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Repair or replace N1? Need help concerning hardware details.

Hey guys,
I've been struggling with my N1 power button for a while now until in August it finally failed and my device wouldn't turn on anymore.
Since I bought my phone in Germany I hesitated to send it in. Not HTC is responsible for the warranty, but the seller himself. Anyway, I mailed them, sent it in, but they denied to repair it. They said some bull***t about me braking the camera. So I talked to legal protection insurance and they asked me whether I'd prefere to sue the trader or if I want to get 220 Euro back from them instead (because obviously suing would be much more cost intensiv for the insurance then paying 220 Euro). So I decided to take the money and either buy a new phone or try to fix the power button myself. And that's what I did.
I dissembled the phone and tried to solder the broken connections following this (http://youtu.be/k74D4dGGf4U) awesome guide myself. I do not have a lot of experience with stuff like this but I thought since I had already gotten the money "back" and the phone was not working I could at least try.
I did try and I did break the rest of the power button. So know I am not sure what to do. I see two options and very much would like other users comments on what I should do.
Try to sell the other components (screen, battery, logic board) and buy a new phone.
Replace the entire board with the camera, the led and the power button.
Ad 1.) Where would you sell the components? Ebay? Any other specific website?
And also, can you suggest phones to consider. I haven't followed the "android market" for a couple of months since it was not clear what would happen to my N1. I could buy a new N1 for about 210 Euro. Or a Nexus S for about 200. Are there any new phones that can compete with the nexus one in terms of openness, processing power, battery life & built quality? Or is the N1 still the best deal (especially for that price, I don't want to spend much more then the 220 Euro, I just got back).
Ad 2.) I've looked online, there are plenty of sources to replace the board with the flex cable ribbon. They range from 17 to about 70 Dollar. The difference seems to be that the ones are without camera, while the others come with a new camera.
Since my camera was working just fine I was wondering if it's possible to use my camera on another motherboard (I think that's the adequate name of the board I am talking about, right?). I couldn't find any reports online, but there is a spare part, which indicates, that it is very possible. Has anyone tried to replace a camera? Did it work? Is there a tutorial online?
Over all, I would very much prefere the second option. I have used my N1 only for roughly a year. I got the N1 dock. And over all, it would only cost about 30 bucks and a couple of hours. Also I would not have to buy a new phone and produce unnecessary technical waste.
So I'm very much looking forward to all your comments and help. For me that's a huge project. I haven't done hardware "hacking" before, so I will need all the help I can get.
Cheers, Armin

repair it.
Replacing the flex cable is not extremely difficult (medium diff.), and the chinese sellers in ebay will often bundle the tools required to open the N1's case.
By the way, the flex cable is not the mainboard, it's the cable that connects different modules (camera, led) and buttons (volume, power) to the mainboard, replace it, plug your camera and led modules to the new flex cable, make sure all connections are tight and your N1 will be as good as new!
I just repaired my N1, and I cannot tell you how awesome it felt when this little beast came back to life after months!

hey trschober,
thanx a lot for your reply. could you elaborate on how to switch the camera? it seems like it's only held in place by the bent metal. but i don't want to "force it out" since i dont want to break the camera (expensive).
does it come off easily?
also i didn't even know i could take off the led module. but now that i had a look at it it seems like i can just "pop off" the white rectangle.
awesome, i'm really excited right now!
well, i'll just order the part. we'll see how it goes.

I've never had to replace the camera, but from ifixit's pictures it is held in place by some sort of metal clip. There must be a place that you can push to get the camera module out without forcing it.
I can open my N1 on monday to check the proper way to unmount the camera module, but I doubt that you have to force it out, these electronic things don't work that way.
Yes, the led module just pops off, just be careful no to scratch the led itself, or the light will get blueish.
The hardest part of replacing the flex cable is popping off the bottom part of your N1, just use the proper _plastic_ tools to open it, or you will scratch the case. once you disconnect the connectors, the flex cable just slides upwards and out.

[Q] USB port problem

whenever i try to charge my note or connect it to pc it keeps lagging badly i mean i have to keep moving the cable backward for it to work and its very senstive with just the slightest move it will stop charging again ! what do i do ? do i have to change it ? i really don't drop my note or anything i try to take care of it as much as possible and changing it might be a problem for me since y parents wont agree ! any help ?

