Here's the Shift disassembly guide - Shift General

So I has some free time and the shift was laying around...
Anyway let's get down to business.
The first part of the guide will cover the basic disassembly tips you maybe need in order to open up the casing and maybe upgrade something.
You will need a T6 screwdriver. That's all..but if you want to disassemble the display you will also need a T5.
1 Start by removing the battery, stylus, any card, sim or whatever is attached onto your device.
2 The shift's screws location is shown here.
3 You will need to remove the 3 rubber caps in order to expose the upper screws. First I thought the middle one is a connector to an external antenna. Nope, it's a screw hole.
4 After you're done with the screws you will need to remove the keyboard in order to have acces to another screw underneath it. I've found out that removing the keyboard is a bit tricky. There are no screws holding it, you simply must pull it off. Carefull not to bend it too much and begin with the upper part.
5. Underneath the keyboard you will have to remove this screw and the ribbon like cable that connects the keyboard. In order to do this, pull upwards the white blocker (shown with the green arrow) then pull off the ribbon cable (red arrow).
6. Next comes the first ugly part. You should remove the back cover on your shift in order to expose it's motherboard. Begin by placing your fingernail on the right bottom corner (or the left - you choose) and go along all the cassing in order to separate the 2 pieces of casing. You may hear a lot of ugly noises, cracks and so on... it's pretty normal, just don't abuse the casing too much. By the way, keep the shift in "laptop" mode while you do this.
7. After you remove the back cover you should see something like this.

Carefull with the hard disk. There aren't any screws fixing it to the motherboard. It's simply ...placed there, the back cover will fix it back to it's position. Don't tilt the device or the hard disk may fall and could damage the connector cable (orange ribbon). Around the hard drive you may see a black rubber insertion that protects it from certain shocks.
I've heard some of you guys asking about the dimensions inside and the possibility to replace this hard drive with another one, more thicker. THERE IS SPACE INSIDE TO DO THAT.
The silver corner and the whole sides of the rubber casing is about 2-3 mm thick in the upper portion and just about the same underneath the hard disk. It's kind of soft thus you may insert a larger hard drive without problems.
(Someone asked about a 2.5 drive replacement into the shift -- NO way dude)
8 Next you will need to remove the aluminium radiator and the fan.
You have to remove the following screws:
Note that the far right screw is somewhere deeper and you may need to move the hard-drive a little to get acces to it.
9 After you remove the aluminium heatsync you should see something like this. If you want to remove the motherboard from the chassis you should also remove the marked screw.

You may remove the ram board but carefull. It seems pretty stuck in there you will need to use some force. Here's a photo with mine removed. The metallic piece in the lower part of the picture is the card reader's casing. The card reader is made by Panasonic.
In order to remove the card reader first unscrew it (it's the last screw i was talking about 2 pictures ago). There is a ribbon connecting it to the mainboard.
here is the card reader removed:
and here is it's ribbon connector:

Here is the GPS antenna. YEP it is here. I've seen simillar antennas on bluetooth GPS mouses. This one is properly connected and seems to be powered. HTC had some GPS in mind when it designed the Shift.
10 In order to continue the disassembly you must remove 2 screws located somewhere around this area. They are under the ribbon cable connecting the hard drive to the motherboard.
Be carefull around that area. The shift's motherboard is made of 2 pieces, apparently one for the x86 side (intel processor, GMA950 video, card reader etc) and another for the WM side. The 2 parts are linked via a connector that is secured by those 2 screws. YOU WILL NEED TO BE CAREFULL WHEN REASSEMBLING THE SHIFT. IF THAT CONNECTOR ISN'T ATTACHED PROPERLY YOU'RE IN FOR A LOT OF TROUBLE AHEAD (had mine... trust me).
Here are various components.
RED - Display side connector. This is the only connector linking the 2 sides.
BLUE - Keyboard connector.
GREEN - underneath that area lies the connector that links the 2 parts of the motherboard.
YELLOW - those cables go to the wireless antenna.
Here is the Shift's internal microphone. Like I've said, i didn't know it had one.
The mic is linked to the generic "WM side" of the motherboard. Actually it isn't that simple like wm side - x86 side but as I can see these 2 parts seem to be pretty well diferenciated. One side - x86 - heatsyncs, ram, hard drive... another side - WM, aluminium caps soldered over the chips (like in most phones) microphone, gsm/gps antenna. The WLAN module is also located there.

