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Tom's Hardware Forum Laptops & Notebooks Laptop and Notebook Disassembly and Hardware Repair Guide
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Laptop and Notebook Disassembly and Hardware Repair Guide

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Hardware Laptops Notebooks

Last response: January 4, 2014 4:56 AM in Laptops & Notebooks Share frozenlead abDLaptop
August 28, 2009 12:53:41 AM

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To keep this thread clean: for comments, questions, and/or suggestions pertaining to this thread, please post here: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/54096-35-hardware-rep... This guide is here to help you through any major difficulties you encounter with your notebook either in function or in disassembly. Because notebook designs are so different from model to model, I did my best to make it pretty detailed and covering all the bases of notebooks I've repaired before, so it is a bit lengthy. I'm writing up some other guides on doing more specific repairs like power jack resoldering and such, but this guide should tell you how to get to where you need to be and how to replace any general part on your notebook. First, I'll post a simple disclaimer... Be advised this guide is general - all notebooks are different. Not all of the instructions will pertain to your notebook. I am not responsible for what happens to your notebook as a result of you reading this! During the guide, I'll put in big red letters LIKE THIS at certain points to tell you where to stop if you're performing certain tasks like upgrading your RAM or replacing your power jack.

Notebooks are not unlike their desktop brethren, but sometimes do take extra care and tools to get the same jobs done. The tools listed here are ones I prefer, but you don't necessarily need them all. When taking apart a notebook, these are the tools that are on my desk: -2 large magnets - These are an excellent way to hold your screws in place and remember where they go...you can get easily confused. If you don't have large magnets, you can substitute these with simple paper (don't hit it!) or paper covered in double-sided tape. -Sets of screwdrivers, including a small precision set. -A set of small pliers -A strong point magnet (you'll see what this is for later) -A small, single LED flashlight A note about Electrostatic Discharge (ESD): Many of you may be desktop veterans, and you all know that by leaving your PSU plugged in and touching the power supply with your bare hands, you can "ground" yourself, effectively clearing any static electricity in your hands that can kill sensitive computing components. Notebooks, though, are not equipped with internal power supplies, nor do they have dedicated grounds! You can solve this problem by touching any metal object nearby that is already grounded. While notebooks are not grounded, as they rely completely on DC power, most of the notebook's internal chassis is connected to the negative terminal, in effect, what's called a "chassis ground". This can help stop ESD if you make contact with it. And, of course, don't work on carpet or in a chair made of plastic or static-generating fabric. For more, head here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrostatic_discharge A word to the wise: If it won't move, don't force it to! Chances are you missed a screw someplace. Take some time and look at what you're working on. You'll find the place that's holding your component down soon enough.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now, on to disassembly. Providing pictures for today is my brother's old(er) Toshiba, which I've actually never disassembled. It should give a good depiction on what's inside of a notebook that's rather dirty. 1. First, unplug your notebook and remove it's battery. Generally the battery has a release catch or locking mechanism on the bottom. It should be clearly marked. If your optical disk drive is equipped with a quick-release mechanism (usually a latch or catch on the bottom, but sometimes

can also be a spring-loaded lever on the side of the notebook) you can remove it now. It may be held in place by a screw, so pay attention.

2. There are several (or may only be one) cut-out panels on the bottom of your notebook. Remove the screws holding them in and pop them off. You may need to use a flathead screwdriver to pry the panels off. What is revealed and how many panels there are depend on make and model, but here are some typical things that it may reveal: -Your RAM -Your wireless card -Your CPU and/or CPU fan/heatsink -Your hard disk -Your optical disk holding screw

Removing the panels Remove all of these components (except for the CPU/fan/heatsink) and set them aside in a safe place. Here's how to remove each one: RAM: There are two metal brackets running alongside the sticks. Push them, at the same time, away

from the stick, and it should pop up slightly. Then simply pull it away from the socket at an angle.

