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In this guide I will disassemble a HP Pavilion g6 laptop.
In this particular case I’m taking apart a HP Pavilion g6-1c55nr but the guide should fit all models in Pavilion g6 line.
This guide explains hot to disassemble laptop base. In the next guide I’ll explain how to remove and replace the screen.
STEP 1.
As always start laptop disassembly with removing the battery.
STEP 2.
Remove two screws securing the bottom cover.
Lift up and remove the cover.
STEP 3.
Under the bottom cover you’ll find the following components:
- hard drive.
- memory modules (in my case I have only one 4GB module installed).
- wireless card.
- CMOS battery (standard 3V battery).
STEP 4.
Slide the hard drive to the left and disconnect it from the motherboard.
Lift up and remove the hard drive.
HP Pavilion g6 laptop uses a regular 2.5″ SATA hard drive.
STEP 5.
Remove the memory module.
HP Pavilion g6 laptop uses DDR3 memory
STEP 6.
Remove one screw securing the optical drive (DVD drive).
Pull DVD drive from the laptop and remove it.
STEP 7.
Remove one screw securing the keyboard on the bottom of the laptop.
This screw located close to the wireless card.
STEP 8.
The keyboard secured by five spring loaded latches on the top.
It could be tricky to release those latches. I’ll try my best to explain the process.
Using a small flat head screwdriver push the latch inside the case. At the same time lift up the keyboard a little bit.
When the keyboard lifted up it doesn’t allow the latch to lock again.
Do the same with all remaining latches.
STEP 9.
After all five latches release, you should be able to lift up the top side of the keyboard.
STEP 10.
Turn the keyboard upside down and access the connector.
You’ll have to unlock the connector in order to release the keyboard cable.
STEP 11.
On the following picture the keyboard connector shown in the locked position.
Carefully lift up the left side of the brown locking clip. It will open up at a 90 degree angle.
STEP 12.
After the connector unlocked, you can pull the keyboard cable.
STEP 13.
Remove the keyboard.
New keyboard for HP Pavilion g6 laptop available here.
STEP 14.
Remove all screws from the bottom of the laptop.
One screw (yellow circle) hidden under the rubber plug.
You can remove the plug with a sharp object and after that remove the screw.
STEP 15.
Remove six screws securing the top cover assembly.
Disconnect the power button cable and touchpad cable.
STEP 16.
You unlock both connectors the same way you unlocked the keyboard connector.
Lift up the left side of the white locking tab. The tap will open up at a 90 degree angle.
STEP 17.
Pull cable from the connector.
STEP 18.
Now you can start separating the top cover assembly from the laptop base.
Insert a piece of soft plastic (I’m using the guitar pick) between the top cover and base and move it along the side.
Continue removing the cover with your fingers.
STEP 19.
Remove the top cover assembly.
Under the top cover you can access the following components:
- cooling fan (mounted on the bottom side of the motherboard). In order to access the fan it’s necessary to remove the motherboard.
- laptop speakers mounted on the bottom.
- power jack which is attached to the power cable. If the power jack failed, you simply unplug the old one from the motherboard and plug in a new one.
- USB board.
- optical drive connector.
- motherboard.
November 28th, 2011 at 7:26 am
I found it kinda hard to open keyboard latches. Finally I started doing this not from the side of the keyboard but from the middle part. I pushed the latch and lifted keyboard with a knife blade. Other than that replacement was easy.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:28 am
Good tutorial, very visual
November 29th, 2011 at 12:16 pm
[...] If you are looking for the laptop base disassembly, please check out my previous HP Pavilion g6 base disassembly guide. [...]
December 15th, 2011 at 5:13 am
I opened my laptop with your guide (i cleaned it) and after it my latptop did NOT work. Then i opened it again… TA-DA!!! Now my computer is working again!
December 15th, 2011 at 2:18 pm
@ Julle,
Good job! Sometimes simple reseating connections works very well.
