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In this guide I explain how to disassemble a Compaq Presario F700 notebook. The guide might work for some other Compaq and HP models. I think the disassembly steps will be very similar for Compaq Presario F500 and HP G6000 notebook PC. If this guide works for your notebook, please mention the model name in the comments below.
You’ll find tons of spare parts for Compaq Presario F700, F500 notebooks here.
In this particular guide I’m taking apart a Presario F730US notebook.
By the way, if you have a bad/dead motherboard, check out these motherboard repair offers.
Before you start, turn off the laptop, unplug the power adapter and remove the battery.
COMPAQ PRESARIO F700 DISASSEMBLY GUIDE.
STEP 1.
Remove three screws securing the memory cover and two screws securing the hard drive cover. Remove both covers.
STEP 2.
Lift up the right side of the hard drive by the plastic tab to disconnect it from the motherboard. Remove the hard drive.
STEP 3.
Remove both memory modules.
STEP 4.
Disconnect both antenna cables from the wireless card. Remove two screws securing the wireless card in the top left and right corners. Pull the wireless card from the slot and remove it.
STEP 5.
Remove one screw securing the CD/DVD drive and pull the drive from the notebook. Remove the drive.
STEP 6.
Remove all marked screws from the bottom of the notebook.
Yellow screws securing the switch cover (keyboard cover).
Green screws securing the keyboard.
STEP 7.
Start lifting up the switch cover as it shown on the picture below. You’ll have to work with your fingers to disengage small plastic latches holding the switch cover.
Be careful, there is a thin ribbon cable running from the switch cover to the motherboard.
STEP 8.
Now you can lift up the top side of the keyboard and access the connector underneath the keyboard.
The keyboard cable connector is located above the touch pad. Before you pull the cable and remove the keyboard you have to unlock the connector.
Move both sides of the locking tab about 1-2 millimeter up and release the keyboard cable. Now you can pull the cable and remove the keyboard.
STEP 9.
Disconnect the switch cover cable from the motherboard.
Remove the cover.
STEP 10.
Unplug the LCD cable from the motherboard.
Release the wireless card antenna cables. Pull them through a hole in the motherboard.
Remove four screws securing the display panel.
STEP 11.
Lift up and remove the display panel assembly.
In the next guide I will explain how to access and remove the LCD screen with inverter board.
STEP 12.
Remove four screws securing the top cover assembly.
Disconnect the power button board cable.
Disconnect the touch pad cable.
STEP 13.
Remove all screws securing the top cover assembly from the bottom of the notebook. Do not forget three (green) screws in the CD/DVD drive bay.
Remove two hex studs located close to the memory slots.
By the way, the RTC (CMOS) battery can be accessed when you remove the memory cover.
STEP 14.
Start separating the top cover assembly from the bottom assembly. You’ll have to work with your fingers to disengage plastic latches securing the top cover.
Carefully lift up and remove the top cover assembly.
STEP 15.
Now I’m going to remove the motherboard.
Remove one screw securing the motherboard. In other Compaq/HP models there could be more then one screw securing the motherboard.
STEP 16.
Lift up the right side of the motherboard as it shown on the picture below.
Before you remove the motherboard from the base assembly you have to disconnect the audio board cable.
STEP 17.
Remove the motherboard and turn it upside down. There are two more cables to disconnect.
These cables connect the motherboard to the USB/Power connector board.
Finally, the motherboard is removed. As you see on the picture below, the audio board and USB/power connector board are secured to the base assembly.
The motherboard has been removed. Now you can access and replace the cooling fan if you have to.
You can access and replace the processor if you remove the heat sink.
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October 20th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
o and apparently the same problem as Josh, Jamal, and Mrs.L!!!!!!!!! Help us tech dude!!!!
October 20th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
I think im having the same or similar problem as Terris. When i attempt to power on my laptop the blue power light comes on, i can hear the fan and hard drive attempt to start up. Then it goes quiet, remains that way with the blue light still on for about 10 seconds, then powers down on its own. It then attempts to power on again and repeats this process over and over again if left alone. Ive tried manually restarting it many times but it has no affect. My online research thus far has been completly unhelpful with possible causes ranging from the mother board, to the hard drive, to the battery. (I tried pluggin it in and starting it without the battery but still same result, so i dont think its the battery).
