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dr_frost_dk's Avatar
Posts: 1,503 | Thanked: 2,688 times | Joined on Oct 2010 @ Denmark
#1
NEWS:
Collecting names of users to help with the PRE-Fix solder down to fix the USB before it comes loose
Please PM the Users in the List that resides in your "area" to get a quote on having your N900's USB strengthen
dr_frost_dk - Location Denmark - Covering EU
Estel - Location Poland - Covering EU
sEKI - Location UK - Covering UK

PM or Post if you want to "sign up" to help preserve as many N900's out there, the USB still breaks on minimum 1x N900 a week these days.

More News: Adding Phone Repair shops here
UK:
Fones Tek Ltd
Unit 8
Haymarket Hub Metro Station
Northumberland Street
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 7PF

mail: info@fonestek.com
web: www.fonestek.com

+447772 552 471
+447786 305 789
-----------------------------------------

Just like the battery thread, i want all info in one thread

I decided to make a new thread to sum op all the various solutions to fix the USB port yourself, and as title said, this is both for working and non-working USB.

But instead having to post your fixes here again this will be a link page, of course if you have a new FIX then please post it here, and it will be linked to also.

-= The Links =-
sEKI - Soldering down USB with many pictures to show how to steps
blue_led - Soldering down USB to make a VERY strong USB port
dr_frost_dk - Soldering down USB to make a VERY strong USB port
dr_frost_dk - Cover modifications to make soldered USB fit
Info on this FIX, this is very easy to do, and i know many of you have never had any problems with your USB and i have never to, well besides a blown fuse (my fault), this will give peace of mind just knowing that the USB is MANY times stronger then stock.
NOTE on the cover, try to see if everything fits first before doing any modifications on the cover.

cr0c0 - Glueing down your USB to make it stronger
An excellent description and many very good pictures of how to glue you USB down, just a warning on this, if you are not careful you can get glue inside the USB rendering it useless.

mipo - Fixing a Broken USB
This is a very good post, showing what has to be done when it goes wrong.
oh2btg - showing fix based on mipo's fix

Storm_11 - Getting into the LAST resort of having a working USB
This is the last stop if everything else fails, but here you will need to add protection components or there will be the possibility of completely destroying any hardware connection to you N900.

----- Where to buy parts -----
Micro-USB Socket (20x)

------------------------
And you can help me by submitting links, here or PM me, PM would be best so we don't have alot of posts, then links will be added here

Last edited by dr_frost_dk; 2012-07-12 at 10:28.
 

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dr_frost_dk's Avatar
Posts: 1,503 | Thanked: 2,688 times | Joined on Oct 2010 @ Denmark
#2
Usual Tips on being good to your USB

File down you USB cable's hooks.
Be gentle with your N900 when using USB:
- Don't swing it around (no matter how good the music is)
- Don't drop it on the floor.

Name:  USB File Teeth.jpg
Views: 36104
Size:  21.8 KB
NOTE: File is for reference only, any metal file will do

--------------------------

Why is the USB "Weak" on the N900, well if you look at this picture you can see that the USB "Feet" are only connected to small points, where when soldered down the USB is connected to a MUCH larger area, even if you just make a small patch.


Just adding a quick guide of what to do when making the soldered version.

When you get to the USB after taking of the MicroSD "off" then clean the area beside it, now use what ever you have to scratch of some of the paint (i used a small screwdriver). just scrape it of like it is drawn in the pictures.
Now you should have some exposed copper on each side of the USB, you need to keep the soldering iron on here with solder applied before it "gets a grip" and while you do this hold the iron up against the USB metal, and add solder here to, you need to warm up the USB a little or else the solder will be "cold" soldered and then this fix will be useless because the solder will not really hold on to the USB.
As for the cover, try to assemble the mainboard into the cover and see if it lines up with the hole in the cover, you can press a little down over the USB as when the N900 is assembled the screws hold the whole thing down, so again try to see if it fits before you mod the cover, this is the step that can take the most time in this fix.











--------------------------

Please PM me with the links i don't find, im searching through threads, but you may remember some, or you might have made some.