December 28th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
Can you show me how to fix a broken key, whith this same model?
December 28th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
@ TechnoTech,
The keyboard key? Isn’t is just a regular keyboard key with the key cap and hinges?
http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2007/03/20/key-fell-off-keyboard/
January 6th, 2012 at 5:50 pm
the spring latches that keeps the keyboard in got a bit messed up after pressing them in, the latches won’t lock in. help?
January 8th, 2012 at 10:44 am
@ strikee,
Probably you pushed them too far. Try to fish them out with a needle.
January 12th, 2012 at 2:36 pm
You mentioned that you have a “HP Pavilion g6 base disassembly guide” but I could not find it on your website. Where is it? Thanks
January 12th, 2012 at 3:02 pm
@ john,
That’s the one right above the comment area.
What are you trying to achieve?
January 17th, 2012 at 2:35 pm
Thanks for the tutorial. Quick question, though– my computer keeps freezing on the HP start up screen, and in the HP tech support forums, it said to disassemble the laptop and “disconnect the front-panel memory card reader cable at the card reader itself– NOT the end that connects to the motherboard header” in order to fix this issue. That big ‘NOT’ scares the crap out of me, so I wanna make sure that I actually know what a memory card reader is before I go in there and start pulling stuff apart. Could you help me?
January 17th, 2012 at 4:12 pm
@ Haley,
I think that’s a long shot.
If the laptop freezes at HP logo, anything could be wrong: hard drive, memory, motherboard, etc…
Here’s something to try before you disassemble the laptop completely.
1. Try starting the laptop without hard drive.
2. Try removing memory modules one by one and start the laptop with only one module in place.
Can you bypass HP screen after that?
By the way, if you look at the last picture you’ll see that the card reader integrated into the motherboard. There are no cables. You cannot disconnect it from the motherboard.
Are they talking about the same laptop model as in this guide?
February 1st, 2012 at 10:29 pm
i have the hp G4 and this helped me a lot, thanks for the tuto.
February 1st, 2012 at 10:50 pm
Thanks for the help with the disassembly! Great guide! It’s actually my mother’s laptop and it’s a Pavilion G4, rather than a G6 so there was the odd difference but mostly the same.
Question is: Does ANYONE know ANYTHING regarding coffee damage? My mother spilt a bunch of coffee on the laptop a few days ago and she asked me to look at it. There appears to be quite a bit of coffee stain/damage on the casing of the laptop (mainly noticeable due to discolored metal) There seems to be a bit of coffee came in contact with the hard drive and a tiny bit on the cd drive. But nothing that would seem to harm it as it’s just a bit (so it seems) on the casing of either part.
The problem is that the computer will NOT start. AT ALL. The power cord when plugged in indicates an orange light which im assuming means it’s CHARGING, or that there’s a problem… one or the other! Nothing boots up at all it simply does NOTHING. My thought was the motherboard but at first glace it appears very very little to absolutely no coffee actually touched the motherboard…
My question is… any idea what might be damaged to cause the laptop to not even turn ON?
February 2nd, 2012 at 8:05 am
@ Alex,
When you spill something on a laptop you have to do the following:
1. Unplug AC adapter and remove battery. Stop using the laptop completely.
2. Disassemble the laptop and examine all internal parts.
Did you remove the motherboard to examine it or just looked at the areas under the keyboard?
I published some liquid spill tips here: http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2011/08/17/fix-laptop-after-liquid-spill/
February 8th, 2012 at 3:55 pm
how do i access the actual fan. You said i would have to remove the mother board. how do i do that? i;m sure there is something more than just unscrew all screws in sight, waiting for your reply. Also very straight forward guide it is awesome
February 16th, 2012 at 1:17 pm
While inspecting the G6 battery slot region, a small shaving of excess plastic from the battery release slide mechanism fell into the internal compartment (likely the underside of the motherboard). I have yet to open my G6. Should I bother to retrieve the plastic shaving? Thanks in advance for the help.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:50 pm
@ Baztian,
Hard to tell. Theoretically, this piece can block the fan.
