Disassembling the EPIC 4G? - Epic 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Has anyone done it before? There is a video on youtube, but it only goes as far as the keyboard. I'm looking to get to the LCD to fix/replace it because of discoloration from water damage. Anyone thinks it's possible?

I remember a thread like this being made a while ago...if you're on a computer, just search and you should find it. I can't post a link, but I think the guy in that thread replaced it succesfully.
There was also alotta chatter about insurance covering it
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

Here's a tear down of the Epic 4G:
http://www.chipworks.com/en/technical-competitive-analysis/resources/recent-teardowns/2010/09/teardown-of-the-samsung-epic-4g-smart-phone/
Try asking a repair technician. The truth is, body repairs can be quite pricey - to the point where you might as well be getting a new phone in many cases.

I watched someone else take mine apart. There are an awful lot of little screws, but you can definitely seperate the case, the screen, and the actual guts in about 10 or 15 minutes.

DiGi760 said:
I watched someone else take mine apart. There are an awful lot of little screws, but you can definitely seperate the case, the screen, and the actual guts in about 10 or 15 minutes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The question then is can you get it back together ;-)
Sent from my ext4 Epic 4G running Bonsai4all 1.1.3!

sauron0101 said:
Here's a tear down of the Epic 4G:
http://www.chipworks.com/en/technic.../teardown-of-the-samsung-epic-4g-smart-phone/
Try asking a repair technician. The truth is, body repairs can be quite pricey - to the point where you might as well be getting a new phone in many cases.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had TEP with my BB curve and I smashed it [was REALLLLLLY angry at my gf...she wasn't worth the BB :'( ] and I took it to a corporate store, and he fixed the screen in front of my face and I walked right out lol but that was a couple years ago
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

The phone still works, I just wouldn't want to look at pictures or watch videos on it since the color is all messed up. It's been about 2 weeks since the accident and it's still going! I just want to study this just for reference just in case it does go out. The replacement cost $60 on ebay, so I'd definitely do that, especially when I don't have insurance with Sprint (I think it still costs more than DIY) and I don't think Samsung fixes water damage through its warranty.
Oh well.
Thanks for the link! I'll check it out!

being a technician at an indirect sprint store, its a pain in the ass to separate the LED screen and the glass itself. the very best way to do it is either go to a 3rd party sprint store that has a full service(repair) center and either have them do an exchange if the tech is a nice guy (considering its water damage) or replace the part (which would be free as long as you have TEP). PM me with more questions if you have them

kzn said:
Has anyone done it before? There is a video on youtube, but it only goes as far as the keyboard. I'm looking to get to the LCD to fix/replace it because of discoloration from water damage. Anyone thinks it's possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I've done it at least 20-30 times now. It's EXTREMELY difficult to get the lcd out and you'll more than likely end up breaking your phone.

br//0k3/n said:
Yeah, I've done it at least 20-30 times now. It's EXTREMELY difficult to get the lcd out and you'll more than likely end up breaking your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, you're definitely right about the LED itself. It's close to paper thin and made of a glass type material. it will break if you try to get it out. it's glued pretty good.

flawlessbmxr said:
Yea, you're definitely right about the LED itself. It's close to paper thin and made of a glass type material. it will break if you try to get it out. it's glued pretty good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I took mine apart, lots of screws. Honestly the hardest part was removing the back cover that goes over the motherboard. I used a very small flathead to pry up underneath where the little notches are on the side. There's a lot of clip points and 2 of them at the battery are very hard to get off. Once that's off, the rest is cake. Separating the screen was a non-issue, as mine was already broken/cracked.

just to chim,e in on this ancient thread. i used a guitar pick instead of a flat head. i thought a metal screwdriver would scuff and mar up the plastic cover over the board.

