[Q] Need advice upon a hardware damage. - Nexus 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Ok, I made a stupid mistake while I was assembling my N4 back, after replacing the screen. I damaged one small part of the motherboard. 3 small things where ripped off ( shown on the first image ). As shown on the second image, I damaged some connection parts of the Avago 3012 Ultra Low-Noise GNSS Front-End Module. The first month after assembling back, I didnt notice any problems. But the first problem was that the battery dies when getting at 20-15% level, if forced too much with a game or any other apps that load the phone too much. After 2 weeks another problems appeared. The wifi signal became very bad. It doesnt reach all the routers around, only the ones close to me with a very good signal.Sometimes it even freezes until reboot. It stucks on same found signals and doesnt show anything else. Times by times, even the gsm band turns off completely as if its on Airplane mode. I've read online that this low-Noise chip somehow reffers to wifi and gps but can it somehow affect the battery? The second problem is that after asembling phone back, the back cover doesnt close fit enough. The left middle side of the battery became too blowed up, and it takes some space to close the cover completely so it remains a little opened. I have no ideea how it changed it's shape so suddenly. So my last question is: is there any chance if I ask a master to solder these three small pins. It will work back? Or the Avago chip is already damaged permanently?
please see attachments.

I'm not a professional at soldering but it should be possible if you find the right person to do it. Does the chip or the motherboard look damaged? As for the battery being blown up. Its most likely just bent because of all the glue holding it. If that's the case you can just flatten it out slowly.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

nazem said:
I'm not a professional at soldering but it should be possible if you find the right person to do it. Does the chip or the motherboard look damaged? As for the battery being blown up. Its most likely just bent because of all the glue holding it. If that's the case you can just flatten it out slowly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, nothing is damaged, only these three conductors are ripped off. And I still have them, in a small box. But I wonder if the chip didn't get permanently damaged after some time working without these 3 elements. Cause, if so, even soldering them back will not fix the issue I guess..

Mango Polo said:
No, nothing is damaged, only these three conductors are ripped off. And I still have them, in a small box. But I wonder if the chip didn't get permanently damaged after some time working without these 3 elements. Cause, if so, even soldering them back will not fix the issue I guess..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah you're probably right. To be honest if I were in your condition, I'd just get a new motherboard off eBay or probably even a new phone. That's just my opinion though. Good luck.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

I want to update my issue. Actually, after weeks I realised that the wifi and other signals were not working because the battery was blown and the back case with all the antennas were not touching the corresponding connection pins. I solved it with replacing with an original battery from eBay. But I found out what is the real problem. The damaged pins are somehow related to the battery. When it is fully charged, aftet plugging out it goes right to 80%. Everytime. Sometimes it holds on 100% and discharging in a right way but when it reaches 20% of charge, it goes down to 1% right away. So this is the result of damaged pins. Can anybody say what are these pins doing and if it can be repaired somehow? Dont want to buy a new MB

There are few phone shops that are capable of repairing things like this, especially on nexus 4 (in your favour you still have the chips), I think you're best off getting a new phone, don't buy a new mobo it's not gonna be worth it.
Like you say, those chips missing could have permanently damaged the IC, if they're resistors to drop voltage the chip could easily be damaged.

Related

Dropped HD2. Advice please

A friend dropped their HD2 from a quad bike. Not sure of the cosmetic damage yet but he says it no longer works, that the cable has disconnected from the motherboard. However, i don't think he has stripped it down so no idea how he would know that.
So, presuming it looks ok, is there anything to look for in repairing this? Are they easy to fix or is a knock like this likely to have damaged it beyond repair?
I have yet to see it but i presume there is no sign of life as opposed to any sort of 'erratic' behaviour.
I have a HD2, i am just seeing if it is fixable as wifey wants one.
i also damaged my hd2 so i searched a lot for info.
there are some good of guides on the web but this is my favorite:
http://pocketnow.com/hardware-1/official-htc-hd2-disassembly-assembly-training-videos-leaked
i dropped mine quite severely, massive multiple cracks all up the screen, gps no longer works, but otherwise its worked fine for 8 months now.
I wouldnt kow what to look for inside, but two things come to mind.
1st - teh battery pins bend easily, so i can imagine a battery flying out might easily do that, so check that.
2nd - the official htc training stripdown video is on youtube, might be worth watching that a few times before and during stripdown.
I already found the excellent strip down video and feel confident in dismantling it. I just have no idea what to check and/or replace. Thanks for the tips though guys...
Check for power, i.e. bent battery pins, disconnected ribbon cables. Look for obvious signs of breakage (cracked CPU, etc.)
Apart from that, haul it to someone who's got better equipment.
Good luck!

Potential Nexus 7 Touch Screen Fix?

