First off, the motivation to do this came from these threads:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1610336
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1441510
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=21795243&postcount=62
---------- Please read these threads and hit their authors Thanks buttons, because they are awesome! ----------
Background:
I have suffered from call echo on every AOSP ROM I have installed, and even on custom stock ROM's. I have the D30 phone case T-Mobile sells, so I always thought that was the problem. Without the case, stock ROM's didn't really echo (it was there, but only noticeable to those who were really annoyed by it when I was running AOSP ROM's, such as the wife). Also, when I would shift the phone in my hand, the person I called would ask me what I was doing because it sounded like I was beating the phone on a hard surface. It is very frustrating.
I always assumed my call echo couldn't possibly be a hardware issue since I have never dropped my phone, nor been overly rough on it. However, after reading the above threads (including ALL the comments - scary, I know) I decided this fix was worth a try.
Now, for the fix. I take no credit for it as I simply followed in the footsteps of those brave souls who attempted this on the international version of the SII. I also assume no responsibility for any damage to your phone due to the instructions or information contained in this thread. If your phone explodes, fries, dies, breaks, you cut yourself and bleed to death, you let the magic smoke out of the phone, the fix doesn't work for you --- etc., etc., etc. --- I take no responsibility.
First things first, you will need tools (duh), a business card, scissors, probably tweezers, a credit card to pry the back off the phone, and PATIENCE!
1. Shut down your phone and remove the battery, SIM card and sd card.
2. Using the right sized Philips screwdriver remove all six screws in the order shown in the first picture. (The smallest Philips screwdriver I have is a #0 which is not small enough. However, with great care I was able to remove the screws with a 1.4mm flathead screwdriver. I recommend finding the correct size screwdriver before you try to begin.) Remember which screws went where. In case you forget or they somehow get mixed up, screws numbered 1 and 2 in the first picture do NOT have Locktite on them, the rest do.
3. Locate the prying points along the edges of the phone and use your credit card (or other sturdy, non-metallic object) to pry to clips loose. A few of the prying points are marked with arrows in the first picture. They all look similar. I recommend starting at the corner where screw #1 is and go clockwise around the edge of the phone until all but the top edge has been popped loose (unclipped). Picture 2 shows why you shouldn't try to unclip the top of the phone. There are three tabs that would be nearly impossible to pry loose without breaking them.
4. Starting at the bottom of the phone, near the speaker, carefully lift up the backing of the phone. There is a snap between the camera and flash that retains the backing. It is difficult to free it, so work slowly, keep steady pressure on it, work it back and forth, up and down, side to side until it pops loose. Again, I take no responsibility if you break the plastic backing of your phone. That said, the backing is fairly tough and can withstand moderate force (fingernail strength would probably be a good estimate of how hard you can pull on it).
5. There are no wires connecting the backing to the board of the phone, so you don't have to worry about undoing any connectors.
6. The speaker for my earphone was not secured in my phone, so I was easily able to lift it up and clean some of the pocket lint from the inside of the grill and the front surface of the speaker (please be gentle with the speaker!). I recommend you only lift it out far enough to clean under and around it, then put it back.
7. When replacing the speaker, ensure you gently push it toward the electric ribbon connecting it to the board of you phone to ensure it fully seats in the recess designed for it.
8. At this point I cut a small piece of a rubber band, about 1 mm thick, and trimmed it to fit between the earpiece and the noise cancelation microphone, which on our t989 is integrated into the board and is not accessible. There is no way to remove and reseat it like the threads for the international version recommend. However, by placing the piece of rubber band between the earpiece and noise canceling mic they become more insulated from each other, which is a good thing. The rubber was not easy to place, so patience and a steady hand go a long way here. The rubber band is circled in red and labeled 1 in picture 3. The point where the backing snaps between the camera and flash is circled in green and labeled 2 in picture 3.
9. Next I cut a piece of a business card to fit the gap between the top of the phone and the trim surrounding the camera (see picture 4 for the trim). Make sure the card doesn't cover the gold contact as explained in one of the above threads. --- see how I'm kind of forcing you to read those? ---
--- The business card I used was 0.39mm thick. I didn't measure the other dimensions. If I ever go back in for any reason I will measure them and report here, but don't hold your breath. ---
10. I then cut a piece of business card for the lower microphone. This microphone is integrated into the board of the phone as well (see picture 6). It cannot be removed and reseated like the international version can. However, I decided to place a piece of business card as shown in picture 5 in hopes it would help dampen any vibrations in the vicinity that the microphone might have otherwise picked up.
