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In this guide I explain how to disassemble a Dell Inspiron E1505 or Inspiron 6400 laptop. These are two identical laptops with different names.
The main purpose of my repair is removing and replacing the cooling fan which started making lots of noise.
The cooling fan mounted inside of laptop case, so the whole thing has to be disassembled.
Make sure the laptop is turned off before you start taking it apart.
STEP 1.
Remove the battery.
Remove two screws securing the hard drive assembly and pull it out.
Remove two screws securing memory cover and remove the cover.
STEP 2.
Remove all screws from the bottom.
STEP 3.
Remove one screw securing the CD/DVD drive.
Push the drive from the laptop with a screwdriver.
Pull the optical drive from the laptop.
STEP 4.
Remove two screws on the back of the laptop.
These screws are hidden under screw seals.
On the following 7 steps I’ll be removing the keyboard.
By the way, it’s not necessary to go through all previous steps in order to remove the keyboard. Simply follow steps 5-11.
STEP 5.
Lift up the right side of the power button board cover with a screwdriver.
STEP 6.
Remove the power button board cover.
STEP 7.
Remove two screws securing the keyboard.
STEP 8.
Lift up the keyboard and carefully remove it from the laptop.
STEP 9.
Access the keyboard cable connector underneath.
STEP 10.
Unlock the connector and remove the keyboard cable.
On the following picture the connector is shown in unlocked state.
STEP 11.
Now you can remove the keyboard.
Need a new keyboard for Dell Inspiron E1505/6400? You’ll find it here.
STEP 12.
Disconnect the video cable connector from the motherboard. Remove one screw securing the video cable.
Disconnect two antenna cables from the wireless card.
Remove two screws securing display hinges.
STEP 13.
Remove the display assembly.
STEP 14.
Remove two screws securing the power button board.
STEP 15.
Carefully lift up and disconnect the power button board from the motherboard.
STEP 16.
Disconnect the lid close switch cable from the motherboard.
Disconnect the touch pad cable from the motherboard.
Remove one screw securing the top cover assembly.
On the following picture the touch pad connector shown in unlocked state.
STEP 17.
Separate the top cover assembly from the laptop base.
STEP 18.
Remove the top cover assembly.
The top cover has been removed.
STEP 19.
Remove two screws securing the cooling fan.
Unplug the cooling fan cable from the motherboard.
STEP 20.
Now you can remove the cooling fan and replace it with a new one.
Looking for a replacement fan for Dell Inspiron E1505/6400 laptop? You’ll find it here.
August 23rd, 2010 at 9:28 pm
[...] one of the following guides I explain how to disassemble Dell Inspiron E1505/6400 laptop in order to remove and replace the cooling [...]
September 10th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Thanks so much for posting this. I was finally able to disassemble my E1505 and get that nasty heat sink cleaned out. Reassembly was a snap and it’s running much cooler now.
September 10th, 2010 at 3:04 pm
Neill,
October 5th, 2010 at 4:23 am
That was just exactly what I was looking for, thank you so much for this guide. Saves me from buying a new laptop just to avoid the noise
October 10th, 2010 at 10:38 am
This is awesome thank you! I was trying to figure out to get in there!
January 5th, 2011 at 5:32 pm
Thanks, This was very helpful
January 25th, 2011 at 3:07 pm
Hey! great post!!!!
Do you happen to know where I can get a new LCD cable? My brightness is nonexistant and they told me that’s what was faulty….
thanks!
Guillermo
February 16th, 2011 at 7:43 pm
Hi!
I just found your website, which I thought is very clear and well done (the picture are very usefull!)
I’m looking to change the back cover (of the screen) of my Dell Inspiron 6400 and I can’t seems to find clear instructions, even on Dell site. The problem is quite common : the back cover is splitting from the bezel at the bottom of the display assembly. I got a new cover from Dell but I’m not sure that I got all the replacing pieces (do I need separate hinges or the ones attached to the cover are the only ones needed ?) and also, I’m not sure if I need to remove the keyboard and how I can separate the back cover from the bezel (is it just “snapped” ?).
I can send pictures of the problem is needed.
I need my laptop every day for work so I’m hoping to be able to do it myself…
Thank you very much in advance for the help !
Kris
p.s: Hope my english is ok and things are clear.. .I usually write in french
February 17th, 2011 at 12:35 pm
Kris,
Take a look at this service manual for Dell Inspiron 6400 laptop.
It has very clear step-by-step instructions.
Yes, you’ll have to remove the keyboard in order to remove the display panel.
