Fixing USB port, before and after it is to late. (All info in one Thread) (See POST #1) - Page 23 - maemo.org

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	Estel	2013-04-18 , 23:57
	Posts: 5,028 \| Thanked: 8,613 times \| Joined on Mar 2011	#221

if both drives are showing up, but not accessible, it's very strange. Looks like both modules are loaded properly and 2 LUNS are exported to USB host, but no partitions are exported as LUNS targets.

Could you, after connecting device to desktop (and ensuring that two drives show up), try to run this piece of code in N900 (as root), line by line? In case of errors after any line, write it here.

Code:

modprobe -r g_nokia
modprobe -r g_file_storage
modprobe g_file_storage stall=0 luns=1 ro=1 removable
echo /dev/mmcblk0 > /sys/devices/platform/musb_hdrc/gadget/gadget-lun0/file

After both modprobe -r, drives will disappear from desktop - it is normal. One will re-appear after modprobing again, but still inaccessible. Final command (echo'ing) should make MyDocs accessible. Remember, /dev/mmcblk0 is *not* a typo, in this case, it should be like that, *not* mmcblk0p1.

Use auto-completion for path in final command, to avoid typos - I've written it by hand, so could do some typos, too (although checked it and wasn't able to spot any).

If all commands return no errors, but mydocs is still not accessible, it is really broken hardware'ishly, in some strange way (unless state of system on that device is total fubar)..

/Estel

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murales	2013-04-27 , 18:07
Posts: 17 \| Thanked: 6 times \| Joined on Nov 2010 @ Italy	#222

Thank you so much for this how-to!!!
Usb port of my 26 months old N900 was still fine (I filed down usb plug's hooks since day one and always plugged and unplugged very gently), but as the warranty expired I wanted to try this strengthening technique to stop worrying about this issue. It was quite easy, thanks to these step-by-step guides! That's really a great community.

I'm from Italy, and if someone living near La Spezia needs help with this soldering, I will be glad to help.

My N900 also had the vibration issue (motor not rotating), which I was able to fix too, but I will write about that on the specific thread

Thanks again!

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	longuist	2013-05-13 , 21:19
	Posts: 27 \| Thanked: 42 times \| Joined on Sep 2011	#223

Update: Success (1/2)
There were 2 Problems, a shortened line and a faulty usb extension cable. After resoldering, everything is working correctly and it can be used as a mp3-player. Thanks for attention and help!
Waiting for a new usb port so i can try my luck on my main phone, nearly killed it at last attempt :/

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	dr_frost_dk	2013-07-08 , 20:32
	Posts: 1,503 \| Thanked: 2,688 times \| Joined on Oct 2010 @ Denmark	#224

anybody here that does the USB fix for at broken off USB?, im asking for a non-active maemo member.

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Fix you USB before and after it breaks
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TheoX	2013-07-08 , 23:37
Banned \| Posts: 280 \| Thanked: 295 times \| Joined on Apr 2013 @ Romania	#225

Originally Posted by dr_frost_dk

anybody here that does the USB fix for at broken off USB?, im asking for a non-active maemo member.

Depends. If the port was broken and the motherboard was affected (meaning that when the usb port broke, it broke along with the motherboard connection slot) nothing can be done. If all those connectors are still there and untouched, take it to a local service, it will be repaired

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fusi	2013-07-10 , 21:17
Posts: 92 \| Thanked: 69 times \| Joined on Nov 2009 @ UK	#226

Originally Posted by TheoX

Depends. If the port was broken and the motherboard was affected (meaning that when the usb port broke, it broke along with the motherboard connection slot) nothing can be done. If all those connectors are still there and untouched, take it to a local service, it will be repaired .

hiya - is this the current advice regarding fixing a broken usb port?

my usb port broke ages ago (like, years) but i never bothered to fix it... the other weekend i bricked my n900 :'( by doing very stupid things with disk checkers - and i now need my usb port! waah :s

i took it to a guy at the place i work who does soldering as a day job and he tried to solder the usb port back onto the motherboard (it looked like only the large ground pad solder joints had broken) but unfortunately it didn't work - his solder didn't seem to stick onto the solder on the motherboard for some reason.

i'm fretting a bit about how to get it fixed - i don't like my chances of doing it myself - i don't know if those solder joints at the back of the usb port are good or not but they are ridiculously minuscule and there's waaaay too much stuff in the way if they do need fixing.

do you reckon i can find somewhere round here (west mid-lands, uk)? or are there people on here that (still) provide a fix service?

(i really don't care that much if a fix manifests as e.g. an unsecured usb connector attached to a bunch of wires sticking out of where the usb port used to be

i just need the usb port once)

i spose i should take some pictures and kindly ask for your opinions!? or maybe i should just by a second hand one?

cheers me dears
fusi

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TheoX	2013-07-10 , 22:56
Banned \| Posts: 280 \| Thanked: 295 times \| Joined on Apr 2013 @ Romania	#227

Originally Posted by fusi

hiya - is this the current advice regarding fixing a broken usb port?

my usb port broke ages ago (like, years) but i never bothered to fix it... the other weekend i bricked my n900 :'( by doing very stupid things with disk checkers - and i now need my usb port! waah :s

i took it to a guy at the place i work who does soldering as a day job and he tried to solder the usb port back onto the motherboard (it looked like only the large ground pad solder joints had broken) but unfortunately it didn't work - his solder didn't seem to stick onto the solder on the motherboard for some reason.

i'm fretting a bit about how to get it fixed - i don't like my chances of doing it myself - i don't know if those solder joints at the back of the usb port are good or not but they are ridiculously minuscule and there's waaaay too much stuff in the way if they do need fixing.

do you reckon i can find somewhere round here (west mid-lands, uk)? or are there people on here that (still) provide a fix service?

