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iPhone 3G Disassembly / Dust Removal

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I cant believe how must dust has snuck under the display of my aging iPhone 3G. It’s been a year and a half, and it’s at the point where it’s a constant distraction. I admit that it’s partly my fault. I don’t carry it in a case. Cases are bulky and awkward, and often due nothing to protect the display, the main reason for a case. I always carry it in my pocket, behind my wallet, with the glass facing my leg. To this day, I have never scratched the glass. But, as you’ll see in a little bit, that must be the cause of the dust buildup within my iPhone.

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The first thing to do is remove the 2 screws on the bottom by the dock connector.

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Next is to remove the LCD assembly. You need a pretty strong and descent sized suction cup. Luckily, one of my kids’ arrows that came with a toy bow was perfect for the job.

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Slap it on the LCD and pull up. The whole LCD assembly should lift right out/up Be careful not to tear any of the fragile connectors. Open slowly and carefully.

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As you can see, the inside of my iPhone is covered in dust.

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crazy dust buildyp

Apple couldn’t have made the tear down any easier. All the things you need to remove are numbered. Just remove them in the order they are numbered.

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Once the front LCD assembly is removed, you can see how dusty it is inside

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The LCD has to be separated from the glass front panel.

Start by removing this screw.

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Next up is to remove 2 screws from the side.

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And two more on the other side, under the black tape.

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Once the screws have been removed, gently separate the LCD from the front panel.

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Remove the dust from the inside of the front panel...

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...as well as from the LCD.

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I used a can of air and a micropore LCD cloth to remove all the dust.

I connected everything back together and powered on the iPhone to make sure that everything worked before I buttoned it up. However, I discovered that the Home button doesn’t work until the LCD assembly is firmly reseated back in place.

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And there you have it. All clean!

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So, if your iPhone is having dust issues like mine and you like to void warranties, don’t be afraid to dive right in. The process was a lot easier than I had imagined and I was all done in probably 20 minutes or so.