Ok, I've carried out this mod several times now (can't make up my mind what combo I want :omg: ) and decided to open a new thread for this 'How-To'. I'm NOT calling it MY 'How-To' simply because the images and initial reference material used have been taken from our good se-nse friend 'gbrooks3' .. and www.52sony.com. A big thanks to gbrooks3 as the recognised originator! Best way to view my 'How-To's normally would be to view posts as 'oldest first' - that way the images/instructions are in order.

I've uploaded version II as a Word doc to: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=27FBKF0Y if anyone wishes to download it for free for future reference. Please DO NOT post any replies until I've completed this .. I'll let you know when I'm done.

Disclaimer: As always, I am not responsible for your inability to carry out this mod successfully or read these instructions properly - they are a guide to what can be done and you do so at your own risk.

Case01: Remove the batt cover, batt and simcard. Using a penknife or small flat screwdriver tease and prise the cover off. TIP - you may find it easier to prise in a downwards direction to 'pop' the clips.
Case02: As above.
Case03: Once off, this is what you've got. Lift of the numbered keyped.
Case04: Remove the key pressure pad and backing by lifting the pad (like a chest lid). You'll see the PCB connector - gently ease this off with your screwdriver.

Case05: WARNING! There are 2 tiny brass-like clips on the black plastic backing piece. DO NOT lose these! These are your 'earths' for the keypad. Bl**dy nightmare to get back on ..
Case06: Assembly removed, you can see a) one of the clips B) the PCB connector just above it and c) the camera button. There is NO need to seperate as in the image - illustration purposes only.
Case07: Remove the LCD by unscrewing the 2 x T6 screws (circled red - already removed here) and unplug the LCD connector (circled yellow).
Case08: Ease the circuit over the joystick and lift the screen clear.

Case09: To remove the PCB itself, using a small screwdriver, work your way around the chassis prising the board up and free. Now, from the top of the phone, lift it up and pull it free from the base (FastPort) connector. PIC - PCB already partially lifted.
Case10: Before it can be totally free, unplug the camera and feed it through the hole in the PCB.
Case11: We now see the camera unit and ribbon. Ease the ribbon off with your screwdriver.
Case12: The camera unit can now be persuaded out of its hole - Stop bl**dy playing with it .. yes, YOU! ^__^ It's not a toy!

Case13: WARNING! This small piece (circled) fell out whilst turning the chassis over - heart attack! It's the bluetooth contact - remember where it goes and don't lose it!
Case14: The next two pieces are stickered on. Gently peel the camera switch (circled) and LEDs (arrowed) off the chassis. Keep your fingers away from the sticky bit as much as possible.
Case15: As above.
Case16: WARNING! Be extremely careful of this switch as it's the 'trigger' for your camera. TIP - on re-assembly, I slid open the lens cover first before putting the cover on to ensure the lens cover mechanism stayed clear of the switch in case of damage.

Case17: This is the speaker assembly. To remove, it's prised and peeled out of the chassis (there's a sticky section around the speaker).
Case18: The antenna assembly proved quite a challenge. Familiarise yourself first! Easiest way (for me) was, on the other side of this image is two small clips that are part of the plastic - I eased these in to free the assembly
Case19: The '********' and its green silicone jacket come out easily. talking of silicone, be careful when removing the buttons - they're also on silicone sheets and can tear easily. Patience and gentle persuasion again.
Case20: This is basically your phone now .. ermm, how does it go back together? :0 TIP - remember how it came apart as re-assembly is reversal of this procedure!

That's it! You may now post replies/comments!
Ensure that you have all that you need before starting. Read right the way through this guide FIRST! A anti-static wrist strap would probably be a wise investment. Enjoy!

Mention of the handset in the topic title might have been a good idea

Nice guide though

DOH .. of course - cheers Eggy!

ps how do I go about changing/editing my thread titles if I wanted to?

Unfortunately you can't so if you'ld like too you can send me a PM for instance or just request one in the thread itself. I've now also moved all the housing swap how-to guides to this section and added tags to all of them. This way it'll be easy for members to look guides up for the phone(s) they have

Cheers Eggy .. I'll bear this in mind if I need an edit in future.

Nice move re the How-To's ..

Heya Rabvtec, do you need soldering skills for this mod? I know that 3.5mm plug mod needed it pretty bad, but unless you rip the phone to pieces this isn't a mod that needs it, right?

Just a bit worried because last time I soldered was when I was 14 or something and nearly burnt the DT lab down

@stepdown - no mate, no soldering skills required for a housing swap!


All I'd say is that you work thru the 'How-To' methodically and take your time to remember where everything went. If you have a digital camera, a photo history may help on reassembly!