What if you remove all covers and DVD drive from the bottom and shake the laptop a little bit. Maybe it will get out.
February 20th, 2012 at 10:45 am
sam questions “”"”"”"”"”"”"how do i access the actual fan. You said i would have to remove the mother board. how do i do that? i;m sure there is something more than just unscrew all screws in sight, waiting for your reply. Also very straight forward guide it is awesome
please give us an answer,i wanna clean up my laptopt,thanks
February 24th, 2012 at 1:49 pm
@ mikeromania,
After you went though all 19 steps and removed the top cover assembly, you’ll have to remove the motherboard.
1. Disconnect all cables connected to the motherboard.
2. Remove all screws securing the motherboard to the laptop base.
It shouldn’t be very difficult if you were able to get to the step 19.
Finally, lift up the motherboard from the base.
The can can be accessed on the other side of the motherboard.
February 26th, 2012 at 5:55 pm
In Step 2, should the cover lift off easily? I removed the two screws, but it would not come off easily. Do you have to pry it with something? I have the hard drive from my previous laptop that died. I’d like to put that hard drive into this laptop to see if I can pull some files off of it. Thanks.
February 27th, 2012 at 6:46 am
I have a HP Pavilion g series model number LZ519EA#ABU, which is different from the one above in article.
The problem being although the laptop is only 5 months only and it appears my CMOS battery has died, HP will not conduct anything on it under warranty because it was purchased at Comet and suggest it’s taken back to Comet for repair (for a CMOS battery). I need the laptop and can not afford for it to be away for up to 10 days.
Your diagram above shows the battery to be next to (above the HDD unfortunately it’s not on my model LZ519EA#ABU
Any advice or suggestions where this battery is likely to be and how to replace it would be greatly appreciated.
PS. I have asked HP for a worksheet to assist but they simply do not wish to know, there attitude towards it’s customers will ensure I never purchase another HP item.
February 28th, 2012 at 2:14 pm
@ Melissa,
You can pry it with a screwdriver.
Most likely this will not work. The laptop will not boot properly with another hard drive.
Here’s what you can do:
1. Install old hard drive into an external USB enclosure.
2. Connect this enclosure to the laptop and pull files.
Take a look at this guide: http://www.insidemylaptop.com/recover-files-from-broken-laptop/
February 28th, 2012 at 2:23 pm
@ Syke,
LZ519EA#ABU is the model number.
Do you have full laptop model name? It should be somewhere on the bottom. Probably on the same sticker where model number is located.
Here’s an example of full model name: HP Pavilion g6-1b34ca
Not just Pavilion g6 but g6-1b34ca.
I can to find the service manual if you provide the full model name.
February 28th, 2012 at 2:26 pm
@ Syke,
I think you have HP Pavilion g6-1187sa and here’s service manual for your laptop.
It shows a different location for the CMOS battery. It’s attached to the bottom side of the motherboard. It means the entire laptop has to be disassembled in order to replace the battery.
Take a look at the page 75. It shows the CMOS (RTC) battery location.
February 29th, 2012 at 1:06 pm
thanks alot i will try,and i have a pav g6-1016eq,this turorial is for all g6 series right?
March 2nd, 2012 at 11:51 am
@ mikeromania,
I’m not sure 100%. Sometimes HP makes some changes withing existing model line.
Here’s official maintenance manual for HP Pavilion G6 Notebook PC. Disassembly instructions start on the page 36.
March 9th, 2012 at 11:34 am
@Laptop Tech ok thanks,i will try to clean my laptop:)
March 24th, 2012 at 3:04 am
thanx gays it helped me so much
June 17th, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Steps really helped to get into this laptop. Just need to get to the fan to replace it. I can’t get the motherboard off though. I thought I took every screw out but it’s just not coming off. I need to replace it because almost every fan blade has broke off (someone is not owning up to hitting that side of the laptop).