11 If you remove the motherboard you should see something like this. The arrow marks the position of the antenna block (like the one shown in the FCC pictures).
If you want to remove the display part from the rest of the body you have to remove these screws:
2 more of these are located on the left side. Also remove them. Then the display should come out easily. Carefull not to damage the ribbon connector.
.
12 If you want to dissasemble the display you have to remove the screws from it's back plate. It should also come out easily. You should see something like this:

The hinges that enable your display to tilt are located inside the display block. Here's a photo with one of them :

now some tips about how to do this process if you want to upgrade the shift.
BE CAREFULL. The Shift's motherboard seems pretty delicate. If you want to mess with the hard drive, first disconnect the cable from the HDD's end, then from the motherboard.
If you want to remove the RAM board, pull it off by using 2 fingers, 1 for each side. You will find that the module is firmly attached and woun't come out easily.
I don't recomand you remove or try to mess with that silver foil over the display's back (one of the last pictures). There's a jungle of connectors and wires underneath it and they are cought between 2 layers of that stuff. They can be easily damaged.
When reassembling the shift first start by connecting the small ribbon from the microfone to the motheboard, then connect the display's cable. You will find it more easily to maneuvre if the display is at halfway distance from the main body. Then connect the 2 screws that secure the connector between the 2 portions of the motherboard. ONCE AGAIN, CAREFULL TO HAVE THESE 2 SCREWS FIRMLY ATTACHED. In my first try, the connection wasn't good so when i powered on the shift, it started to make some scarry stuff with it's leds and display. No harm been done but it was pretty scarry. You may then reattach the rest of the screws in backwards order.
If you will want only to upgrade the HDD just stop at "removing the back cover" part. There's nothing more you need to do, you don't need to remove the motherboard and there's pretty much no risks involved. Just be carefull with the ribbon linking the HDD to the motherboard.
I heard some advices about some serials on the chips and such data. Yep, I did photos of these things too. I'll attach them also, tomorrow after I organise my list of findings and notes that I've made with those. I'll post them by category. However I didn't find much, most chips are imposible to read because of the faded markings and other ones are covered by aluminium caps that are soldered over them. The shift looks like a large phone.
Please ask questions if you have. I'll try to help and be specific on those topics.

Bravo!! Good job!!! Can't wait to see the remaining! Now we need someone to try upgrading the HHD. This is getting more interesting!

Excellent, thanks for sharing your findings.

Really good job, man!
Really good job! Thank you for this "step-by-step" guide!

now time to enable the microphone, enable the phone, and look like a complete idiot when u try to hold this thing up to your ear
now u pretty much proved a few things. this thing is pretty much a fully functional wm device. you also shower we were right all along the gps is very very possible for this device. i need to get ltxda one of the gps tools and have him post a lock so you can all see some gps action

Ok people, I'm willing to order a larger HD and even more RAM. I'm going to contact some of my sources on Monday or Tuesday. Any help you guys can provide would be great.
EDIT: Great job on the how-to here!!!

Pawel062 said:
now time to enable the microphone, enable the phone, and look like a complete idiot when u try to hold this thing up to your ear
now u pretty much proved a few things. this thing is pretty much a fully functional wm device. you also shower we were right all along the gps is very very possible for this device. i need to get ltxda one of the gps tools and have him post a lock so you can all see some gps action
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let's try this on Sunday afternoon bro if you're availabe. I also have a tool that i'm going to try to run, if the family allows, and provide results. Get with me sometime after 3pm. I'm headed to bed now...nite all.

Can you give some information about touchscreen model or manufactur???

I must first study how the protective silver film is attacked on the back of the display. from the fcc photos it seems there are a lot of ribbon connectors between it's twin layers. first time i've dissasembled shift i didn't have enought guts to rip that film in order to expose the internal components. Some connectors in that area caused me a lot of problems (shift's display didn't light up at all or the led's started to go crazy). I'll investigate the problem and there will be a second shift disassembly session in which time i wish to upgrade the hdd also.

So, where might we solder our 32GB SD card to the WM side?
Great job!

Keyboard
Hello,
I tried to pull out the KEyboard by it doesn't work.
What is the Secret to get it out ?

i've sent you an email.

facdemol said:
i've sent you an email.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the Email, I'll try it on Monday and let you know if it work.
Andi

Possible Mistake If You Choose A 2,5 Hhd For Shift Original Hdd.
facdemol said:
I've heard some of you guys asking about the dimensions inside and the possibility to replace this hard drive with another one, more thicker. THERE IS SPACE INSIDE TO DO THAT.
(Someone asked about a 2.5 drive replacement into the shift -- NO way dude)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks to everybody for the help to dissasenble.
Im sorry, It´s clear is not possible.
I'd attach a Picture of my shift with a 1.8 + 2,5" hdd.
---------------------------- -----------------------------
Please, don´t buy ANY HDD 2,5" Noone will fit in.
Is necesary a 1.8" HDD AND the conector of the HDD MUST BE a kind of ZIF connector. (They Called "LIF")
(Neither there are COMPATIBILITY with IDE/ATA/SATA connectors. You will need a ATA 7 conector!!!)
I found this kind HDDs in 80, 100 and 120 GB capacity, easy to buy ad least in Spain.
For Myself I'd ordered a Toshiba-MK1214GAH (120GB), where I Plan to Install a Personal Ed. XP + Vista in a second partition.
Armas.