Notice how the RAM angles - you'll need to insert and remove them with this angle Wireless card: There are several antennas (2 or 3, depending on model) connected to the card. If you pull straight up on the connectors, they will simply pop off. If your card is PCI, follow the same procedure as you would with RAM. If your card is mini-PCI, you may need to unscrew two

screws at the opposite end of the card with the connector to the motherboard. Then, slide the card out at an angle. If you've a bluetooth module, you'll find the procedure for removing it almost identical to the wireless card. On occasion it will be screwed down, as well.

My wireless card was in a different location Hard disk: All hard disk assemblies are different. There are probably 10 or so different kinds...some pull straight up, others slide, others unlatch, some simply unscrew...The only real thing I can say here

is to take a good look at it and use your brain! Optical disk: Some notebooks have a small metal tab held in place by a screw that holds your optical drive inside of the notebook. Unscrewing the screw and simply pushing on the drive casing will cause it to pop out of the notebook. If you don't see this, don't worry - this means the screw is upright on your notebook. We'll get it out when the keyboard comes off.

The optical drive pops out with a push

STOP HERE IF: -You are replacing your hard disk -You are upgrading your RAM -You are upgrading your wireless card -You are cleaning your CPU fan/heatsink (if it is revealed) and do not wish to completely disassemble your machine -You are replacing your optical drive, and have access to it on your model

3. You'll notice the bottom of your notebook is covered in screw holes. Yup. You're taking them all out. Take your time (be careful not to strip them!) and place the screws on your magnet or paper in relation to where you took it out of the notebook. Sometimes, a screw will be reluctant to come out of it's hole - if this is the case, take your strong point magnet and attach it about halfway up to your screwdriver. Then place your screwdriver in the hole and carefully unscrew until you think the screw is free, and gently pull straight up. With some luck, the extra magnetic force will be enough to get the screw to come out. Sometimes manufacturers will be sneaky and place screws right at the edge of the casing underneath your optical drive - make sure you check back here when you remove your drive (if you haven't already).

I use big CISCO magnets to hold screws - the top one is for screws that were right side up, the bottom vise versa

Use a magnet with your driver to coax a screw out

4. Turn the notebook over, so it is now right side up. Open the monitor. On most notebooks, the upper portion of the chassis right before the monitor is a separate plastic piece. It may have your power button and volume controls (if present) built into it, it may not. Whatever the case, it's held in place by plastic clips. (and sometimes screws...but you removed all of those, correct? It never hurts to double-check.) Go near the edge of the notebook (or if you see a better pry-point,

take it!) with a fine flathead screwdriver and firmly but gently pry the peice up. Note: If the plastic pieces that cover your screen hinges prevent this piece's removal, go to step 6 and come right back here when you're done! If you're careful, you won't do any damage to the plastic, but in some cases you may make a gouge where yourscrewdriver was - this is where smaller screwdrivers are the best. Once you get most of it up, you should be able to pry the rest off with your hands. After a few snaps and pops, the peice should be off. If it does have some sort of control on it, you'll need to remove the cable that connects to the motherboard now. Most of the time the cable can simply be pulled out, but sometimes it's held in place by a (usually) brown clip that must be pulled up. Just use your hand or a driver to pry it up, and the cable should pop out. Be very careful with these cables - they have very fine leads, and can easily be damaged by too much force or too many disassemblies.

The top piece with the speakers is what we're removing...

Which pops open with some prys with a screwdriver

5. Now it's time to remove your keyboard. Most notebooks will have a line of screws visible now which hold the keyboard down. Remove them, and slide the keyboard a bit up toward the monitor. You should now be able to easily lift it up a centimeter or two...but, surprise, there's

another cable. It's a bigger version of the one you just dealt with. Unclip it, and remove the keyboard.