July 18th, 2012 at 2:10 am
Brilliant. I will keep this for future use.
For now i want to try and replace the left mouse. Do i need to remove the top cover assembly as described above or will it pop off if i get a screwdriver under it?
The problem is the right mouse feels fine but he left mouse is too loose (wobble with the slightest pressure), It feels like there is a spring missing. It was like this from the day one.
Very annoying.
July 18th, 2012 at 9:43 am
@ Prasad,
Yes, you’ll have to remove the top cover assembly and take a closer look at the button.
Most likely the button is part of the top cover assembly and it’s connected to the top cover via thin plastic bridges working as a spring.
I think in your case these bridges are broken and the button feels loose because it’s not connected to the top cover. If that’s the case, you’ll have to replace the entire top cover assembly.
You can find replacement top cover assembly (aka palmrest assembly) for HP Pavilion g6 laptops here.
July 23rd, 2012 at 5:31 am
hey;could you please explain step 9 caus my keyboard won’t open!and thank you
July 23rd, 2012 at 10:06 am
@ alla,
1. Make sure the keyboard screw on the bottom is removed.
2. When you push on the spring loaded latch, at the same time you have to lift up the keyboard a little bit. You can use the knife blade for that, it’s thin enough to fit between the keyboard and laptop case. When the keyboard is lifted up, the latch will not lock back in place. After that move to the second latch and so on…
Finally, when all latches are pushed in you should be able to lift up the upper side of the keyboard and turn it over.
July 31st, 2012 at 7:49 pm
Can you do one of these to disassemble a laptop display cover. I changed the Palm rest from this imformation to red and I need to change the display cover but I have searched eerything on the internet concerning HP pavilion and NOTHING. Please.help me out here because the manual makes me nervous to the point that i might severely damage my laptop.
July 31st, 2012 at 7:51 pm
So yeah if you could make one of these you can be a huge life saver if not please give me any tips or anything to help me out I want to get this done =[…
August 1st, 2012 at 5:44 pm
@ Frank,
You’ll have to go though all steps in the above mentioned disassembly guide and remove the palmrest assembly.
Then you disconnect display cables from the motherboard and remove screws from the display hinges. After that you should be able to separate the display assembly from the laptop base.
When it’s done, follow this HP Pavilion g6 screen removal guide.
After the screen removed you should be able to replace the display back cover.
August 1st, 2012 at 7:19 pm
Ty two more questions I see no cables from the screen/hinges. That can actually be removed without tearing? And also the hinge has a screw inside correct? Sorry its just that this is more complicated compared to the steps you showed above
August 1st, 2012 at 7:25 pm
Hinges /screen to motherboard *
August 1st, 2012 at 7:27 pm
Can you describe from the last picture in this page
I think it will ne clearer for me sorry again.
August 6th, 2012 at 5:57 pm
Hi,
I recently purchased this laptop. When i turned it over I noticed that something that sounded like a loose screw was rolling around in the bottom left corner farthest from the screen. (the side opposite the optical disk drive)…. What is this moving, and should i get it replaced?
September 21st, 2012 at 2:12 am
Hello
Wow, you just stopped at the part i needed !!!
I know how to do this all
but please tell me
how to remove the motherboard to clean the heatsinks ??
I just dont know, do we have to necessarily remove the display screen then remove mother board or what ??
and the main problem, is how do i remove the 2 major wires (black) one at top left which connects the screen and one at bottom left (i think it connects the speakers)
Please tell me in detail
and wow, i had the same problem as the LaptopTech guy (bridge breakage of mouse)
i got it replaced 3 times for free (its because of low build quality otherwise low quality material used)
September 29th, 2012 at 6:37 pm
The screws on the back panel of the laptop will not come out this is the exact same laptop that you are using please help!
September 30th, 2012 at 1:56 pm
Where i can find a keyboard for this laptop?