Well i do think that you'll have to change it. the charging port seems to be very problematic for the note. And almost all the note users here with the same problem have replaced the port. i guess it'll be done for free if the phone is in warranty. I'd like the other users to tell me the approx cost of the replacement.

Varad297 said:
Well i do think that you'll have to change it. the charging port seems to be very problematic for the note. And almost all the note users here with the same problem have replaced the port. i guess it'll be done for free if the phone is in warranty. I'd like the other users to tell me the approx cost of the replacement.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
many thanks to you ^^ yah me too its true that i am under warranty but just in case they refused to do it how much will it cost ?

I have this problem and I fixed it by using a real samsung original usb cable. this problem is evident when i use cheap after market usb cables. the cheap cables seem to loosen up and their contact pins inside wear out. this is when you will have that charging problem.

If you have any mechanical abilities, it takes about 15 minutes to replace. Many youtube videos on how to do it.
Port isn't expensive, maybe 10 dollars (us), plus shipping. Just insure you get the correct one for your model of
phone.

One thing I would take care of is to take care of who you buy it from if you do so on ebay. I replaced mine and it's incompatible in some way, speaker now doesn't work and signal is terrible.
Make sure you search their sold items for feedback saying it works fine. I was reading through a thread for SGS2 USB strip replacements and mingxing2008008 was a recommended seller for that one, maybe they're reliable in general

Any new N910T replacement motherboard sources?

Just as the title says: Anyone know of any non-fake or refurbished mainboard sources/websites? All I see on eBay is something from old parts phones or refurbished ones. Alibaba Express obviously has the same issue, half the time they can't even write product description that makes sense, never-mind them confirming parts being new.
My phone started boot-looping real bad on stock MM update, I tried flashing different roms, kernels, going back all the way to 5.1.1. and nothing works.
I do not get "emmc failed" message like many do but I suspect it might be the controller or some other part on the board. Seems like once it starts bootlooping sometimes it gets stuck on black screen and phone heats up very strongly and basically becomes a personal heating device while it decimates battery charge. If I barely use the phone (and can get it to even load) it seems to very rarely restart (unless I use it for something). But once it start looping it's pretty much non-stop until either battery dies, it black screens or I unplug the battery. Placing it into freezer seems to make it a little more stable for a short while but once it heats up, it boot loops.
TLDR: Looking for legit new n910t motherboard, any sources?

I had exactly the same issue, with mmc read fail error coming in next. I bought a motherboard from eBay, the seller had a very good feedback and pulled the board from a working phone. Everything works well so far. Paid $100. Besides the board, it had everything so I needed only to swap the screen and chassis.

Can you provide the link? My phone is working but just in case if I needed one.

why not just buy a new phone, you can find great quality used ones for 170ish all day on ebay

https://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4-tmobile/general/ddi-mmcread-failed-boot-error-fix-t3434335
For a work around

I have a fully working 910t at home and I could sell it if needed price 200 euros + postage fee

