Kindle 2 Motherboard Replacement

Written By: David Scrobonia

Comments: 9

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

30 - 40 minutes

Introduction

Installing a new motherboard takes quite a bit of disassembling. However, if you follow the steps in this guide, you should have no trouble at all.

Tools

Step 1

Lay the Kindle face down on a soft cloth to protect its screen.
Wedge the plastic opening tool in the small opening between the grey plastic and the metal casing.
Move the plastic opening tool across the opening while pressing down to separate the grey plastic from the metal casing.
Slide the gray plastic top piece away from the Kindle's metal casing.
Once the gray plastic top piece is detached from the metal back cover, remove it.

I had a heck of time using the spudger. I have found that grabbing the corners and using my thumbs to push the plastic away worked like a champ.

teamhudson -

Thanks for this tip, was successful using the thumb method :)

Rosie A. -

to help get enough grip with my thumbs, I used a piece of old yoga mat to increase friction between thumbs and the top plastic piece

Rosie A. -

For anyone still looking for this in 2020, see my comment here for how to properly remove the back.

Kindle 2 Teardown

Dave76 - 22/01/20

Step 2

Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the two 4 mm screws from the metal casing.

Step 3

Use the plastic opening tool to push down and pry towards the metal casing to release each of the three clips that hold the metal case in place.
Remove the metal casing.
The volume control button rests in a slot on the side of the Kindle. When the metal casing is removed, the volume control button may fall out. When reassembling, place the volume control button back into its slot.

Step 4

Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the two 3 mm screws that hold the battery in place.
The battery should be removed before continuing with the rest of this guide to prevent harm to you and the device.

Step 5

Pry upward under the black tab with the spudger to dislodge the battery.
Use your fingers to lift the battery out of the device.

Step 6

Rotate the Kindle 180 degrees. Locate the wireless card with the AnyData logo on the top left and the FCC symbol on the right.
Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the two 2mm screws from the wireless card.

Step 7

Use the plastic opening tool to wedge underneath the connection and gently pop off the wire cap.

STEP 7.5 Remove Plastic Protector. There are 16 2.5mm screws keeping it in place. Remove them and the protector will come off easily. I used this guide a few months ago and it had a step here explaining this that now seems to be missing.

teamhudson -

Step 8

Use your fingers to lift the left end of the wireless card.
Pull the card out of the slot.

Step 9

Remove 16 screws from the midframe.

Step 10

Use the plastic opening tool to push each side of the crimp away from each other. This will open the crimp holding the wire.
Use your fingers to lift the wire out of the crimp when there is enough separation between the sides of the crimp.

Step 11

Wedge the opening tool underneath the plastic ribbon and gently pull up to lift the brown connector flap.
Squeeze the plastic ribbon gently with the tweezers and pull away from the connector to remove it.

Step 12

Locate the next brown connector three inches to the right of the previous connector and repeat Step 10 to remove the plastic ribbon.

Step 13

Rotate the device 180 degrees and locate a smaller brown connector on the left side of the device.
Repeat Step 10.

Step 14

Push your finger down on the last plastic ribbon.
Slide your finger away from the connector to remove the last ribbon.

This cable's connector also has a hinge that must be opened to put the cable back in properly.

teamhudson -

You don't have to remove this connector to look at the keyboard. Remove it only if you are looking to replace screen.

Also the black connector can be popped open like the other brown ones, before you pull out the connector cable.

Amit Saxena - 23/09/14

This particular connector must be seated all the way, for the screen to work and it's not easy to get it back in all the way. Be sure to note how far in it is, before removing it.

gruntso - 29/09/14