I just wanted to report on a possible fix to touchscreen issues. While this may, or may not, work for you, it is what I did, what I have done on three(3) total devices & it is what has eliminated touch screen issues for myself & two other individuals.
This is a work in progress & I will be adding pictures & more detailed instructions, along with progress updates as I use the device going forward. This modification (though it really isn't a mod) requires no tools & while it does entail some light dis-assembly, it did NOT require breaking any seals that would void the warranty outright. Doing this however, may very well void your warranty, I am not an attorney, I am an engineer & taking things apart is what I have been doing since before I could even crawl nearly forty years ago.
To begin, I will go into my Nexus 7 story, which may allow you to identify similar symptoms.
My Nexus 7 device worked well out of the box, with only occasional multi-touch issues. As time progressed, the issues got worse & at one point a couple of weeks ago, even single touch event started to lag or not register. My Nexus 7 is a batch from July of 2013 & I purchased it in August of 2013, so it was still under warranty. Asus issued me an RMA number, however, I hate broken things, knowing darn well that 99% of the time I can fix them myself far faster than the total time it would take an OEM to get my device back to me. At any rate, after the 4.4 update, my touch issues got even worse. Aside from missing even simple gestures & taps, occasionally the screen would look funny & once it even had a sttatic "snowy" screen that was remedied by a factory reset.
After reading a few complaints from people about screen separation & investigating the device via the ifixit tear down, I decided I would take a look before committing to the RMA process. I gently slid my thumbnail under the bezel & slowly worked it around. Immediately I could feel the clips giving way & I eventually had the back cover off. Once the back cover is off, you will notice that the screen & digitizer ribbon cable runs across the battery, pinned in between the battery tray & the inductive Qi coil on the back cover of the device. I found it is easier to ease all the sides up slightly, then remove the back by gently lifing from the sides & upper portion, with the bottom, where the USB port is, being lifted up last. Once I removed the cover, I disconnected the battery terminal clip. After disconnecting the battery, I then followed the screen ribbon cable to where it is clipped into the screens board contacts with a plastic stay. Immediately upon applying pressure to the cable ribbon stay I felt & heard a faintly audible "click" sound. On closer inspection, I discovered that poor contact was being made by the ribbon cable & furthermore, the flex in the battery tray over time, when coupled with the heat generated at that location (due to the battery & the inductive Qi coil) can slowly loosen the ribbon cable stay & affect the quality of the connection. I used a thin piece of composite material to reinforce the cable ribbon stay & used a piece of vinyl along with a non-conductive adhesive to better secure the cable ribbon & stay. I only used a tiny amount so as not to affect the ability to safely disconnect the ribbon cable without destroying it. I also did not want a bunch of adhesive heating up & spreading to other areas. Before I performed the following step, I decided to test out a few thoughts. What I discovered is detailed in the next paragraph. So, after letting the adhesive dry overnight, I reattached the battery terminal clip & started the device. It has worked flawlessly since, without any touch issues.
While I had the back cover off, I carefully reattached the battery terminal clip & while wearing Nitrile gloves & standing on a wood floor to minimize the risk of static discharge, I would turn the device on with the display ribbon cable in various states of connection. They ranged from being angled so that the far contacts would make little or limited connection, to a full connection with varying degrees of pressure applied, to simulate a good or bad connection. Sometimes the device would not boot. Other times it would boot & have a static or "snowy" screen. Sometimes it affected all touch, from single finger events to multi-touch. It also surprisingly affected the system response. Things would freeze up & apps would FC or ANR. Again, once I improved the connection, everything was back to normal & functioning perfectly. In fact, it is functioning better than it did out of the box.
While I am sure Asus would argue that this voids the warranty, I did not break any seals. No tools were needed, just the materials I chose to use & had lying around. As I also mentioned in the opening, I did this on another household members device, that only had multi-touch issues, not all the issues I had, & their device has now been functioning wonderfully for the last several days. The display ribbon clip in their device was not completely detached on one side like mine, but it was fairly loose all the same. The third device was a friends & it was having mostly single touch issues, though he said multi-touch issues would come & go. We ran through the steps on Hangouts & his ribbon cable was in its place, but as he removed the back, the stay clip fell out. His device is also functioning normally now & he has not reported any further touch screen issues.
Since the problems people are having are oftentimes different & not consistent, it very well could be that this is exactly the issue. I would surmise that it could be the very reason why Google & Asus have been VERY, VERY quiet about the issue, since it would require returning the device for a fix, not simply a software fix.
If you try this, I urge you to be patient & use the utmost care when removing the back. While there are no cable attached to the back, you never want to force things. Be gentle & when you find the right spot for lifting, you will know it. It is not difficult & it is relatively harmless. I would caution you to use gloves & minimize the risk of discharging static electricity. I also recommend using gloves because copper sheeting is used in a couple spots & if you have ever worked with copper sheeting in electronics, you know that stuff grabs oils from your skin like crazy & you will end up leaving evidence in the form of an ultra-clear fingerprint that almost no solvent will remove. (Don't use solvents in your device unless you are a daredevil or know what you are doing).
So, that is my story & what worked for me & my small group. Ultimately, these devices are ours & it is up to each of us individually to pursue the fixes or mods that suit us best. That also means that the responsibility & consequences belong to each of us as individuals. What steps you are willing take to remedy any issues you may have with your device are decisions you need to weigh. This is XDA, where people take risks, assume that the are eventually going to brick their devices & make real modifications to devices (which this really is not). If you break something because you needed every single little detail & step spelled out for you, that's not my problem. Again, this is XDA, not some ragtime blog & anything you do here usually requires you to be able to think for yourself at some point.
Lastly, I will try to get to a step by step with pictures as soon as I can. I am not a developer, I am not a student & I don't have a ton of time to devote to answering questions. I will do what I can, when I can, but between the holidays & my job as a mechanical engineer (two large hospital projects are going on right now that take up 95% of my day), I have very little time right now. This post is the result of a large lunch review meeting, not free time, so it will probably take some time to get everything up. I have to recreate most of it, since I really figured on RMA'ing my device. I never expected this to work as it has for me.
Thanks.
Thanks for the post! If I know the issue I don't mind taking it apart to fix it.
I RMA'd it once as I didn't feel I should have to fix it, but it was such a pain jumping through all the hoops only to get it back with docs stating "OS reset" and finding the problem 30secs after resetting up my account.
