In this guide I explain how to disassemble an HP Pavilion dv7 notebook.

To be precise, I’m taking apart an HP Pavilion dv7t-1000 notebook but you should be able to use these instructions for all models in the Pavilion dv7 line.

The guide will show how to access both memory modules and hard drives if you are upgrading the notebook, remove most internal components, access and clean the cooling fan.

Before you start, turn off the notebook and remove the battery.

If you need spare part for your HP Pavilion dv7 notebook, you can search here.

STEP 1.

Remove (loosen) four screws securing the hard drive and memory cover. Remove the cover.

STEP 2.

Remove four screws securing hard drives (two screws per hard drive).

Slide the hard drive 1 to the left until it’s disconnected from the motherboard. Remove the hard drive 1.

Slide the hard drive 2 to the right until it’s disconnected from the motherboard. Remove the hard drive 2.

STEP 3.

Remove both memory (RAM) modules.

Disconnect two antenna cables from the wireless card. These laptop has three antenna cables but only two are used.

One of the antenna cables connected to the main contact on the wireless card and the second one is connected to the auxiliary contact. All three antenna cables are labeled.

Remove two screws securing the wireless card. Remove the card.

STEP 4.

Remove one screw securing the CD/DVD drive.

Slide the CD/DVD drive to the left to disconnect it from the motherboard.

Remove the CD/DVD drive.

STEP 5.

Remove all marked screws from the bottom of the notebook.

The green circled screw secures the keyboard.

Don’t forget to remove two screws hidden in the CD/DVD drive bay.

STEP 6.

Start separating the speaker cover from the notebook base.

You can use a guitar pick as a case cracker. Insert the guitar pick between the speaker cover and case and slowly move along the side.

STEP 7.

Lift up the speaker cover. Be careful, it’s still connected to the motherboard.

In order to remove the cable, you’ll have to unlock the connector first.

Move the brown clip about 2 millimeters in the direction shown by two arrows. The clip must stay attached to the connector base.

On the picture below the connector is shown in the unlocked position.

STEP 8.

Now you can remove the speaker cover.

STEP 9.

Remove four screw securing the keyboard.

STEP 10.

Lift up the keyboard from the base and access the cable connector underneath.

STEP 11.

Carefully unlock the keyboard cable connector.

Move the brown clip about 2 millimeters in the direction shown by two arrows. The brown clip must stay attached to the connector base.

If you damage the connector, the keyboard will not work when you assemble the notebook back together.

Well… I broke the connector. I removed thousands of laptop keyboards before but I broke this connector!

As you see, the left pin on the brown clip is missing.

No panic! I still can use this clip to lock the connector.

You’ll find more info here: Fixing damaged keyboard connector on a laptop motherboard.

STEP 12.

Pull Wi-Fi antenna cables though the opening in the cover.

Remove three screws securing the speaker assembly.

Disconnect the speaker cable (green arrow) from the motherboard.

STEP 13.

Remove the speaker assembly.

STEP 14.

Disconnect the video cable from the connector on the motherboard.

Remove six screws securing display hinges (three screws per hinge).

STEP 15.

Separate the display assembly from the notebook base.

In the next post I will explain how to take apart the display panel assembly and remove the LCD screen with inverter board.

By the way, it’s not necessary to separate the display panel assemble from the base in order to take it apart.

STEP 16.

Disconnect and remove the CMOS battery.

Remove all marked screws from the bottom. The green circled screw is hidden in the CD/DVD drive bay.

STEP 17.

Remove all screws securing the top cover assembly.

Disconnect the touch pad cable from the motherboard.

STEP 18.

Start separating the top cover assemble from the notebook base.

You can use same trick with the guitar pick shown in the step 6.

STEP 19.

Remove the top cover assembly.

Here’s the back side of the top cover assembly.

STEP 20.

Disconnect the USB and audio board cables from the motherboard (green arrows).

Disconnect the cooling fan cable from the motherboard (yellow arrow).

Remove four screws securing the motherboard.

STEP 21.

Lift up the right side of the motherboard as it shown on the picture below and disconnect the DC-IN jack cable.

STEP 22.

Remove the motherboard from the notebook base.

On the opposite side of the motherboard you can access the processor (CPU) when the heat sink is removed.

