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Featured Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

46

Time Required

                          20 - 30 minutes            

Sections

7

  • Case Separation
  • 8 steps
  • Wireless Card
  • 3 steps
  • Right Shoulder Button
  • 4 steps
  • Right Button Board
  • 5 steps
  • Left Shoulder Button
  • 4 steps
  • Left Button Board
  • 7 steps
  • Rear Camera
  • 15 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Case Separation               
  • Power off and remove the memory card.
  • Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the four 6.4mm screws on the back casing.

Power off and remove the memory card.

Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the four 6.4mm screws on the back casing.

1024

Step 2

  • Using your fingernail or a spudger, pry open the accessory port cover on the top of the device.
  • Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the two 5.4mm screws hidden beneath the accessory port cover.

Using your fingernail or a spudger, pry open the accessory port cover on the top of the device.

Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the two 5.4mm screws hidden beneath the accessory port cover.

Step 3

  • Remove the two 5.4mm Phillips #00 screws on the bottom of the device near the charging port.

Remove the two 5.4mm Phillips #00 screws on the bottom of the device near the charging port.

Step 4

  • Beginning at the sides of the device, use a plastic opening tool to separate the front and rear cases.
  • Continue working your way around the device gently prying it open.
  • There are still wires holding the front and rear cases together. You may damage the connections if you yank the cases completely apart.

Beginning at the sides of the device, use a plastic opening tool to separate the front and rear cases.

Continue working your way around the device gently prying it open.

There are still wires holding the front and rear cases together. You may damage the connections if you yank the cases completely apart.

Step 5

  • Gently separate the two cases, minding the battery and the touch screen controller connectors holding the two cases together.

Gently separate the two cases, minding the battery and the touch screen controller connectors holding the two cases together.

Step 6

  • Using a spudger, free the touch screen controller flex cable by gently prying up the connection.

Using a spudger, free the touch screen controller flex cable by gently prying up the connection.

Step 7

  • Free the battery cable by gently prying up on the connection with a spudger.

Free the battery cable by gently prying up on the connection with a spudger.

Step 8

  • Separate the front and rear cases.

Separate the front and rear cases.

Step 9

              Wireless Card               
  • Using the pointy end of the spudger, disconnect the three antenna cable connectors on top of the wireless card.
  • Deroute the antenna cables so that they are out of the wireless card casing. Rest the wires out of the way.

Using the pointy end of the spudger, disconnect the three antenna cable connectors on top of the wireless card.

Deroute the antenna cables so that they are out of the wireless card casing. Rest the wires out of the way.

Step 10

  • Hook the spudger beneath the tab on the wireless card casing and release the tab.
  • Peel up and remove the wireless card casing.

Hook the spudger beneath the tab on the wireless card casing and release the tab.

Peel up and remove the wireless card casing.

Step 11

  • Remove the two 4.4mm Phillips #00 screws on the wireless card.
  • The wireless card will naturally pop out at an angle.
  • Pull out the wireless card.

Remove the two 4.4mm Phillips #00 screws on the wireless card.

The wireless card will naturally pop out at an angle.

Pull out the wireless card.

Step 12

              Right Shoulder Button               
  • Pry up the right shoulder button casing with a spudger and set it aside.

Pry up the right shoulder button casing with a spudger and set it aside.

Step 13

  • Remove the translucent, plastic right shoulder button cover.

Remove the translucent, plastic right shoulder button cover.

Step 14

  • Release the right shoulder button flex cable socket by using a spudger to gently pry open the tab.
  • Using tweezers, slide the flex cable out of the socket.

Release the right shoulder button flex cable socket by using a spudger to gently pry open the tab.

Using tweezers, slide the flex cable out of the socket.

Step 15

  • Using a spudger, gently peel up the right shoulder button from the light adhesive connecting it to casing.

Using a spudger, gently peel up the right shoulder button from the light adhesive connecting it to casing.

Step 16

              Right Button Board               
  • Using the pointy end of a spudger, detach the antenna cable on the right button board.
  • Remove the antenna cable.

Using the pointy end of a spudger, detach the antenna cable on the right button board.

Remove the antenna cable.

