Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

20

Time Required

                          35 minutes

Sections

4

  • Back Cover
  • 2 steps
  • Battery
  • 7 steps
  • Micro USB/Daughterboard
  • 6 steps
  • Motherboard
  • 5 steps

Flags

0

  • BackNexus 7 Second Generation

  • Full Screen

  • Options

  • History

  • Save to Favorites

  • Download PDF

  • Edit

  • Translate

  • Get Shareable Link

  • Embed This Guide

  • Notify Me of Changes

  • Stop Notifications

Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Back Cover
  • Power down your device.
  • Use your plastic opening tool to wedge between the seams around the sides of the device. Pry open each side, one at a time. For some a finger nail may be best. The case comes up quite high to the glass.
  • Do not pry near the USB port at the base of the device as you may crack the rear panel.

Power down your device.

Use your plastic opening tool to wedge between the seams around the sides of the device. Pry open each side, one at a time. For some a finger nail may be best. The case comes up quite high to the glass.

Do not pry near the USB port at the base of the device as you may crack the rear panel.

1024

Step 2

  • Work fingers around the seam between device and back cover. Use your plastic opening tool and fingers to separate each side until device and back cover are completely apart.
  • Be careful around the corners. The body of the device can be fragile.

Work fingers around the seam between device and back cover. Use your plastic opening tool and fingers to separate each side until device and back cover are completely apart.

Be careful around the corners. The body of the device can be fragile.

Step 3

              Battery
  • Insert the plastic opening tool under the side edge of the battery connector, and gently pry upward to disconnect it.

Insert the plastic opening tool under the side edge of the battery connector, and gently pry upward to disconnect it.

Step 4

  • Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the clear protective flap on the ribbon cable ZIF socket.
  • Using the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail, flip up the thin portion of the connector (opposite of the side where the cable inserts) to release the cable from its socket.
  • DO NOT PRY the socket on the side where the cable inserts, or you may break the entire socket off the motherboard.
  • Slide the cable out of the ZIF socket.
  • For more info on how to disconnect ZIF connectors, check out the Recognizing & Disconnecting Cable Connectors guide.

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

Using the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail, flip up the thin portion of the connector (opposite of the side where the cable inserts) to release the cable from its socket.

DO NOT PRY the socket on the side where the cable inserts, or you may break the entire socket off the motherboard.

Slide the cable out of the ZIF socket.

For more info on how to disconnect ZIF connectors, check out the Recognizing & Disconnecting Cable Connectors guide.

Step 5

  • Peel protective foil cover back top of mother board to expose orange ribbon connection.
  • The ribbon connections should now be fully visible, with the plastic tabs exposed.

Peel protective foil cover back top of mother board to expose orange ribbon connection.

The ribbon connections should now be fully visible, with the plastic tabs exposed.

Step 6

  • Using the tweezers, peel back the silver protective foil on top of the orange ribbon connector.
  • Using the plastic opening tool, pry upward under the orange ribbon connector. It will pop right out of place.

Using the tweezers, peel back the silver protective foil on top of the orange ribbon connector.

Using the plastic opening tool, pry upward under the orange ribbon connector. It will pop right out of place.

Step 7

  • Now that the two main ribbons are disconnected, fold and hold them back with your fingers, or place the tweezers or a light object on the ribbons to keep them in place.

Now that the two main ribbons are disconnected, fold and hold them back with your fingers, or place the tweezers or a light object on the ribbons to keep them in place.

Step 8

  • Use the #0 Phillips Screwdriver to remove the four silver 3 mm Philips #0 screws from around the battery housing.

Use the #0 Phillips Screwdriver to remove the four silver 3 mm Philips #0 screws from around the battery housing.

Step 9

  • Remove the battery from your device by applying pressure at the base of the battery and lifting it out.

Remove the battery from your device by applying pressure at the base of the battery and lifting it out.

Step 10

              Micro USB/Daughterboard
  • Remove the gray seal covering the top center screw on the daughterboard.
  • Be aware that this action will void your warranty.
  • Be sure to store the seal in a place where it will not get dirty and can retain its stickiness.

Remove the gray seal covering the top center screw on the daughterboard.

Be aware that this action will void your warranty.

Be sure to store the seal in a place where it will not get dirty and can retain its stickiness.

Step 11

  • Using the Phillips #0 screwdriver, unscrew the 5 black 2 mm sized screws from around the edge of the daughterboard.
  • Use the same Phillips #0 screwdriver to remove the two silver 3 mm sized screws from either side of the micro USB.

Using the Phillips #0 screwdriver, unscrew the 5 black 2 mm sized screws from around the edge of the daughterboard.

Use the same Phillips #0 screwdriver to remove the two silver 3 mm sized screws from either side of the micro USB.

Step 12

  • Use the tweezers to unplug the speaker connector from the daughterboard by pulling sideways.
  • Be gentle in this step as this connector can be fragile. Do not pull upwards.

Use the tweezers to unplug the speaker connector from the daughterboard by pulling sideways.

Be gentle in this step as this connector can be fragile. Do not pull upwards.

Step 13

  • Slowly peel off the EMI gasket over the ribbon cable assembly. This will expose the ribbon cable which can be removed from the connectors.

Slowly peel off the EMI gasket over the ribbon cable assembly. This will expose the ribbon cable which can be removed from the connectors.

