Database Develop

Question About Loose Back Covers

Hello all!
I've been very pleased with my new Nexus so far, but yesterday I noticed the back cover was loose and and had a bit of a gap near the volume buttons. Some quick googling informed me this was a known issue, and is easily RMA'd. I have also discovered there are some very nice skins from Slickwraps and from Toast which can be used in place of the back cover. I find these to be very beautiful, and will most likely use one. Knowing this, is there any useful reason to send my phone in to be replaced? Has anyone discovered a flawed battery causing the cover to lift? If so, was it obvious before removing the cover?

I would be afraid that if I didn't get the phone replaced, it would leak if you ever got around water. I think I would send it back because if you ever decide to sell it you won't get much for a phone that doesn't have a tight fitting backup cover.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

dalegg said:
I would be afraid that if I didn't get the phone replaced, it would leak if you ever got around water. I think I would send it back because if you ever decide to sell it you won't get much for a phone that doesn't have a tight fitting backup cover.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Those are both good points, but they are somewhat nullified by my plans. I'm going to be removing the back cover to use an aftermarket back. I will, of course, be fully responsible for protecting it from water, and for the damage if I don't. I tend to treat any device, water resistant or not, as if it were the Wicked Witch of the West and will melt upon contact with a drop of water. I also don't sell my old phones. They are way to useful to keep around for projects and such. I still have a couple of Blackberry Storms acting as desk clocks and a Galaxy Nexus doing tattle-tail duty for my home alarm system.
Basically what I'm looking for is any indication as to an actual malfunction being the cause of the back coming unstuck. As it stands, the loose back is a head start on getting it off for an aftermarket.

I say go for it as long as the new back cover fits tight. I am a snob about having a perfect phone.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Most the skins cover the back cover so need an intact backcover or have the same problem. Will see when remove back cover if it is battery related but then most likely can't RMA as you opened the device. It a catch 22 situation.

prdog1 said:
Most the skins cover the back cover so need an intact backcover or have the same problem. Will see when remove back cover if it is battery related but then most likely can't RMA as you opened the device. It a catch 22 situation.
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I'm looking at the wooden covers. They're a bit thicker then the vinyl skins, and can sit flush with the frame when used without the back. They're rigid enough to do the job, though not advertised as backs, folk are reporting having success.
I am tempted to open it up and have a peek at the battery, but doing so would definitely void the warranty. That's why I was looking for any examples where a battery actually has gone bad. Though, it looks like the battery is pretty simple to replace anyway...

hawkjm73 said:
I'm looking at the wooden covers. They're a bit thicker then the vinyl skins, and can sit flush with the frame when used without the back. They're rigid enough to do the job, though not advertised as backs, folk are reporting having success.
I am tempted to open it up and have a peek at the battery, but doing so would definitely void the warranty. That's why I was looking for any examples where a battery actually has gone bad. Though, it looks like the battery is pretty simple to replace anyway...
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Usually swells up in the middle and starts raising the back at the mid points.

prdog1 said:
Usually swells up in the middle and starts raising the back at the mid points.
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Does it feel swollen? Can you tell by eye? The only ones I've witnessed having a dying battery had removable battery covers, like the Storm and the old Razr flip phones. My cover is only loose on one edge, and feels very firmly stuck the rest of the way around. The phone itself is functioning beautifully, not at all like the few I've seen the the grow-a-battery of death. They usually sputtered and gave up until I replaced the battery.

hawkjm73 said:
Does it feel swollen? Can you tell by eye? The only ones I've witnessed having a dying battery had removable battery covers, like the Storm and the old Razr flip phones. My cover is only loose on one edge, and feels very firmly stuck the rest of the way around. The phone itself is functioning beautifully, not at all like the few I've seen the the grow-a-battery of death. They usually sputtered and gave up until I replaced the battery.
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If it's the battery will do the same. Will start acting up and then die. There is a thread somewhere in General I think with pics of expanding battery. Some just the backs come unglued. It is definitely a RMA situation anyway.

Battery replacement. Anyone has done it?