Step 17

  • Using a spudger, pry up and release the ZIF socket on the right button board.
  • Gently pull the flex cable out of the socket. Rest the flex cable out of the way.

Using a spudger, pry up and release the ZIF socket on the right button board.

Gently pull the flex cable out of the socket. Rest the flex cable out of the way.

Step 18

  • Release the tab on the small flex cable socket by prying up the tab with a spudger.
  • Using tweezers, gently pull the flex cable out of the socket. Rest the flex cable out of the way.

Release the tab on the small flex cable socket by prying up the tab with a spudger.

Using tweezers, gently pull the flex cable out of the socket. Rest the flex cable out of the way.

Step 19

  • Remove the two 5.0mm Phillips #00 screws from the metal bracket securing the right button board to the motherboard.
  • Remove the metal bracket, using a spudger as necessary to lift it out.

Remove the two 5.0mm Phillips #00 screws from the metal bracket securing the right button board to the motherboard.

Remove the metal bracket, using a spudger as necessary to lift it out.

Step 20

  • Use a spudger to free the right button board by prying up from the bottom right corner of board.
  • Gently lift the right button board out.

Use a spudger to free the right button board by prying up from the bottom right corner of board.

Gently lift the right button board out.

Step 21

              Left Shoulder Button               
  • Pry up the left shoulder button casing with a spudger.
  • Remove the left shoulder button casing.

Pry up the left shoulder button casing with a spudger.

Remove the left shoulder button casing.

Step 22

  • Remove the translucent, plastic left shoulder button cover.

Remove the translucent, plastic left shoulder button cover.

Step 23

  • Release the left shoulder button flex cable socket by using a spudger to pry open the tab.
  • Be careful to not break off this small black tab!
  • Using tweezers, slide the flex cable out of the socket. Do not pull on the black tab! Instead, pull the thin flex cable away from the connector (to the left in this image).

Release the left shoulder button flex cable socket by using a spudger to pry open the tab.

Be careful to not break off this small black tab!

Using tweezers, slide the flex cable out of the socket. Do not pull on the black tab! Instead, pull the thin flex cable away from the connector (to the left in this image).

Step 24

  • Using a spudger, gently peel up the left shoulder button from the light adhesive connecting it to casing.

Using a spudger, gently peel up the left shoulder button from the light adhesive connecting it to casing.

Step 25

              Left Button Board               
  • Using a spudger, lift and release the tab on the ZIF socket sitting on the SIM card reader.
  • Carefully pull the flex cable out of the ZIF socket, and rest it out of the way.

Using a spudger, lift and release the tab on the ZIF socket sitting on the SIM card reader.

Carefully pull the flex cable out of the ZIF socket, and rest it out of the way.

Step 26

  • Use a spudger to release the tab between the SIM card reader and the back casing assembly.
  • Lift the SIM card reader off the back casing assembly.

Use a spudger to release the tab between the SIM card reader and the back casing assembly.

Lift the SIM card reader off the back casing assembly.

Step 27

  • Release the plastic tab on the small flex cable socket by prying it up with a spudger.
  • Using tweezers, gently remove the small flex cable from the socket, and rest it out of the way.

Release the plastic tab on the small flex cable socket by prying it up with a spudger.

Using tweezers, gently remove the small flex cable from the socket, and rest it out of the way.

Step 28

  • Use a spudger to lift up the tab on the large ZIF socket.
  • Gently pull the flex cable out of the ZIF socket, and rest it out of the way.

Use a spudger to lift up the tab on the large ZIF socket.

Gently pull the flex cable out of the ZIF socket, and rest it out of the way.

Step 29

  • Disconnect the white Wi-Fi antenna cable with a spudger.
  • Remove the Wi-Fi antenna cable.

Disconnect the white Wi-Fi antenna cable with a spudger.

Remove the Wi-Fi antenna cable.

Step 30

  • Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the six screws on the two metal brackets:
  • Two 5.0mm, blue screws on the L-bracket securing the upper left button board to the motherboard.
  • Four 5.0mm, blue screws on the square bracket securing the lower left button board to the motherboard.

Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the six screws on the two metal brackets:

Two 5.0mm, blue screws on the L-bracket securing the upper left button board to the motherboard.