I have another RMA but have waited shipping it for an update to KitKat in the hopes that it would help. It hasn't. I'll have to see if I feel up to trying your fix.
Thanks!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
No one else tried this?
I barely have screen issues, but I am curious to know if this works, after replacing my N7 2013.
Thanks and regards,
Video tuto
Need a video tutorial. I have both touch and multi reboot issue. sometimes there are 2-4 reboots occur during rebooting of system. problems persist even after kitkat update. I think this is the cause that causing me such multireboot issue.
Hope this will solve my problem. i am out of USA country so i cant give for a RMA. But need a solution look like that.
Thanks gsleon3. It always sounded like a hardware bad connection type of issue so I'm not surprised.
The problem with rma is that I'm not sure their repair techs would really fix anything. The cause may not have been made known even to their own techs because it would leak out and might start a class action law suit. My 2012 nexus 7 never had any of the touch issues my 2013 version is showing. Quality control has slipped with the 2013 version.
Any lawyers here?
Video might be tough, but I'll try to get to it. I will try to dedicate some time this weekend. I was thinking Saturday night, but I just learned that the Day of the Doctor is being simulcast in 3D near my house. So it may have to wait till Sunday so I can let my inner geek out.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
GSLEON3 said:
Video might be tough, but I'll try to get to it. I will try to dedicate some time this weekend. I was thinking Saturday night, but I just learned that the Day of the Doctor is being simulcast in 3D near my house. So it may have to wait till Sunday so I can let my inner geek out.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After what you shared with us, please DO enjoy your 3D simulcast of THE Doctor. We will be patienly waiting for your video.
Regards!!
nearly an inch long strip at the top of my screen stopped responding to touch i sent it back only had it for 6 days..
Tried this out. My clips were seated properly but I can see the reasons why they pop out.
Took about 5 mins from start to finish to test. Good job.
OP, during your disassembly of the device did you notice any random internal parts that could possibly be applying pressure to the screen from behind it? I ask because my otherwise perfect nexus 7 got a random blue dot in the middle of the screen and I know from past experience that that's typically the result of pressure physically warping the lcd panel.. otherwise the only other thing I can think of is that the lcd is being permanently damaged by the on/off case magnet but that's unlikely. or maybe heat that's causing the battery to flex into the screen. It's extra frustrating because I've had the nexus in a loose fitting hard case and the hard front flap should prevent the kind of pressure damage that would cause those blue marks... sigh.
ibebyi said:
OP, during your disassembly of the device did you notice any random internal parts that could possibly be applying pressure to the screen from behind it? I ask because my otherwise perfect nexus 7 got a random blue dot in the middle of the screen and I know from past experience that that's typically the result of pressure physically warping the lcd panel.. otherwise the only other thing I can think of is that the lcd is being permanently damaged by the on/off case magnet but that's unlikely. or maybe heat that's causing the battery to flex into the screen. It's extra frustrating because I've had the nexus in a loose fitting hard case and the hard front flap should prevent the kind of pressure damage that would cause those blue marks... sigh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well if it is pressure, I've found on past devices, sometimes batteries start expanding over time, like they have a fat belly.
Touchscreen possible fix
Started reading a bit on Google Products Forum and found a guy who said that the touchscreen problem can't be fixed by software.
So he took the back of the tablet off and found that the problem lies on the screen digitizer cable not being clipped to the connection port correctly. He disconnected the cable and connected it back again, and now his touchscreen is working perfectly.
I do not want to try it because I don't want to risk anything, but can anyone brave enough try this?:fingers-crossed:
Here's the guy's profile: http://productforums.google.com/for...ioWy9HdPwsowoDCuOz8SS9uR9nzVnPi6g2kSAInwwCj94 (it's the post form Nov 19)
LittleConfucy said:
Started reading a bit on Google Products Forum and found a guy who said that the touchscreen problem can't be fixed by software.
So he took the back of the tablet off and found that the problem lies on the screen digitizer cable not being clipped to the connection port correctly. He disconnected the cable and connected it back again, and now his touchscreen is working perfectly.
I do not want to try it because I don't want to risk anything, but can anyone brave enough try this?:fingers-crossed:
Here's the guy's profile: http://productforums.google.com/for...ioWy9HdPwsowoDCuOz8SS9uR9nzVnPi6g2kSAInwwCj94 (it's the post form Nov 19)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The author of that post is the op of this thread.
sfhub said:
The author of that post is the op of this thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whoops, sorry, didn't realize:silly:
ibebyi said:
OP, during your disassembly of the device did you notice any random internal parts that could possibly be applying pressure to the screen from behind it? I ask because my otherwise perfect nexus 7 got a random blue dot in the middle of the screen and I know from past experience that that's typically the result of pressure physically warping the lcd panel.. otherwise the only other thing I can think of is that the lcd is being permanently damaged by the on/off case magnet but that's unlikely. or maybe heat that's causing the battery to flex into the screen. It's extra frustrating because I've had the nexus in a loose fitting hard case and the hard front flap should prevent the kind of pressure damage that would cause those blue marks... sigh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive disassembled the device too and it has nothing specials with exception that few flex cables located right unddr the cover. Not sure if one of them is belongs to touchscreen though
Also i got this blue dot too,and one pink as well. In middle of screen.
Tim4 said:
Ive disassembled the device too and it has nothing specials with exception that few flex cables located right unddr the cover. Not sure if one of them is belongs to touchscreen though
Also i got this blue dot too,and one pink as well. In middle of screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got a blue smear too, but near the edge of the panel but since it's not very visible..I'm just gonna ignore it..
GSLEON3 said:
Video might be tough, but I'll try to get to it. I will try to dedicate some time this weekend. I was thinking Saturday night, but I just learned that the Day of the Doctor is being simulcast in 3D near my house. So it may have to wait till Sunday so I can let my inner geek out.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely no problem, GSLEON3, with profound gratitude I assure you that we really appreciate your engineering work discovering the problem. Take your time and we will patiently wait until you have the time to prepare a more complete review.
Wow! If it is so easy, I don't understand what the Asus support makes everyday.
Thanks for sharing it.
Sound really greate and promising. If you could, a tutorial video would be perfect for us, please
sfhub said:
Well if it is pressure, I've found on past devices, sometimes batteries start expanding over time, like they have a fat belly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If higher amperage is used there is an increased risk of expansion due to the higher excitation in the Li atoms. You will increase the wear of it too.
So if possible always use lower amperages to charge batteries(preferably around 500mA), you can limit the charging IC using a lower output charger or your computer's USB port.

