Extending built-in antennacable (SGS I9000) - Hardware Hacking General

So, i got a problem with my i9000. When I'm in a building, the phone loses the mobile network connection and I cant't receive or make calls. I tried almost every modem, several cfw and official fw. No luck...I already dissasembled my sgs, just to look if there's a disconnected pin or another hw damage, but everything was fine. Then I bought SIM cards of every provider in Germany, just to be sure it's not because of the lame radio capacity of my current provider (I'm using prepaid)...the same story with everyone of them, no signal, no line or whatever it is called. There aren't any hw damages, I think, because in that case I wouldn't have wifi or gps signal either and as you can imagine, I don't have problems with wifi or gps.
Now, I have an idea. Is it possible to extend the built-in antennacable? Ok, of course it is possible, but would it take effect? I mean, there would be more space on the cable to receive signals.
I really need to know it, if this is not going 2 work, I'll have to sell it and thats very sad, because I have it now for just about a week
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

Would it be possible to get some sort of cell-network amplifier?
Similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/Wilson-Electronics-Signal-Booster-Antenna/dp/B003FGWGPS/ref=pd_cp_cps_4
(That is for use in a car, but there are similar ones for use in the office or at home).

Nice, but there's nothing similar to that in germany or maybe I haven't find it yet. Until there isn't another solution, please give me some feedback to my idea of extending the cable.
Ok, so some of my relatives have got SGS too and I took them to compare the network quality. I could see, that only my SGS has bad signal. The other two hadn't those problems. So I guess there's really a HW damage. I ordered an Antenna module but I'm not sure if this will solve the problem. I'm sure there are other parts on its Mainboard which are related to nework singal receiving. Am I right?
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

You said you tried different firmware; but have you tried different modems?

Yes I did, but thanks for your help.
nitrous² said:
I tried almost every modem, several cfw and official fw. No luck...I already dissasembled my sgs, just to look if there's a disconnected pin or another hw damage, but everything was fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Apologies, I had missed that as I was intoxicated :/
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App

I know that at least the Vibrant (very similar to the i9000) has a test-bench antenna port still accessible on the mainboard (next to the SIM card, under a rubber cover). I'm not sure if it's for the GPS or for the cell antenna though. And either way it's pretty impractical to use the phone with the back off and an antenna plugged in, though I suppose one could drill a hole in the cover.

Ok, for me, it's impossible to extend the antenna. I counfounded the WiFi Antenna cable with the one for Mobile radio. Here's a Pic;
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As you can see, it'll be very very difficult to extend those plates. I still assume, there's a damage on the Main-/Mother -board and not on that Antenna Module. If the module arrives, I'll build it in and give it a try. Btw, has someone of you an idea where I can buy a board for the i9000? I'm just searching now for a while but can't find any.

i dont think its a good idea to extend the antenna, as the antenna needs to be in exact length to work but you can always try. + the receptacle that you found may be just to improve the GSM signal... best bet is the antenna-mainboard connection. maybe oxide buildup causing it not electrically connected. try to clean it first with some fast-evaporating liquid like zippo lighter gas.

Ok, I don't know what the problem is. I've built in the new antenna module and I still don't have signal! This can't be a damage on the mainboard because in that case I wouldn't receive any signal but actually, I do. It's like all the parts which are related to signal receiving are working but not to 100%.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using xda premium

ok thanks for the info

nitrous² said:
Ok, I don't know what the problem is. I've built in the new antenna module and I still don't have signal! This can't be a damage on the mainboard because in that case I wouldn't receive any signal but actually, I do. It's like all the parts which are related to signal receiving are working but not to 100%.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so you have boiled down problem to mainboard
so this
http://compare.ebay.com/like/250392108967?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&_lwgsi=y&cbt=y
wont be useful
urra901109 said:
i dont think its a good idea to extend the antenna, as the antenna needs to be in exact length to work but you can always try. + the receptacle that you found may be just to improve the GSM signal... best bet is the antenna-mainboard connection. maybe oxide buildup causing it not electrically connected. try to clean it first with some fast-evaporating liquid like zippo lighter gas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes there could be issue in the pcb in the tracks connectivity and sometimes due to bad metal there might not be correct connection
if you have a multimeter just do a connectivity check (in resistor tab at the end)
but question is
is it feasible
there are thousands of tracks and companys wont give you pinout to tell which one to look at
also you run into gd chances of adding static and bombing some other chip
better go to service center for such thing as they have controlled enviornment
do not try these things
http://www.wisebread.com/no-signal-5-quick-ways-to-boost-your-cell-phone-reception-updated
they doesnt work
say thanks if its helpful

ashishshevale said:
do not try these things
http://www.wisebread.com/no-signal-5-quick-ways-to-boost-your-cell-phone-reception-updated
they doesnt work
say thanks if its helpful
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude youre my hero...im, im just crying...i cant find the right words, this is so emotional...I'll upload a vid and post it here soon.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using xda premium

My colleague has the same issue, and I think the same phone. It's worse when he has his hard plastic cover on. Try taking your cover off? I think it's just terrible design.

@ashishshevale
I know, you said, it's not worth it, to give this tricks you've linked a try. But, no, just watch the vid. Seems like I solved my problem xD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GB30uXdE4w
lukyjay said:
My colleague has the same issue, and I think the same phone. It's worse when he has his hard plastic cover on. Try taking your cover off? I think it's just terrible design.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, you're right. When I take the back cover off I have almost 100% signal quality, while I have just 51% signal by backcover on.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using xda premium

Just felt like adding my two cents to this...
So, while his solution seems to be amazing, you should remember that so long as the copper wire is near the phone, it will be picking up interference from the rest of the phone's electronics. Also, you'll need to find out what the dominant frequency of your cellular provider is, because if you cut the wire to the wrong length, you have the possibility of making it worse, as the new "Antenna" wont be tuned for the frequency you're trying to pick up. Be forewarned, that when the phone has a connection to the external antenna jack, it has the possibility of making the internal antenna inoperable so long as you have something connected to it. Which means if you set the antenna up for 850 MHz, and you're in an area that uses 1900 MHz, you wont get any service, because the antenna isn't set up to work right with the 1900 MHz spectrum.
Also, since you installed a new antenna module, you should configure the phone for the module. At least, according to everything I've read on servicing Nokia phones, when you replace an antenna, you need to configure the attenuation of the new antenna to feel the full effect of replacing the antenna module. This, of course, requires the phone's service software, the correct jig, and your own mini cellular network. ;P

nitrous² said:
@ashishshevale
I know, you said, it's not worth it, to give this tricks you've linked a try. But, no, just watch the vid. Seems like I solved my problem xD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GB30uXdE4w
Yep, you're right. When I take the back cover off I have almost 100% signal quality, while I have just 51% signal by backcover on.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that might have worked and worth trying if you have spare phone
but such copper wire hardly work and if they work they will burn something for sure
als copper wire might stop other frequency as atirox mentioned
there isa a reason for it
the antenna is having length equal to wavelength or overtone of frequenct to be received
if you calculate wavelength of 850mhz its very small so you can imagine the error probability
also there is always chance of short circuit due to a slight prb in soldering of wire
so better dont do it

I know, I asked a friend of mine who works in a phone repair shop and he was a little surprised that this solution worked at all. He told me the same things you did. And he told me to use a silver wire with a length of 4,7cm (1,8 inches) for gsm network or 7cm (2.7 inches) for umts. He couldn't figure out why it was still working and told me that this fix should burnout the signal receiping ic's on the liveboard. Anyone an idea why this still works?
I've posted this fix also on Android-hilfe dot de and there was a guy who thought he could do that too, eve though i told him to not do it. The result: no network connection at all, so he have had to buy a new mainboard.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using xda premium

no lol worakkk

There are (at least) 3 radios in the phone - GPS, wifi and cellular. Any one can be defective while the others are working perfectly. Also, the "antenna" is actually 3 antennas connected together - a GPS antenna, a wifi antenna and a cellular antenna (probably 2 or 3 of those). But since you put in a new antenna, I'd guess that the cellular radio is bad.

Related

8525 shuts itself off!

