iPhone 7 Error 4013 - Baseband problem

Today got an iPhone 7 is having restore failed show Error 4013 in iTunes.

NOTE: This article is not suitable and is outdated when iOS 12 released. You can keep reading if you had an iPhone with this issue and didn't repair that time.

Article link about iPhone 7 and 7 Plus Baseband No Service Problem Repair for iOS 13.

(In September 2018, iOS 12 released. There won't be an error code to stop for restore. But you still stuck in activation mode. Unable to activate your iPhone)  

Customer said before it was working but just no service (network). Then he sent it to the previous shop, the guy restored the software and it ended with error 4013. Then it stuck at Recovery mode.

Older iOS will display different iTunes logo and Cable.

By hearing the client said it was No Service. We already know it got a network or signal issue.
it's a famous problem for iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus. Same as iPhone 6 Plus touch disease.

This we called it  - iPhone 7 Baseband disease.

OK, for who googled about this issue and found this page. I'm going to share some tips here.
I'm telling you that DO NOT restore your iPhone. It never was a software issue. Definitely is a HARDWARE problem.

If you insist to restore it, then your iPhone will stuck in Recovery Mode (Happened in iOS 11 or earlier). So what so bad about it?
Can't gaming or use app? No!! The biggest problem is some shop they intend to swap your expensive part like camera with faulty one..  since your iPhone is unable to enter iOS, how are you going to check all the functions?

Most of them don't have the skill to do repair logicboard ic. So they swap out those cameras (7Plus camera worth a few hundred!) and might charge you for diagnosis fee which they just did software method that restores the device in iTunes. This type of technician without skills is usually gain profit by doing monkey trick.

We are a real advanced technician. Still seeing a lot this kind of case. The worse part is they created a mess. Causing us to repair their "damaged" and more time wasted.

Remember this - Second attempt repair would cost more than the 1st hand. Sent to the wrong shop will get consequences.

So I strongly suggest you keep the iPhone in a status that still can be turned on to see all functions or features.

By the way...Back to topic.
We have a few ways to check it before you conclude this is the problem you have.

How to know it is Baseband problem:

1. If you haven't restore yet, go to the phone menu and press *#06# and then the IMEI will appear..
   If nothing appears after you press *#06#, then it's confirmed you having a Baseband problem.
2. Try dial 112. It will show you call failed when baseband is not working. (This is an emergency call which must be able to call out even for a locked iPhone) 
3.  Error 1 or -1 in iTunes restored failed. (This happened in iOS 11 or older)
4.  Error 4013 (iPhone 6S, 6SP, 7, 7SP) in iTunes restore and then the iPhone stuck in recovery mode. (If it has no display and blank screen, then you have a bigger problem which is out of our today topic). 

Press *#06# then it show IMEI when the baseband CPU working

Let's talk about how to repair it and why did it happen.

First, I show you a photo below. It's an iPhone 7 which we removed the shield on top of the logic board. We can see the Apple logo chipset with text A10. It's the main CPU of the iPhone 7.

The red circle IC is Baseband CPU. (Its job is to control all the signal or cellular network) He is the protagonist of today's topic.

There are two types of iPhone 7 / 7P. One of them is using Qualcomm Baseband. The other one is Intel.
Both are the famous chipset makers. Which one better? I can't say. But I do have a statistic know which one failed the most.

Questions:

Q: Why the problem happened?
A: Usually is because you dropped it too hard.

Q: WHY? My other iPhone doesn't have this kind of issue even if I dropped it many times.
A: This I can tell you. It is the design flaw.
Because the baseband IC is sitting middle of the logic board. In the very center. So when the iPhone7 fell hard on the floor, the logic board will get slightly bend in the middle causing the solder joint of Baseband CPU IC cracked or lost contact.

Q: So how to fix it?
A: Most of the cases, it just needs to reball the Baseband CPU with a better solder paste which is more durable than Apple. Sometimes even need to repair broken tracks below at this IC.
Whatever the problem, we still need to check by taking it out.

Advice:

Make sure whoever you send to repair this, the shop must responsible for your iPhone to be still alive. If they can't promise then don't let them repair.