Note the part of the connector in black - you'll need to pop this straight up to remove the keyboard cable STOP HERE IF: -You are cleaning/replacing your keyboard See full content

More about : laptop notebook disassembly hardware repair guide

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frozenlead abDLaptop
August 28, 2009 12:55:09 AM

6. Take a look at your notebook's screen hinges. If they are exposed right now, meaning the plastic piece that covered them came off with the panel you removed in step 4, you're lucky, and you can skip this step. For the rest of you, you'll notice there's a plastic piece that's covering your screen hinges. You'll need to get it off to move on. Sometimes they are screwed down on the rear of the notebook, sometimes they are screwed down on the top, and sometimes they aren't at all. In my experience, these are the most difficult pieces to remove on the entire machine. They're held in place by plastic clips on almost every model, and screws on others. Take a good look and dive in prying with yourscrewdriver. They can be easily cracked, so be careful. Take your time. If you arrived here from step 4, remember to go back.

It just so happens that I was lucky today. My hinge covers popped off with the top panel.

7. You may have noticed your notebook's plastic frame is a clamshell of two pieces. There's a bottom piece which is rather deep, and a top one which is rather shallow. You're now going to separate these two pieces. Take a look at the new space your keyboard has made, checking for screws that hold the top portion of your chassis in place. Remove any if you find them. Sometimes manufacturers will

have large metal pieces that slide off or clip off, too. Some even require that the speakers be removed. Take a good look around and see what you need to do to clear away anything preventing that top piece of your chassis from coming off. Remember to check for screws that will release your optical drive, if you haven't already. Note: If you notice that the anchors for your screen hinges prevent you from removing this piece, skip to step 9 and come right back!

STOP HERE IF: -You are replacing blown speakers and currently have access to them (may vary with model) -You are replacing your optical drive, and currently have access to it (may vary with model)

8. Now that everything is free and clear, use your screwdriver to pry apart the two pieces of plastic that make the majority of your chassis. Yeah, you guessed it..they're held in place by plastic clips. You may need to remove additional cabling for antennas or your touchpad. Pay attention to what you're pulling up on, and see what comes with it! You should be removing the top portion of the plastic shell (the part that you rest your hands on while typing).

The notebook comes apart like a clamshell

Watch for cables adjoining the two sides of the chassis

9. Now it's time to remove your screen. First, you need to get some cables out of the way. Your screen houses more equipment than just and LCD, and, depending on model, may include: -A webcam -Wireless antennas -Bluetooth antennas

-A microphone -An LED light Somewhere near your hinges all of these cables should meet up and go inside the screen housing. Follow them all back to where they lead on various boards. Wireless antennae will generally go through a hole in the chassis to the bottom of the notebook to where the wireless card is (which you already removed). You'll notice, though, that one cable has a very different connector than the rest - this one is pretty big, rectangular, and doesn't want to move. That's your video cable. Most of them come with plastic loops that you can put your finger in. Whatever the case, check that it is not in any way screwed down (of course) and then pull STRAIGHT UP on the connector. With some force, it should pop right off the board. With all the cables removed that head to your screen, you can now begin unscrewing it. Common places for the screws are directly on the top of the notebook or in the rear. Take a good look around and remove all the ones you see, then gently lift straight up on your screen. It should pop right off. If you arrived here from step 7, remember to go back.

I had to clear away antenna cables before taking apart the top of the chassis

The monitor cable comes straight up...

...and after all the screws are gone, so does the screen. STOP HERE IF: -You are replacing your LCD screen or antennae (move down to the LCD disassembly portion for additional instructions)