I'm unhappy with my battery life. While it did work 2-3 days with 4-5h SoT at best before I now get around 25-35% in the evening. Not suitable for another day.
So either the battery is done for or the software has become way way worse.
https://www.witrigs.com/oem-battery-replacement-with-frame-for-sony-xperia-xz2
Battery Replacement does seem possible. So has anyone done it? Did it help?

Yes. I have done a complete screen replacement as well as the battery. I didn't need to watch out for a screen as it were completely destroyed. Yup, you're right about the battery, probably it needs to be replaced. I have a neat trick to help you with screen removal. Take a plastic bottle, cut a small rectangle from it (around 4x6cm should be enough) and then round those sharp corners with some scissors so there won't be any sharp edges left. Once you've that done, take your freshly cut plastic card and insert it into bottom gap (where speaker is). You could use a suction cup to raise the glass a little bit. And slice the adhesive around the screen. Ofc be careful not to push it too far to not damage screen ribbon. Watching teardown videos is crucial as you don't wanna pierce or rip apart the screen ribbon. if you want more information about this, feel free to ask As putting everything together - I recommend buying original lcd adhesive for xz2, it's simple and the screen stays on as well as original.

*#*#7378423#*#* go into this service menu then the battery health test, it tells you current max. capacity and health status whether if you need to replace or not.
battery replacement should be relatively easy since it is held down by screws not adhesive, be careful when opening up the phone you may damage the LCD also make sure you clean all the left adhesive residue before applying the new sticker or B7000 glue to the frame

I don't trust those numbers. That's the Problem here...
@Verity.
Did you realize any difference in Battery life before and after the change?

Certainly. I bought used battery as it was cheap and as the old one was quite worrying on the outside. I immediately noticed the difference (especially in sot) so with the new battery you should feel the difference even more.

Not sure if the degradation of the battery is good or bad...
After fully charging now:
And one of the earliest from 2018
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=83337497&postcount=6

That's pretty normal. Every battery has a lifespan. It's depended on temperature, usage but the most important factor is the charging cycles. After x cycles battery loses it's capacity. It's due to chemical reactions inside of it and there's nothing you could do about it. Until solid state batteries will come out, you will have to change the battery once 2-3 years.

So yeah....
I've done it and i'm not happy
Haldi's Benchmark Thread for Testing&Fiddling with the Xperia XZ2
Howdy, You might remember me from the Xperia Z2 or the Xperia Z. I've started playing around with Android on my old Sony Xperia X10i and i've always liked fiddling around with too much data and thoroughly testing what i own in order to fully...
forum.xda-developers.com

Screen replacement questions

I need to replace the screen on my Note 9. I see some screens available with no little extras. And I see some with adhesive pads and little tools. I have tools from other phone battery installs. How important are the adhesive pads? Can it be satisfactorily reassembled with the original adhesive?

To be honest you are better off replacing the entire front panel of your device. If the display is faulty or the glass is damaged. Unless you have a clean room and all the necessary tools to replace the glass on your device. Even then it is very difficult to replace the glass without damaging the AMOLED display.

^This^ and replace the battery too.

Yeah, I intend to do the whole screen and glass. I watched how-to's and R&Ring just the glass seems risky.
But how important are the new adhesive pads/strips?

Jwikoff99 said:
Yeah, I intend to do the whole screen and glass. I watched how-to's and R&Ring just the glass seems risky.
But how important are the new adhesive pads/strips?
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You want to have them even if you don't need them. These phones are held together with them.
If you do it right the first time... you don't have to do a second time.

blackhawk said:
You want to have them even if you don't need them. These phones are held together with them.
If you do it right the first time... you don't have to do a second time.
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That is true. But you have to make sure that you have the correct adhesive strips for putting together your device again. As if you use the wrong ones, your device may fall apart very easily.

iceepyon said:
That is true. But you have to make sure that you have the correct adhesive strips for putting together your device again. As if you use the wrong ones, your device may fall apart very easily.
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They also come in different thicknesses. They have to be exact.
I repaired two of my Canon cams LCDs. Having the new strips made it go a lot easier and both jobs came out looking near perfect.

