My TI-83+ has a broken link port (according to my diagnosis). It will not transmit files between calculators and my computer hasn't been recognizing its existance. I only recently made this insight which is a problem because I have a lot of programs on it. I was wondering if there is any way thats relatively easy to fix this. Fortunately, my dad won a Ti-Nspire at a conference he went to (he's a math professor) and he just told me about it. I would like to be able to save all my programs without retyping all of them. Is there any way to fix it?

BTW, I know practically nothing about electrical engineering and hardware, so please explain (if possible) in layman's terms.

I assume you tried it with another cable, or tried a different calculator with the same cable already?

Yes indeed.

The times this has happened to me, it's been the relatively simple issue of TI's weak soldering job on the link port failing. The link port is a tiny plastic piece soldered onto the motherboard of the calculator at three points, each corresponding to one of the gold rings on the plug you put in the link port. If you can archive all of your programs to ROM, your best bet would be to do what I did with my very first TI-83, which eventually developed this problem. Open it up (you'll need a Torx-6 screwdriver and also a phillips for the backup battery) and locate the black plastic link port at the bottom of the motherboard. It's not even necessary to unscrew the motherboard for this fix: look closely at the link port and you should notice flaws in the solder on at least one of the pins. Once you find the pin or pins, heat a soldering iron, get some solder, then CAREFULLY melt the solder on the pin and dab a bit more on. Remove the iron after the solder to ensure a good connection. You might want to repeat one at a time for the other two just to be sure. Be very careful not to accidentally hit one of the tiny surface mount components around the port with the iron, as they come desoldered very easily and are nearly impossible to resolder with normal commercial tools. Then seal the whole thing back up and cross your fingers.

Thank you very much. I will try this after I finish my finals. I don't think I have a Torx-6 screwdriver, but I will check around. Thank you.

No problem. By implication I assume that this means you actually do have access to a low-heat soldering iron and some solder?

I think that it is very likely I do, and in the event that I don't, I have a friend who does, so no problems.

OK, that's good to hear. Let us know when you're playing to do this so we or I can walk you through it.

I've always been able to open my calc(s) with a small philips screwdriver. Screw Torx.

No pun intended? I've tried doing that before, but it always ends up chewing up the screws, so I just stick with my trusty Torx-6.

So I happened to be going by Home Depot today so I picked up a Torx screwdriver with heads for T4-10 and 15 and opened up my calculator soldered it up and then closed it and the link port is fixed!!! Thank you so much! I can now transfer between calculator as well as to the computer. Thank you again!

Very sweet, I'm extremely glad this worked out for you. Do you have any pictures, suggestions, additions, etc that would make the basic steps I outlined to you more clear for future users trying to fix their calculators' link ports?