I have a 8525 that is 14 months old and has been working wonderfully all this time. A few days ago it started to shut itself off at no repeatable times. I pull it out and it is off! I try to load something and it shuts down instead. Today I did a total wipe and reinstalled from a back up. The same problem occurred. I wiped it again and installed a 2 month old backup and the same thing occurred. I have changed the battery. The memory is fine. The only thing that I have not tried is a wipe and a reinstall from scratch, but obviously would prefer not to do that.
WM 6.1 is running
Check to see if your battery connection isn't lose. If the power keeps shutting off for no reason in your pocket it could be that its not making proper connection. If you bought another battery that wasn't a HTC original then it may not be Quite the right size. I had this problem with an extended battery I bought. It was about 1/2mm less width than an original but that was enough to be a problem. A piece of paper between the battery and the casing fixed this.
Cheers...
not the problem
Thanks, but the battery is not the problem as the spare battery is one that I have been using for 6 months and the other one that I tried is the factory battery. Unfortunately, it is more serious than this.
I'm having similar problems with my Hermes...and I bought it ~14months ago too, refurbished, it's a Voda v1605, uk ebay seller.
Actually mine stays powered most of the time and it's not a SW problem: I'm trying various ROMs and I'm 100% sure the problem is HW-based.
Well it's much I have this prob and don't have any warranty, so I opened it and tried to "manually" solve this matter: I put a page between my qwerty and the motherboard, and this, together with some paper under the battery, solved the problem at most.
Now it switches off less frequently, but still not enough to safely bring it in my pocket and always find it switched on after taking it off
I tried to get it repaired but they told me they'd change the motherboard for +/- the price of a "as-new" 2nd hand one
I hope you solve, but if you don't....then I think we have to sell it "as-damaged" (or return it in warranty if you have)...I'm actually looking for a Diamond or TyTn II (see hard choice... thread ) and leave this dear mate
what i was afraid of
This is what I was afraid of. No warranty here so have been thinking of moving to the Tilt, but I am leaving town in a day and have no time to get and set it up.
Its also possible if you dropped your Hermes you may have cracked or bent the battery connectors.... May need to be fixed with soldering iron but is a pain if you can't solder really tiny joints...
Cheers...
ultramag69 said:
Its also possible if you dropped your Hermes you may have cracked or bent the battery connectors.... May need to be fixed with soldering iron but is a pain if you can't solder really tiny joints...
Cheers...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm ready to go, I want my Hermes back
Can you point me to some photos to understand where to solder the connectors better?
I mean, I've already seen them (so many times hehe), I also have that cool yellow gauge that could be useful to understand if they don't "touch" correctly, but I'm not sure I understood where are the soldering points
A photo with some arrow could be useful (or something similar lol).
Many thanks for your help mate!
The best idea would be to go Here - http://michael-channon.spaces.live.com/
Mikes site offers the best tutorials for the Hermes, and, if you need to you can pm him directly.
Cheers...
ultramag69 said:
The best idea would be to go Here - http://michael-channon.spaces.live.com/
Mikes site offers the best tutorials for the Hermes, and, if you need to you can pm him directly.
Cheers...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What a lovable guy! So available, so kind, cool!
Guys, just to let you all be near me...with my hearth that cries at every Hermes black screen...I've opened it again, did some tweaks - again - and did a complete photo-report and a short video too!
See here
http://s403.photobucket.com/albums/pp120/ErMejoo/My%20v1605%20opened/?albumview=slideshow and for the video choose "Main" on the top corner.
I'm looking forward to the next Mike answer (just sent him the link too) to see if he thinks detaching and soldering again the battery connectors can be the right next choice.
If someone has some ideas or if I have a great one (don't think so but the hope never fades away) or simply for kind words, let's write here.
Thanks to everyone giving support, I really appreciate.
ErMeglio said:
What a lovable guy! So available, so kind, cool!
Guys, just to let you all be near me...with my hearth that cries at every Hermes black screen...I've opened it again, did some tweaks - again - and did a complete photo-report and a short video too!
See here
http://s403.photobucket.com/albums/pp120/ErMejoo/My%20v1605%20opened/?albumview=slideshow and for the video choose "Main" on the top corner.
I'm looking forward to the next Mike answer (just sent him the link too) to see if he thinks detaching and soldering again the battery connectors can be the right next choice.
If someone has some ideas or if I have a great one (don't think so but the hope never fades away) or simply for kind words, let's write here.
Thanks to everyone giving support, I really appreciate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry was feeling a bit sick yesterday and didn't reply.
Having looked at the pics an video, I am begining to think one of two things:
1. There may be a crack in one of the battery connector soldered joints
Or
2. This has nothing to do with the battery connector and may have more to do with the general condition of the phone.
Number one could probably only be checked by re-soldering the contacts.
Number two is quite unspecific. You see when I look at the pics and see the gaps in the casing, and some damage to internal plastic, I get the feeling that the circuit boards etc are probably not be firmly held in place. In other words there is likely quite a bit of movement internally and between the two halves of the phone.
This in itself could cause the battery to move around. It could also cause the rigid flex cables to move at their connectors.
I think you need to check each and every connector is well inserted AND try to firm up all the looseness and movement internally and in the casing . I'm not sure that wlll be an easy job given some plastic parts appear broken.
I think it's going to be difficult to give further advice (not being able to see and feel the device directly.)
However, I'll have a look at my Hermes this weekend, and try to establish a link between pressing certain areas of the keyboard and a total shutdown.
Cheers
Mike
Thanks Mike, don't have to apologize, you're offering free help
Anyway, I have the WORST news for you....my Hermes has gone, completely.
After the mail I sent you the other day, don't know why really, perhaps for the spray, I don't know, it didn't switch on again.
When I connect the battery charger it comes red, and if I remember what I read somewhere here red means it doesn't feel the battery at all.
I tried to leave it outdoor these 2 days to see if magically that spray which left a film everywhere would have evaporated but this didn't help.
I'm having a very "rude" welder as I said, it has a cutting tip just to make you understand, anyway I've just toggled the battery conn with it (I had nothing to loose) and I have the 2 centered one which took away a dark "film", and on the motherboard I have the 2 silver connectors on each side, which touch 2-by-2, and the 2 centered one which are completely black...don't know if I damaged something that way...
I think tomorrow I could try to weld 4 wires (what are the centered one for?) and see what happens...what do you think?
I'd like to try everything to even explore the 0,01% possibilities to see it working again...
[EDIT 1]
Just updated my album on photobucket with the new photos...
After the mail I sent you the other day, don't know why really, perhaps for the spray, I don't know, it didn't switch on again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
!! What spray? Where did it come from?
When I connect the battery charger it comes red, and if I remember what I read somewhere here red means it doesn't feel the battery at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it means the battery is not charging - which suggests the connector is now disconnected even if it wasn't before.
