Help not screwed any more (I hope)

[Android Question]

Help! The phone got moisture in it and the SD card is not showing. How do I open it? It's a ZTE Z987. All the apps it came with are there, but everything else is gone. There is a strange little tool included but it doesn't work, and neither does a paper clip.

 

[svim]

Getting inside the casing will require a heat gun to loosen the adhesive that holds down the back cover:

http://www.gsmarena.com/zte_grand_xmax-6718.php

 

[mikedt]

Could be the SD holder is jammed, stuck, or possibly rusted solid because of the moisture, if the included ejector tool or a paperclip won't work. In which case you'll likely have to disassemble the phone to get to it.

 

[Android Question]

Where do I get a heat gun and a pry tool, what do they cost, and how do I reassemble the ZTE Z987?

 

[svim]

First off, if you disassemble it do so in an open, well lit work space. Keep track of every step and don't rush anything. Reassembly is just reversing what you did before. ifixit sells a lot of mobile device parts and tools so you can get a heat gun from them for about $20. Amazon is another good source.
https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/Heat-Gun/IF145-031-1
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=heat+gun
You might need to replace any adhesives too:
http://www.amazon.com/Eco-Fused-Adh...6743&sr=8-1&keywords=cell+phone+adhesive+tape
But buying a heat gun for a single use isn't practical. Try prying off the back cover first (but be REALLY gentle, if it just doesn't feel right go with a heat gun).

 

[Android Question]

Hey, thanks for all the advice, but I guess I don't need it after all! I shut the phone off and left it overnight, and the apps have miraculously reappeared, or at least their icons. I know for sure I have music because I'm listening to it right now. Is it safe to recharge? I'm at 84%.

 

[psionandy]

Rather than posting a new question for each update... Why not register for an account.. That way you can update the thread and you'll never miss an answer.


It also makes it easy for us to help you

 

[jflint]

Is it safe to recharge? The apps are back and it's at 55%. Also, how do I get rid of the crud that has collected around the edges, a small brush, maybe?

 

[AZgl1500]

with no hint at what your previous problem was, it is always ok to recharge a battery.

And it is best to try and keep the battery in the upper tier of "being charged"....
if I am not using my phone, it is laying on the Qi wireless charger.....

that way, if I need to jump and run, it is always at 100% and good to go for a full day on the run....

the manufacturers highly recommend you keep the battery at or above 40% for best longevity of the battery.
they also tell you, that modern batteries no longer need to "be protected from" an overcharge... they have built in monitoring circuits to tell the phone's charger to taper off to a slight trickle charge when they reach about 98%.
that is why it takes quite a while to go from 98% to 100%, it is on a slow tapering off charge, for maintenance only.

 

[jflint]

Thanks, my previous problem was that the phone apparently got moisture inside it and all my downloaded apps disappeared, not to mention that it showed no SD card. It seems to have come back overnight, though. I just shut it off and let it rest. I still have to remove the crud around the edges, and I think the max volume might have been lessened somehow. I'm a little worried to shut it off again in case of renewed disappearances.

 

[scary alien]

Hey guys, I've merged what I think are the related/relevant threads/posts here...

Lemme know if I've included something that wasn't part of this .

Cheers!

 

[AZgl1500]

Thanks, my previous problem was that the phone apparently got moisture inside it and all my downloaded apps disappeared, not to mention that it showed no SD card. It seems to have come back overnight, though. I just shut it off and let it rest. I still have to remove the crud around the edges, and I think the max volume might have been lessened somehow. I'm a little worried to shut it off again in case of renewed disappearances.

if you think it might still have moisture trapped inside, several ways to get it to go away.

the most efficient is a Vacuum Chamber, easy to make with a vacuum pump from an auto store, and a few household items and rubber tubing.

2nd best is a lot heat source for an extended time of about 30 minutes to an hour.... gotta be careful to not over do this.
I wrote a thread on this: http://androidforums.com/threads/so-it-got-wet.995578/

3rd best is to just open everything up, and lay it out into open sun next to a closed window... monitor to see that it does not overheat to above ~125° as plastics melt, and screens distort...

4th best is to just get a gallon ziplock bag and fill it full of rice, take everything apart, SIM, SDcard, Battery, etc. and put the phone/parts in the middle of the rice.....

leave it alone for a minimum of 24 hours, 48 hours is better, especially if the touch screen is not working right. It takes a long time for the moisture to leave from between the layers of the screen display and the digitizer.
This is where "Haste Makes Waste", you cannot accelerate this process unless you place the rice in a very warm place. Like on the window sill... that helps.​