Step 14

  • Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to carefully flip up both retaining flaps one each of the ZIF sockets.
  • When disconnecting the ZIF sockets flip them outwards to the edge of the board/towards the cables respectively.
  • Be careful not to damage the pin connector. Pull parallel to the device, not up.
  • For more info on how to disconnect ZIF connectors, check out the Recognizing & Disconnecting Cable Connectors guide.

Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to carefully flip up both retaining flaps one each of the ZIF sockets.

When disconnecting the ZIF sockets flip them outwards to the edge of the board/towards the cables respectively.

Be careful not to damage the pin connector. Pull parallel to the device, not up.

Step 15

  • The daughterboard will now lift easily up and out of the device.
  • Use care during reassembly. This daughter board is a very sensitive part. It is easy to fry the digitizer part of this board if connections are made in the wrong order. Complete all other cable connections before connecting battery power.

The daughterboard will now lift easily up and out of the device.

Use care during reassembly. This daughter board is a very sensitive part. It is easy to fry the digitizer part of this board if connections are made in the wrong order. Complete all other cable connections before connecting battery power.

Step 16

              Motherboard
  • Use the tweezers to peel the seal sticker off of the center screw that is closest to the battery.
  • Make sure to store the seal in a place where it will not get dirty and will retain its stickiness.

Use the tweezers to peel the seal sticker off of the center screw that is closest to the battery.

Make sure to store the seal in a place where it will not get dirty and will retain its stickiness.

Step 17

  • Using the tweezers, or carefully with your fingers, disconnect the speaker from its motherboard connection by pulling directly sideways.
  • Do not pull upwards. Doing so may warp or damage the connector.

Using the tweezers, or carefully with your fingers, disconnect the speaker from its motherboard connection by pulling directly sideways.

Do not pull upwards. Doing so may warp or damage the connector.

Step 18

  • Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the ribbon cable ZIF socket.
  • For more info on how to disconnect ZIF connectors, check out the Recognizing & Disconnecting Cable Connectors guide.

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

Step 19

  • Using the #0 Philips head screwdriver, remove the three black 2 mm screws holding the inner edge of the motherboard in place.
  • Using the #0 Philips head screwdriver, remove the five silver 3 mm screws holding the outer edge of the motherboard in place.

Using the #0 Philips head screwdriver, remove the three black 2 mm screws holding the inner edge of the motherboard in place.

Using the #0 Philips head screwdriver, remove the five silver 3 mm screws holding the outer edge of the motherboard in place.

Step 20

  • Carefully lift the motherboard up from its edge and remove it from the tablet casing.
  • While the camera is connected directly to the motherboard from the bottom and might lift out of the tablet with the motherboard, it also might not. In this case, as shown, you’ll need to use the tweezers to pry the camera out of its spot.
  • Removing the motherboard will reveal the top speaker that was being held down. If you are planning on replacing the top speaker, you may now simply pick it up out of the device.

Carefully lift the motherboard up from its edge and remove it from the tablet casing.

While the camera is connected directly to the motherboard from the bottom and might lift out of the tablet with the motherboard, it also might not. In this case, as shown, you’ll need to use the tweezers to pry the camera out of its spot.

Removing the motherboard will reveal the top speaker that was being held down. If you are planning on replacing the top speaker, you may now simply pick it up out of the device.

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

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      34 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 6 other contributors 


                    Alex Greene

Member since: 01/22/2015

1,262 Reputation

                                      1 Guide authored                  



                       Badges:
                       13







                                                        +10 more badges

Team

                       Cal Poly, Team 20-16, Maness Winter 2015                        

                                                  Member of Cal Poly, Team 20-16, Maness Winter 2015 



                    CPSU-MANESS-W15S20G16                     


                                            4 Members                     


                                            24 Guides authored

Robert Lewis - Jul 1, 2015

Reply

Very great guide on the teardown for swapping the motherboard. I have 2 questions if you wouldn’t mind clearing up.

  1. When you remove the back cover from the screen, is it glued into place or does it use small snaps to hold onto the device? How hard is it to reattach the back cover?

  2. After buying a new motherboard for installation will I need to flash it with bios/firmware/OS to get it working or will it come as a ready-to-go motherboard?

Thanks for your help!

Ungha Bungha - Sep 4, 2015

Reply

Great guide, excellent pictures, helped me resurrect my Nexus stuck on the Google screen. Thank you!

However, it should be emphasized that steps 10-15 are completely unnecessary and should be skipped if you are only looking to replace the motherboard.

pacmanmaster - Jan 20, 2017

Agree on skipping steps 10-15 for motherboard replacement. The daughterboard was not in the way at all.

Todd - Oct 13, 2015

Reply

Great guide and good instructions. I was able to swap out a faulty motherboard without any problems.

Two things I found that might need some addition/update on the instructions;

  1. I found a #00 Phillips easier to use than the recommended #0 Phillips

  2. You should probably add one more step to explain how the camera is attached with a ZIP socket to the underside of the motherboard. That would help in reconstructing the tablet in case, like me, your camera does not come up with the motherboard.

Great work and thanks for the help!

Blaze - Oct 15, 2015

Reply

Hello,

i would like to ask some help. I did everything exactly as you mentioned upper, however my screen is not able to handle my touch. Do you have any opinion what should be the problem?

Rgs,

B