Mother of fail: battery cover? - Nexus One Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I just realized how difficult it is to open the battery cover after you've inserted the battery. Anyone having trouble with it or am I just a huge failure? I don't want to push and wrench away at it in fear of breaking the thing, what with it being plastic.

grainysand said:
I just realized how difficult it is to open the battery cover after you've inserted the battery. Anyone having trouble with it or am I just a huge failure? I don't want to push and wrench away at it in fear of breaking the thing, what with it being plastic.
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Click to collapse
Try applying pressure nearer to the bottom of the phone and push away from you. You scaredy cat

Yeah, you have to apply pressure at the right place (at the center near the bottom) but it can be really difficult to open sometimes. At first I thought I'd get a spare battery to be able to switch when one is empty, but I can't see myself opening the phone every other day, I'm pretty sure I would break it eventually...

Stea1thmode said:
Try applying pressure nearer to the bottom of the phone and push away from you. You scaredy cat
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Click to collapse
Every time I apply pressure it makes this sound like it's about to break. D: And I keep getting the feeling I'm going to crack the screen. I'll flash damn near anything all day long, but breaking the thing physically scares the daylight out of me.
No success, btw. Either I'm not pressing in the right place or not pressing hard enough. Swear to god I opened the thing multiple times the first day I got it (after the battery was in, no less) since I got the SIM card in the wrong way. Now it's tight as... well, very tight. Plastic isn't supposed to expand, damn it.

grainysand said:
Every time I apply pressure it makes this sound like it's about to break. D: And I keep getting the feeling I'm going to crack the screen. I'll flash damn near anything all day long, but breaking the thing physically scares the daylight out of me.
No success, btw. Either I'm not pressing in the right place or not pressing hard enough. Swear to god I opened the thing multiple times the first day I got it (after the battery was in, no less) since I got the SIM card in the wrong way. Now it's tight as... well, very tight. Plastic isn't supposed to expand, damn it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the trick is to handle the phone at its sides, that way you wont risk breaking your screen. So apply preesure at the sides of the battery door and push with both thumbs.

Here's how to do it properly.
Hold the phone, using both hands, between index fingers and thumbs, so that the thumbs are just above the silver (engraveable) strip in the back. Bring the thumbs in toward the center line of the phone.
Angle your index fingers a bit, so that the pressure is applied not at the screen but the edges of the device. Curl the index fingers so that the upper half of the fingers are pointing toward your body and are positioned alongside the edges of the device.
Now, with your thumbs, push in and up. It helps if fingertips are nice and dry
I get the very same feeling of just how fragile it seems to be when trying to pop the cover off

This is not a problem I've ever had. It just slides off; what the heck are you people trying to do to your poor battery covers? ^_^

danguyf said:
This is not a problem I've ever had. It just slides off; what the heck are you people trying to do to your poor battery covers? ^_^
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Click to collapse
Harry, it's only a problem for the original poster

Guess I'm just a clumsy ****. It kind of moved a little bit when I tried what you guys said, but otherwise unless I'm willing to go at it with my nails, I should probably ask someone else to do it.
On the other hand, no dust under my screen! The tightness of the battery cover might as well be why.

I find sticking your fingernail in the little slot where the speaker is and dragging back from there helps. I also get the feeling im going to crack the screen when im pressing hard on the phone, its scary stuff!

Try this, hold your phone in your left hand facing down with your index finger and thumb just on the sides of the phone just above the capacitive buttons. Then place the ball of your right palm on the back of the cover and push up while applying a little force, it should open pretty easily.

nDrg said:
Try this, hold your phone in your left hand facing down with your index finger and thumb just on the sides of the phone just above the capacitive buttons. Then place the ball of your right palm on the back of the cover and push up while applying a little force, it should open pretty easily.
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Click to collapse
YES. This did the trick fantastically. It seems so simple now, I've no idea how I kept doing it wrong.

? You've read P 18 of the user guide ?? Nice wee diagrams... they work for me...
http://www.google.com/googlephone/nexusone-userguide.pdf
(In other words, RTFM ?? - no offence intended ...)
Cheers!
Lodger

I rarely, if ever, read manuals. But it's not as if I had trouble removing the battery cover the first day (especially since I had to do it several times as my SIM card was inserted the wrong way in).

Related

Can't remove back cover!!