Related

How I Fixed My Speaker Problem (Walkthrough with photos)

Disclaimer: This procedure voids the warranty and you can potentially damage your device.
This guide is for informative purposes only. Perform this procedure at your own risk.
This procedure was performed on an MDA2 (aka XDA2, Qtek2020, I-Mate2, etc).
Original Problem: The speaker stopped working.
Note: There seems to be a similar problem but it requires a totally different approach to fix it and it's out of the scope of this procedure. The problem on my device was somewhat different since when the speaker didn't work, the microphone was still functional. So the problem resides on the speaker connector, not the headphone jack.
Note2: English is not my first language, so please excuse any language errors you may encounter.
Let me start by saying that I have a big passion for gadgets and technology, so I was not going to let go on the opportunity to learn and inspect the guts of my brand new MDA2. You may ask yourself, why in the world don't you send it for repairs if it's a brand new device? Well, the answer is very simple, I bought this device over the Internet and I simply lost hope of being helped by the guys at the place I bought it from, they simply never answered or returned my calls and emails. I grew desperate and tired of using the headphones ALL THE TIME, even for alarms and reminders! and as I said before, I was driven by passion and thirst of knowledge and curiosity so I decided to fix it myself (even with the risk of damaging the device in the process). Let me add that I have some basic knowledge in electronics, and by no means this is my first device I fix. I have some experience. (I have fixed some damaged digitizers on a HP Jornada 568 PocketPC and Compaq iPAQ 3630 Pocket PC, fixed a volume slider on a SE T68i Phone and a SE P800 Smartphone to name a few).
Let me tell you that the MDA2 has been by far the easiest to fix. It's very well designed in terms of components and component placement, and the quality of the materials (plastics and electronics) is exceptional. But this is not a hardware review, so I'll start the walkthrough right now...
This is my victim... i mean... MDA2...
These are the tools required to complete the operation:
Torx #6 tool
Very small Phillips screwdriver (+)
Very small flat screwdriver (-)
Credit Card or similar card
A steady hand
Then I removed the SD Card and Stylus.
Proceed to remove the screws, there are two TORX#6 and four small Phillips (+). Be sure to put them on a safe place, they are very small screws and you don't want to loose them.
There are a couple of hidden Torx#6 screws under that black antenna cover, so we need to remove it. The plastic used in this part is not as dense as the rest of the casing (yes, the casing it's made of plastic!), so we need to be very careful not to break it, so apply very little force.
Start by using the flat screwdriver and insert it in the Stylus silo and use it as a lever (as shown), you will hear a "click" when the lock snaps. You will need flexible hands and dexterity since at this point you will also need to insert the flat screwdriver on the side square hole to release this side of the cover. (see next picture).
Here you can see the two squared-shaped holes where you need to insert the flat screwdriver to release the locks. Be very careful since there are some electronic components just below the square holes and do not apply excessive force to release the locks. Remember, the plastic is very thin on this part.
Now the other side, here you need to also use the flat screwdriver as a lever to release the lock on this side. Be very careful, since you will apply some force on the volume slider.
Now with the bottom part of the black cover released, you will notice there are some more locks to release on the top (just on the edge of the SD slot. DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE THE COVER YET!
One more time we need the flat screwdriver as a lever. Insert the flat screwdriver (as shown) but not too deep. Apply very small force in the direction of the arrow and the edge will snap off releasing the cover.
The black cover is now free.
These are the two hidden Torx#6 screws. Proceed to remove them to release the antenna.
The antenna has been removed.
So far so good, now the toughest part of the whole procedure, opening the MDA2 case. You need to be very patient, do not rush since the finish on the case is very easy to scratch and dent. Proceed with the small flat screwdriver and you need to start from the bottom of the MDA2, In my case as soon as I removed all the screws I noticed a small gap on the bottom so I started from that point, but if you don't see the gap, you can start from the headphone jack hole. Please be gentle and don't try to rush.
At this point you can use a credit card to help release the locks that are located all around the case, this way you won't scratch or dent the case. Start counter-clockwise, that is to the left of the headphone jack towards the Stylus silo. Once you manage to release all the locks on that side of the case, just lift it very slowly and the opposite side will snap off very easily. However, be very careful on that side (where the buttons and volume slider is) since in that particular place the plastic is more fragile because of the holes needed for those controls.