Four 5.0mm, blue screws on the square bracket securing the lower left button board to the motherboard.

Step 31

  • Starting from the upper left corner, use a spudger to pry up and remove the left button board.

Starting from the upper left corner, use a spudger to pry up and remove the left button board.

Step 32

              Rear Camera               
  • Using the pointy end of a spudger, pry up and release the GPS antenna cable from the motherboard.
  • Remove the GPS antenna cable.

Using the pointy end of a spudger, pry up and release the GPS antenna cable from the motherboard.

Remove the GPS antenna cable.

Step 33

  • Release the camera flex cable socket by prying up on the tab with a spudger.

Release the camera flex cable socket by prying up on the tab with a spudger.

Step 34

  • Using a spudger, gently pry up on the camera.
  • Work your way under the camera and along the camera flex cable, using the spudger to peel away the adhesive, freeing the camera.

Using a spudger, gently pry up on the camera.

Work your way under the camera and along the camera flex cable, using the spudger to peel away the adhesive, freeing the camera.

Step 35

  • Carefully lift and remove the camera, sliding the flex cable out of the open connector socket.

Carefully lift and remove the camera, sliding the flex cable out of the open connector socket.

Step 36

  • Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the 6.3mm screw beneath the camera.
  • Lift and remove the metal camera bracket.

Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the 6.3mm screw beneath the camera.

Lift and remove the metal camera bracket.

Step 37

  • With the help of a spudger, lift and release the tab on the blue flex cable socket.

With the help of a spudger, lift and release the tab on the blue flex cable socket.

Step 38

  • Using tweezers, gently pull the blue power flex cable out of the socket, and rest it out of the way.

Using tweezers, gently pull the blue power flex cable out of the socket, and rest it out of the way.

Step 39

  • Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the two pink, 4.4mm screws securing the motherboard.

Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the two pink, 4.4mm screws securing the motherboard.

Step 40

  • Gently peel the rubber tab of the game port cover off the plastic casing pins.
  • Remove the game port cover.

Gently peel the rubber tab of the game port cover off the plastic casing pins.

Remove the game port cover.

Step 41

  • Gently peel the rubber tab of the accessory port cover off the plastic casing pins.
  • Remove the accessory port cover.

Gently peel the rubber tab of the accessory port cover off the plastic casing pins.

Remove the accessory port cover.

Step 42

  • Starting at the upper right hand corner, use a spudger to gently lift the motherboard out of the casing assembly.
  • The motherboard is still attached to the casing by a connector on the back of the motherboard. Do not pull the motherboard all the way out, or you may damage the connector.

Starting at the upper right hand corner, use a spudger to gently lift the motherboard out of the casing assembly.

The motherboard is still attached to the casing by a connector on the back of the motherboard. Do not pull the motherboard all the way out, or you may damage the connector.

Step 43

  • Lift the motherboard out and identify the OLED connector still attaching the motherboard to the casing.
  • Holding the Vita on its side, use a spudger to gently pry off the OLED connector from the motherboard.
  • Be sure to hold the motherboard while you release the connector as this will free the motherboard. If you are not holding the motherboard, it will fall.

Lift the motherboard out and identify the OLED connector still attaching the motherboard to the casing.

Holding the Vita on its side, use a spudger to gently pry off the OLED connector from the motherboard.

Be sure to hold the motherboard while you release the connector as this will free the motherboard. If you are not holding the motherboard, it will fall.

Step 44

  • Completely separate the motherboard from the case. Set the case aside.

Completely separate the motherboard from the case. Set the case aside.

Step 45

  • Flip the motherboard over so that the rear camera is facing you on the right.
  • Release the rear camera flex cable socket by prying up on the tab with a spudger. Leave the socket open.

Flip the motherboard over so that the rear camera is facing you on the right.

Release the rear camera flex cable socket by prying up on the tab with a spudger. Leave the socket open.

Step 46

  • Gently pull the rear camera out of the flex cable socket.

Gently pull the rear camera out of the flex cable socket.

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

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                    Brittany McCrigler                     

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iFixOmaha LLC - Feb 6, 2017

Reply

This is not it’s rear-facing camera though - it is it’s front-facing camera.