The motherboard is dead? Check out these motherboard repair offers.

Here’s the notebook base without motherboard.

The USB board, audio board, cooling fan and DC-IN jack are mounted on the base.

In order to remove the cooling fan, simply remove two screws securing the fan.

As you see, the cooling fan is dusty and has to be cleaned.

In the following guide I explain how to disassemble HP Pavilion dv6500, dv6600, dv6700, dv6800 notebooks. In this particular case I’m taking apart an HP Pavilion dv6700 notebook.

I believe this guide will work for some other models in the Pavilion dv6000 line.

You can use these instructions for removing and replacing all main notebook components.

If you need spare parts for HP Pavilion dv6500/dv6600/dv6700/dv6800 notebooks, you can search here.

Turn off the notebook and unplug the AC adapter.

STEP 1.

Remove the battery.

Remove four screws securing the hard drive and memory (RAM) covers. Remove both covers.

STEP 2.

Lift up the right side of the hard drive assembly to disconnect it from the motherboard.

Remove the hard drive assembly.

STEP 3.

Remove both memory (RAM) modules.

Disconnect two antenna cables (black and gray) from the wireless card. Remove two screws securing the wireless card to the motherboard. Remove the wireless card.

By the way, in this step you can access the CMOS (RTC) battery.

STEP 4.

Remove one screw securing the CD/DVD drive to the laptop base.

Pull the CD/DVD drive from the notebook and remove it.

STEP 5.

Remove all screws from the bottom of the notebook.

Do not forget:
- three screws in the CD/DVD drive bay (yellow).
- one screw in the hard drive bay (green).
- two hex studs under memory slots (orange).

Mark all removed screws somehow so you don’t forget their location when assemble the notebook back together.

STEP 6.

Carefully lift up the right side of the power button board cover.

There are two cables connected to the motherboard. We’ll disconnect these cables after removing the keyboard in the STEP 8.

STEP 7.

Now, when the power button board cover separated from the laptop case, you can remove the keyboard as it shown on the picture below.

STEP 8.

Carefully disconnect the keyboard cable from the motherboard.

For more detailed keyboard removal instructions please follow this guide for HP Pavilion dv6000 laptop.

These instructions should be identical for HP Pavilion dv6500, dv6600, dv6700, dv6800 notebooks.

STEP 9.

Disconnect two cables running from the power button boar cover.

There are no locks on these connectors. Simply pull both cables from connectors.

STEP 10.

Turn the cover upside down and disconnect one cable from the power button board.

STEP 11.

Remove the cover.

STEP 12.

Disconnect the video cable connector from the motherboard.

This connector is located close to the left display hinge.

STEP 13.

Pull both wireless card antenna cables through the opening in the top cover. Unroute both antenna cables.

Remove two screws securing the display assembly hinges.

STEP 14.

Lift up and separate the display assembly from the notebook base.

In one of the previous posts I explain how to disassemble the display assemble and remove the LCD screen from an HP Pavilion dv6000.

These instructions should be identical for HP Pavilion dv6500, dv6600, dv6700, dv6800 notebooks.

STEP 15.

Remove five screws securing the top cover assembly.

Disconnect the touch pad cable from the motherboard.

STEP 16.

Start separating the plastic cover from the notebook base. You can use a piece of soft plastic (I’m using a guitar pick) to separate the cover from the base.

The cover has been removed.

STEP 17.

Separate the top cover assembly from the notebook base.

Again, as a case cracker I’m using the same guitar pick.

STEP 18.

Remove the top cover assembly.

The top cover assembly has been removed.

STEP 19.

Disconnect the Bluetooth module cable from the motherboard.

Remove two screws securing the Bluetooth module.

Remove the module.

STEP 20.

Remove four screws securing the express card slot.

Slide the slot board to the right and disconnect it from the motherboard.

STEP 21.

There is only one screws securing the motherboard to the notebook base.

Remove these screw.

STEP 22.

Start removing the motherboard as it shown on the picture below.

When the motherboard is lifted up, disconnect one cable from the audio board.

There are two more cables connected to the motherboard and we’ll remove them in the next step.

STEP 23.

Turn the motherboard upside down and disconnect two more cables.

STEP 24.

