[How-to] a1200 Complete Dis-assembly(W/photos)

[nodramachicks]

This is a Step-by-step guide to taking your Ming apart either to replace parts or switch out the housing. Please limit posts to DIRECT questions regarding either the instructions or the photos. To keep this thread from getting cluttered I will delete anything off-topic or NOT a direct question as referenced above. Feel free to hit the "Thank You" button if you find this thread useful but PLEASE do not add a new POST for thanks.


A word of advise....If your MING is STILL UNDER WARRANTY...STOP HERE... why risk voiding your warranty needlessly!!!?

OKAY, let's begin. As always, working on a clean, hard, static-free surface is best when dealing with delicate electronics. Please be VERY careful with the pressure that you are applying to pry things open by hand AND when inserting tools into your MING to pry things open as you can EASILY scratch/gouge parts or break/crack circuit boards or Flex connectors. Take a DEEP breath and follow along...

1: You will need the following: (1) one T6 TORX screwdriver, (1) one X-small Flathead screwdriver (about the same size as the T6 TORX)




2: Remove battery cover, SIM card, TF card (lock TF card slot), stylus, and locate 4 TORX screws.



3: Using T6 TORX screwdriver, remove all 4 screws (they are SMALL so put them somewhere they won't get lost.



4: Locate hinges on either side of the phone (you will find them between the camera and VM buttons on one side and volume up/down button on the other). Using the flathead screwdriver, GENTLY press the hinge at the bottom and push up. As it starts to seperate, use a fingernail or small piece of plastic (guitar picks work nicely) to begin prying the backing open. Repeat on the other side.



5: Locate the tool spaces (two) on the bottom of the MING (where the speaker is) and insert flathead screwdriver into one (gently pry open) then the other (gently pry open)



6: If the backing hasn't come off yet work your fingernail or flathead screwdriver around the inside edges of the backing until it comes loose.



7: Pull the backing off. There are no connectors to worry about at this point.



8-10: Locate the camera and Flex cable connection point, using your fingernail remove camera connector (it will come off easily) and the flex cable connector (it will come off easily as well but be CAREFUL as it will STILL be connected to the FLIP and is relatively easy to break). your MING should now look like photo (10) Ten.







11: Place the tip of your flathead screwdriver at either side of the speaker module and GENTLY pry the end up. If you pry the left side 1st you MAY hear a little POP, don't worry, thats the contact dis-engaging. Repeat on the other side and GENTLY pull the speaker module off.



12: Your MING should look like THIS:



13: Open the mini-USB and headphone dust covers and place the tip of your flathead screwdriver next to the mini-USB connector, between the green circuit board and the case and GENTLY pry up and away (should take VERY LITTLE FORCE as the only thing holding the board IN at the moment is the mini-USB connector, the headphones connector and pressure from the case.



14: As SOON as you feel the board start to give, work your screwdriver or fingernail around the board to loosen it but be CAREFUL as there is a flex cable connector BETWEEN the board you are removing and the LCD below. (use your fingernail to disconnect it). (When re-connecting, its best to attach the board and the LCD via the flex connector BEFORE you put it back into the case AND make sure the cable STAYS connected as it can EASILY seperate while you are moving it around)



15: Your MING should look like THIS:



16: Place your hand UNDER your MING , which should be facing up (so your LCD doesn't fall out), and GENTLY push your LCD through from the corners (there MIGHT be a little resistance if the glue surrounding the LCD is still tacky but don't worry). DO NOT PUSH THE LCD OUT FROM THE CENTER as you could crack the digitizer or the LCD itself (a $60US + Shipping mistake).



17: Your MING should now look like THIS: you can further take the buttons out (or they might just fall out, but when re-assembling your MING MAKE SURE that the buttons are in the rite place and fit COMPLETELY in the grooves or button press will not work)



18: now that you have your MING Dis-assembled, you can replace whatever parts are needed or put everything into the NEW case.

Feel free to DONATE to MotorolaFans.com as all of these pretty pages that you post on and find helpful or informative aren't FREE to maintain

Besides, keeping SWIFTY supplied with beer and strudel is an expense all by itself!!! KONIG has an expensive laptop fetish!! AKSD....well we're trying to smuggle HIM into the UK!!!! Naset needs new soccer balls!!! MANUP456...well....he's always making Themes here anyway so we just gotta keep feedin him redbull and pop-tarts!! and ADMIN...no comment or he'll BAN me!! LOL


Rock on and HAPPY modding!!!

[Konig]

Great guide

[Overjjrk]

Oh and last but not least, @themagician8, you have reached your posting quota!! you are NOT allowed to try this, post questions, stay out past 9pm on weeknights or drive the family car!! LMAO!!!

^^^ROTFLMAO!!!



BTW, great guide! May I suggest using a plastic tool or even an old SIM card to do all the prying instead of a screwdriver. You'll get a few less scratches.

And if you do use a screwdriver, never use a magnetic one!