@rabvtec

any idea where to get a "Anti-Static Wrist Strap"?? i'd imagine most computer repair shops have them...but they dnt sell them...=PP

@aznpos531 - yeah, any computer or electronic store should sell them. Or, you could try eBay: http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?h...8%26catref%3DC6

@rabvtec

many thanks!

Geez you're good! I already imagined myself sitting brain-dead of not knowing how to assemble it back!:lols: I better go someplace where luck can greatly help me do this!

sooooo sorry for asking this question again...i can't seem to find the thread where it was posted...-_- but my question is if the phone says "please open camera lens" when u use the camera function, how do you fix it? i know it has something to do with the camera trigger but iono how to fix it! help me plz...aorry again! =T

I've found the thread! it was in the other k750i thread.....now my question is do i have to take the phone completely apart to get to the camera trigger?! i was hoping to avoid this....=T

Nice work. I was going to do a write-up as well as I found this swap to be a major PITA. I also kept some other pieces from my old phone. The metal bar that you connect your wrist strap to, some small minor pad underneath one of the buttons, the green Sony Ericsson logo, the small mirror, etc.

Great write-up though. Very detailed. I likes a lot!

Hi there... great write up

However, after dissasembling my w800i, i put it back together and the LCD backlight doesn't work! Has anyone had the same problem and, more importantly, does anyone know how to fix it?

Dave

I lost my screws

Does anybody know where I could get some replacements?

Thanks

mate, thanks for the guided demo of dismantling of the k750

I wrecked my screen cause it was in the same pocket as my keys, so I needed to change my cover and would have been lost without your help

thanks again

i love the way most ppl are using a K750 vodafone to do all their take aparts and mods

Hi Dave .. and welcome

I'm sorry for the late reply .. I've kinda been outta circulation for a while but now hope to get back on track.

It sounds like a simple connection problem. You don't state whether all the other screen functions work? Make sure that all the contacts on the rear of the screen come into ermm .. contact with the PCB and that it's plugged in properly to the PCB also.

Hi!
This looks just great and I've been looking for this sort of "walkthrough".

I have a small question.. I want to paint my W800i but I dont know to what extent I'd need to take it apart. Can you tell me how much I'd have to strip it in order to safely repaint the white and orange onthe phone??

Thanx in advance!!

I would advise talking it all apart. Strip it right down and remove all components from the casing. I dont think its work the risk of getting paint on the PCB or camera etc etc etc

Weeeeell.. looks like I dont have to worry about the horrible coulours on the W800.. The W810 is on its way..

(Links to a swedish paper:)
http://www.n24.se/dynamiskt/it_telekom/did_11470317.asp

Indeed, you can discuss the W810i in THIS thread

hey! I don't want to sound really dum here,lol.

But im in the process of fixing the camera sensor on my k750i. I've removed the two top screws on the back,but the screws at the bottom are like nothing i've ever seen..i've tried every conventional screwdriver i have to get them off.

Do you need some sort of special screwdriver for these?

Thanks

Clashrock

@clashrock

Isn't it a Torque screwdriver you need?

I think you mean Torx. It's a T-6 or something.

@clumpymold

Thank you for the correction.

thankyou so much!!!!!

I've just ordered one

ive got hold of my k750i but the camera button isnt working, any ideas? it was bought second hand - and im not in the position to remove the housing. the button just doesnt do anything.

[e!] well its taken me about 30 minutes to take apart. in doing so, ive noticed the silicon by the camera button was torn and the bluetooth 'pin/spring' is 'missing' (do all of them have one?) - ive not lost it, it was never there.

also. what I have done, is snapped the slider/switch for the camera off the sticker

its going to be a bugger to resolder, hopefully we have some experts here at work. where could i source the bluetooth pin and possibly a new ribbon with the switch on it. presumably, the camera will still work without the switch?
ive left my phone in bits, hopefully ill get my w800 housing tomorrow, so i can put it all badck and LEAVE IT ALONE.

[e! #2]

noone here with the skills to solder micro components, ive matched the switch up to the solder pits from whence it came, and superglued it in place. fingers crossed its worked, i guess worst thing that happens is that the camera is not triggered on slide opening. no biggy really, would be nice though.

also, could do with sourcing this bluetooth pin. any suggestions? could i just link the 2 connectors with a bit of wire?

[e! #3]

the guy who i bought my phone off had scratched the original d750i housing and paid to get it replaced to stock k750i housing. he obviously knew of the problems when selling it to me, and there is no way bluetooth could have worked as - guess what i found in the old housing - the bluetooth connector!

im happy now! hurry and deliver my w800i housing! D:

Hi

Well done for such a comprehesive guide - most useful word doc on megauploads!