--- I used the same business card at 0.39mm thick. I didn't measure this one either. ---
11. Place the card you cut for the lower mic so that it doesn't cover the solder points for the usb connector, nor sticks over the edge on the right in picture 5 (where the arrow points). The backing of the phone has a piece of hardware that resides in that recess, so don't overhang it.
12. Time to reassemble. Make sure the business cards (or whatever you decided to use) don't move from their positions when replacing the backing of your phone. Place the three tabs along the top edge of the backing into their recesses in the top of the main frame of your phone, then rotate the backing down onto the phones frame. Snap the edges into place, and be sure to press firmly on the camera cover between the camera and flash to seat the snap there. Don't force anything though. If your phone won't snap back together just remove the backing and make sure everything is situated properly (especially the earpiece speaker). When all the snaps are seated, reinstall your sim and battery and make a test call. If your phone cover makes echo worse, make sure it's on your phone. I even flashed an AOSP rom that notoriously gave me call echo.
13. If you're happy with the results, continue to step 14. If not, go back and rethink how you installed everything. Maybe you need to use a more sturdy business card, or cut it to different dimensions, or use a thicker or thinner card. Use your head and think it through. You can do it. Just be careful in there.
14. Congratulations! You did it! All you need to do is reinstall the six screws and you are done! I installed them in the exact opposite order as I removed them (starting with 6 and working to 1). Anyone who has installed a cylinder head on a car will know the reasoning behind this (to help prevent kinks or ripples in the material between the screws).
This all passed the wife test for me, and it helped muffle the sound of shifting my fingers on my phone. It no longer sounds like I'm beating it on a hard surface!
I really hope this works as well for you all as it has for me. Now, keep in mind that I have only made a few test calls since finishing this, but every person on the other end has said everything is crystal clear. I can now run AOSP ROM's on my Hercules!!! No tape over the noise cancellation microphone required!
Again, please go to the above threads and thank those guys. I take no credit for the fix. All I did was provide pictures specific to the Hercules (and maybe similar to Skyrocket????).
Enjoy!
Wow!
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda app-developers app
Wow...thanks op, but...**** that lol
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda app-developers app
blackangst said:
Wow...thanks op, but...**** that lol
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's actually easier than you think. The back cover pops right off basically. The hardest part was cutting the pieces of business card to the right size.
And there's no marking or tape that would tell the warranty center you were inside your phone.
This really works. I used a piece of rubber from a bicycle tire repair kit just because I did not want the paper to draw moisture.
Simply flash CM10.1 and echo will be gone. However, big thanks to OP for this experiment.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using xda app-developers app
Ya thanks OP, but you could try to flash CM 10.1 Nightly 2/22 or 2/24 and the call echo will vanish. If not you could flash different radios and the call echo will be gone.
Amanwithnomoney said:
Ya thanks OP, but you could try to flash CM 10.1 Nightly 2/22 or 2/24 and the call echo will vanish. If not you could flash different radios and the call echo will be gone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, but echo was present on every Rom I flashed. Stock Roms were better, but echo was still there.
This fix is for people who have echo on all Roms. If cm10.1 fixes it for you then go that route, but it just didn't work for me. Besides, I can flash anything I want now.
Easier to do than I had first thought , thanks for the thread.:good:
I had echo problems with Groove IP (cell tower calling worked just fine). This was the fix for goove IP echoing as well on my 989. :good:
This is kinda irrelevant, OP, but I see you're involved in Scentsy in some manner. Lol
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using xda app-developers app
Daltonyx said:
This is kinda irrelevant, OP, but I see you're involved in Scentsy in some manner. Lol
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hahaha. Caught me red handed.
No hate. Lol. My mother is hardcore into it. She is one of the superstar consultant people. I've learned to recognize it, to say the least.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using xda app-developers app
Alarmmy said:
Simply flash CM10.1 and echo will be gone. However, big thanks to OP for this experiment.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you and the OP are talking about are two different things. His is a hardware issue for call echo. The CM flash/fix is for the bad call/underwater sound software issue that the noise suppression fixes.
Related
Hit post #11 for a walkthrough on replacing the earpiece.
Funny but kinda looking for serious replies as it is quite important
Nokia AAC-0510 seems working. (Chinese) http://www.itfunz.com/thread-84490-1-1.html
Somewhere on this forum is a link to a Russian blogger who pulled one apart and (apparently) swapped out speakers.
post #157
Just to report back i received the k850i earpiece today and successfully replaced it with the original one from the Defy, works perfectly and no modding at all except flattening the terminals slightly, its a very snug fit but is working fine and is much clearer than the original one in terms of call quality. Maybe the mods could sticky this or something incase anyone else has the earpiece problem. Total cost of repair £1.99 for earpiece and about 30minutes of my time !! much better than sending to motorolla for weeks on end in my opinion.
