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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.
April 10th, 2011 at 7:48 am
I also was able (in my Presario F700 laptop) to install 2 x 2 GB memory DDR2 667 mhz and when started laptop, all 4 GB recognized. Using Vista.
Thanx again for your guide and for the incentive to try to exceed the recommended 2 GB limit.
…. Gary
April 7th, 2011 at 7:58 pm
Man i swear when my presario f700 turns on for only 2 sec then off again i mash the keyboard and half the time it turns on. or maybe its constently restarting the damn thing. dunno if anyone has that problem (which it seems like everyone who has this model) than give it a try what do you have to lose? and yes it does sound stupid i am aware.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:32 pm
What an awesome guide!
I have a Compaq I just bought a new charger for because it wouldn’t turn it. Now with it, it still doesn’t turn on! I’ve gotten it to turn on for less than 2 seconds twice by finagling the cord a bit, but no go. I’ve done the ‘hold it up side down and press the power button for 30 secs without the battery or cord’ and it only worked once for 2 seconds. I’m at a loss. I don’t know what it could be and I’d follow these directions if only I knew what to look for!
March 21st, 2011 at 8:25 pm
That was, just as all below posted, by far the best instructions! I have a HP F700 and two days ago it froze up and I attempted task manager and all other options I could think and finally I ended up just shutting it down. I now cannot get it to turn on.? I have it plugged into a power source, the lightsindicate it has power… When I push the power button the blue light around the button lights up as well as the ones on the front and then nothing happens (no fans no screen…nothing!) and the lights shut off immediately. Im willing to fix it myself following the instructions above… but I am not sure what it is I need to fix? Any suggestions?
March 20th, 2011 at 2:54 am
Thanks for the disassembly, a great help. I used it on an F500 (F551AU) which seems identical. Just watch out for Step 13 – there is one more screw not indicated on the image in the HDD bay that goes through the motherboard which must be removed.
All that said – I think my motherboard got cooked by the fan speed bios issue, but it ran for 5 years without trouble till then.
Thanks heaps, Craigy
March 18th, 2011 at 10:11 am
gwen,
First, I would test this laptop with Ubuntu live Linux CD.
Download latest version of Ubuntu and burn it on a CD. Boot your laptop from this CD and you’ll see interface very similar to Windows desktop.
In the upper right corner you’ll see a speaker. Click on the speaker and test the sound.
NOTE: not all sound cards supported by Ubuntu but it’s pretty good.
Can you get sound work in Ubuntu? If yes, there is a problem with your Windows OS. Try reinstalling the audio driver. If it doesn’t help, backup data and reinstall Windows.
March 16th, 2011 at 6:07 pm
i have been sitting in front of my compaq presario f700 notebook for the past week forhours at a time, trying to figure out why i don’t have a sound device…
i got vipre premium for spyware, which i’ve had for years..not sure if that is what has caused my sound device to disappear. been to h/p.com… i just want a sound device.. my husband wants to take it apart; i said no, for now!!! any help would be so appreciated.
March 12th, 2011 at 11:11 am
David,
Try this. Go into the device manager, find the CD/DVD drive, right click on it and uninstall. Now reboot the laptop and let it re-detect the drive and install the driver.
Cannot tell what is wrong. Could be software or hardware issue. Try reinstalling the driver.
March 11th, 2011 at 8:25 am
Rajeev giri,
Yep, HP specification says 2GB max. As I mentioned in the post, I had a chance to test this laptop with two 2GB modules and it worked.
I guess if you have a 64-bit OS installed, it will detect all 4GB properly.
March 11th, 2011 at 1:08 am
I’m using my compaq presario F733AU for 3 years with 3GB of RAM and Vista X64bit. operating system is also showing that much RAM and my application like Combustion using that much of RAM for caching. I use CAD type of applications that is working fine . HP people says maximum suport is 2GB. I didn’t tested 4GB but I’m sure that will also work fine.