I'm having a very "rude" welder as I said,.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now!, I think something has happened to the translation here!! Does this welder (let's call him Fred) swear at you and call you rude names? And when you say you have had him!!!
Sorry - I have a weird sense of humour.
Anyway. To be honest, given the general condition of the phone and it's various problems - I think you should start looking for a new phone - you will never be able to rely on the one you have there.
You could also consider making a small amount of money ny selling off parts from the one you have. Folk here are always looking for difficult to find parts.
Sorry to be defeatist about the phone, but I think you realise that it's condition is getting worse not better. Assuming money is no problem then it's time to get yourself a present
Mike
mikechannon said:
!! What spray? Where did it come from?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will do a photo in some minutes and upload to photobucket, think you understood I love doing photos with the daddy's (almost) new HD cam
mikechannon said:
Now!, I think something has happened to the translation here!! Does this welder (let's call him Fred) swear at you and call you rude names? And when you say you have had him!!!
Sorry - I have a weird sense of humour.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hahahahahahaha ops!! I Said I am an inventive Italian, didn't I?
I've just read some -better?- definition of the "noun" on dictionary.com (All rights reserved bla bla bla) and found:
–verb (used with object)
1.to unite or fuse (as pieces of metal) by hammering, compressing, or the like, esp. after rendering soft or pasty by heat, and sometimes with the addition of fusible material like or unlike the pieces to be united.
2.to bring into complete union, harmony, agreement, etc. –verb (used without object)
3.to undergo welding; be capable of being welded: a metal that welds easily.
–noun
4.a welded junction or joint.
5.the act of welding or the state of being welded.
And also:
Weld"er\, n. One(A PERSON??) who welds, or unites pieces of iron, etc., by welding.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mmh I'm quite confused, don't think I understood, wtf does welder mean lol?!
There's also the verb part which seemed correct, isn't it?
Anyway, that's the google translation, knew it was stupid but didn't think that much
mikechannon said:
Sorry to be defeatist about the phone, but I think you realise that it's condition is getting worse not better. Assuming money is no problem then it's time to get yourself a present
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I will, as soon as I can...currently I can't, that's why yesterday my father wanted to help buying 50% (200€) of a Nokia N95 8gb to let me use it and wait better prices for the HTCs out there...and take the Nokia for himself when I decide (what a profiteer haha!!)...BUT of course the shop finished them ([OT]there's a long story for N95s here, everyone wants it but noone gets! In short, my sister got a new bricked one (DOA) and is waiting for a replacement for 2 months; my dad bought one on ebay and got cheated for 270€...now I damage my phone and want to buy at the shop with him and it ends two days after we had seen it there...if this was a film I'd call it "Nokia N95-8gb: the nightmare"! [/OT])!
Thanks for your help anyway, much appreciated!
ErMeglio said:
Will do a photo in some minutes and upload to photobucket, think you understood I love doing photos with the daddy's (almost) new HD cam
Hahahahahahaha ops!! I Said I am an inventive Italian, didn't I?
I've just read some -better?- definition of the "noun" on dictionary.com (All rights reserved bla bla bla) and found:
Mmh I'm quite confused, don't think I understood, wtf does welder mean lol?!
There's also the verb part which seemed correct, isn't it?
Anyway, that's the google translation, knew it was stupid but didn't think that much
Well I will, as soon as I can...currently I can't, that's why yesterday my father wanted to help buying 50% (200€) of a Nokia N95 8gb to let me use it and wait better prices for the HTCs out there...and take the Nokia for himself when I decide (what a profiteer haha!!)...BUT of course the shop finished them ([OT]there's a long story for N95s here, everyone wants it but noone gets! In short, my sister got a new bricked one (DOA) and is waiting for a replacement for 2 months; my dad bought one on ebay and got cheated for 270€...now I damage my phone and want to buy at the shop with him and it ends two days after we had seen it there...if this was a film I'd call it "Nokia N95-8gb: the nightmare"! [/OT])!
Thanks for your help anyway, much appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you have nothing more to lose by continuing to try things out on the Hermes.
A couple of points regarding your pictures. You know you can upload the pictures to photobucket and then using the direct link that photbucket gives you below the picture you can then post the picture on XDA-Dev. You use the little "insert image" icon when writing a post. As shown here:
http://s403.photobucket.com/albums/pp120/ErMejoo/My v1605 opened/
{
"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"
}
I'm not sure what that black film on the central connectors is. Perhaps it's melted plastic from the connector housing. In any case you should be able to melt it off. (Be careful though because excess heat may be transferred into the board and start loosening other connections. The Hermes has a multilayered m/board and some connections are "sandwiched" between the layers).
I see the picture of the spray - I assume it is a metal polish? It may or may not conduct electricity - if it does that could cause serious problems even after it's cleaned off.
Mike
PS
By the way a welder can be a person who welds or a machine that welds. But you said that it was a rude welder. A machine cannot be rude, so a "rude welder" as you stated, must be a person!!
NB Welding is a term used for joining large pieces of metal. When talking about circuit boards we normally say soldering not welding.
My Italian lessons (thanks to Chiara from Tomtom) are coming along nicely:
Alla fine della strada, girate a sinistra.
(But I don't care I could listen to Chiara's voice all day long)
mikechannon said:
I'm not sure what that black film on the central connectors is. Perhaps it's melted plastic from the connector housing. In any case you should be able to melt it off. (Be careful though because excess heat may be transferred into the board and start loosening other connections. The Hermes has a multilayered m/board and some connections are "sandwiched" between the layers).
I see the picture of the spray - I assume it is a metal polish? It may or may not conduct electricity - if it does that could cause serious problems even after it's cleaned off.
Mike
PS
By the way a welder can be a person who welds or a machine that welds. But you said that it was a rude welder. A machine cannot be rude, so a "rude welder" as you stated, must be a person!!
NB Welding is a term used for joining large pieces of metal. When talking about circuit boards we normally say soldering not welding.
My Italian lessons (thanks to Chiara from Tomtom) are coming along nicely:
Alla fine della strada, girate a sinistra.
(But I don't care I could listen to Chiara's voice all day long)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't try to add all them here because, you know, photobucket slideshow is so sexy
Thanks for the lesson I needed, much appreciated
I just realized the "rude" adjective refers to a person, I used it because in Italian saying something/someone is "rude" or "rudimentale" means it/he is simple, old, rudimentary or primitive...and here we use it for both things and people...think you'd say unkind if it was a person.
Speaking of the Hermes, those 2 black ""connectors"" you see on the board in that photo have not something "more" comparing to the others, but something LESS! It's sort of scaring after having read about the layers, because under the gold connectors, after having removed them, I could detach just a sort of LAYER (that's what I meant with film), which btw didn't seem conducting side-by-side
Will update when I have some time to try the cables ""solution""!
p.s. You'd LOVE Selen's sexy sensual voice for TomTom I think...she's (was) an Italian pornostar still well known...See Wiki!!
Did you remove the traces? That's almost what the pics look like. By that I mean the gold under the solder.