10. You now have a notebook void of a screen, keyboard, top shell, drives, memory, and extra add-on chips. What you're looking at now is your motherboard, a PCMCIA or Expresscard socket (if equipped with one), perhaps some metal pieces, a graphics card (if dedicated), and your CPU and its heatsink/fan (if it doesn't rest on the bottom of your motherboard). Unfortunately, this is where the value of this general guide degrades rapidly due to the drastic differences in notebook construction from model to model. Basically all you need to do now is remove anything in your way to get to the motherboard - they should all be simply screwed down with the screws facing right side up. Once all those parts are out of the way and the motherboard screws removed, gently lift the motherboard up, negotiating it out of the case. Often manufacturers will have sheet metal plates right around I/O ports that make it difficult to get the motherboard out, so watch for these. Also, make sure that the screws around your VGA/Serial port/LPT connections do not prevent you from removing the motherboard. A simple 5mm nut driver should remove these, though you can use pliers to turn them if needed. You may need to remove heatsink/fan assemblies before you remove the motherboard, you may not. Chances are if your heatsink is on top of the motherboard, you'll have to remove it. Like everything else, they're held in place by simple screws, though newer models may have spring-loaded screws. Remember when reassembling your heatsink to screw it back on the same way you would a tire on your car - move in a "star" pattern (or diagnolly) giving each screw only a few turns at a time to ensure your heatsink is seated evenly on top of your CPU.

CPU fans sometimes have plastic lips that go underneath the heatsinks - be careful with them

After a few screws and some gentle tugs, the motherboard is freed.

After removing the heatsink, the CPU can be released by turning this screw TO CLEAN YOUR CPU AND HEATSINKS This procedure is no different than a desktop heatsink. Take your heatsink out to the garage and blow compressed air through it, getting all those nasty dust bunnies out. Make sure you do the same with your fan. Then, using as pure alcohol as you can get (90% isopropyl is good), clean the contact point on the heatsink that interfaces with the CPU die. I usually use Q-tips, and then check for cotton fibers with a 13x microscope, but you don't have to go so far. Once the heatsink

and the CPU die are clean and air dried, apply your favorite thermal paste in your favorite application method. Personally, I like to spread it and check it, but you may like to dot some on and let the heatsink do the work. IF YOU HAVE A DISCRETE GRAPHICS CARD: It should be pretty obvious by now how to remove it, but if not, here's some general instructions. There are two kinds of GPUs that I've encountered: slot and socket type. The socket type are screwed down and, once the screws are removed, can be freed by pulling straight upward on the board. If you notice your card has a slot (like a bigger version of the PCI or mini-PCI slot), then it will need to be unscrewed and lifted slightly from the non-slot end. Once lifted, it can be pulled out of the slot in much the same fashion as your wireless card or RAM. STOP HERE IF: -Well, your notebook is pretty much in pieces, so any major hardware repair (like re-soldering your power jack) can be done now. If you're this far, it's worth it to thoroughly clean your heatsink and replace your thermal paste.

Some of you may find the small blue and silver circle near the right side of the board in interest that's the CMOS battery Reply to frozenlead

frozenlead

abDLaptop
August 28, 2009 12:56:20 AM

LCD DISASSEMBLY Most of the time, you will never need to disassembly your LCD for any reason. But, everything does break, so, if you need to, here's a guide on how to get the job done. 1. Now that your LCD is separated from your notebook, take a look around it's inside edge. You may notice some circular cutouts or rubbery pads. Behind these are screws. The pads or cutouts are simply glued on, so prying them off with a screwdriver is fine; the glue is sticky enough so that they'll adhere again when you're finished working. After you've got them off, remove the screws.

2. You'll notice the LCD is a clamshell of two plastic pieces just like the rest of the notebook. Guess what? They're held in place by plastic clips! It's usually best to start prying with your flathead near the hinges, but if you find a better spot on your model, take it. Some manufacturers will put a sticky glue on the inner plastic bezel around the edge of the LCD, so don't worry if that

doesn't come up right away. It's physically impossible for any plastic clips to be there, as the LCD is in the way - just pull up on it, and it'll come off.

I like to start prying near the hinges

A little while later, the bezel is off

3. Now that the front bezel is off, you'll notice the hinges have a metal frame that extends all the way up the screen and around the top. On this frame are several screws that hold your LCD in place - remove them, and the LCD is free to remove, but DO NOT pull up on it just yet! If you

need to repair or replace the inverter, it's the board that sits at the bottom of the assembly. It is sometimes encased in a white or black vinyl wrapping.