The motherboard has been removed.

The audio board and power connector board are still connected to the notebook base.

STEP 25.

Loosen four screws securing the cooling assembly (heat sink and fan) to the motherboard.

STEP 26.

Lift up and remove the cooling assembly.

Now you can access the processor (CPU).

In this model the power connector (DC power jack) is not soldered directly to the motherboard.

The power connector is mounted on a separate board.

If the power connector fails, you can desolder it from the board and replace with a new one or replace the entire power connector board.

In the following guide I remove the motherboard from a Compaq Presario CQ50 laptop. Also this guide should work for Compaq Presario CQ 60/CQ70 and HP G50/G60/G70 laptops.

If you need replacement parts, you can find them here. Just search by the part name and laptop model.

Start laptop disassembly with removing the battery.

STEP 1.

Remove memory, hard drive and wireless card covers.

STEP 2.

Remove three screws securing the hard drive assembly.

Slide the hard drive assembly to the right, disconnect it from the motherboard and remove from the laptop.

STEP 3.

Remove both memory modules.

Disconnect two antenna cables from the wireless card. Remove two screws and remove the wireless card from the laptop.

STEP 4.

Remove one screw securing the DVD drive.

Pull the DVD drive from the laptop.

STEP 5.

Remove all screws from the bottom of the laptop.

Disconnect the CMOS battery cable from the motherboard.

STEP 6.

Carefully lift up the keyboard as it shown on the picture below.

STEP 7.

Access the keyboard cable connector underneath the keyboard.

Unlock the connector before removing the keyboard.

In order to unlock the connector you’ll have to move the locking clip (white) about 2-3 millimeters towards the LCD screen.

The locking clip must stat attached to the connector base (dark brown) as it shown on the picture below.

Now you can release the cable and remove the keyboard.

STEP 8.

Unlock the power button cable connector.

On the following picture you can see the connector in the unlocked state.

Now you can remove the power button board cable from the connector.

STEP 9.

Remove the plastic cover.

STEP 10.

Disconnect the video cable connector from the motherboard.

Disconnect the webcam cable.

Pull the wireless card antenna cable through the opening in the top cover.

STEP 11.

Remove screws securing the display hinges.

STEP 12.

Remove the display assembly from the laptop.

In the next post I explain how to remove the LCD screen, inverter board and hinges from the display assembly in HP G50/G60/G70 laptops. It’s similar for Compaq Presario CQ50/CQ60/CQ70 laptops.

STEP 13.

Disconnect the touch pad cable from the motherboard.

Remove screws securing the top cover assembly.

STEP 14.

Start separating the top cover assembly from the laptop base.

You can use a guitar pick in order to split the laptop case.

STEP 15.

The top cover assembly has been removed.

STEP 16.

Remove one screw securing the left speaker.

Remove the left speaker from the base.

STEP 17.

Remove four screws securing the motherboard.

Disconnect four cables from the motherboard.

STEP 18.

Remove the motherboard from the laptop base.

The motherboard is dead? Check out these motherboard repair offers.

STEP 19.

Disconnect the cooling fan cable from the motherboard.

STEP 20.

Loosen four screws securing the cooling fan assembly.

STEP 21.

Remove the cooling fan assembly from the laptop.

STEP 22.

In this model the power jack is not soldered to the motherboard.

You can unplug the power jack cable from the motherboard and replace it with a new one if needed.l

In this guide I explain how to clean or replace the cooling fan assembly in a Dell XPS M1530 laptop. The cooling fan can be accessed from the door on the bottom of the laptop and replacing/cleaning procedure takes only about 10 minutes.

I’m taking this XPS M1530 laptop apart because the cooling fan started making noise and laptop shuts off on its own when hot. I will replace the fan, clean the heat sink and apply fresh thermal grease on the CPU and video chip.

If you need a new cooling fan, you can find it here. You can buy just the fan or entire heat sink assembly.

STEP 1.

Turn off the laptop, unplug the power adapter and remove the battery.

Unscrew five screws securing the memory/fan cover and remove the cover.

STEP 2.

Remove six screws securing the heat sink assembly to the motherboard.

Disconnect the cooling fan cable from the motherboard.

By the way, here’s how you can upgrade memory modules in this laptop.

