Going through the same problem that has occurred to so many others, but can’t find reference to some ideas that I’ve had.
I have a new black cable on order, but while I wait I’ve been exercising the little grey cells, and this is what results.
Firstly, though I have quite thin fingers, and a good sense of touch, the problem of inserting the cable into those sockets is maddening, to say the least. So what about a GF-made tool to help ? Not having a gf operational at the moment is a bit frustrating, but I’ll go into inkscape and see what I can come up with. Meanwhile, anyone thought along these lines ?
Secondly, as has been reported, there is often no surface appearance of damage(as in my case), but a continuity test might be a useful check. Fine connectors, yes, but shorting out two ends of the cable, and putting a meter on the third end would simplify the process.
However, I can see that being sure that all the pins were shorted is a bit problematic !
Any ideas on how that might be reliably achieved ?
“That’s all for now folks”
John
The cables slot in easily and precisely when the connector clip is open. A tool is more trouble than it’s worth, imo…
Just by you mentioning that I realized, I had a lid-related issue with my brand new replacement machine, and on close inspection, found the back connector clip was not fully seated, and the cable was not straight. Fixed in a second or two.
It seems the hardest part about replacing it would be dealing with the adhesive, but as you’re removing the old one anyway, I see that as a non-issue.
Good luck testing with a meter. The exposed traces are so fine, you’ll need steady hands and a super-fine point on the probes. I have such probes, but they are not common. Again, just replace it and be done with it. Then don’t ever open the lid beyond about 1/2 way going forward.
Having replaced my black cable in the past, I was struck with how incredibly strong the 3M adhesive they use is; it makes it nearly impossible to remove the cable. I decided NOT to use the adhesive on the new cable, and stuck it on temporarily with blue painter’s tape.
A couple of years later, it’s still stuck on the same way, and when I temporarily removed said cable during the repair my lid, it was so, so easy.
I agree. I have thought that leaving the adhesive tape covered while getting the cable into a symmetrical position, ie leaving the same amount of ‘free’ cable at each end to get your finger in behind it for removal, would be a good ‘future proofing’ move.
I already done some preliminary testing, and noted some suspicious open circuits.
I just wiped over the ends of my pointed meter probes with fine abrasive paper, put on a magnifying headset, and found it perfectly straightforward.
When I first had the problem, I tried to think of all possibilities that might give the symptoms the machine was producing, as I could see no obvious damage. I tried setting up my laptop to run the GF with, wondering if it was poor communication between the desktop (a newly installed one) and the GF due a change in location in the workshop, but had the same result. So the initial continuity check on the cable was no big surprise in the results it produced.
Hopefully, I will post a diagram of the connector later.
The GF and computer do not talk to each other, except for initial wifi setup. It’s all thru the cloud - if the machine starts up and centers, the machine is connected to the cloud. If you load the app, your device is also.
Thanks eflyguy for that heads up.
My problem now is that I can’t remember if I’ve used the new desktop, nor even the laptop, for doing any work with my GF.
So your caveat ‘except for initial wifi setup’, does that apply to my situation ?
Makes no difference. Once the machine has been thru initial set up, to tell it which local wifi to use, I could go to any internet-connected device, anywhere on the planet - desktop, laptop, (relatively modern) tablet or phone, browse to app.glowforge.com, from another country even, and start a print from my saved designs or the catalog. Obviously, someone’s going to have to hit the button!
Can anyone tell me if the ‘lights’ either side of the lid camera should light up during the start up ?
Currently trying to set up a mirror on the tray !
Set up mirror to observe the ‘lights’, but nothing comes on during the ‘Focusing’ or ‘Centering’ stages.
They should be on the entire time it’s on. They get brighter when the lid is in motion or the laser is activated if I remember correctly.
The LED’s are always on when the machine has power.
They dim when the lid is not closed, even partially. Royal PIA in my opinion. Apparently early on, someone said they were too bright, so some developer decided to permanently dim them, and no amount of requesting it be made at least optional has made a difference.
Thanks for heads up.
Still waiting for my new cable, while working on a diagram of the cable layout.
Just to be clear, I am referring to the two lights that are either side of the camera lens, not the light strips down the sides of the lid, which are on.
Ah, got it. No, the red laser LED is only on when material height is being measured, and the white flood LED is only used for precision alignment when running passthru jobs, or while running the calibration process. In both of those cases, it only comes on momentarily while the camera in the head takes a pic.
My order for a lid cable seems to have been turned into an order for a ‘Glowforge’, so sudden panic here !!!
Is ‘Mark Anthony’ human or an AI bot ? Anyone know?
This is a result of my email to Support this morning for an update on my order. They’re sending the Draftboard, but not the cable. 
Slap head emoji needed.
Just been reassured - no new machine - yet !
EDIT Update on cable.
Much burrowing through Glowforge and Fedex pages has finally produced the information that I might expect delivery of the cable next week, Monday 7th, some 12 days after ordering.
Not very impressive, is it ?
Salt into the wounds - just received 6 sheets of draftboard in a box with a packing slip that says 8 (the expected number).
Not been a very good June/July so far !
Boo!!
I only had one problem with an order, they sent the wrong color of acrylic. They didn’t even ask for the wrong stuff back, just sent out what I had ordered. So I paid that forward. It was back in the days of ear savers and the pandemic, I cut thousands to give to the county healthcare central supply team.
Well, Happy Independence Day ! The Glowforge has now decided to start working.
The glass lid, which showed some condensation on it, originally diagnosed as the possible source of the problem, has been open for the last few days, and this might have allowed some damp inside the m/c to dry out. Anyway, test cut has just been successful, so I shall soon be the owner of a spare lid cable !! 
For anyone needing this, I’ve attached my circuit tracing of the cable I have installed at the moment (not the replacement)
I suspect this may not have worked ! Happy to receive help in uploading a .svg diagram
John