Disassembling the Shadow
From AllShadow.com Wiki
Ok.. to get started, you need a #0 Phillips (important), T3 Torx, a plastic implement that you can insert to snap apart the phone, and a pair of tweezers (not pictured).
Take the battery and sim card out, and peel off the little sticker that says VOID to reveal the housing screw (yep - you're going to VOID all warranty on the phone when you do this!). If you ever wondered what water damage does to the little white sticker, here's your chance! :cry:
Use a Phillips screwdriver to take out the screw. Here comes the first challenging part. You will need to insert a thin plastic edge between the top housing and the body, and try to snap the housing out. Since I mess around with phones a lot, I have this handy plastic tool. But a credit card will also do. DO NOT use a screwdriver. Your hand might slip and you will shear electronics right along the edge of the phone. Be gentle but firm, take your time, and the housing WILL snap off. Here's what it looks like:
Next take out the four screws, three of which hold the antenna in place. The antenna should come off pretty easily. Lift it from the bottom and swivel it to the top.
Next, another VERY critical part. You will see two flex cables on the side for volume and quick select keys. Lift up the black retainer with the tip of your plastic tool (for both, the lift point is towards the middle of the phone). Then with a pair of fine tweezers, CAREFULLY slide out the flex cable. If you screw up at this point and break the cables, forget it - no more use of those keys.
Also take out the vibration unit from its housing. The entire board sits on the phone and is primarily hooked with a clip on the top left side. So lift up from the bottom right, and you should be able to pivot the board out. Before you do that, see next instruction...
As you slowly pull out the board, turn the phone over. You will see the connection for the keyboard. If you have skinny fingers, you can reach in and snap that off. Otherwise use something plastic to snap that off.
Be gentle as you take the board out because the connection for the LCD is on the bottom of the board, and a little hidden. After you snap out the keyboard connection, the board will lift up more, and you can unsnap the LCD connection. Here's what it looks like.
Next, open the slider (it's easier to do the next part), and unscrew the four screws that hold the slider assembly in place. Don't worry - you won't mess the slider up.
Be very careful as you pull out the flex cable. Don't damage it, otherwise bye-bye Shadow. Take out the four torx screws on the four corners to get to the back of the LCD.
Remember your frustration in unsnapping the first housing. Here comes the next one. There are three points on each of the long edges of the front housing that the cover sits on. You have to start on one end, and run your tool through the edge and lift it out of each point. Once one entire side is out, you can lift the entire cover by hand. Have patience, and it will work.
If you made it this far, congrats! Just a little more to go. Take out the two screws on the top for the speaker. Just below the screws you can sort of see the tabs that the LCD screen sits under. The connection for the LCD flex cable is on the bottom right (sorry - I forgot to mark that, but you can make it out). Lift the plastic film up. Snap up the connector, and slide the cable out. Once done, your Shadow is virtually disassembled!!
This was as far as I needed to go. There is a single screw on the bottom edge that holds the board for the jog dial and navigation keys. Remove that board, and the Shadow is in pieces.
Good luck! Please use this guide only if you're utterly desperate. If you have no experience in being gentle with electronics then you WILL destroy your phone. Otherwise, for those who always wanted to try and replace that flickering LCD, or tighten up the slider, here's a brief guide for you! Enjoy!!