[HELP] Bulged Screen; Burn lines on screen

Guys, I have something worse to report. I bought my mother this phone (Nokia 7 plus) for mother's day. I had put a screen protector for her before she started using it. Suddenly, one day, the screen protector popped out and I starting noticing strange lines on the screen (see pic below). I used to tell her that for her use, she will get 2 days battery backup easily. But I noticed that the battery dropping nearly by 30% overnight.
I carefully noticed the phone, and the screen phone was bulged from the front (Pic 2). I have been using Android since ages and I know this was a bulged battery issue, and overheating has caused the LCD screen to burn some pixels (possibly). I quickly notified Amazon (from where I bought) asking for replacement because this seemed a very serious issue. They said that they have only 10 day replacement policy, but I can get it replaced at any Authorised repair centre.
Fast forward to me visiting the repair centre today. I met the front person and explained him the issue. His first statement "This issue will not come under warranty, this has happened because of overcharging". I sincerely chuckled, because I have been working with phones that charge over weeks at work and nothing happens to them. And my mother always charged with the Nokia charger (fast charger). I asked him how and questioned his ideals, he was blunt and rude. I asked that I would like to speak to the manager. He said that he is the manager and the sole owner of that service centre. I couldn't bare it. After some talking, He took pictures of the phone and sent to HMD and said that he will get back by Monday and said that it could be water damage (my mum has never dropped even a drop of water on it, considering that she has never damaged a phone ever).
Now I am just waiting, but the way he interacted seems to be an issue. Calling it an issue of overcharging, and saying it is not under warranty.
Leaving that aside, I informed amazon too, and they were so courteous, that they said that they would replace the phone, if I got a "replacement denial letter". I requested this from the Manager, and unsurprisingly he said no I won't.
I'll update this with further developments but for now look at the images below. It clearly seems to be a faulty battery.
Also, the Manager (obviously don't want to name him yet) said that it is perfectly use the phone in this case. I made my mum start using her old phone for safety precaution because I don't trust a word he says.
Any suggestions guys?
TL;DR: Bought my mum N7+ on mother's day. In three weeks, it bulged and deformed with screen burn lines. The Authorised Nokia centre guy said this won't come under warranty, but later I negotiated and made him take photos and sent a mail to HMD to enquire. I hope HMD doesn't deny that this is battery issue. Any suggestions?

tr.supradeep said:
Guys, I have something worse to report. I bought my mother this phone (Nokia 7 plus) for mother's day. I had put a screen protector for her before she started using it. Suddenly, one day, the screen protector popped out and I starting noticing strange lines on the screen (see pic below). I used to tell her that for her use, she will get 2 days battery backup easily. But I noticed that the battery dropping nearly by 30% overnight.
I carefully noticed the phone, and the screen phone was bulged from the front (Pic 2). I have been using Android since ages and I know this was a bulged battery issue, and overheating has caused the LCD screen to burn some pixels (possibly). I quickly notified Amazon (from where I bought) asking for replacement because this seemed a very serious issue. They said that they have only 10 day replacement policy, but I can get it replaced at any Authorised repair centre.
Fast forward to me visiting the repair centre today. I met the front person and explained him the issue. His first statement "This issue will not come under warranty, this has happened because of overcharging". I sincerely chuckled, because I have been working with phones that charge over weeks at work and nothing happens to them. And my mother always charged with the Nokia charger (fast charger). I asked him how and questioned his ideals, he was blunt and rude. I asked that I would like to speak to the manager. He said that he is the manager and the sole owner of that service centre. I couldn't bare it. After some talking, He took pictures of the phone and sent to HMD and said that he will get back by Monday and said that it could be water damage (my mum has never dropped even a drop of water on it, considering that she has never damaged a phone ever).
Now I am just waiting, but the way he interacted seems to be an issue. Calling it an issue of overcharging, and saying it is not under warranty.
Leaving that aside, I informed amazon too, and they were so courteous, that they said that they would replace the phone, if I got a "replacement denial letter". I requested this from the Manager, and unsurprisingly he said no I won't.
I'll update this with further developments but for now look at the images below. It clearly seems to be a faulty battery.
Also, the Manager (obviously don't want to name him yet) said that it is perfectly use the phone in this case. I made my mum start using her old phone for safety precaution because I don't trust a word he says.
Any suggestions guys?
TL;DR: Bought my mum N7+ on mother's day. In three weeks, it bulged and deformed with screen burn lines. The Authorised Nokia centre guy said this won't come under warranty, but later I negotiated and made him take photos and sent a mail to HMD to enquire. I hope HMD doesn't deny that this is battery issue. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have a two year warranty on this phone for sure.If they cannot prove that you or your mother are responsible for the damage,they must replace it surely.To say it is damage caused by overcharging is rediculous indeed, though if it is a problem with the battery,wouldn't the problem be more widespread,that is the only kind of argument this manager could have,I could see how he might wonder if he hasn't sent this problem before,
Nevertheless,if what your saying is true and I expect it probably is,you should demand a refund and go elsewhere,I returned my n7+ last week because I did not like it,one issue was the battery started to switch from fast to slow charge when charging and didn't seem right,Nokia seemed to be introducing bugs in their updates also

