The FAQ makes the "fix it yourself" route sound like a bad idea

I didn't realize I did it that way. I intended it to be more like "it's a bad idea if you're a klutz but otherwise go for it".

Anyway, if you've never opened the player, you can't be sure it's a cable problem. It could be the IDE header, or any one of a number of other problems. You really should open it up and check it out.