Cheers
Wizard123
That is great info to know! I am more confident in getting a Defy now knowing I can fix it on my own.
Any guide with pictures for us?
well done wizard123
i hope i will never have to do what you did with your speaker but... who knows?
yes a detailed guide with picture and tools-to-use would be a nice idea - really useful for all the people who void the warranty
A quick question...
What's the waterproofing situation like? Is there a membrane between the earpiece and the outside world or is it built into the Defy earpiece?
No problem guys, i hope you never have the issues but i know it did hit alot of people including me and motorolla claim mines was out of warranty being only 3 months old ?! but hey i dont have time to argue or mess about as i need my phone.
I will try to get some pictures up but in the meantime follow these steps it is so so simple :
1. Remove battery & SIM card
2. Remove the 7 screws from around the phone casing and the 2 silver screws underneath the back cover. ( You will need very small torx bits )
3. Separate the two halfs of the casing, ( very stiff and fiddly but dont be affraid to use a little force )
4. Carefully lift off the 2 connectors on the main PCB board and lift it out ( careful not to lose the yellow rubber washers )
5. Use a small pair of pliers or long nosed pliers to gently grib either side of the earpiece and slowly wiggle side to side untill it comes loose and lifts out ( This takes patience as it is very well glued in but does free off )
6. Take your new K850i earpiece and place into the slot with the two springy copper terminals facing up towards the top of the phone ( you dont HAVE to but i did flatten the terminals a little bit so not to bend the PCB board when you place it back in ) having the springy terminals on these earpieces placed the correct way up creates a very solid connection to the board too unlike the original earpieces which dont have any at all just flat terminals.
7. Return the PCB board back into position and reattach the 2 connectors removed in step 4.
8. Return the casing back into place and install all the screws ( dont forget the 2 SILVER screws FIRST, these hold the PCB board down to the casing and hold the connection solid to the earpiece )
9. Place SIM card and battery back in and boot up your fresh earpieced Defy
Pictures to follow soon hopefully
Cheers
Wizard123
*EDIT*
Have attached some pictures to reference, hope they help
technome said:
A quick question...
What's the waterproofing situation like? Is there a membrane between the earpiece and the outside world or is it built into the Defy earpiece?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There IS a tiny tiny membrane between the earpiece and the casing and does appear that it would still be waterproof but i have yet to test that and not sure if i will as it is a BIG BIG risk lol ( maybe though hmmm )
Thanks for that.
So the membrane stayed with the handset casing through the procedure?
wizard123 said:
*snip*
having the springy terminals on these earpieces placed the correct way up creates a very solid connection to the board too unlike the original earpieces which dont have any at all just flat terminals.
*snip*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's interesting. Maybe the failures are caused by poor connections in the first place. Perhaps a pre-emptive strike with some electrically conductive paint would save the day. It's claimed to function as an adhesive.
http(remove this bit)://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE-SILVER-PAINT-PINTURA-CONDUTORA-/110660756415?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET&hash=item19c3e523bf#ht_1850wt_1062
wizard123 said:
No problem guys, i hope you never have the issues but i know it did hit alot of people including me and motorolla claim mines was out of warranty being only 3 months old ?! but hey i dont have time to argue or mess about as i need my phone.
I will try to get some pictures up but in the meantime follow these steps it is so so simple :
1. Remove battery & SIM card
2. Remove the 7 screws from around the phone casing and the 2 silver screws underneath the back cover. ( You will need very small torx bits )
3. Separate the two halfs of the casing, ( very stiff and fiddly but dont be affraid to use a little force )
4. Carefully lift off the 2 connectors on the main PCB board and lift it out ( careful not to lose the yellow rubber washers )
5. Use a small pair of pliers or long nosed pliers to gently grib either side of the earpiece and slowly wiggle side to side untill it comes loose and lifts out ( This takes patience as it is very well glued in but does free off )
6. Take your new K850i earpiece and place into the slot with the two springy copper terminals facing up towards the top of the phone ( you dont HAVE to but i did flatten the terminals a little bit so not to bend the PCB board when you place it back in ) having the springy terminals on these earpieces placed the correct way up creates a very solid connection to the board too unlike the original earpieces which dont have any at all just flat terminals.
