Database Users

Keyboard Runners successfully Repaired

Just wanted to let you all know that I successfully repaired the loose keyboard tracks last night following the directions posted by Mike channon and the internal pictures(Japanese site) of my 8525. It does void your warranty as there is sticker you have to remove to get to a screw(torx) which you most likely can't remove without tearing. I glued the rubber stoppers on the runners and man oh man It's AWESOME! Really have to apply some pressure to open the slider now. I'd be happy to help with instructions or advice for anyone considering attempting this.

Abductd said:
Just wanted to let you all know that I successfully repaired the loose keyboard tracks last night following the directions posted by Mike channon and the internal pictures(Japanese site) of my 8525. It does void your warranty as there is sticker you have to remove to get to a screw(torx) which you most likely can't remove without tearing. I glued the rubber stoppers on the runners and man oh man It's AWESOME! Really have to apply some pressure to open the slider now. I'd be happy to help with instructions or advice for anyone considering attempting this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ahhh.. another satisfied customer Well done and yeah it does work well. First time, when I was setting up this fix I made the small rubber pieces a fraction thick and had a somewhat bulgy looking screen assembly - still that was easily sorted. It's now 6 months and still as firm as when I did it. (NB. the small rubber pieces are only required in severe cases where the runner has burst open at the micro welds)
by the way Abductd - it is good and useful to get feedback, thank you.
Cheers
Mike

Where are those pics? I'm trying to fix this issue also but I'd like to see some pics first.
Thank you!

hmotwr said:
Where are those pics? I'm trying to fix this issue also but I'd like to see some pics first.
Thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dismantling instructions in the Service Manual and Video here:
www.mikechannon.net
Mike

Abductd said:
Just wanted to let you all know that I successfully repaired the loose keyboard tracks last night following the directions posted by Mike channon and the internal pictures(Japanese site) of my 8525. It does void your warranty as there is sticker you have to remove to get to a screw(torx) which you most likely can't remove without tearing. I glued the rubber stoppers on the runners and man oh man It's AWESOME! Really have to apply some pressure to open the slider now. I'd be happy to help with instructions or advice for anyone considering attempting this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well what you know, I too did the same last night on my SPV M3100, good instrucions Mike! However I did not have to resort to glueing rubber stoppers all I did was applied little bit more harder tap with 2mm flat head watchmakers screwdriver on the indents enough to give it a firm click when keyboard closed, I'm now a very happy customer after this simple modification my spv m3100 feels a lot more sturdier and even more happy as my warranty is not void becuase I carefully removed the void sticker with a fine needle and stuck it back on as it was, quite happy with my handy work it's as if it was never opened. I guess it helps to have a good background in micro electronics servicing likewise if anyone needs advise more then happy to assist having said that if you follow Mike's instructions word for word you really can't go wrong

gfreek said:
Well what you know, I too did the same last night on my SPV M3100, good instrucions Mike! However I did not have to resort to glueing rubber stoppers all I did was applied little bit more harder tap with 2mm flat head watchmakers screwdriver on the indents enough to give it a firm click when keyboard closed, I'm now a very happy customer after this simple modification my spv m3100 feels a lot more sturdier and even more happy as my warranty is not void becuase I carefully removed the void sticker with a fine needle and stuck it back on as it was, quite happy with my handy work it's as if it was never opened. I guess it helps to have a good background in micro electronics servicing likewise if anyone needs advise more then happy to assist having said that if you follow Mike's instructions word for word you really can't go wrong
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well done - and very pleased it worked. Yes, you do not need the tiny rubber blocks - except when the micro welds around the runner have popped open - as in some cases they have. The rubber blocks hold it together if you have this slightly more extreme case. Also, they help to prevent the runner welds from popping open and if they do you would not need to dismantle again. But I agree, it's probably overkill for those whose runners just need a firmer click and aren't sprung open.
So pleased it's good now
Edit: Here's a pic of what's being talked about:
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Here you see the micro welds that may be in tact, but if not then the rubber block (shown above) can be added. This would be in addition to increasing the pre-existing indent that is covered by the rubber in the picture. The metal is relatively thin and when increasing the indent care should be taken not to over do it - else you might never open your keyboard again . Don't be fooled by the size of the rubber block shown - it appears quite large in the picture but in fact is only a couple of mm thick. Too thick and the screen assembly will bulge!
Mike

Thanks Mike, your site is very helpful, I've forwarded it to a few friends that have the same problem.

