HTC Thunderbolt Motherboard Replacement

Insert the plastic opening tool into the top of the Thunderbolt near the power button.

Gently pry up on the rear panel around the edges until it is loose.

Lift and remove the rear panel.

Using the plastic opening tool, lift up the battery from the bottom near the kickstand.

Remove the battery from the inner frame.

Use your finger to push the MicroSD card in towards the top of the phone, allowing it to be released from the casing.

Use tweezers to grab onto the MicroSD card and carefully remove it from the casing.

Remove the six Phillips screws from the perimeter of the rear frame.

Insert the plastic opening tool into the bottom of the phone underneath the soft keys.

Gently pry up on the plastic cover by sliding the plastic opening tool across the bottom of the phone.

Remove the plastic cover.

Remove the two Phillips screws where the plastic cover was.

Insert the plastic opening tool in between the screen and the frame on the side of the phone.

Slowly slide the the plastic opening tool along the side of the phone until the screen begins to separate from the frame.

Do the same for the opposite side of the phone.

Carefully separate the screen and phone from the rear frame, starting from the bottom.

Gently pull down on the phone and screen to fully separate it from the rear frame.

Using the tip of an plastic opening tool flip up the tab holding the capacitive button ribbon cable.

Use a pair of tweezers to pull the capacitive button cable out of its socket.

Lifting from the side where the ribbon was disconnected, flip over the motherboard.

Remove the black tape covering the tabs connecting the motherboard and LCD.

Using the plastic opening tool pop up the two tabs connecting the LCD and motherboard.

Once the tabs have been popped up, slowly pull the two pieces away from each other.

The motherboard should now be completely disconnected