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In this guide I explain how to disassemble an HP Pavilion dv7 notebook.
To be precise, I’m taking apart an HP Pavilion dv7t-1000 notebook but you should be able to use these instructions for all models in the Pavilion dv7 line.
The guide will show how to access both memory modules and hard drives if you are upgrading the notebook, remove most internal components, access and clean the cooling fan.
Before you start, turn off the notebook and remove the battery.
If you need spare part for your HP Pavilion dv7 notebook, you can search here.
STEP 1.
Remove (loosen) four screws securing the hard drive and memory cover. Remove the cover.
STEP 2.
Remove four screws securing hard drives (two screws per hard drive).
Slide the hard drive 1 to the left until it’s disconnected from the motherboard. Remove the hard drive 1.
Slide the hard drive 2 to the right until it’s disconnected from the motherboard. Remove the hard drive 2.
STEP 3.
Remove both memory (RAM) modules.
Disconnect two antenna cables from the wireless card. These laptop has three antenna cables but only two are used.
One of the antenna cables connected to the main contact on the wireless card and the second one is connected to the auxiliary contact. All three antenna cables are labeled.
Remove two screws securing the wireless card. Remove the card.
STEP 4.
Remove one screw securing the CD/DVD drive.
Slide the CD/DVD drive to the left to disconnect it from the motherboard.
Remove the CD/DVD drive.
STEP 5.
Remove all marked screws from the bottom of the notebook.
The green circled screw secures the keyboard.
Don’t forget to remove two screws hidden in the CD/DVD drive bay.
STEP 6.
Start separating the speaker cover from the notebook base.
You can use a guitar pick as a case cracker. Insert the guitar pick between the speaker cover and case and slowly move along the side.
STEP 7.
Lift up the speaker cover. Be careful, it’s still connected to the motherboard.
In order to remove the cable, you’ll have to unlock the connector first.
Move the brown clip about 2 millimeters in the direction shown by two arrows. The clip must stay attached to the connector base.
On the picture below the connector is shown in the unlocked position.
STEP 8.
Now you can remove the speaker cover.
STEP 9.
Remove four screw securing the keyboard.
STEP 10.
Lift up the keyboard from the base and access the cable connector underneath.
STEP 11.
Carefully unlock the keyboard cable connector.
Move the brown clip about 2 millimeters in the direction shown by two arrows. The brown clip must stay attached to the connector base.
If you damage the connector, the keyboard will not work when you assemble the notebook back together.
Well… I broke the connector. I removed thousands of laptop keyboards before but I broke this connector!
As you see, the left pin on the brown clip is missing.
No panic! I still can use this clip to lock the connector.
You’ll find more info here: Fixing damaged keyboard connector on a laptop motherboard.
STEP 12.
Pull Wi-Fi antenna cables though the opening in the cover.
Remove three screws securing the speaker assembly.
Disconnect the speaker cable (green arrow) from the motherboard.
STEP 13.
Remove the speaker assembly.
STEP 14.
Disconnect the video cable from the connector on the motherboard.
Remove six screws securing display hinges (three screws per hinge).
STEP 15.
Separate the display assembly from the notebook base.
In the next post I will explain how to take apart the display panel assembly and remove the LCD screen with inverter board.
By the way, it’s not necessary to separate the display panel assemble from the base in order to take it apart.
STEP 16.
Disconnect and remove the CMOS battery.
Remove all marked screws from the bottom. The green circled screw is hidden in the CD/DVD drive bay.
STEP 17.
Remove all screws securing the top cover assembly.
Disconnect the touch pad cable from the motherboard.
STEP 18.
Start separating the top cover assemble from the notebook base.
You can use same trick with the guitar pick shown in the step 6.
STEP 19.
Remove the top cover assembly.
Here’s the back side of the top cover assembly.
STEP 20.
Disconnect the USB and audio board cables from the motherboard (green arrows).
Disconnect the cooling fan cable from the motherboard (yellow arrow).
Remove four screws securing the motherboard.
STEP 21.
Lift up the right side of the motherboard as it shown on the picture below and disconnect the DC-IN jack cable.
STEP 22.
Remove the motherboard from the notebook base.
On the opposite side of the motherboard you can access the processor (CPU) when the heat sink is removed.
By the way, the best way to find a replacement motherboard is searching by the HP part number. The part number should be located on a sticker in the memory compartment. The HP part number looks like XXXXXX-001.
Here’s the notebook base without motherboard.
The USB board, audio board, cooling fan and DC-IN jack are mounted on the base.
The DC jack attached to a harness. New jack harness for dv7 notebooks available here.