Another one fixed
Well I now know that dismantling a Hermes is not for the faint of heart, but I'm here to say it can be done. Keyboard stays closed now, just as it should.
Thanks much for the instuctions, Mike!

vp3G said:
Well I now know that dismantling a Hermes is not for the faint of heart, but I'm here to say it can be done. Keyboard stays closed now, just as it should.
Thanks much for the instuctions, Mike!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am pleased it has worked out well for you
Mike

I read.
I did.
I failed.
turns out that part is pretty flimsy where the runner snaps in. it must have fractured from being dropped because it snapped right off when i pryed a bit.
Heres my modded sliders.
Notched each snap at the ends with tiny screwdriver and tiny hammer till it snapped well. Then I VERY carefully wrapped a VERY small strip of tape at each end to make the slide fit firmly into the housing. I had previously noticed it wobbling a bit.
I also applied small strips of tape along the outer runners where the slider attached to the lower housing, there is 1 hard silicone strip (white) on each side. I added tape opposite the silicone to narrow its sliding path.
All these combined make for VERY tight sliding, firm snap. This thing used to be quite loose, fix really works.
PS-oh yea superglue took care of the fracture. ;-)
EDIT by Mikechannon.
The above pics have vanished, but here's a pic of one of the sliders showing the notch/indent near the the end:

@randomtask16
Well done, works well doesn't it along with your added things for your particular situation.
Nice picture of the runner and indent. Can I use it?
Mike

mikechannon said:
@randomtask16
Well done, works well doesn't it along with your added things for your particular situation.
Nice picture of the runner and indent. Can I use it?
Mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course!
Slider still works great, hasn't become looser yet. Though my faulty face buttons issue has persisted...not sure what to try next.

Hello, I opened the phone to deepen the indents but I didnt take out the sliders completely. It didnt work very well . I was also scared of breaking the metal and in the end I didnt apply much force. I still noticed a little diference in the keyboard but im going back in to make the dips deeper.
I have a problem though. After putting the phone back together i noticed that the down button on the d-pad sticks now . When Im in contacts and press the down button it begins to fly down the contacts and doesnt stop. I've had to use the scroll wheel. Is this because I didnt put the phone back together correctly? If it is im not sure what I did or how to fix it when I try again. Need some help

di5c1pl3 said:
Hello, I opened the phone to deepen the indents but I didnt take out the sliders completely. It didnt work very well . I was also scared of breaking the metal and in the end I didnt apply much force. I still noticed a little diference in the keyboard but im going back in to make the dips deeper.
I have a problem though. After putting the phone back together i noticed that the down button on the d-pad sticks now . When Im in contacts and press the down button it begins to fly down the contacts and doesnt stop. I've had to use the scroll wheel. Is this because I didnt put the phone back together correctly? If it is im not sure what I did or how to fix it when I try again. Need some help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First, when you dismantle again I suggest testing those runners/sliders by moving the sliding part back and forth over the indents, BEFORE putting it all back tpogether.
I don't think your d-pad issue is a big problem. Probably just a bit of misalignment when you re-assembled it. I think it will correct itself if you ensure everything is sitting flat (well seated) when re-assembling.
Good luck (press or tap a little more firmly on the indents this time. But don't go mad!)
Mike

I agree Im glad to hear that the button thing isnt a big deal. And thanks for the quick reply. I'll let you know how it goes

Wooohhooo!!! Nice tight keyboard !! No more sticky button Thanks alot!

hi mike.
i opened 2 times my hermes, but never managed to make the sliders tighter.
i gently tapped the indents, but no improvement.
I tried to understand what is the "ribbon improvement" but really i have not understood what i need to do!
simply adding a piece of ribbon of 2 mm over the indents??
can you simply explain what it will be on my sliders?
Thanks
Gtazok

gtazok said:
hi mike.
i opened 2 times my hermes, but never managed to make the sliders tighter.
i gently tapped the indents, but no improvement.
I tried to understand what is the "ribbon improvement" but really i have not understood what i need to do!
simply adding a piece of ribbon of 2 mm over the indents??
can you simply explain what it will be on my sliders?
Thanks
Gtazok
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
First increasing the indent depth will work by itself IF the little micro welds that hold the runner together are in tact (i.e. have not sprung apart)
Try tapping a bit harder on the indents AND test them before you put everything back together. (Sounds like you are not tapping/pressing hard enough)
See the little embossed indents - they need depened a fraction to make the keyboard lock in the closed and open position.
There are 2 runners (sliders) with 4 indents (two for keyboard open two for closed)
Dismantling instructions in the Service Manual and Video here:
www.mikechannon.net
IF the micro welds have broken apart,
this is when you need the small chunks of rubber (not ribbon) at the points where the indents are. The purpose of these is to hold the runner firmly together when it is all put back together. (If you have access to equipment to re spot weld the runner this would of course be better. Do not make the rubber blocks to thick or you will find the screen assembly will bulge unacceptably when you re-assemble.
Hope this helps
Mike

Just to add on, another satisfied follower of the guide. Now it's no longer as loose. Thanks Michael!