Speaking of batteries, does anyone know a good source for a new one? I got one that was supposed to be a new genuine Note 9 battery, but the capacity is even less then my original (3300 mAh vs 3500 mAh).

Jwikoff99 said:
Speaking of batteries, does anyone know a good source for a new one? I got one that was supposed to be a new genuine Note 9 battery, but the capacity is even less then my original (3300 mAh vs 3500 mAh).
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The more recently it was manufactured the better given the quality is the same.
Li's age even when stored. They should be stored with half a full charge in a cool place.

Sure enough. What's a good source for a new one?

Are the batteries on Aliexpress reliable?

Question Dropped/broken screen? Testing/options?

Greetings,
Dropped my phone a full foot. Now the screen flickers green. I'm guessing the screen is broken. Any way to test that other than replacing it?
How do screen replacements go with this device? I'm pretty handy myself and might even attempt it if I could confirm it's the screen that's broken. I've done my own screen replacements before, but it's been some time.
Any chance the screen ribbon cable could be loose? There is no visible damage.
Thanks.
PS: of course, I have no insurance/protection. Oii.

Don't feel too bad, one time I dropped a pro cam on a ESD padded work bench top from about 6 inches and did more damage to that $7G cam than your smartphone retails for
$hit happens even in controlled environments... get a good case moving forward.
It could be a loose connector.
Or a fractured solder joint. The BGA chipsets don't like it when the mobo flexes.
You could replace the display only to learn it was actually a mobo failure. I lean more towards a mobo failure if there's no visible damage to the display.
Pull the cover and inspect it... an easy fix is always a great fix.

blackhawk said:
...Or a fractured solder joint. The BGA chipsets don't like it when the mobo flexes.
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Click to collapse
Oii... Thanks for this thought; I was afraid of something like this.
Makes me wonder if metal/glass phones hold up better?

ToryEarly said:
Oii... Thanks for this thought; I was afraid of something like this.
Makes me wonder if metal/glass phones hold up better?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
May not be as bad as it seems...
On my Note 10+'s I use the Zizo Bolt case. Without it my first one would be history by now, if it doesn't corner hit on a drop it face plants. I've dropped it close to a dozen times from 1-4 feet onto concrete with zero damage. I don't like handling it without a case as it's a slippery fish
A good case reduces/lengthens the G loading spike making impacts survivable as well as protecting the exterior.
A 2 layer design like the Bolt provides excellent drop protection. It's important that the out shell or whatever holds the case together doesn't come loose on impact...
For those memorable flying end over end multiple impact events. Even with a small drop though I inspect for damage.

I'm actually in a similar situation. Dropped my phone from about 1 or 2 feet and I have the green screen flickering as well. The phone works. I can get call and talk via headphones. But my question that I'm trying to figure out is if there is a way to put the phone into file transfer mode from a connected computer since I can't do it from the phone.

GrandAdmiral said:
I'm actually in a similar situation. Dropped my phone from about 1 or 2 feet and I have the green screen flickering as well. The phone works. I can get call and talk via headphones. But my question that I'm trying to figure out is if there is a way to put the phone into file transfer mode from a connected computer since I can't do it from the phone.
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Developer options>usb settings.
You need to load the driver on the PC maybe too.

blackhawk said:
Developer options>usb settings.
You need to load the driver on the PC maybe too.
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That's not the issue (already rooted). The screen is non-responsive.

GrandAdmiral said:
That's not the issue (already rooted). The screen is non-responsive.
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Click to collapse
Uh-oh. If it was working before the plunge you likely either had a connector dislodge or suffer a mobo failure from the impact.

It's happened to me twice both from barely 1 feet. The screen itself was not cracked. Ifixit luckily submitted it as a manufacturers defect since the screen wasn't broken. The first time they were nice enough to not wipe my phone. The second time they did wipe my phone without telling me. Something about their policy uh.
Ended up going with the poetic revolution case. And it's handled a 2ft drop without issue. Had the Spigen tough amor prior.
They said just replacing the screen resolved the issue.