STEP 3.

Remove the heat sink assembly.

STEP 4.

Remove four screws securing the cooling fan to the heat sink.

STEP 5.

Lift up and remove the cooling fan.

STEP 6.

The heat sink is clogged with dust and has to be cleaned. You can use canned air to blow off dust from the heat sink and fan.

STEP 7.

Before installing the heat sink assembly back into the laptop take a look at thermal grease on the processor and video chip.

If thermal grease dried out, it has to be replaced.

Remove old grease from the heat sink using a piece of paper towel soaked in 99% alcohol.

Do not remove thermal pad. It can be reused.

STEP 8.

Using same paper towel remove old thermal grease from the processor and video chip.

As you see, I cleaned only the top side of the NVIDIA chip. There are many very small chips buried under thermal grease and I was afraid to damage them.

STEP 9.

Apply a small drop of fresh thermal grease on the processor and NVIDIA chip before installing the heat sink assembly.

I’m using Shin-Etsu gray thermal grease.

In the next post I explain how to remove the LCD sceen and inverter board from a Dell XPS M1530 laptop.

In this guide I will be taking apart a Sony Vaio VGN-SZ series laptop. In my case I’m working with a Sony Vaio VGN-SZ330p laptop but the guide should work for the entire VGN-SZ line.

In you need replacement parts, search here.

STEP 1.

Turn off the laptop, unplug AC adapter and remove battery.

Remove one screw securing the keyboard.

STEP 2.

There are two latches securing the keyboard. They are located above the F2 and Insert keys.

STEP 3.

Using a small screwdriver press on the locking latch above the Insert key and lift up the right side of the keyboard.

STEP 4.

Do the same with the second latch and lift up the keyboard from the laptop base.

STEP 5.

Place the keyboard upside down on the palm rest so you can access the cable connector underneath.

STEP 5.

In order to unlock the cable connector move the black clip about 2 millimeters towards the touch pad. The clip must stay attached to the connector base.

If you break the connector, you’ll have to remove the motherboard. Work very carefully.

STEP 6.

Release the keyboard cable. Remove the keyboard and replace it with a new one if needed.

STEP 7.

Remove four screw securing the heat sink cover. Remove the cover.
Remove two screws securing the memory cover. Remove the cover.

STEP 8.

Remove two screw securing the CPU heat sink.

STEP 9.

Remove heat sink from the laptop.

Now you can clean the cooling fan and heat sink with compressed air.
Also, you get an access to the CPU.

STEP 10.

Both memory modules could be access through the door on the bottom of the laptop.

STEP 11.

Remove four red screws securing the switch cover.
Remove three yellow screws securing the palm rest.

STEP 12.

Carefully lift up and remove the switch cover.

STEP 13.

Remove three screw securing the palm rest.
Unlock the touch pad cable connector and release the cable.

In order to unlock the connector simply lift up the right side of the locking clip with your finger nail.

On the picture below the connector is shown in the unlocked state.

STEP 14.

Release the touch pad cable and remove the palm rest assembly.

When the palm rest assembly is removed you get an access to the hard drive, DVD drive, wireless card and CMOS battery.

STEP 15.

Remove three screws securing the hard drive assembly.

Disconnect the hard drive cable connector from the motherboard.

STEP 16.

Remove the hard drive assembly from the laptop.

If you are replacing or upgrading the hard drive you’ll have to transfer the mounting bracket and cable from the old drive to a new one.

STEP 17.

Remove one screw securing the DVD drive.

STEP 18.

Slid the DVD drive to the right to disconnect it from the motherboard.

There is an adapter between the DVD drive and motherboard. This adapter has to stay attached to the motherboard.

STEP 19.

Remove DVD drive from the laptop.

STEP 20.

In order to remove the wireless card, disconnect two antenna cable from the card, remove two screws securing the card and pull the card from the slot on the motherboard.

If you would like to replace the CMOS battery, simply unplug it from the motherboard and replace with a new one.

In one of the previous guides I explain how to remove the LCD screen and inverter board from a Sony Vaio VGN-SZ series laptop.

In the following guide I will remove and replace the power board in an Acer TravelMate 3260 series laptop. Most likely my guide will work for some other Acer TravelMate laptops but I don’t know all models. If this guide fits your laptop, please mention the model number in comments after the post.

