Dissassembling HTC StrTrk / 8500 / S300/ F600 / SmartFlip

First, a note of caution. This is a *guide* you follow at your own risk. If you are in any way unsure, don't try it. If you've done a Typhoon or similar before, you'll have no problems.

THIS MAY VOID YOUR WARRANTY so only do it if you REALLY have to, for example you need to replace a smashed LCD or scuffed fascia. Remember kids, crying to HTC won't help if you can't get it back together again :cry:

I say 'may' as I was able to remove the warranty sticker intact and refit it afterwards. After cleaning my fingerprints off the inside.

You'll need a good torx T5, a small flat blade screwdriver, a sharp knife and a plastic tool to prise open the case. Try to work in a low-dust environment to minimise the risk of dust entering the screen area.

Ok. Take the battery cover off, sim out, battery out, mem card out and put to one side. Then, remove the rubber screen stop bungs from the top of the main screen by pushing them to one side with the plastic tool and then using the knife to grab the side edge of the bung and lever it up. This is the easiest way IMO as the sides don't get seen and they are stuck down firmly so won't just pull out. You could scrape them out with a screwdriver etc but you'll make them tatty so try a few different methods and find one that works for you.

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Use your T5 torx and remove the two screws revealed.

Turn over the phone. Take your 'case opening tool' and prise the edge of the rubberised endplate up at the front first and work it around either side to release the securing clips. The endplate will then hinge up like a car bonnet on the plastic locator guides on either side at the bottom of the plate. Disconnect the speaker wire and pull up and away from the phone. The media player button pushers will come away also but the buttons themselves are stuck to the LCD assembly.

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Interestingly the speaker is bi-directional as per the mpx200 - it is one assembly made of two speakers joined together facing away from each other, one as the earpiece and one as the loudspeaker. They share common earth and seperate signal wires.

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Next, remove the two small phillips screws from above the outer LCD that hold the metal plate in place. Take your case opening tool and lever up the edges of the metal plate, freeing the two clips either side, and elevate the front section of the metal plate. Whilst holding it away from the main phone, use the case opening tool to free the retaining clips at the base of the metal plate near the hinge. It is easier to do this with the hinge closed. Disconnect the backup battery ( I assume it's a backup battery alougth why does a WM5 device with persistant storage need a backup battery eh?) and lift clear.

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Now remove the small philips from the base of the LCD surround, and using your case opening tool you can lever the LCD assembly from the phone frame carefully. Then disconnect the push-fit ribbon connector for the LCD from the board near the hinge, levering it up with your case opening tool gently to avoid damage. The main LCD is not fixed into it's metal frame other than through a connecting ribbon so be careful with it, and also watch for the LED notification section which is on the same ribbon assembly.

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The bad news is - the outer smaller LCD is part of the same ribbon assembly and not socketed - it is hard wired, unlike other makes of flip phone or flip - smartphone, which means a failure of either requires replacement of both. Annoying.

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Part number is 60H00053-00M in my unit. Manufacturer code is Toppolly TD022DHEA1

So we've got the top section in bits - now's the fun part :-)

Take your sharp knife along the left edge of the void sticker above the right hand screw. Run it up and down a few times to get under the sticker, then push the sticker to the right and off the side of the phone. Worked for me

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Remove the two torx screws. Take your case opening tool and prise up the edge near where the void sticker was. Hold it up and prise up the other side. Hold that and prise the metal figure of 8 clipe and 'L' shaped plastic clip in the battery compartment up.

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Still holding the two sides away from the body of the phone, work your case opening tool down to free another clip either side. Now here comes the REALLY fun part. The main case retaining mechanism at the bottom is a bit tricky. It has four clips near each other each facing away from the phone edge and in different directions to each other. Nice anti tamper mechanism. But I managed it. Use a twist / lift motion whilst working your case opening tool in that area to get the clips free without breaking. Take your time.

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Now unclip the keyboard ribbon, remove 2 philips screws and you can take out the mainboard. Isn't it diddy!

The keypad is stuck in and once removed will be difficult to get flat again so I left it alone but it would just push out if needed. The ribbon in the hinge looks easily replaceable if needed as well but I did not dissassemble that area.

Reassembly is the reverse of this procedure, just make sure to get the 'backup battery' lead seated well, and be careful locating the connectors at the hinge for the top metal plate. Then test everything, put your warranty sticker back on and no-one need ever know you had it in bits