Really strange screen issue

Hi all
So I just installed a few games on my Nexus 4 this evening and noticed some areas of the screen not responding. Its isolated to about a 1cm from the left on my screen. When I enable the "show touches" option under developer options I can see the ball jump when I move my finger over the area. Whats odd is that the very edge reports OK and I can swipe to Google Now without issue.
I was using PA with Franco and just as a test revered to stock and it seemed to work however after about 5 mins it went back to the same behaviour. Once again I installed my stock nandroid and now its just jumping like it was. So confused!
I guess some software is running and causing issue or the screen is over sensitive in that area me touching it is causing issue. Its worth noting that I changed the screen a few days ago so it could be the connectors but could it be isolated due to a connection?
bert682 said:
Hi all
So I just installed a few games on my Nexus 4 this evening and noticed some areas of the screen not responding. Its isolated to about a 1cm from the left on my screen. When I enable the "show touches" option under developer options I can see the ball jump when I move my finger over the area. Whats odd is that the very edge reports OK and I can swipe to Google Now without issue.
I was using PA with Franco and just as a test revered to stock and it seemed to work however after about 5 mins it went back to the same behaviour. Once again I installed my stock nandroid and now its just jumping like it was. So confused!
I guess some software is running and causing issue or the screen is over sensitive in that area me touching it is causing issue. Its worth noting that I changed the screen a few days ago so it could be the connectors but could it be isolated due to a connection?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok so I was able to use the old screen (cracked) in a frankenstein fashion and it works 100% of the time. The current seen seems to work for a while and then goes back to missing that area.
Will try and return for a replacement.
bert682 said:
Ok so I was able to use the old screen (cracked) in a frankenstein fashion and it works 100% of the time. The current seen seems to work for a while and then goes back to missing that area.
Will try and return for a replacement.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Update 3
So the issue has progressed to being intermittent. It will be broken for a few hours, then work OK for a few. This can happen at random,so, not plugged in as I suspect heat was an issue. I can get a text, its broken, pocket the phone and in 5 mins when I get the reply it can be working again.
Ive made a video of what its doing, notice the white dot "jump" when compared to the right.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0i6bdx3f4lWd3VmTWZXM0tjMTQ/edit?usp=sharing
Any suggestions?
You need a different screen if you want to fix it.
bert682 said:
Update 3
So the issue has progressed to being intermittent. It will be broken for a few hours, then work OK for a few. This can happen at random,so, not plugged in as I suspect heat was an issue. I can get a text, its broken, pocket the phone and in 5 mins when I get the reply it can be working again.
Ive made a video of what its doing, notice the white dot "jump" when compared to the right.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0i6bdx3f4lWd3VmTWZXM0tjMTQ/edit?usp=sharing
Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check that the flex cable isn't damaged, dirty or loose before you bother with a replacement. Either way, you probably need a replacement screen
lopezk38 said:
Check that the flex cable isn't damaged, dirty or loose before you bother with a replacement. Either way, you probably need a replacement screen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea I took it all apart and while the new one was connected I was able to connect the old one, upside down etc. It worked OK. Did a bit of a blow and properly pressing down on the connectors.
I could accept the screen is at fault at return it but when the issue is not 100% of the time I know my luck will be that when it gets tested at the sellers end it will work, get sent back to me and be broken again.
Have some monitoring apps running now so I can tell of its heat. Since this side is away from the battery im less incluined to think its heat from that. The motherboard does run down that side so it could be something in that? Ever seen any reports of that getting too hot?
Could even be heat from the antenna cable somehow?
Strange that it spans the whole length though.
Ill risk the return I think, got a video of it being broken so will see what happens.
Run over to Radio Shack (or whatever the equivalent is in what ever country you're in - I don't know where you are) and find a product called Deoxit/Progold. Deoxit cleans the contacts from oxidation, Progold enhances conductivity. Or find something similar.
This stuff is great for blasting inside headphone jacks to get rid of the "scratching" when your plug gets moved around, to fix iffy USB connections, etc. A little goes a long way. I don't know if it'll solve your screen issues, but it's worth a try, and if it doesn't work, you can still use it on other things, so it's not a waste of money.
Planterz said:
Run over to Radio Shack (or whatever the equivalent is in what ever country you're in - I don't know where you are) and find a product called Deoxit/Progold. Deoxit cleans the contacts from oxidation, Progold enhances conductivity. Or find something similar.
This stuff is great for blasting inside headphone jacks to get rid of the "scratching" when your plug gets moved around, to fix iffy USB connections, etc. A little goes a long way. I don't know if it'll solve your screen issues, but it's worth a try, and if it doesn't work, you can still use it on other things, so it's not a waste of money.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, that stuff isnt cheap. Lets hope a little does go a long way!
Thanks, have ordered a small bottle, will give it a go.
I noticed that my new screen is genuine LG (at least its stamped all over it) but the one I removed seems to be a 3rd party replacement. Its got some areas that "look cheap" in comparison. Its got a small foil coating over the flex cable where as the one I removed didnt. I assume its to protect and move heat away?
Few forum posts mention the use of 3rd party chargers....I have used a cheap one when I am in work. I have used in on my old HTC Desire HD and my Lumia 520 and never had an issue. Do you think it could have damaged the digitiser?
bert682 said:
Wow, that stuff isnt cheap. Lets hope a little does go a long way!
Thanks, have ordered a small bottle, will give it a go.
I noticed that my new screen is genuine LG (at least its stamped all over it) but the one I removed seems to be a 3rd party replacement. Its got some areas that "look cheap" in comparison. Its got a small foil coating over the flex cable where as the one I removed didnt. I assume its to protect and move heat away?
Few forum posts mention the use of 3rd party chargers....I have used a cheap one when I am in work. I have used in on my old HTC Desire HD and my Lumia 520 and never had an issue. Do you think it could have damaged the digitiser?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interestingly enough , the original digitizer is wrapped with aluminum tape. Some knockoffs have a better cover in fact. They use a hard aluminum sheet instead of aluminum tape. Some knockoffs don't have that shielding which is bad because that tape is there to keep the IC from getting spammed with useless data by radio frequencies and such.
If you haven't dropped your device , i don'T think it is likely that there is a problem with the glass. It's most likely the IC.
You could transfer your old flex to your new glass which is easy but you need some seriously steady hands.
When you remove the glass from the frame , you will see the flex cable's contact zone. It's basically the part where it connects to the glass. If you heat that area up with a heat gun it's gonna come right off when the solder beneath melts. Take out the new one and the old one. You need a flathead tip for your solering iron , which is like a flathead screwdriver. Simply take some solder and spread that solder around the contact dots , don't worry it won't stick to the plastic but it will melt if you keep it at the same spot too much. When you're done spreading , there are two dots with which you can align your old flex cable to your new glass. Use some adhesive tape around the alignment dots and Align the dots with your flex cable (you'll know which dots when you see it because it's orange and kinda stands out) press it so the adhesive holds and then use your heat gun and melt the solder to the contact zone.
It's actually easier than it sounds.

