[FIX] Wi-Fi/Bluetooth error - 10 minute fix - NO SOLDERING REQUIRED - Atrix 4G General

This is the way I fixed the wifi\bluetooth error with continuous rebooting on my Atrix.
I did not come up with it, and I do not guarantee it will work in your device, I'm simply sharing this because it's information that's hard to find and understand. I fixed my device in this way, so have others. I do not take responsability for any damage you might make to your device attempting this fix, and I do not claim it will work forever - it's been two days for me and still great!
For completeness sake, if you guys want to check other proposed fixes and some reasons why they might or might not work, here is this great post by mvniekerk, a person more far more knowlegble then me when it comes to these technological issues:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1655071
I'd also like to thank John-aurelio, junior member, who initially posted about this fix here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1655071&page=4
All credit goes to him!
So, what did I do?
1) I cut out two rectagular pieces of plastic from a pill tin, glued them on top of each other with scotch tape. I think any thin piece of plastic should do.
2) Opened up my Atrix by removing screws with a T5 Torx screwdriver. If you don't know how to do this check out this teardown by ifixit: http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Motorola+Atrix+4G+Teardown/4964/1
3) Slightly raised the motherboard and placed the plastic rectangle under it, with a little bit sticking out into the battery compartment.
To my amazement it worked, it is still working.
I wanted to tell you guys why, but I don't know. Perhaps one of you guys wants to experiment applying pressure to each component separately to find out the culprit?
Also, I'm curious to know if this will work for all of you, or just some of you.
Here are the pics:
This last one is the piece of tin\plastic with tape, side by side with a pencil for scale. Its not the tin I used, but its basically the same, but the one I used has white paint, I don't know if should make a difference. If you're worried about shorts just cover the whole thing in tape or cut plastic from a bottle or something.
The first two are how its supposed to look in the end.
[EDIT]: Here are some more pics:
This is the piece of plastic I used. It doesn't show, but it is very thin, one milimiter thick, if even.
These are of the open device. In the last one the plastic piece is a little eschewed, but you get the idea.
Cheerios

Huh. This is similar to the fix some people did with the digitizer problem. Seems like the the connectors on this phone tend to come loose, to where pressure in the right direction will fix it.
Sent from my MB860 using xda app-developers app

Newbleeto said:
This is the way I fixed the wifi\bluetooth error with continuous rebooting on my Atrix.
I did not come up with it, and I do not guarantee it will work in your device, I'm simply sharing this because it's information that's hard to find and understand. I fixed my device in this way, so have others. I do not take responsability for any damage you might make to your device attempting this fix, and I do not claim it will work forever - it's been two days for me and still great!
For completeness sake, if you guys want to check other proposed fixes and some reasons why they might or might not work, here is this great post by mvniekerk, a person more far more knowlegble then me when it comes to these technological issues:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1655071
I'd also like to thank John-aurelio, junior member, who initially posted about this fix here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1655071&page=4
All credit goes to him!
So, what did I do?
1) I cut out two rectagular pieces of plastic from a pill tin, glued them on top of each other with scotch tape. I think any thin piece of plastic should do.
2) Opened up my Atrix by removing screws with a T5 Torx screwdriver.
3) Slightly raised the motherboard and placed the plastic rectangle under it, with a little bit sticking out into the battery compartment.
To my amazement it worked, it is still working.
I wanted to tell you guys why, but I don't know. Perhaps one of you guys wants to experiment applying pressure to each component separately to find out the culprit?
Also, I'm curious to know if this will work for all of you, or just some of you.
Here are the pics:
This last one is the piece of tin\plastic with tape, side by side with a pencil for scale. Its not the tin I used, but its basically the same, but the one I used has white paint, I don't know if should make a difference. If you're worried about shorts just cover the whole thing in tape or cut plastic from a bottle or something.
The first two are how its supposed to look in the end.
Sorry for no open device pics, I did this yesterday and don't really feel like opening my phone, but if you guys think its needed I'll do it later.
Cheerios
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A detailed How To to show us what to do exactly, we can do much ourselves with just this pics. :/
EDIT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYz_RiuFVRk had anyone seen this?

Will try this with my wifi broken atrix tomorrow.

guidoido004 said:
A detailed How To to show us what to do exactly, we can do much ourselves with just this pics. :/
EDIT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYz_RiuFVRk had anyone seen this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's literally as simple as opening the atrix and placing the plastic under the motherboard, I don't think it gets any easier then that. But I'll try to take more photos.
As for that video, there are reports of people killing their mobiles by breaking the piece holding the battery or killing the nearby ICs trying that. That guy is just too rough. Also, it doesn't show the battery actually being replaced. If you wanna try to replace the battery, better do it gently and stay clear of that video
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

If the solution is to apply pressure to certain parts of the board then it's likely similar to the infamous nVidia issues from around 2008 where the chips were getting hot enough to expand and brake the solder connection or in some cases, rip some of the pads from the board. If that is the case, be careful, as flexing the board the wrong way could eventually lead to making it worse over time.

I can't believe this actually worked. Been using my Atrix for the whole weekend on WIFI. Also finally been able to use my Lapdock properly.
Thanks so much for such a simple fix.
If its any help to anyone, I ended up using an old debit card, as its seems the perfect height to give enough pressure on the board.
It did take a few goes, but as long as you persist with it, it works really well. Plus no more over heating too.
Thanks again

holy crap. 5 minutes and its fixed! thank you

Cause found??
Hi everybody,
I might have an idea what causes the wifi errors. As the wifi gets fixed by changing the motherboard's position, the motherboard is not fastened properly. This might be caused by the vibration function that is located on the part of the motherboard you would need to move up.(see the location of the vibrationfuction in the attachment.)
If so, should this function be less used then?

Thanks Newbleeto! I was so frustrated with this issue. I was initially trying based that youtube video link by someone else which never worked for me. I later decided to try your solution and it worked for me the very first time Appreciate your help!

Thanks, seems to work!

What an interesting tweak. There some validity to this. The Atrix 4G is notorious for wifi, bluetooth, and GPS dropout. This is largely due to kernel and rom. However I have seem plenty of Atrix4Gs with loose antenna clamps. Usually I apply a little pressure in the outside of the clamp to reform it slightly so it will maintain hold on the reciever socket. Second thing I look at is the shielding around the mainboard. This acts as a heatsink and guard. If depressed in anyway will cause massive heating along with grounding. The antenna clusters are not well separated from RF interference from one another to begin with. Metal in general will restricted RF signals considerably depending on its frequency. The greater the frequency the lower it's ability to perpetrate materials.
From the looks of it your directing RF crossover and bounce back away from each antenna. This is a good thing. It also means as long as the phone is not held on its edge towards any receiving end it won't effect talk and data very much.
My experiments with the Atrix4G always had a bit of unpredictable outcome when it came to pressure on the ribbon connections. This would result in the screen blacking out, digitizer over sensitive or non responsive, failure to boot and so on. Pressure is a big deal with these phones so be careful.
Happy tinkering

IT WORKS
after nearly 4 months of this bug i finally had the guts to open up my phone and do this fix.
and it is working , my wifi is back thank you OP. :highfive::highfive::highfive::highfive::highfive::highfive::highfive::highfive::highfive::highfive::highfive::highfive::victory::victory:

This method works wonderfully. Thanks, OP!

sangyum said:
This method works wonderfully. Thanks, OP!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Spoke too soon. This fix stopped working after two days.... Back to Wifi Error and boot loop. :crying:

I got my wifi to work again, there are two snap on connectors on the same side of the phone. I put 2x pieces of toilet paper cardboard between the frame of the phone and the connector, pushing the connector tighter to the other side.