Before I get started on this I wonder if you could suggest what to use to clean the inside of the phone (it was dropped in a glass of red wine !!! )

Everything still works essentially but a couple of the buttons & joystick contacts are shot, trouble is Maplins have 6 different varieties of aerosol cleaner - which is best or are they all the same?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Home.aspx (searched "solvent cleaner")

tata

I am doomed....I was switching the housing and the switch for the camera (attached), the tiny black thing...broke off basically...is there a way I could turn the switch on?? If i did it that way, I could manually turn on my camera from the menu...however at the moment it says "Open the lens cover". Thanks........

Anyone know how much service to fix this might cost? Thanks.

hey this was a great guide to dismantling the k750i. i happened to have done the same thing before i saw your guide so that i could replace my flex cable since my switch broke. well i replaced the cable and the phone booted up fine and all. but when i tried to take a picture, it would focus make the shutter sound and then go back to the main menu without taking the picture. i reset the phone, flashed the software through different versions and i even flashed it to w800i firmware but all to no avail.
what i find wierd though is that the phone takes video but no pictures. the same thing occured in all the firmwares i flashed the phone to. i am really at a loss since sony wouldnt replace the phone 'cos they said that there was some kinda water damage on the phone(which is not true) since i think the problem was that the silver paint on the phone had faded(bought that case on ebay)
could you tell me if there is anything i could do or if there is something i am missing. someone told me that maybe i bought the wrong flex cable from ebay but i dont think so.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
kayzed - born to fly

hi i'm trying to get the front panel off my w800i but i cant seem to get it done do you have to remove the 2 screws at the bottom of the phone since i dont have the stuff for that.

Indeed, the two bottom screws must be removed before attempting to separate the cover/housing. The screws are TX6 or more normally called T6 Torx. The screwdrivers are very cheap

wel i got it open now i modified a normal small screwdriver to get it to fit it in haha.

problem is solved also.

very bad mistake from the factory there was glew all over the keypad so no wonder it was stuck all the time.

thx for the help dennis .

Hi

i was able to change the housing on my k750i , but since the change i have a reduced signal strenght.

Can anyone help?[size=4][size=2]

i did exactly the same, you can buy the 'flex cable' from cnn.cn for $9 (bargain!)

Hey guys @ SE-NSE

I would like to thank the topicstarter very very very much for making this topic.

I have a k750i black, and it accidentally dropped from like 1m high on a concrete floor. After that, my camera stopped working. I could flip open the camera switch, but there was a black screen for one second, and after that it skipped back to 'standby' screen. I thought i was screwed big time, untill I searched the internet for people with similair problems. I read that it might be the cable, connecting the camera to the board, that came loose.
So i followed the instructions in this topic (and the other "opening the housing" topic), and came to the conclusion that the flex cable actually came loose from the board!
After clicking it back in, and re-assembling my phone, my camera is now working perfectly again !!!

So again, thank you guys for this very handy tutorial with pictures, without you guys i would be paying big $$$ to some SE service center right now.

I hope i can be helpfull towards you in the future...

THANKS AGAIN!




(sorry abouy crossposting this message in two topics, but i felt like i had to thank this topicstarter too, because it was as helpfull as the other disassembling topic)

I've changed the housing of my sont ericson k750i and the screen is only displaying white picture and sometimes it displaynothing i've changed the screen and still the problem is the same can anyone help me?

@mcdoublev



I'm glad you were able to fix your problem.

@jurgen

Are you sure you reconnected everything correctly after having changed the screen? It might be advisable to disassemble your handset again and check to make sure everything is connected properly (I imagine that you are already out of warranty since you changed your screen.).

Hi!!!

I´m new here and I need help... I did everything that the steps told me to do.... but.. one thing wnet wrong my little sister throwed the the bluetooth contact away.. The cell phone is working perfectly but I can´t get good signal.. It´s always out of signal..... any 1 can help?? do you guys know where can I find a new Bluetooth contact?? I´m looking all over but I can´t find it!! (

here´s a link for the picture of the piece!!!
I need Help!!!

Well, i just had a little look down my desk and into my spares draw

PM me your address and i will the little contact on to you asap.

(P.S. Keep it away from your sister!)

@sk0ll



I have to ask, why did she throw it away? Did she mistake it for rubbish?

She´s only 3 years old.. so she got it.. I don´t really know why... i just left my room for 1 sec... and came in and got it... I had no chance against her lol... next time.. I´ll be more carefull!!

Thanks everyone for the help !!!

@sk0ll

I suspected it might have been a toddler related incident!

I have just changed my w800i to all black and silver. imo looks awesome, but I also have reduced signal strength.

Does anyone have any solutions or jpvazquez did you find one?