Hardware GPS Fix

For those of you who are still experiencing poor gps after JI6...it IS a hardware issue. In many cases the springs that connect the phone to the GPS antennae are not making proper contact.
As reported in earlier threads the following fix has improved my accuracy from 100 feet to 20 feet and instant locks. I also no longer wander during navigation.
This fix does require partial dis-assembly since you have to remove the back plate. I don't find dis-assembly of this phone that difficult and there are guides available. (remove your sim and sd card first!) As with any dis-assembly you risk voiding your warranty should you choose to tell someone and you also risk breaking your phone. I hold no responsibility.
Enjoy.
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Interesting. i will definitely be trying this.
I actually did this last night and it didn't make much of a difference... I think my unit just truly has a bad gps chip.
Thread lock?
I don't remember getting an answer when I asked in the other thread. Please excuse me if it was answered.
Did the threads of the screws show signs of thread lock? This is how the factory will know if the screws had been removed before, and may determine if they would know that it might have been disassembled to make the warranty determination.
There is blue thread lock on the screws that is used to hold the screws in place. And that is its only purpose. There is not a full crew of scientific investigators at t-mobile putting screws under an electron microscope to determine foul play.
T313C0mun1s7 said:
I don't remember getting an answer when I asked in the other thread. Please excuse me if it was answered.
Did the threads of the screws show signs of thread lock? This is how the factory will know if the screws had been removed before, and may determine if they would know that it might have been disassembled to make the warranty determination.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If this bothers you, see below.
If you have to disassemble the phone go buy some blue Loc-Tite brand thread lock. problem solved.
To apply, for anyone that hasn't used it before, simply put a drop on a non-porous surface (baggie or other plastic works well) and use your needlenose (technically half round) pliers or tweezers to hold the head of the screw while you dip the first thread into the drop of Loc-Tite. Then put it in the hole and tighten as normal.
snowdogging said:
As reported in earlier threads the following fix has improved my accuracy from 100 feet to 20 feet and instant locks. I also no longer wander during navigation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How well does the gps "track" you when used with sat nav software after this mod,
I get a fast lock with my phone, and it sort of follows me, just lags and does not keep up with me (on the whole)
thanks,
anthony
Isn't the GPS antenna next to the sim card?
snowdogging said:
There is blue thread lock on the screws that is used to hold the screws in place. And that is its only purpose. There is not a full crew of scientific investigators at t-mobile putting screws under an electron microscope to determine foul play.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They don't need a crew of scientific investigators, just a robot that checks the required torque as it removes the screws. You get a simple pass/fail indication that determines whether the work being performed is covered under warranty or by your wallet. I am not aware if it look for a specific torque range or just something above a certain value. If it is the latter then reapplying thread lock as suggested above would probably work.
Ok just did this and I still have a crappy GPS. Just as always it takes about 5 minutes to lock onto my location, even when outside or in the car. Ive never had a problem with accuracy but just lock times. Still pretty crappy.
I honestly think these GPS issues are just faulty hardware. I would just return it and get another one. After you have ruled out any causes in software by running the new Samsung GPS tool faulty hardware is the only thing left to consider.
I am running Onyx 4.2 which is based on JK2 and the GPS is flawless.
Umm I think this is the wifi antenna , but the GPS antenna has been reported to be "on board" about a third of the way down the phone, not on the bottom corner ..
jnutz said:
I honestly think these GPS issues are just faulty hardware. I would just return it and get another one. After you have ruled out any causes in software by running the new Samsung GPS tool faulty hardware is the only thing left to consider.
I am running Onyx 4.2 which is based on JK2 and the GPS is flawless.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, if new Vibrants are better, how do I convince tmo to exchange my phone now that I'm well outside of the initial return period? If I go in and just complain about the GPS will they give me a new phone, or what?
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
JeremyNT said:
So, if new Vibrants are better, how do I convince tmo to exchange my phone now that I'm well outside of the initial return period? If I go in and just complain about the GPS will they give me a new phone, or what?
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think it has anything to so with when it was made. I got mine on launch day and after the update my GPS works perfect.
jnutz said:
I don't think it has anything to so with when it was made. I got mine on launch day and after the update my GPS works perfect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whats your definition of perfect? My GPS works perfect "When it works and can lock". Sometimes it locks sometimes it doesnt. When it does lock it works perfect but sometimes it can take 5-10 minutes to lock.
jnutz said:
I honestly think these GPS issues are just faulty hardware. I would just return it and get another one. After you have ruled out any causes in software by running the new Samsung GPS tool faulty hardware is the only thing left to consider.
I am running Onyx 4.2 which is based on JK2 and the GPS is flawless.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The GPS restore app does nothing but restore your LBS settings. Its faulty software.
Great Post
I'll tell you what. I'm one of the ones that has tryed everything to get my GPS to work consistenly without having to wait 3 to 4 minutes for a lock. I tryed this and as soon as I got my phone back together I got a lock within 10 seconds and my signals was nearing 50 on GPS Test. Even now I'm locking onto Satelites indoors with a signal at around 25.
BEWARE:
While trying to bend the springs up 30 degrees one of mine broke. I about Sh!t my pants. I calmed down and grabbed the soldering Iron. Put a little solder under the spring portion that broken and then put the Contact that broke off under. Powered back up and all was good.
Thanks for this Post You have finally fixed my GPS!
It could be coincidence... or just good luck for this one time - BUT - with the TW 2.2 Flash-able JK6 ROM, and the Samsung GPS resetter app - my GPS DOES WORK now... I did it this morning, and it was flawless all the way to work - and QUICK to lock ... and it saw 12 birds too.
AND it hasn't worked at all with all prior tweaks, ROMs, updates, etc.
dsellers2 said:
I'll tell you what. I'm one of the ones that has tryed everything to get my GPS to work consistenly without having to wait 3 to 4 minutes for a lock. I tryed this and as soon as I got my phone back together I got a lock within 10 seconds and my signals was nearing 50 on GPS Test. Even now I'm locking onto Satelites indoors with a signal at around 25.
BEWARE:
While trying to bend the springs up 30 degrees one of mine broke. I about Sh!t my pants. I calmed down and grabbed the soldering Iron. Put a little solder under the spring portion that broken and then put the Contact that broke off under. Powered back up and all was good.
Thanks for this Post You have finally fixed my GPS!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What did you use to bend the springs and what caused it to break?
jnutz said:
I don't think it has anything to so with when it was made. I got mine on launch day and after the update my GPS works perfect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's great and all, but my GPS doesn't work perfect and I've tried every permutation of every fix mentioned on this board. Lock times are fine now, but accuracy still blows.
So back to my question - if there are Vibrants out there with GPSes that work perfectly, how the heck do I convince T-Mobile to give me one of them in exchange for mine? Is it possible? Cause if not, I'm ripping this thing open like the OP suggests on a wing and a prayer.

[GUIDE] Replacing USB charger board (and other parts)