8525 won't vibrate

I have read threads about people who have dropped their phone and lose the vibrate on their phones...
I however have not dropped my phone and lost the vibrate. This sucks! I don't have a warranty as this was purchased off of ebay.
Any idea's? Is it the consensus that the vibration motor clip inside the back cover is the culprit and somehow is no longer making contact?

ironbear said:
I have read threads about people who have dropped their phone and lose the vibrate on their phones...
I however have not dropped my phone and lost the vibrate. This sucks! I don't have a warranty as this was purchased off of ebay.
Any idea's? Is it the consensus that the vibration motor clip inside the back cover is the culprit and somehow is no longer making contact?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before assuming something physical I would double check everything else. The obvious -settings that turn on/off vibrate, any phone related software I might have installed. Then I would try a hard reset and test the vibrate funtion without any new software installed. (make a backup first though - if it turns out to be a hardware issue you can restore this backup)
If it looks like the motor contacts then it's a pretty simple fix. Remove back and adjust the motors spring contacts.
Just remember to align the camera macro's toggle arm when putting case back on
Mike

Well...
The hard reset has done nothing for me. I can't believe that the 8525 is so touchy that without even a fall the vibrate thing won't work now.
That is poor manufacturing. This is my second 8525, the first one had screen issues. Very disappointing, almost makes me want to look at treo's.

ironbear said:
Well...
The hard reset has done nothing for me. I can't believe that the 8525 is so touchy that without even a fall the vibrate thing won't work now.
That is poor manufacturing. This is my second 8525, the first one had screen issues. Very disappointing, almost makes me want to look at treo's.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, it's certainly looking more like the contacts. Not a difficult fix if your doing it yourself. Still, a hassle all the same
Mike

I recall seeing a very good picture of the contacts and the back of the phone taken apart. My search has come up without me finding those pictures again. Has anyone seen the pictures I am referring to?

ironbear said:
I recall seeing a very good picture of the contacts and the back of the phone taken apart. My search has come up without me finding those pictures again. Has anyone seen the pictures I am referring to?
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Here you go. Remove the 4 screws including one under Void (warranty) sticker and open back, bottom end first. Gently prise open. Top end may need a bit of wiggling about to come free.. That's more or less it - bend out contacts a bit. Remember to line up toggle arm on camera with macro switch on rear cover when replacing back. Test camera macro switch is moving lens in and out before replacing screws. It'll be a right pain if you put it all back just to find you have to redo it all cos camera switch is misaligned!
Mike

Thanks Mike!
You are a great resource here at XDA.

My 8525 stopped vibrating when I received a txt message. Since other things were getting screwy, I went ahead and did a hard reset. Fixed.

jbartlett777 said:
My 8525 stopped vibrating when I received a txt message. Since other things were getting screwy, I went ahead and did a hard reset. Fixed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good news it's fixed. Always sensible to try the software solutions before assuming a hardware issue.
Mike

Same problem on my trinity. When i tap it it works once or twice.. I guess I must look for those springs. Is there any photo of the insides of the trinity so that I don't screw things up?

No sound in my Hermes after flashing PDAVIET ROM
I know this sounds like a software issue but I have flashed and reflashed several times but to no avail.
I have a Hermes 300 with HardSPL. I flashed the latest PDAVIET ROM after which my sound stopped working. I also flashed Radio 1.56.70.11 (upgraded from 1.51) and installed Throttle Launcher and TouchFlo at the same time so I am not sure which of them may have caused this. I read somewhere that radio could be the cause so i downgraded to 1.47.30.10 but no luck. I flashed PDACorner ver 16, then ver 15, and finaly the original Dopod ROM (838Pro_HK_ENG_WM6_Upgrade_20070712). The funny thing is, after flashing the Dopod ROM, now my vibration doesnt work! Even after I flashed PDACorner ver 15 back, both sound and vibration dont work still.
I installed Schaps Avanced Config tool to check settings but it wont run - errors out "it is not signed with a trustedcertificate or one of its componenets cannot be found.."
Does anyone have any clue about this problem? This is beginning to worry me as i am not sure whether it is a hardware or software issue. BTW, sound from earphones work.

Funny thing.. after I flashed the PDAVIET ROM the vibration is back again. No sound however. Do you still think its a hardware problem? i will have to go get a torque screwdriver to open it up ...
Yeah it took a mild knock a couple of days back but im not sure if that what caused it

jayp99 said:
Funny thing.. after I flashed the PDAVIET ROM the vibration is back again. No sound however. Do you still think its a hardware problem? i will have to go get a torque screwdriver to open it up ...
Yeah it took a mild knock a couple of days back but im not sure if that what caused it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well it's not an uncommon thing for that connector to work loose. Oh and the vibrate contacts can come and go as well. So if it suddenly stops vibrating again you could be pretty sure it's the contacts.
Torx 6 screwdriver and preferably a plastic case opening tool Though any flat plastic tool would do even a plastic knife - metal damages the casing.
I am assuming you have no warranty as opening will obviously void it.
Mike

its out of warranty so no worries there. Havent opened it up yet due to lack of the torx screwdriver
It now hangs on the bootscreen ....