I'd like to confrm that it works to me !
Thank you, I spent dozens of hours to try solve it.

Newbleeto said:
This is the way I fixed the wifi\bluetooth error with continuous rebooting on my Atrix.
I did not come up with it, and I do not guarantee it will work in your device, I'm simply sharing this because it's information that's hard to find and understand. I fixed my device in this way, so have others. I do not take responsability for any damage you might make to your device attempting this fix, and I do not claim it will work forever - it's been two days for me and still great!
For completeness sake, if you guys want to check other proposed fixes and some reasons why they might or might not work, here is this great post by mvniekerk, a person more far more knowlegble then me when it comes to these technological issues:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1655071
I'd also like to thank John-aurelio, junior member, who initially posted about this fix here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1655071&page=4
All credit goes to him!
So, what did I do?
1) I cut out two rectagular pieces of plastic from a pill tin, glued them on top of each other with scotch tape. I think any thin piece of plastic should do.
2) Opened up my Atrix by removing screws with a T5 Torx screwdriver. If you don't know how to do this check out this teardown by ifixit: http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Motorola+Atrix+4G+Teardown/4964/1
3) Slightly raised the motherboard and placed the plastic rectangle under it, with a little bit sticking out into the battery compartment.
To my amazement it worked, it is still working.
...
Cheerios
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did this as well, and it's been working perfectly for over a week now. Battery life has tripled to 24h (back where it used to be, what a relief) and the wifi is back to being perfect.
In my case, I cut a small piece out of an old credit card and inserted into the section highlighted in the attached picture, inside to out (from the battery bay towards the side). There are flat cables/strips underneath and you probably don't want to insert your spacer material from the outside in. Make sure that the plastic strip fits completely underneath the board, otherwise you won't be able to properly close the back.
Thanks!

To add some data to this can all of you confirm the kernel and rom you are useing before and after this mod. Would help all of us in the future for reference. Thanks.

Cab121 said:
To add some data to this can all of you confirm the kernel and rom you are useing before and after this mod. Would help all of us in the future for reference. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, no problem!
Atrix 4G (Bell Canada)
Unlocked and rooted by yours truly (don't ask how, I'm still not sure I know what I did)
CynaogenMod 10.1 from epinter: Megathread or linuxmobile.org site, builds 2013-08-07 + hporch32 kernel (before and after mod) & 2013-08-26 + hporch32 kernel (after mod)
Radio: Telstra N_01.87.00R