In Acer TravelMate 3260 laptop power from AC adapter goes to the motherboard through the power board. When the power board goes bad, the laptop stops working at all and appears to be dead. In order to get access and replace the power board we’ll have to disassemble the entire laptop.

STEP 1.

If you need spare parts for your Acer TravelMate 3260, you can find them here.

First of all, turn off the laptop and remove the battery.

Remove two screws securing the switch cover on the back of the laptop.

STEP 2.

Start removing the switch cover and lift it up by the hinge cover.
Continue removing the cover with your hinges.

STEP 3.

Remove the switch cover.

STEP 4.

Remove two screws securing the keyboard.

STEP 5.

Carefully lift up the keyboard from the laptop base and place it upside down on the palm rest so you can access the cable connector underneath.

STEP 6.

You have to unlock the connector before you can pull the cable and remove the keyboard.

On the picture below you see connector in the unlocked position.
Pull the cable and remove the keyboard.

The keyboard has been removed.

STEP 7.

Remove the hard drive and memory/Wi-Fi covers.

STEP 8.

Remove one screw securing the hard drive assembly.

STEP 9.

Pull the hard drive to the left and disconnect it from the motherboard.
Remove the hard drive from the laptop.

STEP 10.

Remove one screw securing the optical CD/DVD drive to the base.
Push the drive from the laptop with your finger.
Remove optical drive from the laptop.

It is not necessary to disconnect memory modules, wireless card, modem card and CMOS (RTC) battery for the purpose of my guide . You can leave them connected to the motherboard.

STEP 11.

Remove all marked screws from the bottom of the laptop.
Disconnect cables I pointed with yellow arrows.
Disconnect two antenna cables from the wireless card (green arrows).

STEP 12.

Remove one screw from the back side of the laptop.

STEP 13.

Disconnect the video cable connector.
Unroute both Wi-Fi antenna cables and pull them through the opening in the motherboard.
Remove four screws securing LCD panel hinges.

STEP 14.

Remove the LCD panel.

STEP 15.

Remove five screws securing the top cover assembly.
Disconnect the touchpad cable.

STEP 16.

Start separating the top cover assembly from the laptop base.

STEP 17.

Remove the top cover assembly.

STEP 18.

Remove two screws securing the motherboard.

STEP 19.

Start removing the motherboard from the top left corner.

Release and lift up the top right corner of the board.

Carefully pull the motherboard from the base assembly.

STEP 20.

On the picture below you see the power board attached to the motherboard.

The DC power jack and power switch are located on the power board. If the DC power jack is broken, you can repair it using this technique.

Remove two screws securing the power board.

Disconnect the power board from the motherboard.

The power board part number is printed right in the middle. It’s DA0ZR1PB6D1 (REV:D). You can find a replacement power board here.

STEP 21.

While the motherboard is removed from the base, you can clean the cooling module.
Loosen six screws securing the heat sink assembly.
Disconnect fan cable from the motherboard.

Remove the heat sink assembly and blow off dust using compressed air.

In this guide I will disassemble a HP 530 Notebook PC and remove the top cover assembly. I’m replacing the top cover assembly because one of the touch pad buttons is broken. When you press on the button it feels loose and sometimes will not click. The plastic button is a part of the top cover and when it gets broken you have to replace the whole top cover.

In order to replace the top cover I will have to disassemble the whole notebook. I’ll be removing all internal parts including hard drive, keyboard, motherboard, cooling fan and other key components.

It’s possible that my guide will work for some other HP notebooks. If it works for you, please mention the notebook model in the comments below and help other people.

First of all, turn off the notebook and remove the battery.

STEP 1.

Remove the memory and hard drive covers from the bottom of the notebook.

You will find the wireless card under the memory cover.

STEP 2.

Remove one screw securing the CD/DVD optical drive. Push the drive from the laptop with a small screwdriver.
Remove the optical drive.

STEP 3.

Pull the hard drive assembly to the left to disconnect it from the motherboard. Remove the hard drive assembly.

STEP 4.

When you replace the top cover, you don’t have to remove memory modules and wireless card, but it’s necessary to disconnect the wireless card antenna cables from the card.
Disconnect both Wi-Fi antennas from the wireless card.