Hi Mike, it looks like something else may have come loose. Reflashing works for a while, then the whole thing resets by itself (randomly) and hangs at the bootscreen. What else should I check when I open it up? Thanks for all your help.

jayp99 said:
Hi Mike, it looks like something else may have come loose. Reflashing works for a while, then the whole thing resets by itself (randomly) and hangs at the bootscreen. What else should I check when I open it up? Thanks for all your help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well it could be the main internal connector one board to the other. However, I'm more inclined to think the random closing is the old battery connectors not making a good contact with the battery. In the best cases all you need is a slip of card between the casing and the battery on the opposite side to the connector. In other words to push the battery a little more firmly against the connector block - hope that's clear.
In worse cases the battery connector block with the row of gold contacts has actually come free or partially free from the board - may be re-solderable.
With a slip of card in place do repeated soft resets until it re-boots fully.
Good luck
Mike

hey mike, where does the stylus rubber go in the hermes? do you have a pic or something? thanks for your help. cheers.

finally, sound working...connector was loose just as you had predicted. vibration also fine. also managed to fix that pesky rubber under the metal plate
Only the keyboard seems a little stiff when I slide it...
Thanks a bunch for your help. Those guides you have are real handy.

jayp99 said:
finally, sound working...connector was loose just as you had predicted. vibration also fine. also managed to fix that pesky rubber under the metal plate
Only the keyboard seems a little stiff when I slide it...
Thanks a bunch for your help. Those guides you have are real handy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well forgot to check in here to see how it was going! Pleased it worked out.
Just for the information of others here are some pics to help with the loose stylus caused by the rubber block coming loose:
Back casing removed, stylus in place
Stylus removed. Note the white clip that holds the end of the stylus.
NOTE: This picture also shows the vibrate motor on the back casing. (Bottom right with the two gold contacts). To improve the contact between vibrate motor and m/board, simply bend those springy contacts out a little.

The block is important because although the white clip helps retain the stylus it will remain loose and wobbly without the rubber/plastic block in place. When re-sticking the block use some superglue but be careful NOT to get glue on the face of the block that is not be stuck to the metal. If you do it will have a smooth surface and will not friction grip the stylus as it is meant to. Also do not assume that the previous sticky layer on the block will be enough to re-stick the block! It won't and it will come off again when you slide the stylus in and out.
Mike

Cause & Possible Fixes for Whitescreen + D-Pad failures (a new thing to try)

First, it'd like to thank
MikeChannon
for pointing out something important that narrowed down my testing.
Now, onto the problem Symptoms :
- D-Pad, IE and Email buttons cease to work
- Screen fades to white or comes back from standby as white
- Display is slight disaligned to the side, 1mm of left appears on right side.
- Randomness in all above symptoms.
Cause : It is the D-Pad connector.
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Yes, the D-Pad connection DOES cause the whitescreen. It's odd and illogical, but this is the conclusion I have reached.
ALL the previous guides, such as sliding plastic between the screen and casing, were randomly moving things inside.
By CHANCE ONLY it'd affect the D-Pad connector positively. That is why such solutions only worked for a few people temporarely.
SOLUTION :
You will need to try variants of the following things :
- Tightness of the screws over the connector
- Disconnecting the plug and reconnecting it very carefully
- Pressure over the bibbon between the D-Pad connector and the screen.
- Pressure over the D-Pad connector itself
- Tightness of the screws over the D-Pad PCD
- Tightness of the screws closing the plastic casing of this part of the phone
To stress-test the variants, I ran a D-Pad intensive game (Skyforce) for 30 minutes or until the symptoms came back.
I've played around with all those, giving mixed results, but definitively making a difference.
My final and best result was by putting a thin foam piece over the blue parts in the picture below. (Ignore the red circles, original picture is taken from a website)
The foam I used was the typical foam sheets you find in packaging for fragile electronics such as motherboards, hard drives, graphic cards etc. It has to be super thing in other to close the casing without buldges.
There isn't a specific thing you can do that will make your D-Pad be reliable and the whitescreen to go away. You'll have to do several tests, so I recommend you keep your phone disassembled while testing. The connector is VERY VERY SENSITIVE. That is why I cannot be any more precise in how to fix this. However, you NOW KNOW what causes the screen to freak out and buttons to stop working.
What I did for testing :
I have tested my phone while it was completely disassembled. Meaning I had the back of the monitor open, as seen in the picture above.
That way, I could fiddle around and instantly test the result.
I've fiddle with the cables, the screen pressure, everything. Nothing returned the screen from being white or becoming white.
Putting pressure D-Pad connector's ribbon or actual pin caused the screen to either turn on white, or fade to white. (Results often noticed only after going in & out of standby)
It also caused my D-Pad buttons and the top 2 buttons (IE & Email) to either work or not work.