Another protip: the notches on the second to last plastic cover serve a purpose -getting that back half to snap onto the phone is a huge pain in the ass, - i put a flathead into the slits and pushed down and snap snap snap snap motherboard cover was back in and my battery case didn't bulge.

kzn said:
Has anyone done it before? There is a video on youtube, but it only goes as far as the keyboard. I'm looking to get to the LCD to fix/replace it because of discoloration from water damage. Anyone thinks it's possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've replaced my LED screen before by myself, took a few hours. This video helped me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeO89VGAPuU

zvonkorp said:
I took mine apart, lots of screws. Honestly the hardest part was removing the back cover that goes over the motherboard. I used a very small flathead to pry up underneath where the little notches are on the side. There's a lot of clip points and 2 of them at the battery are very hard to get off. Once that's off, the rest is cake. Separating the screen was a non-issue, as mine was already broken/cracked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there a water sensor inside the phone, I've always wondered if the battery was the only place
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

Related

[Q] LCD Replacement???

Hi guys, I got my hands on a MT4G with a broken LCD.
First Q, is it worthy getting a replacement off cheapbay? What other options are there?
Second Q, is it hard to replace it? Is it possible to do it myself?
Thanks for your advise...
I haven't replaced an LCD myself but I am looking to replace a digitizer for my wife's phone.
Someone posted up this link for me in another thread I started.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FULL-LCD-DI...984?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a12834fe0
This should take out the hard part of disassembling the digitizer from the lcd and reattaching and the adhesive itself.
It's the complete the front housing, digitizer AND LCD in one. Already assembled.
I haven't ordered it myself yet but I AM tempted. Especially after watching some of these disassembling videos.
Let me know what you decide and how it worked out.
Just PM me.
Thanks bro and good luck.
Thanks a lot, I will check it out, the adhesive part really has me in doubt.
I've replaced the LCD without the digitizer attached and you are both correct. It can be done but the finished product is not factory quality. I looked at the ebay part posted in the link and that would be the way to do it. Otherwise you have to use a hair dryer to heat the glue and its not fun.
If you are not familiar with taking electronics apart look for a video tutorial via google; I used one to take the MT4G apart. Also label the screws as they come out by drawing the phone on a piece of paper and placing the screw accordingly on the paper. Makes assembly much easier!
Hope you take on the challenge and good luck.
allenmehrer said:
I've replaced the LCD without the digitizer attached and you are both correct. It can be done but the finished product is not factory quality. I looked at the ebay part posted in the link and that would be the way to do it. Otherwise you have to use a hair dryer to heat the glue and its not fun.
If you are not familiar with taking electronics apart look for a video tutorial via google; I used one to take the MT4G apart. Also label the screws as they come out by drawing the phone on a piece of paper and placing the screw accordingly on the paper. Makes assembly much easier!
Hope you take on the challenge and good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah my only thing about ordering this complete assembly is that my wife's phone has the SO screen and I don't want to replace with an SH, which I'm sure that part is going to be. (99.99% sure)
Add to that, she doesn't even need a new LCD and the digitizer alone is just 25 bucks.
Decisions, decisions.
nguyendqh said:
Yeah my only thing about ordering this complete assembly is that my wife's phone has the SO screen and I don't want to replace with an SH, which I'm sure that part is going to be. (99.99% sure)
Add to that, she doesn't even need a new LCD and the digitizer alone is just 25 bucks.
Decisions, decisions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to clean the dirt out between my digitizer and lcd! Can't tell you how annoying that is. Suppose someone could do a better job resealing it... It would be nice if a digitizer/lcd kit came with new adhesive.
http://www.papadigitals.com/advance...uch+4g&sgmid=aa6a532f59b343f82afc0aaa2d55c02d
I saw lcd screen and touch screen digitizer for HTC mytouch 4G there.
I've been taking electronics apart since I was 7 tears old. The MyTouch 4g finally beat me.
There are a lot of really delicate connectors that break easily. Be careful
dr_tracker said:
is it worthy getting a replacement off cheapbay? What other options are there? Second Q, is it hard to replace
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'd better to buy non-working phone (maybe from ebay) and make one from two phones. You should have the screwdriver. Easy to replace.
It is not really hard i saw a vid on youtube just search it up super easy actually
I bought a digitizer LCD already together for like 75 and it wasn't too bad to exchange and put this new one in but when I powered the phone the bottom left of the screen didn't work and it impossible to take it back out of the silver bezel without breaking it so I sent it back to get my money and lost the bezel. Its not too hard but be careful take your time and don't pull or yank anything.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium
I replaced my digitizer. I agree, there are many delicate connectors, but nothing to be afraid of. You should watch the YouTube video over and over. Also, be careful not to push on the bottom buttons while taking it apart. This was the most frustrating thing because they wouldn't sit properly when reassembled. I took it apart 5 times before I forgot to detach the power ribbon and ripped it off! There are motherboards available to fix this, but saving it for another day.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using Tapatalk
That's funny that's the same exact thing I did pulled the power ribbon right out so I just said screw it and just bought a new phone on eBay
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium

Broken Screen - Which part should i buy?

My GF broke the screen on her Droid Incredible, Verizon insurance wants $100 to replace it, so not sure it is worth it for this phone, and she has a few months left before her upgrade is ready. If i am going to try to fix it for her, can anyone with experience tell me what parts specifically I would need? The LCD seems fine, so i would think i can replace just the digitizer, which i can get on Amazon for $16
http://www.amazon.com/Incredible-Sc...ement-Adhesives/dp/B005TGX6X8/ref=pd_cp_cps_0
They also sell with front housing
http://www.amazon.com/Touch-Screen-Glass-Digitizer-Incredible/dp/B005L0XRRM/ref=pd_cp_cps_1
any tips which to buy or what to do etc?
Why would one/How does one know if they need to replace the LCD as well?
All touch aspects of phone working fine and seems like it's just the glass cracked.
Dillsnik said:
My GF broke the screen on her Droid Incredible, Verizon insurance wants $100 to replace it, so not sure it is worth it for this phone, and she has a few months left before her upgrade is ready. If i am going to try to fix it for her, can anyone with experience tell me what parts specifically I would need? The LCD seems fine, so i would think i can replace just the digitizer, which i can get on Amazon for $16
http://www.amazon.com/Incredible-Sc...ement-Adhesives/dp/B005TGX6X8/ref=pd_cp_cps_0
They also sell with front housing
http://www.amazon.com/Touch-Screen-Glass-Digitizer-Incredible/dp/B005L0XRRM/ref=pd_cp_cps_1
any tips which to buy or what to do etc?
Why would one/How does one know if they need to replace the LCD as well?
All touch aspects of phone working fine and seems like it's just the glass cracked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am no expert, but it would seem that if anything under the glass was broken, you would need to replace the lcd (that is, if you could see the lcd "leaking" or being distorted)
Sent from my ARCHOS 80G9 using Tapatalk 2
Nothing under the screen seems broken.
Anyone done this?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk
Dillsnik said:
Nothing under the screen seems broken.
Anyone done this?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately I have had the pleasure of replacing my digitizer twice. You definitely wanna buy it WITH the frame or housing. The adhesive is like industrial strength and you will end up breaking the original anyways when trying to remove the digitizer from it. I have to warn you that doing this repair yourself will void your warranty. Make sure the digitizer you get comes with the tools required to get the phone apart. You can get this as a package on eBay fairly cheap too. There are about 3-4 circuit strips that will have to be removed from their clips, don't be intimidated by them, but be gentle. Your first time is gonna take you a while, just be patient. If you need to do it a second time, its gonna be a breeze. PM me if you have any concerns during your repair.
yea get a digitizer also,
I had the same thing happen to me, it was a pain but there are a few videos on youtube
that should help you through it, though it doesn't sound like its that bad
Definitely go with the digitizer and housing replacement together. Bottom line, it will make your life so much less of a headache while replacing it.
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA
I just replaced mine this weekend. I attached some before, during, and after pictures...