I've been using my Touch Diamond for a couple of days now, and just read about the lens protector that apparently needs to be removed in order to take decent pictures.
Now I find, that it is impossible for me to remove the back cover!! I tried all sort of ways of pressing and sliding, but now I'm afraid to damage the device by using too much force...
Have any of you guys have similar problems?
Does have something to do with the heat build-up from the battery the expands the plastic cover?
Clean the back side so you have friction, and push UP. Should work. Just did it
pedmond said:
Clean the back side so you have friction, and push UP. Should work. Just did it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That worked! You are GOLD, thanks.
Or you could throw it really hard towards the floor. Should also work...
I'm sorry, I couldn't resist
this has to be one of toughest problems ever to be resolved here!
a hammer would have helped...
I find taking the stylus out and pushing from that corner the easiest way. Its a bit of a pain to get off if you have greasy hands!!
this sounds disgusting. it sounds like his phone is submersed in oil and he needs to wash it to remove the cover =\
i also heard if you rub the diamond against your head several times then place it against a wall...it will stick..like a balloon.
now you try =\
Dude, WTF, you're a puss. You couldnt get the back cover on the phone open?
Clicky-clicky!
As you know by now, I managed to get the back cover off (...), but now I'm anoyed by a clicky-clicky unstability on the back - along the right side just above where it says "HTC innovation". It seems there too much room (or something) just under that spot.
Anyone else experiencing this?
zyborg said:
As you know by now, I managed to get the back cover off (...), but now I'm anoyed by a clicky-clicky unstability on the back - along the right side just above where it says "HTC innovation". It seems there too much room (or something) just under that spot.
Anyone else experiencing this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My Diamond has a very solid feel, so I'm afraid I can't help you there. Just to make sure: are you certain the back cover is well inserted?
Trust me, I have (tried to make sure that it's properly inserted). I'm now considering sticking some aluminum foil in there - as this should also act as a heat sink (I'm also experiencing intense heat from the processor when WiFi is turned on for more than 5 minutes).
Maybe then the foil will also fill out that extra space, I don't know.
In general, I think that the back cover is VERY poor quality and really needs to be redone/redesigned. The diamond shapes on the back is a mess, as the device rocks back and forth when you have it on a completely flat surface (like a table) and operate the screen/buttons. It should be made with a completely flush back and a more sturdy plastic material (thicker, at least). Don't you think?
zyborg said:
Trust me, I have (tried to make sure that it's properly inserted). I'm now considering sticking some aluminum foil in there - as this should also act as a heat sink (I'm also experiencing intense heat from the processor when WiFi is turned on for more than 5 minutes).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably a bad idea. Sure aluminium might transfer heat well, but it also transfers electricity very well.
If yours is asloose as you say there's the risk of it moving and making Sony-style exploding battery fireworks.
What if the foil just sits in the bottom part and doesn't come into contact with the battery? Does that still present a risk?
mr_Ray said:
Probably a bad idea. Sure aluminium might transfer heat well, but it also transfers electricity very well.
If yours is asloose as you say there's the risk of it moving and making Sony-style exploding battery fireworks.
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Click to collapse
zyborg said:
What if the foil just sits in the bottom part and doesn't come into contact with the battery? Does that still present a risk?
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Click to collapse
I don't have a Diamond yet to answer that properly. It was just a general warning about putting metal foil in electronics. If you can see ANY way for it to move from where you put it to any other component or connector - don't do it. And that includes small parts of foil that may flake off from rubbing when the case moves (which is exactly what you're trying to stop, soit's potentially an issue).
I'd not risk it myself, but you probably wouldn't die. Probably. Much.
By the way, I tested the aluminum foil, and it worked well to remove the clicky-clicky sensation/sound, but I quickly removed it again after reading the warning above.
Can anyone suggest an alternative material to fill the gap?
zyborg said:
As you know by now, I managed to get the back cover off (...), but now I'm anoyed by a clicky-clicky unstability on the back - along the right side just above where it says "HTC innovation". It seems there too much room (or something) just under that spot.
Anyone else experiencing this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes on two different Diamonds, poor design, or design flaw.
Clicky-clicky has gone bye-bye!
I found another solution:
Cut a business card (not too thick) in half and place it over the battery on the inside of the back cover. Slide the back cover back on. No more clicky-clicky!
Today i spent what seemed like an hour attempting to remove the battery cover on my touch pro and FINALLY did it! I wonder why HTC made it so difficult. To fix the creaking problem, i just put some strips of tape on my battery cover and that stopped the problem

You guys are going to laught? open battery door?

Yea this funny might be the ultimate noob question, but...
I bought my phone used and I have no idea how to remove the battery door and I dont want to just pry it open.
Is there a specific wat to do this?
Please answer I want to try my new battery!
THANKS!
Throw it at the floor!
Slide the back down. Simple as that.
Push the back cover (gently) in & up. The whole back cover slides up a little bit, then it simply comes off.
I'm sure AT&T has manuals & other documentation available.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=at%26t+tilt+user+manual&btnG=Google+Search
thanks! that was simple.
It takes a small amount of force. Don't worry if you break it, they're only like $13 on ebay.
cbass said:
Throw it at the floor!
Slide the back down. Simple as that.
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Click to collapse
Shouldn't that be slide the back up
Seriously though, hold the phone screen down in the palm of your hand and grip it with the top pointing away from your body. Then place your other hand flat on the back cover and push up - as in away from your body - and it should slide about 2mm and come loose.
Be careful though as there are small tabs all around that 'lock' the cover in place and they are a bit fragile. I have lost the one near where the stylus head is and its now ever so slightly 'floppy' in this corner...
HTH
Andy
hold the device naturally in portrait orientation with the screen facing you...
now turn it over so that the screen faces the floor...
holding the device in both hands, place your right thumb just under the external speaker grill and place your left thumb just under the gps external antena slot...
press your thumbs into the back cover a bit and push upwards (towards the top of the device)...
it should click open

Taking the battery cover off my HD2?