Once the MDA2 has been opened in half you can see the three small black Phillips screws (+) (see picture). Proceed to remove them. Please avoid any contact with the electronic components, since at this point any static charge can damage your precious gadget. And also make sure you don't drop the screws or touch the components with the screwdriver, since the MDA2 it's still very alive. See that coin-shaped thing on the opposite side of the screws? That's a LiPo Battery, and it's keeping your data from being erased. By the way, don't try to beat the 20 minute retention time of the battery, you have made a backup right? So go slowly...
Ok. So far so good... This is the speaker, well, actually that's the speaker encased in a small black boxy thing with two gold plated connectors. (see next Pic for a close up).
As you can see, the two gold plated connectors on the speaker container match the two spring connectors on the mother board.
Ok, here we need to be very, very careful. I pulled both springs as shown on the picture above to give them a little more pressure when assembled again and I also cleaned the gold plated connectors on the speaker container. Make sure you apply only the necessary force to pull the springs since they could be disoldered if too much force is applied. Use common sense.
We're almost done!
Now proceed to put everything back together. Remember to put back all the screws in their correct positions and do not apply excessive force or you will damage the thread and make things worse that they where in the first place. Proceed to close the casing by doing the opposite. Start by placing the case on the buttons and volume slider side first then the opposite side.
You may notice that the camera lens will not allow the case to go all the way, but if you do it slowly it will budge.
Proceed with the rest of the assembly in reverse order.
That's it... You can proceed to test the speaker.
My MDA2 has been working flawlessly ever since!!! :wink:
I hope this procedure was helpful.
Best regards,
Rayan
All red crosses instead of pictures...
And then the pictures came
Nice walkthrough you've made !
thanks for the very good explanation!
Illustrated by pictures is always great!
Thanks
Thanks, this is my way of saying "Thank you" to this marvelous community! 8)
P.S.- If you don't see the images, please try again later, since those images are hosted on my webserver and sometimes I need to reboot it... sorry...
Best regards,
Rayan
Just a little bump since I've noticed that many people want to open their beloved devices and I thought my walkthrough might help...
MODS: Any chance to make it a "Post it?" :wink:
Best regards,
Rayan
Excellent post, cheers, and if English is your second langauge then I'd never have known it! There are plenty of people for whom it is their first langauge who can't write as well as you!
Wow. Your documentation is better than what comes with the XDA itself! And your English is better than most people in the US. Great service to the XDA community.
Excellent work, man!
Thanks guys!
I'm glad you liked it!
If anyone has questions about the procedure, please don't hessitate to ask!
Best regards,
Rayan
Great! Somethings in life are free, for opening your XDA II there's Mastercard!!!
hahahahaha
pictures are gone? or is it just me?
did anyone kept a copy?
Sooooo sorry guys... I switched to a new hosting company and recreated my website but forgot to restore those images... I will take them back online ASAP!
waiting for the pics to comeonline again!
please do it asap!
thanks
any luck putting the pictures back online ?
Hello folks!
Sorry for the loooong delay, but as you can see, the pics are back!!!
If you have any questions about the procedure, don't hesitate to ask.
Best regards,
Rayan
Can someone help me?
I had the same problem myself, except that i've done all the stuff you said and i still have the problem... I can hear the phone ringing, but no sound comes from the device (Alarms, appontments, Media Player, etc). When i answer the calls i can't hear any sound from the people who is calling me... Can someone help me?
:shock:
Gents,
Slightly off topic, so please bear with me.
My M1000 has had a problem ever since I got it. The camera seems out of focus as soon as I try to make pictures past say 1,5 meters. Would the serrated ring around the camera lens perhaps be used to focus the device?
Thanks!
Stefan out
I tried to move the serrated lens just to play with it and see if I could get better focus and remember that it was really hard as if it was glued or something.
However, I didn't apply much force but seems like it's meant to be some sort of focus adjustmet, specially because it looks very close to the lens in my webcam when disasembled.
Should you give it a try, let us know...
is there a way to power an ipaq 3630 without the power adapter but with a different battery? like a cel battery? how is the power conector to the ipaq and battery?

How difficult is to take apart an HTC Ozone?