Oh and this is my testing setup. Elastic band to hold the battery in place, everything else opened. However, I had to place/remove the backcover of the screen part of the phone to test as it affects the pressure put on the connector.

wow. I don't have balls to break apart my 8525 like that.

mutantblack said:
wow. I don't have balls to break apart my 8525 like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well this fix is for those who got a big enough problem and can't return it under warranty.
Anyhow, taking apart the TyTN is quite simple, and the thing is sturdy.
Only and only the D-Pad connector is tricky. The big ribbon connecting the two halfs of the phone is quite solid and never caused problems.

guys... what/where can i get the screw driver to open this mofo... it looks like a hex allen wrench but that doesnt work...
i have had this issue for months now and will try anything to fix it but i need to know where i can get this screw driver and fast!!!!

So it is a problem with the connector itself or cause by flex in the cable?
Also, where are you putty pressure on the connector? Are you saying if the screws are too tight this is a problem as well.

jwagman1 said:
guys... what/where can i get the screw driver to open this mofo... it looks like a hex allen wrench but that doesnt work...
i have had this issue for months now and will try anything to fix it but i need to know where i can get this screw driver and fast!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a TORX No6 screwdriver you need. Available online or from stores like Maplin who sell Phone screwdriver sets.
Check out links in the Wiki here or in my signature for internal pics, dismantling guides and to download the service manual (that also has a dismantling walkthrough)
Mike

Vasichko said:
So it is a problem with the connector itself or cause by flex in the cable?
Also, where are you putty pressure on the connector? Are you saying if the screws are too tight this is a problem as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems to me there may be a bit of trial and error regarding the fix. The service manual points out that the d-pad connector must be precisely inserted and absolutely level. So both under-tightening the screws or over-tightening could distort the connection. If you have it apart, take out and reconnect the push in connector several times This helps to ensure there is no oxidisation on the contacts.
(PS. this is not my fix so I cannot testify that it will work for you, though I believe it is on the right track, at least for some cases of this problem)
Mike

It's really intersting to know I'm not alone to have this issue ...
Do you have a site who describe how to open the Hermes ?
Thanks

mikechannon said:
It's a TORX No6 screwdriver you need. Available online or from stores like Maplin who sell Phone screwdriver sets.
Check out links in the Wiki here or in my signature for internal pics, dismantling guides and to download the service manual (that also has a dismantling walkthrough)
Mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THANK YOU!! amazon.com overnight!!! woooo

I tried this diy.
I didnt have a small enough phillips to remove the screws from the connector on the D-Pad.
Know where I can get one?
So I took all the connections, put some automotive electronic connection cleaner on a q-tip and cleaned all of the other ones.
I used some automotive light double sided adhesive that you can get at Auto Zone instead of form. I only used 1 side of the adhesive and didnt peal the other side off, if it doesnt work, its easily removeable, just wanted to make sure it stays in place when I re-assemble the phone.
I also added some in a place you didnt which I show in yellow on your photo.
So far so good after 5 minutes.

Mine PDA was also totally disassembled and atleast in my device the problem wasn't a faulty connector.. I had the front panel off and when I squeezed the Xilinx fpga-chip(black square on d-pad circuitboard) the the screen worked fine -when i took my fingers off it faded back to white. Earlier I also tried re-soldering the connector but it didnt work on my device.

marciton said:
It's really intersting to know I'm not alone to have this issue ...
Do you have a site who describe how to open the Hermes ?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dismantling guides and the service manual:
www.mikechannon.net
Mike

Hermes / TyTn / 8525 White Screen
Hey guy,
Nice write-up.
Good that someone has taken the time to experiment with different procedures.
I gave up on mine, after taking it apart time and time again.
-Reseating the cables and completely disassembling the unit was a tempereary fix, so I sold it on eBay for a parts / repair.
I just purchased another on eBay.
This time, instead of getting worked up about the white screen of death, I had purchased a warranty from www.squaretrade.com.
I am not an AT&T customer, so I unlocked the phone.
Neither AT&T or HTC can help when you dont have their service , or it's a branded phone.
Keep up the good work.

So far since my post before lunch today. No problems at all.
It used to white out when taking a picture with the camera, randomly when sliding out the keyboard, randomly when using the D-Pad.
No problems at all today after doing this fix posted here and adding the extra pad that I did.

im gonna have to try this when i get my new housing....anyone know where i can get a front camera?

Just giving another update. So far so good, no problems at all.
DPad no longer has the issue of not working here and there.
White screen issues appear to be gone.
Hopefully for good.
I will still post updates so you all can know the status.
Thx again for the right up. I will post some pics of the type of tape I used as well.

I have the rest of december left on my warranty. Do you guys think PPCtechs will know how to fix this? i don't want to send it to them and have it sent back with the same probs (like they did last time i sent it in to get my scroll wheel and camera lense repaired).

Miguel- said:
Mine PDA was also totally disassembled and atleast in my device the problem wasn't a faulty connector.. I had the front panel off and when I squeezed the Xilinx fpga-chip(black square on d-pad circuitboard) the the screen worked fine -when i took my fingers off it faded back to white. Earlier I also tried re-soldering the connector but it didnt work on my device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes indeed, re-aligning and reconnecting the connector works for many but will not work for all. There are, as you say instances where it is a chip connection that's at fault. There is little if anything you can do with that problem other than board replacement unless you have the correct tools - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=1724236&postcount=66
Mike

It looks to be a design flaw. I dropped my maybe 3ft on the carpet yesterday and got the white screen issue. I took apart and looked at the connector in question. Even with it screwed in you can unplug it half way. So I added some more padding.
I think part of the problem is that coming from the back of the LCD to the DPad board or whatever you call it, the angle of the ribbon cable declines.