I am writing this guide as this issue seems to be getting more and more common (and @MistahBungle and I have answered threads about this a number of times).
The following is supplied as information only....
If, having read this post, you feel confident to undertake the described processes, you do so AT YOUR OWN RISK. I will not be held accountable if you cause further damage to your phone by following the said processes........
This guide was originally written to cover replacement of the USB board, but the information and provided links also apply to replacing other parts. The advice given, broadly applies to whichever part you need to replace......
If a repair under warranty is available, I would always advise this as a first option......
If it is not.......read on...
The USB board is an important part of the phone. Without it we can't charge the phone.....or easily transfer data to or from the phone.....or flash new firmwares.....or recover the phone if things go bad. This board also has the microphone and aerial connector built on.
It stands to reason that a USB cable regularly being plugged in to/unplugged from the connector is going to wear it out.....fairly quickly.
For those who are technically competent (even just slightly) it is an easy and inexpensive part to replace.
In the link below, you can find a very useful and clearly explained video tutorial which shows a COMPLETE step by step disassembly of a Galaxy S2......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65pvAINg2ME&feature=youtube_gdata_player
it will be invaluable to those who want to do this, but who are unsure about how to begin.
To do this, you will need.....
1) A set of fine 'jewellers' screwdrivers.
2) An old credit/store/loyalty card or guitar pick to help separate the case. (It doesn't matter which, as long as it's plastic).
3) A fine pair of tweezers to help pick up the screws.
For those who feel it would be an advantage to have it, below is a link where you can download a copy of the S2s service manual....
https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=24052804347838302
It could turn out to be useful for other repairs on this phone....
If, having read this post and watched the video, you don't feel confident to 'do it yourself', you will need to return your phone to unrooted stock in order to get a warranty repair with Samsung. Provided you currently have root access, you can use an app created by @Chainfire called Mobile Odin to flash the firmware and unroot. This is done 'in phone' and doesn't rely on the use of the USB port. See the thread below for details...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1347899
So....now you've watched the video, and you're confident enough to begin.......Don't pick up that screwdriver just yet.......
As a FIRST resort, I'd recommend that you try to clean your existing USB port.........
Some people have mentioned simply blowing into the port can dislodge any dust and return the port to full functionality.
Others have said that gently using a toothbrush on it has had the same effect. You can try this dry or with medical alcohol (not 25 yr old whisky lol). If using alcohol, remove the battery first and allow to COMPLETELY dry before re inserting the battery and powering on.
Other people have commented that bending the connectors within the port has had the desired effect.....this last option is something that I DO NOT advise as unless you are REALLY careful, you could end up causing more damage.
If, having tried the first two options above, there is no difference, read on.......
As you know, there are several different variants of the S2 (over 20).....so it can be assumed that there will be different variants of the board too. I know for certain that there are FOUR different versions for the S2 international alone. ....
So how do you know which board to get for your phone?.......
Look at the pictures below.......
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This board was taken from an international S2.....
Note the small white print in the second picture......
The critical print to look for on your board is the 'REV' number. On the international version it'll say REV1.5, 2.2, 2.3 or 2.4. On the other variants it'll say something else. Be advised, none of these boards are interchangeable, so you need to match this REV number with the one on the board you remove.
Now you can pick that screwdriver up....
It's time to replace the board.....
Just remember not to force anything.....be gentle....after all, you're pulling apart some very delicate micro electronics....
Provided you follow the advice in this thread and the linked video tutorial, you'll have a fully operational phone, and paid a fraction of the cost that you would have paid at a service centre......
Good luck and happy DIYing.
Some people have reported that after changing the board (even if they purchased the correct rev version) they suffered a loss/reduction of signal strength. This thread......
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1950114
offers a potential workaround. The evidence suggests that it seems to work, but there *may* be unforseen long term issues if this is done.....
In this final section I will list verified sellers of this part. Make sure to contact the seller in advance to ensure they can provide the correct 'REV' version. If anybody has good experience with any other seller, leave a comment/link in the thread and I will include it here..........
xtechonline on eBay (i9100 international boards)
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=370797750646
The above seller lists all four versions of the international board.
This seller......
http://www.truesupplier.com/oem-sam...-port-charger-connector-replace-pr-29094.html
sells what he states are 'OEM' (Samsung original) parts, and it appears that he ships worldwide. Contact the seller before purchase to find out availability of the correct rev version........
This seller MobileExtra (on Amazon).....
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0098VPOK8/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_8Hjotb1JF0Q2Z
doesn't state what rev versions he stocks, but he sells the board either on it's own, or with a screwdriver to help do the job.....but to be honest, if you've got as far as exposing the board itself, you won't need to buy the item AND screwdriver anyway.
As before, contact the seller to ensure you get the right part......
This seller.......
http://www.parts4repair.com/categories/Samsung-Repair-Parts/
seems to stock most parts that could be needed for the S2 and it's variants. From what I have read, the parts may be recycled (taken from other, used S2s), but having said that, repairing a phone with used parts is preferable to being stuck with a phone that doesn't work at all.....
Here are the results from a 'general' eBay search......
http://m.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw...flex+cable&sqp=galaxy+s2+i9100+usb+flex+cable
There are plenty of suppliers still (September 2015) As with anything you buy on ebay, do your research.....check supplier location, reviews etc before you buy!!!!
Also, it will help to include a 'note to the seller' informing them which rev number you need/are expecting to be delivered.
If you have any questions, or want to add anything, feel free to post a comment below........
Sent from my rooted, de bloated, stock JB powered S2 via PhilZ kernel and XDA developers app
Just to mention. Some boards I bought from eBay didn't work properly, such as you get no signal or it won't charge. I don't know why they do this but sometimes you get non working boards so if you do replace it and it doesn't work, don't assume it's a phone fault. You could have picked up a faulty board
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Or.....purchasing a 'mis-matched' (wrong REV version) board can have these effects too as none of the boards are interchangeable........
(OP modified to reflect this)
Sent from my rooted, de bloated, stock JB powered S2 via PhilZ kernel and XDA developers app
Maybe you should have a look of the post/tutorial a guy made about using like 2/3 of a new board because his old board got better signal.
I.e pros and cons of changing the board,and fixes.
I'd appreciate a link to that thread if you can post it
Also the OP is there for people who have to replace the board because the original has become faulty/inoperable due to a worn out USB connector.....
Edit....thread located and linked in OP.....
Sent from my rooted, de bloated, stock JB powered S2 via PhilZ kernel and XDA developers app
Yes but if you read some of the other threads,they change it because of that problem,but other problems can arise
Eg
Mic and loss of signal
There is nothing new about your guide.But it would be different if you merged about 3 of them threads I mentioned together,which could cover everything in the one place.Also links of "proven" sellers of the part.
Otherwise whats the point of yet another guide.
As I mentioned in the OP, those problems probably arise because the incorrect board was purchased.....
I also pointed out what to look for when choosing the replacement board......that in itself makes this thread not so pointless......
I appreciate your input...your suggestions are valid.....the OP will evolve over time to include more information....that is why I requested you provide links to the threads you mention......
Sent from my rooted, de bloated, stock JB powered S2 via PhilZ kernel and XDA developers app
I am not making the guide Keith;you are supposed to be.The link about the video in your first post shows you created a thread about something you "just found";when actually it was posted a year before
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=25438587
This thread will need to evolve,thats for sure.Im just advising you to try to get as much relevant information as you can and put it in this thread.
All the info is out there,as Ive read it,so if you want to help people get the info/links in this thread to cover everything,which saves them time if its all in the same place.
Once you have that sorted out,ask a mod to clean up this thread and get it stickied lol.
-------------------------------------------
maybe your an iphone expert
------------------------------------------
Lol....if there's one thing I'm not....and have absolutely no intention of becoming....it's an iPhone expert
Sent from my rooted, de bloated, stock JB powered S2 via PhilZ kernel and XDA developers app
Its my new sig,thats all.
As well as them other usb links,and sellers of the part,you could also include something about mobile odin pro.
-------------------------------------------
maybe your an iphone expert
------------------------------------------
I have replaced the charging board last year.
A good and suitable screwdriver should be used for disassembling i9100. The screw is tiny and it's easy to get stripped (It's my own experience).
pc323 said:
I have replaced the charging board last year.
A good and suitable screwdriver should be used for disassembling i9100. The screw is tiny and it's easy to get stripped (It's my own experience).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed....good point.....
Something like a jewellers screwdriver.....
Sets of these are available fairly cheaply at most good DIY stores......
Point included in OP....
sent from my rooted, debloated, stock JB powered S2 via PhilZ Kernel and Tapatalk 4 beta
Nice one keith, keep it up!
Sent from...this is not even my S2
just searched and came across this thread after picking up another i9110t that was faulty, to use the screen to fix my i9100t cheaper than fitting a new screen
I removed the main board from my phone with the cracked screen and fitted it to the faulty I9100t and it fired up. but no signal from my carrier (don't have the best reception at home tho). was able to get reception and receive a call in another location with better reception but still not a good signal. charging fine and everything else seems to be OK
so today i removed the back thinking the antenna wire might not of connected properly where it clips on the main board, but all looked good. thats when i looked at the usb boards and compared the boards and part numbers and found differences. both phones are the same model number tho . so seems like there is also a difference in board numbers also with the i9100t one being a Telstra (Australia) phone with usb board number GT-I9100 REV2.2 and the other Vodaphone (Australia) Phone with GT-i9100 REV0.4 usb board
so im hoping i can gently remove the usb board gently without damaging it and swap it over.
wish me luck:fingers-crossed:
I hope swapping the USB boards from one phone to the other works for you......though I have a nasty feeling that it won't be that simple......
The main boards could be different too......
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app
When I linked this to my guide, I never thought I may need it myself... My phone says it's charging even when nothing is plugged in :/ I've yet to clean the USB port as I'm out, but I may have to end up replacing my usb board.
Just wondering though, is it bad for me to keep using my phone while it 'thinks' it's charging? Currently I have the battery out of the phone just in case.
I don't *think* it'll cause any long term harm....though having said that, try and examine the contacts in the port with a magnifying glass to see if there are any obvious shorts.......
My wife's S2 had issues for nearly three weeks before I changed the board.....there are any number of reasons why the port fails, so you need to assess the possible reasons for the failure and decide what is best for your phone......
Sorry I can't be any more specific than this, but without examining your phone, I don't know what the underlying cause is........
Sent from my CM10.1 powered S2 via XDA A.D.A
OP updated to include a link to download the S2 service manual.
This might be my S2, or it might be my W...but it's definitely CM
keithross39 said:
I hope swapping the USB boards from one phone to the other works for you......though I have a nasty feeling that it won't be that simple......
The main boards could be different too......
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All went good just so you know. Charging fine and great reception
What a bunch of kangers........lol
http://www.usofttech.com/t56305.html
Damn shame that the download link they quoted is no longer active....
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app

Fixing the touch issues for good! (it was never a software problem (for me, anyway))