Hi all,
My wife spilled a glass of beer on my PDA, and now the top front buttons don't react like before. Sometimes you don't hear the 'click' and you can feel like they got stuck.
The keyboard looks fine, so the problem is only the with the top buttons at the front of the PDA.
Have anybody tried to take apart this PDA? Would be easy to open it and clean everything before putting everything back?
Thanks a lot
I completely soaked my Ozone about a week after I got it... knocked it in the sink. I like to think that I was among the first to void my warranty, Lo..l?
The phone is really well constructed for what you need to do. All of the critical electronics are very well shielded on the board, nothing difficult about separating the board from the case.
Six 'star drive' screws on the case (that's where the warranty sticker is), one tiny phillips on the board - board pulls up off of pins, away from the usb connector and Bob's your uncle. The keypad is not fastened to the case, pull it right out.
Watch the ribbon cable for the lcd - I would not recommend disconnecting it. there should be enough play to allow you to work. Make sure you're working in a really clean environment, and check the inside of the plastic lcd cover obsessively right before reassembly. If you're anything like me that one little catpet fiber or cat hair or whatever the hell will drive you to take the phone apart again 4 days later...
Sorry about the ramble... it's late. Short answer is: Nothing to it.
Good luck!
Thanks a lot for your post. It was really helpful.
I will probably try it this weekend.
I'll post here the results
Cheers
So if I wanted to buy a different color keypad (dont like the green) it shouldnt be hard to take apart??...I change screens in Env/Voyagers a bit so have a little knowledge...

Disassembly of Legend (advises & some help required)

Hi there,
I broke my touch screen and tried to replace it by myself.
To make a long story short, I failed miserably (I broke the screen under).
However, I learned a few things I didn't met in the forum.
A- Disassembly of the case.
1- The Legend is glued. So, you have first to use hoven to melt the glue before being able to do anything useful.
15min/ 60 degree in the oven. Or use an hair dryer (I used the former).
2- Don't forget to remove ALL the screws (even the one behind the IMEI notice).
3- Don't try to open the camera lid before loosening the glue or you'll damage the aluminium body.
4- You have to unplug all the différent cables, so take notes to remember where all of them goes.
5- You must disassemble all the boards. There are 2 boards. One supporting the sim / SD connector, and one supporting the screen/touchscreen.
6- When disassembling the screen board, remove it by pulling the touchscreen at the bottom, and lift it up. don't pass a tool on the sides to remove it or worse, under the touchscreen, you'r tool will touch the screen under and break it (like I did). The screen is very, very fragile
Now, I'm stuck here because I can't remove the connector of the legent which is passed under the shield on the back of the screen.
I'm not able to remove the screen so I would like to know how to remove this shielding or get back the touchscreen connector to be able to replace it.
Once I figure out how to remove this shiled, I may be able to remove the screen too.
But now, I'm clueless (it was 2 in the morning when I gave up).
Maybe, some of you knew the trick to open this phone further.
I'd like to hear about it.
A little up to my post for the ones who did not read it till the end:
I can't remove the connector of the legend which is goind under the shield on the back of the screen.
I would like to know how to remove this shielding or get back the touchscreen connector to be able to replace it.
Once I figure out how to remove this shield, I may be able to remove the screen too.
But now, I'm clueless (it was 2 in the morning when I gave up).
mate it sounds like you have trashed your phone.they are built NOT to be taken apart.They require special tools and process to be repaired. The only thing i would suggest is contacting your insurance company and let them know that your phone was crushed under a car or something and then crush it under the car and you can get it replaced. If you dont have insurance, take some out and make a claim in say a month or two.
Its not an honest thing to do but your phone sounds busted and its the cheapest way of replacing that handset.
Post a pic of it if you can
Unfortunately, I have no rights to post a link or some put some pics.
Something about spam and profile that should be reviewed before being able show any pics.
This device is glued. No specialized tools are able to open it without removing it.
That would mean that the phone cannot be repaired, only replaced. My phone's motherboard was replaced, so at the service stations they should have special tools.
Fixed it!
Bottom right hand corner:
Bend the shielding back just enough to allow you to slip the connector in & then use a little glue to stick it back.
Maybe I was lucky, but my phones working as good as new again