manus31 said:
You have a two year warranty on this phone for sure.If they cannot prove that you or your mother are responsible for the damage,they must replace it surely.To say it is damage caused by overcharging is rediculous indeed, though if it is a problem with the battery,wouldn't the problem be more widespread,that is the only kind of argument this manager could have,I could see how he might wonder if he hasn't sent this problem before,
Nevertheless,if what your saying is true and I expect it probably is,you should demand a refund and go elsewhere,I returned my n7+ last week because I did not like it,one issue was the battery started to switch from fast to slow charge when charging and didn't seem right,Nokia seemed to be introducing bugs in their updates also
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your suggestion friend.
I was just worried about the fact that this particular service center will somehow possibly prove that it is customer mistake, because the manager was surely rude to every other customer in the store.
And truly, overcharging is just blatant lies. I have used phones since ages, and no phone came with a warning to not charge the phone overnight or for longer duration. If overcharging is an issue, then it is surely that the Battery IC is faulty. I am an electronics engineer, and I work with phones at my workplace, and we leave phones charging over weekend while connected to the laptop. This is why I couldn't believe the manager's words. Also, overcharging is not mentioned in the clause on the warranty page.
My mother was happy with the N7+. She is a Nokia fan. And the phone looks and feels sturdy. Also, I never saw this issue mentioned anywhere over the internet, so I feel it is a rare case. I hope rather.
Again, thanks for your suggestion.

Hello,
What went out of this? My display is not bulged, but i have a lighter spots on the screen, which look like yours.
What do you think is the reason for those spots? At first it was only the big one, which was smaller and i didn't care for it, but now it is bigger and new ones appear.
Actually I receive a similar answer from the dealer i bought it from - HMD warranty doesn't cover this issue.

Good quality, great job, HMD.
Honestly I didn't expect something like this from them.

Li-ion batteries come with over charge protection circuit. It may be a case of faulty battery which HMD Global should replace

I get a white line at the top of the screen. It is quite noticeable if I select a dark/black wallpaper.

Same here
My Mon is a huge fan of Nokia's sturdiness, so she bought that exact phone (7+). Now she got the exact same mark (just one) in the middle.
After a while I noticed a bump on the screen. I understood that it was the battery that was getting swollen. She put the phone aside and I suggested her the A50.
She replaced the battery one month ago, and now the same thing is happening again !!
And now I'm not even mentioning the software issues we encountered regarding the WiFi.
I'm a bit disappointed just like she is, because that phone comes with Android one, so she hoped to keep it for a while...

Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo dead. Need help

Hello guys,
I have an old Samsung GT-i9060 phone which I'd received from my previous employer. It has finally given up and is now completely dead. I suspect a faulty charging cable to be the culprit this time as my attempts at superficial repair has proven that the problem is deeper. I tried getting it fixed at a local repair shop but he gave up on the basis that parts aren't available and that the motherboard has gone kaput.
So, to summarize....
Samsung GT-i9060 completely dead
has been dropped several times and cracked digitizer has been replaced.
old battery is not at optimum condition but problem persists when tested with a new battery.
No vibration or samsung/charging logo on display when powered on battery or charging but certain areas of motherboard get heated up if I try to turn it on.
I got some important contacts and backup on this phone which I'd really like to salvage. I invested in a few basic tools and looked up a few tutorials on the interwebz but none seem to help me understand the actual problem. I am a novice when it comes to electronics and can easily try to recover the data through some specialists but the satisfaction in getting it done myself is priceless!
So any kind of help would be immensely appreciated.
Thanks

Make sure that the battery voltage is over 3.6 volt. Then connect phone to pc using usb cable without pressing any buttons then check pc detects phone's soc(broadcom interface) or not.

