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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.
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.
UPDATE (January, 2011):
Compaq Presario F700 specification says this laptop can support only 2GB RAM max (1GB per slot).
I just tested a Compaq Presario F700 (running Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit OS) with two 2GB modules. I used Crucial DDR2 PC-6400 memory modules.
After I installed two 2GB modules the laptop started properly. In system properties I can see 3.19GB total RAM reported.
The BIOS shows all 4GB.
I think that 3.19GB is only limitation of a 32-bit OS. Most likely if you install a 64-bit OS, you can use all 4GB.
Were you able to upgrade your Presario F700 to 4GB? Please leave a comment.
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.
January 8th, 2011 at 7:07 pm
Hi,
My f700, when the on button is pushed, lights up a few blue leds for a second, then they turn off. Then they light up again, and turn off. While they are on the fan is spinning, but nothing else seems to be happening. I thought maybe a problem with the motherboard?
Any suggestions as to what could be the cause, and if its worth taking it apart right down to the motherboard?
January 8th, 2011 at 9:17 am
Greetings,
Thanks for the great information. I have an F730US with the NVidia problem. I used a local repair company to do a “reflow”. A word of advice; be sure to ask up front for any repair service’s warranty policy (and get it in writing before you use their service). The company I used repaired my laptop, but the repair only lasted for 7 days. When I attempted to return the unit for repair, I mistakenly assumed (my mistake) that the owner would redo the repair at no additional cost. He then proceeded to pull my paperwork and point to the “No Warranty on Reflow” clause.
I’m out $125, but wiser on who not to deal with in the future. I am now looking for a replacement mobo.
January 3rd, 2011 at 11:08 pm
John,
Take a look at the comment 280.
Instead of replacing just the jack (requires soldering skills), I would suggest replacing the power connector board. It’s a small board where the power jack mounted. This board can be unplugged from the motherboard. You can buy it on eBay for about $15 and I linked to it in the comment 280.
Get a new board, disassemble the laptop and replace it.
January 3rd, 2011 at 10:52 pm
Roger Proctor,
The DC jack soldered to the power connector board which can be unplugged from the motherboard.
You can try replacing the entire power connector board. You’ll have to disassemble the laptop, unplug the old power connector board from the motherboard and replace it with a new one. No soldering needed in this case.
If the problem still there, most likely this is motherboard failure. If that’s the case, the laptop not worth fixing.
January 2nd, 2011 at 5:17 am
I have a Compaq F700 that does not power up when connected to the electrical adapter the blue light just pulsates. I can get it to power up for a second or two but then I have to let it sit for awhile before I can get it too do it again. I have ordered a new power cord but am thinking that the power jack is defective. I have done some researching and it seems that it might be because of the power jack is bad so I thought I would buy one off ebay. Does the DC Power Jack just unplug or is it soldered in and does this sound like what the problem is with my laptop? I appreciate your site and will deeply appreciate your suggestions.
Thanks
Roger Proctor
January 1st, 2011 at 6:32 am
good morning and happy new year!
my son’s compaq presario F700 has a broken dc jack (the small metal piece in the middle has broken off) and the laptop will not power on, do you have any instructions of how to change the dc jack? btw, I’m calling it a dc jack, but its the part of the laptop where you plug in the AC adaptor.
thanks for any advice!
John
December 31st, 2010 at 10:28 pm
Thanks for your excellent site. I have a Presario F767NR that won’t fire up the inverter. Is there a lid switch in this model? If so, where. Thanks!
Mike
December 27th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
grwise,
Try removing memory modules one by one. Test laptop with each module separately. Could be faulty memory.
If it doesn’t help, probably this is bad motherboard. Could be failed GPU.
Try this technique: http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2010/10/06/fix-video-problem-hp-laptops/
December 26th, 2010 at 9:31 am
My F700 will not power on. Battery charge light stays on when plugged in and AC jack lights up. When power button is pressed, power and hard drive lights on front light up for a second then off. I can hear a very quiet click. Removed battery and tried to power on with no luck. Removed hard drive and tried to power on also with no luck. Any suggestions for next step?
Thanks
December 17th, 2010 at 11:51 pm
OK, I got the one issue with the Compaq Presario F572US fixed, it was a faulty power button board (the one that has the black cable) and the replacement for around $ 15 which I ordered online worked like a charm (good thing I didn’t buy a new motherboard for around $ 110 yet LOL). Now there is another issue – the laptop screen used to show a scrambled and distorted desktop for a couple of days after about 1 hour of playing Solitaire – it is now at the point that it won’t show any video. I read about HP and Compaq laptops having issues with the NVIDIA graphics chip. Any ideas what I can do ? Thanks in advance for your (always great and much appreciated) help !!