Thanks for this, Slack3r, it came in handy. My ghetto-ized buttons got messed up again, so this time I got a busted unit from eBay and did a swap-out of parts.
A few notes I can add:
- Before you try to remove the back case, be sure to take a utility or x-acto knife and slice the FCC sticker between the "FCC" and the SIM card. The parts unit I had looks like it was a refurb and this was already done, but my unit had one big sticker that needed to be cut along a serrated line.
- I didn't personally have a need to remove the SIM card, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to do so
- There are actually 2 sizes of Torx screws. T5 and T6. If you're going to remove the button assembly, that's a phillips, size 00 I believe. Really small.
- In order to detach the ribbon cables from the mainboard, you have to unclip them first (I know you know this, but everyone may not and just try to yank them out). Each of the three ribbon cable connectors has a black piece. These black pieces are hinged, and flip up towards you to unlock the ribbon cable. They all work the same way, you would use a fingernail or small flat screwdriver, place it under the black piece from the opposite side the cable goes in, and flip it up towards you.
- If removing the button assembly, there are 3 pieces of thick electrical tape that get removed. 2 pieces cover the screws (easy enough to find) and there is a third that holds down the black ribbon cable. Be careful not to destroy the ribbon cables
- The circuit board with the button contacts is glued onto the faceplace as mentioned, but both of mine came off easily by using a small flat screwdriver and *gently* going around the edges. I didn't pry under it first, I used a twisting motion to move it slightly and weaken the glue. In my case, one of the edges came loose, then I was able to gently pry it out. NOTE: It's metal, so it will probably bow a little if you have to pry it off and will need to be bent back to flat.
- To try and ensure proper button functionality for a while, I opted to super glue the little discs back onto the circuit board buttons. The OEM seems to have relied upon one side of the discs being sticky. I used a toothpick to dab an *extremely* tiny amount of glue to the button, then carefully placed the sticky side of the disc onto it. It's harder than it sounds. I ended up sticking the disc to my finger using it's own stickiness, then got under it with an x-acto knife to move it to the circuit board. I had a toothpick I cut a pointy end off of to provide a couple seconds of pressue to it. BE CAREFUL WITH THE DISCS, they are really damn small and almost clear, if you drop one or send it flying, you probably won't ever see it again.
- On reassembly, I had a hard time getting the ribbon cables put back into place. What worked for me was to stand the faceplate and the mainboard up on their sides and get them into about a 45 degree angle. I used the cut toothpick to push the ribbon cables in when they were lined up (there are bumps on the cable to faciliate this, you'll see). Do the brown ones first, the black one from the button strip can be done after the mainboard has been reattached to the faceplate. The ribbon cables require patience.
Overall, I was very pleased with how easy it was to take this unit apart and put it back together again. Thanks Slack3r for making me think I could do it
I believe I spent about 45 minutes from start to finish, but I did not reassemble the junk unit (why?)
MISTAKE I MADE SO YOU DON'T REPEAT IT: I did screw up a little. I was hasty with my super glue on the circuit board buttons, and actually applied the glue with the toothpick to all 5 buttons before I set the discs. I didn't realize it would take so long to set them properly. So, as a result, the glue dried on the last 2 buttons (Talk/Multimedia) before I got to them. I had to add a little more glue, but these things are so tiny, that it ended up being too much. The buttons work fine, but the extra miniscule amount of glue I added somehow makes them lack the proper tactile feel. They don't "click", for lack of a better work, they feel more like touchscreen buttons. So ... if you're going to glue the discs in place, do them one at a time and follow the cardinal rule of glue ... a little goes a long way!
Hope this helps somebody. I had fun doing it, and may look out for another junked Imagio with buttons that are less scratched up than the ones I got and do this again! We'll see how long the OEM buttons stay working with that little dab of super glue on the discs!