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Difficulty

Very difficult

Steps

31

Time Required

Suggest a time??

Sections

5

  • Battery
  • 2 steps
  • Rear Case
  • 9 steps
  • Speaker
  • 1 step
  • Motherboard
  • 6 steps
  • Front Panel
  • 13 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Battery
  • Slide the battery cover downwards while applying pressure to the center of the battery cover with your thumb.
  • Lift and remove the battery cover out from the phone.

Slide the battery cover downwards while applying pressure to the center of the battery cover with your thumb.

Lift and remove the battery cover out from the phone.

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Step 2

  • Grasp the upper left corner of the battery and lift it out of its housing.

Grasp the upper left corner of the battery and lift it out of its housing.

Step 3

              Rear Case
  • Use a spudger to lift and remove the black plastic screw cover at the top of the phone near the camera.
  • The cover is attached by adhesive, so some force may be required.

Use a spudger to lift and remove the black plastic screw cover at the top of the phone near the camera.

The cover is attached by adhesive, so some force may be required.

Step 4

  • Using the tip of a spudger, peel up one corner of the gold ribbon beneath the battery compartment.
  • Peel the ribbon up off the phone.

Using the tip of a spudger, peel up one corner of the gold ribbon beneath the battery compartment.

Peel the ribbon up off the phone.

Step 5

  • Carefully peel the device information label that covers the motherboard EMI shields.
  • This label contains important information specific to the phone. Remove it with care and keep it in a safe place.

Carefully peel the device information label that covers the motherboard EMI shields.

This label contains important information specific to the phone. Remove it with care and keep it in a safe place.

Step 6

  • Insert the flat end of a spudger and pry the plastic camera cover up off the phone.
  • The thin plastic cover is attached to the phone with an adhesive. Work slowly and carefully.

Insert the flat end of a spudger and pry the plastic camera cover up off the phone.

The thin plastic cover is attached to the phone with an adhesive. Work slowly and carefully.

Step 7

  • Remove the seven 5.5 mm T5 Torx screws securing the rear case to the inner case.

Remove the seven 5.5 mm T5 Torx screws securing the rear case to the inner case.

Step 8

  • Insert the flat end of a spudger and pry downwards to release the plastic tab holding the rear case to the motherboard screw.

Insert the flat end of a spudger and pry downwards to release the plastic tab holding the rear case to the motherboard screw.

Step 9

  • Gently insert a spudger between the rear case and front case at the top of the phone, near the audio jack.
  • Carefully pry the top edge of the rear case up from the rest of the phone.

Gently insert a spudger between the rear case and front case at the top of the phone, near the audio jack.

Carefully pry the top edge of the rear case up from the rest of the phone.

Step 10

  • With the spudger still inserted between the rear case and front case, slide the spudger along the right edge of the device, moving toward the bottom, prying as you go.
  • Continue prying along the bottom edge of the device from right to left, freeing it from the front panel.

With the spudger still inserted between the rear case and front case, slide the spudger along the right edge of the device, moving toward the bottom, prying as you go.

Continue prying along the bottom edge of the device from right to left, freeing it from the front panel.

Step 11

  • Continue prying the rear case from the front case along the left side, moving from bottom to top.
  • Lift the rear case up out of the phone.

Continue prying the rear case from the front case along the left side, moving from bottom to top.

Lift the rear case up out of the phone.

Step 12

              Speaker
  • Carefully lift and remove the speaker assembly up out of the phone.

Carefully lift and remove the speaker assembly up out of the phone.

Step 13

              Motherboard
  • Use a spudger to pry the antenna cable connectors from their respective sockets on the motherboard and the speaker/antenna board.
  • De-route the antenna cable by pulling it out of the metal clips along the side of the front case.

Use a spudger to pry the antenna cable connectors from their respective sockets on the motherboard and the speaker/antenna board.

De-route the antenna cable by pulling it out of the metal clips along the side of the front case.

Step 14

  • Peel the black tape covering the side button and display ribbon connectors on the motherboard.

Peel the black tape covering the side button and display ribbon connectors on the motherboard.

Step 15

  • Disconnect the power button/volume button connector from its socket on the motherboard using the flat end of a spudger.

Disconnect the power button/volume button connector from its socket on the motherboard using the flat end of a spudger.

Step 16

  • Disconnect the display ribbon connector from its socket on the motherboard using the flat end of a spudger.

