Instruction Video to Take Apart Your Axim X50 PDA - Page 4

kcallahan · 06-12-08, 04:23 PM

Thanks Spunker88 - They all work now.

Must be the firewall at my work.

BigGayAl · 07-04-08, 03:49 AM

What a great video. Thanks to this video, I was confident enough to disassemble my X51v, remove the evil battery latch switch and short out the contacts. Thanks for taking the time to help others.

bernardm · 07-05-08, 10:20 PM

You're welcome!

bernardm · 07-07-08, 07:52 AM

I restored the PublicFTP link last night. It only took a few months to do. So now the link in the OP works.

Anyway, the video can be downloaded to local drive using the PFTP link, or google works fine, too.

Bernard

pdamaster · 08-27-08, 05:10 AM

Hi there Bernard

I've just watched your video - very good! I'm not sure what the problem is with my Axim. I only use it nowadays as a GPS unit but when were on holiday a couple of weeks ago driving back from Switzerland, I noticed that the unit was not charging in the car holder. I fiddled around with the Axim and it appeared to work (orange light came on), but then would flick off again. In the end I cradled it in my lap for miles holding the thing at a certain angle so that the light was on!!! The light even turned green eventually, and so I thought all was well. However, the next time I switched it on, it said the battery was low, so I don't think it was charging.

We gave up on it in the end and I thought I would simply charge it in the cradle when I got home. Here the problem lies, I think. When I put the Axim in the cradle, the light didn't come on at all. It makes me think that the connectors in the bottom of the Axim might be damaged??? I thought a good wheeze was to simply take out the main battery and charge that in the cradle, which I did, but when I put the battery back in the Axim, it said that the backup battery wasn't charged and I had therefore lost all my data and it had gone back to factory settings. Well, as I said, I only use it for GPS and the maps are on a separate SD card, so it doesn't take that much to set the software up again....just a bit time-consuming and annoying.

I really like my Axim and woud love to have it back in operation. Having seen your video, I am tempted to take it apart and check everything but I'm not sure that what I can do will fix the problem. Of course, it may be that the backup battery has failed, but I would think that the light indicators would operate properly if that were the case?

Any thoughts?

I'm so desperate that I've even begun looking at buying an X51v on Ebay, but I don't know if I'd be getting into worse troubles with the added problems that model suffered from?.....I never updated my X50v to WM5 and was happy using it on Win 2003.

Again, any suggestions would be very welcome. Oh, and I'm in the UK if that makes any difference concerning people who might be able to fix my Axim if it came to that....

Many thanks for any help.

Chris.

kcallahan · 08-27-08, 05:20 AM

First, the orange/green light is only for the main battery and not the backup battery. So, it appears your backup battery needs to be replaced.

Second, I have a similar problem with mine when it's in the cradle. I have to make sure it's seated just right by wiggling it from side to side. This only happens in one of my cradles. The other one is just fine.

The question is, does your battery charge in the cradle now, even if you wiggle it a little bit?

pdamaster · 08-27-08, 06:55 AM

Nope, the Axim doesn't charge whilst in the cradle - no lights come on at all except when I have the cradle on my lap and press hard down....then the orange light flickers on and off.

I just switched the Axim on and the power information said that the backup battery was "normal" and there was 80% life in the main battery (considering I charged the main battery on the cradle, I guess that's why - it wasn't charged with just the Axim sitting on the cradle). This definitely makes me think that as this is the same when it's in the car charger cradle, that something has happened to the connector pins on the Axim itself....can these be repaired??

Many thanks.

pdamaster · 08-27-08, 06:55 AM

Nope, the Axim doesn't charge whilst in the cradle - no lights come on at all except when I have the cradle on my lap and press hard down....then the orange light flickers on and off.

I just switched the Axim on and the power information said that the backup battery was "normal" and there was 80% life in the main battery (considering I charged the main battery on the cradle, I guess that's why - it wasn't charged with just the Axim sitting on the cradle). This definitely makes me think that as this is the same when it's in the car charger cradle, that something has happened to the connector pins on the Axim itself....can these be repaired??

Many thanks.

kcallahan · 08-27-08, 07:56 AM

It does use a different set of pins when it's charged in the car and when it's in the cradle. To answer your question - yes it can be fixed by replacing the connector. However, it could be the cradle. The cradle must be charging somewhat because it charged the backup battery.

Here's a link to PPC Tech that can do the repairs. Pocket PC Techs - Accessories for AT&T 8925 WriteSHIELD® Combo DELUXE 2-Pak Kit

I believe they have repair facilities in GB. You'll just have to contact them to find out where they're located.

Good luck.

bernardm · 08-27-08, 11:22 PM

pdamaster-

I do have a backup battery assembly (or 2) in a drawer that will work in your x50v.

You can get in touch with me if you would like to try replacing it. Once you get the shell apart, and the mobo exposed, the backup battery is quite easy to replace.

I don't mind shipping to England.

Bernard.

pdamaster · 08-28-08, 07:57 AM

Hi Bernard

Well, that's VERY kind of you!

However, I'm wondering if it really is the backup battery that's dead as it does say it is "normal"..... I think it might be the connector pins as it seems to be faulty in both the desktop cradle AND the car cradle......

Do you know of anything I could do to check/clean the connectors myself, or will it be a repair job by a technician?.....

Many thanks.

kcallahan · 08-28-08, 09:23 AM

The real question is - How did the backup battery get charged. You charged the main battery in the back of the cradle. The backup battery has to charge from either the cradle or car charger.

bernardm · 08-28-08, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdamaster

Hi Bernard

Do you know of anything I could do to check/clean the connectors myself, or will it be a repair job by a technician?.....

Many thanks.

I'm sorry. I would have to see the unit.

Take care.
bernard

bernardm · 08-28-08, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcallahan

The real question is - How did the backup battery get charged. You charged the main battery in the back of the cradle. The backup battery has to charge from either the cradle or car charger.

I was thinking the same thing.

whitlbc · 11-21-08, 11:15 PM

I watched your viseo and took mine apart to change the backup battery. My axim will not power on. I have left a post but have not fixed the problem. The problem started when I left it in my car when I went on vacation. When I returned it would not power on. I thought that the battery was dead. I put a new battery in and that did not fix it. I have tried everything and still can not get it to turn on. Soft and hard reset, checked the lock switch, new main and backup battery. Can you please help me?