[capewalk]

Hi do you have a further dis-assembly of the flip it self because some houseings come with the flip to and that part is very difficult to take out the spring?

Also some mings come with the speaker part all in one so dis-assembly of the speaker is part of the housing.

Great guide but I still need a little help in dis-assembling the flip with the spring that is difficult can you post that too?
Thank you.

that is not so when you purchase a housing you then have to take a part the flip where the data cable runs through in order to solder the wires for the flip speaker to work

have you not dis-assembled the flip and spring before it is very difficult and most housing from ebay come that way......

I have purchased many housing for friends and they all come dis-assembled right down to that part that is why i wanted you to continue your guide adding the flip and spring dis-assembly............

here is a link from ebay showing many housings for the a1200 ming and they all have that part separated......
http://search.ebay.com/search/search...ing&category0=

I find ebay is much cheaper, but you have to be more experience in dis-assembling the flip cause it easy to break the data cable and call for alot of patients and steady hands..........

[nodramachicks]

Also some mings come with the speaker part all in one so dis-assembly of the speaker is part of the housing.

i dont understand what your talking about, the speaker module is the same in all mings as seen in picture 11....

Great guide but I still need a little help in dis-assembling the flip with the spring that is difficult can you post that too?
Thank you.

why are you trying to take the hinge spring out?

Hi do you have a further dis-assembly of the flip it self because some houseings come with the flip to and that part is very difficult to take out the spring?

the flip comes pre-assembled with spring AND flex cable already installed....

that is not so when you purchase a housing you then have to take a part the flip where the data cable runs through in order to solder the wires for the flip speaker to work

have you not dis-assembled the flip and spring before it is very difficult and most housing from ebay come that way......

I have purchased many housing for friends and they all come dis-assembled right down to that part that is why i wanted you to continue your guide adding the flip and spring dis-assembly............

AHHH, yeah, i've never replaced the hinge pin although i do have one and MIGHT give it a try. The thing is, where i get MY housings, the hingepin and flex cable come pre-installed take a look here.... LINK

I find ebay is much cheaper, but you have to be more experience in dis-assembling the flip cause it easy to break the data cable and call for alot of patients and steady hands..........

cheaper is NOT always better, but if you have pictures and instructions on disassembling the hing spring and flex cable please post them and i'll include them in the guide

[quanttrom]

Picasa Web Albums - Quanttrom - Motorola A120...
Might be of some use.

I have most of the pictures on how to take it apart. I can put together a small guide if capewalk doesn't do it.

[rokjr]

I dis assembled my a1200, using this guide, however when I put the phone back together I get a white screen, no key board or display, I can make a voice activated call, can not get any messages as I have no display to select from

[nodramachicks]

I dis assembled my a1200, using this guide, however when I put the phone back together I get a white screen, no key board or display, I can make a voice activated call, can not get any messages as I have no display to select from

if your not getting a display, i'd be willing to BET that the flex cable between the main board and the LCD came loose when you put it back together(picture 14)....ESPECIALLY since you can make voice calls(as this shows that the main board is getting power)..... RE-OPEN and check that BOTH flex connectors are firmly connected

[rokjr]

if your not getting a display, i'd be willing to BET that the flex cable between the main board and the LCD came loose when you put it back together(picture 14)....ESPECIALLY since you can make voice calls(as this shows that the main board is getting power)..... RE-OPEN and check that BOTH flex connectors are firmly connected

I removed the works again, discovered that the cable from the LCD was not attached. I thought that it just made contact when the board was replaces in it's proper position, because when I first took the phone apart it was disconnected, looked like it had a contact point, anyway I plugged it back in,Bingo, I am up and running again

Thank you very much for your prompt reply

Again Thanks

Ross

[quanttrom]

BE CAREFUL!!! DO NOT BREAK UR PHONE!

How to remove the hinge spring:
Once you have finished taking the phone's internals , step 17, you can remove the lid spring mechanism and replace the lid.

Place the phone face down on a soft cloth, and point the top AWAY from you. On the left side where the hinge is attached you will see a small slot in the housing. There will be a white visible plastic in this slot. That is your spring mechanism. Insert a very small screwdriver and push it in so the spring compressed into the lid. Once you are comfortable compressing the the spring, pick up your phone in your hand, hold it as u see comfortable and try to push in the spring and at the same time pull out the lid.

Removing the spring from the lid involves pushing it out from the inside of the hinge out.

The process is overall very simple but the first time I was doing this, I didn't have any idea what I was doing so I managed to break the hinge. Once I knew how it all works I was able to do it 3-4 times in a row without any issues.

@quanttrom
please provide a photo of the "white visible plastic in this slot" prior to disassembly so everyone will see exactly what you are talking about....

When I disassemble my phone again next time I will take a picture of the exact "slot" and the white hinge mechanism that is showing.

What you will see in the slot is the white end of the hinge mechanism. In the picture below it is marked with red circle.