Related

Permanently Fix SGS2 Echo and Digital Noise Reduction/Cancellation Problems

Hi All
I spent the last 2 days trying to find a simple solution to this problem. Even though my phone is still under manufacturers warranty and Service Providers warranty I decided to just do this as working carefully there will be no indication that the phone has been opened or the "fix" has been applied
I for one couldn't take my phone to a service centre as they would have booked in my phone and gave me some Nokia 3100 knock-off budget phone for one and the repair would have taken 21 days and having business requirements that my phone needs to meet I decided to just do it myself.
So I decided to open it up myself and fix it and here is the guide on how to permanently fix the echo that people get when phoning you.
Problem:
When you receive or make a call people on the other end of the line hear a echo of themselves and this might be intermittent but seem to be worse when having any type of cover on the phone.
Reason:
The reason this occurs is because the speaker depicted in the 3rd photo labelled as "B" has a rubber seal at the bottom of it that has gone loose from the casing by either a drop or some vibration that is making the speaker's sound go into the phone and picked up by the NC (Noise cancellation) microphone shown in the same photo as "A" rather than be isolated and out the speaker hole on the front of the phone.
Fix:
This fix is fairly simple and permanent. You only need a 5mm x 12mm piece of cardboard or think paper that is around 0.5mm thick that can be used as a buffer.
Procedure:
Step 1:
Picture 1 Shows the phone screws that should be removed 1st depicted by round red circles. Keep the screws in the same order as you remove them as only 4 of the 7 screws have locktite on them and be sure when you replace them you put them back in the same position.
Step 2:
Picture 1 As depicted from 1 to 6 is the easiest way to follow to unclip your back and front cover from one another to not break any of the clips. The back cover is very rugged so don't be afraid to unclip it as it is unlikely to break.
See Below Picture no1
Step 3:
Picture 2 is how it should look like when the back cover has been removed. We will only be focused on the area in the red block called ZZ
See Below Picture no2
Step 4:
Picture 3 shows the 2 components that's interfering with one another. "A" is the NC microphone sensor. Be sure to check that the sensor is properly inserted into the rubber sleeve covering it. "B" is the speaker and is glued with some ridiculously little amount of glue into the housing of "B" and can be lifted with a tweezers or some small object to be able to lift it out of the housing in "B"
See Below Picture no3
Step 5:
Picture 4 Loosen the speaker by just moving it in this aspect north and south a bit until it can be lifted up. Please note the arrow as it flips the way the arrow is pointing to expose the casing it is housed in. Clean out the housing of any dirt and wipe the speaker off as well of any dirt or substance that might elevate the speaker a little bit in its housing.
Step 6:
Picture 4 Flip the speaker back into its housing and firmly press it down so that it seats itself well in the housing. The rubber that the speaker is surrounded with should press firmly in the housing to seal it of any noise coming into the phone.
See Below Picture no4
Step 7:
This is where you use the piece of cardboard or thick paper of 5mm x 12mm by 0.5mm thick and place it over the speaker. I recommend cutting up a business card as they are the correct thickness. When looking at Picture 4 the cardboard should be covering the whole red block as depicted by "C" and should look like Picture 5 when placed
See Below Picture no5
Step 8:
Close up the phone and screw everything back together. The piece of cardboard or thick paper will ensure that the casing press the speaker tightly in place and keep it there without letting it leak into the phone to cause the echo effect for people calling you.
Step 9:
Enjoy calls without any echo effect.
This is all very simple to do and my echo has gone away completely. The replacement part they are referencing to in other topics is not really the problem and has nothing to do with it. In the process of replacing that part the speaker gets loosened and removed out of the housing and upon putting the phone back together they securely glue the speaker back in place and thats why they get the same results.
If this guide helped please post and say so. The problem has no relation to software or anything other than the speaker leaking sound into the phone being picked up by the NC.
Hope this helps. My phone is working 100% without any issues.
nice find!!! Ill wait for some more feedback untill i test this myself
So its samsung's fault that we have problems!
I tested 3 different brand new phones and all had the issue. Does this mean that Samsung fails to correctly assemble all of it's phones?!
manmad said:
nice find!!! Ill wait for some more feedback untill i test this myself
So its samsung's fault that we have problems!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ye to some extent. They should have used more glue to be honest but then it would have made it impossible to replace the part if it should break.
I fixed mine this morning this way that's why I made this post because I couldn't find anything to really help me to get this resolved and this is definitely the fix for it.
EQUANT said:
I tested 3 different brand new phones and all had the issue. Does this mean that Samsung fails to correctly assemble all of it's phones?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Think about it this way. Anything comes loose with vibration. Maybe the delivery company man handled the boxes a bit on delivery or the vibration on the phone itself while being shipped could have loosened it as well.
Remember the Speaker needs to be completely sealed off from the internals of the phone and that's why you need the buffer so that the casing can keep it firmly pressed in place and sealed off from the internals.
Been on the phone a lot today and every person I ask tells me there is absolutely no echo.
And that coming from a 100% guaranteed echo for the last month
so, anyone else tested this?
manmad said:
so, anyone else tested this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would seem that ppl will probably do it and then not come back to post it worked because my "Thank You" count went up yet no replies
If your phone does this why not just do it? You have nothing to lose
Fixeeeed!!
OMG! It really worked thank you
I have tried this and it still seems hit and miss.
The case i use is a CaseMate Tough, it still echoes with this case fitted. If I use my other case a CaseMate Slim, it still echoes to a degree but not as bad.
Definatley no echo with no case though.
On a side note and not a whinge, probably worth mentioning in your guide which way the buttons go around when they fall out when you take the back off
hi toxic dust Thanks for your guide,i didn't apply the fix yet...i'm italian so it's alittle bit difficult for me to follow and understand every step.
Is it ok to use insulating tape (like black tape)??
And did i understand properly ...you have to cover with the tape the whole "C" area highlighted in red?
Thank you very much
Thanks, will try it.
You sir, are a genius!
I don't have the echo problem (even with my Otterbox) but I will definitely keep this thread in mind if something comes up.
Thanks.
gasss12 said:
hi toxic dust Thanks for your guide,i didn't apply the fix yet...i'm italian so it's alittle bit difficult for me to follow and understand every step.
Is it ok to use insulating tape (like black tape)??
And did i understand properly ...you have to cover with the tape the whole "C" area highlighted in red?
Thank you very much
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I prefer not to use anything with glue on it. You could probably use insulating tape (black tape) but you have to remember there are heat distribution on the inside of your phone and it might stick now but with heat applied any glue a specially on tape like that becomes soft and might short your phone as glue becomes conductive when in a liquid form.
Thick paper wont conduct at all and heat has no effect on it hence the preferance to a solid piece of thick paper or cardboard.
I used a Business card and cut that to the size I needed. I'm sure you could find a Business card of some sorts lying around
Yes. You have cover the complete section marked as "C". You will see that the marked section is the complete speaker. Just make sure that the paper is properly sized and is on it directly because you need it to securely press the speaker in place.
Definatley no echo with no case though.
On a side note and not a whinge, probably worth mentioning in your guide which way the buttons go around when they fall out when you take the back off
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine was echoing without a case so for me its a 100% fix
The buttons can actually go in any way round. It will just make your button a bit more stiff to press. If you want the button smooth it has little hinges. Those hinges have a little dent in them on the 1 side. Ensure that those dents show to the screen side.
Mine alsof does it without a case. I think I'm going to try it in a few days!
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
Thx toxicdust. Your solution worked perfectly!!!
I had this echo problem since I started using the Samsung Galaxy S2 with a Melkco case and was frustrated about it. Then I decided to buy a larger accupack (Samsung 2000 mAh type EB-K1A2E). This came with a separate backcover so I needed another case. The new flipcase (Samsung EF-C1A2B) is compatible with this larger accu. I hoped with this new (Samsung!) case the echo would have disappeared, but no, it was not! After reading about this echo problem in a different forums I stumbled on your solution. This was the first one that was likely to be a good solution and not some quirky workaround. So I started following your instructions and can now say the echo is completely gone! Wow man, thank you for this. Some extra details: It was easy to take the 7 screws out, but a little uncomfortable to open the back after that. Most easy is to simply use your fingernail in between the front and back of the housing on the side and go around. In my case the speaker seemed not as loose as in your case, so I didn't bother to try further to take it out. Only thing I did was checking the fixing of the two mics (seemed okay), pushed the speaker unit carefully in its housing (but did not seem to move though) and put a small piece of a business card on the speaker as you indicated. See the white piece in the picture below. I think I made it al little bit bigger then your 12 x 5 mm. The acoustical feedback loop has broken this way, so it is a perfect solution which only takes 10 minutes to do.
I am convinced. I will try it tomorrow
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
dutchiek said:
Thx toxicdust. Your solution worked perfectly!!!
I had this echo problem since I started using the Samsung Galaxy S2 with a Melkco case and was frustrated about it. Then I decided to buy a larger accupack (Samsung 2000 mAh type EB-K1A2E). This came with a separate backcover so I needed another case. The new flipcase (Samsung EF-C1A2B) is compatible with this larger accu. I hoped with this new (Samsung!) case the echo would have disappeared, but no, it was not! After reading about this echo problem in a different forums I stumbled on your solution. This was the first one that was likely to be a good solution and not some quirky workaround. So I started following your instructions and can now say the echo is completely gone! Wow man, thank you for this. Some extra details: It was easy to take the 7 screws out, but a little uncomfortable to open the back after that. Most easy is to simply use your fingernail in between the front and back of the housing on the side and go around. In my case the speaker seemed not as loose as in your case, so I didn't bother to try further to take it out. Only thing I did was checking the fixing of the two mics (seemed okay), pushed the speaker unit carefully in its housing (but did not seem to move though) and put a small piece of a business card on the speaker as you indicated. See the white piece in the picture below. I think I made it al little bit bigger then your 12 x 5 mm. The acoustical feedback loop has broken this way, so it is a perfect solution which only takes 10 minutes to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ye I had the same thing. No matter where I googled there was absolutely no solution and decided to trouble shoot myself as I wont be waiting 21 days to get my phone back with "No fault Found" response from them in any ways. I also have the extended battery and that made me also use they Silicone case that makes it even worse
After seeing how rugged the SGS2 is in the drop test on SmartphoneEnvy.com I decided to not use a case anymore as a 5 foot drop directly on the screen barely scratched the casing and the screen got no damage at all.
I am glad the solution actually works for more people and thank you for the picture. If you don't mind I will put it in my guide at the top for better illustration
It worked! Thanks alot. Let's hope it stays fixed
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
Please read my post I have made the step by step instruction
Here the link below:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=21795243&postcount=62
Cool. Even though you used rubber its cool. At least it fix the problem
Regardless of what is used it needs to be about 0.5mm think. Also remember that you might have had something underneath the speaker keeping it lifted regardless of the amount of pressure you put on it that's why its recommended to clean the speaker and the housing

