[jredecop]

totally took phone apart split screens cleaned it and put some clear silicone all the way around the screen on the outside, after the screen were sandwiched together. lets see how this fixes it. had to be such a small bead i hope that i got it everywhere. gonna be nice to stay dust free!! wow this phone is easy to take apart...

[Optimusv2]

I for the first time experienced this. Have this one annoying spec of dust under my screen. No fun at all.

[JRSCCivic98]

I'd like to know why everyone thinks "lints" is the plural of "lint"? Lint is already plural. Would you say Chineses?

[WhiteGold]

I think I'm just going to wait until RIM or VZW has an official fix for it, maybe even a recall lol

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[UrbanGlowCam]

Been 2 days since I've done the dust cleaning and applying the clear sealant inside and it's cleaner than it's ever been and fully functional. At first, the sensation of the click in the bottom left corner went away but now it's just like it was when I got it.

Overall, I'm happy I did this and the phone is still fully functional and clean. Any of you who are going to try this though, be very careful and delicate.

[xattica]

A how to video will be a nice add to this thread.

[warp929]

I've kept my Storm in a Blackberry holster since I got it and I still have dust under the touch screen. It's a bit annoying but not to the point I'm going to try and clean it yet.

[movieman742]

I finally did it!!

After going through this whole thread I just decided to go for it. My fingernail isn't long at all but it was long enough to get underneath the top right corner. That corner and right side came up fairly easy. It was the top left corner that was really stuck.

However, I went really slow and just pulled and once that popped off the entire screen came up. I took my rag I use to clean my HDTV and very carefully wiped the underside of the screen as well as the phone.

I even tried to get around the edges and it seemed to work.

The only "worrisome" thing that happened was that the double sided tape came up a little on the right side. I had to slowly tap it back into place before I set the screen back down. It seemed to work because when I went to put the screen back down it stuck pretty securely to each side.

I really appreciate this thread and everyone who put in their experience, especially dchem with the pics, really helped me.

If anyone is thinking about doing this just go slow and steady. So far the screen looks like it did when I walked out of Verizon back in November!!

[Bettermost]

How could lint get under the screen? Isn't it sealed like the IPhone?

[Bettermost]

Why not get a screen protector made for the IPhone or a universal pda type and manually cut it down to fit the Storm but cut it slightly larger than the screen to overlap and seal over the lens seam hence keeping dirt out? Simple solution no?

[LVstorm]

sweet!!!!

i just did it!...just make sure when you pry the screen with your fingernail...TAKE YOUR TIME!!!!!....

[Storm4me]

I just put my first Storm in my pocket..for the second one, I use an Ipod pouch. So far no dust (perhaps it's also sealed better--not sure).

[M-Eighty]

So, if i do this and mess my phone up, void my warranty, will the thread creator fix it for me? Cuz i'll gladly send it to you for you to professionally and properly clean the lint & dust under my screen! I just need some insurance a.k.a back-up plan

[movieman742]

It shouldn't void your warranty. I have insurance through Verizon.

I did this to mine the other day. Today, while I was at school, my screen just went black. Not sure if what I did messed anything up but it was over a day after I lifted the screen.

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up that Verizon didn't ask any questions. I walked in, said the screen was black, they ordered me a new one. Simple as that. I'm definitely not going to try this again though.

[rellims]

It shouldn't void your warranty. I have insurance through Verizon.

I did this to mine the other day. Today, while I was at school, my screen just went black. Not sure if what I did messed anything up but it was over a day after I lifted the screen.

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up that Verizon didn't ask any questions. I walked in, said the screen was black, they ordered me a new one. Simple as that. I'm definitely not going to try this again though.

But if they find glue / other sealant there it will void the warranty once they check it out. I had dust, went in and showed there was no other damage and the replacement is on its way. Much easier than prying the screen off with all that risk. Also I'm curious to see if the manufacturing process, or QC I should say, of the new one fixed the dust issue.

[holtztwins]

I have noticed a little dust and lint in the edges around my screen. I found that using some of those 99% alcohol pads that you can buy anywhere will clean the dust and lint out of there and the moisture wont hurt the phone because it dries immediately. I just take the pad and stick one of the corners in the crack, it acts like a wick and pulls the gunk out. I takes like a minute to do the whole phone, I do it once a day and my phone has no dust or lint that I can see. I am pretty anal about my electronics so I like to keep it clean, anyway just my 2 cents

[movieman742]

Yeah, you're right. I was speaking only of lifting and replacing. I didn't add anything when I did it. But would they even check that at the store? The guy who helped me yesterday just went to the back to get to see if it worked, I don't think he tried to lift the screen or anything. And if they would've had one in stock I would already have a replacement. I have to wait till Thursday to get another storm....

I've gotten so used to a blackberry that it's kinda weird not having it with me. I wouldn't call it my life but I have a lot of things on it and I use it so much.