Hello, I have still yet to take the battery cover off my HD2 since it's brand new, and I need to know the least effortless way to take it off without damaging. I have tried with the little slot by pulling up on it but haven't tried very hard and it never comes off. I'm afraid of breaking it.... Help?
Do a Google search on
"remove battery cover hd2"
PurpleLlamaLover said:
Hello, I have still yet to take the battery cover off my HD2 since it's brand new, and I need to know the least effortless way to take it off without damaging. I have tried with the little slot by pulling up on it but haven't tried very hard and it never comes off. I'm afraid of breaking it.... Help?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, you've got the right idea there...it's built to have tension so it takes a bit of effort to get it open. First, that little slot is indeed for your nail to help pop it open...now, when you pull on it, do it as if the opposite side (with the volume buttons) is a hinge, and the door needs to swing open like that. I place one of my thumbs on the "hinge" side, and pull up on the other. Once it snaps up about an inch, I lift my thumb and it comes right off. Putting it back on is the exact opposite...first seat the side with the volume buttons securely (this takes some practice), and then swing it closed and snap down on the notch side.
Ugh, that sounds really difficult. This is actually making me regret my decision of buying the HD2. I love everything about it but this stuipid battery cover. Why couldn't it take up the entire middle-bottom of the phone!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfemA_G2QYA
Thanks, but I can't view the movie. Shows up as a white square...
don't worry about it really, your finger isn't going to damage the metal battery cover. it just pops right off.
i hold the phone with my right hand on the top and bottom and push the slot with my left thumb, easy peasy.
I'm not worried about the battery cover, just the phone. I've had it since Wednesday and have been phoneless for the past 2 weeks...
Just pull on it its not going to damage your phone, I do it every day.
Its really not that hard to do, you're making it a bigger deal than it actually is. Its made out of metal so I think you will be ok.
come on purple lama lover! just do it; don't be a pink lama
This thread, coupled with this post from another thread:
PurpleLlamaLover said:
I'm very meticulous when it comes to cosmetics. At night, when I'm not using my phone I wrap it in a lint free sunglass cloth, then in a layer of bubble wrap, then in a small bubble wrap lined packaging envelope, then in a larger bubble wrap lined shipping envelope, and then in a prefectly sized cardboard box that I put very carefully in a drawer. Lol, but the case and all it's openings fit perfect.
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Click to collapse
Makes me believe that you may need to see a doctor. Your worries are baseless and way too superficial.
You're regretting buying the HD2 because of the battery cover? For real? Definitely don't get an evo then. That one feels like it could snap at any moment when you try to take it off. At least the HD2's is metal.
This is a joke, right? How are you going to damage a metal battery cover? What are you using to take it off, The Jaws of Life?
Just take it off. You won't damage it at all. I know it feels like its just going to rip apart but the HD2 can take it
Guys, Please don't feed the troll.
FlawlesStyle said:
This thread, coupled with this post from another thread:
Makes me believe that you may need to see a doctor. Your worries are baseless and way too superficial.
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Click to collapse
WOW...if it rings your wouldnt even be able to hear it much less get it out in time to answer the call...
PurpleLlamaLover said:
Ugh, that sounds really difficult. This is actually making me regret my decision of buying the HD2. I love everything about it but this stuipid battery cover. Why couldn't it take up the entire middle-bottom of the phone!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"UGHH thats difficult".....This guy / gal is really sad
LOL... This is hilarious!
This is what works for me
1) Phone face down
2) Stick your fingernail in the bottom left corner of the metal cover and lift it up. Voila.
Pocketnow technique didn't really work for me. Almost felt like I was going to break it.
There seriously is a thread about how to remove the battry cover???
I cant belive i just wasted my time in reading it WOW!!!!

Doe your metal battery panel sit flush with the cellphone?

Hi guys
just a quick question about the back of the captivates. When trying to lock in the metal battery cover, my metal cover does not sit flush with the back of the phone, the metal cover sticks out and I need apply pressure to press it down in order to slide up the plastic locking piece. Kinda curious if thats the case with all of the cappys or just mine? THANKS!
How much pressure? I have to kinda push it down but not hard at all, just kinda seat it in there.
when mine rests, its just a couple milimeters out... So yeah, i have to push it in to close it. But its not a considerable amount of pressure, its something a toddler could do . Once its closed though, its nice and snug
studacris said:
How much pressure? I have to kinda push it down but not hard at all, just kinda seat it in there.
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supaphreek said:
when mine rests, its just a couple milimeters out... So yeah, i have to push it in to close it. But its not a considerable amount of pressure, its something a toddler could do . Once its closed though, its nice and snug
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Click to collapse
Agreed. It's supposed to take a little pressure to open it. If you're just talking about the aesthetic of the phone, I, personally, like the way it looks recessed. I like the metal back enough I hate to use a case that covers it.
I think it's designed to stick up a little for 2 reasons when unlocked.
1. it makes removing the back over a little easier since it is raised and you can place something under it to lift it out (typically your finger)
2. to apply pressure to the latch so it is not lose and does not rattle or make similar noises that bug/worry ppl.
It might also be a side effect to one of the connectors that ground the back cover, as the one on the left side is a pin with a spring underneath it.

[A] Power/resetting problems - should I return my "new" phone?