7. Return the PCB board back into position and reattach the 2 connectors removed in step 4.
8. Return the casing back into place and install all the screws ( dont forget the 2 SILVER screws FIRST, these hold the PCB board down to the casing and hold the connection solid to the earpiece )
9. Place SIM card and battery back in and boot up your fresh earpieced Defy
Pictures to follow soon hopefully
Cheers
Wizard123
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great guide there - may well help quite a few people
technome said:
Thanks for that.
So the membrane stayed with the handset casing through the procedure?
That's interesting. Maybe the failures are caused by poor connections in the first place. Perhaps a pre-emptive strike with some electrically conductive paint would save the day. It's claimed to function as an adhesive.
http(remove this bit)://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE-SILVER-PAINT-PINTURA-CONDUTORA-/110660756415?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET&hash=item19c3e523bf#ht_1850wt_1062
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes only the earpiece came away from the casing using the method i applied but again i can't swear by the membrane as it could possibly be different with other variants of the phone ( although i doubt it ).
And plus for me atleast, i'd rather have a working phone than a waterproof phone ( just me though )
I am nearly certain its an actual defect with the earpieces because if you blow the earpiece with some canned air it will function for 5-10 seconds before going off again.
I do think there may be a problem with both the connections and earpieces though as the way the oem connections are designed in the Defy for the earpiece contacts are piss poor, excuse my french lol.
Well, I'm sending my Defy in for repair today, after my earpiece started playing-up intermittently over the weekend. I tried to insist on a replacement but Motorola's support team were adamant that a repair is my only option under the terms of my warranty. Ah, well. I've got a spare phone.
That said, I will likely "paint" the earpiece connections upon its return and it's good to know that the K850i part works. I may buy a couple as a precaution.
technome said:
Well, I'm sending my Defy in for repair today, after my earpiece started playing-up intermittently over the weekend. I tried to insist on a replacement but Motorola's support team were adamant that a repair is my only option under the terms of my warranty. Ah, well. I've got a spare phone.
That said, I will likely "paint" the earpiece connections upon its return and it's good to know that the K850i part works. I may buy a couple as a precaution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That sucks man sorry to hear that, it seems to be not if it will happen but when it will happen with these earpieces, yep motorola sucks for customer support to be fair. I hope your phone comes back ok though, alot of people have had it repair only for it to fail again a few weeks later.
Can I just double check which seller you got yours from as I've had a look on ebay & the three that are for sale look different styles - unless the pics are not of actual items?
Cheers
sp8y said:
Can I just double check which seller you got yours from as I've had a look on ebay & the three that are for sale look different styles - unless the pics are not of actual items?
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The actual one i used is this one :
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300370841729&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
There is an actual motorola one that has the same terminals as the original but ( my opinion i would not trust another earpiece from them ) :
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220640434368&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
I wouldnt worry too much if they look slightly different aslong as they are for the k850i as it will most likely be because they are from different manufacturers
Hope that helps
That's great thanks very much
Might just order one to keep as you never know when it'll stop working.
I had my earpiece replaced by the company, you should really send it to motorola and don't mess around with the device.
I haven't seen this posted anywhere...has anyone ever had to clean out those small holes before? And what worked best?
I always make sure to not press the speaker against my head when on a voice call (I try to keep the display clean at all times....ocd?) but I do carry it in my pocket. Today looking at the speaker in sun light I could see that 5-6 of the holes appeared to be clogged ...(are they supposed to be that way?...) so I tried using a needle but didn't work....tia!
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Go to a craft store and purchase a set of needles that includes a "Sharp" type needle, usually a size 10. It's only a diameter of 0.46mm. Also grab any vacuum with an extendable hose. Make sure to work in a well lit environment, I've found that LED lighting works best.
1) Place your phone face up on a table/flat surface.
2) Position the end of the vacuum hose close to your speaker grill with the power "ON"
3) With the suction on, try and punch out the "crud" of each individual hole with the size 10 needle WITHOUT puncturing the speaker underneath.
4) Turn your phone up on a 90degree angle, slightly tapping the phone on the table top with the vacuum suction directly over the speaker grill.
(This should dislodge any debris while the vacuum disposes of it.)
5) Repeat steps 1-4 until all holes are clear of "crud".
Use caution as always and if this doesn't work, I don't know what to tell you.
I hope this helped, as it helps for my phone!
AnAm85 said:
Go to a craft store and purchase a set of needles that includes a "Sharp" type needle, usually a size 10. It's only a diameter of 0.46mm. Also grab any vacuum with an extendable hose. Make sure to work in a well lit environment, I've found that LED lighting works best.