HTC One M7 screen and housing swap - WIN

OK - the burning question many people have had has been answered - Can I replace my screen?
The answer is yes, but it is not for the fainthearted.
My poor HTC One came to grief recently hitting a marble floor and while useable came off second best.
Investigation with local phone repairers yielded little. I could only find one company in Melbourne that wanted $295 to fix the screen on a $700 phone.
Looking around online I could only find teardown clips and the ifixit rating of 1 which isn't terribly confidence inspiring.
So this left me with a three options
1. Cut my losses and by a new phone
2. Cough up for a repairer
3. Have a crack at it myself
I started off searching for replacement screens on e-bay and after a bit more searching came across etradesupply.
Not only did they have all the parts they also gave me an idea, if I am changing screen, why not colour? I always liked the black one a bit more but was too impatient and bought the silver one.
So I went for it and ordered the screen and digitizer as an assembly
etradesupply.com/oem-htc-one-lcd-screen-and-digitizer-assembly-with-front-housing.html[/url]
and new rear housing
etradesupply.com/oem-htc-one-rear-housing-black-with-htc-and-beatsaudio-logo.html[/url]
I also ordered a few tools and about 5 days later my parts arrived.
Over this period I watched the youtube tear down clips and also reviewed the iFixit guide and wondered what had I got myself in for.
So I decided tonight was the night to go for it.
I started by trying to pry off the bottom speaker with the intent of working around the old housing. My delusions of grandeur of an elegant fix disappeared quickly as the zero gap was an impenetrable fortress that could not be penetrated until I hacked the base off breaking the bottom off where the polycarbonate seam is.
After a good half an hour of hacking and prying my case was off showing off the sheer complexity of the interior.
THIS WAS NOT LOOKING PROMISING
So as I looked over this and thought ok, lets start unscrewing and this is where I hit my first obstacle. My precision screwdrivers were not precise enough so a quick trip to the local hardware store and I was in business.
I decided to try and take the path of least tear down. Looking at the clips I felt I could achieve the outcome without a complete tear down. My advice to anyone else thinking the same is DO NOT DO THIS.
While I got there in the end, the antennas are fragile and any tension will snap them as I discovered. Not a big deal as a few seconds with the soldering iron fixed it, but it is easier to simply detach and re-attach them.
So after taking off various bits of tape, screws, ribbons and prying the battery out of the case which is well glued with adhesive I was almost there. If you watch the tear down clip, be prepared to rip every last item out and disassemble as per the clip. All the way down to the vibration motor.
It was about here I was ready to abandon all hope, I had disassembled and had thought I had reassembled and when I did a test boot, nothing....
I pushed, prodded, poked and tested all the connections and still nothing.
I disassembled and ensured every tricky little ribbon was connected and like a patient in a medical drama when it has had two shocks with the defibrillator, when I tried again it kicked in to life.
Screen works - Yes
Wi-Fi works - Yes
Bluetooth works - Yes
Audio works - Yes
3G/HSDPA works - Yes
Test call works - Yes
All of a sudden when I thought I was off to buy a new handset my HTC One had kicked back in to life. My transplant had patient was alive but still critical.
So I started the process of taping up the ribbons, screwing in all the screws and getting it in shape for the final part - attaching the rear housing.
I lowered the rear housing on to the exposed wires like Darth Vader's mask lowering on to Anakin at the end of Revenge of The Sith and just as I thought victory was mine there was a moment of dread.... it didn't fit
I delicately pried off the housing and took a look, the convoluted assembly around the charger socket was the culprit. After some re-evaluation and re-organisation of the plate, the rear housing was secured and the death star, oops no the HTC One M7 in black was fully operational
So about 3 hours after I started my task is complete, black is a much nicer look, however, the zero gap isn't as zero as it was before but will do.
I think if I were to do it again I would do it in under two hours, but the repairer estimates of 3 hours isn't outlandish.
If you cracked your screen and want to replace it, then I would say go for it and buy the assembly and housing as I did.
If you simply want to change colours for no other reason that you want to, I would caution against this. The work is serious and has risks. It is a repair of last resort.
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one minor thing to point out, the Sim Card Tray ships seperate so anyone thinking of a colour transplant will need to add that to the list.
Showed off my repaired One today, my workmates who are all in IT were mighty impressed, thought I had no chance of getting it done after looking at the tear down on iFixit
Dredd73 said:
one minor thing to point out, the Sim Card Tray ships seperate so anyone thinking of a colour transplant will need to add that to the list.
Showed off my repaired One today, my workmates who are all in IT were mighty impressed, thought I had no chance of getting it done after looking at the tear down on iFixit
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the writing.
I was hoping to take apart the top and bottom speaker grill so I can close the gap.
How are they put together? Is it as simple as adhesive tape? or screwed?
dsan45 said:
thanks for the writing.
I was hoping to take apart the top and bottom speaker grill so I can close the gap.
How are they put together? Is it as simple as adhesive tape? or screwed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good Question, the answer is a definite no.
With a serious amount of heating the adhesive will yield, however, the top grill is also used as a mounting point for one of the screws. I would also be concerned that the amount of heat needed to break the bond would get to damaging levels for some components such as the speakers which sit underneath.
They SERIOUSLY made this phone as lowest self service as possible. The pics from my old grill's show this.
I would also think you would need something more serious than adhesive tape to bond to the plastic.
View attachment 2159676
dsan45 said:
thanks for the writing.
I was hoping to take apart the top and bottom speaker grill so I can close the gap.
How are they put together? Is it as simple as adhesive tape? or screwed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thinking about your question a bit more, if you are trying to close a gap by taking a component off and reattaching then I think you would be doomed to fail.
Without knowing where the gap is I'll assume it is in one of two spots, either between the rear housing and the grill or the screen and the grill. If this is the case then i'll try to explain what is occurring, a likely cause and why fixing is unlikely to work.
The design of the One M7 is basically a front assembly which is a chassis that the components screw on to. The back of the case is simply a shell that clips in to place.
If the gap is like this:
View attachment 2160617
It is a gap between the chassis and the back of the device. With the chassis being between the rear case and the grill all you would be doing is reattaching the grill to the chassis and not closing the gap and would almost certainly make the gap bigger not smaller as you would be adding more substance between the grill and the chassis/midframe
If the gap is like this:
View attachment 2160618
Then this is more likely to be the screen being pushed up from within the device itself. A likely cause is the battery sitting underneath is out by a mm or less and is pushing the screen up. The battery sits underneath the screen and there is literally no margin whatsoever between the screen, battery, motherboard and midframe so if something is out by a few μm to mm then the path of least resistance is for the screen to push up.
I know this from having completed not just a tear down but also a reassembly how fine the margins are. After my repair there is a very small gap in the screen and bottom grill which I just have to live with. Overall with a new case and a repaired screen I am much better off but it is not quite as good as something from plant. The repair process requires removing tape and disrupting some of the foil and all this increases the margins ever so slightly
I think HTC may have got themselves in to trouble with the marketing of this as Zero gap, it is pretty damn good, but Zero Gap means that a consumer will tolerate nothing less than Zero gap and thus we have an expectation problem. I have a lot of respect for what HTC have done with this device and still think it is a magnificent device but perhaps it is a bit too ambitious and the yields are killing them.
One final comment, a number of people have stated that their "Cracked Screen" was replaced with a new device. I personally believe it is nigh on impossible to remove the screen without some form of damage to the back of the case. The amount of pressure required to separate the front assembly loose would mark it with the amount of adhesive between the two plus the lack of margins mean that the repair is effectively what I did (i.e. a new front and rear assembly with a contents transfer)
Knowing what I know now, if I were to severely scratch or damage the grills I wouldn't entertain replacing them, it will only make the matter worse. I also know I could possibly open mine up and remove the internal pressure that is the likely cause of the gaps but again would risk making it worse for a small aesthetic gain.
I saw this thread on whirlpool as well, but the images here really give us a better look at the work you did. I also looked over the iFixit tear down and I have to say what an amazing job! You really did well, definitely not for the faint hearted!
Does this now mean that we can send you our broken One's for a repair job?!?
bwhinnen said:
I saw this thread on whirlpool as well, but the images here really give us a better look at the work you did. I also looked over the iFixit tear down and I have to say what an amazing job! You really did well, definitely not for the faint hearted!
Does this now mean that we can send you our broken One's for a repair job?!?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hehe not quitting my day job just yet.
Best not to break it in the first place. I've got the HTC cover on order!
Dredd73 said:
Thinking about your question a bit more, if you are trying to close a gap by taking a component off and reattaching then I think you would be doomed to fail.
Without knowing where the gap is I'll assume it is in one of two spots, either between the rear housing and the grill or the screen and the grill. If this is the case then i'll try to explain what is occurring, a likely cause and why fixing is unlikely to work.
The design of the One M7 is basically a front assembly which is a chassis that the components screw on to. The back of the case is simply a shell that clips in to place.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wow thank you for your thoughtful answer.
It sounds like you are in this business!
My gap is the first example you posted where their is a slight opening at the top. It seems like more I try to do 'anything' it is
most likely that I will ruin this device.
I tried fitting in my double sided tape inside the gap but really.. it woudnt get in there. So I guess it is best where it is now.
dsan45 said:
wow thank you for your thoughtful answer.
It sounds like you are in this business!
My gap is the first example you posted where their is a slight opening at the top. It seems like more I try to do 'anything' it is
most likely that I will ruin this device.
