maemo.org - Talk - Soldering advice needed for re-attaching N900 USB to mainboard.

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- - Soldering advice needed for re-attaching N900 USB to mainboard. (https://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=54762)

Re: Soldering advice needed for re-attaching N900 USB to mainboard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazart (Post 1197642)

4. sounds good :) I spent many hours trying to repair the usb socket. The only thing I got to work was temporary connect an usb cable directly to the pads, because I had to do a reflash. IMHO repairing the micro usb socket only makes sense if you still have the intact pads on your board.
After my first n900, which I failed to repair (I used a wall wart charger + second battery for a long time), didn't boot anymore, I bought a "new" one with a broken display from an online auction. Because the display from my first one was OK, I replaced it with the broken display from the second one. And there I was: A full functional N900!! :cool:
I also hoped to swap the internal memory, but failed, it's soldered on pads _under_ the chip.. whatever.

and it's worth to make backups with the backup function of the device on a small microsd card.. ;)

good luck! :)

thanks lazart. i flashed my device without usb port by this way.
thanks for information.

Re: Soldering advice needed for re-attaching N900 USB to mainboard.

Please could somebody advise the which post has the definative instructions on how to reflash without using the usb port but by using the pads on the motherboard.

many thanks

Nig451964

Nokia N900 Problems

Hi All,

It looks like N900 has given us more problems than easy usage of the mobile as a normal mobile. I am also a victim of the Nokia Care irresponsibility about Nokia product.

It looks like the Nokia Care guys cannot repair their product with confidence, but the customers do!!! Strange, isn’t it? That’s something shocking because Nokia technicians should be considering the option of going back to the school days and learn how to repair the product and come back or fire them and get the talents in.

My mobile was not booting up due to the fact that the power kernel was uninstalled by mistake. I explained the case with the Nokia care guys and I told them I am unable to flash it because I am using Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit OS in my laptop and it is not recognizing the USB device for flashing. I know that we can flash it with Windows XP without any difficulty, which I did earlier. Also it is possible with same OS in XP compatibility mode. I didn’t want to install an XP or moving it to compatibility mode for just flashing my N900; rather I prefer paying some amount and getting it done from Nokia Care. To my surprise the technician told me that it is very difficult to flash and there is no guarantee that the device will work properly after flashing it. He gave me a 50-50 chance.:eek: I told him that I did flash my device earlier and I can give you 100% guarantee that the device will work absolutely fine after flashing it.

I took my mobile back and flashed it in my friend’s system with XP OS and it was working 100% fine.
I feel sorry for this Nokia Care guys. They do nothing but show off as if they are up with ‘it’s not our responsibility to repair YOUR device, if you want me to repair pay me half of the actual device cost.’

Regards,
Jiju Joseph.

Re: Nokia N900 Problems

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jiju (Post 1305862)

To my surprise the technician told me that it is very difficult to flash and there is no guarantee that the device will work properly after flashing it.

This is someone that clearly doesn't understand the N900.
There unlikely to mess with an obsolete product usless they have to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jiju (Post 1305862)

I took my mobile back and flashed it in my friend’s system with XP OS and it was working 100% fine.

I'd of tried this first.
This has nothing to do with this topic BTW.
If you read the reflashing wiki you will find Window 7 can have compatiblity issue especially if 64 bit.
Your USB doesn't sound broken.

Re: Nokia N900 Problems

Hi Sixwheeledbeast, I was actually following the posts of "PipBoyBSOD" and I felt sharing my experience with the Nokia Care.

Yes, as you said the person was not much exposed to N900, which I also felt from the reply I received from him.

For the second point, yes, I have gone through the wiki and I am aware that we have work around for windows 7 64 bit, which I didn't want to do because it is so easy to flash in XP and hardly takes 2-3 min time. My USB isn't broken.

Regards,
Jiju Joseph.

Re: Soldering advice needed for re-attaching N900 USB to mainboard.

Hi,

My N900 was in charging and unfortunatly he fell down and the usb connecter became totaly loose.

So I opened the phone and I took some pictures.

Can you tell me if you think this is repairable or you think I have to replace the mainboard ?

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-R...0/DSCN0743.JPG
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-y...0/DSCN0747.JPG
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-c...0/DSCN0748.JPG

thank you
Thib.

Re: Soldering advice needed for re-attaching N900 USB to mainboard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdsh (Post 1333687)

Hi,

My N900 was in charging and unfortunatly he fell down and the usb connecter became totaly loose.

Hi. About half year ago I faced with a similar accident.
Let me to explain my opinion. According to Your photo, the contact fields on the motherboard remain undamaged, except massive ground one.
I think You can reuse the old detached connector for your soldering work.
I had used an soldering iron with some sharpened copper wire coiled around (wire thickness around 1mm ). To solder the thin contacts You must be very accurate and use some magnification glass and liquid flux.
Useful links:
How to reattach the ground.
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=75920
Good luck!

Re: Soldering advice needed for re-attaching N900 USB to mainboard.

I would use new USB port, with little longer pins - it's easier to solder than old one, so less risk of destroying pads during first attempt.

/Estel

Re: Soldering advice needed for re-attaching N900 USB to mainboard.

My N900 was damaged during a car accident, I am claiming for funds to buy a replacement N900.

Anyway, the microusb fell out! The micro usb tiny pins stuck to the board so I have to order a new one. All the solder pads are intact so a repair should possible.

I have no way to charge the batteries at first but I do own an NXT-R3 UHF radio! I was able to charge my BL-5J batteries overnight to full capacity by connecting the usual +- to the appropriate terminals of this radio.

Re: Soldering advice needed for re-attaching N900 USB to mainboard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bacon_station (Post 1365181)

Anyway, the microusb fell out! The micro usb tiny pins stuck to the board so I have to order a new one. All the solder pads are intact so a repair should possible.

You just have to be able to solder SMD. A tiny soldering tip and desoldering wire.

Quote:

I have no way to charge the batteries at first ...

search for "BL-5J wall charger", I used mine long for charging this way. And still sometimes, because I got 3 batteries. Better than always clip some wires on (I used a regulated power supply and soldered wires behind the enclosure of the phone for a while^^)

A tip for changing batteries: if you change them fast enough (few seconds) when the phone is turned off, you're system time won't be lost :)