I fixed my Legend
Guys, I know it's been a while since you talked but in case someone else is looking for this info, that's what happened to me:
I cracked the display of my legend and purchased a new one on eBay (roughly 40 pounds) - obviously delivered from Hong Kong but a genuine Samsung (in case you didn't know the Legen's screen as well as most of the AMOLED screens are Samsung's).
Then I used the above information plus some YouTube videos to give myself an idea as to what should I do. The result follows:
I used a hair dryer to heat up the back of the phone (camera and loudspeaker cover). Perhaps I should have been more patient as in the end I decided to use a knife with a very thin blade to lift it and I scratched the plastic and the aluminium body a bit. Anyways - the back clicks in but is glued in addition to that so you have to use both the heat and gently applied force.
Once you remove the back cover (which took me the longest out of everything) you should start removing screws. There's two behind the back cover and six behind the bottom cover (where the battery is). At this stage you don't have to remove all the screws - the bottom two, the one behind the IMEI and the one under the VOID sticker hold the main board but the two screws sitting deeper inside the phone's body hold the front buttons so you may leave them for now.
Now comes the trickiest part so read carefully: the main board is held inside the unibody by the screws (which we already removed), but is also glued right below the camera lens and along the sides. You should probably heat it up as much as you can and for a long time. I decided to do it the hard way. My dislplay was already cracked and it's the most delicate part of the phone so I said "whatever" and used the same knife as before - moved it alongside the screen (pushed it in gently from the front) until there was no resistance (the glue let go). Then I pushed and I heated the thing up and pushed and tried from every angle until finally the board slid out of the unibody. I hope you'll find it easier then I did as it seems that everyone describing it found it quite doable.
Now everything becomes easy-peasy. Remove the remaining screws to put the buttons aside (you'll have both the actul buttons and the tiny board with sensors - the latter sticks to the screen but once you remove the connectors, yu can take it off too). All the connectors are quite easy to remove if you hav a needle or something (just pull them out gently). I didn't worry about noting which is which as ther is practically no way you can mix them up - they're very different.
The rubbery plastic black surrounding of the board clicks in, so once you find the right spots you can lift them gently and take the thing off. You'll be left with the display covered by the shielding from the top and a thin metal board from the bottom. You have to remove two more screws to disconnect the main display plug.
And the final bit (that's where the thread's author had a problem I believe). My display was cracked but the shielding - fine. These two are glued together so I had to find some space for my finger nail and lift the shield. By slowly and gently pulling it apart I detached one from the other - and had to do the same thing with the metal board. Don't forget there's some extra stuff to remove from the back of the display - they're all glued but the glue will remain fresh enough for you to glue them again - this time to the new screen. The same applies to the front shield. I hope you won't let any dust sit on it in the meantime. You should have a screen protector on your new display if you bought it like I did. Remove it now and the display will be happy to stick to the old front shield just as if it was always there. The metal back will also fit in.
Now you can go through the above process backwards - just remember to connect all the connectors.
What I didn't do: I didn't use ANY glue putting the phone back together. As an effect the front shield is sticking out a bit (doesn't sit in the unibody tightly). It doesn't affect the phone itself but it gives you the funny feeling that something isn't 100% right. But I prefer that than screwing something up with a misuse of glue (glue can be disobedient).
The most important piece of information: the phone is working 100% correctly as if it was never disassembled by an amateur. Apart from two scatches on the back, the VOID sticker missing, the front sticking out slightly (less than a mm) and the missing battery slider (which I forgot to put back in and didn't bother to repeat the whole process for the sake of it) - there is nothing wrong with the phone. So if you ever crack you ever crack your Legend's screen - you can try fixing it yourself if you have the courage.
I would like to see some photos too But I'm never gonna take my phone apart - can't see the point
Foto's
Nice thread, i myself am wondering, if a better gsm antenna can be fixed inside the phone. and connect them to the 2 connections.
Do you have any pictures of the inside housing etc?