November 3rd, 2012 at 3:56 am
Wow thanx for that was a life saver…
November 4th, 2012 at 12:10 pm
thank you so much this was awsome.. it allowed me to get to my fan and remove the dambed hair that was stopping it from moving (was not even my hair *frown*) removing the motherbourd was tricky for those that done know.. remove the wirless card from underneeth as this acts like a pin to the casing.. also there is a hidden screw next to the left speaker on the motherbord itself.. and in my laptop thereare a few connectors that needed removing.. a monitor pin (looked like a small metal box) a mini usb plug.. like the standerd pc ones only smaller, a usp strip tag (remove like keybored ribben cable (rlkr)), power and hhd light (rlkr), sounds like a small 4 pin fan plug (wuite small, power connectors to wireless card.. (2 small metal pins)
flip over the fan has 4 clips and t screws open the 4 clips (these are around the fan casing,) and undo the crews.. be carfull.. the metal of the casing is very soft and easely bends and one of those two screws are nerly impossible to acsess without great risk.. I myself hust cairfully snapped this bit off but i suspect there is a way to remove it.. then the standerd 2 pin plug for a fan
I think that is all I did not deel with my monitor
November 6th, 2012 at 11:47 am
I have a G6 and I have just fitted a new lcd screen, but somehow I damaged the lcd ribbon cable, I just want to know do I have to strip the whole laptop just to fit a new cable or is there a quicker way as in other laptops I have owned as I could access the ribbon cable on the motherboard just by removing a couple of screws and lifting of a cover.
November 20th, 2012 at 12:18 am
You may recall on February 27th, 2012, a was seeking assistance on how to replace the CMOS battery in my HP Pavilion g series model number LZ519EA#ABU.
Although I did attempt to replace it in March I was unsuccessful and due to commitments have been unable to try again until this week.
However, when I eventually removed the keyboard together with all other parts leaving only the bear motherboard I was amazed to discover there is no CMOS battery in my HP Pavilion !
I’m now fast coming to an end with this 12 month old laptop, however, before goes in the bin do you have any other idea’s which may assist in discovering why it will not keep time & date everytime it’s turned off ?
Many thanks
November 28th, 2012 at 5:32 pm
i was wondering if the headphone jake was connected to the motherboard?
December 8th, 2012 at 3:17 am
Thanks mate! Just pulled my g6 down and gave it a cleanout, it was overheating. Works a treat the second time I put it back together;)
Cheers
Chris
December 11th, 2012 at 11:34 am
really thank you
December 15th, 2012 at 7:23 pm
Does anybody know what the black and grey wires are for running from the main laptop to the screen, by the right hand hinge. I dropped laptop, have replaced screen and hinge although wifi playing up, everything else seems ok!
December 16th, 2012 at 8:27 am
@ Cara,
These are wireless card antenna cables. They should be connected to the wireless card.
You can see them connected to the card in the step 14.
The wireless card located on the left side from memory slots.
December 20th, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Thanks,
WLan antenna, thought so, I’ve ordered a new set, is it necessary to go through all steps to get access to replace it?
Thanks
Cara
December 25th, 2012 at 8:55 pm
I was told by HP support that i need to replace my bios battery, however I have not been able to locate it. I have looked at several video clips & at your how to dissasemble slides. I don’t have a battery in the stuation shown in your diagram. HP laptop, pavillion g6-1031 TX.
December 30th, 2012 at 2:02 pm
Had this crappy notebook since summer 2011. Simply put. Its garbage. Overheating, Not a updated driver to graphic card since ages, not able to switch graphics adapter in bios.
Useless junk.
Next ill go back to iMac with a 27″ with SSD on 256GB and 3TB USB3 storage.
Never ever buy HP notebooks.
January 18th, 2013 at 5:24 am
I have one question about this steps, did i need some thermal paste, if i want clean my cooler fan? After disassemble a HP Pavilion g6.
Thanks
January 19th, 2013 at 11:32 am
The two screws in the back cover will not come out. And so I can not get the back cover off. The screws will loosen and unscrew but not come out altogether. I’ve tried loosening them both and then gently prying at the cover, but nothing happens. Any helping hints?