These were the guides that I followed:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfpPS7oO4Q8
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJMAmKpk20c
Personally, I went with just the glass/digitizer (your first link) and it went fine. The glass is difficult to get out of the housing, but it's not that bad. It probably took me 20 minutes to get the old glass out, maybe 5 minutes of cleaning goo from the old adhesive, and probably another 5 minutes to put the new glass back on.
Some Tips:
The pry tool that comes with it is very cheap. I would suggest using it sparingly until you get to the LCD panel extraction and glass removal. You want it to be as in good of condition as can be when you get to those later steps.
Use a blow-drier to heat up the adhesive, and get it to the point where you almost cant touch it. I used some yellow kitchen gloves so I could get it a little hotter and still be able to hold it. I used a combination of my hands and the pry tool and worked mostly along the sides and top first, then separated the bottom last.
The guy in the youtube videos uses glue, but you shouldn't need that. It comes with pre-cut adhesive strips, which work great. One word of caution though... The sheet that they come on is scored for you, but I suggest using an x-acto to cut them out. This is especially important for the thin rectangle that goes around the outside of the glass. You really don't want to pull on that... you don't want it to get stretched or twisted. Summary: the strips work great, just be careful extracting them from the sheet they come on, and placing them on the phone.
Don't forget to get the red earpiece grill off of the old glass before throwing it away. You'll need to super glue that back onto the housing, but it's really easy to see where it goes. This should be the only thing you need glue for.
When removing the glass, cleaning up gunk from the old adhesive, and applying new adhesive, be careful of the electronics at the bottom for your capacitive buttons... you definitely don't want to harm or obstruct those.
This should probably go without saying, but make sure not to touch the inside of the new glass, or the LCD panel. You don't want fingerprints or dust inside the phone. Even if you don't touch it, I would still give it a shot of compressed air right before putting it in, just to make sure there's no dust.
I would say that it's probably worth the extra $10-12 bucks to get it with the housing already included, but it's definitely not necessary if you want to save a little money. As I said above, it only took me about a half hour to get the old glass out and the new glass in, and from what it sounds like, there is still some effort involved even if you get it with the housing (moving the circuitry from the old one). I wouldn't worry about breaking the frame... it's pretty strong. If you break it, you're doing it wrong. Although, if your frame has some scrapes and other assorted road rash on it like mine does (see first picture), then maybe you might want a new one anyway. Another consideration... the reviews on Amazon for the one without the housing are much better, but that could just be because of people who don't know what they're doing... who knows.
If you have any questions, I'd certainly be willing to help... PM me if you want. And if I'm going to be around when you go to actually do the replacement, I can give you my gchat address in case you have any questions during the process.

