Probably not as interesting as some of the others, but feel I need to share this to expose my shame.
(This will probably only be of interest to fellow hardware techies)

For about 10 years I worked in a computer hardware repair workshop, fixing all sorts of computer hardware. PCs, Macs, Servers, Laptops, even the occasional PDA. Well into four figures for equipment fixed. Everything from simple RAM changes to resoldering knackered power sockets on laptops (Acer laptops were a particular bastard for this)

I moved to a totally different job. A year after that, Fishcake Jnr's Nintendo DS Lite broke (a crack in the case that stopped it from staying open), I thought "Piece of piss. Done loads of stuff in the past similar to this - how different can it be?

I had a look around the net, found some video instructions, got advice from a couple of people off techie forums that I use and bought a replacement case from a nice man on ebay (good feedback, registered business, quite trustworthy and helpful).

The case arrived on a Saturday. So I cleared the kitchen table, was armed with printed instructions, my laptop for following a video tutorial on youtube, a specially bought tri-wing screwdriver, and of course the DS.

Taking it apart went smoothly. Like a good little techie, each screw I took out was stuck to a piece of A4 and neatly labelled. Nothing dropped, nothing scratched, nothing broken. Did it reasonably quickly. Thought I was halfway through.

No.

Got a few of the components in the new case, quite pleased with my little self. Because I'm not a DIY kind of person in the slightest, I was feeling proud that I was finally being a 'fix it' dad! Hooray! I'm no longer just a "let someone else repair it" person. My son will be so proud! He'll be able to say that his dad fixed his DS!

However, from then on, it all started going to shit. When I was taking the wireless aerial cable out, it came out within seconds, totally intact. Putting the fucking thing back in took literally 35 minutes and much self-censoring. And then I had the rest of it to do. The power switch and volume control were a right royal pain in the ringpiece. The tiny little ribbon cable for the top screen took a fucking lifetime to get in, with lots of twiddling. It took bloody ages to get the components all plugged back in, so before I put the final screws back in, thought I'd give it a power up to check it out. HOORAY! Both screens came on! Sound came on! Brilliant! Touched the screen to try a game. Touched the screen again. And again. And again with increasing desperation. The touch screen wasn't working. OK, why the hell not?

So I took it apart again. Taking each screw and labelling it properly again. Noticed a loose cable. Plugged it in. Did a couple of other fiddly things that I'd noticed, whilst I was there. Put it back together again, taking just as long as before. Turned it on. Bottom screen came on. Top screen *did* come on, but it was covered with all sorts of video corruption. SHIT.

Turned it off. Took it apart again, feeling increasingly shit. Saw that the cable to the top screen appeared to be loose. SO AGAIN... plugged it back in, put it partially back together and powered it up again. The top screen was still fucked. I tried the bottom screen anyway, That still wasn't working.

Remember how I wrote a few paragraphs up that I "Did a couple of other fiddly things that I'd noticed, whilst I was there."? One of those things was taking off this clear plastic thing on the front of the bottom screen, that had a little border around it. On further inspection, i discovered that I'd messily ripped (what I assume to be) the fucking touch screen off it. I then took a closer look at the cable for the top screen. What's that? Oh crap - a tiny rip in it.

I felt totally dejected. FAILURE. Had to explain to Jnr that "There were a few other things wrong with it as well". Contacted the guy that sold the case to me and sent it off for him to repair.

I couldn't face admitting to my son that I'd royally fucked it up. But I think he knows that his dad, whilst lovely and caring, is absolutely crap at fixing things. 10 years of skill and experience obviously flushed right down the toilet.
( Mike Fishcake teamfishcake.co.uk - better than your mum's face, Fri 4 Dec 2009, 12:13, 2 replies)

Laptop power sockets
I feel your pain - I've done about a dozen of these. £4 for a replacement socket, then about a full day's work dismantling the bastard, with seventeen bazillion fiddly screws to lose, then reassembling said bastard, with the obligatory 4 screws left over.
Ack, ptui. Nasty. Laptops, I hates them.
(WaveyDavey, Sun 6 Dec 2009, 12:13, closed)

I've done mine twice - and I'm soon to do it again
The hinge went floppy on my white Lite, so I got a "Shock" case in.

Putting it back together, with the wire that goes under the cartridge slot and the twist/curl of the top screen cable, does indeed get annoying. For the wire, the trick is to not change the bends in it when you pull it out, and it'll settle back once you manage to poke it through. For the ribbon, it's just roll and try again, and again, and again...

After a week the Shock case shattered at the hinge too, so I sent it back for a new one, and did it all again. And just recently I've noticed the left shoulder now needs squeezing hard enough to deform the case or it doesn't work...

Not sure how you managed to peel off the touchscreen! Inspired genius.
( Fronds are waving gently on, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 10:10, closed)