Do NOT complete this process if your Maschine is still under warranty!

I believe the NI Maschine has a 2 year warranty and the dodgy USB port issue is a known issue defect by NI which I believe they will replace upon request (possibly even outside of the warranty period). Ask NI first before you start this project!!

Step 1: What You Need...

What you need:

• Replacement USB port (Buy 2 just in case you stuff it up the first time. They’re only $2.95ea from Jaycar electronics)
• Philips head screw driver
• Soldering Iron with fine tip
• Solder
• Soldering Iron Holder (Optional but makes life very easy)
• Solder sucker (Highly recommended! $6 from Jaycar)
• Magnifying glass (Optional but actually very handy! You can buy a little station from Jaycar with alligator clips and magnifying glass for holding your project while you solder)
• Needle nose pliers

Step 2: Method

1. Remove the mainboard from the case. No tricks to this, just 1 million screws. The knobs should just slide off.
2. Melt each solder point on the USB port and use the ‘solder sucker’ to “suck” the solder away from the joint. The 2 anchor points need to be straightened with pliers so they fit through the holes.

Important!!!
Be VERY slow with this process allowing the USB port to fall off almost by itself as you can easily damage the traces on the mainboard as I did! (see my trace repair instructions if this happens)

3. Clean the area if required and solder the new USB port in place. Try and use only the absolute minimum amount of solder for each pin. I stuffed up and didn't realise solder was running through the whole, down the pin and then across to another pin making the short out. Took me a while to realise what was going on and I ended up damaging the traces on the board from I soldering and unsoldering the port to troubleshoot!

Test thoroughly by plugging the Maschine directly to your computer (not a USB hub) before screwing everything back togther.

Done! If you are still not getting any life out of the Maschine, then one of your USB ports 4 terminals or most likely a trace/track has been damaged on the mainboard and not making connection. Refer to “Repairing A Damaged Motherboard Trace”.