Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Replacing a Zune 80 glass screen

My Zune has a history of breaking itself while I'm fixing it. Last time I took it apart, I got it to WORK again, but cracked the screen. This weekend when I was in a portable-electronics-screen-buying-and-replacing mood, I decided I'd grab a Zune glass as well.

So, let's get started. For the sake of completeness, I'll go through the entire process, even though it's partially documented here.

Required
  • Zune 80/ 120 (I guess the HDD size doesn't matter. Second generation or above, non-flash, non-HD (where HD stands for High Def, not Hard Drive))
  • New screen
  • T4 screwdriver
  • Tiny electronics flat head screwdriver (I prefer size 2.5 - 4.5) or a case opener tool


Procedure
  1. Remove the plastic clip from the top of the Zune with the flat screwdriver or case opener tool
  2. Unscrew the two T4 screws at the top of the Zune



  3. Carefully, take the flat head screwdriver and gently pry, starting at the top where you just removed the T4 screws, and work your way all the way around. What you're doing here is undoing the clips all around the casing. **This is the part where I cracked my screen last time**
  4. At this point, you should be able to remove the entire aluminum back, and see the Zune's nasty internals.








  5. Remove all that #$%@ tape!
  6. Take out the 6 screws holding down the motherboard. There are three pairs, each pair is a different size. Keep them in order! *Note - when you take out the screws on the side, a metal clip will also come loose.













  7. For safety's sake, I removed the hard drive at this point. Lift the black flap on the ribbon cable connector. Use the flat head screwdriver to gently pry this up. Start from one end, and work your way to the other. This is a long tab, and will likely take more than one (probably two) pry-points to lift. (I know the picture shows the screwdriver in the middle. . . . disregard that :-|. . . . it was only for illustration's sake)













  8. Now, gently pry the board up with the flat screwdriver. Go evenly and CAREFULLY all the way around until you can lift the motherboard out of the case.







Whew. . . . now for the hard part.
Removing the Glass Screen from the casing
I won't post the failed attempts and pictures of me trying to get this glass out; I don't wanna upset those who get queasy at the sight of blood. . . .

Nah, just kidding. Bud it did take me some time to figure this out. The glass is held in with a strong adhesive. I tried pushing it out, scoring around the edges, and prying. Some of these worked better than other, then I realized that I could just heat it up with my heat gun! Then I realized that I don't have a heat gun. Then I realized that my wife does!

HA! lookit the guy on the box



Apply heat to both sides, pressing the glass out every so often. After the adhesive melts enough, you're in business!

Remove the white tape from the new glass, replace the old one with it, and heat to activate the new adhesive. Put everything back together, and you're in there like swimwear!. . .

. . . . unless you put the hard drive ribbon cable on backwards. In which case, you'll get this screen. Fix it, and you'll get this one!

4 comments:

  1. Dude....how many devices do you own? :-$

    can you BUILD an ipod out of a cheeze-it BoX and speaker wire?

    ReplyDelete
  2. lol! I actually considered building my own mp3 player. If (when) I do, I'll post it here. Stay tuned!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i just changed my glass screen and it gives me the gray contact support screen what did u mean when u said that if the ribbon is on backwards ill get the gray support screen

      Delete
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