Crack in sgs2 benzel !!

Guys
I observed that there is a crack in the benzel of my sgs2. Benzel i mean The plastic lining that wraps around the front glass.
The crack is near the volume buttons.
How easy it is to replace this plastic strip ? Is it risky ?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
Pretty sure you mean bezel, not benzel.
You would probably have to replace the entire housing which is quite risky to do in my opinion. If you don't know what you are doing you could short the board or break something.
Happened to me too.
Is it really so bad that you need to replace it?
Happend to me too. Seems like that part is very fragile.
I think the only way you can replace it is replacing the whole screen and touch panel.
After that one little crack and that mysterious burn mark right next to it (damn alcohol ) i finally decided to buy a case
TheSniperFan said:
Happened to me too.
Is it really so bad that you need to replace it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its not so bad. But there is an another minor crack on the exactly other side of the benzel where power button is present !
Is it because of overheat ? I use my phone while charging and battery temps are at 46 celcius when I do that.
I never dropped my phone.
If I go for a new benzel then will I have to pay for new screen too ? Is the benzel glued to the screen ?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
DaPhinc said:
Happend to me too. Seems like that part is very fragile.
I think the only way you can replace it is replacing the whole screen and touch panel.
After that one little crack and that mysterious burn mark right next to it (damn alcohol ) i finally decided to buy a case
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Buying a case is not an option for me. I nvr dropped my phone. I use it very carefully , I love my sgs2.
Why would I have to replace screen also ?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
You can probably have it replaced at an official Samsung repair center. I'm pretty sure they carry one or two sets -- or can order one for you -- but it'll probably set you back a little.
sachinaik said:
Why would I have to replace screen also ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure about this. But looking at the screen replacement tutorial (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1253969) it seems like screen+touchpanel+bezel is a single part. I guess it is somehow glued together. But again, that is just a guess.
just put a little glue in the crack
went to samsung service center.
They said they will replace the Glass panel, Pled screen and benzel.
Oh what the hell, I'll get a new Oled screen. Will go for SGS4 directly
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
I guess it is not covered by warranty, is it? How much do they charge you for replacing it?
DaPhinc said:
I guess it is not covered by warranty, is it? How much do they charge you for replacing it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Approximate 6000Rs I.e, 120$
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
yeah I noticed a crack on my bezel above the volume button. You can kind of see it on the enclosed picture.
I've got a crack in almost exactly the same place as the above pic, slightly closer to the top of the volume button.
Mine has been in an official flip case since day one and has never been dropped. I only noticed the crack when I looked after reading this thread (just like the plastic cover over the home button thread!).
I wouldn't have noticed the crack because of the case. So, is this a design fault? Is it heat or flex that is causing the crack?
The benzel is the most fragile part I think.
I must be because of heat. As the processor, gpu and antenna are near camera module. The top portion gets a lot hotter when accessing 3G.
On top of that if any pressure you put on it going to worsen it. Putting it in a tight jeans and then when u try to remove it out of pocket, u tend to grab the benzel a lot.
All in all, I would go for a metal/polycorbonate benzel in my next phone. That disqualifies SGS3.
Obviously I dont want to pay a hell lot of amount just to get a thin plastic strip (benzel) to be replaced.
Just because samsung did stupid move to glue them together and chose a cheap plastic for benzel I now have to pay a lot.
Waiting for HTC One XL(unibody) with S4 chipset. At least it would come for 3 yrs rather than breaking within 11 Months.
End of rant. Sh**ty cheap plastic Samsung.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
same issue for me
i discovered that few weeks after buying the device
i kept the device with that crack but i worried about it
"happy" to see that i'm not the only one
Incredible! Saw this thread and wondered what the hell a 'benzel' was. After reading that it had happened to more people, I just checked my phone and it has the same crack.
Had never noticed this until now. Fortunately mine is a black phone, so not as noticeable as the white.
check my post open in may
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=13714534#post13714534
Wow i had one also at the power button side, i thought it os scratch first but not. Interesting how could this be happen
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA
sachinaik said:
Just because samsung did stupid move to glue them together and chose a cheap plastic for benzel I now have to pay a lot.
Waiting for HTC One XL(unibody) with S4 chipset. At least it would come for 3 yrs rather than breaking within 11 Months.
End of rant. Sh**ty cheap plastic Samsung.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the phone isnt exactly broke though is it?? a part of the phone could have been designed better maybe but it isnt broke and doesnt stop he phone from working its also very hardly noticeable
ive had one sgs2 for around a year now and used it hard and it works great
oh and watch these videos and then try and say the sgs2 wont last 3 years if looked after properly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXOezJKpOsg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFKmvJ0zIiY
also the bezel scratches easy is there any point in replacing it when you could pay to have it fixed then drop the phone or scratch it against something??
wear marks are never good to see but they do happend