It's hard to get a good shot since everything is so shiny, but the black rectangle with the red wires is the inverter board

The LCD anchor screws are pretty easy to spot

4. Gently lift the LCD a few centimeters. Most manufacturers put cables back here that are very thin and do not have much extra length (as there's nowhere in the casing to put the extra cable) therefore, everything back here is very delicate and easy to break or rip. Take a look behind the

display with your flashlight and find out what you have to disconnect in order to get the screen free. Then, without bending the display too much, lift the LCD from it's frame.

The rear of the LCD. I got lucky with this model; the cable you see is taped to the LCD - you may not be so lucky.

One of the removed screen hinges. If your screen ever flops over, you can replace these for a few dollars from eBay That's about it for the LCD assembly - you can replace the hinges, LCD, and inverter all from here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, your notebook is in dozens of pieces by now. Reversing the steps should get you back to a fully assembled (and hopefully fully functional) notebook. I hope you found this guide useful, and that you'll pass it along to help someone else. To keep this thread clean: for comments, questions, and/or suggestions pertaining to this thread, please post here:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/54096-35-hardware-rep... Reply to frozenlead

Related resources You were looking for "laptop notebook disassembly hardware repair guide". You might be interested in the following threads :

Notebook and Laptop disassembly and hardware repair guide - Forum Notebook and Laptop disassembly and hardware repair guide - Forum Notebook and Laptop disassembly and hardware repair guide acer extensa 5220 - Forum Notebook and Laptop disassembly and hardware repair guide - Forum Hardware repair guide suggestion/comment thread - Forum See all contents in "laptop notebook disassembly hardware repair guide" Can't find your answer ? Ask ! Get the answer pcfixed
August 28, 2009 9:00:55 AM

great one, in a year I open about a thousand laptop thats 4 a day.. why dont you do a guide on the hp dv series..I find those so annoying Reply to pcfixed

frozenlead abDLaptop
August 28, 2009 6:29:45 PM

I tried to make this one general so that it would apply to all notebook designs. I don't personally own an HP, let alone a dv series one, but I completely agree with you...those things have twice as many screws and cables and secondary boards as other notebooks. The design is just insane. Reply to frozenlead

ecee19
September 10, 2009 1:00:17 PM

hi frozenlead, thanks so much for your tutorial, it sure is detailed and helpful! i actually have the same exact laptop you used in the pictures (toshiba satellite a 100), and i need to clean the heatsink. so my question is, should i indeed stop at the point you tell us to stop (in red) in order to get to the heatsink?, or do i need to take the whole thing apart basically? Thanks so much for your help!

Reply to ecee19

frozenlead abDLaptop
September 10, 2009 9:42:05 PM

I'm glad it helped you out! How much you want to clean the heatsink will determine how far you should disassemble the notebook. If you want to completely clean it and make it like-new, you only need to get to the point where you can see the heatsink unobstructed in step 10, but you don't need to remove the motherboard or anything farther. You can clean the heatsink without even dismantling the notebook by blowing compressed air through the vents, but this doesn't do as good a job as removing it will. Reply to frozenlead

ecee19
September 11, 2009 6:55:06 AM

frozenlead said: I'm glad it helped you out! How much you want to clean the heatsink will determine how far you should disassemble the notebook. If you want to completely clean it and make it like-new, you only need to get to the point where you can see the heatsink unobstructed in step 10, but you don't need to remove the motherboard or anything farther. You can clean the heatsink without even dismantling the notebook by blowing compressed air through the vents, but this doesn't do as good a job as removing it will.

haha "only need to"... that's like dismantling the whole thing! Thanks so much for your help , though , but I think this is a little too much to handle for an inexperienced one such as myself...I'll just leave my laptop in its frequently-shutting down -due-to-overheating state for a while longer I suppose...

