Develop Bugs

Disassembling the EPIC 4G?

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

[Q] LG G3 -- spare parts? I dropped it ALREADY

It pains me to even talk about this but... This morning I dropped my six day old G3 on to an escalator step (you know the kind, sharp and metal:crying. The phone itself is working and screen is unscathed (phew!), however the plastic bezel/bumper (?) that goes around the screen on the side of the phone has cracked on the bottom left corner and scuffed on the top left.
I know it's early days still, but does anyone know of where there might be spare parts available? Or should I just cry myself to sleep and stay at home forever...
(To rub it in, I had a shiny new official "Slim Hard Case" waiting in my mailbox this evening. FML)

Any chance you had a warranty?

Sorry to hear your Bad news. I scratched my first g3 on the back around 2 inch's long and I could of cryed lol. Sorry I carnt help

Osseon said:
Any chance you had a warranty?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have warranty but that doesn't cover my own accidental damage. I do have home insurance that covers things like this but I'd rather not go down that route just yet as it would involve reformatting the phone, sending it back, buying a new one, reinstalling everything and so on...

musicconnect said:
It pains me to even talk about this but... This morning I dropped my six day old G3 on to an escalator step (you know the kind, sharp and metal:crying. The phone itself is working and screen is unscathed (phew!), however the plastic bezel/bumper (?) that goes around the screen on the side of the phone has cracked on the bottom left corner and scuffed on the top left.
I know it's early days still, but does anyone know of where there might be spare parts available? Or should I just cry myself to sleep and stay at home forever...
(To rub it in, I had a shiny new official "Slim Hard Case" waiting in my mailbox this evening. FML)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, I've done the same, dropped it on concrete a couple of times and the edges are dinged up. Short pockets + Huge phone are not good. If you cant find phone parts on chinese websites *ali*, you might have to wait a couple months for them to be released.

it would also be not to your advantage to claim home owners insurance on your phone.. it could hurt down the road.
Sorry for your phone trauma :crying:
I only have the G3 because of a similar incident with my S4 which managed to destroy the digitizer.

Did you buy it with a credit card? Most cards give free insurance for up to 90 days! Just call and ask.

Won't the case cover that part? It might hurt resale value but if you can't see it, no biggie.

You think that is sad...
I dropped my LG g3 and it hit the concrete. I wish it had only scratched the back or dinged the bezel.
the screen only recognizes touch on about the bottom two thirds of it.
I do have a SquareTrade warranty so we will see how their claims process works.

jta said:
I dropped my LG g3 and it hit the concrete. I wish it had only scratched the back or dinged the bezel.
the screen only recognizes touch on about the bottom two thirds of it.
I do have a SquareTrade warranty so we will see how their claims process works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They helped me out when I dropped my f400s off my balcony while taking pictures. It fell a few stories and well was not repairable so I got another g3. The process was fast about a week from when it happened to get paid but they should be able to fix yours.
Sent from my LG-D850 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Pilz said:
They helped me out when I dropped my f400s off my balcony while taking pictures. It fell a few stories and well was not repairable so I got another g3. The process was fast about a week from when it happened to get paid but they should be able to fix yours.
Sent from my LG-D850 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think this phone may be too fragile for me. I'm not used to such a large phone and I don't really want to get a beefy case to protect it. So I will see what SquareTrade does. I'll let you guys know.

jta said:
I think this phone may be too fragile for me. I'm not used to such a large phone and I don't really want to get a beefy case to protect it. So I will see what SquareTrade does. I'll let you guys know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My phone was out of its case, and it fell 3 stories (I live on a hill with a small creek behind it and it tumbled town onto the rocks) so once it fell I knew it was going to be a bad day. Thankfully I now have a new one, but life happens, I'm just glad I had ADH on my warrantee through them.

General Hairline crack, inner screen, feels like screen protector.

Anyone else have hairline cracks on the fold of the inner screen? Mine feel like they are on the screen protector, my screen display is fine. Anyone else experiencing this?
Talking to support now, supposed to take to an authorized repair place. They say it covered by warranty due to normal use causing the cracks. Being sent to an authorized Samsung repair place.
Just inconvenient.

Adhesive failure. Probably due to excessive stretching of the plastic protector during assembly.

blackhawk said:
Adhesive failure. Probably due to excessive stretching of the plastic protector during assembly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Likely, but luckily it's covered by the warranty.

dirtybudha said:
Likely, but luckily it's covered by the warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you end up getting this fixed under warranty? Mine did the same thing (and the entire screen protector along the fold ripped up all at once).
I did a chat and they told me to take it in to get it fixed, but I'm curious as to what they'll do.