How to replace just the glass lens on the at&t galaxy s3

Pretty much all you need in the title. I wanted to know how to do this mainly because it's cheaper then buying a lCD digitizer combo and because I can't find a guide anywhere else. Any tips and tricks on how to do this should be well appreciated and any guides. Thanks in andVance for anyone's help.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
Backslash10 said:
Pretty much all you need in the title. I wanted to know how to do this mainly because it's cheaper then buying a lCD digitizer combo and because I can't find a guide anywhere else. Any tips and tricks on how to do this should be well appreciated and any guides. Thanks in andVance for anyone's help.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also have a cracked the screen, What my search result has come up with is the cost to replace the screen is ~$200CDN. Can you please keep me posted on what path you would be taking, might just follow
Replacing the glass from the actual screen is very hard and would require tons of technical know-how because the two are fused together.
Not recommended, even by experts.
Well I know it's extremely hard but I'm mainly looking for advise about it is all it decently help people out here.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
Backslash10 said:
Well I know it's extremely hard but I'm mainly looking for advise about it is all it decently help people out here.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's not possible to do. period.
Really I thought I could be done but took a lot of waiting and just the right heat and pressure.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
dLo GSR said:
it's not possible to do. period.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice
Op
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1904554
it is very possible I have done 4 of them already...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1890708
dLo GSR said:
it's not possible to do. period.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hahahah.....owned, should really atleast attempt to find out if what you are saying has any evidence to support it, or rebut it
dLo GSR said:
it's not possible to do. period.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've heard its possible, just EXTREMELY difficult to manage.. I wouldn't.
Its entirely possible, as the multiple video's have shown. Although i haven't done it to the SGS3 yet, i will be soon. Cracked my lens the other day, replacement in the mail. I have also changed the screen's on several iphones (at my job) which us a similar method of gluing. It is made to be difficult by design...to keep people from attempting it and opting to send it in for repair. Of course when you do this, through samsung anyways, you are being charged for the entire led assembly and not just the lens.
dntesinfrno said:
Its entirely possible, as the multiple video's have shown. Although i haven't done it to the SGS3 yet, i will be soon. Cracked my lens the other day, replacement in the mail. I have also changed the screen's on several iphones (at my job) which us a similar method of gluing. It is made to be difficult by design...to keep people from attempting it and opting to send it in for repair. Of course when you do this, through samsung anyways, you are being charged for the entire led assembly and not just the lens.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to hear you did it at your job with iphones. Any idea what glue they use to bond the glass to the digitizer? I have searched and searched and cannot find anything. I have done several S3 so far and this is the one ingredient lacking for a complete repair. In terms of what it feels like while removing the old glue; it seems to be silicone based the way it comes up, you can roll it into little balls, it's is tacky and has that rubbery consistency.
Unfortunately, no idea what adhesive they use. Personally i would attempt what YellowGTO did first and simply heat the existing glue and see how it holds. Normally this should be enough to do the job, as you can imagine the stuff if pretty tacky. Especially if the lens fits as tightly as his in the video, its doubtful it will fall out even with the slightest remaining glue. If for whatever reason there isn't enough to firmly hold the screen in place i've used small dabs of liquid tape where necessary, or the thin 3M double sided tape would work also i suppose. In this case i usually wrap the device in a towel or shirt or whatever you have laying around and set something with some decent weight on top of it, screen side down on a flat surface, overnight to give the adhesive time to setup properly.
dntesinfrno said:
Unfortunately, no idea what adhesive they use. Personally i would attempt what YellowGTO did first and simply heat the existing glue and see how it holds. Normally this should be enough to do the job, as you can imagine the stuff if pretty tacky. Especially if the lens fits as tightly as his in the video, its doubtful it will fall out even with the slightest remaining glue. If for whatever reason there isn't enough to firmly hold the screen in place i've used small dabs of liquid tape where necessary, or the thin 3M double sided tape would work also i suppose. In this case i usually wrap the device in a towel or shirt or whatever you have laying around and set something with some decent weight on top of it, screen side down on a flat surface, overnight to give the adhesive time to setup properly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure the outer frame is enough in most cases to hold it on, thats fine. But there is a side effect once all the glue is removed off the digitizer. There will a micro gap between the 2 when the original glue is removed. If you press the new glass hard enough, ( for example cleaning fingerprints like I often do against my shirt ) and it touches the digitizer, the phone freezes. You must then power off the screen, sleep button and then press power again to bring it up and then it will work again. Seems to be a recalibration process going on.
Maybe these 2 posts should be merged and I would certainly read the post below. Much more good info here on the subject...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=33056057#post33056057
Yea, i've been following several threads about lens replacement, even before i busted mine (jinxed myself?). I'd much rather have to deal with a 15 second reboot over possibly damaging the LED or worse using an adhesive that may not be transparent. I can live with the air gap, or even the 'invisible' smudges on my personal device...although if i were going to do this for profit obviously that would be unacceptable. 20 dollars and an hour of my time vs 200+ for the whole assembly or 125 for an insurance deductable..i can overlook imprefections . It would be interesting to find out exactly what substance they are using though.
EDIT - Just for SnG's i googled 'mobile screen glue' and this was the first result. http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/523467689/Optical_Clear_Adhesive_for_touch_screen.html?s=p
While i'm sure its not the only product out there for this purpose, if this is any indication it won't come cheap..
dntesinfrno said:
Yea, i've been following several threads about lens replacement, even before i busted mine (jinxed myself?). I'd much rather have to deal with a 15 second reboot over possibly damaging the LED or worse using an adhesive that may not be transparent. I can live with the air gap, or even the 'invisible' smudges on my personal device...although if i were going to do this for profit obviously that would be unacceptable. 20 dollars and an hour of my time vs 200+ for the whole assembly or 125 for an insurance deductable..i can overlook imprefections . It would be interesting to find out exactly what substance they are using though.
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Click to collapse
Agreed it would be nice to find out what type of glue.
The phone breaks so easy i am surprised I have not heard of a Class Action Lawsuit... :silly:
here are instructions on replacing just the glass/screen
[HOW TO] [TUTORIAL] S3 Replace Cracked Glass Screen w/ YouTube Video
i replaced my screen took me about 50 mins with 2 people
XeoNoX said:
here are instructions on replacing just the glass/screen
[HOW TO] [TUTORIAL] S3 Replace Cracked Glass Screen w/ YouTube Video
i replaced my screen took me about 50 mins with 2 people
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very very nice!! :thumbup::thumbup:
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
marcustaz said:
Very very nice!! :thumbup::thumbup:
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
JUst did an even EASIER replacement for a cracked camera lens. I purchased this part from ebay :
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Housin.../271099346918?ssPageName=ADME:L:eek:C:US:3160
1) Turn phone off
2) Take off battery cover
3) Remove battery, SIM card, and SD Card
4) remove about 8 screws to remove the middle back place.
5) Remove middle back place carefully (There are still tabs holding it secure)
6) Place new middle back in place
7) Screw down
8) Replace battery, SIM card, and SD card
9) Replace battery cover
10) Power up phone!!
Took all of 10 minutes total. Flawless fix on my AT&T Samsung Galaxy S 3
Gentlemen and OP please update your original post to include this video. This is NOT to promote myself but from all the comments and feedback everyone has stated it is the most detailed and informative on You Tube on the glass replacement procedure. I also have separate videos on shattered glass replacement. Thanks and good luck.