Edited 30/1/2012: My GPS 100% fixed (21/4/11 PICS ADDED)

EDIT: 30/1/2012.
Just a follow up on this fix. Well, got sick of constantly having to replace the tape under the battery cover. Over time it flattens, so since I now use the S2 as my daily phone I decided to open it up.
First I found the GPS connection on the motherboard. It connects to / touches a small metal piece on the inside of the rear housing. It's like a U shaped connector so I decided to lift it up with my fingernail.
For a little while it worked great but the problem returned. So I decided to open it up again and lift the connector even higher. Unfortunately I broke it leaving only a flat bottom metal piece on the motherboard side. There was now no way for the 2 pieces to touch so I screwed it completely.
So I then decided to solder a small bit on the rear housing side. I did that and put it back together. Ever since then the GPS has truely been 100% fixed. It hasn't missed a beat over the last 3 or so months of trying.
END EDIT.
NOTE: This is a hardware fix for those whose GPS is completely busted (NO sat views & lock). It is NOT a fix to improve tracking or lock or make an already working GPS better.
After flashing every modem, fw and kernal version I had completely given up on my galaxy s GPS. It had to be a hardware fault.
Back when I first got it, it was OK but a few months later became useless. This fix is hardware related and takes only minutes to diagnose and fix.
It's also probably more useful for pre-October models (i9000 international) which had this fault.
I do not take credit for finding out the fix. Credit for that goes to member 'allottios' (who heard about it from 'cbdrift') for bringing it to my attention on another forum topic.
The fix is simple. Remove the back cover and to the right of the speaker is the GPS antenna. It is covered by what looks like some sort of soft plastic tape.
Now open a GPS test app and then apply light pressure to the very top of the antenna with your finger. NOT the middle or bottom - that makes it worse.
If, like me your GPS shows instant improvement then you have just worked out your problem.
Simply attach a small piece of double sided tape or similar to the top of the antenna so that when you put the back cover on again their is pressure on that spot.
Hope you get the same results I did.
Edit: PICS ADDED: 1ST PIC - AT THE TOP RIGHT CORNER, YOU CAN SEE A WHITE STRIP WHICH IS THE DOUBLE-SIDED TAPE I ATTACHED TO THE TOP OF THE GPS ANTENNA. I DID NOT PEEL THE TOP LAYER FROM THE TAPE SO IT WOULDN'T STICK TO THE BACK COVER.
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,
Edit (03/05) - If this fix doesn't help, you may also want to try out another fix posted by 'stockie78' (post 209).
There is also a link below for more detail, including pics for this fix.
It is not as simple as the above fix and it involves removing the housing. I have not tried / tested this myself and am not responsible if you break your phone.
"stockie78
Unfortunately the g-spot trick did not work for me, so I decided to look a little closer and removed the plastic housing.
Another guy installed on the metal thingys there a cable and I did some test, too. Again no improvement with different cables and lengths.
But while fiddling around with the metal connector I thought maybe lifting it could help and indeed this was the trick for me. Improved my gps dramatically!
So instead of something pushing the antenna tighter, the metal connector now pushes harder and improves the signal quality.
Maybe a solution for some of you too..."
Link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=878970
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA Premium App

I can confirm that this works for me! Got a lock in two seconds and the arrow followed my path perfectly while I was on the bus, a feat that seemed impossible before! Thanks a million!
If I let go of the antenna the gps loses it signal straight away..

Seriously this deserves a bump! Got a lock on 12 Satellites(!) when putting pressure on the top of the antenna and lost it as soon as I let go.

I`m seriously impressed. Tested on Sygic Aura, iGo and CoPilot and they localyze me immediatly !!!! THANKS A LOT !!!!!

Tried on my SGS and can't honestly see and difference

I did something similar a while back by taking the phone appart to access the interior parts of the phone. I then bent the connector for the GPS up so that more pressure would be applied. It worked great at first then started to get worse after some time. I'm guessing this is because the connector reverted back to its original position (kind of like an elastic).
I suppose this is a similar trick, but instead of applying more pressure from the connector, it does it from the cover. I'll try to get hold of some tape to try this.
By the way I have a Galaxy S from July, and GPS sucks badly on mine.

Need detailed pictures!
Hope it works!!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!
My jam just dropped. I just got gps lock within seconds... in my living room, where I had occasionally one sat in sight.
Just applied a small piece of that blue sticky stuff on the very top of the gps antenna and voilà. Cover on and lock is a go go.
Thanks for sharing this

nice one! locked 12 sats after 5 secs!
so a small tape should do the trick eh?