Squeaky369 said:
Did you end up getting this fixed under warranty? Mine did the same thing (and the entire screen protector along the fold ripped up all at once).
I did a chat and they told me to take it in to get it fixed, but I'm curious as to what they'll do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Squeaky369 said:
Did you end up getting this fixed under warranty? Mine did the same thing (and the entire screen protector along the fold ripped up all at once).
I did a chat and they told me to take it in to get it fixed, but I'm curious as to what they'll do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I did. They sent me to a certified repair shop.
They essentially replace the whole interior screen. The process worked, but the guys at the location were not that knowledgeable. We plugged it into a computer and it didn't see the USB access. Once I got it home, it worked on my computer. Who doesn't have the drivers for a device that they repair?
Anyway, it works great now.

That's good to hear it worked out for you. My inner screen also failed in the same manner with hairline fractures and black line down the middle turning it in to a Microsoft Duo. I've been on the phone with Samsung three separate times and have had nothing but resistance from them. They sent me to a local repair shop and the manager told me I must have gotten a piece of sand in the hinge or something....huh? He said go ahead and start a claim, but the final word was with him. He also said he got rid of his Fold 3 because he didn't want the same thing to happen to him. So there's definitely a problem with some of the units out there. I'll be sending mine to Samsung soon. I have no confidence that Samsung will actually cover this under warranty in my case due to the treatment I've received from their customer service. It's upsetting.

What a bummer... I got my phone Sept 24, and now on March 24, I just noticed that I have a small crack right where the phone folds. I am going in to Verizon tomorrow. The "Samsung Care+" wanted me to send it in with $249... This is definitely a warranty issue.

I went to my local corporate Verizon store this morning. They will treat it as warranty and my replacement phone arrives tomorrow. The area manager was there, took pics of the screen, and the phone to document current condition (which I appreciate) before approving the swap. Plus she says they are monitoring how many come in like this. Mine wasn't the first. They suspect, like many here, that it's the screen protector. (I guess the Flip 3 has issues too, but my daughter has one that is so far so good).
Now, as long as Verizon doesn't declare my phone as "damaged" by me it will be a free swap. If not, they'll try to bill me. But the area manager agrees that it looks like a defect (and it really is a defect).
One last gripe: I guess I was too eager to get my Fold 3 to realize that the "protection plan" carries a potential $249 fee for a broken screen. Thank goodness this is a defect.

emtownsend said:
. They suspect, like many here, that it's the screen protector. (I guess the Flip 3 has issues too, but my daughter has one that is so far so good).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do you mean that they suspect the screen protector is broken or that the screen protector is causing the UTG screen to break?

The thought was that the screen protector is cracking, but not the screen. I've not lost any functionality over the area that is "cracked".

Yeah, when I ran my finger nail over the cracks it would snag. It was absolutely my screen protector...which is factory installed and therefore falls under the manufacturer.
Yes, I think this will be an issue. I don't think this will totally kill the market or much of the sales. My replacement is still going strong, and I haven't heard too many others experiencing the cracks.
I'm sure the Fold 5 will have it all together. Hahaha

100% screen protector, I just replaced mine myself and small crack in the crease is gone!

Yeah, my nail would catch on it. At least it's not the screen...oy. That would be a nightmare.

Checked online, there is a few threads on the Sammy forums, and removing the inner screen protector does NOT void warranty. If the display/screen is damaged in the process, then iti is void.
My replacement protector, OEM, got it's first hairline crack. Gonna remove the OEM one and replace it myself. That way I can just replace it when it goes bad.
NOW I'll say I wouldn't recommend this phone to anyone because of this issue. Samsung failed here, but there's a chance to learn from it and improve it.

dirtybudha said:
Checked online, there is a few threads on the Sammy forums, and removing the inner screen protector does NOT void warranty. If the display/screen is damaged in the process, then iti is void.
My replacement protector, OEM, got it's first hairline crack. Gonna remove the OEM one and replace it myself. That way I can just replace it when it goes bad.
NOW I'll say I wouldn't recommend this phone to anyone because of this issue. Samsung failed here, but there's a chance to learn from it and improve it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
getting the same OEM Samsung screen protector was a bad decision and you should've known that already since it broke once. Samsung's screen protector is an ultra thin plastic layer that's why it breaks. I removed it myself and knew its nature. That's why I installed the Whitestone Dome Film instead (myself) and this protector is elastic and bends easily with the fold. You get definately no cracks because it's a film layer.
try it and you won't regret it. By the way it's so easy to install, and costs only $10- $15

A: How should I have known?? They could have replaced it with better materials.
B: Thanks for the insight into the Whitestone Dome.

