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Game Boy Headphone Jack Replacement

Device	Game Boy
Difficulty	Difficult
Time	30 minutes
Steps	11

This guide is by Andrew Tramposch on iFixit and is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0. ByteRot mirrors it for non-commercial preservation: formatting changed and photos resized for old browsers; full-size photos and the text are on the FTP in /DOCS/REPAIR. Original guide >>

This guide will illustrate how to install a new headphone jack on an original Game Boy system. You'll need to know how to solder for this replacement, so be sure to check out iFixit's soldering technique guide. (https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+To+Solder+and+Desolder+Connections/750)

Tools: Phillips #00 Screwdriver; Soldering Iron; Tweezers; iFixit Opening Tool

Step 1 :: Batteries

• Switch your Game Boy off and remove the cartridge.

Step 2

• Use a fingernail (or small coin) to push down on the battery door latch and remove the battery door.
• NOTE: The release latch is a plastic spring clip. If your Game Boy is getting on in years, be careful as the plastic may be brittle.
• REMINDER: When you're replacing the cover, be sure to get its two plastic tabs into the slots in the bottom of the battery compartment before pushing the cover back in place.

Step 3

• Use a fingernail to pry each battery outward from the positive (+) terminal to remove them.
• CAUTION: Dispose of used batteries properly!
• NOTE: Remove the batteries from your Game Boy before storing it for more than a month or so.

Step 4

• Remove the six Triwing screws from the back of the device.

Step 5

• Gently separate the device's front casing from the back casing after you remove the screws.
• CAUTION: Be careful not to completely separate the casing halves, as they are still joined by a large ribbon cable that may be damaged.

Step 6

• Slide the front side of the casing down to expose the ribbon cable connector.

Step 7

• Grip the ribbon connector with your thumb and forefinger. Pull down gently until the connector, not the ribbon itself, comes out of its socket.
• Separate the front and back casings.

Step 8

• The headphone jack is located on the bottom of the rear outer casing, near the battery compartment.
• Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the two screws holding the headphone jack in place.

Step 9

• NOTE: Once the headphone jack is detached it will dangle by the wires attached to the main circuit board. Do not worry about the connections, they are solid and will not break.
• Use a Phillips#00 screwdriver to remove the two screws that hold the main circuit board to the casing. This will allow access to the connection points of the headphone jack.

Step 10

• Use a plastic opening tool to remove the main circuit board from the casing.
• Once the main circuit board is removed, set aside the outer casing.

Step 11

• Desolder the four wires connecting the headphone jack to the motherboard.
• Desolder the four wires connected to the headphone jack
• NOTE: To learn more about soldering, check out iFixit's soldering technique guide. (https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+To+Solder+and+Desolder+Connections/750)
• Remove the headphone jack with tweezers (https://www.ifixit.com/en-ca/products/tweezers).

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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