Post-end edit and TL;DR for others having the sort of problems I was:
The power button will, if held in (or stuck engaged) for 10 seconds, reset the phone. Unconditionally. If your phone starts randomly resetting after the power button is pressed (or after you press it, the shutdown menu appears, then the phone resets), your power button is sticky and needs to be replaced. Save yourself some frustration and stop using the button to sleep/wake your phone. Pop the keyboard slider open half an inch to wake it up, use a widget or one of CM and SlimKat's many shortcuts to put it to sleep. Unless you're still on stock JB, in which case quit being on stock JB you square you're probably limited to widgets.
---
Bought a D4 off ebay. According to the seller, there's nothing wrong with it, aside from "the power button occasionally does not work".
And until this afternoon, not even that. The phone was working flawlessly. So, I sat down and flashed it so I could transfer my PagePlus account over, which also seemed to be successful; 1x and 3g signals, nice and strong. And even after that, it was fine for a bit.
Then, I go to put the phone to sleep...and it wouldn't. The power switch problem that the seller described rearing its ugly head, seemingly. So I kept trying, and every few button presses, the shutdown menu came up, rather than the device sleeping. Seemed like a sticky button, easy enough to fix.
And then...the phone reset itself. And now, when it's woken with the button, there's a decent chance that it resets itself within 10 seconds of leaving the lock screen; assuming it even wakes up with the button, which seems to be rather hit-and-miss. Putting the phone to sleep with the button is equally fidgety, but doesn't seem to be able to reset it.
I'd already planned on replacing the button, if necessary; I'm not at all afraid of opening the phone up. What concerns me is the self-resetting, which as I understand the Droid 4 is only supposed to do if the power button and volume- buttons are held; I haven't so much as touched the volume buttons since this started.
Should I send it back for a refund, or is the self-reset behavior a symptom of a stuck/failing power button, and likely to go away if I open it up and replace it?
My power button did same thing a year ago.
The power button is two parts external and internal
I took it apart and pulled the external part off, it just pulls straight off.
Now need a pen or something to press button, but normally use a widget to turn screen off and use an volume button app to turn screen on
There are replacement power buttons on eBay but never got around to it.
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk
sd_shadow said:
My power button did same thing a year ago.
The power button is two parts external and internal
I took it apart and pulled the external part off, it just pulls straight off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So wait. Despite how loose/flimsy it feels, it's actually the external plastic bit getting stuck/hung up? I figured it was the actual button being gunked up (poor-quality grease or somesuch) and sticking.
And, is the phone supposed to reboot if only the power button is "held", then? That's what I'm primarily worried about; whether the power button is responsible for the reboots, or it started at the same time by coincidence and something else is actually wrong.
With mine the exterior part was sticking and causing reboots, yours may be different
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk
Hmm, seems to be different indeed. Out of curiosity, I very carefully slipped a screwdriver in above the plastic button to open a small gap, and clicked the actual hardware button with a small paperclip...nothing. Holding it long enough seems to eventually make contact and put the phone to sleep, clicking it repeatedly sometimes causes the shutdown menu to come up (and shortly thereafter a reboot)...
Very strange behavior. Think I have some electrical contact cleaner around here somewhere, maybe I can squirt some of that down into the button...failing that, I guess I can live with it, hoping it's just the button itself and not something wonky with the board logic, and eventually change the button for something a bit higher quality...
Septfox said:
Hmm, seems to be different indeed. Out of curiosity, I very carefully slipped a screwdriver in above the plastic button to open a small gap, and clicked the actual hardware button with a small paperclip...nothing. Holding it long enough seems to eventually make contact and put the phone to sleep, clicking it repeatedly sometimes causes the shutdown menu to come up (and shortly thereafter a reboot)...
Very strange behavior. Think I have some electrical contact cleaner around here somewhere, maybe I can squirt some of that down into the button...failing that, I guess I can live with it, hoping it's just the button itself and not something wonky with the board logic, and eventually change the button for something a bit higher quality...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This happened to my old SE XPERIA X2, the switch wore off. In this case I got the switch replaced under warranty claim.
Generally all the faulty micro switches I opened had somehow faulty flat spring inside. If it is the case, it won't click soundly when pressed. Then you need to replace the whole switch (or the spring if you can find the same), no cleaning can help.
I can't imagine any valid SW situation leading to reboot because of pressing only the power switch - unless you installed some utility to do it, which I doubt. Maybe the Vol Down button is faulty/sticky too?
I'd try to clean the insides first (if the cleaner gets inside the switches, even better), and if that doesn't help, get inside and check these two switches yourself. You can't get a refund then though
LuH said:
Generally all the faulty micro switches I opened had somehow faulty flat spring inside. If it is the case, it won't click soundly when pressed. Then you need to replace the whole switch (or the spring if you can find the same), no cleaning can help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine makes a clicking sound and seems to return after being pressed. However, comparing it to the volume buttons (which look to be the same switch going by the teardown pictures I've seen), it does sound and feel slightly less "crisp".
LuH said:
I can't imagine any valid SW situation leading to reboot because of pressing only the power switch - unless you installed some utility to do it, which I doubt. Maybe the Vol Down button is faulty/sticky too?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, completely stock, since I was flashing the phone over to PP before doing anything else.
I was kind of hoping someone on stock or modified stock would come in and test it for me; hold the button down for a good 10-20 seconds, see what happens. It's not supposed to happen, but I've read elsewhere online that it's one of the symptoms of a sticky button.
Curiously, the Volume- key seems to be working perfectly, sounds and feels like I would expect.
LuH said:
I'd try to clean the insides first (if the cleaner gets inside the switches, even better), and if that doesn't help, get inside and check these two switches yourself. You can't get a refund then though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually have some "QR Electrical Cleaner" here that I obtained from Walmart a while back...unfortunately someone lost the nozzle, so I can't get a concentrated blast down around the switch stem :\
Wedging the plastic external button aside and spraying it in the general direction of the top of the switch doesn't seem to have done anything, unfortunately. I think these switches are probably semi-sealed unless in the pressed position, which is going to make things interesting...
And yes, you're right, doing anything further would technically void the warranty. Thinking about it, though, I actually did get a pretty good deal; the phone is obviously a return from a customer who found the problem early on, as it's basically new in condition with a completely unscratched screen. Even if I can't get the button working right, the phone wakes up with the keyboard, and a notification widget puts it to sleep...and if the button isn't used to wake it, it doesn't seem to stick (or at least register as it), so the phone continues working properly. So, a mostly-perfect phone, for all of $27.50, with the potential to be perfect.
Once my screen protector gets here and I'm not afraid of scratching the glass up, I think I'll open it and see what I can find out. It should be easy enough to short the contacts at the rear of the switch and see that the board is working properly; if so, then I can go hunting for a compatible switch. I can't seem to find any direct replacements, unfortunately.
Which reminds me, any guesses as to why there are three poles on the switch rather than two?
Edit: nevermind, looking at pictures it seems that the two "outer" pins attach to the common pad on the board, while the center pin is attached to the appropriate circuitry.
Septfox said:
Mine makes a clicking sound and seems to return after being pressed. However, comparing it to the volume buttons (which look to be the same switch going by the teardown pictures I've seen), it does sound and feel slightly less "crisp".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like a swan's song...
Septfox said:
Yea, completely stock, since I was flashing the phone over to PP before doing anything else.
I was kind of hoping someone on stock or modified stock would come in and test it for me; hold the button down for a good 10-20 seconds, see what happens. It's not supposed to happen, but I've read elsewhere online that it's one of the symptoms of a sticky button.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Luckily I just fastbooted mine Completely stock 188, only rooted and with SS installed - which should make no difference. To my complete surprise, while holding the power down, it shows the Power menu after 2 secs and forcibly reboots after 10 seconds. So I guess your only problem is the power button :good:
Septfox said:
And yes, you're right, doing anything further would technically void the warranty. Thinking about it, though, I actually did get a pretty good deal; the phone is obviously a return from a customer who found the problem early on, as it's basically new in condition with a completely unscratched screen. Even if I can't get the button working right, the phone wakes up with the keyboard, and a notification widget puts it to sleep...and if the button isn't used to wake it, it doesn't seem to stick (or at least register as it), so the phone continues working properly. So, a mostly-perfect phone, for all of $27.50, with the potential to be perfect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great catch If you find another, let me know
Septfox said:
Once my screen protector gets here and I'm not afraid of scratching the glass up, I think I'll open it and see what I can find out. It should be easy enough to short the contacts at the rear of the switch and see that the board is working properly; if so, then I can go hunting for a compatible switch. I can't seem to find any direct replacements, unfortunately.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually bought one two years ago while buying mine D4 to have the whole package stuffed with all imaginable replacement parts sent from the US - postage to Europe was about 1/3 of the whole price. I never used any of the replacement parts yet, guess I got lucky I don't have it on me now though...
Septfox said:
Which reminds me, any guesses as to why there are three poles on the switch rather than two?
Edit: nevermind, looking at pictures it seems that the two "outer" pins attach to the common pad on the board, while the center pin is attached to the appropriate circuitry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My guess is in some other devices the switch may switch between two circuits, not just break/connect the circuit. I think most of the switches I saw had the unnecessary third leg. Also it may help it hold tighter to the PCB.
LuH said:
Luckily I just fastbooted mine Completely stock 188, only rooted and with SS installed - which should make no difference. To my complete surprise, while holding the power down, it shows the Power menu after 2 secs and forcibly reboots after 10 seconds. So I guess your only problem is the power button :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, thank you! Now I don't have to strip it down until I have a new switch in hand...though I'm still tempted to, just for fun. Strange that the phone can be rebooted by only holding the power button, though.
LuH said:
Great catch If you find another, let me know
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Certainly. FYI, the seller I got it it from is named "soonersoft" if you want to use ebay's Follow Seller thing, by the looks of their listings they seem to mainly do business in items returned under warranty for damage/defects.
LuH said:
I actually bought one two years ago while buying mine D4 to have the whole package stuffed with all imaginable replacement parts sent from the US - postage to Europe was about 1/3 of the whole price. I never used any of the replacement parts yet, guess I got lucky I don't have it on me now though...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been thinking about it, and even if I could find a 1:1 replacement, it might be better to just replace it with an entirely different, more common switch. Having looked it up, power switch failures aren't incredibly frequent, but they are enough that I would rather have a more reliable (or at least, cheaper to replace), more standard design. Ebay is full of cheap bulk lots of microswitches, just gotta find one small enough.
LuH said:
My guess is in some other devices the switch may switch between two circuits, not just break/connect the circuit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, maybe. I just had the thought that it might alternatively be a dual-stage switch (e.g. as are used for cameras), with one of the stages disabled or defective to the extent that it could only be sold as a single-stage switch. Such would be a good way to get rid of components that would otherwise be garbage.
