Should I buy this iPhone?

JackieTran · Feb 26, 2013, 12:45 PM

My friend is selling an iPhone 4S thats kinda broken.
She says that the screen is white but she can still receive calls. When she plugs the phone to the computer, you can also see all the apps, music ect.

Is this a hardware problem or software problem

725032 · Feb 26, 2013, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackieTran

My friend is selling an iPhone 4S thats kinda broken.
She says that the screen is white but she can still receive calls. When she plugs the phone to the computer, you can also see all the apps, music ect.

Is this a hardware problem or software problem

Do not buy this phone

Luis2004 · Feb 26, 2013, 12:57 PM

Unless she is selling it to you for less than $100. That way you can sell it as-is on Ebay for a little more than what you paid.

But if it's anything over $100, don't buy it.

JackieTran · Feb 26, 2013, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SiPi

Do not buy this phone

Why?

HiddenPuppy · Feb 26, 2013, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackieTran

My friend is selling an iPhone 4S thats kinda broken.
She says that the screen is white but she can still receive calls. When she plugs the phone to the computer, you can also see all the apps, music ect.

Is this a hardware problem or software problem

Don't buy a broken iPhone or any other for that matter unless you know exactly what is wrong and how much it is going to cost to fix it. buying it without knowing those things would be "buying a pig in a poke"

Essenar · Feb 26, 2013, 01:39 PM

Pay $80 for it. Tell her it's not fixable without replacing all the hardware. Throw it at the floor and then take it to an Apple store and pay for OOW replacement which is $150. Enjoy your $230 iPhone 4S.

JackieTran · Feb 26, 2013, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Essenar

Pay $80 for it. Tell her it's not fixable without replacing all the hardware. Throw it at the floor and then take it to an Apple store and pay for OOW replacement which is $150. Enjoy your $230 iPhone 4S.

If I don't buy it, someone else will for £60.

madsci954 · Feb 26, 2013, 02:03 PM

Sounds like hardware issues. What do you plan to do with this phone? Use as is? Repair and use? Repair and sell?

Applejuiced · Feb 26, 2013, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackieTran

Why?

Because it needs a new screen and maybe other parts could be broken.
Dont you think if it was just a software problem she would have restored it herself already?

tl01 · Feb 26, 2013, 02:45 PM

Sounds like hardware issues not software.

iRepairParts · Feb 26, 2013, 02:57 PM

unless you can pin point the exact issue, I would stay away unless she will sell for less than $100. Like someone above stated, if it was a software issue, don't you think they would have tried to restore the phone to fix it? If they tried a restore and it still isn't functioning, that could be pointing towards some major problems.

If it is a hardware issue, it sounds like it may need a new LCD Digitizer assembly. Or it may have other internal issues. I would say at this point, avoid it.

JackieTran · Feb 26, 2013, 03:32 PM

Thanks for all the advice guys.

I don't think shes even tried to reformat it yet XD.

Basically, what I'll do is do try that hard reset when its in my hand. If that doesn't work, I won't buy it.

But, if that does fix it, do you think the problem will ever appear again or was it just a minior bug in that os

----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by madsci954

Sounds like hardware issues. What do you plan to do with this phone? Use as is? Repair and use? Repair and sell?

Repair and sell

Applejuiced · Feb 26, 2013, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackieTran

Thanks for all the advice guys.

I don't think shes even tried to reformat it yet XD.

Basically, what I'll do is do try that hard reset when its in my hand. If that doesn't work, I won't buy it.

But, if that does fix it, do you think the problem will ever appear again or was it just a minior bug in that os

----------

Repair and sell

Its not a software bug. Its the screen that died. A hard reset or an itunes restore will not magically repair a broken LCD screen.

JackieTran · Feb 26, 2013, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Applejuiced

Its not a software bug. Its the screen that died. A hard reset or an itunes restore will not magically repair a broken LCD screen.

Ive read in multiple cases that it can be a software bug/ lots of youtube videos show the hard reset working for this 'white screen of death'

iRepairParts · Feb 26, 2013, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackieTran

Ive read in multiple cases that it can be a software bug/ lots of youtube videos show the hard reset working for this 'white screen of death'

I've heard several instances of the white screen of death as well.

The only crappy part is, if you restore the phone and get it to work again before you buy it, she will probably charge you more lol.

quietstormSD · Feb 26, 2013, 04:43 PM

Yeah I wouldn't buy it unless I knew what was exactly wrong with it. It could be the screen or it could be another internal hardware problem, or both.

mapledress · Feb 27, 2013, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackieTran

My friend is selling an iPhone 4S thats kinda broken.
She says that the screen is white but she can still receive calls. When she plugs the phone to the computer, you can also see all the apps, music ect.

Is this a hardware problem or software problem

I don't like broken phone, so,personally I will not buy it.
And The Phone seems have not software problems. I am not sure whether the hardware is good or not.

Feb 26, 2013, 12:45 PM	#1
JackieTran macrumors newbie Join Date: Feb 2013	Should I buy this iPhone? My friend is selling an iPhone 4S thats kinda broken. She says that the screen is white but she can still receive calls. When she plugs the phone to the computer, you can also see all the apps, music ect. Is this a hardware problem or software problem
	0

Feb 26, 2013, 01:39 PM	#6
Essenar macrumors 6502 Join Date: Oct 2008	Pay $80 for it. Tell her it's not fixable without replacing all the hardware. Throw it at the floor and then take it to an Apple store and pay for OOW replacement which is $150. Enjoy your $230 iPhone 4S. __________________ 2012 MacBook Pro 13.3" Classic, 16GB DDR3 1600, 750GB Seagate Momentus XT 2nd Gen, OSX 10.8.2 ; iPad 4th Generation, Black, 32GB, iOS 6.1 JB ; iPad 4th Generation, White, 16GB, iOS 6.1 JB
	2

Feb 26, 2013, 02:57 PM	#11
iRepairParts macrumors regular Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Rochester, NY	unless you can pin point the exact issue, I would stay away unless she will sell for less than $100. Like someone above stated, if it was a software issue, don't you think they would have tried to restore the phone to fix it? If they tried a restore and it still isn't functioning, that could be pointing towards some major problems. If it is a hardware issue, it sounds like it may need a new LCD Digitizer assembly. Or it may have other internal issues. I would say at this point, avoid it. __________________ High Quality iPhone Parts- Free Shipping- 2 Year Warranty Like us on Facebook For a Chance To Win a free iPhone Protective Case
	1

Feb 26, 2013, 04:43 PM	#16
quietstormSD macrumors 6502a Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: San Diego, CA	Yeah I wouldn't buy it unless I knew what was exactly wrong with it. It could be the screen or it could be another internal hardware problem, or both. __________________ Early 2011 13" MBP 2.3GHz Intel Core i5; iPhone 4S 32GB white on at&t; iPod Shuffle 4th gen Twitter: @KarchInSD
	1

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Feb 26, 2013, 12:57 PM	#3
Luis2004 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Dec 2012	Unless she is selling it to you for less than $100. That way you can sell it as-is on Ebay for a little more than what you paid. But if it's anything over $100, don't buy it.
	0

Feb 26, 2013, 02:03 PM	#8
madsci954 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Ohio	Sounds like hardware issues. What do you plan to do with this phone? Use as is? Repair and use? Repair and sell?
	0

Feb 26, 2013, 02:45 PM	#10
tl01 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2010	Sounds like hardware issues not software.
	1