Dropped Galaxy S3 in Bathwater

Hey everyone, so my buddy recently dropped his Galaxy S3 in bath water. He ended up buying a new phone thinking the phone was dead but he turned it on a few days later and it worked. Everything works EXCEPT the touch buttons next to the home button. I bought the phone off of him for $150 thinking I can fix it but as I research video and threads online.. it seems much harder than I thought. I know that soaking the phone in 99% isopropyl alcohol can fix a lot of water damage problems but I'm not sure if I should soak the motherboard in it as it's working fine other than the touch sensor buttons. Should I dip only a part of the front frame (where the touch sensors are) in isopropyl alcohol stopping right below where the LCD screen starts?
I'd like to change the frame as well since there are some scratches here and there along with the home button. It works but the button is scratched up a bit.
Do you guys have any advice for me? The phone is currently disassembled btw if that helps.
Could always download lmt launcher and not worry about it?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
Or modify your build.prop to add capacitive buttons
Sent from my SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
Just use a ROM that has navbar settings and dont worry about the buttons. I dropped my old optimus t in water and yea it comes back to life , but the uncertainty of how long it will work is terrible. A few weeks after it happend phone screen flickering and it just died.
Best thing to have done was pull the battery and let it dry for two or three days
Sent from my SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
Lots of ways to just bypass the buttons all together. Like thwy all said use a custom ROM and nav bar. Just let it dry and leave it be. Good luck.
Oh and give lmt launcher a shot too
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
I would definitely research cleaning it properly.
The water residue will eventually crust up and cause connection issues or shorts.
CZ Eddie said:
I would definitely research cleaning it properly.
The water residue will eventually crust up and cause connection issues or shorts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you think is a good way to clean it? Dip the main board in isopropyl alcohol?
I am a tech junky, the first thing I would do is take it 100% apart and clean every inch on the inside. Eventually the stuff inside of that phone will turn cruddy from the bath water. $150 for a SGSIII is a hella good deal, rip it apart and give it a good cleaning.
Thanks yeah I thought it was a great deal, I could've asked him to drop it less but I felt bad since he was my friend. Phone is brand spanking new and only used for 2 months.
I'm thinking about buying a new whole front piece (LCD, digitizer, frame) though.. what do you guys think? I can get it online for $230ish and not sure how much I can get for my existing front piece.
artluo100 said:
Thanks yeah I thought it was a great deal, I could've asked him to drop it less but I felt bad since he was my friend. Phone is brand spanking new and only used for 2 months.
I'm thinking about buying a new whole front piece (LCD, digitizer, frame) though.. what do you guys think? I can get it online for $230ish and not sure how much I can get for my existing front piece.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would try to fix it before going for a new front piece. Getting that new front piece + the 150$ you already paid = the price of a brand new S3 on ebay.
If it's himidity keeping them from working, leaving the phone in a seeled bag of rice for a couple days can fix it.
If you have the $$$ laying around to do it I would say go ahead. It may help the resell value down the road. I can't stand this phone naked, it feels like a big wet bar of soap in my hands. I would preserve the $$$ spent and put it in an Otterbox Commuter.
I was thinking about making back the money by selling the original piece. Not sure how much I can get for that though. The only thing holding me back is replacing the silver bezel around the LCD. You have to remove everything and swap it over including LCD, glass, buttons, etc. Sounds like a big risk for someone like who who has never done this type of work before.
artluo100 said:
I was thinking about making back the money by selling the original piece. Not sure how much I can get for that though. The only thing holding me back is replacing the silver bezel around the LCD. You have to remove everything and swap it over including LCD, glass, buttons, etc. Sounds like a big risk for someone like who who has never done this type of work before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well if getting someone to do it for you doesn't cost much, could be something to look into.
Yeah currently looking for someone to do that for me. Not sure where to look... all these cell phone repair places want to replace the whole piece PLUS they keep your LCD for "recycling" which means they'll take my LCD, repair it and sell it to the next sucker for $200 something.
I'm in NYC btw.. so by any chance any of you know someone in the area who has experience doing this, please let me know. Thanks!
artluo100 said:
Yeah currently looking for someone to do that for me. Not sure where to look... all these cell phone repair places want to replace the whole piece PLUS they keep your LCD for "recycling" which means I'll take your LCD, repair it and sell it to the next sucker for $200 something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha. Well mobiletechvideos.com is well known around here, could be an option. I dunno how he proceeds though.
BWolf56 said:
I would try to fix it before going for a new front piece. Getting that new front piece + the 150$ you already paid = the price of a brand new S3 on ebay.
If it's himidity keeping them from working, leaving the phone in a seeled bag of rice for a couple days can fix it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
Soaking it in 99% isopropyl alcohol right now. gave the mainboard a scrub down with a toothbrush about 1.5 hrs in. Also scrubbed the back of the touch screen, whichever resistors and chips I saw.
Fingers crossed.
Quick question.. how long should I let the parts dry after taking it out of the alcohol? It seems like alcohol evaporates pretty quick but the smell of it stays.

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