Whichever it is, it seems to me that such a small switch with so many moving parts inside, in a location and with a role that it sees a lot of use and abuse, is just asking for trouble...that the problem isn't more widespread is a testament to the quality of the switch manufacturer's design and assembly, I guess.
Regardless, it looks like only a dual-pole switch is actually needed, so that considerably widens the range of possibilities.
Thanks for the assistance, it has been invaluable. Now I can continue loading up and enjoying my phone without worrying that it's going to suddenly drop dead...well, more than the usual worrying, anyway
Septfox said:
Awesome, thank you! Now I don't have to strip it down until I have a new switch in hand...though I'm still tempted to, just for fun. Strange that the phone can be rebooted by only holding the power button, though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know your feelings, even though I waited for a first issue to rationalize opening it up, which was only this summer, after almost two years. I'm still a student and the phone was ****load of money for me. Now that they are so cheap (and I don't see any potential replacement on the market as QWERTY devices vaporized) I'm not that cautious.
BTW most breakdown instructions or videos specify you'll only need T5 screwdriver but if you want to disassemble the display part as well, which you will need to, you'll need T3 as well (T4 still kinda fits to the screws, but it's T3). When you slide the diplay (or keyboard, depending on your point of view) out, you can see the small screws next to the outer rim.
Also, the phone heavily relies on adhesive - be sure to have plenty and be aware that after first opening the see-through plastic piece with rear camera, flash LED, hole for opening the back door and with two screws underneath will never look the same, you'll be lucky to have it somehow stick with most parts looking OK. I never saw anywhere replacement for this printed adhesive, the "HD 720p" sign gets semi-destroyed when opening it...
Septfox said:
Certainly. FYI, the seller I got it it from is named "soonersoft" if you want to use ebay's Follow Seller thing, by the looks of their listings they seem to mainly do business in items returned under warranty for damage/defects.
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Click to collapse
Thanks
Septfox said:
I've been thinking about it, and even if I could find a 1:1 replacement, it might be better to just replace it with an entirely different, more common switch. Having looked it up, power switch failures aren't incredibly frequent, but they are enough that I would rather have a more reliable (or at least, cheaper to replace), more standard design. Ebay is full of cheap bulk lots of microswitches, just gotta find one small enough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or you can do it the hardcore and noticeable way I used to fix out old home LCD monitor's faulty power switch - solder wires to the PCB, take it out the hole left after the switch plastic and solder to them a switch of your choosing that will hang outside the phone... You can tell people that it's an antenna that helps with bad reception in your area
Septfox said:
Yea, maybe. I just had the thought that it might alternatively be a dual-stage switch (e.g. as are used for cameras), with one of the stages disabled or defective to the extent that it could only be sold as a single-stage switch. Such would be a good way to get rid of components that would otherwise be garbage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not likely IMO. This was marketed as luxurious device, I don't think they'd do it. Also the new switch isn't as expensive I guess, especially compared to all the advanced electronics inside.
Septfox said:
Whichever it is, it seems to me that such a small switch with so many moving parts inside, in a location and with a role that it sees a lot of use and abuse, is just asking for trouble...that the problem isn't more widespread is a testament to the quality of the switch manufacturer's design and assembly, I guess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, I never understood how microswitches, especially those used in mouses, could take so much...
Septfox said:
Regardless, it looks like only a dual-pole switch is actually needed, so that considerably widens the range of possibilities.
Thanks for the assistance, it has been invaluable. Now I can continue loading up and enjoying my phone without worrying that it's going to suddenly drop dead...well, more than the usual worrying, anyway
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm glad I helped Enjoy your "brand new" slider
LuH said:
BTW most breakdown instructions or videos specify you'll only need T5 screwdriver but if you want to disassemble the display part as well, which you will need to, you'll need T3 as well (T4 still kinda fits to the screws, but it's T3).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to know. As it turns out, I don't have anything below a T6 or 7, so no adventures in disassembly for me today.
LuH said:
Also, the phone heavily relies on adhesive - be sure to have plenty and be aware that after first opening the see-through plastic piece with rear camera, flash LED, hole for opening the back door and with two screws underneath will never look the same, you'll be lucky to have it somehow stick with most parts looking OK. I never saw anywhere replacement for this printed adhesive, the "HD 720p" sign gets semi-destroyed when opening it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fond memories of stripping my Ally down to the digitizer come back to me; everything simply snaps or bolts together and there's nary a drop of glue to be seen :<
I wonder if I can eyeball pictures of a removed plastic bit and use a straightblade bit to simply "drill" through mine to the screws...will have to keep it in mind when I evenetually open it up.
Any suggestions on what kind of glue to get? All I have around are hot glue and Gorilla Glue, neither of which strike me as particularly appropriate for this sort of thing.
LuH said:
Or you can do it the hardcore and noticeable way I used to fix out old home LCD monitor's faulty power switch - solder wires to the PCB, take it out the hole left after the switch plastic and solder to them a switch of your choosing that will hang outside the phone... You can tell people that it's an antenna that helps with bad reception in your area
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The sad thing is, I would have actually done this with my first flip-phone. Heck, my current computer is a collection of loosely-assembled parts kind of haphazardly spread out on a nearby endtable, so I can say I would definitely do this to a phone ; \
LuH said:
Not likely IMO. This was marketed as luxurious device, I don't think they'd do it.
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Click to collapse
Yes, a luxurious device with a Pentile TFT display, non-removable battery, entirely plastic casing and no dedicated camera button :v