I tried fitting in my double sided tape inside the gap but really.. it woudnt get in there. So I guess it is best where it is now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem, I hope it saved you the grief of making something minor worse. Even though my repair job has a slight gap it isn't noticeable in black compared to Silver/white which is unforgiving.
While I am no phone repairer, I've always liked taking things apart and trying to fix them. The HTC One is possibly one of the fiddliest things I have taken on. I guess I didn't take it on by choice, only by bad luck and a hard floor!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=43334075
HTC One Teardown (Really not that bad)
Don't know if you have read this earlier thread from 7 July on HTC one dismantle process
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
oh wow, just in time... i have a cracked HTC One and my parts from e trade supply came only today.. ETS parts look very promising and came neatly packed .. very neatly and properly packed.. gonna do my playing with the phone tomorrow, wish me luck
@op, thanks for your post.. have not read it fully .. was so excited to see a DIY fix thread
---------- Post added at 12:20 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:01 AM ----------
ok so i did do the same order as you, the front panel and the back case .. choose silver and have silver.. thanks for your writing.. its exciting, hopefully i will share my experience here soon.
pradeepvizz said:
oh wow, just in time... i have a cracked HTC One and my parts from e trade supply came only today.. ETS parts look very promising and came neatly packed .. very neatly and properly packed.. gonna do my playing with the phone tomorrow, wish me luck
@op, thanks for your post.. have not read it fully .. was so excited to see a DIY fix thread
---------- Post added at 12:20 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:01 AM ----------
ok so i did do the same order as you, the front panel and the back case .. choose silver and have silver.. thanks for your writing.. its exciting, hopefully i will share my experience here soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best of luck. The parts from etrade supply seem to be OEM, the items marked as b-stock are seconds by the looks of things (probably screens with dead pixels etc)
If you go through it methodically you should be OK, make sure you have all the right tools such as screwdrivers, prying tools etc.
I would also perhaps recommend trimming the plastic cover on the battery, this seems to unstick and I think cause some bulging my .5mm when you reassemble. It is a bit like trying to re-wrap a present after you have unwrapped the paper, you can do it but it is never a perfect fit.
Thanks for the refit instructions, this is probably the first tread which talks about fitting it back. I got the A Stock items, did not choose the b stock. I went through the video and blog of ets and ordered every tool that they used in it
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium HD app
---------- Post added at 01:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:30 AM ----------
And my phone already had the bulging of the screen little in the front.. I mean the top speaker and screen were not flay, Which probably was also a reason why it broke easy.
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium HD app
pradeepvizz said:
Thanks for the refit instructions, this is probably the first tread which talks about fitting it back. I got the A Stock items, did not choose the b stock. I went through the video and blog of ets and ordered every tool that they used in it
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium HD app
---------- Post added at 01:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:30 AM ----------
And my phone already had the bulging of the screen little in the front.. I mean the top speaker and screen were not flay, Which probably was also a reason why it broke easy.
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool, one last thing, make sure you have some good tweezers that are flat and not sharp. There is a ribbon which I think can only go in with tweezers and requires a bit of pressure to go in. You will also need them to assist re-attaching your antennas.
i have not opened my tweezers from ETS yet! thanks for the note.
Dredd73 said:
Good Question, the answer is a definite no.
With a serious amount of heating the adhesive will yield, however, the top grill is also used as a mounting point for one of the screws. I would also be concerned that the amount of heat needed to break the bond would get to damaging levels for some components such as the speakers which sit underneath.
They SERIOUSLY made this phone as lowest self service as possible. The pics from my old grill's show this.
I would also think you would need something more serious than adhesive tape to bond to the plastic.
View attachment 2159676
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But could you just place a little glue at the gap and squeeze it shut, instead of taking out the whole grill and reapplying?
fluxthesky said:
But could you just place a little glue at the gap and squeeze it shut, instead of taking out the whole grill and reapplying?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps these pictures may help, the grills do not attach to the rear housing, they attach to the midplane of the phone so the only way to close the gap is between the rear shell/housing and the midplane.
Trying to glue the midplane tighter to the rear housing is not something that I think would work nor would I recommend it. The types of glue required would potentially damage components that sit close to the edges and would cause complications if there was a screen crack later down the track. There is also potential if the wrong glue is used to damage the plastic housing. As you can see, if you were trying to close the top gap with glue there is the camera, speaker, light sensor and power switch which are all very close to the edges and would not benefit from a strong solvent based glue
View attachment 2170276
As commented in a previous post, the upward pressure is going to be where components meet the rear of the case, I've tried to highlight this in this picture. Any attempt to close the gap will be due to trying to flex/bend the edge to glue/adhere to the edge. A contact adhesive or tape will simply not win in the long term and a solvent based glue might stand a chance but the amount required risks gluing components. I'd rather have a small gap than damage something like the power switch.
If someone wants to give it a try, feel free to post results, but having gone through a re-build I wouldn't do it if I were faced with a small gap knowing what I know.
paul_59 said:
forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=43334075
HTC One Teardown (Really not that bad)
Don't know if you have read this earlier thread from 7 July on HTC one dismantle process
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I don't think there was a post on any forum anywhere on the subject that I hadn't read prior to my dismantle.
I guess the big difference between my post and this post is my post is about creating a repaired working phone as opposed to a tear down which is treated as a one way ticket.
I did entertain heavy duty heating, however, since I as not saving the case I opted to spare my components any unnecessary heat stress. Also most tear down's seem to put a lot of flex on the mainboard which is also something I wanted to avoid.
To my knowledge I don't think I have seen anyone else post an actual repair, just a tear down.
ok so my phone is now in a busted state!
i opened the front & the back fine, took quite an effort to pry up and separate the front and the back case, i took it out without any breakage. I started with the bottom speaker grill, heated & took of the bottom speaker grill and then pry'ed in the gap between back case & the front panel. The hard part was the move the separator from the bottom to the sides, in other words, starting to separate the side was hard, once a gap is created on the sides it was pretty easy to take the phone out by moving the separator around the phone.
one mistake i did was to not take out the sim card & sim card tray before starting to separate.
I then started with removing the components from the motherboard - i wanted to do a front panel replacement (essential screen replacement).
when removing the LCD connector cable, i broke the lock/connector which is on the motherboard. i was trying to release the lock to take out the connector and pressed hard on the connector itself rather than the lock - attaching a pic to make it clear - i broke the black part marked red, the lock was supposed to be removed by pulling up the part marked green.
I have assembled back everything with the new front housing and phone is semi partially working - i have almost removed and reconnected everything 4 times.
The vibrator kicks in action when i put the phone on but nothing on the display(broken display port to blame). One time i heard the phone boot (speaker sound) and that was when i tried to put it back in my old front panel to check.
Other than that the phone is identified as HTC Android USB phone in the device manager when connected but does not show on my computer as a portable device. It charges. heats when i try to put it on.
So to conclude the phone is dead now, don't have much of ideas to get it back working - but have a hope that it would if i replace quite some parts
Any advise is welcome!
pradeepvizz said:
ok so my phone is now in a busted state!
i opened the front & the back fine, took quite an effort to pry up and separate the front and the back case, i took it out without any breakage. I started with the bottom speaker grill, heated & took of the bottom speaker grill and then pry'ed in the gap between back case & the front panel. The hard part was the move the separator from the bottom to the sides, in other words, starting to separate the side was hard, once a gap is created on the sides it was pretty easy to take the phone out by moving the separator around the phone.
one mistake i did was to not take out the sim card & sim card tray before starting to separate.
I then started with removing the components from the motherboard - i wanted to do a front panel replacement (essential screen replacement).
when removing the LCD connector cable, i broke the lock/connector which is on the motherboard. i was trying to release the lock to take out the connector and pressed hard on the connector itself rather than the lock - attaching a pic to make it clear - i broke the black part marked red, the lock was supposed to be removed by pulling up the part marked green.
I have assembled back everything with the new front housing and phone is semi partially working - i have almost removed and reconnected everything 4 times.
The vibrator kicks in action when i put the phone on but nothing on the display(broken display port to blame). One time i heard the phone boot (speaker sound) and that was when i tried to put it back in my old front panel to check.
Other than that the phone is identified as HTC Android USB phone in the device manager when connected but does not show on my computer as a portable device. It charges. heats when i try to put it on.
So to conclude the phone is dead now, don't have much of ideas to get it back working - but have a hope that it would if i replace quite some parts
Any advise is welcome!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bad Luck, to get so close.....
The ribbon you are referring to simply pulls out and doesn't have the same clasp, this is the one that is also the hardest to re-insert. Have you got a good picture of what your the socket now? you should be able to push it in unless it is completely smashed.
When I was doing mine I just pulled the ribbons out without realising some are meant to lift open. To me if you are getting to boot and device recognition you got most of the way there.
The mainboard is about the only item that is non replaceable via OEM. I can only assume it is things like IMEI etc that would stop this. My only suggestion is to keep an eye out for someone selling a broken M7 and see if you can swap mainboards.

