Is it possible to take apart the upper screen on a DS?

[A_Locomotive]

So last night I busted out my DS for the first time in quite a while to play and once again noticed something that bugs the crap out of me. The upper screen is full of dust. How it worked its way in there I have no idea but it bugs the crap out of me as it makes the system impossible to play in anything but low light as the little dust particles light up making it hard to see. I'd like to clean that crap out. Does anyone know how to take apart the upper screen on a DS? Mine is the original model.

[Eltigro]

A hammer. Oh... you're probably still wanting it to work afterwards... never mind...

[Video]

I don't kow about the i variants, but the regualr DS and lite's have a screen protector thing. You can pry that bit up with a knife, but be careful, as far as I'm aware, you can't get replacements if you damage it. Of course, that leaves the glue that holds it down exposed, but if your careful it shouldn't be a problem.

 

I haven't tried, but I bet those little square indentions in the upper corners of the screen are probably plugs covering screw heads. If you could get those out, you can probably take the whole case apart, but I'd look it up first....I know you can buy replacement screens, so you have to be able to take the thing apart somehow. Maybe Deal extreme would have a guide to taking it apart?

[Sir Guntz]

The best way to get rid of that dust, which also poses the least risk to the top screen (except for it's ribbon cable), is to simply disassemble the entire system. I know it sounds like a lot, but there's some advantages to it. You can even see how much crud has accumulated in the corners and creases of your DS.

 

The big question though, what kind of DS do you have? The DS Phat isn't too terribly difficult to take apart... It's the DS Lite that sucks. The two hardest parts are fitting the top screen ribbon cable through all the hoops and stuff... And the extremely finicky ribbon cables. If all three aren't completely connected just perfectly, the system won't start up properly. Usually the light comes on, a screen flashes white then it turns off. The big culprit of this headache is usually the top screen ribbon cable. If it gets damaged, you'll also get this same issue.

 

Yeah I don't heartily recommend opening the DS Lite because of those two issues, but with skill and patience it's not too bad. I'm getting better at taking them apart. I've had to install replacement plastic shells before.