All of your G3 hardware problems - SOLVED!! (BSOD, screen flicker, sim card, etc)

Hello all
I had a chance to buy 15 units of G3, all broken or faulty. The purchase was made via an Swiss operator who was about to recycle the devices, but instead of recycling I bought them via some program for that. They dont pay for recycling, I get the devices extremely cheap, no one pays any tax (Switzerland stuff and their laws)
First of all I want to say - LG made a phenomenal job of envisioning a device - G3 was superb compared to all the phones released in that time period (S5, OPO1, Z2/Z3, etc) with it's bleeding edge technology and phenomenal design (which I am sure inspired others to go bezel-less and edgy and so on). 2K screen, great chipset, infrared focus and insane camera quality, etc.
Only thing they made bad was actual hardware assembly: I have never seen such bad work in modern electronics judging just by the amount of extra-flux you can see on the motherboards, looks extremely sloppy. That kind of assembly eventually led to 1000 problems, which I am sure all of us G3 owners experienced past the 24 month warranty period. Some would go so far to say that this stuff with G3 could be considered Planned obsolescence with all the problems appearing just around the 24 months clock, and with the MM update (taking into account that LG held the Nexus flag at that moment and they went over their heads thinking they are going to surpass Samsung, just like Samsung did to HTC)
My 15 units were:
- 6 units BSOD
- 5 units screen flicker
- 2 units "wifi turning on"
- 2 units sim card removed and restart/No sim card/invalid card
Note: I am not electrician and I dont understand how to read schematics, all of my info came from people that I figured best know how to repair mobile phone stuff (and also speak THE WORST english)
G3 motherboard layout for future reference:
http://i.imgsafe.org/1b64bf1021.jpg
1. BSOD -
The problem is with bad BGA solder of MMC chip. Not the actual chip (very rare occurrence). In short: BGA Solder is type of assembly that uses little balls of solder instead of pins, to hold the chip in place. There are more than 60+ balls on the MMC chip so no homemade replacement is possible (there is actually a turkish video which is NOT the way to do it as the guy doesnt add new balls, just strips old ones away)
permanent solution: give it into a repair shop to replace or do a proper reball of the Sandisk memory chip
semi-permanent solution (sometimes works 100%): give the chip a heat of 120-150 celsius (no american units, sorry) for 2 minutes (using a high powered hair dryer of at least 2000W, or a proper heat-gun) with slight push (I used wooden objects so that Metalic ones wouldnt damage the chip) > this repaired total of 5 BSOD phones, just one went dead completely after several tries. ALL of my 5 units never went back to BSOD. Please, DO NOT use ovens or anything like that, If you dont have a god-damn hair dryer give it to a technician and ask him to blow it for a minute or so. Ovens WILL burn other parts of the board, and knowing how shi*ty the whole assembly is, baking the board will just detach other chips. If you apply pressure to the chip, use something wooden like a chopstick or a pencil (dont use bamboo, it will release oils, use dry wood)
2. screen flicker -
The problem IS NOT a graphic chip (analogix), the problem is NOT CPU, as many have speculated in the past and the people who putt thermal paste over a CPU need serious education on the topic. Thermal paste is in no way a magical substance that lowers temperature when applied - it's purpose is to fill the gaps between a heating body (CPU) and heat dispenser (cooling unit, cooler, aluminum grill, etc), so thermal paste is a gap filler, not a cooling magical stuff. With that out of the picture, the problem of the screen flicker is a completely separate integrated circuit which goes haywire due to some magnetic stuff:
PERMANENT SOLUTION (homemade doable):
Now first, go back to motherboard image, and on the front side of the board find Gyro Sensor chip - just above that chip, there is a grid of 5x5 pin-like circuits.
http://i.imgsafe.org/1ba7e9ccc9.jpg
Now that you have located them, that is your LCD screen flicker solution: I didnt quite understand what is really going on there, but you need to apply heat (just like in the BSOD solution, same time same temperature), and use metallic object to "clean" the pins. He explained to me that the screen flicker is due to some magnetic residue that builds up in that circuits, and a clean metal will remove it. (how that is even possible I dont know but the solution works) Long story short - I used a really fine metallic brush (Dremel set) and once I heated it up, just strolled with brush over those pin-heads. According to the guy, the metallic object needed for cleaning should be non-magnetic. If you dont remove the screen flicker at first, use a really fine object to give all the pins a push (once heated), I used broken needle (regular needle is too sharp) or smallest Phillips screwdriver in my set. IMPORTANT: when doing this, there is a ton of chips nearby so it's smart to protect rest of the board with Alu-foil
total of my 5 screen flicker units NEVER went back to screen flicker issue. Special note: 2 of my units after completely removed screen flicker issue, immediately went to "no sim card" issue and I dont know how that is connected, but there is also a method for sim-card issue repair further down the topic
3. Wifi turning on/wifi grayed out/wifi scanning
The problem over here is also not the problem of the actual Wifi chip (motherboard image back side, red mark). The problem is the power controller located on the front side (red mark). It is also a BGA solder issue so it's repairable
permanent solution: reball or replace chip in proper mobile service shop
semi-permanent solluton: Use the same method of repairing as for the BSOD problem, but with applying heat + pressure onto the power controller chip. Be careful as there are tons of IC's nearby. Homemade solution worked partially for me - one unit (out of 2) is completely repaired, other unit actually went dead (I believe I gave it too much pressure, that was my first repair )
4. Sim card removed and restart/No sim card/invalid card -
The problem with this is also not a problem of RF chip (backside green) or the 2g/3g/4g chip (backside light red), and it is NOT a problem of Sim card slot: it's one lousy mo-fo chip that's not even listed in the hardware parts image, and it's only noted in the actual schematics (I believe it's a chip for regulating power onto the sim card slot and transferring data further)
this one (red arrow pointing onto it):
http://i.imgsafe.org/1c52a74d87.jpg
permanent solution: replace, reball or reflow in service shops (when I say replace, it makes sense as new chips out of the box have BGA balls already on it, just need to place it and heat it up)
semi-permanent solution: same method goes like BSOD and wifi problems - apply heat and moderate pressure with wooden object. The problem with this one is that it will reappear as a problem. I had one unit in the service shop where the repair guy gave it some insane heat for 5-6 seconds while protecting rest of the board, and it was permanent, no sim problem any more. In homemade variant, the problem seems almost unable to fix, but you need to be persistent. sometimes it takes 4-5 tries for the phone (placing the board, and removing it again and so on is a pain in the arse) to recognize sim and after that you are good for a month or so, once it "catches" I gave it a try with a higher temperature / less time (200c, 30 seconds) and it shows better results, I dont need to try the board for 3-4-5 times until it recognizes the SIM, it's imediately good to go, but even with that it reappears after a month, 2 months, but sometimes after only couple of days