Note: the fix depicted below is only a plausible fix and it assumes the screen/digitizer itself is not faulty. If you intend to follow it, be aware that a faulty screen can be a possibility, so RMA if you can. Unlike the other software fixes out there, tampering with the hardware is a one-way trip and will void your warranty.
Ever since I got the OnePlus One, I've been having issues with the touchscreen. Some touches weren't being registered, and sometimes when I'm scrolling, something along the way would be touched instead. Double taps turned into single taps, the camera shutter button was hard to touch, and typing was unpredictable. The list goes on.
OnePlus has addressed this issue as a "software bug" (just like the yellow tint), and promised to fix it in future updates. It worked for some, and I did notice some improvement, but it just wasn't good enough for me. I thought all the software did was merely filter or mask the effects of the grounding issue, and anticipated or extrapolated touches made by the user.
No matter which ROM or which version of CM11S I used, the touchscreen was never quite perfect. At some point, I knew for sure it wasn't simply a "software bug", because I've tried numerous kernels and ROMs, to no avail.
So, I went on a little investigation, because I'm actually quite familiar with problems like this. The iPad Mini suffers from a very similar grounding issue when the digitzer gets replaced. The original digitizers are all insulated properly from the factory, but when it breaks and needs to be replaced, the replacement screens don't come with the insulating tape pre-installed. If not insulated, the digitizer makes contact with the inside of the aluminum unibody, and thus creates the grounding issue.
The tape insulating the touchscreen circuits has to be moved over from the original, broken screen to the new screen in order to prevent the issue. See the original, broken iPad Mini digitizer (left, bottom) compared to a new, replacement digitizer (left, top):
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Note how there are areas of the iPad's chassis that can make contact with the digitizer if not isolated.
I was 90% sure that something similar was going on with the OnePlus One. And I was right.
I fully disassembled my OnePlus One (for the second time), but this time around, I removed the screen as well. I didn't do it the first time because it's a risky operation; I might damage the only screen I had during the process, and it won't be as secure of a bond as before. But YOLO, right?
Here are the instructions on how to do it yourself!
As suspected, the digitizer flex makes direct contact to the metallic chassis before being connected to the logic board, just like the iPad Mini does with a replacement screen.
And sure enough, when the flex is isolated from the chassis, the problem disappeared. The phone had no problem registering all 10 touches, and every touch was more responsive than ever.
Debug mode, hardware edition!
So the fix was quite obvious; insulate that digitizer flex! I cut some of the insulating tape from the iPad Mini's digitizer and stuck it on the chassis where it was touching the flex. Any thin tape will do though.
I then reassembled the One, and as expected, the touchscreen now works perfectly. No more ghost touches, and no more grounding issue. I'm as happy as Larry
Why, then, did some units suffer more than others, and some received perfectly fine units? Well, here's my hypothesis. Unlike mainstream smartphone manufacturers, who either use properly isolated digitizers and/or double-sided 3M tape, OnePlus neglected the former and used glue instead.
Look closely in the image below - you can clearly see that it isn't tape that's holding the screen in place. That pattern is characteristic of unset glue that's been compressed.
It loses form and stickiness when removed. Double-sided tape retains its shape and doesn't lose stickiness.
Because glue was used, every individual phone most likely had a different clearance between the chassis and the digitizer flex.
From what I heard, the newer units have fixed this problem, but I can't confirm for myself exactly how they fixed it.
So there you have it! As it turns out, it really was a hardware problem (judging from my investigation). It would be great if other forum members can confirm my theory if they have the chance. If you:
Have a One that suffered from this issue
Have a broken screen
Want to try your hand at replacing the screen yourself
Now's a great opportunity!
Really nice investigation right here! Appreciate it!
Nice find!
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
I luckily don't have a problem, or the guts to help with the theory. I did however figure it was hardware issue. Had similar issues with nexus 7 (2013) that many people believed to be a grounding issue, although I'm not sure where it may be.
Sent from my A0001 using XDA Free mobile app
I do have these touch problems on my OPO, most of the time.
Only thing that helped me making my phone useable, is Franco kernel (version 33 at the moment). Using franco kernel makes the phone useable with almost no touch glitches.
So only one kernel to choose from for me at the moment. With all other kernels I ran into ghost touches as soon as the phone got a little warm.
And now I'm trying to figure what is the smartest thing to do, RMA the phone, or just keep using franco kernel and enjoy my otherwise errorfree OPO?
As I read it takes about 4 weeks from sending in the faulty phone, to receiving a new one. That's not an easy choice for me, as I don't have another phone that I can use in the meanwhile.
Fixing it myself is not an option either, as my hands simply aren't steady enough.
Choices, choices... [emoji37]
An announcement from OnePlus.
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/touch-screen-issues-were-listening.186829/
Cat H said:
A few months ago, we became aware that
some users were experiencing problems
with their touch screen and immediately
investigated the possible cause. After
multiple hardware tests at our factory and
troubleshooting with our partners at
Synaptics and Cyanogen, we determined
the best solution would be a software
update. While a recent update proved a
successful fix for a vast majority of
affected users, some of our fans are still
having trouble.
We’ve seen a thread from a user who
appeared to fix his device by insulating
the digitizer flex. Our engineers attempted
to recreate the problem as described in
the forum post (on both older and newer
devices) by removing the glue that was
insulating the flex and making sure that it
was in contact with metal parts of the
phone. But, tests showed that even with
this alteration, the touch screen continued
to register all touches successfully. We
are working on further testing to prove
this user’s hypothesis true or false, and
we will publish a video to show our tests
and results. We strongly advise against
other users attempting the same
procedure. Dismantling the phone in this
manner will void your warranty and could
cause injuries to yourself or damage your
phone.
For anyone still experiencing trouble with
their touch screen, we assure you that we
are actively looking into this matter. If we
find the problem to be hardware-related,
we will have a plan to help those users.
We believe that transparency and honesty
are at the foundation of innovation, and
we are honored when our fans work to
make us better. We are listening, and we
are serious about coming to a resolution.
We will keep you in the loop with live
updates to this thread.
Last updated: 24 November at 11:40pm
PST, 2:40am EST, 7:40 GMT
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
fgaurano said:
An announcement from OnePlus.
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/touch-screen-issues-were-listening.186829/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh wow ,that's Great news ! I wonder what they will do now
Gesendet von meinem Nexus 5
Chad_Petree said:
Oh wow ,that's Great news ! I wonder what they will do now
Gesendet von meinem Nexus 5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Deny it.
vantt1 said:
Deny it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This. Although I love the phone. Let's face it. They aren't making enough profit off of a phone sale to be able to swallow this cost of a mass rma .
Sent from my A0001 using XDA Free mobile app
Added to OnePlus One index thread:
[INDEX] OnePlus One Resources Compilation Roll-Up
Transmitted via Bacon
vantt1 said:
Deny it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like pretty much this
UPDATE 1:
The general concern is this: if the digitizer flex makes direct contact with the metallic chassis, a ground fault occurs leading to touchscreen abnormalities.
Theoretically, this shouldn’t be an issue as preventative measures were engineered into the design of the OnePlus One. There is a piece of plastic overlayed on the metal casing which insures uniform spacing and prevents ground issues. Additionally, there is insulation PI around the flexible printed circuit (FPC) and sealant at the bottom of the bonding. So, even if the digitizer flex makes direct contact with the metallic chassis, no undesirable touchscreen effects should occur.
However, we’ve gone into the lab to test the OnePlus One in an attempt to re-create the proposed issue. In order to test a worst case scenario, our engineers have overlaid the area with highly-conductive metal to ensure that potential ground issues will be apparent. Please note that we tested both older and newer models of the OnePlus One with the latest Synaptics firmware.
As you can see, we were unable to reproduce the touchscreen issues on a hardware level, in regards to the suggested problem.
We believe that the user who managed to solve his issues by adding insulation to the area represents a very small minority of affected users, as we weren’t able to re-create the problem in a lab environment.
That said, we are still taking this issue very seriously, and we are currently running further tests involving static electricity. We will keep everyone updated along the way.
Last updated: 24 November at 10:50am PST, 1:50pm EST, 18:50 GMT
Click to expand...
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From one plus one forums
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/touch-screen-issues-were-listening.186829/
There is a video at the post that supposedly shows 10 touches being registered. But it shows the number 10 before the guy even touches the screen?? Is that how the app is supposed to behave? I thought it showed the touches as you did them in real time... Hmm...
Sent from my A0001 using XDA Free mobile app
Now this is what XDA forums is all about. Great job man !
ek69 said:
Looks like pretty much this
From one plus one forums
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/touch-screen-issues-were-listening.186829/
There is a video at the post that supposedly shows 10 touches being registered. But it shows the number 10 before the guy even touches the screen?? Is that how the app is supposed to behave? I thought it showed the touches as you did them in real time... Hmm...
Sent from my A0001 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This app has been used for testing:
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=multi touch&c=apps
The number shows the maximum amount of simultanious touches which has been registered previously.
It stays this way, even if you restart the app or even the device.
There's an option to "reset touches" which resets the counter to 0 if you restart the app afterwards.
So the app works as intended.
AcmE85 said:
This app has been used for testing:
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=multi touch&c=apps
The number shows the maximum amount of simultanious touches which has been registered previously.
It stays this way, even if you restart the app or even the device.
There's an option to "reset touches" which resets the counter to 0 if you restart the app afterwards.
So the app works as intended.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just use the "show pointer location" option in the developer options menu, shows that number of touches in the top right corner and I don't have to install any apps
Either way looks like they are denying any issues in their end lol
I wonder if the device they were using is the older tpk display or newer wintek display...
Newer display wouldn't have any issues I imagine
Sent from my A0001 using XDA Free mobile app
I only have the touch issue when I have slightly longer nails (I'm a professional musician), then when I am sliding my finger along the screen, my nail touches the screen rather than my finger, then the sliding breaks... Specially annoying when using Swiftkey or any slide to type keyboard...
This is issue doesn't happen on my HTC One m8 or my wifes Note 4...
Hello, I have used this guide to fix my grounding issue http://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-one/general/repair-guide-oneplus-one-disassembly-t2979351
Everything went fine exept I could not use two laywers of 3M tape (1mm and 3mm)
But I used one laywer and that went very well.
With two laywers I was not able to get the display in to the mid-frame .
And I put electric tape to isulate the digitizerflex just like the pictures.
But it did not do any diffrence, the phone still has the same grounding issue.
Does anybody have any tip on what I should/could do?
Thanks /P1an
P1an said:
Hello, I have used this guide to fix my grounding issue http://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-one/general/repair-guide-oneplus-one-disassembly-t2979351
Everything went fine exept I could not use two laywers of 3M tape (1mm and 3mm)
But I used one laywer and that went very well.
With two laywers I was not able to get the display in to the mid-frame .
And I put electric tape to isulate the digitizerflex just like the pictures.
But it did not do any diffrence, the phone still has the same grounding issue.
Does anybody have any tip on what I should/could do?
Thanks /P1an
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you test the screen without it installed in the chassis? And does your issue escalate with heat? (i.e. warmer phone = more prominent issue)
vantt1 said:
Did you test the screen without it installed in the chassis? And does your issue escalate with heat? (i.e. warmer phone = more prominent issue)
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Click to collapse
No I did not. It seemed hard to do from the pictures in the guide.
Yes it does, home in Sweden (cold) my phone works pretty okey, maybe a little bit better after the teardown.
But I was on vacation in Egypt like (30-35 C) about 1 mouth ago and over there it was terrible.
Before Egypt i did not have any problems.
I have tried having the phone in the bed and under a cover at home so it gets like bodytempreture and then I have more touch issues. (This was before the disassemble)
I tried the same thing now but could not replicate the problem.
Now it's just semi bad all the time.
P1an said:
No I did not. It seemed hard to do from the pictures in the guide.
Yes it does, home in Sweden (cold) my phone works pretty okey, maybe a little bit better after the teardown.
But I was on vacation in Egypt like (30-35 C) about 1 mouth ago and over there it was terrible.
Before Egypt i did not have any problems.
I have tried having the phone in the bed and under a cover at home so it gets like bodytempreture and then I have more touch issues. (This was before the disassemble)
I tried the same thing now but could not replicate the problem.
Now it's just semi bad all the time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try putting tape on the back of the LCD (along the left, right and top edges) such that it is insulated from the chassis too. If that doesn't help, then the digitizer itself may be faulty

