First time repairing my Switch, need infos and advice

Hello fellow fixers. I’m planning to repair my Nintendo Switch because I noticed a nasty crack in the backplate shell, photo is included. Just ordered on Amazon.ca a backplate shell and I’d like to know what do Ineed to watch out for since I’m basically fixing up something functional, but broken. I have a small toolset ready with a trywing 2.0, dunno if it will be enough, and I will proceed with a good dusting since it’s a launch system. I do not plan to do a full modding of my switch, just changing the backplate for now.

Here’s what I want to fix:
-Backplate’s broken, so dust, cat hair and other can enter the system.
-Kickstand keeps poping out, hope to fix this issue at the same time.
-Remove the dust that might have accumulated in 3 years.

(So issues prevent me from posting image or putting link in my post, so here’s a imgur link in pieces.)
https://
i.imgur
.com
/eh2kHRh.jpg

As you can see, the crack is rather big on the backplate and one part wants to chip away, so this will get changed. Any further modding will be done when I have enough money to buy a new Nintendo Switch (if I ever feel the need to). Another project will be buying clear joycon shells Blue and Red since my original joycons are blue and red (red joycon is cracked on the front and is also from launch). I now own a second pair of joycon, the neon pink/neon green set, so this project can wait a little bit.

Here’s the part where I ask for advice. Is my trywing 2.0 enough (came from a cellphone repair kit from Walmart that does include plastic prying tools). Is air enough to clean the dust from my nintendo switch and what else can be done to prevent more dust from entering my switch after the repairs. I own two cats and I’m almost literaly a canadian bear (meaning that my cats are not the only ones losing fur). Do I have to fully remove the metal shielding from my switch to dust the heatsink and if so, should I change the thermal paste?

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You have a good tutorial here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3TeP1G5lO0

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Hey there,
I personally would change the thermal paste once you’re at it anyways, yes.
I like to use IPA in combination with compressed air. Soak it with IPA -> blow off with air. Works great for me, also on hard to reach spots. For tough stains/dirt let IPA soak for a while :slight_smile:
Be sure to grab on tightly to the PCB when blowing with air, PCBs fly amazingly well :wink:

That I know really well. Experienced it when I worked at IBM when a new maintenance worker was in formation. They had to clean server processor sockets from time to time and one of the other person on the floor had forgotten to remove the chip. flew out of the machine after dealing some internal damage, the bosses were not happy.

Now if I can find where I stored my computer part case to see where my themral paste is…

So small update. Amazon screwed me over. I ordered the backplate with 2 days delivery and now they said that if I can’t reception the part, which was supposed to arrive today, they will have it sent back to them and refund me. And I’m not going to be home when the part arrive. They even said it had to arrive today before going back on their words and changing the date, it was certified to be delivered today.

So screw you amazon… Gonna have to ask my landlady to catch my parcel before they decide to screw me over worse.

Final update:

Didn’t change the thermal paste, but did change my backplate. The original one was totaled. The stand fixture was broken off (the screw holes broke), on one side, the screw hole broke off (had to remove the rail and take the piece out of there) and had to change 5 of the screws. It’s a thighter fit inside the dock, but that’s not what’s important (already has a tempered glass protector on the screen)…

It would not have been surprising if the backplate fell off next month by itself being too much damaged. 2 of the trywing screws did’nt want to fit the screwdriver, had to use pliers to remove them (once the old backplate was off). Now the only trywing screw left is for the kickstand, everything is on phillips screws.

And now the kickstand does not kick back by itself…