Sorry to hear this OP.
$hit does happen.
I was using an old htc 10 for about 4 years, I finally upgraded to the Pixel 5 on release day.
About a month late, on my birthday I had it on my laptop and it drops flat faced down on the screen.
by some act of God I actually had a glass screen protector on it and had no damage!
I now don't use a scren protector, but oh well.
Somehow the back glass camera is cracked though, even though it wasn't ever dropped after this..
I think I'll look into the 5a instead of fixing it. It's not much more.

andybones said:
Sorry to hear this OP.
$hit does happen.
I was using an old htc 10 for about 4 years, I finally upgraded to the Pixel 5 on release day.
About a month late, on my birthday I had it on my laptop and it drops flat faced down on the screen.
by some act of God I actually had a glass screen protector on it and had no damage!
I now don't use a scren protector, but oh well.
Somehow the back glass camera is cracked though, even though it wasn't ever dropped after this..
I think I'll look into the 5a instead of fixing it. It's not much more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen protector will transmit a lot of the G loading directly to the phone. Something is going to absorb that energy one way or another. Not always obvious either.
Ideally if you have a good case with raised display guards it will soak up enough of the energy so that nothing is stressed to the breaking point.
Mobos and cams are intolerant of high G loading and flexing. A monetary G spike of 2000Gs* can be generated by a fall from bench height to a hard floor. Hard materials absorb little energy unless they bend or break; they can readily conduct it though to internal assemblies... or the other side of the phone.
*how to destroy an IC by dropping it on the floor.

blackhawk said:
*how to destroy an IC by dropping it on the floor.
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So you're saying I should probably be really gentle with these ceramic TD8749s and MD8755s then?

V0latyle said:
So you're saying I should probably be really gentle with these ceramic TD8749s and MD8755s then?
Click to expand...
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If they land on a hard floor on the body rather than leads they can pull enormous G's. As I got more experienced I was more careful not to drop IC's and to use ESD protocols with the more sensitive chips.
There are a couple of issues with dropped phones The internal bonds to the chip can be broken. Even more fragile is the mobo's solder flowed on components especially the BGA chipsets. No way to inspect those for damage. Internal mobo traces may also be opened. With bent frames and broken glass the odds the mobo or display will be damage increases.
Some of the cams have moving parts as well as their sensor's mounting points. More recently that became more of a concern to me as they aren't cheap and a pain to replace.
If the manufacturer uses lead free solder it's a death wish for the device. No lead solder is much more brittle and has poor flow characteristics making the bond is less secure.
Cell phones are exempt from the lead ban but who knows if they use it? No lead solder becomes even more brittle in cold temperatures. Conformal coating is also needed for fine pitch traces to prevent silver dendrites for forming with the no lead solder over time.

blackhawk said:
If they land on a hard floor on the body rather than leads they can pull enormous G's. As I got more experienced I was more careful not to drop IC's and to use ESD protocols with the more sensitive chips.
Click to expand...
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I was being sarcastic can't be too careful with 50 year old IC's

V0latyle said:
I was being sarcastic can't be too careful with 50 year old IC's
Click to expand...
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Didn't recognize the numbers. LM3914, I still be careful with that cool IC

can a brand new phone ip68 phone get Water damage ( xperia 1 ii )

so i just got my xperia 1ii today, i was wiping the screen with a bit of wet cloth before sticking on the screen protector, then i saw mist on the front facing camera, next thing i know it screen starts to flicker and turn green, then it died, it was a sad day for me, is it possible for water to get in an ip68 phone when brand new?
it was also kinda my fault for using wet cloth, but like all my other ip68 phones this never happened to me T _ T

WYSIWYG... yes it's possible.
Never assume the seals are intact. Protect from water exposure at all times is what I do.
Will Sony warranty cover it???

