Nintendo 3ds XL goes black and gives error message

nintendo-3ds-3dsxl-2dstechnical-issues

My 3DS XL (Luigi anniversary edition) will turn on and it still has all of its features for about twenty seconds which at that moment both screens turn black and the touch screen displays an error message saying;

"An error has occurred Hold down the POWER Button to turn off power, then turn it on and try again. For help visit support.nintendo.com."

There are two problems with this:

  1. Nintendo has been less than helpful for diagnosing it, never being able to talk to a human whenever I follow the steps on their repair forum

  2. I also have tried turning it on and off multiple times (at least 20 times) and nothing seems to help.

Has anyone else had this problem? Is there a way to DIY fix it or will I have to get it repaired or buy a new one?

Best Answer

According to this Nintendo 3DS Support Article originally linked by @Sulphate in the comments:

Situation:

Error Message: Error Has Occurred. Hold down the Power Button to turn the power off.

Note:

If this error message is received while configuring an e-mail for use with parental controls, click here.

What to Do:

  1. Press and hold the POWER Button down until the system powers off (about 10 seconds), then power the system back on.
  2. General system stability can be improved by applying the latest system update. Try applying the latest system update and see if the issue improves. How to
    • Click here for information on how to view the current system menu version.
  3. If the message is displayed when using a specific game or application downloaded from the Nintendo eShop, use the Nintendo 3DS Download Repair Tool to check the game or application for errors and repair if necessary. How to
    • Even if no errors are found, you can choose to run the repair tool.
    • Start the game or application again to see if the problem is still happening.
  4. If this error occurs every time you open StreetPass Mii Plaza, delete the game's extra data. How to

Situation Not Resolved:

If the issue is not resolved, the system will need to be repaired.

NOTE: Nintendo no longer offers factory repairs for the original Nintendo 3DS system (model CTR-001, serial numbers begin with “CW”). Click here for information on replacement and upgrade options.

Repairs for all other Nintendo 3DS family systems are still available. To begin the repair process, click here.

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