Before beginning, please be sure that you have the necessary tools. You'll need (a) a very small flat-head screwdriver, (b) a small Phillips screwdriver, (c) and a tri-wing screwdriver. The tri-wing screwdriver can be obtained by doing an Internet search (Google, Yahoo!, etc.) and looking for "Gameboy Advance Screwdriver." To my knowledge, this screwdriver cannot be bought in store.
If you're doing this for someone else, I recommend fully testing the phone before taking it apart. Check the speakers (regular and loud) and the mic to be sure of proper operation.
Start with the phone lying face-down in front of you. Before you take the battery off, you'll need to remove the screw cover located directly next to the antenna. It's not the small rubber circle; rather, it's the rectangle with the rounded edges. Just use the small flat-head and push into the edge. This piece is nothing more than a sticker, but it may take a little effort to pry it off. Now remove the battery cover. You'll see a total of 4 tri-wing screws here. Remove those and set them aside.
Using your thumbnail or the flat-head, go around the edge of the phone and split the phone apart. You should hear a "snapping" sound. Don't panic! This is just the clips releasing. There are two clips on each side of the phone to release. After that is done, hold the phone upside down and gently pull the phone apart while wiggling it. The phone should pop apart. Sometimes one of the side keys falls out while doing this. Don't worry, all you have to do is just slide it back in and you're set.
After you get the back completely off, you should be able to see a small square hole at the top of the phone where the hinges are. Look into this hole. On the right side, you'll see a white plastic "pop-rivet." Use your screwdriver and push in towards the center as well as out. You're trying to push this out of the side of the phone. It takes a little practice at first, but it will pop out. The edges may be damaged a little, also, but it will still go back into the phone when you're done. After you get the hinge out, put the back of the phone back together. Leave the hinge lying on the counter for now.
Congratulations! You're halfway done with this phone. After you've finished putting the screws into the back of the phone, flip it open. You'll notice four (4) screw covers around the inner-LCD screen. Just as with the piece next to the antenna, these are nothing more than stickers. Push as deep as you can with your flat-head screwdriver and pull them out. Then take the four (4) tri-wing screws out just as you did in the back of the phone.
Remember how you popped the back of the phone off? You're going to do the same thing to the front of the phone. After you've gotten all 4 screws out of the phone, run your thumbnail or a small flat-head around the slit in the edge of the phone. You'll hear the same "snapping" sound, and then it will pop open like a car hood.
After you've opened the phone, look at the hinge. You should see a small silver piece (similar to a jigsaw puzzle piece) that you can snap out with your fingernail. Go ahead and pop that piece out. Now this should look familiar! Just as you did in the back of the phone, pop this hinge out as well and the faceplate will slide right off.
Now just take your Phillips screwdriver and remove the loudspeaker from the plate. You'll see two screws. It may help to have your screwdriver magnetized so you don't lose the screws. Put the speaker into the new plate and replace the screws. Put the little plastic cover back of the hole, and the put the faceplate back onto the phone. Push down on the outside edges, and you'll hear the "snapping" sound again. That's a good thing. It means you have put it back together properly.
Before you put the screws and hinges back in, this is a good time to turn the phone back on and test it. When it powers up, you should hear the startup sound. If not, check and make sure the phone is not set to vibrate or silent modes and try it again. If you still do not hear it, don't panic. Open up the phone again and look towards the top of the LCD. You'll see what looks like two little gold feet. These are not making contact with the speaker (that's screwed into the faceplate). Very very very carefully, bend them up just a little and close the faceplate again. Try the speaker. If you did everything correctly, you should hear something coming out of it. Now replace the hinges, screws, and screw covers and admire your work! Send a picture to me at coolpix@thephoneguyonline.com and I'll post it to the photo gallery!
If you need to see pictures of anything described above, please go to my website (listed below), click on 'Installations', and the proper PDF file. There is no charge for this. After clicking on the file, you'll have the PDF pop up on your screen with pictures embedded.
Disclaimer: The Phone Guy Online claims no liability for customers taking apart their phones. The pictures and instructions provided herein are to be used as a guide. Even though we provide these instructions, we still recommend taking your phone to a trained professional should you experience any difficulty whatsoever. Through our experience, we know that not all phones behave in exactly the same fashion (ie: a little "rigging" may be necessary with some after-market accessories).
Jason R. Cunningham
The Phone Guy
http://www.thephoneguyonline.com
thephoneguy@thephoneguyonline.com
The Internet's #1 Cellular Customization Site