It’s not a difficult repair. You only have to get to Step 7.

The problem is that HTC don’t make parts available and it looks like a proprietary part.

If it’s under warranty, send it to them. Otherwise you could try popping it open and hope the fault is that the connector is loose or dirty.

Hi David.

Difficult question.

In some cases if the board dies the data dies with it.

In others it can be connected to another machine to recover the data.

In others it can be but needs board repairs (apple does not offer this so 3rd party only and bye bye warranty)

Best case would be to ensure an up to date backup is kept and keep nothing mission critical on the machine

@repoman27 While you are correct that involved repairs that require specialized equipment and training IE BGA rework. can recover almost anything from a macbook in any condition. Have you ever checked the cost of having someone do BGA rework on a motherboard? And will Apple ever offer the service?

And failing that will Apple ever help 3rd parties to complete these type of repairs, ie supply the required parts and manuals?

If you watch some of Louis Rossmann’s videos regarding parts availability and the CBS special on taking a macbook with a simple fault that was immediately quoted the cost of the unit and with no data intact.

Apple could resolve this cheaply and simply by making the SSD removable and to use either a removable TPM or include the encryption method on the SSD to allow for it to be connected to another system for data recovery.

Ostensibly no. It’s a hardware encryption co-processor. It allows for much higher speeds while maintaining very high levels of encryption.

It also integrates many extra functions. It replaces many of the discrete components into a single black box as well.

System Management Controller, image signal processor, audio controller, and SSD controller

Taken from https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208862

It also is the core of Touch ID and all of the secure boot and encrypted storage functions.

However there are concerns that this may become the fact. As this is the SMC (System Management Controller) it could be used to track the serial numbers or other applicable identifiers to make sure that no component is replaced without an AASP resetting the coding.

This is only a concern but with apple and the iphone error 53 fiasco we know they obviously have no qualms screwing over their customers to prevent 3rd party repairs.

@ethanzuo

The T2 chip is separate to my issues with this unit. Yes (very) theoretically you could recover from a damaged board. If you look at a comment above by Phillip Hue this requires several things including an intact T2 Chip and power rails to supply power.

However my big problem is the use of an ssd soldered to the motherboard. With a removable ssd it is possible to recover data even if the rest of the board has literal holes in it, components completely corroded off the board or if the USB-C ports are damaged (as in the comment above by Phillip specifies that these are required). My problem is with the way that apple have chosen to have absolutely no replaceable parts.

1 Ram chip fails… That’s a motherboard

1 Ssd chip fails… That’s a motherboard

A USB-C socket fails… That’s a motherboard

The wifi module fails… That’s a motherboard

anything goes wrong… That’s a motherboard

It’s a wasteful and anti consumer decision that cannot be justified

@kreutz Additionally I would agree that the PRO moniker is massively overused/misused however all of Apple’s marketing really emphasizes specifically pro use.

As you said

“Repairability and pro are not connected. Some people value the former, some the later, some both, some neither.”

I would argue however that the pro you are referring to is a marketing gimmick just like “Mitsubishi Heavy Industries” in reference to normal domestic air conditioners. It has no right to claim the “Pro” moniker just as the air con has no right to claim “Heavy Industries”. So the people valuing PRO are quite literally valuing an empty marketing promise over something that could save their business when something goes wrong.

@zimmie So if the motherboard fails completely. ie when a mac gets a whiff of moisture in the air (hyperbole obviously) and the main board craps out and cannot enter DFU mode. What then?

In response to kreutz.

Hypothetical:

The Pro Graphic Designer is working on a commission that has taken several weeks. She has completed another days worth of work while out and about (the main point of a laptop, portability) someone drops liquid into the unit and it fails.

She could just redo the hours of work she just lost after her last backup (assuming she is someone who backs up religiously), however her deadline is tomorrow morning.

If she is using a true pro device she could drop by a computer repair place. Have them remove the SSD and recover the data. (in the macbook pro the SSD is soldered and even if it wasn’t the T2 chip prevents an external computer from reading it). If she is using the “PRO” device that apple sells she is $@$* out of luck and has to pull an all nighter to redo the work or loose the commission and be out all of the work she has done.

The ability to respond to unexpected situations damage, moisture, internal failure or design fault is what should set a PRO device apart.

I’ve been looking for a while and have not been able to locate the part anywhere.

I have removed the plastic surround of the connector and soldered the pins in solidly.

Not a perfect solution and it requires seriously steady hands but it works now. Though I would recommend some hot glue or similar to prevent the pins from shifting and touching.

Now just trying to figure out how to get a replacement headphone from HTC.

It isn’t a match, the older mounts are a little different.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:389044...

This is a 3d printable adapter to allow for the connection of the Deluxe Audio Strap to a vive pro.