(i really don't care that much if a fix manifests as e.g. an unsecured usb connector attached to a bunch of wires sticking out of where the usb port used to be i just need the usb port once)

i spose i should take some pictures and kindly ask for your opinions!? or maybe i should just by a second hand one?

cheers me dears
fusi

Sorry to disappoint you. I took my N900 to several services that failed to fix it. I even took it to a reballing center and there's where I got the best answer: When the port broke, the little strips broke also with the port. The PCB is multilevel, and those connections are on lower levels. So, they can try to refill those spaces with soldering, but the chances that the new soldering paste to connect back to the original strips is 0.1%. 0.1% it's something, so it's a chance, but it's costly and they can't guaranty the fix to work for more then 1-2 connections/disconnections (we are talking about micrometers here) so if that connection moves very very little that whole connection is compromised.

So this is final, once the USB is broke, and also the motherboard strips are broken, the device is officially dead!

I'm sorry for you, but let it go, there's nothing you can do.

THE FINAL SOLUTION, but nobody from services is willing to do it, to recreate those connection using other surface connections, but not service will do that!

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fusi	2013-07-14 , 00:35
Posts: 92 \| Thanked: 69 times \| Joined on Nov 2009 @ UK	#228

thanks for replying TheoX - i think im gonna have a bash at fixing it myself

i went to maplins today to buy a soldering iron etc - only theyve sold me the wrong type of tips for the soldering iron i bought *sigh* so ill be back there tomorrow

ive disassembled the n900 and taken a few shots of the port: http://www.sekaita.com/blog/n900-broken-usb-port - have a look and tell me what you think?

you can see in the pictures where my mate at work tried to fix it - there is actually still a gap between the motherboard and the front-right ground connector - the whole port seems to have rotated :s on a few pictures you can just about see the copper that goes through the multilayer pcb on the underside of the ground connector - i hope the back connectors are not like this - i couldnt get a good camera angle to see them properly - the left-side of the port appears to be ok though..

i may end up doing the knitting needle trick to get at the back connectors - im hoping i can reflow (ive learned lots of new words from reading this thread ;P) them? if not i spose the next step would be to solder wires onto the components under that shielding and then have a free-floating port

how difficult is it to remove the usb port without damaging the motherboard? it looks like the whole underside is soldered - cant imagine how i'd de-solder it :s

ill post back with an update tomorrow!

cheers
fusi

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TheoX	2013-07-14 , 07:25
Banned \| Posts: 280 \| Thanked: 295 times \| Joined on Apr 2013 @ Romania	#229

Originally Posted by fusi

thanks for replying TheoX - i think im gonna have a bash at fixing it myself

i went to maplins today to buy a soldering iron etc - only theyve sold me the wrong type of tips for the soldering iron i bought *sigh* so ill be back there tomorrow

ive disassembled the n900 and taken a few shots of the port: http://www.sekaita.com/blog/n900-broken-usb-port - have a look and tell me what you think?

you can see in the pictures where my mate at work tried to fix it - there is actually still a gap between the motherboard and the front-right ground connector - the whole port seems to have rotated :s on a few pictures you can just about see the copper that goes through the multilayer pcb on the underside of the ground connector - i hope the back connectors are not like this - i couldnt get a good camera angle to see them properly - the left-side of the port appears to be ok though..

i may end up doing the knitting needle trick to get at the back connectors - im hoping i can reflow (ive learned lots of new words from reading this thread ;P) them? if not i spose the next step would be to solder wires onto the components under that shielding and then have a free-floating port

how difficult is it to remove the usb port without damaging the motherboard? it looks like the whole underside is soldered - cant imagine how i'd de-solder it :s

ill post back with an update tomorrow!

cheers
fusi

Well fusi, thanks for the update, and as I can see from the pictures your device can still be saved. I wouldn't risk to do it myself and I would take it to a service for a proper professional soldering job.

Here is how mine looks like and it was permanently unrepairable:

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Also be very gentle, have the hands of the doctor, and keep the port steady and aligned during the soldering (if you diy), or else it won't fit well back in it's place!

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	dr_frost_dk	2013-07-14 , 17:43
	Posts: 1,503 \| Thanked: 2,688 times \| Joined on Oct 2010 @ Denmark	#230

Originally Posted by fusi

thanks for replying TheoX - i think im gonna have a bash at fixing it myself

i went to maplins today to buy a soldering iron etc - only theyve sold me the wrong type of tips for the soldering iron i bought *sigh* so ill be back there tomorrow

ive disassembled the n900 and taken a few shots of the port: http://www.sekaita.com/blog/n900-broken-usb-port - have a look and tell me what you think?

you can see in the pictures where my mate at work tried to fix it - there is actually still a gap between the motherboard and the front-right ground connector - the whole port seems to have rotated :s on a few pictures you can just about see the copper that goes through the multilayer pcb on the underside of the ground connector - i hope the back connectors are not like this - i couldnt get a good camera angle to see them properly - the left-side of the port appears to be ok though..

i may end up doing the knitting needle trick to get at the back connectors - im hoping i can reflow (ive learned lots of new words from reading this thread ;P) them? if not i spose the next step would be to solder wires onto the components under that shielding and then have a free-floating port

how difficult is it to remove the usb port without damaging the motherboard? it looks like the whole underside is soldered - cant imagine how i'd de-solder it :s

ill post back with an update tomorrow!

cheers
fusi

If you are starting to solder for the first time this is not what i will call a start project.

But i agree you USB still looks very fixable, you need to remove it and get a new one, ALSO do the strengthening down i do on my N900 and have done on several of our fellow maemo users N900's.

Fix you USB before and after it breaks
Feel free to contact me through PM, Skype or G.Talk