STEP 5.

Remove eleven (yellow) screws from the bottom of the notebook. These screws are securing the switch cover (power button cover).
Remove two (red) screws. These two screws securing the display panel assembly.
Remove two (orange) screws. These two screws securing the keyboard.

STEP 6.

Turn the laptop over and start removing the switch cover. If you cannot separate the cover from the base, you can use a piece of plastic (I’m using a guitar pick).
Insert the guitar pick between the switch cover and base and carefully lift up the cover. Continue removing the cover with your fingers.

The switch cover has been removed.

STEP 7.

You removed two screws securing the keyboard in the step 5. Now you can lift up the keyboard from the base.

Place the keyboard so you can access the cable connector underneath.

In order to unlock the connector, you’ll have to move the brown locking clip towards the display panel. Move it about 2-3 millimeters, not more. The locking clip must stay attached to the connector base.
Now you can release the keyboard cable and remove the keyboard.

WARNING! If you break the keyboard connector, you’ll have to replace the motherboard.

Need a replacement keyboard for HP 530 notebook? Find a new keyboard here.

STEP 8.

Disconnect the video cable from the motherboard.
Pull the wireless antenna cable through the hole in the motherboard. You disconnected these cables from the wireless card in the step 4.
Remove two screw securing the display panel hinges. You removed two more screws securing the display panel in the step 5.

Remove the display panel assembly from the notebook base.

You can find the LCD screen removal instruction in the official service guide for HP 530 notebooks. Take a look on the page 49.

Search here for new LCD screens.

STEP 9.

Disconnect the switch board cable from the motherboard. Unlock the connector the same way as you unlocked the keyboard connector in the step 7.
Remove one screw securing the switch board.
Remove the switch board.

STEP 10.

Remove all remaining screws from the bottom.

STEP 11.

Disconnect the touch pad cable from the motherboard.

STEP 12.

Start separating the top cover from the notebook base.

Continue separating the top cover from the base.
By the way, in a HP 530 notebook PC the motherboard is attached to the top cover, not to the base assembly as a most other notebooks.

Remove the base cover.

STEP 13.

The base cover has been removed.
Now you can access and replace the RTC (CMOS) battery if needed.

STEP 14.

Remove one screw securing the cooling fan.
Disconnect the cooling fan cable from the motherboard.

Remove the cooling fan.

Here are replacement cooling fans.

STEP 15.

Loosen four screws securing the heat sink.

Remove the heat sink.
In my laptop the heat sink was clogged with dust and needed a good cleaning.
After the heat sink is removed, you can access and remove the processor (CPU) if needed. I’ll leave the processor attached to the motherboard.

STEP 16.

Disconnect the speaker cable.
Remove one screw securing the motherboard to the top cover.

Start removing the motherboard from the top cover.

The motherboard has been removed.

STEP 17.

The touch pad is attached to the top cover and secured by a metal bracket. I’m not removing the touch pad because when you buy a new top cover it comes with the cover.

Now you can replace the top cover assembly with a new one.

You can find a new top cover assembly (with touch pad) using the HP spare number. In my notebook the part number is 441626-001.
I think you can use the same top cover for all HP 530 Notebook PCs.

You can find a new or used top cover assembly here.

In the following guide I will take apart a Dell Vostro 1510 notebook. You can use this guide for removing almost all internal parts from the notebook base. I think these instructions might work for some other Dell Vostro notebooks, not just a Vostro 1510. If it fits your laptop, please mention the model in the comments below.

If you need spare parts for your Vostro 1510 laptop, you can search for used and new parts here.

Before you start the disassembly process do not forget to unplug the  power adapter and battery.

STEP 1.

Remove hard drive and memory covers.

STEP 2.

Pull the hard drive to the left and disconnect it from the motherboard.

Remove the hard drive. As you see it’s a SATA hard drive. If you are replacing the hard drive, any large 2.5″ SATA hard drive should work just fine.

STEP 3.

Remove both memory modules. In a Dell Vostro 1510 you can install up to 4GB RAM (2GB module into each slot). You should use DDR2-667 modules.

STEP 4.

Remove three screws securing the cooling fan. Unplug the cooling fan cable from the motherboard.