[Q] Epic Disassembly - How can I open it up?

I'm on my 3rd Epic, and this one is going back, too.
Before I send it back, I'd like to disassemble it. I think that the current problem (speakerphone returns static to whoever I talk to) is a soldering issue and may be easily debugged and fixed if I could open up the phone.
Opening up this guy is not easy.
I can remove the visible screws.
I can remove the two screws hidden under the serial number sticker / battery mat.
Even after removing these screws, I can't get the back plate off.
How do I do it?
IBNobody said:
I'm on my 3rd Epic, and this one is going back, too.
Before I send it back, I'd like to disassemble it. I think that the current problem (speakerphone returns static to whoever I talk to) is a soldering issue and may be easily debugged and fixed if I could open up the phone.
Opening up this guy is not easy.
I can remove the visible screws.
I can remove the two screws hidden under the serial number sticker / battery mat.
Even after removing these screws, I can't get the back plate off.
How do I do it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Opening it voids your warranty and you will be unable to return it if your repair fails.
scriz said:
Opening it voids your warranty and you will be unable to return it if your repair fails.
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It only voids your warranty if they can tell you opened it. I haven't run into any tamper-proof stickers.
So do you know how to get into it farther, or were you just poopoo'ing my attempt?
IBNobody said:
It only voids your warranty if they can tell you opened it. I haven't run into any tamper-proof stickers.
So do you know how to get into it farther, or were you just poopoo'ing my attempt?
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lmao @ ====> or were you just poopoo'ing my attempt?[/QUOTE]
hilarious!
http://www.chipworks.com/samsung-epic-4g.aspx Shows some pics of it disassembled. Maybe it will provide some insight as to how to open it, and maybe not. Better than nothing. Try searching Samsung Epic teardown and digging a little deeper than the first page.
los1223 said:
http://www.chipworks.com/samsung-epic-4g.aspx Shows some pics of it disassembled. Maybe it will provide some insight as to how to open it, and maybe not. Better than nothing. Try searching Samsung Epic teardown and digging a little deeper than the first page.
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Searched disassembly, not teardown. Thanks.
The link actually helped.
The Epic has 2 microphones?
start up at the top by the power button and use something plastic to wedge between the pieces. DONT user metal, it will scratch or break something.
Kcarpenter said:
start up at the top by the power button and use something plastic to wedge between the pieces. DONT user metal, it will scratch or break something.
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I've found a teardown picture that illustrates the difficulty...
https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/eas/GetApplicationAttachment.html?id=1311529
The problem was the two tabs. I didn't realize how long they were.
There are clips where the back casing sticks to the silver band around the phone. You have to use a thin flat head to separate it. Be careful since the silver band is made of plastic and will crack if bent.
I had to take apart 2 Epics and swap out a faulty keyboard with another one before returning it.
arashed31 said:
There are clips where the back casing sticks to the silver band around the phone. You have to use a thin flat head to separate it. Be careful since the silver band is made of plastic and will crack if bent.
I had to take apart 2 Epics and swap out a faulty keyboard with another one before returning it.
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Click to collapse
Once I saw how the back cover was snapped on (wide indents that snap to the silver), I was able to remove it. I used a credit card, sliding it down from the volume button, parallel to the phone. Every so often, I'd use the card as a wedge to pry the top off. Eventually, it snapped open.
Unfortunately, I am unable to find a problem. The main microphone works. It just doesn't work in speakerphone mode.
Oh well... I'm on my 4th Epic. I'm holding off on returning them to Amazon. I'll have 3 of 'em sitting around in case I need to make a FrankenEpic.
Do you see any way to tighten the screen slider?
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
Hey, if/while you're still in there... do you see a MLF-type chip (these are the ones that look like a plastic box with no visible pins because the metal pads are entirely on the underside) that's approximately 3mm x 4mm that has something like "FSA 9480" (or just "9480", or even "Fairchild") written on it? Probably near the USB port? I've read about its existence inside the Epic (and all Galaxy S models), and it seems to be getting enumerated by the kernel during bootup, but I didn't see any actual chip bearing the name in any teardown pics I've looked at. I'm starting to suspect that the "9480" *might* just be IP that Samsung licensed from Fairchild and incorporated into one of their own ASICs (with "9480" being the "IP name" of the chip Fairchild sells as the 9280), but it's really hard to tell.
For anyone who didn't see my other post, or the thread in the I9000 board, the FSA9480 is a USB switch that enables the USB port's two data pins to be repurposed for a) serial UART Txd and Rxd, b) Stereo audio left and right out, c) mono headset with audio out and mic in, and d) JTAG via a special interface called "JIG" that's kind of like Atmel's Debugwire and serializes the various pins of a JTAG interface. It's not actually using USB... it electronically disconnects the two pins from the USB interface, and connects them to the audio/uart/JIG pins elsewhere inside the phone.
Also, if you can see anything that resembles a manufacturer or part number for the USB port, that would be awesome. I know that someone, somewhere HAS to make them, but trying to find nonstandard, offbeat connectors in the millions of items sold by companies like Digikey, Arrow, Avnet, Mouser, etc. is like looking for a needle in a haystack unless you already know the exact part number you're looking for.
didnt really llook too hard, but i didnt see any
How difficult is it to replace the entire screen/lcd? Is it possible to easily remove the entire top off the slider and replace it?
Yes its rather easy you take off the back cover use something like a guitar pick to pop the back snaps apart then from there undo the connections to the main board remove it a few more screws under the sticker and one under the main board i think there is a ribbon cable you have to be genital with they rip really easy also make sure its put back the way it needs to be.. when replacing the screen there are tear down guides all over the new that show it in detail...
Edit: Found a Video for you... http://satmedia.co.uk/sprint-samsung-epic-4g-galaxy-s-sph-d700-take-apart-tear-down-video-mpg/
Chabsin said:
How difficult is it to replace the entire screen/lcd? Is it possible to easily remove the entire top off the slider and replace it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pry bar and hammer should do it!
Sent from my '' Bag Phone ''