1) Place your phone face up on a table/flat surface.
2) Position the end of the vacuum hose close to your speaker grill with the power "ON"
3) With the suction on, try and punch out the "crud" of each individual hole with the size 10 needle WITHOUT puncturing the speaker underneath.
4) Turn your phone up on a 90degree angle, slightly tapping the phone on the table top with the vacuum suction directly over the speaker grill.
(This should dislodge any debris while the vacuum disposes of it.)
5) Repeat steps 1-4 until all holes are clear of "crud".
Use caution as always and if this doesn't work, I don't know what to tell you.
I hope this helped, as it helps for my phone!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn! Thank you. You got it down to a science, sounds like that should work.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Duce HD2 said:
Damn! Thank you. You got it down to a science, sounds like that should work.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem senor... Hit thanks if you want...
It's only been 1 week and the poor quality, flimsy back cover is showing wear and tear. It won't get into its allocated slot, and by the looks of it, seems that it became a fraction shorter.
It always seems click in better for me if I start at the bottom and work up.
TareX said:
It's only been 1 week and the poor quality, flimsy back cover is showing wear and tear. It won't get into its allocated slot, and by the looks of it, seems that it became a fraction shorter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're not putting it in correctly. Gotta make sure the bottom tabs are before you start snapping the rest. I have more success getting the right tab in first and messing around till the other tab falls in and the bottom of the cover kisses the phone.
My grandma beat me down and took my nexus. Sent from a jitterbug with beats by dre.
SOLVED: Thanks to this guy from androidcentral:
"Originally Posted by DBVille: And, make SURE the hooks aren't bent up. I am betting the hooks have been bent up, at least on one side, from trying to push it closed. (dont ask how I know). Look very closely at the hooks. Put your finger nail under them and pry them up/apart from the back if they are too close to the cover to engage the clips on the phone. When done right, it just snaps on. But, you must get the bottom done first."
The hooks were bent up... fixed them with my nails. Now it snaps back on. Still pretty cheap though.
Or user error?
My grandma beat me down and took my nexus. Sent from a jitterbug with beats by dre.
you're not supposed to snap in the bottom hooks, you lock them in first, then snap in the ones rest...
wonshikee said:
you're not supposed to snap in the bottom hooks, you lock them in first, then snap in the ones rest...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 this is how I do it...common sense...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
Happen to me too the first week. I'm a pro now.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
God, the build quality and camera are a real disappointment on this phone. thanks for the tip on bending up the tabs.. worked for me..
never the OP's fault that he doesnt know how to put the back cover on.. always Samsung's fault for not making it tard proof.
Zepius said:
never the OP's fault he doesnt know how to put the back cover on.. always Samsung's fault for not making tard proof.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Admittedly the back cover of the GN is one of the more complicated ones to put back onto the phone.
Do not force it on - if you do it right, it will go back on with just a little pressure. Like others said before you have to start at the bottom latches and work your way up from there. Note that the bottom latches are different from the others and do not snap in like the rest.
I'm extremely pleased with the build quality of this phone! A product feels VERY well build when you can't make it flex slightly or make the battery cover creak by squeasing the phone a certain way! Looking at you, HTC! The DInc, Thunderbolt, and Rezound that I've had all suffered from that. (Though I couldn't make the Thunderbolt flex)
And anytime you drop an HTC phone, first the battery door flies in the air, then the battery pops out -.-
Samsung on the other hand, the Nexus is VERY solid, battery door doesn't creak nor does the frame. No creaking sounds at all. I cannot flex the phone. What is it with people dissing Samsung for making plastic phones, what do you want them to do? Engineer a new compound? Geez
As so many have pointed out, the cover doesn't snap at the bottom; you start there by inserting the bottom hooks, then snap the sides and top.
In fact, I've found the easiest, most effective way to do it is laying out face down, insert the bottom hooks, then zip up both sides together with my thumbs, finishing with effortlessly snapping the top in.
As for the build, I couldn't disagree more strongly. The back design is brilliant. The phone overall is rock solid, and has solved the common back pop-off battery pop-out of most phones today.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
I was at a Verizon store last night. Picked up the phone from the display they had it in. The back cover fell off along with the security device. Does the cover have issues staying on? Would a case solve this issue?
Tisosview said:
I was at a Verizon store last night. Picked up the phone from the display they had it in. The back cover fell off along with the security device. Does the cover have issues staying on? Would a case solve this issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no issue if you put it on correctly.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
Careful because our store model had a broken back cover since day one. Two sided take is holding it together at the moment.