Haha thanks!! Reply to ecee19

frozenlead abDLaptop
September 11, 2009 7:40:04 PM

If that's the case, I highly suggest you at least blow out your heatsinks with compressed air - this requires no disassembly whatsoever. Reply to frozenlead

lostandwandering abDLaptop
September 11, 2009 8:32:52 PM

frozenlead said: If that's the case, I highly suggest you at least blow out your heatsinks with compressed air - this requires no disassembly whatsoever.

Yup. It may not be the most effective way, but it will certainly be better than nothing. Reply to lostandwandering

ecee19
September 12, 2009 3:38:40 AM

Okay, thanks guys ...I'll see what I can do. Thanks again for the help!!! Reply to ecee19

TheGreatGrapeApe
September 29, 2009 10:47:59 PM

For comments, questions, and/or suggestions pertaining to this thread, please post here:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/54096-35-hardware-rep... Reply to TheGreatGrapeApe

Maziar ac DLaptop
242

September 30, 2009 2:43:56 PM

Very nice frozenlead good job mate Reply to Maziar

frozenlead abDLaptop
September 30, 2009 8:16:04 PM

Thanks Maz. Reply to frozenlead

belladonna
November 25, 2009 12:27:46 AM

Thanks for the tutorial frozenlead, its taken away a lot of the uncertainty i have of fiddling around inside laptops! I was just wondering if the machine in the tut, the Satellite A100, is basically the same inside as the Equium A100? Specifically, is the cpu removable? I have an Equium A100 027 that belonged to my partner and i need to replace the cpu, or at least i think that's what it needs to get it working again. The machine will no longer power up and before it died completely, it used to suddenly cut out with no warning while in use. This would happen whether it was running on mains power or from the battery. The period of time it would take before the machine would cut out gradually became shorter and shorter - it went from lasting about an hour or two until eventually it wouldn't even stay on long enough to finish POST. By the time i got my hands on it, the machine was basically a doorstop. I think the cpu had been

running too hot, maybe the fan wasn't spinning fast enough or something, and its caused permanent damage to the cpu over time. Which is why i want to replace it if possible and save myself the expense of buying a new laptop. Reply to belladonna

frozenlead abDLaptop
November 25, 2009 5:35:29 AM

Belladonna, please ask your question here: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/54096-35-hardware-rep...

Then I'd be more than happy to help as best I can. Reply to frozenlead

Jaimy96
November 25, 2009 3:25:58 PM

What is exectly the harddisk/harddrive? I have to take it out, because due to LCD Damage, i probably get a new 1, and want to take out my Harddisk. Thanks in Advance,

Jaimy Reply to Jaimy96

frozenlead abDLaptop
November 25, 2009 5:59:17 PM

A hard disk is the part of your computer that permanently stores your data. Your OS, programs, and any other documents you have are stored on it. Your LCD breaking doesn't have much to do with your hard disk. You probably won't need a new disk. Please place comments in this thread in the future, to keep this thread clean: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/54096-35-hardware-rep... Reply to frozenlead

bnot
November 29, 2009 1:31:47 PM

Hey frozenlead, thanks alot for this detailed tutorial. I'm about to open up my laptop as well. I have the Satellite Pro A100 and I think the cable connecting mygraphic card and LCD is somehow broken/loose, don't know. My LCD won't show anything anymore, except for the backlight LEDs. I then connected an external CRT monitor to my laptop with a VGA cable and it works. So I think it must have something to do with the cable. I don't have any warranty left so I wanted to 'fix' it myself. So, do I have to follow your guide step by step in order to reach this cable?

