Lumia 920 Motherboard Replacement - Bay Area Suggestions

[Kanishka]

I am unreasonably partial to my Lumia 920. Until a suitable replacement is announced, I wanted to keep using this phone.
However my sim card connector pins were damaged, and I keep getting sim card error. I tried fixing this by boosting my SIM card with a piece of paper to connect better, but this did not work

Now the fix that every repair shop is telling me is.

1) Solder the flex cable band to the original motherboard (Which requires the expertise of a master technician)
or.
2) Replace the entire motherboard.

If there was a master solder-er in the Bay Area, perhaps I could contact them, but I don't know any

If I were to replace the whole motherboard, it means re-installing the operating system. I have apps on there that cannot be replaced now that they have been discontinued.

Is it possible to completely backup your Windows Phone and restore (similar to iTunes with iOS)?
Or does anybody have suggestions or a fix around this?

 

[Kanishka]

Bump,

can anyone help with this?
I really would like the 920 to work and it just can't read my sim.

Appreciate it

 

[xandros9]

Have you cracked open the 920 to see what is broken? I'm thinking maybe something could be MacGyver'd... But sorry, I don't know any out there.

 

[gordonfink]

I know a guy in San Diego, but that's a good ways away from you.

BTW - you don't have to solder that piece. To keep the original motherboard, and all data on it, you can buy a new sim reader, which in this phone is a flex board that also includes the front camera.

Here's an example: New Sim Card Camera Main Flex Cable Replacement Repair Part for Nokia Lumia 920 | eBay

That flex board is held to the motherboard by 3M electrically conductive tape. It is a bit of a pain to get that connection put back together, but it is very possible.

So, the motherboard does not have to be replaced and there is not necessarily soldering required. If you wish to put on just a new sim tray, then soldering is req'd to take off the old one, and put on the new one.

I hope that all makes sense. If not, please ask, and I'll try to clarify.

 

[gordonfink]

ps - the sim reader on that phone is not on the motherboard either, as you can see on that part I linked.

 

[Kanishka]

would the person you know in SD be willing to work on my phone?
I am inclined to send it over, as I hate having devices that don't work?

Is there a video outlining how to install the flex assembly?
If there were any instruction, I would take it to my nearest phone repair shop with the part.

 

[gordonfink]

I'll contact him and see. He was a Nokia internal repair guy, but left there a few years back, and does some stuff still on his own now.

There are videos on how to do it. I'll be honest - I've done it twice, and I'm 1 for 2. One of them does not work and I have no idea why. It's pretty straightforward to do - the hardest part is getting the tape in the right spot to join them. It's not very hard, which is why I can't figure out why the one failed.

ps - there is another thread here in the 920 forum from a member that was going the solder route. You might try contacting that member to see how that went. Personally, I'm not a very good solder person, so I replaced the whole thing.

would the person you know in SD be willing to work on my phone?
I am inclined to send it over, as I hate having devices that don't work?

Is there a video outlining how to install the flex assembly?
If there were any instruction, I would take it to my nearest phone repair shop with the part.

 

[gordonfink]

Here's the other thread.http://forums.windowscentral.com/nokia-lumia-920/362852-disassembling-920-a.html

 

[AUCLABruin]

I'd imagine that the repair may be more expensive than getting a replacement 920. Is getting a replacement out of the question?

 

[gordonfink]

I'd imagine that the repair may be more expensive than getting a replacement 920. Is getting a replacement out of the question?

That is likely true, unless it's DIY. Or, you can buy a functional 920 with a shattered screen, and just poach the motherboard from it to transfer to the existing one with the good screen.

I think the OP was worried, though, that some apps wouldn't transfer because they don't exist in the Store anymore, as was therefore trying to keep the existing motherboard.

That's a question that I don't know the answer to.

 

[xandros9]

That is likely true, unless it's DIY. Or, you can buy a functional 920 with a shattered screen, and just poach the motherboard from it to transfer to the existing one with the good screen.

I think the OP was worried, though, that some apps wouldn't transfer because they don't exist in the Store anymore, as was therefore trying to keep the existing motherboard.

That's a question that I don't know the answer to.

I'm trying to peddle a cosmetically-less-than-perfect 920 in the Marketplace if OP's interested.