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Second generation of iPhone. Model A1241 / 8 or 16 GB capacity / black or white plastic back. Repair is more straightforward than the first iPhone. requires screwdrivers, prying, and suction tools.

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Broken latch of ribbon #3 ( 2 pins missing )

Hey guys,

i was repairing my iphone 3G broken digitizer, and i was watching some tutorial. They said to open the white latch to loosen the #3 ribbon, but in my iphone the latch was colored black. So i broke the whole thing. The good thing is that most of the pins are there except 2. Maybe anyone knows what are those pins responsible for?

Here's the picture of the broken latch:

http://img808.imageshack.us/f/still0008....

(the white thing beneath the pins is paper. I put it there so its easier to see the top level pins.)

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Hey Alex, check out my blog, I've done hundreds of these repairs. Email me once you've read through my posts and comments :)

http://hectordtruong.blogspot.com/2010/0...

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The pins are there, but there is now nothing to apply pressure and hold the pins against the contact points on the flex cable. And whatever the other 2 pins connect to, they'll almost certainly be required.

Other than buying a cheap faulty device or logic board for spares, it's highly unlikely you'll find a supplier of the connector itself. And even if you did get one new or old, fitting it without the right soldering equipment and a lot of magnification would be next to impossible. The pins are so close together that even solder paste and a hot air station would be tricky and involve perhaps more than one attempt.

Still, if you can get an old board to use the connector from, and find someone or a TV repair shop that has the equipment to do the job, you may get it repaired. Some iPhone independent repair centres that can be found on the net and advertising on eBay claim the ability to repair to surface-mount device level, so for a modest fee may be able to help. Otherwise a google search should show other repair centres that boast the equipment and skill to SMD repair. Basically, if they repair motherboards, iPhones, mobile phones, etc., and say they can repair to SMD level or have the ability to replace BGA components, then they're tooled up and skilled enough to do the job.

Not much help I'm afraid, bad luck and I hope you find a solution.

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Just so you guys know, it can be fixed

http://hectordtruong.blogspot.com/2010/0...

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hectordtruong just like we have pointed out in so many post, yes it can be fixed as long as one has the skills and the tools. So not an easy DIY fix.

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I must apologise: I didn't realise the connector is actually available, as others have pointed out, and eBay is one place that they're available. Another person on here has just completed the replacement of this connector with no previous experience of soldering. He bought a fine tipped soldering iron, fine solder, a microscope (I use a USB handheld microscope) and his phone now works. If you attempt the replacement, best of luck and ask here for any soldering help you need.

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Alex will be eternally grateful.
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