Tisosview said:
I was at a Verizon store last night. Picked up the phone from the display they had it in. The back cover fell off along with the security device. Does the cover have issues staying on? Would a case solve this issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Happens at all the stores. Some have ziptied the backcover back on . However, it really is a non issue. In the case of the store phones, the heavy security device that is glued onto the back cover, pulls very hard at the back cover and it creates issues. In reality, given that it is a completely flat piece of plastic that is sitting flush against your phone with no handles, there is no way to exert even remotely the same amount of outward forces on the back cover.
While removing and putting on the backcover doesn't feel great, the cover does a great job, helps keep the phone slim and light, and looks pretty damn good. The store model did put me off due to this same issue with the security device, but I have had absolutely no issues with the backcover, or the phone feeling flimsy (and I came to the GN from the OG!).
LOL the back cover is well built imo. Just because it is thin does not mean it is of poor construction.The people who are having problems just aren't bothering to learn how to put it on. You don't just snap the whole thing on. Put any backcover on incorrectly and you risk damaging it.
I remove my back cover regularly to swap SIMs and although I've had it since release day not only does it look the same as it did when I bought it but it functions perfectly too (stays on nice and tight).
TLDR; If your tabs are bent you're doing it wrong. Don't blame design for your lack of intelligence.
Thank you for the replies. It is reassuring.
I found it funny that the security really didn't work for this device. Since the alarm didn't go off when the back fell off.
Bottom tabs get bent up
I've had my GN for a little over a week. The problem that I have, and I assume the others have, is that the tabs at the bottom get bent up so that they can't hook in.
I bent them down with my fingernail so that they are horizontal again, and it clicked in fine.
My concern is that this is already a problem after a week, and plastic can only take so much bending and fatigue before it totally breaks, which will eventually occur. I would imagine that at least some people who have had their GNs since launch have already experienced this.
Frankly, I think this is a manufacturing issue that Samsung should ultimately address.
So, you've been instructed to remove the battery in your Optimus G, huh?
I've had to do it twice, and the first time, I screwed up royally. This time I took it step by step, and decided to take a bunch of photos along the way!
Here's what you'll need.
* T-4 or possibly T-5 Torx bit to get the case off
* P00 Philips head to get the connector off.
* Fingernails, spudger, some little implement.
* Patience.
* Tiny pointy implement strongly suggested (I used a sewing needle)
* Little magnet suggested, or some method to keep the screws together.
Now, Xiutehcuhtli was awesome enough to make a video showing how to get the casing off and back on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3DPxzH3l2c
Having that little "guitar pick" tool seems like it'd save quite a bit of headache...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Direction references are assuming you have flipped over your Optimus, and are looking at it like it was a compass, so "West" is the power button side.
On the south side, towards the corners are two Torx screws. You have to remove these first.
I found it simplest to start with your fingernails to start seperating the case, and then use your spudger-like device to start popping the hooks. There is no glue involved, so that makes things a bit simpler.
Images 02-05 have the locations of the catches on each side highlighted. Once you pop those, the cover will come off.
Take your time, it's rather annoying, and if you put too much pressure on the silver part, you'll nick/dent it. Be aware that the power and volume buttons will "fall out".
Image 06 is what the device looks like when you have taken the cover off. Our area of focus is right "under/left" of the camera module, that little silver strip covered with blue tape.
Remove that tape. (Image 07) You can save it to put back on, or leave it off, it doesn't seem to serve any "actual" purpose. Obviously, putting it back on is probably the better option, but I mangled mine, and it seems to be fine.
Here's where you need your P00 Philips. There are two TINY screws holding the plate in place. Be damn careful, they are only a few millimeters in dimensions. Remove them, set them somewhere they won't move (your magnet, perhaps?) (Image 08)
Now, here's the "dangerous" part... I used a sewing needle, but as a very helpful individual on IRC put it.
[18:12] <fiddy619> I'm sure if you use eyeglass repair kit screw driver, you'd be good, but however it worked is really the "right" way...
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Click to collapse
Image 09 is how I went about doing it. I cannot stress enough NOT to pry it up with your fingernails. The solder holding the connector to the PCB is not that strong, and you CAN break it! I speak from unfortunate experience (See Image 12, note the second OG in the distance)
What I did was poked the needle into the center, and the shallowest angle I could manage, and VERY gently pried up a bit... Repeat to both sides, each time prying up a little bit more. The trick is that you want to put the lifting pressure on the plate side, while pushing down on the PCB side.