Thanks. Let me try that out and get back to you.
Update - @engage4 Battery was at 4.27V, fully charged. Connected to PC but it wasn't detected although I observed the same heating issue as mentioned in my original post (see attached pic)
Coincidentally, the memory chip and processor are on the exact underside of the mobo area that I have highlighted (which heats up)

For reference, my previous reply to you is here:
How to check voltage level at a resistor?
I have a Samsung Galaxy S7 (SM-G930F) that appears to be dead. I found the service manual online and I'm now trying to follow the troubleshooting flowchart for power issues. I am stuck at the third step (already), where it tells me to check the...
forum.xda-developers.com
Rizzi87 said:
I suspect a faulty charging cable to be the culprit this time as my attempts at superficial repair has proven that the problem is deeper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean by superficial repair? What made you suspect the charging cable?
Rizzi87 said:
I tried getting it fixed at a local repair shop but he gave up on the basis that parts aren't available and that the motherboard has gone kaput.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Kaput? I know that word. That's a German word for broken. I wonder if he told you this because he wanted to repair the components on the board, or because he wanted to toss out the old board and install a new board and call it repaired.
Rizzi87 said:
old battery is not at optimum condition but problem persists when tested with a new battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you already tested with a new battery. Good! That's one of the first things I would do as well. GSM Arena says the battery is "Li-Ion 2100 mAh, removable". At least you didn't need to send it in or leave it to a repair shop to replace the battery. I remember the time when you could replace the battery of your phone yourself. That in itself was very satisfactory. Those were great times! Those times are gone. Now you have to pay a premium to replace a battery. It's "complicated" they say, and so it's not for everyone (or anyone).
Rizzi87 said:
No vibration or samsung/charging logo on display when powered on battery or charging but certain areas of motherboard get heated up if I try to turn it on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hotter than what's usual for a phone that's charging? If it's shorted, charging may damage it further. You can test it of course, but you're risking it. Don't test charge for longer than you need to, preferably not at all as soon as you realize there's something wrong with the device. There's the risk of battery leaking or catching fire. So be careful and don't leave it unsupervised.
Rizzi87 said:
I got some important contacts and backup on this phone which I'd really like to salvage. I invested in a few basic tools and looked up a few tutorials on the interwebz but none seem to help me understand the actual problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What kind of tutorials are you reading or watching? What do you think is the problem?
You have to go over more than a few tutorials if you want to be able to intuitively know what to look for or what to do. One way is to start learning about electronics in general, experiment and learn, before you get down to this specific problem. Another way is to start exploring from the repair side of things and work your way into the topic of electronics repair by troubleshooting this specific problem.
Your problem is most likely caused by a short somewhere on the board. So I would suggest you learn about short circuits or "shorts" for short (duh) and how to find shorts in general, and then work your way down to how to find shorts on mobile phones specifically.
Rizzi87 said:
I am a novice when it comes to electronics and can easily try to recover the data through some specialists but the satisfaction in getting it done myself is priceless!
So any kind of help would be immensely appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know that feeling. I'm wired the same way. If I can, I will try to repair and fix things on my own. Sometimes I will take on things I hardly know anything about. I will try anyway and learn in the process. Some things are admittedly more difficult than others. But that's how you learn and grow your knowledge base.
People no longer repair things. They throw out the old and broken things, and just keep on buying new things like on conveyor belt. This is not good in by any means. The biggest negative impact of this I think is that people stop using their head. They begin to believe that everything in the world is automatic. A light bulb is the result of true magic, especially when you throw in smart home plugs and switches into the equation. People are slowly being turned into slaves of consumerism. Common knowledge diminishes, like what household products you can use to remove stains, and we only live to serve a higher purpose of capitalism.
Do you have the service manual for this phone? You can usually find these online free of charge. Do you have a multimeter? The first tool you should buy and learn to use is a multimeter. Learn about the continuity test, diode mode, and how to measure voltage.
I worked as an electrician and I felt like I had to ask about how to measure voltage at a resistor, because I was unsure and didn't want to risk damaging a board more than it already is. As an electrician, I worked with voltages relative to Earth ground. I never worked with electronics, although I did get basic electronics training and I know all the basic components and how they work. We worked with soldering iron as well, and learned to use an oscilloscope. I was best in class at soldering. This was a long time ago though. We programmed PLCs, made Delta and Y-configuration connections of three phase electric motors, worked with relays and contactors, and we learned a whole load of other useful things.
My point is, always ask someone more knowledgeable and experienced if you're in doubt about something, rather than taking a risk or gambling. This is much more important of course when working with unforgiving high voltages and high currents, so as an electrician I learned early on to respect electricity. This was all part of my training and thankfully I have never had any accident. It's OK to make mistakes, and you're bound to make mistakes when experimenting, but you better have a backup plan and put in some kind of safety net, to protect yourself and to protect your equipment or whatever it is you're working on.

