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Revamped version of the iPhone 3G with faster processing speeds. Repair of this device is similar to the 3G, and requires simple screwdrivers and prying tools. Model A1303 / 8, 16 or 32 GB capacity / black or white plastic back.

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Water damaged phone for the second time (white screen of death)?

Okay so for the second time in 2 months I have a water damaged iPhone 3gs. Both times I've dropped it in the toilet. Moral of the day is don't keep your iPhone in your back pocket.

The first time I dropped it I put it in a bowl of rice for 2 days. When I took it out the backlight was not working so after researching the problem on the internet I took the phone apart to clean the corrosion that the rice left behind. After that the phone has been working perfectly. Right until the point where I dropped it in the toilet this morning.

After dropping my phone in the toilet this morning I immediatly took it out and shook all the water out. Not wanting to unbuild and fix the phone again incase of corrosion I did not put the phone in rice. About 10 hours later I checked to see if the phone was working which it was, perfectly. After using it for about 45 minutes i randomly got a white screen. After pressing a few buttons to see what was going on I was able to see that the voice control was working.

What do you think is wrong with my iPhone 3gs and how can I fix it?

  • EDIT ***

it worked again for a few minutes but the white screen is back!

  • EDIT****

it's been working fine all day and night. the downside is the power button doesn't work anymore but i have autolock i guess

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Lee, Rice is great as a first step, but it is not magic. It will not fix your iPhone, nor will it prevent corrosion. It might also leave starchy residue as well as swell up on the inside of your dock connector and other small crevices. It is an unnecessary step, if you disassemble your iPhone to clean it properly. I would start of by following this guide. It will help to prevent corrosion damage and failure later on. Then replace the battery. You can re-evaluate after that and if you still should not have any proper display, it might be time to replace the LCD. On the flip side of that, it is also possible that you shortened out the backlight IC or the backlight coil. Keep in mind that if you continue to turn it on, you might cause more damage. It is fixable as well,but not quite as easy. Hope it will work for you good luck.

07/24/2016

Four years later and it is now fully established that rice won't do anything other than waste time.

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I got caught walking in heavy rain recently and it killed my phone. After burying the phone in cat litter for a week (the silica gel type, unused) I managed to revive it, but got the white screen of death. It was a few more days before I opened the phone up and gave the guts a spray with contact cleaner (for use on electrical equipment). And lo! It lives again! Does seem a bit glitchier than before, but it's taken a fair amount of punishment over the years. I've used rice before to dry out a second generation iPod that had been through the washing machine. That got it working after a couple of weeks, but with the occasional glitch. There was still water under the screen, but that went eventually and the glitches with it.

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Lee will be eternally grateful.
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