Don’t You hate when your stuff breaks? How about it breaking while it’s most needed? Yeah, I also hate when that happens.
Case 1: XBOX controller
During testing of another project I discovered that pressing right trigger doesn’t do anything and same went for the back button. I kind of had it coming, since this controller is new, but I got a replacement, a non-original one, which are obviously of absolutely horrendous quality.
Taking it apart reveals…
Yyyyyeeeeeaaaaaahhhhh…
Seems about right. In conclusion we have corrosion, weird, probably radioactive stuff on rubber pads and broken traces.
Well, I started with cleaning and that seemingly fixed back button, as I read continuity after doing so. Secondly, I repaired traces going to the down pad on D-pad and GND trace leading to the trigger potentimeter. Sure, these fixes don’t look great, but they work and that’s the most important thing to me.
After fixing this thing I have two life lessons in my mind: never again buy not original controllers and I need to get an original controller.
Case 2: Lenovo X230
During the night my daily-driver laptop just stopped charging. No amount of cable manipulations, unplugging and replugging, rebooting didn’t do anything. One final solution was in order: time to rip it apart and see what’s wrong.
For things I’m not used to open I like to put screws accoridingly to where they came from. Makes reassembly so much easier.
Here’s your problem. Protective tape got damaged and connector was shorting to metal chassis. Proper fix would be to replace this connector, but since I already wanted something newer and didn’t want to invest I just went full redneck style.
Does it look good? Nope. Does it work? We’re about to find out.
Good sign, laptop still worked on battery.
Yep, charging again. Looks like my stupid, but not-entirely-stupid workaround works! I have plans for this laptop after I get a newer one, so I’m glad to see it still going strong.
Thanks for reading!