R7027 said:
What do you mean by superficial repair? What made you suspect the charging cable?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The USB connector on the charging cable I was temporarily using sometime back had a flimsy connector and I suspect the loose connection might have caused 'spikes' and maybe shorted some components/mobo.
I had dropped this phone on numerous occassions and almost everytime the ribbon connector for the LCD would come loose since the connector on the board was a bit wonky. I used to check this and get the phone working again. This is what I meant by superficial repair.
R7027 said:
Kaput? I know that word. That's a German word for broken. I wonder if he told you this because he wanted to repair the components on the board, or because he wanted to toss out the old board and install a new board and call it repaired.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah. He simply didn't bother about repairing or even replacing it on the basis that parts are hard to come by!
R7027 said:
So you already tested with a new battery. Good! That's one of the first things I would do as well. GSM Arena says the battery is "Li-Ion 2100 mAh, removable". At least you didn't need to send it in or leave it to a repair shop to replace the battery. I remember the time when you could replace the battery of your phone yourself. That in itself was very satisfactory. Those were great times! Those times are gone. Now you have to pay a premium to replace a battery. It's "complicated" they say, and so it's not for everyone (or anyone).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YEs, I thought the battery maight be the culprit but alas, it turned out to be a problem with the mobo.
R7027 said:
Hotter than what's usual for a phone that's charging? If it's shorted, charging may damage it further. You can test it of course, but you're risking it. Don't test charge for longer than you need to, preferably not at all as soon as you realize there's something wrong with the device. There's the risk of battery leaking or catching fire. So be careful and don't leave it unsupervised.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hotter than usual, yes. I have tested and/or repeated the scenario only couple of times so as to not risk any further damage.
R7027 said:
Do you have the service manual for this phone? You can usually find these online free of charge. Do you have a multimeter? The first tool you should buy and learn to use is a multimeter. Learn about the continuity test, diode mode, and how to measure voltage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have invested in a multimeter, soldering iron and supplies and a heat gun. I do also have a manual for the phone and it has helped me partially.