Question Inner screen protector coming up

My inner screen protector has started coming up right along the crease. It started just at the edge and has started going down along the fold for the last week or so. Has anyone else had this problem? I was thinking I would probably get one of the WD replacement ones and swap them out. I'd probably have someone do it for me so I don't mess it up. Anyone else experience this and is that the best screen protector to get?

pside15 said:
My inner screen protector has started coming up right along the crease. It started just at the edge and has started going down along the fold for the last week or so. Has anyone else had this problem? I was thinking I would probably get one of the WD replacement ones and swap them out. I'd probably have someone do it for me so I don't mess it up. Anyone else experience this and is that the best screen protector to get?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty common I think, lots of posts around Reddit about it etc. Whitestone don't do their glass one anymore but I think their PET one is good for it.

Mine started with a couple bubbles near the middle. Next day worse. Removed it, going without for now and may replace. Reviews on Amazon say they only last so long.

same here

Thanks for the replies. Just glad to know that it is fairly common. I was just going to remove it but I'm too chicken to go sans protector on the inner display.

Same here. It is unnoticed when the screen is on, but when it is of or dark scene, I can see the protector is starting to get loose at the bottom of the crease.

I took mine off and replaced it with the Whitestone Dome Film which is waaay better

Here is my Reddit post on installing the WSD Film:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ZFold3/comments/tji7a9

The reviews on Amazon aren't that great for WSD

catman51 said:
The reviews on Amazon aren't that great for WSD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's not good for the ultra thin glass protector. We used the film protector

Samsung UK ended up replacing my entire screen to fix this...

flakmunky said:
Samsung UK ended up replacing my entire screen to fix this...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you do this? My screen protector is coming up, so went to their support chat.
After a long conversation, it was determined that the screen protector is a consumable so not covered by warranty or care+ which I have.
I could have an engineer visit, but as its a consumable they would charge £40 to replace.
In the end, the CS advised I remove the screen protector myself. This would not void any warranty.
Then, if I had any subsequent damage, to make a claim on care+

I used the Samsung Members App --> Support and then Text Chat.
I just read through the transcript and I actually started asking about another issue I had, which was that it wouldn't open completely flat and had lost the snap when you close it. I also mentioned in the chat the issue with the screen protector.
I had to send them pictures of the issues, and they arranged for the engineer visit. I got the same messages that it would cost me £40 if there wasn't a fault. When they guy came out he looked at the screen and said that it would need a new screen because "when you remove the screen protector they crack down the middle" which I thought was BS and I asked him if they was really the case. He ended up transplanting the motherboard from my phone into a new chassis with new screens and new batteries.
He said it needed a new screen, I didn't think it did...
As for the phone not opening fully, it wouldn't hold open like it did when it was new, not did it snap open the last 5 degrees when opening. Night and day difference when I got it back. Took about an hour to fix.
Maybe, if yours won't open fully, you could get the same repair done under warranty?

I started asking about the screen protector lifting as I didn't think they were going to do anything about the phone opening fully, as it was only a few degrees away from being flat, so I threw in the screen protector as well to cover my ass for the £40 as I read on Reddit that this was a warranty repair...
I actually thought the screen protector was the reason I got the warranty repair but after reading what you posted, it must have been the folding issue. I've just looked at I've deleted the photos I sent them, but the folding issue was very minor, which is why I thought the screen protector was my ace card.

flakmunky said:
I used the Samsung Members App --> Support and then Text Chat.
I just read through the transcript and I actually started asking about another issue I had, which was that it wouldn't open completely flat and had lost the snap when you close it. I also mentioned in the chat the issue with the screen protector.
I had to send them pictures of the issues, and they arranged for the engineer visit. I got the same messages that it would cost me £40 if there wasn't a fault. When they guy came out he looked at the screen and said that it would need a new screen because "when you remove the screen protector they crack down the middle" which I thought was BS and I asked him if they was really the case. He ended up transplanting the motherboard from my phone into a new chassis with new screens and new batteries.
He said it needed a new screen, I didn't think it did...
As for the phone not opening fully, it wouldn't hold open like it did when it was new, not did it snap open the last 5 degrees when opening. Night and day difference when I got it back. Took about an hour to fix.
Maybe, if yours won't open fully, you could get the same repair done under warranty?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apart from the screen protector coming up (it's only 3-4mm at the moment, but it's getting bigger) the phone has performed and behaved brilliantly. No issues with the hinge or folding/unfolding

I've just been on chat with them as mine has started lifting at the top and bottom of the fold. Was told it's not covered by the warranty, I could send it back to them and they would charge me for it, although couldn't tell me how much and they "might" be able to get it back to me in ten days. I told them I wasn't going to send it back without knowing how long or how much and that's where it ended.

frogdr1ver said:
I've just been on chat with them as mine has started lifting at the top and bottom of the fold. Was told it's not covered by the warranty, I could send it back to them and they would charge me for it, although couldn't tell me how much and they "might" be able to get it back to me in ten days. I told them I wasn't going to send it back without knowing how long or how much and that's where it ended.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. They offered me the same - with the same vagueness around timescales.
That's why I asked for an on-site engineer.

m_w_clarke said:
Yes. They offered me the same - with the same vagueness around timescales.
That's why I asked for an on-site engineer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep asked for that as well and they said no, I could either go to Stoke or send it in, checking online it looks like we don't have a door repair technician in Yorkshire.