one unit is permanent (reflow in service shop), others (repaired screen flickers that went "no sim card" ) bug me still with reappearing SIM problem.
There you go, I wanted to share this with everyone so you people wouldnt lose your mind with paper tricks, ovens, and such, as G3 is still really powerful device and it would be bad for all the units to end up in a bin. I am using 3/32 version with fulmics and it works as any new 600 usd device, if G3 still works without a flaw there is really no need to go newer, not yet.
END NOTE: every attempt at trying this is on your own responsibility, I am not responsible if you fry your board, break your device, or tear your flex cables and such.
END NOTE2: in my experience, dont attempt to try the newly repaired board with battery less than 40%, I wont get into it right now but all Li-ion/Li-poly devices work at their best when there is a good charge
good luck with potential experiments fellow XDA people
Thank you for this thread, I'm sure it will help a lot of more technologically-minded users on XDA. As for me, I did have a sim card removed problem but thankfully it appeared within my warranty period so I took it to them and they replaced the entire PCB (MoBo).
Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk
Thanks for the info. After troubleshooting a few BSOD & flicker phones I came to pretty much the same conclusion as well. Although some temporary G3 fixes work for a short time, nothing is actually "repaired" until you replace the BGA ball solder; so unless you have the proper equipment to work on BGA components you're kind of screwed.
LG has a quality problem with their manufacturing techniques of their motherboards; the latest issue was bootloop issues on the later G-series phones that were also tied to poor soldering(which they are now being sued over). It's a shame too, because I like LG's devices...just hard to trust them completely at this point. But I guess that's the philosophy of these huge OEM's these days: skimp on quality to meet sales demands. Samsung is a good example of this as well with their exploding note 7's and red tinted S8 displays(that they refuse to admit is a hardware problem - "lets just make the red tint slider longer!" just like their software "fix" for the Note 7 battery that didn't work and eventually required a massive recall). Buying a phone is turning into a crap shoot these days
@startswithPendswithOOH - you are right about everything, they really have crappy assembly. But for me, almost all of BSOD and screen flicker issues are repairable in the home conditions using methods from original post. Luckily I do have a professional heat gun so I can even experiment on the temperature and time of heating and my repair rate is great (fortunately I had 15 devices to experiment on). I actually made some money of it, sold almost all of them that were repaired and not a single buyer called me back with a problem. My girlfriend and my nephew are going with my repaired G3s and they use it constantly. Especially my girl, she abuses it to the point that I get annoyed and remove all her running apps (sums up to 20+ ) cause she uses just 10 of some social apps and such, her phone should overheat and problems should reappear if it were not for a good repair. She usesd BSOD repaired device and didnt have one for 4 months now
Update on possible solution for the sim card problem
I did a little tempering with a piece of dry wood, and I made it EXACTLY into a shape of the square of the SIM card chip (described in the original post). I used a stick and shaped it with dremel sandpapering tool, to be exactly the size of the square. Then I putt a cloth underneath the board (so when applying pressure from the upper side you wont break some other stuff opposite) and made a pressure with wooden stick, approximately the force needed to pierce the styrofoam with index finger. That's about the strongest pressure you can give it, and not damage the board. heated it up with 200c with a heat gun for a minute
6th day without problems, without sim card failure, should be noted that I am abusing that board via data and calls going all the time and it seems the problem is solved, will report again in 3 weeks (full month)
Hey!
Do you have any fix for rear camera problem?
Sp3cTeR said:
Hey!
Do you have any fix for rear camera problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well I do - only problem with rear camera should be - replace rear camera :cyclops:
Oooooh, I stand corrected after a bit of google-ing. I see that it IS an actual problem with no solution, camera sometimes works, sometimes it doesnt. Well, it could be yet another chip on the board, actually the way people described the problem on Androidcentral forums, seems it's 100% a chip issue. If it was HW issue it would work or not work, this partial usability points to another motherboard problem
anyways you should check all the stuff that should NOT be motherboard issue
1. camera module gone bad - replacement should be extremely cheap, check out service shops for spare or Aliexpress for mega-cheap spare, if you know how to open ask someone with G3 to replace cam modules for couple of days to check
2. camera flex cable - in the process of fiddling with the phone and removing motherboard several times, one can easily tear the flex cable of the cam, examine it
3. motherboard connector for camera - for this I really dont see even a remote chance of happening, but im still mentioning it
4. software problem - eliminate the possibility of tempering with root access with files, by doing a factory reset
Well, just bought lg g3 for $60. Pretty clean. The problem was that owner couldn't get it out of Firwmare Upgrade screen, had no experience nor time / patience. So I bought it. Later that night, managed to flash v10e from lgg3root(dot)com tutorial for it. From the first try.
But using the phone got laggier and laggier, and if I were to do multiple tasks like switching between apps and stuff like this, the phone would freeze and then in about 15-20 seconds it would give me the LG logo and pretty much stay there, eventually giving the "kernel crashed" screen (BSOD ?? )
Please, what do u think the problem is?
Managed eventually get v20h / v30b on it but was pretty much unusable, and most of the time, when trying to get it connect with the ADB and run "reboot recovery" and do factory wipe, it would just crash again. Now I'm stuggling to get v10e again on it ... but it's really a pain. I've got about a week worth of hours into making it work. Please, read my thread to get some more 'clues' https://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-g3/help/help-horrible-experience-d855-t3600094
AKAndrew41 said:
Well, just bought lg g3 for $60. Pretty clean. The problem was that owner couldn't get it out of Firwmare Upgrade screen, had no experience nor time / patience. So I bought it. Later that night, managed to flash v10e from lgg3root(dot)com tutorial for it. From the first try.
But using the phone got laggier and laggier, and if I were to do multiple tasks like switching between apps and stuff like this, the phone would freeze and then in about 15-20 seconds it would give me the LG logo and pretty much stay there, eventually giving the "kernel crashed" screen (BSOD ?? )