[HELP] How to Remove Stripped Battery Terminal Screw

Any ideas? I've tried the rubber band method and it's just too small to work.
draikz said:
Any ideas? I've tried the rubber band method and it's just too small to work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DO NOT TRY THIS
I too stripped one of the screws on the battery connector when I was replacing my phone's broken screen recently. It was two in the morning, and I had already spent two hours trying to disassemble the phone, with the majority of the time spent trying every method I knew to loosen the stripped screw. I was losing my patience. Finally, driven by frustration and exhaustion, I just said "**** it", and with my fingers I pried the connector off along with one of the mounting bosses by force. I was lucky because the mounting boss got ripped off of the PCB cleanly, with only a small bit of the PCB surface separated. No circuitry was damaged. I fixed my screen and now the phone functions perfectly without any loose parts. What's great about this is if I ever need to remove the battery again, there's one fewer screw to remove :victory:
I really shouldn't be allowed near electronics repair.
DO NOT TRY THIS
I personally would try slowly filing down both sides of the screw so I could get a fix with some appliers or a small spanner. Never tried this though and only a suggestion !.
Phone : Nexus 4 /Rom : cataclysm / Kernel : Stock.
bladebuddy said:
I personally would try slowly filing down both sides of the screw so I could get a fix with some appliers or a small spanner. Never tried this though and only a suggestion !.
Phone : Nexus 4 /Rom : cataclysm / Kernel : Stock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If there isn't enough screw head to grip on for that to work, you can also try taking a razor and cutting a slot into the head so you can apply a flat screwdriver. Another option is to super glue/solder the tip of a screwdriver to the screw then apply torque, but it might be hard to get enough bonding strength on such a small surface.
if you can solder, try soldering an allen wrench or something similar directly to the screw. you might not be able to get the solder off once the screws our but at least it might be able to remove it.
Solder won't stick to the screw. Welding or brazing is out too. I would try filing a slot and using a flathead screw driver as mentioned earlier. I would then try the super glue trick also mentioned earlier. Good luck, small screws are a pain. I deal with broken screws and bolts all the time. Patience is key. Don't rush it.
Sent from my underpriced, overpowered pocket thingy.
They make a special stripped screw extractor bit for a hand drill. Can get them at any hardware store. I use them all the time at work and they work magically.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
draikz said:
Any ideas? I've tried the rubber band method and it's just too small to work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So how did you get it out ??? I have the same problem. I was thinking of using my fingers like someone mentioned but I still have a lil patience left in me
draikz said:
Any ideas? I've tried the rubber band method and it's just too small to work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi!!! I have the same problem and would like to know how did you solve it?
Thanks so much
yes i have the same problem. how did you end up solving it the thread says solved.
dominiqueovalle said:
yes i have the same problem. how did you end up solving it the thread says solved.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well if its little stripped try 3 size bigger screwdrive. Worked for me!!! And don't screw back so hard.
Epoxy or epoxy putty.
You can use either to attach a disposable screwdriver to the screw in question. Let either set for at least an hour.
You may need to rough up both surfaces a bit to get a good bond.
Phillips head screws and drivers are made to cam out so you don't strip the head. Either you're using the wrong size screwdriver or a worn tip. Go slow. Take your time.
Not that you'd be using a drill/driver but you see the same thing happen when the speed is too high and not enough torque. The bit ends up spinning in the head wearing away the slots.
Use hammer and one screwdriver to revert the screw. That isn''t a joke a tried this metod and work .

