Any ideas for how to repurpose/ upcycle these hard drives into something else? Maybe a mini NAS to stream music around my house? Doesn't seem like there's many DIY ideas on the interwebz for what to do with these things but I think it'd be a shame to throw away tech that still has life in it!

What size(s) did you use?

Where is the camera hardware located?

Nothing after Step 5 is necessary for the 1st generation UE Boom, nor is any soldering needed. The game changer is to cut out this small plastic "bar" that sits above one side of the battery clip, making it impossible to pull the clip up and out even if you do manage to disconnect it from the socket. I used this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2KX80xS...

My advice, break the tab first, this will give you access to be able to squeeze the clip with pliers and extract it. Note, the actual battery itself is also held in place with some space-filling foam, so you will need to find a way to pull HARD to get it out, and then line up the battery within the cutouts of the foam, otherwise you won't be able to push it back in far enough to screw the cover back on.

Use a heat gun (or hair dryer on high) first around the edges before attempting to pry it open. There are six tabs: one directly in line with the charging port; one approx 3/4 inch to the left and right of that tab; one centered against the back of the volume control "panel", and one approx 3/4 inch to either side of that one. So when prying, try to insert your spudger in between those spacings in order to not push on the tabs directly.

Has anyone found a suitable optical enclosure that would accommodate the front edge of this drive? Every enclosure I've seen so far would have the door protruding past the enclosure's opening (as opposed to sitting flush with the enclosure's opening), leaving its top edge unprotected.

One of my 12mm screws appears to be stripped, and neither of screwdrivers that are both long enough and narrow enough to reach it can turn it. Any ideas how to get it out? I have the other 5 screws out …

I realize this is over a year old, but for anyone else’s future reference you can find replacement boards on ebay. There is even a seller with brand new 700’s serial number boards (AKA the last batches available after the bootloop recalls). I think the name is “gsmplaza” IIRC; they’re based in Israel and are the only sellers selling BRAND NEW boards, not refurbished or used, so it shouldn’t be hard to find.

Is the Qualcomm WCD9330 where the DAC resides?

By dislodged, do you mean that the cable slipped out of the connector— or that the cable broke? If it came out of the connector you will need some angled tweezers to flip the connector tab up and then slide the cable back under it, then snap the connector closed over it. If the cable broke, then you will need to get a replacement (I got mine on ebay).