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Repair information and guides for the fifth generation of iPhone. Model: A1387

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Bottom screws won't come out, just spin in place.

After replacing the battery and back cover on my iPhone 4S, I replaced the pentalobe screws on the bottom of the phone with phillips screws from the iFixit liberation kit.

I'm having two problems:

1) The screws are not flush with the bottom edge of the phone and won't go in any farther. They are almost all the way in, but not quite.

2) The screws won't come out. I can turn them clockwise or counterclockwise, but they don't go in or out. They just spin in place.

Neither of these is a big problem right now, though I'd prefer that the screws go all the way in and sit flush. My concern is that I can't open up the phone if I need to make another repair in the future.

Any idea what is going on here? Is there anything I can do about it?

Answer this question I have this problem too

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4 Answers

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Sounds like the screws are stripped. You may want to try some of these tricks to remove them: What are your tips/tricks for removing or extracting stripped screws?

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If they are just spinning just try sliding the back cover up

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this actually fixed the problem thank you.

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What dobyou mean slide the back cover up

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I need help with that my creen went all black it son but just the screen and it makes noices when i plug in the charger and idk what to do, were do you think i should put it???

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and it just wont work:(

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With cheaper (vendor-supplied) drivers, the shaft sometimes loosens. It looks and feels like the screw is turning, because the handle is turning. In fact, it is only the handle that is turning; the shaft (and the screw) remain stationary. Strange, but it happens. Solution: try another screw-driver.

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sbroberts will be eternally grateful.
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