Remove and lift up the cooling fan.

STEP 5.

Loosen four screws securing the heat sink.

Carefully lift up and remove the heat sink.

STEP 6.

Disconnect two antenna cables from the wireless card. Grab the golden connector on the end of the antenna cables with your fingers and pull it up.
Remove one screw securing the wireless card and remove the card.

STEP 7.
Lift up the keyboard cover with a small screwdriver or another sharp object.

Remove the keyboard cover.

STEP 8.

Remove two screws securing the keyboard.

Lift up the keyboard so you can access the keyboard cable connector underneath.

Very carefully unlock the connector and release the keyboard cable.

Now you can remove the keyboard.

If you are replacing the keyboard, you don’t have to through steps 1-6. Simply remove and replace the keyboard as it shown in steps 7 and 8.

STEP 9.

In the following three steps I’ll remove the display panel assembly.

Remove one screw securing the right hinge.

STEP 10.

Disconnect the video cable from the motherboard.
Pull both wireless antenna cables through the opening.
Remove five screws securing both display hinges.

STEP 11.

Remove the display assembly.
If you would like to know how to take apart the display panel and remove the LCD with inverter, check out other disassembly guides in the Dell category. The LCD screen removal instructions will be similar for most Dell (and other ) laptops.

STEP 12.

Disconnect three cables and remove three screws from the top cover assembly.

STEP 13.

Remove all screws from the bottom of the notebook.

STEP 14.

Start separating the top cover assembly from the base assembly. You can use a small flathead screwdriver.

Continue separating the top cover assembly with your fingers.

Remove the top cover.

STEP 15.

The CD/DVD drive is mounted inside the base and can be removed only after you remove the top cover.
Disconnect the CD/DVD drive cable from the connector on the motherboard.

Lift up and remove the CD/DVD drive.

STEP 16.

Remove three screws securing the motherboard.
Unplug the USB board cable from the motherboard.

Lift up the motherboard as it shown on the picture below.

Remove the motherboard.

The processor (CPU) is locked in the socket. In order to remove the processor, you’ll have to unlock the socket first. There is a small screw on the side of the socket. This screw locks/unlocks the socket.

In this notebook the CMOS (RTC) battery is replaciable. You can unlug the old CMOS battery from the motherboard and replace it with a new one.

In this guide I explain how to disassemble a HP Compaq 6730s – 6735s notebook and remove the cooling fan which is mounted under the motherboard. Basically I will take the whole notebook apart and remove all internal components one by one.

Why wouldn’t HP make a door for the cooling fan? Why should it be so complicated to replace the cooling fan?

Let’s start to disassemble the notebook.

If you need new replacement parts for you HP Compaq 6730s-6735s notebook, you can find them here.

STEP 1.

Remove the battery.
Remove covers from the hard drive, wireless card and memory.

STEP 2.

Remove one screw securing the DVD drive (red circle) and pull the drive from the notebook.
Remove memory modules (in my laptop I had only one module installed).
Remove the hard drive, you’ll find details instruction on the sticker glued to the hard drive caddy.
Unsnap two antenna cables from the wireless card. Remove two screws securing the wireless card (green circles). Remove the wireless card.

STEP 3.

Remove five screws securing the switch board cover (red circles).
Remove two screws securing the laptop keyboard (green circles).
Remove eleven screws securing the laptop bottom cover (yellow circles).

STEP 4.

Lift up the switch board cover. You can separate the switch board cover from the bottom cover with a piece of soft plastic. I’m using a guitar pick.

Be careful, the switch board cover is attached to the motherboard. Do not pull the cable from the connector yet.

STEP 5.

Lift up the keyboard and place it on the switch board cover so you can access the keyboard cable connector.

The keyboard is connected to the motherboard via a flat ribbon cable. Before you pull the cable and remove the keyboard, you’ll have to unlock the connector.

On the picture below you can see the keyboard connector unlocked. Now you can pull the cable and remove the keyboard.

STEP 6.

After the keyboard has been removed, you can release the switch board cable and remove the cover.

STEP 7.

Remove four screws securing the notebook speakers.
Unplug the speaker cable from the motherboard.
Remove both speakers.

STEP 8.