Iffy Proximity Sensor

Hi All
Picked up a Nexus 4 a few days ago and only just noticed (as result of a call) that the proximity sensor is reporting that its "blocked" at all times, so the phone things its against my head. I can workaround this by using the "Power button to hang Up" option but at present cannot access any in call features.
When I look under good light the sensor, there are 2 areas so not sure which is the sensor, I can see what looks like a bubble under both. if you imagine what an air pocket looks like under a screen protector thats what it looks like but its behind the glass, perfectly centred. I guess its possible that something has broken here as a result of the drop, the top left corner was the point of impact, does that seem likely?
I got the phone cheap as it had a broke screen so have a new one coming. Its the full screen, glass and digitizer. Does anyone know of the sensor is part of the screen or does it sit behind and then I could be really screwed!
Ta
bert682 said:
Hi All
Picked up a Nexus 4 a few days ago and only just noticed (as result of a call) that the proximity sensor is reporting that its "blocked" at all times, so the phone things its against my head. I can workaround this by using the "Power button to hang Up" option but at present cannot access any in call features.
When I look under good light the sensor, there are 2 areas so not sure which is the sensor, I can see what looks like a bubble under both. if you imagine what an air pocket looks like under a screen protector thats what it looks like but its behind the glass, perfectly centred. I guess its possible that something has broken here as a result of the drop, the top left corner was the point of impact, does that seem likely?
I got the phone cheap as it had a broke screen so have a new one coming. Its the full screen, glass and digitizer. Does anyone know of the sensor is part of the screen or does it sit behind and then I could be really screwed!
Ta
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok so I did a little more reading and it seems that a gorilla has changed the screen on this phone in the past and he / she has used compound to stick the screen down and some of it has gone around the sensor and the resulting press down on the screen has created a few air pockets.
Looking less forward to changing the screen now as no doubt with my luck the "technician" will have used some crazy heat resistant glue!
Also....missing the speaker grille....funny how you only notice things after you have bought them!
Search for proximity sensor fix after screen replacement here on xda. I've found out that if you switch sides of the little rubber /plastic cover that covers the proximity sensor, your problem will be solved. And the light sensor will work with no problems as well.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
Sp_Ark said:
Search for proximity sensor fix after screen replacement here on xda. I've found out that if you switch sides of the little rubber /plastic cover that covers the proximity sensor, your problem will be solved. And the light sensor will work with no problems as well.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really?
From reading the thing to do is either make the height of the bushing a little larger, height wise. Or, to increase the diameter of the holes.
I like your fix the best though....no messing about, just rotate.
Will give it a go, thanks!
It will work for sure, I posted this fix on a YouTube screen replacement guide of octopus glues I think and its confirmed to work from a lot of people. Then if you use a custom rom go to brightness settings while having auto brightness enabled and try changing light sources from dark to very bright places to see the instant lux values you get. If you are not satisfied with the result try custom auto brightness values.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
bert682 said:
Really?
From reading the thing to do is either make the height of the bushing a little larger, height wise. Or, to increase the diameter of the holes.
I like your fix the best though....no messing about, just rotate.
Will give it a go, thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, I discovered this "fix" in a random youtube comment (was that you @Sp_Ark?) just a few days ago, and it worked for me. Then I found a thread here that confirmed that this could be a solution (which could have saved me a week of frustration).
If there's actually something on the proximity sensor, then you might be screwed. Well, not really, or $10 from China. The module is a snap-in piece with connector ribbon that also has the headphone jack. The prox sensor is the smaller one on the right side (when looking at the screen).
Disassembly of the Nexus 4 is pretty simple compared to many other smartphones. You'll need a T5 TORX wrench/bit for the screws at the bottom, and a very small Phillips driver for all the screws in the inside. You'll also need a tool to split the 2 halves apart (your screen replacement might have come with tools). You can find a couple videos on youtube, as well as a detailed teardown (pics) at ifixit.com. If you have a hairdryer (or an actual heat gun) you can make the process easier by softening the glue with heat, but it's not absolutely necessary. Just go slowly and be careful when prying the halves apart so you don't flex it too much and break the glass back.
Which screen assembly did you get? You can get it where it's just the LCD and the digitizer, and you can also get it that has the bezel and speaker with it. When I replaced the screen on my N4, I got the whole deal with the bezel and speaker, since it meant less work and fewer things to screw up.
Planterz said:
Yep, I discovered this "fix" in a random youtube comment (was that you @Sp_Ark?) just a few days ago, and it worked for me. Then I found a thread here that confirmed that this could be a solution (which could have saved me a week of frustration).
If there's actually something on the proximity sensor, then you might be screwed. Well, not really, or $10 from China. The module is a snap-in piece with connector ribbon that also has the headphone jack. The prox sensor is the smaller one on the right side (when looking at the screen).
Disassembly of the Nexus 4 is pretty simple compared to many other smartphones. You'll need a T5 TORX wrench/bit for the screws at the bottom, and a very small Phillips driver for all the screws in the inside. You'll also need a tool to split the 2 halves apart (your screen replacement might have come with tools). You can find a couple videos on youtube, as well as a detailed teardown (pics) at ifixit.com. If you have a hairdryer (or an actual heat gun) you can make the process easier by softening the glue with heat, but it's not absolutely necessary. Just go slowly and be careful when prying the halves apart so you don't flex it too much and break the glass back.
Which screen assembly did you get? You can get it where it's just the LCD and the digitizer, and you can also get it that has the bezel and speaker with it. When I replaced the screen on my N4, I got the whole deal with the bezel and speaker, since it meant less work and fewer things to screw up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got a "kit" off eBay, [URL="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181144377215?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181144377215?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT so it appears to be the complete screen. Ive watched a few videos but from the pictures it looks like the screen comes with the metal backing so I suspect I dont need to remove the old screen from the casing, thoughts?
Im expecting this to be the screen, bezel, and metal backing so I need to do is connect in my motherboard and all the other components.
Am I off in thinking this?
That's the full part. The one you've posted is the type I usually go for, they're good quality so far.
bert682 said:
I got a "kit" off eBay, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181144377215?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT so it appears to be the complete screen. Ive watched a few videos but from the pictures it looks like the screen comes with the metal backing so I suspect I dont need to remove the old screen from the casing, thoughts?
Im expecting this to be the screen, bezel, and metal backing so I need to do is connect in my motherboard and all the other components.
Am I off in thinking this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You made a wise choice, young padawan.
Yeah, that looks to be the entire front assembly, including the screen+digitizer, already installed in the bezel. Also includes the earpiece plus the speaker grill that you're missing. You'll have to swap over the guts, and that's about it. It's easiest to swap the power and volume rocker buttons first since it's a bit harder to get them where they go if you've got the logic board in the way. Just remember that the contact points need to make a ^ rather than a v when you're assembling it with the screen facing down. Tweezers are good to have, especially if they're very long and even better if they're curved. I also recommend doing this over a clean towel to avoid scratching the screen (there'll probably be a film over it too), and the fluffier the towel the better, to catch the tiny screws from flying and disappearing.
Honestly, getting the 2 halves apart is probably the hardest part. They make specialized tools for this, and often the sellers will include them, but it doesn't look like your purchase includes them (mine didn't either). Something plastic is the best choice, since you're less likely to cause cosmetic damage to the plastic (especially the bezel) if you slip (and you will slip). As I said before, GO SLOWLY. Work it apart a little bit at a time, alternate side to side, starting from the bottom. Eventually you'll be able to pull the 2 halves apart.
The battery will be stuck in pretty good and will need to be pried out. If I were you (and a week or so ago, I was you), I'd pop a new battery in while you're at it. At this point in the phone's life, it's probably had at least a few hundred cycles on the battery and has lost 10-20% of its original capacity. The other components shouldn't be nearly as hard to get out. Just pry in various points until the piece pops out. Do not force anything. Just work it out slowly. After you pop off the piece that covers the USB port, there's the board that has the port, and that can be slightly tricky to get out. Best way I found is to slip something small and flat (screwdriver?) into the port and push up and out, and the board should come out easily.
