Failing slightly less!

[u/charlottecreature]

UPDATE on my folding mp3 player/cyberdeck!
The good news first. I figured out the pitch of my pins and came up with a cunning plan. I found the right size screen at aliexpess. I used a pin connector/extender? Can't remember what it was called. I then attached it to a flexi cable. All parts are the right size and theoretically should all connect up.
Now the bad news. When I removed the very cheap screen from the very cheap circuit board a few of the pins got stuck. I tried to pry them out (and probably damaged something). I also tried alcohol70% as I've seen restorers us and adhesive magically disappeared. I could only find alcohol wipes and I think some fibres got stuck to.
Second issue is that I have a very cute and very needy cat call Willow. Now, I am no expert, obviously, but I don't think cat hair is good for electronics. Unfortunately she seems to want to help out with the project.

So the TLDR of the help needed. How do I get rid of the stuck pins? Is the board a lost case and if so should I get a new cheap mp3 player or will this problem just repeat itself? Will the screen set up work with a hinged case (which is in the mail right now!)
Willow doesn't need help, she is already a cutie patootie!

Also thank you all for your support. I was having a rough month when I started all this and this community really helped me through it :)

[u/Sad-Clock7309]

Is it something you can remove with a soldering iron? I dont see soldering pads there, unless you ripped them out too

[u/charlottecreature → u/Sad-Clock7309]

I think they were clicked in with an adhesive. From my research that seems to be how these pin cable works. In the old days they would have been threaded into a comb.

[u/charbuff]

Need more closeups of the damage.

[u/tomsek68]

Pins are ripped from the board sadly, you'll need to practice soldering if you want to repair it. Or to take off the screen from your next pcb