I bought a new motherboard, how to prevent the dreaded "EMMC Bug"?

I ordered online a motherboard for my dead N910G due to EMMC bug and I'm thinking on what I'm gonna do to prevent It from happening again on the new motherboard. I didn't yet receive the new motherboard and I'm assuming that it is currently on Android 5.0.
Do I need to stay in Lollipop and don't bother to upgrade it to Marshmallow? Or maybe, put a custom rom instead? Or how about putting another layer of material between the emmc and the thermal pad(though, I'm thinking to replace the thermal pad with something thicker instead, maybe 2.0mm)~I'm quite aware that this one is "fix" for Note 4s already experiencing emmc bug. Or is it something that's inevitable and probably die again within months or years?
Any suggestion is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Did you read?
https://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4/help/100-fix-galaxy-note-4-emmc-error-random-t3859448
Heros2002 said:
Did you read?
https://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4/help/100-fix-galaxy-note-4-emmc-error-random-t3859448
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'm thinking of doing this too but this is more of a "fix" for note 4's that's already experiencing emmc errors instead of a prevention. But putting a fresh thermal pad can't really do harm so I might try to do this.
mikel023 said:
I ordered online a motherboard for my dead N910G due to EMMC bug and I'm thinking on what I'm gonna do to prevent It from happening again on the new motherboard. I didn't yet receive the new motherboard and I'm assuming that it is currently on Android 5.0.
Do I need to stay in Lollipop and don't bother to upgrade it to Marshmallow? Or maybe, put a custom rom instead? Or how about putting another layer of material between the emmc and the thermal pad(though, I'm thinking to replace the thermal pad with something thicker instead, maybe 2.0mm)~I'm quite aware that this one is "fix" for Note 4s already experiencing emmc bug. Or is it something that's inevitable and probably die again within months or years?
Any suggestion is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My understanding of the eMMC chip failure is following: it is due to the crack in the soldering. Have a vague memory of reading that Samsung even got sued for using bad materials. Anyway - Some temporarily fix the issue with cardbord (linked above), which then i believe works simply by pressing the components together and thus in best case re-establishing the electric contact within the circuit. Tried that myself, didn't work for me. Certain apps will perhaps help just a period of time by tweaking some settings, which i believe relieves the pressure off of the chip. To hold the phone in the freezer every now and then to get it to start is just not feasable. Did that too, works for a while, again, probably due to the material shrinking a bit in the cold thus making components connect again. What remains for me to try is actually having it in the oven for couple of minutes (yes, people have tried that too... ). I have a couple of old spare ones so it's not bigger shame if they break completelly.
But these are all my experiences with workarounds/temporary fixes when issue ALREADY is there.
I did replace a few motherboards. Those i orderered came with Marshmallow, which i was happy with. Don't know where you ordered yours from, I got mine from China but no issues anyway. If you got it from China, check the IMEI number tho. Specially the motherboards on older phones can suffer from bad IMEIs. Also use some app that can see in the system if it is the right chip you have, otherwise trying to flash custom roms might not end well…
My experience has so far been good. After replacement i played with both stock and custom roms and so far nothing broke again after more than half a year. As for your question of prevention - so far i haven't found anything that would lead me to believe that it might prevent it from happening again. So i got me a spare Note4. And a couple of spare motherboards in case they break. I don't really want to open those i use as daily drivers, since they never really feel as tight afterwards. And as far as i understand, there is no way to predict if your motherboard is going to break. So it's a gamble.
Edit:
And a friendly piece of advice regarding the replacement itself: take your time and preferably couple of valiums. I armed myself with lots of videos on youtube on how to do it so I started thinking i was a pro, which i clearly wasnt so i didn't take the time. So i took me a couple of broken screens before i mastered the art of … not breaking the screen. Not every time at least…
Use heat gun. Right tools. And did i mention to take your time?
Btw - the two connectors (you'll see which ones i mean in due time) are a pain to connect. THERE you can use some padding to sort of lift the connectors that are on the phone so that the connectors on the motherboard can click in them more easily.
Good luck!
prkfsz said:
I did replace a few motherboards.
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HI - did you replaced a MB from a Snapdragon variant with another MB from Exynos variant, please?
Like I have my son's 910F and I'd like to buy a replacement MB of 910C.
Any experience on this? I understood from other users that there are some issues with cameras. Probably no show stopper for me, but just to confirm if that's the case and if after replacing cameras all was ok.
Apologize to OP ( @mikel023 ) for intrusion.
Thanks.
w41ru5 said:
HI - did you replaced a MB from a Snapdragon variant with another MB from Exynos variant, please?
Like I have my son's 910F and I'd like to buy a replacement MB of 910C.
Any experience on this? I understood from other users that there are some issues with cameras. Probably no show stopper for me, but just to confirm if that's the case and if after replacing cameras all was ok.
Apologize to OP ( @mikel023 ) for intrusion.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I worked only with 910F, that meant replacing Snapdragon with same version of Snapdragon. So i can't say anything about that kind of issues.
prkfsz said:
I worked only with 910F, that meant replacing Snapdragon with same version of Snapdragon. So i can't say anything about that kind of issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks
prkfsz said:
My understanding of the eMMC chip failure is following: it is due to the crack in the soldering. Have a vague memory of reading that Samsung even got sued for using bad materials. Anyway - Some temporarily fix the issue with cardbord (linked above), which then i believe works simply by pressing the components together and thus in best case re-establishing the electric contact within the circuit. Tried that myself, didn't work for me. Certain apps will perhaps help just a period of time by tweaking some settings, which i believe relieves the pressure off of the chip. To hold the phone in the freezer every now and then to get it to start is just not feasable. Did that too, works for a while, again, probably due to the material shrinking a bit in the cold thus making components connect again. What remains for me to try is actually having it in the oven for couple of minutes (yes, people have tried that too... ). I have a couple of old spare ones so it's not bigger shame if they break completelly.
But these are all my experiences with workarounds/temporary fixes when issue ALREADY is there.
I did replace a few motherboards. Those i orderered came with Marshmallow, which i was happy with. Don't know where you ordered yours from, I got mine from China but no issues anyway. If you got it from China, check the IMEI number tho. Specially the motherboards on older phones can suffer from bad IMEIs. Also use some app that can see in the system if it is the right chip you have, otherwise trying to flash custom roms might not end well…
My experience has so far been good. After replacement i played with both stock and custom roms and so far nothing broke again after more than half a year. As for your question of prevention - so far i haven't found anything that would lead me to believe that it might prevent it from happening again. So i got me a spare Note4. And a couple of spare motherboards in case they break. I don't really want to open those i use as daily drivers, since they never really feel as tight afterwards. And as far as i understand, there is no way to predict if your motherboard is going to break. So it's a gamble.
Edit:
And a friendly piece of advice regarding the replacement itself: take your time and preferably couple of valiums. I armed myself with lots of videos on youtube on how to do it so I started thinking i was a pro, which i clearly wasnt so i didn't take the time. So i took me a couple of broken screens before i mastered the art of … not breaking the screen. Not every time at least…
Use heat gun. Right tools. And did i mention to take your time?
Btw - the two connectors (you'll see which ones i mean in due time) are a pain to connect. THERE you can use some padding to sort of lift the connectors that are on the phone so that the connectors on the motherboard can click in them more easily.
Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I expect to receive the new motherboard within this week and I already disassembled it in advance. I managed to almost separated the lcd screen to the motherboard tray because I didn't watch closely enough the tutorial that I'm following to and I wedged the prying tool parallel to the screen. Fortunately, nothing cracked and it seems the screen held up fine, (well.. hopefully.. still crossing my fingers 'til the motherboard arrives. lol)
By the way, I have a few questions regarding on reassembling it back. First, can I replace the thermal pads with thicker one? 1 or 2mm thick is what I can buy here locally. And second, can I use something like B7000 glue to reattach the screen to the frame? I'm gonna put it along the red line shown on the image below.
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I'm looking forward to "that connector". I hope it doesn't give me too much headache. lol
Thanks!
mikel023 said:
I expect to receive the new motherboard within this week and I already disassembled it in advance. I managed to almost separated the lcd screen to the motherboard tray because I didn't watch closely enough the tutorial that I'm following to and I wedged the prying tool parallel to the screen. Fortunately, nothing cracked and it seems the screen held up fine, (well.. hopefully.. still crossing my fingers 'til the motherboard arrives. lol)
By the way, I have a few questions regarding on reassembling it back. First, can I replace the thermal pads with thicker one? 1 or 2mm thick is what I can buy here locally. And second, can I use something like B7000 glue to reattach the screen to the frame? I'm gonna put it along the red line shown on the image below.
I'm looking forward to "that connector". I hope it doesn't give me too much headache. lol
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Regarding thermal pads i am reasoning this way: given the supposed cause of the issue, installing thermal pads would perhaps only delay the outbreak of the issue for a while, should it occure. Putting too much thermal pads would on the other hand perhaps put too much physical strain strain on the circuits, well, depending on how soft or hard they are. So if you're planning on scraping the old thermal pads, i'd go with 2mm ones, otherwise 1mm.
Please remember tho that i am not an expert even tho i did read up considerably about the issue. So i cannot guarantee one approach or the other is the right one.
As for the glue, i never used it. Used one of these instead:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/328...earchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_
Reason i never used the glue is that it's not unusual that after you assemble stuff, it turns out something is not working right so you have to disassemble. Then you make everything work, assemble it again, and then something won't work anyway. Especially so when you are still learning. So i never dared using glue because having to open it again after having used glue would make one glorious mess. I was learning and, well, playing. Besides, like i said, i never had to disassemble any of my daily drivers so it didn't matter that they perhaps don't seem to sit 100% tight.
prkfsz said:
Regarding thermal pads i am reasoning this way: given the supposed cause of the issue, installing thermal pads would perhaps only delay the outbreak of the issue for a while, should it occure. Putting too much thermal pads would on the other hand perhaps put too much physical strain strain on the circuits, well, depending on how soft or hard they are. So if you're planning on scraping the old thermal pads, i'd go with 2mm ones, otherwise 1mm.
Please remember tho that i am not an expert even tho i did read up considerably about the issue. So i cannot guarantee one approach or the other is the right one.
As for the glue, i never used it. Used one of these instead:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/328...earchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_
Reason i never used the glue is that it's not unusual that after you assemble stuff, it turns out something is not working right so you have to disassemble. Then you make everything work, assemble it again, and then something won't work anyway. Especially so when you are still learning. So i never dared using glue because having to open it again after having used glue would make one glorious mess. I was learning and, well, playing. Besides, like i said, i never had to disassemble any of my daily drivers so it didn't matter that they perhaps don't seem to sit 100% tight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just for update, the motherboard finally arrived today and mounted it temporarily yet just to test it. I'm still waiting for the adhesive and the thermal pad before I can seal everything shut. I tried to connect it to charger and the vibrator motor "bleeps" for few millisecond but the screen didn't turned on. Does this just mean that I didn't connected the connectors at the back properly? I only tried it once and I didn't put a padding like what you've said on the connectors yet.
mikel023 said:
Just for update, the motherboard finally arrived today and mounted it temporarily yet just to test it. I'm still waiting for the adhesive and the thermal pad before I can seal everything shut. I tried to connect it to charger and the vibrator motor "bleeps" for few millisecond but the screen didn't turned on. Does this just mean that I didn't connected the connectors at the back properly? I only tried it once and I didn't put a padding like what you've said on the connectors yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean the battery indicator doesn't come on on the screen when you connect the device to charger? Can't really say, i think it should come on, yes. To check that - when charging, try and press the start button shortly, that usually wakes it up and it will show the battery indicator on the screen if you connected the MB properly. But why don't you try and start it up if you got the new MB connected? Then you can see if it works and if it's connected properly.
Usually if you get the connectors right, you will hear a 'click' when they connect.
prkfsz said:
You mean the battery indicator doesn't come on on the screen when you connect the device to charger? Can't really say, i think it should come on, yes. To check that - when charging, try and press the start button shortly, that usually wakes it up and it will show the battery indicator on the screen if you connected the MB properly. But why don't you try and start it up if you got the new MB connected? Then you can see if it works and if it's connected properly.
Usually if you get the connectors right, you will hear a 'click' when they connect.
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Click to collapse
Another update, I took my time connecting the new MB but still, the screen won't turn on just like the first time I connected it just to test. The LED lights up red indicating that it's charging and I connected it to my PC and it shows up on the device manager. When I press the power button, it vibrates indicating that it is indeed turning on. Also tried entering to recovery and download mode with no avail.
it's really just the screen is refusing to connect or something. I already shoved a piece of cardboard to the connectors and I hear a satisfying click when pushing the MB in place. Should I just keep trying on reconnecting the mb?
P.S: I'm starting to think that I might just killed the screen accidentally.
mikel023 said:
Another update, I took my time connecting the new MB but still, the screen won't turn on just like the first time I connected it just to test. The LED lights up red indicating that it's charging and I connected it to my PC and it shows up on the device manager. When I press the power button, it vibrates indicating that it is indeed turning on. Also tried entering to recovery and download mode with no avail.
it's really just the screen is refusing to connect or something. I already shoved a piece of cardboard to the connectors and I hear a satisfying click when pushing the MB in place. Should I just keep trying on reconnecting the mb?
P.S: I'm starting to think that I might just killed the screen accidentally.
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Click to collapse
Check thoroughly up close the integrity of the LCD directly under the glass. If it's broken, then there will sometimes be very tiny cracks in it.
But of course try and re-connect everything again. Don't forget the Little black screw on the left hand side of the MB when you're reconnecting it. Sometimes it won't work without that screw in place. Try also and remove the extra thermal pads you said you would install.
PS. There are LCDs for N4 on aliexpress that nowadays don't go for much. Tried several sorts and they usually work good.
If it's any consolation, the N4 is apparently one of the trickiest devices to work with…
I can confirm that, to some degree, snapdragon and exynos motherboards are compatible.
I had a N910A with a defective mobo and a N910U with a cracked screen. So I placed the N910U mobo in the N910A body. I used 910U modems and everything works fine, with the exception of s pen silo detection, which could be a result of this.

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