Please, what do u think the problem is?
Managed eventually get v20h / v30b on it but was pretty much unusable, and most of the time, when trying to get it connect with the ADB and run "reboot recovery" and do factory wipe, it would just crash again. Now I'm stuggling to get v10e again on it ... but it's really a pain. I've got about a week worth of hours into making it work. Please, read my thread to get some more 'clues' https://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-g3/help/help-horrible-experience-d855-t3600094
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, the links arr down?
i fixed my screen flickering issue thank you so much i will report if it comes back it's no problem for me but the fix you described works that means those circuits have something to do with this,i would like to know if it's possible to clean those circuits with alcohol it's maybe stupid but idk you tell me other than that thank you
edit:it's back sorry if got anyone excited,i'm back to putting the pressure on the SOC
Thank bro u saved my device!
Updated : flickering to fading comes again after less than an hour with less usage , just charging it, so i tried heated up and put pressure again but this time on the processor.
Igoritza said:
4. Sim card removed and restart/No sim card/invalid card -
The problem with this is also not a problem of RF chip (backside green) or the 2g/3g/4g chip (backside light red), and it is NOT a problem of Sim card slot: it's one lousy mo-fo chip that's not even listed in the hardware parts image, and it's only noted in the actual schematics (I believe it's a chip for regulating power onto the sim card slot and transferring data further)
this one (red arrow pointing onto it):
http://i.imgsafe.org/1c52a74d87.jpg
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well done mate, but according to service manual the chip you pointing with red arrow is NFC
Im bit confused now what it have to do with the sim
As far as i think, if bsod or screen flicker comes up, theres no need to fix it because its dead, so just buy a new mobo and thats it.
startswithPendswithOOH said:
Thanks for the info. After troubleshooting a few BSOD & flicker phones I came to pretty much the same conclusion as well. Although some temporary G3 fixes work for a short time, nothing is actually "repaired" until you replace the BGA ball solder; so unless you have the proper equipment to work on BGA components you're kind of screwed.
LG has a quality problem with their manufacturing techniques of their motherboards; the latest issue was bootloop issues on the later G-series phones that were also tied to poor soldering(which they are now being sued over). It's a shame too, because I like LG's devices...just hard to trust them completely at this point. But I guess that's the philosophy of these huge OEM's these days: skimp on quality to meet sales demands. Samsung is a good example of this as well with their exploding note 7's and red tinted S8 displays(that they refuse to admit is a hardware problem - "lets just make the red tint slider longer!" just like their software "fix" for the Note 7 battery that didn't work and eventually required a massive recall). Buying a phone is turning into a crap shoot these days
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Preach on. Lol i got a g4 im in the lawsuit over
Yeah black screen comes back when the tmperature was hot. So its time to throw away this crap g3. Hopeless .
2 years ago a yellow coffe spot appeared on the top corner of my lg3 display, so i sent back to warranty and they changed the lcd screen.
Some month after the same coffe spot appear in the same area, i brought back the phone in warranty they changed the lcd. again
Now i have the problem for the 3rd time, im not in warranty anymore.
In my opinion is not the lcd, the lcd cant burn itself in that way, i think is a glue problem and maybe i can buy a new 13$ glass on amazon and replace it.
But before to risk to broke the phone, anyone experienced that?
This is an image i found on google image, is not my G3 but that explain my situation.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
L33TaS said:
As far as i think, if bsod or screen flicker comes up, theres no need to fix it because its dead, so just buy a new mobo and thats it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's is also a temporary solution,if you're wasting money better buy another smartphone that is no an lg,go with another reliable brand
Khalid47 said:
i fixed my screen flickering issue thank you so much i will report if it comes back it's no problem for me but the fix you described works that means those circuits have something to do with this,i would like to know if it's possible to clean those circuits with alcohol it's maybe stupid but idk you tell me other than that thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how close did you hold the heat gun/ hair dryer?
Khalid47 said:
that's is also a temporary solution,if you're wasting money better buy another smartphone that is no an lg,go with another reliable brand
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is true. I bought a new mobo from DhGate to fix the famous "WiFi saved but not connecting issue" only to end up with the screen flickering, lines, and fade to black issue with the replacement mobo. I want to get a new phone but I'm waiting for the note 8/ pixel 2 .
unbreakabl3 said:
how close did you hold the heat gun/ hair dryer?
This is true. I bought a new mobo from DhGate to fix the famous "WiFi saved but not connecting issue" only to end up with the screen flickering, lines, and fade to black issue with the replacement mobo. I want to get a new phone but I'm waiting for the note 8/ pixel 2 .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i held a hairdryer for 3 mins with my hand i'm thinking the problem will comeback but i don't care i fixed it many times temporarely,as for the mobo you shouldn't have wasted your money it's really dumb people who buy it again we already know that it will die really what's the point of that,as for your future daily driver i would recommand you go with a sony i'm not working for them or anything i had a sony and my brother has one never experienced anything hardware related or software related,just talking from my experience with this brand i can't advise you something that i never tried samsung or xiaomi etc...,goodluck with your fixing
Khalid47 said:
i held a hairdryer for 3 mins with my hand i'm thinking the problem will comeback but i don't care i fixed it many times temporarely,as for the mobo you shouldn't have wasted your money it's really dumb people who buy it again we already know that it will die really what's the point of that,as for your future daily driver i would recommand you go with a sony i'm not working for them or anything i had a sony and my brother has one never experienced anything hardware related or software related,just talking from my experience with this brand i can't advise you something that i never tried samsung or xiaomi etc...,goodluck with your fixing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i meant how far away from the chip did you hold the hairdryer? 10cm, 20cm etc.
well I wanted to keep the phone going till the Fall lol.. and plus i didnt think that the replacement would have issues tbh. Thanks for the recommendation. I'll look into them.