In order to remove the cooling fan, simply remove two screws securing the fan.
As you see, the cooling fan is dusty and has to be cleaned.
UPDATE:
There are only two fans listed in the service manual for HP Pavilion dv7 series notebook. They are listed on the page 27.
488885-001 for laptops equipped with AMD processor.
480481-001 for laptops equipped with Intel processors.
One of the DIY-ers had trouble searching for a new replacement fan for her AMD notebook. After the notebook was disassembled, she found that it had an Intel fan installed.
Here’s her comment:
Forget the question I just asked…We opened up our laptop and found the fan for the Intel processor installed instead of the fan for the AMD…apparently these ARE interchangeable…FYI
Check out comments 29 and 30. Thanks to Liz for this information.
February 1st, 2012 at 8:41 am
@ Stefanie Röhling
If I understand correctly, you would like to clean up the cooling fan.
Here’s what you can try. Buy a can of compressed air or find an air compressor. Blow air into the fan grill on the bottom of the laptop until the dust stops coming from the side. After that blow air into the grill on the side of the laptop. This should be enough to clean the cooling fan and heatsing. Do not keep the air nozzle too close to the laptop or the fan will spin like crazy and you can damage the bearing.
If you would like to remove the fan, you’ll have to disassemble the entire laptop and remove the motherboard. The cooling fan mounted to the bottom case of the laptop as it shown on the last picture.
January 27th, 2012 at 8:47 am
Hallo Ich habe eine folgende Frage an euch ist Der HP PAVILION DV7 einfach aus einander zu nehmen ich wollte den Lüfter da reinigen da dreck von Kind reingedrückt wurde
Bitte um Rasche Antwort
Danke
Frau Röhlibng
January 18th, 2012 at 6:53 pm
So I have half the disassembly done and I have two stripped screws that will not budge. I am about to call a tech out. What should I do, and would a tech even step in at this point and take over?
January 17th, 2012 at 7:38 pm
Fantastic instructions. My hp DV7 1260us had black screen on boot up (dead CPU according to single flashing led). Followed dis-assembly instructions replaced Turion CPU and cleaned fan. Wow lots of dust in the heat sink by the fan. Guess that’s why the CPU burnt out. reassembled and booted right away. Saved buying a replacement laptop. Total cost $40 for new chip.
Dude you rock
January 17th, 2012 at 4:02 pm
@ karl,
I doubt you can buy it separately.
Is it broken?
Take a look at this page:
http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2011/12/25/how-to-repair-broken-touchpad-connector-on-laptop-motherboard/
Hope it helps.
January 14th, 2012 at 7:41 pm
Where i can get a replacement for a locking clip?
January 14th, 2012 at 12:11 pm
Thank you for this wonderful illustration!!! You helped my 13 yr old son take apart my laptop, clean the fan, and put the whole thing back together again! Thank you!
January 11th, 2012 at 2:47 pm
@ Mardi,
Maybe this error message is memory related? Make sure both memory modules plugged in correctly. Try reseating them.
January 10th, 2012 at 12:52 am
Your pictures and simple step-by-step descriptions are great, I wouldn’t have endeavored without it. However, I found several discrepancies (problems) while disassembling my dv7. I checked several sites — same info. One is that the DVD door should be open to remove it. One site offered an ingenious solution, but I didn’t try it, I had my own. But, the major problem so far — I haven’t finished disassembly to replace the microprocessor so I can’t say only — is a doozy. Please check your steps or refer to HP’s Maintenance and Service manual for the dv7. I found it on the web without going through the HP site.
January 9th, 2012 at 2:45 am
Hey,
My boyfriend recently disassembled his HP DV7 following this guide. The laptop was ok before this, but would shut off after a few minutes of running the pc. Underneath, it did not feel very hot at all, but was showing signs of overheating. (Turning off fully etc)
After the dis assembly, the laptop light for the AC/Power adaptor likes to flicker and not stay on, (note the battery is not functional and the main power source for this laptop is the Ac adaptor) but the main problem is that the Laptop turns on, and lights up, but there is a black screen and the Caps Lock + Num Lock flash 4 times.
I’ve researched this and it appears this means the Graphics Controller is not functional.
My question is, did he happen to miss a wire, or connect something wrong in the re assembly? Or is it possible, the graphics controller went out beforehand from it’s turning off of the whole system- like an overheat.
Thanks, any response would be greatly appreciated.
Really hoping his laptop isn’t totally shot, because I feel bad about showing him the idea of cleaning his cooling fan. (Yes there was a bit of dust there too)
- Mardi.