Release the wireless card antenna cables.
Unplug the webcam cable from the motherboard.
Remove four screws securing the display hinges (red circles) and one screw grounding the video cable (green circle).

STEP 9.

Lift up and remove the display panel assembly.

In the next guide I’ll explain how to get inside the display panel and remove/replace the web camera module.

STEP 10.

Remove two screws securing the top cover assembly.

STEP 11.

Carefully lift up the top cover assembly.

Be careful, the touch pad cable is still attached to the motherboard.Release the touch pad cable and remove the top cover assembly.

STEP 12.

Now we can access the motherboard.

Unplug three cables pointed with arrows.
Remove three screws securing the motherboard.
Lift up and release the RJ11 (modem) jack.

STEP 13.

Start removing the motherboard from the laptop case.

The motherboard has been removed.

STEP 14.

Finally, you can access and replace the cooling fan.
Simply remove one screw securing the cooling fan to the laptop base and replace it with a new one if needed.

If you are replacing the motherboard you’ll have to transfer some parts to the new board.

Transfer the DVD drive connector, modem card, heat sink, processor and modem cable.

In this guide I explain how to remove and replace the motherboard in a Dell Latitude D500 laptop. Also, you’ll see how to access and replace all other internal parts in this laptop.

I had two different problems with the laptop.
1. The power jack was damaged. I could have just resoldered the jack but the second problem was more serious.
2. The motherboard couldn’t charge a known good battery. Apparently it had a problem with the battery charging circuit.
So I decided to replace the motherboard.

Instead of buying just a single motherboard, I bough the whole motherboard assembly (you can see it on the first picture) which includes the board itself, mounting frame, cooling fan, speakers, hard drive bracket, PC card slot, modem and power button board. I purchased a good working motherboard assembly for my Dell Latitude D500 here for the same price as they asked for a single motherboard.

OK, let’s start taking it apart. Before you start, turn off the laptop, unplug the AC adapter and remove the battery.
Here I’m taking apart the laptop battery.

STEP 1.

Lift up one side of the keyboard cover with a small flat head screwdriver. Remove the cover.

STEP 2.

Remove two screws securing the motherboard.

STEP 3.

Disconnect the keyboard cable from the motherboard.

STEP 4.

Disconnect the video cable connector from the motherboard. Remove three screws securing the display hinges.

STEP 5.

Carefully remove the display assembly. In one of the previous posts I explain how to remove the LCD screen from a similar Dell laptop. It’s not necessary to remove the display panel from the laptop in order to remove the screen. You can do it while the display panel is still attached to the laptop.

STEP 6.

Remove one screw securing the CD/DVD drive and pull the drive from the laptop.
Remove both memory (RAM) modules.

STEP 7.

Unsnap both antenna cables from the connectors on the wireless card and remove the card the same way you remove memory modules – spread latches on both sides of the card and when the card pops up, pull it from the slot by the edges.

STEP 8.

Remove one screw securing the hard drive assembly and pull it from the laptop.

STEP 9.

Remove all screws from the bottom.

STEP 10.

Remove three screws securing the top cover assembly.
Disconnect the touch pad cable from the motherboard.

STEP 11.

Start lifting up the top cover assembly as it shown on the picture.

STEP 12.

The top cover has been removed.

STEP 13.

Remove two screws from the motherboard assembly.

STEP 14.

Start removing the motherboard assembly as it shown on the picture below.

STEP 15.

I noticed that it’s easier to remove the motherboard assembly if you remove the RTC (CMOS) battery cover first. It’s located in the battery bay.

STEP 16.

The motherboard assembly has been removed.

STEP 17.

Loosen four screws securing the CPU heat sink.

STEP 18.

Remove the heat sink. In my laptop the heat sink was clogged with dust and needed a good cleaning.

STEP 19.

Now you can access the CPU (processor). Unlock the CPU socket by turning the screw-lock into “Open” position. Carefully lift up the CPU and install it into the socket on the new motherboard. Do not forget to lock the socket after the CPU is installed or your laptop will not start.

You can search for a new motherboard by the part number from the old motherboard. The part number is located on a sticker glued in the RAM slot area. The second set of number in a long string is the part number.

In the next post I will explain how to remove the motherboard from the mounting frame and prepair it for the power jack repair.