didn't help. Turned out to be that the original laser thingie that read the discs was too old and didn't work anymore, so I got it repaired at a place that fixes up old consoles

 

[Dizzi]

Umm ive opened up wii motes and gameboys for battery changes...does that count??

 

[MW7]

I've swapped the back of N64 cartridges to play the Japanese version of Goldeneye 007 on a North American N64, and I think that's it. I haven't messed with consoles or controllers yet but probably will need to eventually.

 

[zelda kid]

LeT$ 100% BOTW

 

[thePlinko]

Aside from the repairing of a few Gameboy games, I’ve also taken apart my GC controllers a few times to try and fix them (it didn’t work).

Once my GameCube was having a disc read error, so I ordered a new security screwdriver online to open it up. They sent me the wrong size, so I ended up trying that trick where you melt a pen with a lighter and mash it onto the screw to make a makeshift screwdriver when it hardens. Unfortunately it got stuck, and now there’s a broken shell of a pen jammed in my GameCube.

I guess I also put the expansion pak in my N64 if that counts.