I am not sure about Sony's warranty on user error.
There is nothing in the box stating anything about warranty. I bought it online but there is a physical shop that I collected the phone from.
I left it in a bag of rice for 10 hours but the screen still turn up black screen with some odd lines and shut itself down, I feel so dumb for causing this, I usually do the same way of installing screen protectors for my Z3+,Z5 and XZ and water never got in, I feel so embarrassed and unlucky T_ T

Rice Doesn't Work!
The phone needs to be powered down and the battery disconnected asap. Otherwise it will likely be destroyed if it isn't already. It needs to then be completely dried out.
-or-
Battle it out with Sony.
Obviously the first option is incompatible with the second option. I'd send the mess back to Sony, they may or may not suck it up easily.
Sony is a pain to deal with...

blackhawk said:
Rice Doesn't Work!
The phone needs to be powered down and the battery disconnected asap. Otherwise it will likely be destroyed if it isn't already. It needs to then be completely dried out.
-or-
Battle it out with Sony.
Obviously the first option is incompatible with the second option. I'd send the mess back to Sony, they may or may not suck it up easily.
Sony is a pain to deal with...
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Click to collapse
Sony is hard to deal with, ya so I've heard, too bad stores are not open today or tomorrow need to wait till Monday.
damn it I bought rice for nothing.

SinclairLen said:
Sony is hard to deal with, ya so I've heard, too bad stores are not open today or tomorrow need to wait till Monday.
damn it I bought rice for nothing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know Sony well, as I have torn into them multiple occasions. They are rotten to the core.
That however doesn't mean that a loose chainsaw can't find an artery
I'm one of the few customers who's gotten a refund check and spoke with a VP in Teterboro NJ. They are slime... the VP's are the worst; a midlevel manager is more likely to help you if you slip through one of the cracks in customer support.
If they take back without trouble, fine.
Otherwise better buckle up Dorothy, it's going be a rough ride.
Did you use a MC or Visa to make the purchase? If so you got leverage...
Send unit back for refund of replacement and do a charge back through the bank.
Do you want another? If not be clear you want a full refund.

Here's the thing I live in Malaysia, I bought it online, and these guys are a small retail start-ups.
They Imported the device from Hong Kong cause we are kinda short on phones that are price above $600. Malaysians don't really spend much on buying new phones hence the difficulty to find high end phones locally, especially Sony, not a popular pick in recent times.
Visa here doesn't even provide any leverage hahaha.
would try to send it back to their local store tomorrow.
I would actually like to get replace to be honest, but some how I have doubts in my mind saying that its gonna be super thought ride.

Have the rear cover removed, disconnect the battery*. Is there visible water in it?
Get out as much as possible.
You need a warm, dry room. Lay on side with a high volume fan on it. Let sit for a couple days.
If you can get anhydrous isopropyl alcohol** carefully flush with that to remove the water. Use care as if it gets between the glass and display it will leave a water mark. Then dry as above.
All connectors, everything must be 100% dry before you reconnect the battery. The room must be dry, heat drives out moisture; use a hot box if you must. Keep temperature under 110F. This may save it...
*the sooner the better.
** never use methanol or isopropyl that isn't at least 96% alcohol. Never use any solvent including isopropyl alcohol with LCD display, it will poison it!

I don't dare to remove the back cover, wont that void the warranty?

I think water got in the LCD connectors, cause last time I turn it on I has weird flickering and turns green with vertical lines.

SinclairLen said:
I don't dare to remove the back cover, wont that void the warranty?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it might.
That's a AMOLED display not a LCD...

I got some silica gel put in an air tight jar, its been sitting over night since yesterday, hope it turns on tomorrow, or else I am gonna feel so awkward when I bring it to their store.
Damn I've never brought a Xperia phone or any phone in for water damage or any sort of claim warranty before, its giving me the shakes.

SinclairLen said:
I got some silica gel put in an air tight jar, its been sitting over night since yesterday, hope it turns on tomorrow, or else I am gonna feel so awkward when I bring it to their store.
Damn I've never brought a Xperia phone or any phone in for water damage or any sort of claim warranty before, its giving me the shakes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That will do nothing. Do Not power it up.