Last edited by dr_frost_dk; 2012-06-08 at 01:41.
 

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Banned | Posts: 3,412 | Thanked: 1,043 times | Joined on Feb 2010
#3
HAHA WELL DONE and i mean that !!!!!.

You have just shown just how EASY it is to solder down a stupid little usb port BEFORE it breaks off the board AND a repair that does not need epoxy or any kind of glue.

I really thank you for the pics and something i have been telling everyone to do for long time now.

Could i make a suggestion here and the next time you do a fix like this try to tin more of the jacket right along the sides and put even more solder on both sides to the earth plain.

Now your problem is to get EVERYONE to solder the port down and put an end to this usb port problem !.

PS wish i could thank you a thousand times !!!!.

Last edited by abill_uk; 2011-08-20 at 10:03.
 
dr_frost_dk's Avatar
Posts: 1,503 | Thanked: 2,688 times | Joined on Oct 2010 @ Denmark
#4
Thanks abill.

Yes after i did this and found out how easy it is to do i encourage all to do it, or have it done before it is to late.
 

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Banned | Posts: 3,412 | Thanked: 1,043 times | Joined on Feb 2010
#5
Originally Posted by dr_frost_dk View Post
Thanks abill.

Yes after i did this and found out how easy it is to do i encourage all to do it, or have it done before it is to late.
This is the point i was trying to make to everyone that the metal case of the usb port is actually quite BIG and does not need any special solering equipment, only a hot iron flux and solder.

Please everyone LOOK at the pics and you will see just how easy it is to do.

Can you also post in that second post of yours the actual pics of how to take the N900 apart? this will i am sure give people much more confidence to do this easy job.

Once again i cannot thank you enough for the pics.... WELL DONE.
 
dr_frost_dk's Avatar
Posts: 1,503 | Thanked: 2,688 times | Joined on Oct 2010 @ Denmark
#6
ill try to, problem is i have no more to repair... already fixed 3x, i will try some photo shop things later

Only thing i didn't take a picture of was the exposed copper ....
 

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Banned | Posts: 3,412 | Thanked: 1,043 times | Joined on Feb 2010
#7
Originally Posted by dr_frost_dk View Post
ill try to, problem is i have no more to repair... already fixed 3x, i will try some photo shop things later

Only thing i didn't take a picture of was the exposed copper ....
Ha yes i know exactly what you mean because i never got the chance to even take pics on the majority of the ones i repaired, scraping away the green paint was so easy to do as i actually used one of the probes from a mulitmeter that has a very sharp end and only took a few seconds to do, the copper is actually quite thick and was suprised as how easy it was to actually solder down to the earth plain after cleaning it first with a cotton bud soaked in alchohol.

You do realise this "repair" takes care of the usb port problem alltogether on the N900 because after that is done they never come off again ! haha.

Great pics.

Do it BEFORE not after it breaks off !.
 
dr_frost_dk's Avatar
Posts: 1,503 | Thanked: 2,688 times | Joined on Oct 2010 @ Denmark
#8
Updated post #2, now with a guide to make the solder fix, and a file down USB cable picture.
 

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Posts: 209 | Thanked: 203 times | Joined on Jun 2010 @ Portugal
#9
I always thought the USB hooks were too big
Nice to have an all in one thread
 

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dr_frost_dk's Avatar
Posts: 1,503 | Thanked: 2,688 times | Joined on Oct 2010 @ Denmark
#10
Originally Posted by abill_uk View Post
Could i make a suggestion here and the next time you do a fix like this try to tin more of the jacket right along the sides and put even more solder on both sides to the earth plain.
Well look at the hole, if more/wider solder is applied then it will take further modifications to the cover to make it all fit, even thou this is only half the USB it still is the most load baring half, just giving strength to that side will still give much added strength to the USB.

And if anybody can't see how this will help then let me try to explain.
Look to the pictures (first 2, notice the 4 "legs" that holds the USB down, they don't cover much surface at all, now look at the last 2 pictures, here you will see a MASSIVE connection that even goes all the way to the top, this new "connection" is many times stronger then the measly 4 pins that holds the USB in place.
 

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