January 23rd, 2013 at 12:49 pm
I am having the same problem as Jim Lindsey. I try to get the two screws out but can’t and I don’t want to damage the plastic.
January 27th, 2013 at 5:01 pm
I’ve done all this and reassembled it but why when I turn it back on does my computer beep without anything popping up on the screen?
January 30th, 2013 at 10:57 pm
Do I have to take the backing off to clean my laptop??
January 31st, 2013 at 1:27 pm
I did all these steps, reason why is because i wanted to dust out my fan with a compressed air can. I never attempted to take off the motherboard, just left it as it is. So as soon i put everything back in place (screws, purple cable tabs, keyboard, etc.) I turn on the power, everything runs fine. I can clearly hear the fan running, but my screen just stays blank. And my CAPS LOCK button starts blinking. Any idea what might be the problem? Please reply back! I really want this to start working again for my homework.
February 2nd, 2013 at 11:23 pm
@ Stewart,
Check memory modules. Maybe memory not seated properly.
February 2nd, 2013 at 11:27 pm
@ Africanwarfrog,
Do you mean cleaning the cooling fan?
If you can find an air compressor you can blow air into the fan grill on the bottom of the laptop. After that blow air into the fan grill on the side. If the fan not clogged too badly, this should be enough.
Take a look on the last picture in this post: http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2011/01/11/laptop-runs-hot-turns-off-freezes/
February 3rd, 2013 at 1:45 am
I followed all procedures and was able to take all components a part. This tutorial was very useful for exception removing memory card, there were two clips: right and left and you need to push them with flat screw crew driver(in my case i only had to do one). I know its not common but there should be pictures because i almost used force to remove it since one of the clips was stuck.
The personal question: I love this kind of job and i want to earn more. How do you call it? I also want to work on connections since i am replacing hdmi from mother board. Please let me know what is the name of trade that deals with this. My e-mail is in Agzam Akhunov facebook. I will right good feed back please help me find the name of trade
February 3rd, 2013 at 10:59 am
@ Agzam,
Laptop repair technician.
February 10th, 2013 at 7:19 am
I’m trying to open my G6 case to change my memory cards, I’ve unscrewed the screw that holds that case part (it’s only one screw, not 2 as in this guide), but I can’t seem to get the screw out. I supposed it wont go off, staying on the plastic cover, so i tryed to get that one off, but i can’t find out how… I suppose there will be something like clips? But where?
Any ideas on how to take it apart?
February 11th, 2013 at 4:42 am
quite experianced amature would love to thank you for your guide. I got me in, the cooling fan inspected, loosened cleaned and now the “fan not working” error is gone, thanks
March 1st, 2013 at 12:33 am
I’m stuck at the first part. unscrewed the two screws on the part thats covering the hard drive/memory, but i cant find any way to pop the cover open.
March 13th, 2013 at 10:02 pm
Thanks so much for the guide. Was able to open and change the fan that had shown an error. However, upon reassembly, I am not able to start the computer. I get no power light and it shuts down after a few seconds.
I’ve tried a hard reset, cleaned and reinserted the memory module and checked for any missing connections. Still nothing.
Any ideas as to what might be the problem?
March 17th, 2013 at 7:46 am
@ Kostas
we have the same model or so it seems
you have to pull the cover away from the battery then it opens
April 9th, 2013 at 12:57 pm
Hi, looked at this for fan error but when I saw how long a process it is, I tried the compressed air. This seemed to have worked, fan kicked in nice and quiet but after a while it started making a loud clicking noise and the error message is back, any advice please?
April 10th, 2013 at 6:18 am
thanks a lot
now its not getting that much hot,, i removed lot of dust,, now the extra sound also gone 
May 10th, 2013 at 9:19 am
I find very very difficult to remove the keyboard ! I push the little… tongues but doesn’t come up !