Thanks in advance, Stefan! Reply to bnot

frozenlead abDLaptop
November 29, 2009 3:45:41 PM

You certainly don't have to, but you can if you want. I remove the monitor cable in step 9, here. Reply to frozenlead

TheGreatGrapeApe
December 15, 2009 12:32:26 AM

Rory post in the proper thread ! READ the first line. Reply to TheGreatGrapeApe

roryj
December 15, 2009 9:34:13 PM

TheGreatGrapeApe said: Rory post in the proper thread ! READ the first line.

ok have rerposted the question hopfully some one will get me out of my misery Reply to roryj

livon
January 7, 2010 10:32:06 AM

thanks guys....thanks for such technical help....! Reply to livon

Frankr316
January 28, 2010 3:31:25 AM

This was pleasant. I read through the whole document and found it very interesting. Now, if I have any problems with my laptop, I don't need to take it anywhere for repairs as now I just refer to this document. It is like repair guide for dummies. Reply to Frankr316

jsc
January 28, 2010 7:01:17 AM

Kittens knock my HP laptop off of its stand. It fell and broke the power jack. Now I don't need to "reinvent the wheel". Great work. Reply to jsc

maX0
February 3, 2010 8:28:56 PM

Very nice detailed guide, frozenlead! Helped a lot when opening my satellite and didn't break/crack anything as I was afraid I would. btw. where do you have those cisco magnets from?

cheers Reply to maX0

NEETSBREWER
February 9, 2010 11:06:16 PM

very nice help thanks... brewer Reply to NEETSBREWER

saran008 abDLaptop
February 11, 2010 11:03:52 AM

Very Nice guide! It helps a lot! Reply to saran008

cahomsyjr
February 23, 2010 12:41:04 PM

pcfixed said: great one, in a year I open about a thousand laptop thats 4 a day.. why dont you do a guide on the hp dv series..I find those so annoying

I'll donate mine, a dv7-1000, to the cause. Since HP won't fix it and all it's doing is taking up space on my desk. Hell you don't even have to put it back together just throw it out when you're done. Reply to cahomsyjr

frozenlead abDLaptop
February 23, 2010 10:36:10 PM

maX0 said: btw. where do you have those cisco magnets from?

Those magnets are packaged with Cisco enterprise switches. You can use them to stick switches in temporary places or wherever if needed. A buddy of mine gave me a few from work - they

have billions of the things. They're great for this, and for covering up AC vents in your house to even out the cooling.

Reply to frozenlead

Anonymous abDLaptop
February 25, 2010 11:53:44 AM

I was wondering if you could do a disassembly of your NP5793 please!? I have one and needs to be cleaned; with your expertise, you're the best man for the job, plus your signature seems to indicate you own one...

Please!! Reply to Anonymous

frozenlead abDLaptop
February 25, 2010 3:36:53 PM

I won't have time to do a detailed one with pictures for a while, though I have dismantled it several times. It's actually pretty difficult. Most of the parts you'll need to access, though, are easily found under the bottom panel - that's all you'll need to remove for memory, hard disks, wireless cards, GPU, and CPU as well as fans, which should be good enough for most cleanings. Reply to frozenlead

maX0
February 25, 2010 3:38:20 PM

frozenlead said: Those magnets are packaged with Cisco enterprise switches. You can use them to stick switches in temporary places or wherever if needed. A buddy of mine gave me a few from work - they have billions of the things. They're great for this, and for covering up AC vents in your house to even out the cooling.

Thanks! Reply to maX0

frozenlead abDLaptop
March 7, 2010 8:09:18 PM

Quote: Nice guide! I want to clean the fan. Do I really need to remove the keayboard and the speaker cover? Or can I jst remove the screws open the clam shell and clean it?

It depends on your specific model, but most of the time, the keyboard is screwed in to the notebook through both sides of the clamshell. In addition, the keyboard cable generally reaches through the top of the clam to the board, which is connected to the bottom of the clam, essentially holding the two together unless you want to damage the keyboard. You're going to need to remove the keyboard most of the time, as well as the speaker cover (which usually is a precursor to removing the keyboard). Reply to frozenlead

TheGreatGrapeApe
April 15, 2010 3:38:05 AM

* Reminder * POST Questions in the dedicated thread ; http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/54096-35-hardware-rep...