Thankfully, there's only 3 different screws used, and they're all easily differentiated from each other. There's the 2 T5 TORX that hold the halves together, the 2 very short screws with wide heads that hold the battery in place, and the rest that hold everything else are all identical to each other.
It looks like on your assembly, it comes with its own adhesives. Everywhere there's a blue film, pull it off and there'll be adhesive underneath. I'd recommend leaving the film on over the part where the sensor/headphone jack module goes until you're sure you can stick it in place with the proximity sensor not acting wonky. Download an app (I used Phone Tester) that can read the prox sensor. FYI, as long as everything is in place, and you've attached the battery, you can boot the phone without replacing the back cover, and test the sensor (just depress the center bit of the power button board). You don't need to screw everything in, but you should at least screw and tighten down the few that surround the sensor area. Once you've got it reading properly (best of luck), it's time to put all back together.
You should familiarize yourself with the teardown/reassembly guides out there. Go to ifixit.com and have everything ready to look at. This is the video that I used to guide me, and I watched it through a few times before I attempted it myself. You should be just fine with your phone after familiarizing yourself, but if you have any specific problems or questions, feel free to ask, and I'm all too happy to help.
Planterz said:
You made a wise choice, young padawan.
Yeah, that looks to be the entire front assembly, including the screen+digitizer, already installed in the bezel. Also includes the earpiece plus the speaker grill that you're missing. You'll have to swap over the guts, and that's about it. It's easiest to swap the power and volume rocker buttons first since it's a bit harder to get them where they go if you've got the logic board in the way. Just remember that the contact points need to make a ^ rather than a v when you're assembling it with the screen facing down. Tweezers are good to have, especially if they're very long and even better if they're curved. I also recommend doing this over a clean towel to avoid scratching the screen (there'll probably be a film over it too), and the fluffier the towel the better, to catch the tiny screws from flying and disappearing.
Honestly, getting the 2 halves apart is probably the hardest part. They make specialized tools for this, and often the sellers will include them, but it doesn't look like your purchase includes them (mine didn't either). Something plastic is the best choice, since you're less likely to cause cosmetic damage to the plastic (especially the bezel) if you slip (and you will slip). As I said before, GO SLOWLY. Work it apart a little bit at a time, alternate side to side, starting from the bottom. Eventually you'll be able to pull the 2 halves apart.
The battery will be stuck in pretty good and will need to be pried out. If I were you (and a week or so ago, I was you, I'd pop a new battery in while you're at it. At this point in the phone's life, it's probably had at least a few hundred cycles on the battery and has lost 10-20% of its original capacity. The other comments shouldn't be nearly as hard to get out. Just pry in various points until the piece pops out. Do not force anything. Just work it out slowly. After you pop off the piece that covers the USB port, there's the board that has the port, and that can be slightly tricky to get out. Best way I found is to slip something small and flat (screwdriver?) into the port and push up and out, and the board should come out easily.
Thankfully, there's only 3 different screws used, and they're all easily differentiated from each other. There's the 2 T5 TORX that hold the halves together, the 2 very short screws with wide heads that hold the battery in place, and the rest that hold everything else are all identical to each other.
It looks like on your assembly, it comes with its own adhesives. Everywhere there's a blue film, pull it off and there'll be adhesive underneath. I'd recommend leaving the film on over the part where the sensor/headphone jack module goes until you're sure you can stick it in place with the proximity sensor not acting wonky. Download an app (I used Phone Tester) that can read the prox sensor. FYI, as long as everything is in place, and you've attached the battery, you can boot the phone without replacing the back cover, and test the sensor (just depress the center bit of the power button board). You don't need to screw everything in, but you should at least screw and tighten down the few that surround the sensor area. Once you've got it reading properly (best of luck), it's time to put all back together.
You should familiarize yourself with the teardown/reassembly guides out there. Go to ifixit.com and have everything ready to look at. This is the video[/i] that I used to guide me, and I watched it through a few times before I attempted it myself. You should be just fine with your phone after familiarizing yourself, but if you have any specific problems or questions, feel free to ask, and I'm all too happy to help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, I saw some cheaper screens but that one notes that its LG compliant etc. I bought a set of tools separately so will have all the stuff needed. Didnt think about the battery, will order one as it does make sense!
Thanks for the info, will update as I go.
If you want to have a working battery like it used to be before removing it, you have to be very patient and extra careful while trying to remove it. Use some heat for the glue and try with something very thin like a nylon guitar pick. In anyway don't bent the battery and don't start from top. It will be easier to first remove the mother board. Iv already destroyed 4 5 batteries while trying to remove them. Sorry for my English, I hope you understand.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
Sp_Ark said:
If you want to have a working battery like it used to be before removing it, you have to be very patient and extra careful while trying to remove it. Use some heat for the glue and try with something very thin like a nylon guitar pick. In anyway don't bent the battery and don't start from top. It will be easier to first remove the mother board. Iv already destroyed 4 5 batteries while trying to remove them. Sorry for my English, I hope you understand.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea was extra careful, used a little heat. Someone has definately replaced the screen on the phone before but seems to have been careful enough as no screws missing etc, except the lost the little speaker grille
New screen in and working well. The proximity sensor seems to be working but it reports all or nothing rather than varied. Is this correct?
bert682 said:
Yea was extra careful, used a little heat. Someone has definately replaced the screen on the phone before but seems to have been careful enough as no screws missing etc, except the lost the little speaker grille
New screen in and working well. The proximity sensor seems to be working but it reports all or nothing rather than varied. Is this correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah this is normal.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
bert682 said:
New screen in and working well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome! See, it wasn't too bad, was it? Ifixit gives the N4 a 7/10 for repairability, and that's pretty high for them. After replacing my N4 screen, friend/coworker asked if I could do the same for his HTC One M7 with a completely shattered, yet functional digitizer. I said "HEEEEEEEEEEELL NO!"
Planterz said:
Awesome! See, it wasn't too bad, was it? Ifixit gives the N4 a 7/10 for repairability, and that's pretty high for them. After replacing my N4 screen, friend/coworker asked if I could do the same for his HTC One M7 with a completely shattered, yet functional digitizer. I said "HEEEEEEEEEEELL NO!"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, not with the correct tools. I will admit had I not bought the plastic tools, tweezers etc I may have struggled.
The battery was my main concern, its really stuck down, even though this had been replaced before and likely a less tacky glue used it was still tough. Had to use some heat to soften it and the "battery cover" has seen better days. Next thing to replace is that, just for piece of mind.
All in all, pretty nice experience, the phone seems more modular that other phones I have taken apart which is nice.

Knocked off ground connector from phone board, need advice on how to best reattach it

In the process of fixing my phone I accidentally knocked off this little metal bit that I believe is for grounding since it seem to contact a metal plate attached to the plastic upper bit that doesn't seem to go anywhere else. Its a really tiny thing and I'm trying to decide how to best reattach it. I found someone on ifixit that posted a similar problem back in 2018, but with no solution (I posted there first but I guess cause its old no one is responding). He took some good photos, so I'll share his post: https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/476452/Component+broke+off+of+board,+is+it+necessary
The one I broke off is the one on the left. I'll attach to this a photo of my device with a macro shot I took of the area where it came off.
It looks like it was making contact through 4 tiny holes. I was thinking of maybe trying to flow a little bit of solder into their and then reattaching the metal bit with glue.
On the otherhand, is it pointless? I haven't tried putting the phone back together yet to determine what this effects or do I know if these ground points have redundant ground points else where.
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

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