Replacing the screen on an original Gameboy...

[Markimus of K.]

I'm going to be replacing the screen on my original gameboy and I have a few questions for you experts.

 

I've got the gameboy, the new screen, so that's all good. My new screen didn't come with any instructions at all. Now I know I pretty much have to pry off the old one and slap in the new one but I'm wondering how do I pry off the old one without marking the gameboy itself.

 

I googled around for it and all I could find was Nintendo's official line stating that instructions would be included with the "official" screen replacement. Well, unfortunatley, my screen is not "official" for their 18 year old system.

 

Does anyone have any tips on how to remove the old screen without marking the heck out of the unit? I don't want to "experiment" here as the gameboy itself is in truly mint condition and I sorely want to keep it that way.

 

thanks!

 

Markimus of K.

[shadow460]

Yes. You need a set of tri wing or jeweler's screwdrivers. You also need a #0 Phillips once you get into the case.

 

What you'll wanna do is remove the six screws holding the unit together. The smallest or maybe the second smallest screwdriver in the set will do it--or if you've got a tri wing, use that. Once inside, you'll see where the two halves of the Game Boy are connected by a ribbon cable. Carefully unplug it. Now unscrew what I call the "TV board" from the front half of the case. Be careful not to lose the controller parts! With that out, you can push the old screen cover outward from the case with your hands. Clean all that gunk off that it leaves behind and then use double sided Scotch tape to hold the new screen cover in place.

 

Changing the acutal screen is something I've never done, but if it were me, I'd grab a Game Boy that's got a bad case or something and swap the entire board from that into your unit.

I gather from the first post, though, that you're simply trying to replace the outer screen cover that seems to get scratched just as time goes by.

 

Once you get the stuff replaced, it goes back together easily. Make sure you get that ribbon cable connected good or you'll have missing lines in the screen and have to go back and re seat it.

[Markimus of K.]

Holy Mother of God! I thought I only had to do an external fix here! Are you saying I have to dissasemble the unit to take the screen off? I think I see where you are coming from but that is WAY more than I wanted to do! I just want to replace the scratched up screen with a new one...

[Crazy Climber]

Just buy a new Gameboy. There like 5 bucks

[ApolloBoy]

Holy Mother of God! I thought I only had to do an external fix here! Are you saying I have to dissasemble the unit to take the screen off? I think I see where you are coming from but that is WAY more than I wanted to do! I just want to replace the scratched up screen with a new one...

 

I think maybe you should have clarified if you were replacing the LCD screen itself or the plastic protector covering it. In that case, you can try carefully prying up on the old screen protector with a small flathead screwdriver or something similar, than stick the new one on.

[gdement]

When you replace the screen cover on a GB Advance, Nintendo includes a plastic gadget with a very sticky foam thing on the end of it. You mash that on the corner of the screen and just peel the screen off. I imagine the same technique would work on an older Game Boy, if you had something that sticks hard enough. Maybe you can glue something to it.

 

My screen cover just fell off many years ago. Maybe yours won't take much convincing to do the same.

 

Make sure you get that ribbon cable connected good or you'll have missing lines in the screen and have to go back and re seat it.

Sheesh... you mean that's all it was? I had to send my GB in for repair back when it was about 1 year old because half the columns of pixels on the screen were blank, and I think the sprites were sometimes followed by dark vertical lines. I always wondered if they fixed it or gave me a new one. I guess they probably just reseated the cable then.

[RickHarrisMaine]

This is good info to know. I need to fix mine, which I've had since 1990!

[Video]

Er, from the sound of it, I believe he means that he's replacing the screen cover on the gameboy. Not the LCD part of it.

 

It's very easy to get that part off, without taking the system apart.

 

You'll notice where the edge of the screen meets the DMG's case, there's an ever so slight gap there. The best thing I've found to use, to get this off is actually a razor knife (box cutter, exacto, etc) You just stick the point down in that slight gap and carefully pry up.

 

The screen cover should come up very easily with very little effort. As it starts to come up, move along the edge and keep prying. Once you have one side up, you syould be able to just stick a finger under the screen and peel it off. Be careful when your doing this, and it should be no problem at all. I've done this several times on my old gameboy's.

 

Once you have the screen off, there may be some gunk left behind, old gule, dirt, etc. You can use a soft cloth moistened with Alcohol and rub most of this off easily. I've rarely had any of the stuff left behind myself. Wait for the plastic to dry. IF you clean the LCD itself, be VERY careful, it's got a rather soft film over it that scratches easily. I would simply advise not touching that part at all myself as long as you don't half to.

 

The back of your new screen itself probably has a piece of thin film over it to protect the glue, you can peel this off, and match it up to the DMG's exposed front and it should just slip right in (I've had no problems with third party screen covers, some people apparently have) The bottome right of the screen is more rounded than the other corners so just match up for that.

 

After getting your new screen on, it shoule be much more enjoyable, not trying to play through all the scratches of the old one.

 

Of course, like Crazy Climber said, you can get a new GB for about $5 or so. I'd say get an update, but some games don't work properly on the newer versions.

[shadow460]

I mis spoke...the ribbon cable I was referring to enables the motherboard and the controls/screen to communicate. There's another ribbon type connection that goes to the screen, if that goes bad, you get missing lines. It's not the only cause of missing lines, though.

 

I like the solid object glued to old screen trick. Prying around the edges is going to leave marks no matter how careful you are. I'm always taking stuff apart, though, so I'd probably push it off from the back since I'd have the unit open to check other things anyway.

[Markimus of K.]

Thanks for all the advise guys. I just got home from work and performed the "Operation".

 

I used a flat head jewelers screwdriver to pry the old screen cover off, it came of really easily, it was actually harder getting the adhesive backing peeled off the new screen!

 

It was so easy that I'm embarrased I posted here first but I thought the old one was going to be harder to remove seeing how these things are built like bricks...

 

oooh! new screen is minty!

 

Thanks again,

 

Markimus of K.

 

PS: for the people who suggested I update my portable, don't worry, I have a GBC, GBA SP, Mircro and DS Lite. Just something about the first one from 1989 I guess!

[Video]

Just something about the first one from 1989 I guess!

I know that, just something special about the old brick.

[shadow460]

Just something about the first one from 1989 I guess!

I know that, just something special about the old brick.

 

I've got a brick, too. Mine is stained by cigarette smoke, so I guess the previous owner smoked like a chimney. It won't get stained any more in my house, since I don't smoke!

Actually, you have to have a brick for the four player adapter. The number one plug is hardwired, and it's one of those big ones.

[mtshark7]

I'd hate to bring up an old thread from the dead but I'm actually trying to replace the LCD screen on an original game boy due to dead pixels on the screen and I tried looking where to buy a replacement lcd screen with no luck...all I can find is the protective cover which is in great condition on the game boy i'm trying to fix.

 

I found this tutorial how to replace it:

http://www.maxjusticz.com/restore-modify-an-original-dmg-gameboy/

 

I just need to know where to buy the part at...any help would be great!

 

Thanks guys!

[Dripfree]

Never had to replace a screen but are your dead pixels columns? I've had 2 original gameboys with dead columns of pixels. If this is your problem I'd recommend a YouTube search for "gameboy dead pixels" there is a neat little soldering iron trick I've used twice now.

[mtshark7]

I have the one with vertical dead pixels...see pic...I tried the soldering iron trick with no luck...maybe I'm doing it wrong?

[mtshark7]

Thanks Dripfree for suggesting the youtube video...ended up fixing it....I didn't realize you had to have the system on so you know that the screen is being fixed haha....thanks for the help!

[mtshark7]

here is the video I used:

 

The article I posted earlier is good too!