How to disassemble Dell Inspiron N5030, N5020 or M5030 laptops

In this guide I explain how to disassemble Dell Inspiron N5030, N5020 or M5030 laptop.

In this case I’m taking apart a Dell Inspiron N5030 but all disassembly steps should be identical or very similar for Dell Inspiron N5020 and M5030 models.

Here are major laptop disassembly steps:

STEP 1-8: Disconnecting and removing laptop keyboard.
STEP 9-11: Accessing laptop memory, wireless card. Removing DVD drive.
STEP 12-15: Disconnecting and removing the top cover (touchpad) assembly.
STEP 16-17: Accessing internal laptop components. Disconnecting and removing the hard drive.

Let’s take it apart.

STEP 1.

Make sure the laptop is turned off (not in sleep mode or hibernation mode).

Remove laptop battery.

STEP 2.

Remove two screws securing the keyboard.

STEP 3.

You’ll find three spring loaded latches securing the keyboard on the top.

Push latches into the laptop using a small flat head screwdriver.

At the same time lift up the keyboard a little bit so latches remain unlocked.

STEP 4.

Lift up the top side of the keyboard and slide towards the LCD screen.

Be careful, the keyboard still connected to the motherboard.

STEP 5.

The keyboard connector located under the keyboard.

You’ll have to unlock the connector and release the cable before removing the keyboard.

In the following two steps I show how to unlock the connector.

STEP 6.

The keyboard connector has two parts: white base permanently soldered to the motherboard and  brown locking tab, the moving part.

Carefully lift up one side of the locking tab with your fingernail.  It will open up at a 90 degree angle.

STEP 7.

Now you can pull the cable from the connector.

STEP 8.

Remove the keyboard.

If you need a new replacement keyboard for Dell Inspiron N5030 laptop, you can find it here.

STEP 9.

Under the keyboard you’ll get access to the following parts:
- both memory modules.
- wireless card.
- DVD drive.

I’ll leave memory modules and wireless card connected to the motherboard. It’s not necessary to remove them for the purpose of my guide.

STEP 10.

Remove one screw securing the DVD drive.

STEP 11.

Push DVD drive from the laptop with your finger.

Now pull the DVD drive and remove it from the laptop.

STEP 12.

Remove screws from the bottom of the laptop.

STEP 13.

Disconnect the following cables:
1. Power button board cable.
2. Touchpad cable.
3. Speaker cable.

Here’s how to disconnect the power button board cable and touchpad cable.

Carefully lift up the locking tab about 1 millimeter up. Do not separate it from the white base.

On the following picture connector shown in the unlocked position. Now you can pull cable from the connector.

The speaker cable has a regular male-female connector. Unplug speaker cable from the motherboard.

STEP 14.

Start separating the top cover assembly from the laptop base.

I’m using the guitar pick as case cracker.

STEP 15.

The top cover assembly removed.

On the bottom side of the top cover assembly you’ll get access to the following parts:
- Both speakers.
- Power button board.
- Touchpad (sold as part of the top cover assembly).
- Touchpad button board.

STEP 16.

After the top cover assembly removed, you’ll get access to the following internal components:
- Cooling fan.
- Motherboard.
- CMOS battery.
- Hard drive.

We already removed screws securing the hard drive in the step 12.

STEP 17.

Slide the hard drive to the shown direction to disconnect it from the motherboard.

Lift up and remove the hard drive.

Dell Inspiron N5030/N5020/M5030 laptop has a regular 2.5″ SATA hard drive installed. You can replace it with any other large capacity 2.5″ SATA hard drive or SSD.

In the next guide I explain how to replace LCD screen on Dell Inspiron N5030, N5020 or M5030 laptops.