Nokia N900 usb socket expert?

[Fxtecish 42]

Anyone here know how to solder/glue usb ports properly to N900 boards?

Edited December 27, 2022 by Fxtecish

[pistikem 85]

problem sounds familiar, i had two of those N900 with this problem - getting the Pro1 solved the issue...

sorry for not having a better solution to offer !

[Hook 3,020]

I suspect @CornholioGSMknows a lot about this.

[VaZso 1,998]

As far as I know, usually N900 had its USB connector torn off.
(That way smaller or larger part(s) of PCB traces are remain at connector side instead of the PCB, so it is also a question of luck.)
That means it is usually not as simple as soldering any connectors back to the board but also USB lines should be found somewhere on the PCB.

Basically it has GND, VCC, DATA- and DATA+ connections and if I remember well, it also used fifth connection to identify a proper charging cable.

So to tell something valuable, one have to see the phone, especially its PCB and only may say something valuable then.
...and depending on luck, it can be repaired by somebody who knows what to do or may not...

However, be aware if you give it to somebody for repair who does not know how to do it, it can easily result an unrepairable USB connector.
I have seen such "repairs" where the guy destructed remaining PCB traces and also saw N900 what was repairable.

[VaZso 1,998]

Anyway, this was the reason why F(x)tec has designed a separate panel for USB connector - theoretically, it can be replaced easily.
(Only theoretically as it only works if the panel is available to purchase.)

Otherwise, N900 had two flashes... one 256MB around the SoC which had the basic parts of the OS and a 32GB eMMC which had all of user data.
Unfortunately, the latter usually died sooner or later (after several years), I also have some N900s which had this problem.
However, as N900 also had a microSD card extension and 256MB flash is able to hold the basic system, it can be tricked to use microSD for user data... that is much slower than internal eMMC flash is, but still the phone has its full functionality (I really had to do some trick which I currently don't know what, to reach absolute full functionality, so it is possible).

[suicidal_orange 100]

Assuming the pads are ripped off you need to follow the traces to find somewhere to solder to.  If they end in holes they will continue on the other side so take a pic of both sides without moving the camera then flip one and make it semi-transparent in a graphics program (gimp is free).  Or post the pics and I'll have a look 🙂

[VaZso 1,998]

1 hour ago, suicidal_orange said:

If they end in holes they will continue on the other side so take a pic of both sides

However, I would think N900 also had a multi-layer PCB, so a photo of both sides may, or may not help...

[CornholioGSM 338]

Rapair missing pads/ways is simple on n900.

...always is better to use new usb connector...old one have have loose soo solder back old one is repair for short time.

 

[EskeRahn 5,460]

I just love how helpful people in here are - though this strictly is quite a bit out of FxTec Pro1/Pro1X scope. But I guess it might not be that easy to find an active N900 forum.

[Fxtecish 42]

Maemo forum is. This topic was just needed.