Getting a lock as soon as I start GPS Test! No more jumping around in Google Maps either! This is THE best fix for the SGS yet! Finally I'll be able to use my phone as my primary GPS navigator!

Is it possible for someone to post picture of area that needs to be pushed! Thanks!!!

Toss3 said:
Getting a lock as soon as I start GPS Test! No more jumping around in Google Maps either! This is THE best fix for the SGS yet! Finally I'll be able to use my phone as my primary GPS navigator!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
same here too, wtf if i knew that before ... i would not have so many gray hairs
thanks for sharing
p.s.: connection stays good without any further pressure here, put the cover on again, gps still great

I can't believe this all these months, kernels modem and all kind of fixes and the solution is a duct tape, wow!
Thanks works for me!

Asterix040 said:
Is it possible for someone to post picture of area that needs to be pushed! Thanks!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should see an elongated rectangle shape on the rightmost part of your phone after removing the back cover(just to the right of your speaker and sim card) - just apply some pressure on the top part(for me it takes a fair bit for it to work) and voila you're done. I'll try to post pics soon!
Second pic taken while indoors on a cloudy day!

Twinsis said:
I can't believe this all these months, kernels modem and all kind of fixes and the solution is a duck tape, wow!
Thanks works for me!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not Duck. Duct, like air duct ; )

Toss3 said:
You should see an elongated rectangle shape on the rightmost part of your phone after removing the back cover(just to the right of your speaker and sim card) - just apply some pressure on the top part(for me it takes a fair bit for it to work) and voila you're done. I'll try to post pics soon!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would be most appriciated. I'am visual person!

This actually works!!! I bought the galaxy s back in july and the last few months I have been unable to get a gps fix no matter what I tried! After reading this thread I went outside and pushed the top of the antenna. In a few seconds i got 5 meter accuracy and 8 satellites in use! Now I have to find a way to keep the antenna pressed! Thanks a million for the tip!

Samsung should buy you more than one beer!
How much money did they spent to fix that issue?
Thanks man!

This must be the sweet spot?
Edit: ops, to late ; )
/qsec

Well guys, I would like to try it, but my display seems to stop working as I remove the back cover?! Anyone has same issue? What could be wrong?
With backplate cover on, everything works just fine, but without....black screen. Although that phone seems to be responding

[MOD] Fixing Volume-Rocker and Power-Button

The issue:
I got one of the very early Nexus 9. My device was mostly fine (no huge light-bleeding) but the Power and the Volume-Up buttons were hard to press because they were not raised high enough above the surface.
(Volume-Down was working fine)
Tools required:
Tweezers, a small Phillips screwdriver and something to open the device. (I used the iFixit Toolkit)
1 piece of paper (regular printer paper, post-its, ...)
Disclaimer:
If you follow my instructions you do this at you own risk. I'm not responsible for any damage you do to your device.
The mod:
Take of the back cover of the device. (https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nexus+9+Teardown/31425)
(Edit)
Shortcut: It is also possible to improve the buttons without removing the whole button frame. See post #3 for details.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Remove the 3 screws (red) and the big connector (green).
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Pull out the metal body holding the buttons. Pull carefully on the button cable to remove it from the connector.
If you look closely you can see that the Volume-Down button is not completely attached to the metal frame. This looks like a production error but it allows the button to be pressed normally.
We could apply this "production error" to the other buttons too which should improve their usability.
First separate the buttons from the metal frame. I found that only a piece of paper is thin enough to not cause damage to the buttons.
Now, use the same piece paper (or another one - I don't care ) to create tiny pieces that can be put behind the buttons to raise them a bit. (I folded the paper once to have 2 layers)
Carefully put everything back together.
Results:
All buttons work fine.

This is amazing! I was thinking I should open the nexus 9 to see if there was anything I could do to fix this. Good to see I wasn't the only one who had this thought
I will try it out tomorrow morning. Thanks.
Edit:
I've done it, and it definitely improved the buttons. I used 4 layers of paper since your piece of paper was so thick.
I think overdid the volume down button though, because it's not as clicky as the others. My buttons were all glued on properly unlike your volume down button, so I put a little extra under it.
Might go ahead and fix sometime later if it bothers me. The buttons could still be better, but this fix makes the best out of what we got. Mine is a 32gb HT4AHJT which is built mid october, so the buttons aren't sticking out as much as the later versions. The screen is so good though that I don't want to replace it because of the buttons. Thanks the tutorial man, it really made this fix easy.

Hi! Thanks for your tutorial. You inspired me, and i fixed my buttons in the similar, but i think, simpler way.
After opening a back cover, you don't have to take out buttons from tablet. Also you don't have to separate buttons from metal frame.
I think that simplest solution is to put folded pieces of paper between buttons (these on tablets cover) and that black thing with metal frame, which you were pulling out.
I attach pictures showing what i mean.

