Man this phone just about beat me.......

[one1]

So I bought an 8gb iphone off ebay for my lady to try and see if she wants it. (she's still undecided so might sell it might not)

It was being advertised as having a 1604 restore error. This is a hardware error, usually means bad battery or flex cable. Figured, ok I'll replace both if I have to. So I get it today and pop it open. Replace the battery and..... same problem. Replace the flex cable....... same problem. Swap the mobo from one of 8gb to my other 8gb....... same problem. WTF?????

So I spent 9 hours combing the mobo with a magnifying glass, my head is killing me, eyes are hurting..... still nothing. No joy, doesn't work, same dang error 1604.

I know it is a hardware error, I've replaced everything, still no joy. By the way this error will come with the symptom that the phone will not attempt to boot unless it is plugged into the USB and then it will just show a "connect to iTunes" screen. When you connect it will give you the 1604 error while trying to prepare the phone for restore. (on occasion it will say "needs service return to apple" or something like that) This is why it is 99% of the time the battery or flex cable. It has to have USB power to boot up.

Well long story short it turns out to be the comm board. I use the comm board from my spare phone and BAM it fires right up after sitting here trying to fix it for 11 frikken hours.

Uhg, I'm just glad it works. Anyway just passing along more info. If you have a 1604 error it is usually the battery going bad, but can be the flex cable. Apparently 1% of the time it can also be the comm board shutting the phone down.

Symptoms:

- Won't boot unless plugged into USB or charger.
- Goes directly to connect to iTunes screen or shows "needs service return to apple"
- returns a 1604 error which is a hardware code.

First blame the battery, then blame the flex cable, finally blame the comm board. Unless you are good with electronics I wouldn't mess with the comm board, unless you have balls of steel I wouldn't even consider a flex cable replacement, and if you have a reasonable amount of experience with SMD technology and understand how dangerous LI-ON batteries are you might be able to do the battery.

Remember as a warning, one 4 volt LI-ON battery is equal to 1/4 stick of dynamite. Don't screw with things you can't handle, the space to work in there is less than 2mm per contact and if they touch, LI-ON's go boom.

[cpjr]

Hahaha, glad you got it fixed.

Classic water damage symptoms.

[one1]

You'd think this one had it, but it was perfect inside, all the water damage checkpoints (there are a few) were all white like they were supposed to be. I was certainly the only person that was ever inside this phone, it nearly took a crowbar to get into it from the sides being so tight and "frosty" as I call it which means it has sat long enough to get that little bond on it where it cracks when you separate it. (like a squeaking door, but a crack)

Phone just appeared to have a hardware failure. P.I.T.A.!

My head hurtz........ my eyes hurt worse.

[cpjr]

^^Ahhh, but such a sweet victory

[one1]

Oh hell yeah..... If I sell it I want a million bucks. damn thing owes me a day of my life.

[cpjr]

Throw it in B/S/T "Iphone - recesitated personally by one1"

Should bring about that many bones.