EVO 4G Extreme Repair

I'd like to see this thread expand, to show other "How To's for Hard Repairs", beyond the current state of, screen & touch pad (module) replacement, that most of us, already can do, or have seen.
This is intended for those that are capable of using a soldering station, and the other tools necessary, to do physical repairs, on the Logic board. It is Other wise intended for educational purpose only, and should not be attempted by the novice user.
(This is not for those with a 40w Ratshack soldering iron & a little nerve. You need a good temperature controlled station, &, a very fine tip.)
Please understand, every one of these I've seen for repair, has been a little bit different as to the actual repairs needed to restore it to operation.
So this is a guide, not a master repair plan for all.
[size=+2]USB Repair​[/size]
I've come across several units, &, threads where the units, where the USB port, has come loose, or, broken away, from the main logic board.
Not ascribing blame, but, this is generally the result of the phones falling, with the USB cable attached, or, customer impatiens, when installing the cable tip.
The result of this, leaves the unit incapable of charging, or, transferring data, to the phone, though the phone may remain otherwise fully functional.
In most cases the original USB socket can be reusable, other times you'll need to find a suitable replacement. The original drawing number is, "L1037", though the MFG name remains unknown at this time.
But, either way, care must be taken to repair, the unseen damage that results, most of us would miss. The EVO 4G for example, uses a multi-layered circuit board, and part of the surface ground plane is dislodged, when the sock breaks loose. (See Photo)
Picture 1: Shows an actual EVO 4G, with the socket broken away from the board, with my notes added.
Picture 2: Is of the typical USB-B socket, with pin out (to show pin functions).
First, I've no idea what HTC used for solder, to secure parts, to their boards. But, I can tell you, it's very very, harder to work with, and therefore needs to be removed.
The traces need to be reconditioned, before the socket can be re-installing.
I did this by adding 2% silver solder, to the traces, and then removing it again, with Chemwick. Using extreme care, not to over heat the traces, causing them to become lifted from the board (if this happens, your done, there's no further repair possible).
Once the traces and ground points are clean, you need expand the ground points (inward), using an Exacto Knife. Also clean the old solder from the ground pad connections, and add just enough new solder, to clean & bead them up slightly (explained later).
Why do you need to expand the ground points? As you can see in photo 2, a small piece of the ground plane, was ripped away from the board, when the socket broke loose. Being a multi layered board, you can see several small silver spots, remain exposed on the board under where this copper was removed.
These are ground points, which need to be re-established. They are just as important, as the ports connections themselves, for maintain proper operation.
I added a small amount of solder to these points, to get them to bead up, above the board level, with a little smear of solder paste, and luck ( and a good cleaner to remove the solder paste once complete). At the same time, I added solder to "tin" the newly expose expanded copper ground points, I'd earlier made (before removing the solder paste).
I took a small piece of "used" piece of Chemwick, and, trimmed it to size to reach the newly scraped ground area. Added a little more solder, to where it was well saturated.
Then tacked the chemwick, first to the outer edges, then worked inward, to grab the beads.
Next prep the old socket.
You need to remove the old copper trace, from the bottom, &, re-tin that area, so it too, will beads a little. Also, because of the OEM solder, it's a good idea, re-tin the leads as well, again bead a little solder.
Now, your ready to actually reinstall the port. Notice that You have very little room to work with, so, care and good vision are a must. The technique your using is called "Reflow Soldering", you hit each lead quickly (on/off, like a bunny), but, you need to insure you've made a good joint.
The Leads:
You have both the "Pads & Leads", tinned & beaded, with solder. I'd suggest doing the leads first, then come back for the ground points, &, tabs last.
I would work form Pin 5 to 1. Where Pin 1, will be the hardest, because, it's pad is more massive, as it is all Ground plane (more, or, longer heat is needed here). Examine your work after, and, make sure the leads are solid.
The socket base:
I would then clip a small set of Hemostats, to the socket and the bottom of the board. Then heat the socket base up, until the Chemwick (installed earlier) compresses slightly. Do not get the soldering tip so far in, as to allow damage the sockets connections. And, once done "do not remove the Hemostats" until the socket is cooled.
The Tabs:
The Tabs are all that's left to solder, flow the solder evenly, to make a strong joint. Your bound to do better than HTC did here, which allowed the damage to occur. I would also consider flipping the board over, and flowing solder into the plated through hole while the iron and tabs are still hot.
There you have it, reassemble the unit, and, it all went well, you should again be able to charge your battery, and transfer data to your EVO 4G.
Like I've said, I'd like to see more detailed extreme repairs, appear following this post, not so much comments.
Use the thanks button if you find this post useful.
If I could find the actual parts, or, part number for reference. I'd also be willing to show how to replace the damaged LCD & Digitizer sockets. I have 3 units currently in this condition, where module replacement went badly.
IMnobody
If you add pictures to your process, you will get a lot more thanks. Overall a decent how-to.

			
				
hard to follow. yeah some pics would be nice

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