Pixel 4 - Need Replacement Motherboard

Hi all, was replacing my cracked screen and managed to graze some of the resistors on the motherboard and its possible one was unseated.
New screen and old screen both turn on but the touch does not register. I think I need a new motherboard.
Does anyone know where to get motherboard parts? Does anyone have one for sale as i would love to put this thing back together!
A more likely culprit is that the digitizer wasn't plugged back in properly . I would suggest that you take the phone apart again and make sure all of the connections are seated properly.
I've had a phone with motherboard issues and they generally completely stop working (black screen, no boot, etc). That's why I really don't think the touch screen issue is a result of a loose component on the mother board. That being said, if you really feel like it is a loose connection on the mother board, you can try baking the board in an oven to soften the solder joints which allows them to re-adhere when they cool down. Yes, it can actually work. Take the phone apart and stick just the motherboard (don't put the case, screen, battery, etc in the oven) in an oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. I've always rested the motherboard on top of two wooden spoons that were sitting on a cookie sheet. This keeps the motherboard off the hot metal surface and allows the hot air to get to all parts of the mother board. Remove the motherboard and let it cool down before installing the board.
Thanks Sic for the reply. You made me not give up hope. I will try again and bake some mobo.
But which wire is the actual digitizer. Is it the one on the far right?
The rest seem to attach to bumpers or usbc charger. Thanks again for reply.
Attached 2 photos. 1 is my mobo with red circles around what i think was damaged. I think this is the only connection to the screen digitizer in the phone.
The second is from IFIXIT mobo. it looks a bit different, possibly different revision but showing the same angle. Digitizer connection on top.
Could one of those circles connections cause the digitizer to not pick up finger contact but the screen works perfectly?
Looking at the two pictures, I could be easily convinced that there isn't suppose to my any components where you have your red circles. If you look at the IFIXIT picture, there are three components, then a break, then 6 more components and another break. You red circles seem to correspond with the breaks in the IFIXIT image, although it is clear that the motherboard isn't identical in the two images. Just my two cents.
sic0048 said:
Looking at the two pictures, I could be easily convinced that there isn't suppose to my any components where you have your red circles. If you look at the IFIXIT picture, there are three components, then a break, then 6 more components and another break. You red circles seem to correspond with the breaks in the IFIXIT image, although it is clear that the motherboard isn't identical in the two images. Just my two cents.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply.
Well, back to using my Pickle 3 which is still great and my Pixel 4 cupcakes are about ready. Let me check the oven.
Any update? I'm curious to know if baking the motherboard helped at all.
sic0048 said:
Any update? I'm curious to know if baking the motherboard helped at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Update. Phone no longer boots after reinstalling everything.
I pre-heated to 200c ~ 400f and let it sit for 10 minutes and cool before reinstalling all the components. Was a final attempt I know.
ridethasky said:
Update. Phone no longer boots after reinstalling everything.
I pre-heated to 200c ~ 400f and let it sit for 10 minutes and cool before reinstalling all the components. Was a final attempt I know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's too bad. I'm not all that surprised it didn't help, but I am surprised it actually made the problem worse.
Perhaps one of the components was loose and baking it made the connection fail completely. As I noted before, motherboard issues generally result in a no boot situation.
Baking it was a last ditch effort to try to get it to work, but don't feel like you have to quit now. You can try baking it again - perhaps for slightly longer this time. You have nothing to loose and perhaps it will cause a bad connection to re-solidify. Sorry I can't be of more help.
Hello I am sorry that your phone is not working. I was wondering if you do find a new board if you wanted to sell me your old mother board. I want to try a project of replacing the ram chip with a 16gb chip but to do so I need a old board.
Hello, I have the same problem, my pixel 4 XL got wet (I know, it was stupid) it reaches a depth of 2 meters, I opened it to myself if I could save it and it was completely rusty. and several transistors and chips came out. So I decided to look for a motherboard to repair it. anyone know where i can get the replacement? :crying: :crying: :crying:
ridethasky said:
Does anyone have one for sale as i would love to put this thing back together!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thread closed and cleaned! Do not sell or trade on XDA!
XDA Forum Rules (excerpt):
...
7. Do not sell or trade on the forums.
If you wish to advertise a product, simply contact us. We can provide ads but you are not permitted to just post it in the forums. If you do, it will be removed and you're likely to receive a ban.
The buying, selling, trading and / or exchanging of any item is now prohibited on XDA, in any forum or via Private Messages. We now use www.swappa.com
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Categories

Resources