October 15th, 2009 at 9:02 am
Just an update on my previous post regarding problems with my daughters Compaq Presario c502us, I finally was able to fully remove the back, [2 screws under the keyboard] I still was unable to determine why it will not start up with a working power supply? The only indication I get when I plug in the power supply is a little flashing light on the left front of the case [right below the lid] and when I pust the power button a little flashing light right in the middle of the button for a few seconds but nothing else? I found that the cooling fan was full of lint and etc. Does the power supply go straight to the battery/computer, or does it go thru the mother board or? and it controls the charge of the battery and etc? Again, thanks in advance for any info.
October 15th, 2009 at 7:07 am
My daughters Compaq Presario c502us has the same problem as post # 35. Her husband had ordered a replacement battery and also a power supply and still the same problem. [they did say that when they inserted the new battery the computer started up for about 30 min but was not operating properly and then shut down again.This would make you think that the new battery had some charge in it and eventually ran down which would make you think that there is a problem in the cir that allows the power supply to furnish power to the computer and also charge the battery. I have checked the voltage output of power supply and it is 18.7 vdc right up to the terminal block behind the battery? I would like to check the battery voltage but I am not sure which of the 6 little knife blade connections is which? I have tried to remove the case on the bottom and I have removed the wireless card, the hard drive, the battery and everything I can find, but there is still something holding it together in the area of the fan? I have looked at the F-700 diss/ass guide and even though some things are the same it is not exactly. The whole back is loose except for the area around one corner of the fan which seems to be held with a screw from above possibly under the key board? I was an et in the navy and have worked on “stuff” my whole life but this has about stumped me. Any suggestions sure would be appreciated.
October 8th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
The wifi on my notebook quit working (hardware) and a couple weeks later it doesn’t turn on anymore.
Powersupply is providing power (tested with a voltmeter). The blue power button LED turns on for about 2 sec when pushed, and then it turns off again. Switched RAM, took out HDD, DVD, WIFI module, resetted bios (took out the battery) no change.
October 7th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
nate,
Take a look inside the heat sink assembly. It’s possible that the heat sink is clogged with dust and the laptop overheats because of that. You can blow off dust with compressed air. Clean the heat sink and test the laptop again.
Why? Did you drop the laptop? If not, most likely the heat sink is seated as it should be.
It’s called thermal grease or thermal compound. Your laptop is not too old and most likely thermal grease is still in good shape.
By the way, listen for the cooling fan. Does it spin at all? Maybe the fan is dead?
October 7th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
I have the f700 and noticed that bottom was hot when I used laptop and power cable was attached. Slowly the battery began to die and now its dead so I have to use the cable always. Now it is beginning to lock up. Sometimes it boots and works for awhile but eventually locks up. I suspect the heat is involved. Is it worthwhile to check processor to see if heatsink is seated properly? Perhaps add some silver stuff (can’t remember what its called) between processor and heat sink? Then a new battery. Thoughts? Ideas?
October 3rd, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Thanks, man, worked like a charm!
September 24th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
zero,
Can you see DVD drive icon in My Computer?
Can you see DVD drive in the device manager?
Can you boot from a bootable CD/DVD (recovery disc, Windows installation CD, live Linux CD, etc…)?
September 23rd, 2009 at 1:30 pm
IM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS A LOT OF YOU ARE… my dvd drive won’t recognize any type of disks… It was working fine until a couple weeks ago… ????? (i havent dropped it)
HAVE ANY OF YOU FIGURED IT OUT??? plz help..
-zero
September 10th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Gerard,
If the DVD drive is connected directly to the motherboard, most likely you have a problem with the motherboard. Apparently fired IDE channel.
There is not much you can do besides replacing the motherboard or using an external USB DVD drive.
September 10th, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Tami,
I think you can replace the LCD screen without removing the keyboard. Try removing the screen bezel without separating the display panel. Take a look at the service and maintenance guide for Presario CQ-50.
To to “Removal and replacement procedures” – “Component replacement procedures” – “Display assembly”. The screen bezel removal instructions are on the page 59.
September 10th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
I have a Compaq Presario CQ50-139 WM. It has a similar set up to this laptop. I am replacing the LCD screen, but I am having trouble removing the keyboard from the laptop. I don’t want to take the whole laptop apart. What do you suggest, and how do I do it?