There's no denying that it's a nice phone, but I see a lot of cut corners; what's another one that the majority of users will be fortunate enough to never notice?
Septfox said:
Fond memories of stripping my Ally down to the digitizer come back to me; everything simply snaps or bolts together and there's nary a drop of glue to be seen :<
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too hate this adhesive hell
Septfox said:
I wonder if I can eyeball pictures of a removed plastic bit and use a straightblade bit to simply "drill" through mine to the screws...will have to keep it in mind when I eventually open it up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was thinking the same. Don't know what straightblade is, but I wouldn't recommend any blade - the plastic is pretty thick. My plan would be to really cautiously drill it by an actual power drill. There's a bit of space between screws and the plastic piece, so I think it's safe to drill.
Septfox said:
Any suggestions on what kind of glue to get? All I have around are hot glue and Gorilla Glue, neither of which strike me as particularly appropriate for this sort of thing.
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Click to collapse
Double-sided adhesive tape I bought cheap 3mm wide one off eBay, works like charm. Also I thought they say it's 3M as in 3 meters long, but actually got a 3M branded one, possibly 3 meters long
Septfox said:
The sad thing is, I would have actually done this with my first flip-phone. Heck, my current computer is a collection of loosely-assembled parts kind of haphazardly spread out on a nearby endtable, so I can say I would definitely do this to a phone ; \
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see how it's a bad thing The phone would look badass
Septfox said:
Yes, a luxurious device with a Pentile TFT display, non-removable battery, entirely plastic casing and no dedicated camera button :v
There's no denying that it's a nice phone, but I see a lot of cut corners; what's another one that the majority of users will be fortunate enough to never notice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True...
LuH said:
I was thinking the same. Don't know what straightblade is, but I wouldn't recommend any blade - the plastic is pretty thick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, what I was referring to was a flat-edge screwdriver bit, in the same style as one of these for example. A small, sharp one makes a surprisingly good boring tool once you get it started.
LuH said:
Double-sided adhesive tape I bought cheap 3mm wide one off eBay, works like charm. Also I thought they say it's 3M as in 3 meters long, but actually got a 3M branded one, possibly 3 meters long
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, double-sided tape. I probably would have gone for rubber cement or somesuch, but this is a much better idea...far less messy.
LuH said:
I don't see how it's a bad thing The phone would look badass
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And cats everywhere would instantly be huge fans of it.
Septfox said:
Sorry, what I was referring to was a flat-edge screwdriver bit, in the same style as one of these for example. A small, sharp one makes a surprisingly good boring tool once you get it started.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's an interesting idea
Septfox said:
Ah, double-sided tape. I probably would have gone for rubber cement or somesuch, but this is a much better idea...far less messy.
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Click to collapse
I tried it and turns out while it works great for the main body (the first frame that probably wouldn't even need it in the first place), the tape I bought is a disaster for the digitizer. Since there is a pressure contact for the ear speaker being pressed by the adhesive connection only, it gets pressed away all the time. I got to re-assemble it with new tape every like two or three weeks, which is unbearable. Any alternative idea? I don't think we have rubber cement here - tried to google it and it seems it's used only in the US. I don't want to use any solution that's too permanent though - the time may come when I shatter the glass and need to replace it.
Also the display screws may actually be T4 - it seems my T3 and T4 screwdrivers are a tad more thick than they are supposed to be, compared to my brother's bit more expensive set.
LuH said:
I tried it and turns out while it works great for the main body (the first frame that probably wouldn't even need it in the first place), the tape I bought is a disaster for the digitizer. Since there is a pressure contact for the ear speaker being pressed by the adhesive connection only, it gets pressed away all the time. I got to re-assemble it with new tape every like two or three weeks, which is unbearable. Any alternative idea? I don't think we have rubber cement here - tried to google it and it seems it's used only in the US. I don't want to use any solution that's too permanent though - the time may come when I shatter the glass and need to replace it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm.
I haven't taken mine apart yet - waiting on soldering wick so I can replace the power button with minimal mess - and wasn't planning on stripping it down that far anyway, so all I have to look at is the teardown guide. It looks to me like you could:
Press in the screen glass at the top to where it's supposed to be (to align the speaker with the frame as best as possible)
Get some sort of thin material to fill in/bridge the gap between the sides of the speaker and the frame
Inject a small amount of superglue into the gaps between frame/material/speaker
Finding something to bridge the gaps shouldn't be too difficult, anything will work (the superglue will just soak and make it rock hard anyway), it's only there so there's not enough of a gap for the superglue to shrink and void as it dries.
Just don't use enough glue that it works its way down to the glass, or it'll be a pain to detach later.
Like so (blue: spacer/shim, red: glue):
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Alternatively, gluing the speaker directly to the board it interfaces with (using a small shim between them to make room for the contacts)...but the positioning might be trickier to get right.
'course, these both have the problem of being rather permanent...and while I haven't read that there are widespread problems with the ear speaker going out, it does seem to occasionally happen. I just don't really know of any adhesives that are both strong enough to hold without eventually coming apart, and weak enough to be somewhat easily removed if needed : \
LuH said:
Also the display screws may actually be T4 - it seems my T3 and T4 screwdrivers are a tad more thick than they are supposed to be, compared to my brother's bit more expensive set.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought a cheap set off ebay that includes T3-T6, so I should be good to go for when I eventually get around to opening the whole thing up (it is certain to happen at some point, if for no other reason than curiosity). At the moment I'm just enjoying customizing SlimKat and playing with the phone; it's so much more able in every way than the old LG I came from, it's ridiculous. Curiosity can, in this case, wait a while~