[UPDATE]
So I brought it to the store, there was a bit of resistance there, but in the end they allow me to bring it back in for a check.
They say hopefully there is no red on the water damage sticker, cause if there is, they cant help, but if its just faulty they can replace the phone.

blackhawk said:
Yes it might.
That's a AMOLED display not a LCD...
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Sony use since xperia 1 an Oled display and not Amoled.

blackhawk said:
That will do nothing. Do Not power it up.
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You'd be surprised at what silica dessicant beads can do.

V0latyle said:
You'd be surprised at what silica dessicant beads can do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Heat drives out moisture. You need air circulation as well for best results. With a sealed phone that isn't going to cut it.
First any free standing water needs to be dumped out... that's sort of funny, but true.
If you every dealt with flood damaged cars the magnitude of the problem becomes clear. Powered on circuits can be damaged irreparably in a short amount of time. A lot depends on the conductivity of the water and how long it sits there. If the battery was disconnected the car may be salvageable.

blackhawk said:
Heat drives out moisture. You need air circulation as well for best results. With a sealed phone that isn't going to cut it.
First any free standing water needs to be dumped out... that's sort of funny, but true.
If you every dealt with flood damaged cars the magnitude of the problem becomes clear. Powered on circuits can be damaged irreparably in a short amount of time. A lot depends on the conductivity of the water and how long it sits there. If the battery was disconnected the car may be salvageable.
Click to expand...
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Heat can help but the point is to make the air inside the bag extremely dry. Air readily absorbs moisture, which eventually evaporates. Very true about keeping everything turned off; while deionized water is non conductive and won't bother anything, most accidental spills and drops are in contaminated water which not only can be conductive, but may leave behind trace elements as it evaporates.
Still, I've had quite good success with desiccant rescue bags.

V0latyle said:
Heat can help but the point is to make the air inside the bag extremely dry. Air readily absorbs moisture, which eventually evaporates. Very true about keeping everything turned off; while deionized water is non conductive and won't bother anything, most accidental spills and drops are in contaminated water which not only can be conductive, but may leave behind trace elements as it evaporates.
Still, I've had quite good success with desiccant rescue bags.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've cleaned thousands of circuit boards over to remove the flux. Sticking them in a sealed container with dry air is one thing I never did to dry them. Anhydrous sopropyl alcohol is an excellent cleaning/drying agent for most electronics, but needs a dry room to avoid condensation as it evaporates. Dry warm/hot air with high air flow is best for both isopropyl and water. Most times I also used compressed air to knock off the solvent/water beads then dry the pcbs. A high air flow blower of a large shop vac was another favorite for drying them.
Heat drives out moisture ie hot box. Hot boxes have been used for over a century especially in humid climates to preserve surgical instruments, camera equipment and electronics. Works regardless of the outside humidity. The box or cabinet is sealed but not completely air tight.
The surgery room at Pennhurst actually had it's surgery instrument cabinets lined in the back with steam heated radiators, circa about 1900.
They had large glass doors.
You could vacuum dry it though as this be very effective but again the cover should to be removed at the minimum. It's easy to make a small vacuum chamber, the vacuum pump doesn't need to pull a high vacuum to work well at a warm temperature.
Desiccant bags are best used to keep sealed items dry rather than to remove water per se.
I use them to protect lens.
As for the conductivity of the water it's a crap shoot. It could be mixed with sweat, be acidic, or otherwise contaminated.
I used RO water to flush my Buds case when it fell into a full cup of coffee, cream and sugar. The RO water to chase the sugar, then anhydrous isopropyl alcohol to chase the cream and water. Allowed it to dry in the sun and in a room for a day with the spot welded battery in it. I had the case torn apart and flushed within 5 minutes. 2 years later it still works normally. I drank the coffee after I cleaned the case, perfect day

Silica gel works to a degree on my phone, the screen was able to turn on with the start-up logo but as soon it turns on it restarts itself.
I guess two day wasn't enough, especially on phones that are partially sealed, but I guess its true, not all phones are made equal when it comes to waterproof, I remember my XZ was completely waterproof, the swimming pool kind of waterproof.
Its like buying a lottery when you get a phone that fails its waterproof.
still waiting for update from the seller hahaha.