The bezel secured to the back cover with a few screws. After all screws are removed, you should be able to separate the bezel.
March 29th, 2011 at 8:22 pm
Thank you great info. I need to replace my sound card looks like fun getting into the computer..
April 9th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
I tried the steps above (thru #11), however after putting the laptop back together, now it will not start. The green light comes on where the power is connected, but it doesn’t sound like it is getting power at all, and nothing happens.
The parts that I had to re-connect (and I double checked all these), the keyboard and touchpad ribbons, lid close switch, wi-fi card cables, and the video cable connector. I did not remove the fan or anything from step 12 beyond.
My question is: is it possible I may have neglected to re-connect something (power-related) that would cause this? Or is it more likely that I fried something while messing around in there?
Appreciate any advice you can offer, I made the mistake of trying to help a friend with his laptop, and now I am going to have to figure out how to fix this myself (including any costs I will incur if it needs to be repaired). You know what they say, “no good deed goes unpunished”. :-\
Thanks in advance!
April 10th, 2011 at 1:01 pm
Karen,
Did you remove memory modules? Make sure both memory modules seated correctly.
It’s possible the laptop will not turn on because memory modules installed incorrectly.
July 15th, 2011 at 11:10 am
I successfully disassembled the laptop and reassembled it, however, there is now no picture. Any idea what I did not do? The picture was never a problem. I wanted to clean the fan and that is complete, but no picture?
Help?
Thanks!!
Tiffany
October 28th, 2011 at 2:49 pm
Thank you sooooo very much. I took my computer apart and could not figure out how to put keyboard connector and touch pad connector. You saved me from throwing out my Laptop. I am very grateful. Bless You.
Respectfully Yours,
Jim
November 16th, 2011 at 3:08 pm
thanks for the great site. i do have a question about replacing the power jack. I can’t seem to get the solder on the jack connections to flow so i can evacuate them with the solder pump. I have a good deal of experience with soldering but it seems like the metal cover on the old jack is sinking the heat away from the connectors. I am using a weller soldering station set at about 800 F. thanks for any help
rjherald
November 17th, 2011 at 6:25 pm
@ bob herald,
I know, it’s a pain to remove DC jacks on some Dell laptops.
Usually I apply some fresh solder over the existing solder before removing it with the solder pump. Applying fresh solder helps to melt old solder.
Can you increase temperature to 850F ( I have 850 F max on my Weller station).
Also, you can cut off the old DC jack and try removing pins one by one.
December 6th, 2011 at 10:40 pm
Hi,
Thanks so much for posting the detailed outline with pics! Definitely helped me a lot in understanding the insides of my Dell 1501. I actually had taken it apart earlier today for the first time (though not as elegantly as you’ve done here). I did it to switch out my CPU for an upgrade to a dual core AMD Turion TL-68. Everything seems to have worked and it recognizes the new processor, which is great, but now my touchpad doesn’t work. I tried uninstalling and re-installing the driver for the Synaptics TouchPad but with no success. I’m concerned I may have interfered with one of the connections from from the touchpad to the motherboard. My main question is this: Is that little blue tab just above where the touchpad is located the only place where it connects to anything? Because there were other parts I inadvertently disconnected and then re-connected but I don’t seem to be experiencing any other problems. I specifically recall accidentally disconnecting what you seem to have labeled as the WiFi Card Antenna Cable (the left one to be exact) and also the Lid-Close Switch Cable (I think – it’s kind of hard to make out in the picture you provided but I remember it was a white plastic connector that I had to re-attach). Anyway, as long as neither of those could be mistaken for anything related to the touch-pad, then I think I just need to open it back up and check on the connection for the Touch-Pad Cable. Do you have any suggestions regarding the proper attachment of that cable and whether I should do anything specific after re-assembling, or should it just work as long as it’s properly connected? I sincerely hope this is the reason for the problem that I’m having as it’s driving me absolutely NUTS that I can’t use the touchpad (my USB mouse isn’t the most graceful option when using the laptop on the couch or in bed). Thanks again for your input and feedback!
December 7th, 2011 at 12:48 pm
@ Joe,
Yes, that’s the only connection for the touchpad.
Maybe you accidentally pulled the touchpad cable from the connector on the other end? If nothing works, remove the top cover and make sure the cable properly connected to the touchpad itself.
January 13th, 2012 at 8:41 am
Thanks for the great guide. It took me less than 30 minutes to take apart and put back together! My fan was so gummed up from dust it was crazy
March 24th, 2012 at 1:02 pm
Great instructions and pictures.
Seems like there should be an easier way to clean the fan, but thanks so much.