September 8th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
I’m having a big issue with this laptop, my dvdrw unit suddenly disappeared from the bios, and the dvdrw is working just fine, i tested with another laptop and i was able to burn discs so… many people told me in hp forums that probably the dvdrw connector has a problem, but when i turn on the laptop, the unit turns on but its not recognized by the bios.
Any of you has this issue please help!!!!!
September 5th, 2009 at 11:16 am
okay, my laptops video card, temp will not go below 68c, while playing GTA San Andreas, it gets up to 94c. i need to know the location of it, so i can buy a cooling pad with a fan that will blow right where it is located.
Thanks
August 16th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Oh yeah, my email is jesusangeles01 @ yahoo . com if someone can help me with my CD/DVD drive issue.
August 16th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
My CD/DVD drive doesn’t work. I have the Compaq f700. I did a system restore thinking that was it and that a virus messed it up but when I go to my computer it doesn’t show my CD/DVD drive. When I go to burn a CD it says, “Connect Burner And Try Again.” I didn’t drop it or anything so why is it saying that I don’t have a CD/DVD drive? Can someone help me? This also didn’t tell me how to just get to the CD/DVD drive. I don’t want to take the whole thing apart, just the CD driver part to see if the cable came lose or something.
August 14th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Hi, my compaq presario F700 has some trouble with powering up, When I press the power button, the blue light comes on. And you can hear the ‘breathy fanny’ noise it usually makes when it turns on. But the blue light just stays on, the screen doesn’t go to the compaq logo an the boot up screen. It just stays where it is -just a black screen-. Even if i turn it off and turn it back on its the same way. Or if i wait for even half an hour it doesn nothing. Did the screen burn out? or it overheated or what?
August 13th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Burhanudin Suhaimin,
1. Test the AC power adapter. Make sure the adapter outputs correct voltage. It’s possible that your adapter is dead and the battery doesn’t have enough charge to start the laptop. Replace the adapter if needed.
2. Could be memory related problem. Try reconnecting memory modules. Remove them one by one if you have two modules installed. Test the laptop with each memory module separately.
If it’s not AC adapter or memory, most likely you have a problem with the motherboard.
August 13th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Bre,
It’s hard to tell if your problem is hardware or software related.
Back up all personal files and reimage the hard drive from the recovery disc. Running the recovery disc will reinstall everything back to factory defaults.
If you still missing sound even after running the recovery disc, it’s definitely a hardware related problem.
August 12th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Hi,
i have the model laptop and i was wondering if someone can help me fixing sound problem.
i rarely have sound on my laptop. is that a hardware problem or software problem.
i think if that was a hardware i wont have sound at all.
in the notification area there is red cross over the sound icon. No audio output device is installed.
may someone help me please
August 12th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Okay, although i did do that, now i have a replacement cable, and when i try to push it back in, its going to bend the pins on the end of the cable….
August 12th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Tyler,
I don’t remember this model of the top of my head. If this connector doesn’t have the locking clip (like keyboard connector has) you simply pull the cable from the connector.
August 12th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Hi I REALLY need your help, how did you release the ZIF connector that has a cable going to the power button board?
It’s the one in step 12. did you just pull the cable out, or is there a latch that’s hard to get open?
Thank you so much if you can help.
I have looked everywhere.
August 11th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Burhanudin,
Try taking your battery out and starting the laptop with just the ac cord plugged in, if it works, then your battery needs to be replaced.
August 11th, 2009 at 1:13 am
Your website is very interesting..i want to know, my laptop is compaq presario F700. Currently, my computer cannot be started when i push on/off button. The light of the on/off button only appear for 3 seconds and after that turning off again.
Could you tell me how to repair this problem?
August 7th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
i am first time see in the web site very intresting
August 4th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I bumped the top of my LCD display by accident a couble of weeks ago. at first the screen started fading in and out but it still work for about a week. After that then the screen just wouldnt turn on and i havent gotten and desk top monitor to work with it either. If anybody has any solutions please email me at Madcowsking@hotmail.com thank u.
August 4th, 2009 at 8:33 am
I had a HP laptop DV6607rs, it had starting problem and then it was repeating on/off cycle itself. I managed to solve that problem by putting RAM in to a single slot instead of both the slots. check for both the slot one by one.
Hope this should work on Compaq too.
July 26th, 2009 at 8:08 am
Were can I get the mother board for the lowest price?
Nick