Rizzi87 said:
The USB connector on the charging cable I was temporarily using sometime back had a flimsy connector and I suspect the loose connection might have caused 'spikes' and maybe shorted some components/mobo.
I had dropped this phone on numerous occassions and almost everytime the ribbon connector for the LCD would come loose since the connector on the board was a bit wonky. I used to check this and get the phone working again. This is what I meant by superficial repair.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for clarifying.
Now that you mention it, one of my charging cable was a bit flimsy as well. Might be what happened with my phone as well. The connector would wiggle left and right so I would have to make sure it points straight into the port and rotate the phone left and right to make sure it's not tugging on it as I put it down on a book shelf. I always charge my phones on this book shelf as the power outlet is close by.
I have actually four identical Samsung 15 W chargers sitting there, all for the Galaxy S7. Three white ones and one black, and each with its own charging cable. I had purchased some extra chargers just as spares, and one of the chargers had a bit flimsy connection, as you say. I actually once spotted that one of the 4 pins on one of the charging cables was too short, and because of it, it was not charging fast enough. I stripped it down to bare wires, all for science and learning, before throwing it away.
On another occasion, I discovered that one of these cables didn't want to charge my phone when combined with one of the four chargers. It was a perfectly fine looking cable. The same cable worked well on the other three identical chargers though. So this was a bit of mystery I had never seen before. That will remain a mystery. That same charger also worked well when combines with other cables. So both the charger and the cable worked well, but only with others, not with each other. Note that these were all original Samsung chargers and cables. The "travel adapter", model EP-TA20EWE. They all came in original Samsung retail packaging. Although the spare chargers I purchased did have a bit stiffer and thicker cables, when compared to the original that came with the phone. They were presumably made in later years, so Samsung had probably changed them up a little bit.
But this goes to show that there is more to a cable and a charger than meets the eye. I suspect it had something to do with lack of compatibility across the many charging protocols that are in circulation in the fast charging universe, like Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 vs. 3.0 vs. USB Power Delivery 2.0 vs. what-have-you.
So you're not wrong to suspect something as "simple" as a charging cable. Not even a cable can be left alone, they have to make it "smart" and complicated. If the cable doesn't know how to talk the language of the charger, it's useless. Or worse, it can destroy a device. All because industry wants to satisfy inpatient people that want fast charging, and so instead of 1 standard, they make 4 different ones, if Apple Lighting-whatever is included. By the way, the faster you charger a battery, the faster it will lose its capacity and die out.
Rizzi87 said:
Nah. He simply didn't bother about repairing or even replacing it on the basis that parts are hard to come by!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That depends where you look and how determined you are.
I ordered a new S535 power IC for my Galaxy S7 from Germany via Ebay, and I received it last week. I don't have the exact dates, but it arrived within the same week, so about three to five days. From Germany to Sweden. I also ordered three of the same chip from a supplier in UK, also via Ebay, and it has yet to arrive. This has to do with Royal Mail strikes, so everything is delayed. In addition, I had to pay customs fee and import tax from the UK. Not sure if it will be held at Customs service and delayed even more because of this, or if it will be delivered straight to my mail box since the UK supplier made sure I can pay upfront so it can be cleared for delivery. So I will have 4 of these in total.
Let me give you another example. I have an older car that's well looked after and only driven occasionally. A few years back, it started leaking oil from the rear axis. I went to the authorized repair shop. They told me they had to either replace the differential or rebuild it. But because it's an old timer, there are no parts for it readily available. This is a BMW car and BMW has a good reputation for stock keeping parts for old models for a long time. Well, maybe they don't keep a stock of big parts such as differentials. But it's not true that it's not available. I looked it up online and found several car stripping companies that have a number of these parts to pick and choose from, some of which were in almost new condition. So if they really wanted to, they could have ordered in from there. This is where small and independent auto repair shops order from as well. I even offered to order it myself and deliver to them. But they could not make the needed arrangements. Or rather, they didn't want to. I understood the message. They can't be bothered with something as heavy, oily, dirty, difficult, skill demanding, and time consuming as a differential replacement... and a rebuild is probably as distant as science fiction to them. I never went back there. I used to go to them for years and was always happy. Since they changed the owner and relocated, it's a completely different company. I would never again go to an "authorized" repair shop. They are properly titled "car dealers", because they are more interested in selling you a new car or a used car than repairing your old one.
It's the same with phone companies like Samsung and these places they call "Support Center" where you can walk in to get support and service on the device you already own, and they put up their latest "flagship" models on display and under your nose. That's how you know you're in the wrong place. It's all sell, sell, sell.
Rizzi87 said:
I have invested in a multimeter, soldering iron and supplies and a heat gun. I do also have a manual for the phone and it has helped me partially.
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Make sure to get the needle-like test leads for it. This is needed for probing and measuring tiny components. The ones that came with my multimeter were very good, but they were not fit for the job, because they are not thin enough at the top. Most of the standard test leads have blunt tips. I ordered a pair from Amazon, a complete kit actually, but they are not very good. The whole kit was very cheap and I could not find any other, higher quality, more expensive ones. I don't want to promote Amazon, but I can post a link if you want.
A heat gun might work, but a hot air station is better. You need about 350 C to rework big components like BGA chips. Based on my limited knowledge, but extensive research. You should be able to tell what the temperature is at, and only the more expensive heat "guns" will have a temperature sensor and a digital display.
A service manual is a good resource. I wish I had a complete service manual for Galaxy S7. I looked for a places to buy one but I only found dodgy websites that seemed to be in the business of downloading free manuals, packaging, and selling. So if you have a complete manual, that's better. I only found excerpts of the most important chapters for Galaxy S7, and it has been very useful.

So, umm, there has been no progress on the repair front as I had been away on a trip and got my phone stolen
I was a bit occupied with reporting to the authorities and blocking my phone number hence I couldn't reply earlier.
Btw, I stumbled upon something called as boardview bitmap files; I'm yet to fully explore it but it seems really helpful.