Computer runs faster because it is soldered.. haha..

screen.

I know you say you never abused it, but it's almost like a scuff between the CFL and the rear of the LCD panel. That might explain why you only see when the backlight is on and light is (trying) to get though. IMO, it's too random to be the LCD panel itself.

Seeing one apart I don't see how the back of the LCD could get scuffed. Nothing can really move being buckled in. Looking at the unit overall there are some scuffs and scratches that i would consider normal wear. Nothing along the lines of an impact. I may open it today if I can find the right plastic tool.

screen.

Weird. I thought you meant a line, not a smear. The iPod and most Apple displays have a polarization filter as part of the display sandwich in order to improve the contrast without backlighting. Try wearing a pair of polarizing sunglasses and you'll see the display go black at some angle. My guess(tm) is that there's some damage to the polarizing screen.

Change your viewing angle of the display showing the smear, and see if the black smear shifts with respect to the background image. If it does shift, then it's not on the LCD layer, but rather something above it, like the polarizing filter. If it doesn't shift, it's either the LCD or the backlighting layer.

Any chance you could identify the exact model instead of just 30GB iPod?

Model A1136 Video Ipod, color. The lines or smears do not change when backlit and viewed at any angle. Nor do they appear when viewed at any angle with no backlight. There are no dents or dings of any kind on the unit. Just normal scuffing from being placed and removed from a protective leather case. This was previously owned by a relative who takes very good care of her things. She also has a 160 GB video Ipod and a Ipod Touch. I asked her if she can remember dropping it and she said no and that she would have remembered doing so.

You don't need any special tool to get the clips to spring - although some replacement batteries I've seen advertised, come with that tool to facilitate fitting by Joe Public. I use an Excelite scalpel with a blunt curved blade. It easily gets in there, and springs the clips.

The Touch is also quite easy to get into, again using the scalpel. but you have to be careful not to crack the touchscreen. If you can find a piece of thin stiff plastic - maybe an old filed down credit card or something - it may be safer for your first attempt. The case springs off from the front. You have to get into the small crack between the glass of the touchscreen, and the metal case back, where it curves around to meet the glass. The LCD display, and touchscreen glass are fitted together into a thin plastic 'frame' that completely surrounds the four edges, and it is to this frame that the case is clipped. So, once you have started to insert your springing tool, before you have gone in too far, you need to bend the 'free' end of it in towards the screen, so that the inserted end is moving away from the crack. The tool tip will then slide down the outside of the thin frame, inside the metal cover. Once it has gone down there, you can bend the tool back up away from the screen, and this will flex the metal case off the plastic frame. Once it has started to open like this, it's just a case then of following round the four sides until it's off. It's that first insertion that's critical if you are using a metal blade. If you accidentally get between the thin plastic frame and the glass, when you try to flex the case off, you will instead crack the display. Don't ask me how I know this ...

All of the component parts of the display are available for very reasonable prices, but the frame, touchscreen and display form a well-stuck-together assembly, and it's a lot of effort to successfully get it apart to replace either a broken touchscreen, or display, so you end up buying a replacement ready assembled unit.

If you look on that parts site I pointed you at, I think that they have a picture of the assembly, so you can see what I mean about the thin frame that you have to be on the outside of, when you insert your tool (!) I'm sure that there are probably dismantling videos on You Tube, as well.

The headphone problem will not be a soldering job. The sockets are notorious for going bad (also on Classics). The good news is that once you're inside the unit, it is a straightforward job to replace it. It comes complete on its own flexiprint, ready to just plug in to a little zif connector, and it is extremely reasonably priced. I think I paid just a few quid delivered for the last one I got - say $5 in leftpondian wonga.

One last thing to watch out for. The touchscreen is connected to the main board with an almost microscopic plug on the end of its flexiprint. It's very tricky to get it to reconnect correctly the first time you ever do one. It's a bit like one of those tiny tiny coax plugs that you find on the wifi antenna in laptops, in that delicate as it *appears* to be, it actually needs to be pushed *really* firmly once you are happy that it is sitting squarely over the socket on the main board. It will then go with a really solid click. If it doesn't do this, your touchscreen will be intermittent or inoperative when you get the unit all back together. The thing that makes this final operation tricky to do, is that the flexiprint 'tail' with the plug on it, is very short.

With a bit of care, I wouldn't expect someone of your experience to struggle too much with the job. Let us know how you get on with it.

Arfa

Will do mate thanks for taking the time to explain in that detail. it boosts my confidence tremendously. I'll tackle the 30 tomorrow I'm very curious just what the damn screen is made of.