Yeah I tried this first too but somehow it did't work that well for me. Nevertheless its worth trying the simple way before pulling out the whole button assembly.

Kubens1pl said:
Hi! Thanks for your tutorial. You inspired me, and i fixed my buttons in the similar, but i think, simpler way.
After opening a back cover, you don't have to take out buttons from tablet. Also you don't have to separate buttons from metal frame.
I think that simplest solution is to put folded pieces of paper between buttons (these on tablets cover) and that black thing with metal frame, which you were pulling out.
I attach pictures showing what i mean.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also did this and it worked great!

THANK YOU!
Just did this and buttons work great now.

this reminds me of the n7.1 screen raising issue using pill pack foil as washers for the screen screws, that works to this day since the wife is happily using my old n7 right now. I'll be trying a variation of this paper or plastic fix in the near future...
HTC should just send us a new button mount for early adopters.. I have 0 screen bleed, but shallow buttons. guess what I can live with.
Sent from my Nexus 9 using Tapatalk

I got an early device also, one question though.
when opening the back cover, and replacing it on... does the back cover feel loose and flexes more now?
there were reports early on that pulling the back off then replacing it on makes it more floppy....

Gezzaman said:
I got an early device also, one question though.
when opening the back cover, and replacing it on... does the back cover feel loose and flexes more now?
there were reports early on that pulling the back off then replacing it on makes it more floppy....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The cover does wear on the clips that hold the back to the aluminum sides... If you remove the back too many times you'll wear away the plastic clips and will damage the seal...
Ive taken mine apart about a dozen times... There's 2 places where I need glue now.. [emoji23] [emoji26]

Gezzaman said:
I got an early device also, one question though.
when opening the back cover, and replacing it on... does the back cover feel loose and flexes more now?
there were reports early on that pulling the back off then replacing it on makes it more floppy....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I opened my device twice now.
After the first time the back cover flexed significantely more on the surface than before. When closing it the second time i pressed firmly on the whole surface BEFORE I pressed the edges back together. There are clips across the surface that snap in place more easy when you do it before snapping the edges back together.
Now the back cover has nearly no flexing at all - even less than in its original state.

Thanks for posting this. Can you please help me understand how the camera is attached to the back cover. From the iFixit video, they mentioned that the camera came off with the back cover and that it was attached to the underside of the mother board... eeek! I don't want to screw something up like the camera while trying to fix the buttons.
What should I watch out for as I remove the back cover?
Thanks!!
-Jason

There is a small amount of double-sided adhesive tape around the camera. On my device the camera did not come of when removing the back cover - I guess it sticks a little bit different on every device.

lfrst05 said:
There is a small amount of double-sided adhesive tape around the camera. On my device the camera did not come of when removing the back cover - I guess it sticks a little bit different on every device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine also had the camera still connected after pulling the back cover off.

I remember doing this with my Nexus 5. Thanks for the tip.

I did this and the buttons are great now. Thanks for the MOD.
I didn't pull the back all of the way off, it was held on by adhesive. I think it was a fix they introduced. My Nexus 9 is about perfect now.
-Jason

Yep, pulled my camera off. =-O
I guess I'm tearing into it more than I expected.
My buttons are perfect though. Thanks for the tip. I used 3 layers of standard paper.

This really is amazing. I just did it on mine. Really really simple fix. Unbelievably simple. I didn't even have to pull the whole back off. Just the top and sides were enough.
3 layers of paper under each button and they are now perfect. Thank you!

liquidsuspension said:
Yep, pulled my camera off. =-O
I guess I'm tearing into it more than I expected.
My buttons are perfect though. Thanks for the tip. I used 3 layers of standard paper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you or anyone else who pulled the camera off got it back working?
Did you follow the ifixit guide to tear it apart until you were able to remove the motherboard and reconnect the camera, or is it possible to do it without removing the battery and the copper fold (being extremely careful not to break it, of course).
And yes, I did pull my camera off. It was firmly glued to the plastic cover :\
Edit: from what I see in the ifixit teardown and from what I see in mine, it does seem that if I remove the front camera cabling and the battery cable It might be ok to remove the T5 screws and raise the mobo just enough to be able to pry open the camera connector, insert the camera ZIF, close/press the connector and reatach the mobo wihtout having the hassle to unglue the battery, remove all the copper foils etc etc...
Anyone has had a similar experience?

I had to tear mine completely down to get the mobo out. I tried to reconnect it without removing it, but it was a lost cause. The worst part for me was getting the battery disconnected. There wasn't any natural way to do it as far as I could tell. If you try to just lift the edge of the mobo enough to connect the camera, be incredibly careful, but from my experience I doubt it can be done that way.

Thanks for the answer, although it's not what I was hoping for... this afternoon I started removing the battery and quit because I was afraid I was going to break something. That stuff is completely glued and it requires a lot of pressure to start separating it from the body
One day I will get tired of not having a camera and will try to do it by just lifting the mobo edge.
Quite honestly, this damn nexus has brought me too much trouble already...