After a handful of seconds of prying, you should pop the connector off (Images 10 and 11)
Stop a moment, pat yourself on the back!
Now that you've successfully disconnected the battery, it's time to reconnect, and close it back up. Luckily this is a lot simpler...
Click the plate back into place.
Now, I assume you came here because you're having problems. Continue your troubleshooting, being careful of the back. No sense putting it all back together if you're going to need to do it again, huh? The plate is snug enough that it should stay in place for mild troubleshooting.
Go ahead, I'll wait.
Back already? Congrats! Let's close this thing up!
Screw those obnoxiously tiny black screws back down.
If you choose to, put the blue tape back in place. (Image 6 for original placement)
Now, getting the back cover back in place is.... annoying. You need to snap it down, while keeping the power and volume buttons in place. What I wound up doing was putting the cover on the table, placing the buttons where they belong, and setting the rest of the phone in place. I had to jimmy it a little since my power button fell in a hair, but nothing serious.
Xiutehcuhtli had a beautifully simple solution to this... scotch tape them into place. Watch his video!
Go around the outside of your case with your fingernails/spudger/etc and ensure all the catches are in place. I managed it with a combination of fingernails and just a bit of shoving.
Put your Torx bolts back in, and rejoice!
Bigger pictures?
Just in case the included images are just too damn small for your liking, here are the original JPEGs.
It's a 38MB Zip file, containing the above images at 3888 x 2592 each.
You can also hold volume down and power and it does the same thing.
Also the battery is glued to the back of the screen and almost impossible to remove without destroying the battery.
Sent from my LG Optimus G using xda premium
eyeisdasteve said:
You can also hold volume down and power and it does the same thing.
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Click to collapse
Wasn't working for me, This post matches the symptoms I was having.
Attempted to LGNPST, and it was "finishing" within seconds. (Logically, I should have realized that wasn't right, but I didn't know it was sending the entire file)
Disconnected the battery, reconnected it, LGNPST again, took some minutes, and it worked that time.
I figure this should/will be a last-ditch effort to reset the device, and it might as well be documented.
The guide worked like a charm for me. My OG is back from the grave, woot! :laugh: :good:
Hey Nericus, sorry to be off topic, but while you were in the phone could you see a SD card anywhere that can be swapped out with a bigger one?
twcrosno said:
Hey Nericus, sorry to be off topic, but while you were in the phone could you see a SD card anywhere that can be swapped out with a bigger one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No worries, I still have the first OG I broke opened up. There's a bit of plastic on the back that I haven't figured out to remove, so I'm not positive, but I don't see a spot. There is a slot on the side with the volume control where it looks like a card could have fit, but there's no plug for it.
Hey Nericus,
Thanks for taking the time to check into this. I think that slot is where the ATT version has their SD card, so it might be there in the Sprint model, but it doesn't function. I was told that there is a way to get to the SD card and we should be able to put in a 64BG card to replace the 32GB card by opening the case. If you find it please take a photo and either post it or send me a PM with the photo. Again, thanks for taking the time!
I really think the one that told you that simply doesn't know what theyre talking about.. the "sdcard" in this phone is emulated, i.e. is a partition on the internal block device.. soldered to the board. They're probably thinking of the att version which has a slot. In order fr you to 'remove' the 'sdcard' on this model (ls970) you're going to have to remove it's entire disk (containing the programming for everything, wifi, cell, recovery, os and 'sdcard'). to do this you'd have to find the chips, de-solder them, find new chips, figure out the pinout, solder them in (hoping you don't bork anything up) then partition them and flash.
Assimilated using the interface that interacts with the advanced internet.
benmatlock said:
I really think the one that told you that simply doesn't know what theyre talking about.. the "sdcard" in this phone is emulated, i.e. is a partition on the internal block device.. soldered to the board. They're probably thinking of the att version which has a slot. In order fr you to 'remove' the 'sdcard' on this model (ls970) you're going to have to remove it's entire disk (containing the programming for everything, wifi, cell, recovery, os and 'sdcard'). to do this you'd have to find the chips, de-solder them, find new chips, figure out the pinout, solder them in (hoping you don't bork anything up) then partition them and flash.
Assimilated using the interface that interacts with the advanced internet.
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Click to collapse
Well GOD knows we do not want to go there. Thanks Ben!
