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In this post I explain how to remove and replace damaged keyboard in an HP Pavilion dv3500 (dv3000 series) notebook. It’s not difficult and if you are careful enough, you can swap the keyboard in about 10-15 minutes.
It’s possible that my guide fits some other HP Pavilion models in the dv3000 line. If the guide works for you, please mention the notebook model in comments after the post.
Before you start, turn off the laptop and remove the battery.
STEP 1.
Remove four screws securing the hard drive and memory covers. Remove both covers.
STEP 2.
One of the keyboard screws is located under the hard drive and it has to be removed.
In order to remove the hard drive, slide it to the left until the hard drive is disconnected from the connector on the motherboard. Now you can lift up and remove the hard drive.
It’s not necessary to remove memory modules.
Remove four screws (green circles) securing the keyboard.
STEP 3.
Carefully lift up the top side of the keyboard as it shown on the picture below.
STEP 4.
Move the keyboard in the direction shown by the yellow arrow.
Be careful, the keyboard is still connected to the motherboard.
STEP 5.
Turn the keyboard upside down and place it on the palm rest.
As you see, the keyboard is connected to the motherboard via two ribbon cables.
Let’s disconnect the small cable (Connector 1) first.
STEP 6.
Before you pull the keyboard cable from the connector, the connector has to be unlocked.
In order to unlock the connector, move the black clip about 2 millimeters in the direction show by two arrows.
On the picture below the connector is shown in the unlocked position. Now you can pull the ribbon cable from the connector.
WARNING! The locking clip (black plastic piece you move) must stay attached to the connector base. If you break the connector, you’ll have to replace the entire motherboard.
STEP 7.
Turn the keyboard over again and access the second connector.
STEP 8.
Unlock Connector 2 the same way you unlocked Connector 1.
Move the locking clip about 2 millimeters in the direction shown by two arrows. Pull the keyboard cable from the connector.
Again, the locking clip must stay attached to the connector base.
On my picture the connector is shown in the unlocked position.
STEP 9.
Remove the damaged keyboard from the notebook and replace it with a new one.
STEP 10.
You can find a new replacement keyboard by the HP spare part number printed on the sticker.
In my case the keyboard part number is 496120-001.
Some sellers reference by the keyboard model number and in my case it’s 492991-001.
You can find a brand new keyboard for HP Pavilion dv3500 dv3000 notebooks here.
If you find this article useful, please consider making a donation to the author. Thank you!
February 17th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Wow!!!!
30 minutes and $28 for a new keyboard from eBay (thanks for the link) and my laptop is fixed.
My local shop quoted me over$150 and at least 7 days.
Got it done myself and never fixed a laptop before.
Thank you!!! My donation is on the way.
March 13th, 2010 at 11:25 am
Excellend guide, thanks. Just swapped the default bronze key / black lettering keyboard for a more readable black / white lettering keyboard.
Mine is a DV3505ea
April 14th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
I have a HP Pavilion dv5-1235dx laptop, that I spilled a cup of coffee on; while the computer was on. Needless to say, after trying to dry it out, for a few days, it did not even boot-up. The Warantee was up in Feb, 2010. I set the computer aside, and did not use it. I used my desktop which is also an HP pavilion. About a month ago I opened up my Lap Top and it booted-up, but the left side of the keyboard did not work. I checked out a repair shop and they quoted a minimum of $200 to “look at it”. I can’t afford the money. I found your web site and decided to replace the key board (“how to replace keyboard in HP Pavilion dv3500, dv3000 notebooks. It took me about an hour to replace the key board ( i am slow) , but I had no problem, your instructions are excellent, and the viedos are great. This is the 1st Laptop I have ever had, In the I have worked on desk top computers, upgrading them. There is only one problem, there are still some keys on the keyboard that do not work, they are on the upper two left rows. What do I do now, is there some cleaning I can do on the Board to fix this, or take it to shop, or use an external keyboard. Thank You, expect my donation shortly.
April 14th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Manuel,
If some keys do not work even after replacing the keyboard, most likely this is motherboard related problem. Apparently the coffee went down to the motherboard and damaged it. I doubt that you can fix the motherboard. You’ll have to replace the motherboard or try using the laptop with an external USB keyboard.
April 21st, 2010 at 4:56 pm
i have a HP Pavilion dv7-1267cl and i have a problem with the soft volumen control the volumen goes down by it selft so i think that the (volumen -) its stock or sumthin…if u have any solution on how to fix it plz
May 20th, 2010 at 5:40 am
thanks a lot you solve my problem to remove the keyboard…
great….
June 24th, 2010 at 12:54 pm
Hi! you wouldnt happen to have a LCD disassemply guide for this laptop too?
It seems to differ a little from the other ones you disassembled with the screen feet/clamps directly connected. Do I need to detach the screen entirely before opening?
Thanks in advance
Per
June 24th, 2010 at 11:37 pm
Per,
You’ll have to separate the display panel from the laptop base first.
After that you’ll be able to remove the bezel and access LCD screen.
Take a look at this service manual for HP Pavilion dv3000/dv3500 notebook. The display removal instructions stars at the page 63.
July 3rd, 2010 at 12:42 am
i have a hp dv3515ee laptop, since last week (end of june), blue and yellow artifacts begin appearing on my screen. i hooked it up with a lcd screen of my friend and everything seems fine. so it is not my video card which is causing the problem. do you think its a screen inverter failure or the lcd itself is causing this? thanks.
August 10th, 2010 at 7:16 am
I have a DV5t-1000 series, which unfortunately only comes in the bronze or silver keyboards. No black or backlit. Is it possible to hook a keyboard from a different series, like say the old 530 or 6000? Basically mix and match keyboards with laptop models so long as they physically fit in the case?
If not, at worst, are the keys from keyboards of similar eras interchangeable with each other?
August 14th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Han,
I’ve done it before. It might work if you can find a very similar keyboard with similar cable.
August 28th, 2010 at 9:57 am
Hi, can you do a tutorial on how to disassemble dv3500 till the processor heat sink part? Because my dv3500 overheated so badly and i would like to apply thermal paste to it. Thanks.
August 28th, 2010 at 10:56 am
LuciferFei,
First of all, try cleaning the cooling module without taking it apart. Find an air compressor and blow air into the fan grill until it’s clean.
You’ll find laptop disassembly instructions in the maintenance guide for HP Pavilion dv3000/dv3500 notebooks.
Take a look at the Removal and replacement procedures chapter.