I'm also wondering if I'll get a refurbished one or a new one. The guy who helped me said that a "new" one was being mailed to me. Now I don't know if that meant like brand new or new to me. Hopefully a brand new one

[maxipak]

I had a giant speck of lint right in the middle. I tried this with a pocket knife edge and just blew it away. Worked great, thanks!

[CarbineGuy]

Flame me all you want for this, but dust under the screen should not be 100% manufacturers defect. I've seen plenty of phones with dust under the screen. That's why you get a case, to protect against dust, scratching, dings, etc.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Not trying to flame you, I agree that scratching your phone is one thing, but I have yet to see an iPhone with any noticeable dust under the screen, as well as several other phone models. But with this phone there's a huge exception, only because of the gaps. Phones sealed shut get dust, so I don't even think it was possible for RIM to think that the storm was dust proof.

[CarbineGuy]

I cannot seem to get the top off. I tried using my fingernail and a guitar pick, but nothing seems to get it off. It's apparently in place pretty tightly, and I don't wanna use too much force. Any suggestions?

[VerizonTechie]

Man... I don't even know why I read all the way through this thread... I can't believe the extents one would go through to remove some dust? I personally just swapped out my shell after running my storm over with a car. In the few months that I had that phone initially, I had dust under the screen ONCE. The problem escalated so fast I really had no choice but to replace it or fix it. I chose the latter. All it really took was pressing down on one corner, and applying a low-power vacuum to the opposite corner. Do this around all four corners, and the dust is gone. Done this to almost a dozen storms so far, and it has worked EVERY time... and honestly NO disassembly required.
That being said, the worry with modifying the phones to have a better seal (electrical tape, epoxy, silicone, etc.) would not be the reps in the store finding an alteration as much as it would be the service center receiving the phone, noticing the warranty voiding modifications, and notifying Verizon (or whatever carrier you are on) and charging you the whopping $499.99 MSRP of the phone. Not really worth it when it comes down to it i would say.
Coming from a mechanical and engineering background, if in theory one was to modify anything about the phone to make the seal better, I would say the best way to do it would NOT be to pull apart the original seal (which is already showing a fault and will now be weakened) just to clean out the dust that will inevitably come back sooner or later anyhow. Instead, I would invest in a T6 torx driver so you can remove the shell of the phone and have unadulterated access to the screen. (Removing the shell is as easy as removing the battery door, the adhesive lens cover over the flash and cam lens, and the adhesive/clip-on cover below the front button pad... there are 2 screws in each of these locations to remove) Once you have the shell unscrewed, it takes little force to unclip the edges of the shell around the titanium rim and seperate the halves. Once seperated, you can flip over the board and see the ribbon cable from the screen. Using your fingernail, pry this connector up away from the board, then remove the lens assembly.
A couple of notes on the suggested methods from various prior posts: and keep in mind, I am no professional, but have a LOT of various experiences with this type of repair... First, the suggestion of a clear nail polish: This would work, but only for a short time. The resin dries too hard, which would become very brittle over time and crack, adding to the potential of debris under the screen. Second: the epoxy idea could work, but epoxy is a 2-part adhesive, and not usually made in a flexible drying formula. While it would not become brittle over time like the nail polish, it would still dry very firm... which could, and probably would, adversely affect the "click"ability of the screen. And finally: the electrical tape option... I barely use electrical tape for its original intended purpose: electrical repair. The residue in the tape does NOT hold up to heat very well. I don't know where in the world you all live, but the summers here hit over 100 many times each year... The tape would end up 'bleeding' its adhesive, causing it to creep into places I am sure you did not intend for it to go.
If I were to modify the screen seal (sorry, no spare time to take requests), I would simply disassemble the phone (takes all of about 5 minutes) and with the screen totally removed from the rest of the phone, apply the sealant. The ONLY sealant I would use would be a flexible RTV or comparable silicone that is safe for electrical sensors (Wal-mart, auto parts stores, etc.) I personally use Permatex Ultra-Grey or Ultra-Black for all of my automotive uses, and would serve this purpose well. With the screen in hand, apply a VERY SMALL bead across the perimeter of the existing seal, all the way around the edges. Do not wipe off the excess; instead, let it fully cure for about 2 hours. Once cured, use a sharp razor blade and CAREFULLY cut away the excess. Excercise extra caution when you get to the bottom edge making sure you do not sever any part of the ribbon cable. Once the excess is all cut away, test-fit the screen to make sure the click still works ok. If all looks and feels good, you are clear to reassemble, and will probably NEVER have debris under the screen again...
Unless yer an ID10T like me and run it over with a car...
Which I don't recommend...
OK sorry, I am done. PIN msg me if you have any questions, or would like suggestions... I dont check my PM msgs in here often, so I apologize if I delay in getting back to you.

**Officially the longest post I have ever seen here... sorry**

[VerizonTechie]

bump for educational purposes

[txaggie84]

Man VerizonT, is there a cliff note version for that post?

jk, it was good...thanks.....