Just wanted to thank you for this tutorial. After an LGNPST back to ZV7 resulted in my phone not powering up or responding at all, pulling the battery did the trick and brought it back to life*. For those wondering, this really wasn't that difficult to perform, just heed nericus's advice when detaching the battery connector. I used a needle as well and had no trouble disconnecting the battery numerous times. Thanks again! :good:
* Then it was on to my 6 hour journey of getting the phone back to a usable, unlocked state, but that's another story.
Just wanna say thank you so much for this write up. This is how i had to start off my day, went to frys and got the $15 Pro'sKit for apple products, it came with everthing i needed to get this apart. Thanks again!!!
Having that little "guitar pick" tool seems like it'd save quite a bit of headache...
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Thank you SO MUCH for putting this in the OP.... It turns out I didn't have the tool, but I DID have some guitar picks which worked great!
Rocket_Science said:
Thank you SO MUCH for putting this in the OP.... It turns out I didn't have the tool, but I DID have some guitar picks which worked great!
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Awesome! I have no idea what that thing was... it looks like a three sided spudger...different thicknesses perhaps? To paraphrase Fiddy. Whatever works is the right tool!
Rocket_Science said:
Thank you SO MUCH for putting this in the OP.... It turns out I didn't have the tool, but I DID have some guitar picks which worked great!
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Click to collapse
I thought of this same thing after I spent 45 minutes doing it with my fingernails and a pin.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk HD
If I put my thumbs on the screen and my index fingers on each side of the "S" from the Nexus logo and apply a little pressure my phone makes little pop noise like the plastic may be loose. Does anyone else's do this? Could it just be that it is plastic that it makes this noise and there is nothing wrong with the phone?
Thanks for any input.:good:
Bump
If you apply pressure to plastic it's going to deform slightly which would cause a noise like that, yes.
raptir said:
If you apply pressure to plastic it's going to deform slightly which would cause a noise like that, yes.
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My nexus 5 didn't do that and it's plastic.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
Mine does it but only if I hold it a certain way and apply pressure in an exact location. Since I don't do this as I use the phone it's a non issue for me. I'd say if it does it when you hold the phone the way you normally would when using it and it bothers you then return it and try again? Mass produced electronic devices will always have inconsistencies and defects. You'll have to decide whether or not it's acceptable.
Thanks guys. I appreciate the input.
git-sims said:
If I put my thumbs on the screen and my index fingers on each side of the "S" from the Nexus logo and apply a little pressure my phone makes little pop noise like the plastic may be loose. Does anyone else's do this? Could it just be that it is plastic that it makes this noise and there is nothing wrong with the phone?
Thanks for any input.:good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bump
mine does that too. I returned it, thinking it may be a factory defect. But it appears that the new one does that too. Just plastic. Once you put that in a case, you wont' hear clicking
I fixed the clicking sound by applying a strip of insulation tape on the inside of the back cover. Be careful though, just apply one layer, two are too much and lead to a gap between fingerprint sensor and back cover.
For me the clicking sound almost disappeared after 2-3 weeks.
dskvml said:
I fixed the clicking sound by applying a strip of insulation tape on the inside of the back cover. Be careful though, just apply one layer, two are too much and lead to a gap between fingerprint sensor and back cover.
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Good tip! This made me realize that it's easier to fix rather then go back to the store and return it for a new one (which probably will have the same issue). It look quite easy to remove the back cover in order to mount the tape, even though I'm not that inspired to dissemble a newly brought product. Did you mount the tape's sticky side against the inside of the back cover? Or did you mount it against the battery? I'm not sure it matters.
R
Rickckck said:
Good tip! This made me realize that it's easier to fix rather then go back to the store and return it for a new one (which probably will have the same issue). It look quite easy to remove the back cover in order to mount the tape, even though I'm not that inspired to dissemble a newly brought product. Did you mount the tape's sticky side against the inside of the back cover? Or did you mount it against the battery? I'm not sure it matters.
R
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Click to collapse
I mounted it against the back cover. But i guess it does not matter, as you only need to close the gap between battery and back cover, so there is no more space for the back cover to move.
dskvml said:
I mounted it against the back cover. But i guess it does not matter, as you only need to close the gap between battery and back cover, so there is no more space for the back cover to move.
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Click to collapse
Tried this and moved the tape several times but I realized that the squeaking and clicking sounds kept on coming back. So I cleared it for tape and sent it in for repair. It turned out that my main issue was just at the fingerprint sensor where the plastic back cover were to tight on to the right side of the metal ring around the sensor. Couldn't get rid of it after all, but it sure was a nice try! it might be a solution to other units depending on where the noise is generated.
R