Just an update; in the past 24 hours the bubble/peeling/rainbow effect has reached the whole length of the crease. So this morning, I decided to remove the screen protector.
Still a little nervous of having a naked screen - and at the moment my finger doesn't seem to glide as well on it.
I'll wait and see how things go

I peeled mine off yesterday and fitted the whitestone dome one, went on perfectly much to my surprise, feels great, my mate who has a fold as well commented that the screen looks sharper than his with the original one on.

Question If you're noticing loosening of the screen protector internal screen...

Get that screen protector replaced in an authorized repair center whether or not you have an active warranty.
Don't do any of the following:
don't attempt to replace it yourself no matter how simple it might seem to you
(The repair centers have a rig to assist them in doing this. And if you screw up, you could end up with a more serious problem.)
don't ignore it because it seems trivial or small
don't wait for the problem to "ripen" before acting
if your warranty has expired: don't decide that this doesn't warrant action
Why?
Over the past week or so, the protector started slowly separating down the crease area of the screen. So I brought it in to a local Samsung-authorized UbreakitIFixit by Asurion. The technician said he's seen a flow of these cases. I went a step further and said that I'm hearing that there are a number of people reporting cracked screens. He nodded and said that-- once the protector starts separating like mine was doing-- this starts to create a degree of pressure on the folding area of the screen. Basically he was telling me that what seems like a trivial cosmetic problem could turn into something far more serious. And expensive.
In my case, I bought my Z Fold 3 shortly before it was replaced by the Z Fold 4-- and I am still covered by the warranty. If you are in the same position, Samsung has what I would call a "silent recall" where they will cover a one-time screen protector replacement. Go to the Samsung service area on their website and avail yourself of this!
And if you are past the warranty, I'd urge you to take the precaution and pay to have the protector replaced-- you sure don't want to face a complete screen replacement-- you might not even consider the cost justifiable.

Apparently this is true; if cracked it will eventually take out the display. I was reading a review and that Australian reviewer didn't have kind things to say about this. He gives the protector a 4-6 month lifespan, if you make a year you're lucky.
He further said this has been a persistent issue; don't expect the next generation to be more durable.

Hmm, I have to replace my wife's every 4 months or so using the Orzero. It is a bit of a learning exercise, but not that hard(key it to do long side first and get the fold crease right at the start). YMMV.

xnappo said:
Hmm, I have to replace my wife's every 4 months or so using the Orzero. It is a bit of a learning exercise, but not that hard(key it to do long side first and get the fold crease right at the start). YMMV.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for letting us know that you feel confident doing this yourself. I also see a YouTube demonstration video from the company. I'm not sure that I'd do a neat job but it's good to know that it's possible.
You also opened my eyes to the frequency of replacement that made sense to both of you,

The Whitestone protector comes with a rig so that you place it perfectly right. Only thing you need to worry about is dust getting under it as you're putting it on (some people do it in the bathroom after steaming it up with a hot shower).
My OEM protector lasted over a year. It did separate along the crease at the top and it kept getting longer and longer, so I finally replaced it after months of the separated area. The replacement brought back the anti-fingerprint feature which had worn off the original one, so I was happy about that for sure. Doing it once now, I'll probably replace it next once that anti-fingerprint feature has worn off again since it wasn't as bad/hard as I thought it would be. No need to be intimidated by it after all!

ButterflyFlutterflyMyOhMy said:
The Whitestone protector comes with a rig so that you place it perfectly right. Only thing you need to worry about is dust getting under it as you're putting it on (some people do it in the bathroom after steaming it up with a hot shower).
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ButterflyFlutterflyMyOhMy said:
No need to be intimidated by it after all!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have learned so much on xda-developers.com over the years. The two previous posts are really helpful. I found the Whitestone installation YouTube video and now I see how the jig works. I hope I won't have to replace the screen protector but now I realize a couple things:
It's wise to replace the inner screen protector once separation starts appearing
It's entirely possible to do the job myself if / when the warranty no longer applies.