Disconnect the display ribbon connector from its socket on the motherboard using the flat end of a spudger.

Step 17

  • Remove three 3.8 mm T5 Torx screws securing the motherboard to the front case.
  • Don’t attempt to remove the motherboard yet, it is still attached by the keypad ribbon connector.

Remove three 3.8 mm T5 Torx screws securing the motherboard to the front case.

Don’t attempt to remove the motherboard yet, it is still attached by the keypad ribbon connector.

Step 18

  • Carefully lift the motherboard from the front case and lay it next to the Droid, minding the keypad connector that is still attached.
  • Disconnect the keypad connector by prying it straight up off its socket on the motherboard.
  • Remove the motherboard from the phone.

Carefully lift the motherboard from the front case and lay it next to the Droid, minding the keypad connector that is still attached.

Disconnect the keypad connector by prying it straight up off its socket on the motherboard.

Remove the motherboard from the phone.

Step 19

              Front Panel
  • Disconnect the camera button/vibrator connector by prying it straight up off its socket on the speaker board with a spudger.

Disconnect the camera button/vibrator connector by prying it straight up off its socket on the speaker board with a spudger.

Step 20

  • Slide the phone open.
  • Lift up the edge of the black plastic rim that includes the speaker board from the side closest to the keypad.
  • Continue lifting the side of the rim until it is almost vertical, and wiggle it free from the back of the LCD assembly.

Slide the phone open.

Lift up the edge of the black plastic rim that includes the speaker board from the side closest to the keypad.

Continue lifting the side of the rim until it is almost vertical, and wiggle it free from the back of the LCD assembly.

Step 21

  • Remove the EMI shield by releasing the clips shown with the tip of a spudger.

Remove the EMI shield by releasing the clips shown with the tip of a spudger.

Step 22

  • Remove the five 2.5 mm Phillips screws.
  • It’s either a 2.5 MM Phillips or a T4 Torx. Motorola changed it on later models of the A956.

Remove the five 2.5 mm Phillips screws.

It’s either a 2.5 MM Phillips or a T4 Torx. Motorola changed it on later models of the A956.

Step 23

  • Slide the phone until a sixth screw is visible, as shown.
  • Remove the single 2.5 mm Phillips screw.

Slide the phone until a sixth screw is visible, as shown.

Remove the single 2.5 mm Phillips screw.

Step 24

  • Continue sliding the phone in the same direction, past its “closed” position, until four more screws are revealed. You will need to lift the slider slightly to get it passed the “closed” position.
  • Remove the four 2.5 mm Phillips screws.

Continue sliding the phone in the same direction, past its “closed” position, until four more screws are revealed. You will need to lift the slider slightly to get it passed the “closed” position.

Remove the four 2.5 mm Phillips screws.

Step 25

  • Return the phone to its normal “closed” position.
  • Peel the display ribbon up from the keypad’s metal backing.
  • The ribbon cannot be completely removed yet, because it is attached to the back of the LCD.

Return the phone to its normal “closed” position.

Peel the display ribbon up from the keypad’s metal backing.

The ribbon cannot be completely removed yet, because it is attached to the back of the LCD.

Step 26

  • Insert a spudger between the back and front case of the display assembly, and peel the two ribbon cables off the two adhesive pads along the back case of the display assembly.
  • The location of the pads on the back case is shown. The top left corner of the case is the corner of the phone shown in the first picture.

Insert a spudger between the back and front case of the display assembly, and peel the two ribbon cables off the two adhesive pads along the back case of the display assembly.

The location of the pads on the back case is shown. The top left corner of the case is the corner of the phone shown in the first picture.

Step 27

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the board that contains the ambient light sensor and display data cable connector out of the screen housing.

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the board that contains the ambient light sensor and display data cable connector out of the screen housing.

Step 28

  • Use the tip of a spudger to lift the speaker out of the screen housing.

Use the tip of a spudger to lift the speaker out of the screen housing.

Step 29

  • Peel off the black tape to reveal the front panel connector.

Peel off the black tape to reveal the front panel connector.

Step 30

  • Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the front panel ribbon cable ZIF socket.
  • Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
  • Disconnect the front panel ribbon cable.

Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the front panel ribbon cable ZIF socket.

Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.

Disconnect the front panel ribbon cable.

Step 31

  • Flip the phone over and remove the front panel.

Flip the phone over and remove the front panel.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                    David Hodson

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