Reply to TheGreatGrapeApe

Adelaideny
March 29, 2011 9:34:52 AM

Quote: I won't have time to do a detailed one with pictures for a while, though I have dismantled it several times. It's actually pretty difficult. Most of the parts you'll need to access, though, are easily found under the bottom panel - that's all you'll need to remove for memory, hard disks, wireless cards, GPU, and CPU as well as fans, which should be good enough for most cleanings. For more information on custom laptops

Yeah, me too. I need practice. Reply to Adelaideny

Daave12
April 12, 2011 7:16:18 AM

Such an impressive and informative guide I must say. It was great reading it and gaining some new information. Great job, keep it up!! Reply to Daave12

livagoth
April 22, 2011 12:37:31 PM

Great guide with detailed pictures, thanks! Reply to livagoth

marawa7ed
September 4, 2011 12:11:30 PM

wow i can't imagine what you did with this laptop amazing Reply to marawa7ed

KIElectronics
January 12, 2012 11:13:45 AM

Fantastic guide to be honest, would be nice if there was other threads dedicated to certain parts of dissassembly. For example 'Fixing your Laptop Keyboard'. Reply to KIElectronics

corpsbeginners
February 1, 2012 3:01:33 PM

would it mean that any laptop with discrete gpu can be upgraded. i heard that most gpu are soldered to the motherboard. Reply to corpsbeginners

petersampsons
March 15, 2012 6:17:12 AM

OMG.. your forum post seems so useful for me. I have never found laptop repair by your self so easily. that you described here. Reply to petersampsons

small_ville50
March 21, 2012 7:06:18 AM

Good day,,i desmantle my laptop toshiba a205 because no display but there are power..i check the cmos battery there is no volts or not working,,it is possible that the cause of no display is the cmos battery?thank you Reply to small_ville50

Anonymous abDLaptop
March 31, 2012 8:11:00 AM

I have enjoied by your post.

Thanks to sharing....... Reply to Anonymous

thirdshopping
April 17, 2012 3:42:05 AM

It is very useful for a fresh man.Thank your the so surper post. Reply to thirdshopping

KyrieAnne
August 28, 2012 8:05:50 PM

Hello! Awesome post, wish I had found this one first! I recently took the lid off of my laptop, now using it with a separate monitor. Problem is, now I can't get the wifi to work. I followed that guide exactly, and I don't believe I yanked anything out of its rightful place. I have taped the antennae to my monitor, trying to give it height, but nothing. It detects my wireless network, but can't connect. I have reset the router and modem and such, as the troubleshooter suggested, but that didn't work. I would suspect its my connection, but this computer hops on just fine!

If you have any advice, I would really appreciate it!!!!! Thank you!

Kyrie Anne Reply to KyrieAnne

sakalu
December 25, 2012 6:30:04 AM

thanks so much for your tutorial, it sure is detailed and helpful! Reply to sakalu

priyavishnu
December 30, 2012 8:28:59 AM

I bought an Portronics Laptop Desk from "http://www.thevaluestore.in/supershop/PortronicsLaptop...". Weight : 1.9 kg Capacity : 15 kg (max) Maximum Height : 54 cm The angle of Use : 0-360 degrees Upper panels and handles : Aluminium Joints : ABS + PVC Anti-slip : Tire USB Ports : 3 ports, USB 2.0 Cooling : 2 USB fan

Warranty : 12 months Reply to priyavishnu

jpishgar
February 26, 2013 1:39:15 PM

The title of this topic has been edited by Jpishgar Reply to jpishgar

cellcomp
March 28, 2013 2:04:28 AM

I have a sony vaio model SVE111M1EM and for some time the screen appears but there is no lighting, if someone has already had that problem and has already solved or if someone can help me ,the repair by sending a diagram of raparation Reply to cellcomp

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