hardware keyboard issue photo essay a.k.a. i was bored

TheDoctor1971 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-29-2009, 07:24 PM

Having taken apart 2 touch pro's several times to fix dead keyboards I thought I'd take pics. This is not what I'd necessarily recommend doing as it could indeed void your warranty but if like me, you're tired of exchanging your phone, go for it. Just don't blame me if you break it in the process.

Photo 1: Back cover and battery removed. The 4 screws are tiny torx T6 size. I picked up a handy little blue torx driver with 10 or 12 different sizes for $6 at Lowes.

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Photo 2: Here's the 4 screws removed. Total excitement.

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Step 3: Once the screws are out, if you press from inside the battery area you can push the keyboard up a bit on the corner. From there, slide a finger nail or knife along the gap and the keyboard will pop loose. Takes a bit of wiggling to get the back side off.

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Step 4: Again, takes a bit of wiggling to get it all the way off. When you do, the cable towards the back may come loose but its easy to reattach and is circled in later pics.

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Step 5: Here's the 3 trouble makers circled in red. The one in the center I've plastered with electrical tape to keep it attached since its popped off 3 times.

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Extra pic 1: Here's the pieces detached so you can see.

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Extra pic 2: Here's a possible reason why the middle one comes off so often. If you press against the inside where the battery goes it pushes against the ribbon cable that pops off so often. (edit: its sad that the little kid inside this 37 year old body says "haha, it looks like a penis" every time I see this pic.)

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Hope you enjoyed my boredom and maybe it'll illuminate a tiny bit why the keyboards have issues. I'll try to answer any questions you still have after this. Above all... try this at YOUR OWN RISK.

**Mayonesa** · #2 (**permalink**) 03-29-2009, 08:48 PM

goot stuff, dont know if i would do this myself but its good to have this just in case.. im getting a new tp with in days.... it had to be shipped to VA to be shipped to where i am currently stationed Puerto rico..

**[sammich]** · #3 (**permalink**) 03-29-2009, 09:08 PM

Excellent post/pics/details

I vote to sticky this one... It could DEFINITELY help some of the members here.

darnell · #4 (**permalink**) 03-29-2009, 10:17 PM

Yea awesome work Doctor1971. I don't ever see myself taking mine apart, but I love these kinds of posts. Just to see what's under the hood and sometimes causes us issues.

This needs to be placed somewhere special as an easy to find resource.

myselfdotcom · #5 (**permalink**) 03-29-2009, 10:33 PM

those ribbon cables are damn delicate...we have some at the video server ....it constantly giving us problem...due to slight vibration on the fans

bigwolfbebad · #6 (**permalink**) 03-30-2009, 08:26 AM

Thanks so much man, this is incredibly helpful, I know what i'm gonna be doing after class today LOL

TheDoctor1971 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-30-2009, 02:15 PM

Personally I think HTC ought to recall the TP or just replace them all with TP2's when they come out. I know there are some people who haven't had any issues yet.. and I think eventually they will cause this is a design flaw.

Every time I've talked to sprint they deny that there's a problem with the keyboard but they've replaced the phone. They tried to tell my mom that her's was caused by the theme she had installed on her stock ROM. "We don't support that."

If anyone else has had the temerity to open up their phone and fix it post and let us know. Obviously ymmv and warranty issues are a concern but I'd like to know how many were successful.

TheDoctor1971 · #8 (**permalink**) 03-31-2009, 02:10 AM

I'm getting downright good at taking these apart and putting them back together. Which really sucks cause I shouldn't have to do this. My mom dropped her phone this morning (in the case) and it was enough to jog one of the cables loose. Took me under 2 minutes to fix it. I'm seriously tempted to superglue the cables in place. If the phone was out of warranty I probably would!

bigwolfbebad · #9 (**permalink**) 03-31-2009, 03:44 PM

Well, I did manage to open up the phone and 'fix' the cables, it worked for that day, but then today the keyboard stopped working all together.

I opened it up again to see if maybe one of the wires came loose again, but nope, didn't come loose (I disconnected and tightly reconnected them again) and the keyboard absolutely is not working. I'm probably just gonna go get it 'repaired' tonight at the story or some ****, this sucks though :/

I completely agree with your idea for a recall or issuing of a TP 2 though.

TheDoctor1971 · #10 (**permalink**) 03-31-2009, 04:17 PM

Yeah, its a completely flaky design. I hope the TP2 is built better. I do love the phone, I just wish the keyboard were better. That tiny ribbon cable that goes into the keyboard is prone to tearing. I took a piece of electrical tape and taped it down to keep it from moving. That seemed to fix the issue with my mom's phone. I just hate to have to keep sending these things in for repair.

If I ever do send her's in, I'll have to de-ghetto it first :P. At least I didn't use duct tape!