Hi people!

Because there is a lot of boards and devices with broken USB sockets on the market (and also in users drawers ) maybe I can fix some part of them for the community?

I sit over 10 years in device repairs and I'm able to fix most of the boards. Even with solder pads ripped off.

I will try to buy few boards/devices and I will check what's wrong. If I fix them or fix will be easy to perform I will start to fix devices for community.

PHASE 2: I found easy way to perform the USB socket fix. At this moment I'm waiting for pm's.

I could sent you like 50 boards. If it is easy I can start to do it myself but would be really glad if someone else would do it for me. I can pay the usb ports. I have to buy on these the missing keypads and backcovers. I hope that I could offer these for 15-20€ for new users when Leste is ready and that there would be a big Leste gathering with workshops and all. So I am talking about the 58 devices I just bought with 150€ for giving back to community and to support maemo to last.

I already bought a plastic drawer/shelf whatever where I got 4 devices on each box. Next I need to install updated sy6sem on one of my machines and use it only for this job: first taking everything out from these devices (no personal stuff though but music and movies and series and games.

Then some members have already asked for parts which I need to deliver. But one old member came to the forum and asked a device with made it ready. I used many days installing everything with fixes and apps and went to mail it but no personal deliveries to Greece, only company mailing because of this corona. Now I need to use other service.

That will be really nice start!

But at first I need to check repair ratio if there is any. But honestly, even higher than 20% will be nice enough to start with that kinda ancient devices due to the price of fully working unit. I see 2 cheap broken usb socket devices on ebay so I will start, I think, from next week.

Important to mention - I live in Liverpool, UK.

I could then order the usb ports to your address if you first point to correct ones with a link. They seem to be cheap in China.

Appreciate that. Honestly, it can be any SMD micro-USB socket with flat pads, because most of PCBs have ripped off solder pads so regardless of the socket type I will need to use epoxide.

New solder points if the solder pads are broken is the easiest work to do.
http://plan9.stanleylieber.com/hardw...schematics.pdf
Thats not only full schematics of the N900 board but pdf file also includes oldschool boardview. I looked at it at work and all components with 5300 number are related to the USB socket. F5300 is main fuse for 5V from charger/USB plug; Z5300 is double Common Mode (CM) Choke which terminates 1kHz harmonics from USB datalines. I don't know where ID pin goes but honestly - we can live without it when I will be unable to find where it goes.
D5300 and D5301 are ESD protection diodes. PCB design standards require to use of such protection but again, We can live without it if they're broken and they need to be removed.

Okay, ID pin can be connected to the ESD protection IC. lol

With a little searching on the forum here you will find great diagrams to get ground, USB data in/out(twin gold pads underneath battery), and USB 5v.
The USB system if just ripped off can be repaired as long as you can stick the port down physicaly and string the wires.
The only USB you cant fix is one which has been static shocked, even then there might be hope but it is tracing down the fault on an old SMD board using many EOL components and without a schematic.
You can also just do everything filesystem wise using SSH and SCP for file transfers and get a dumb Li-po charge board, wrap in kapton tape, and hide it inside the phone or a Mugen bulged battery cover if you can find one. On second thought put the charge board under the battery cover and run wires through, cramming stuff inside flexes the system board and leads to the dreaded dead SIM de-balled modem chip.
(edit)
I think this is the first time I have seen this schematic, as we approach the heat death of our N900 universe a gasp of hope.

Thank you for the offer! I'm sure I'll remember it at some point.
Sorry to be the person to ask that, but what sort of pricing are you thinking of?

Oh, OK. I thought Poland...

Only postage cost.

Inform when these boards can be delivered. I think for privacy reasons I first need to though take things out and then empty the devices.

I will let you know when, no worries.

First, I ordered one N900 with broken socket, just for training. After that one I will be ready to receive more devices.