Septfox said:
It looks to me like you could:
Press in the screen glass at the top to where it's supposed to be (to align the speaker with the frame as best as possible)
Get some sort of thin material to fill in/bridge the gap between the sides of the speaker and the frame
Inject a small amount of superglue into the gaps between frame/material/speaker
Finding something to bridge the gaps shouldn't be too difficult, anything will work (the superglue will just soak and make it rock hard anyway), it's only there so there's not enough of a gap for the superglue to shrink and void as it dries.
Just don't use enough glue that it works its way down to the glass, or it'll be a pain to detach later.
Like so (blue: spacer/shim, red: glue):
[picture shown in above post]
Alternatively, gluing the speaker directly to the board it interfaces with (using a small shim between them to make room for the contacts)...but the positioning might be trickier to get right.
'course, these both have the problem of being rather permanent...and while I haven't read that there are widespread problems with the ear speaker going out, it does seem to occasionally happen. I just don't really know of any adhesives that are both strong enough to hold without eventually coming apart, and weak enough to be somewhat easily removed if needed : \
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I think when I bought the phone in summer 2012 I was like "cool, the only known issue is not showing up in my unit", and almost two years later when earpiece problems started, I was like "****, it finally caught me"...
The idea of hard-fixing the earpiece is nice, I actually thought of it before. I'd love it to be fixed to the PCB, thinking of some non-sticky insulation to be put between the earpiece and the digitizer. It's holding really tight on the digitizer though. I'll see what I can do when I open it up next time - I fixed it this Saturday, so I think it should hold itself somehow at least till the weekend
I was thinking of soldering it to PCB, but was quite scared of messing it up. Super glue is interesting alternative idea But I'm a bit afraid that it will tear the PCB's top layer apart when being pushed away continuously by the pressure contacts. I'll probably first try gluing it to the frame as you indicated in the picture and see then Hope I'll get to send pictures here, although it's a hard thing to do with a phone (my only camera) taken apart...
LuH said:
The idea of hard-fixing the earpiece is nice, I actually thought of it before. I'd love it to be fixed to the PCB, thinking of some non-sticky insulation to be put between the earpiece and the digitizer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Paper~
alternatively, thinner and clear, plastic/saran wrap. Stick it down in there, then simply tear the little bit out that covers the speaker hole (or probably easier and cleaner, take a craft knife to it).
LuH said:
I was thinking of soldering it to PCB, but was quite scared of messing it up. Super glue is interesting alternative idea But I'm a bit afraid that it will tear the PCB's top layer apart when being pushed away continuously by the pressure contacts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a good point, PCB pads aren't strong at all (found that out while pulling a replacement switch off another phone, which is why I'm waiting on wick; don't want to tear my traces up).
I'd like to propose a combination alternative, then
Get some of your double-sided tape, stick a small strip to where the speaker sits on the PCB, try not to get stuck to it
Find a pair of lengths of small-gauge wire, an inch apiece should be enough
On each side, solder one wire to the copper interface pads
Using a small pair of wire snips, snip off the sprung sections of the contacts on the earpiece speaker, leaving enough to solder to
Solder the other ends of the wires to the remainder of the contacts on the speaker
Carefully align the speaker with the PCB, and stick it to the double-sided tape
Finally, tuck the wires out of the way so they don't get pinched and severed when the front assembly is bolted back on
The double-sided tape should be under little to no strain, so it ought to be fine for this task. The digitizer won't be receiving spring pressure from the speaker anymore, so it should stay put. Everything should be oK.
The only potential problems I can think of are that the lack of a seal between digitizer and speaker might reduce the earpiece volume somewhat, and the extra sound movement in the top of the phone casing might have some interesting interactions with the second mic up top.
Of course, this is only if you decide to add something to insulate/destick the digitizer, which actually might not be necessary without the glass being sprung outwards all the time.
It's completely reversible regardless (just need a new speaker and clean up the solder and tape on the PCB), so...might be a better alternative than just straight gluing everything together.
So after all I came up with an alternative solution: since I succeeded on fastening the digitizer with two layers of adhesive tape so well it still holds together for over two months now, I just needed to make the contacts hold so I don't lose the earpiece sound when they don't. The contact for pressure pins is actually not on display's PCB, but on a T-shaped strip of metal, attached to the display, so I just bent the arms in and it works like charm since
Heh, two layers.
Glad to hear you got it worked out. Now I know what to do in the (hopefully unlikely) event that I ever have this issue.
For my end of things, my adventures in power button repair have unfortunately met a disappointing end; the power button completely quit working for normal functions shortly after my last post. The tools I ordered came in, I opened up the phone and tried shorting the leads on the button, to make sure it was indeed the button that was bad. Nothing, nada, no response. I then performed some exploratory surgery on the button (as I have a suitable replacement sitting here), and found it to be of a somewhat simple, rugged design (typical metal-dome design, center pops down to make contact, sides/pins 1 and 3 are common). No manufacturing faults evident.
Working theory is that somewhere in the circuit that it completes, there is a defect. A component that overheated each time the button was used until the point of complete failure, perhaps. Curiously, the button (or rather the pads, no more button at this point) can still be used in combination with Volume - to reset the device. It just...won't respond to normal short/longpresses. I'd imagine there's another trace that splits off before the defective component, leading to the Volume - button and creating a sort of hardware AND condition that triggers a reboot.
Don't know. Don't have the knowledge, nor the equipment, to really diagnose it properly, let alone affect repairs. Guess I'm stuck with popping the keyboard open to wake it until the glorious day that the Droid 5 comes around~

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