Because to do this job, the technician himself MUST BE very highly trained. Master heat control.

Why? Because CPU is sitting next to the Baseband CPU.
If we put too much heat, the A10 CPU beside will be shorted or died. 

Reball done. Put all the capacitors and Inductor back. Then check the surrounding with multi-meter.

After all the technical works are done. We just need to restore again.

When the white bar is passed 50%. And iTunes doing the second time of verifying iPhone restore. The problem is fixed.

YAY~ This is the message we love to see!! Restore completed.

Job done!

Tips: Always backup your data in iTunes even your iPhone has no problem.

Want us to repair this?
Check our business web site for the cost of repairing the Baseband issue. 

iPhone 6 Touch ID Repaired

A customer came with an iPhone 6 which having Touch ID not working. But home key still works.
He already made appointment with me so that i could check and repair on same day.

Below are the steps how i teach my staff to repair.
As usual, must need to opened it and put under microscope to check.

1. Check the home button flex. 
2. Check the FPC connector for home button / Touch ID. (iPhone 6 is J2118)
   Measure the voltage by using multimeter.
   Other pins just measure resistance.

Flex is good, no broken..
BUT THERE IS A BURNT MARK under the home button.

Found the shorted capacitor. Need to replace it.

But better find out why... So continue to measure FPC connector which supply power to the Touch ID.

Found out 1.8 is over power.

Check the iPhone 6 schematic to find which ic is supplying the 1.8.

In diagram look for keywords PP1V8_MESA_CONN. Search where it leads.

Found it. It's U2100.
From the diagram you can see U2100 job is taking 3V and cutting down it's current to 1.8V and supply into FPC.
Mean this IC is not doing his job. Need to replace it too. (Some technician will just borrow a 1.8v from another spot and jumper to here. But i prefer teach my staff to repair it as original designed)

Replaced burnt capacitor on Home button flex and U2100 on PCB. Then Touch ID is resurrected.

By just using basic resource and schematic can do the job without problem.

DONE!! 

Old iPhone 4S Repair Board

Don't think we don't have provide repair for old iPhones.

Even you send us the oldest iPhone 2G (1st Gen)
We still can do it...

This time a customer sent in a iPhone 4S which failure attempted repair from other shop.

After a brief checked on it. Found out the previous repairer replaced the Power IC.
And the iPhone still unable to power on.

By looking carefully at the board, the other side of Power IC is CPU. This is very heat sensitive area. If an amateur technician try to replace the Power IC with incorrect temperature or method, it will cause CPU problem. CPU problem will cause iPhone unable to boot up.

There is a cracked line on top CPU. Usually it happened because of other side too hot and this side CPU bloated

This A5 is iPhone 4S CPU. Actually CPU was below this A5. The Apple logo with A5 part is SD RAM which sitting on CPU.
Means there is two layer for this IC. 

So the problem is this top of CPU cracked and bloated. 

All i need to do is replace the SD RAM.

Honestly to tell you that iPhone 4S doesn't worth to repair since Apple stop giving new iOS on it. Unless you have some important data need to recover.

Yes.. This customer do have important data must need to backup. We quote him RM 250 to repair. Market value of iPhone 4S is about RM350 - RM450. 
It's consider fair price to him and me (worth of my time)

So we remove the SDram from our working iPhone 4S then reball it. Left is the one reballed.

Ready to mount on top of CPU. 

Done. Lucky all the data still remain. 

Forgot take picture. But we care customer privacy so usually we don't take photo of inside.
Happy customer collected this iPhone on same day. :)

Congratulation to new Malaysia

Yesterday vote result was huge success changing the very dark future into very bright. Tears in eyes.. i thought it's not possible..

They announced holidays for today and tomorrow. It's best stay home and avoid chaos too. Wait for smooth PM transition

We re-open as usual on Saturday! Cheers~~

9 May 2018 - GE-14

Tomorrow is election vote day! A lot of shops should be closed..

But we still OPEN!!  Because my home town is same place as our shop.
We might late to open our shop. Estimate 11am. We still need to vote!