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In this post I explain how to take apart an Acer Aspire One netbook.
In this particular guide I’m taking apart an Acer Aspire One A0751h netbook (Also says Model No. ZA3 on the bottom).
I don’t know if all Acer Aspire One netbooks are similar but I think this guide should work for a few different models. If the guide works for your netbook, please mention the model number in comments after the post.
First of all, make sure the netbook is turned off and battery removed.
STEP 1.
I’ll start taking it apart with removing the keyboard.
The keyboard is secured on the top with four spring loaded latches.
I pointed to these latches with yellow arrows.
Push on each latch with a sharp object.
When you push on the latch, the keyboard lifts up a little bit and the latch remains in the pushed position.
There are two more plastick latches on the left and right sides of the keyboard.
These two latches do not move, they are part of the top cover assembly.
STEP 2.
Insert a thin object (I’m using a knife blade) between the left side of the keyboard and top cover and carefully lift it up.
I assume that four spring loaded latches on the top of the keyboard still pushed in.
STEP 3.
After the left side of the keyboard lifted up, you can continue removing it with your fingers.
STEP 4.
Lift up the keyboard and place it upside down on the palm rest.
Be careful, the keyboard still attached to the motherboard.
STEP 5.
Now you can access the keyboard cable connector.
NOTE: you cannot remove the keyboard until the connector is unlocked and ribbon cable released.
STEP 6.
On the following picture the keyboard connector shown in the locked position.
In order to unlock the keyboard connector, you have to lift up the left side of the brown clip so it opens up at a 90 degree angle.
NOTE: the brown clip must stay attached to the white base.
On the next picture the same connector shown in the unlocked position.
STEP 7.
Now you can pull the ribbon cable from the connector and remove the keyboard.
The keyboard has been removed.
You can search for a new replacement keyboard using the part number printed on the keyboard label.
In my case the keyboard part number is: AEZA3R00010
Here you can buy a new replacement keyboard for your Acer Aspire One netbook.
In the following few steps I explain how to remove netbook hard drive, memory module and wireless card.
STEP 8.
Remove six screws securing the hard drive, memory (RAM) and wireless card covers.
Remove all three covers.
STEP 9.
Remove one screws securing the hard dive assembly and slide the whole assemble to the left.
After the hard drive disconnected from the motherboard, you can remove it from the netbook.
If you are replacing the hard drive, you’ll have to transfer the caddy to the new drive.
In order to remove the caddy simply remove four screws (two screws on each side) and separate it from the hard drive.
In my Acer Aspire One netbook I found a regular 160GB 2.5″ SATA hard drive installed.
Any larger 2.5″ SATA hard drive should work just fine.
STEP 10.
In order to remove the memory module carefully spread latches on both sides of the memory slot.
After the memory module pops up at a 30 degree angle remove it from the slot by the edges.
In my Acer nebook I found only one memory slot.
I believe you can install up to 2GB DDR2 RAM module into this slot.
STEP 11.
Finally, let’s move to the wireless card.
Disconnect two antenna cables from the wireless card.
Remove one screw securing the wireless card.
STEP 12.
Remove the wireless card same way you removed the memory module.
In the next post I explain how to remove the LED-backlit screen from same Acer Aspire One A0751h netbook.
January 13th, 2012 at 12:22 pm
@ Louise,
It will be necessary to disassemble the laptop.
After you go though all steps shown in this guide you’ll have to do the following.
1. Remove all screws from the bottom of the laptop.
2. Removed all screws found under the keyboard and disconnect cables from the motherboard.
After that you should be able to separate the top cover assembly from the base and access the insides of the laptop.
January 13th, 2012 at 3:21 am
Good Morning,
What a great site. Thank you for doing this.
My issue is, I think, the same as the post on December 30 by Terri Rawlings. There is a problem with my plug. It will not stay in place; therefore, does not charge the computer unless I hold it tightly. I have tried to tape it but that doesn’t seem to work for very long.
I’m wondering how he got to it and would it be easy for me to figure out how to super glue it in place (if that’s the problem). It’s almost as though the stem of the plug is too short or too wide and doesn’t make contact.
Thank youl
December 30th, 2011 at 8:00 am
Hi and hello, I have a challenge in accessing the power plug on my wife’s Acer Aspire One model number KAV60. Unfortunately I was unable to find a disassembling procedure that covered this model, In the end with some gentle force I was able to gain enough access to super glue and hold it in position until dry. It seems to have done the trick. To reduce the risk of further damage by taping the plug in position on a foam support.
I found your series quite helpful and will return the next time I have a challenge.
December 29th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
@ Dennis,
Did you damage the connector? Did you accidentally pulled the touchpad cable?
If the connector is not damaged, just unlock it and try reseating the cable.
December 29th, 2011 at 11:42 am
Thanks for the help. The keyboard replacement is easy, but I disturbed the touch pad connector next to the keyboard connector which is now intermittently a problem and will need more attention. Be careful not to move it or it’s lock down tab, as I did before reading this post. I will be makng a donation!
December 16th, 2011 at 10:21 am
@ Phil,
There is one more thing you can try. Remove the memory module from the slot and try turning it on (you’ll still have built in memory).
If still nothing happens, probably this is motherboard related issue. If that’s the case, the netbook not worth fixing.
December 16th, 2011 at 2:21 am
Hello again,
I removed the hard drive and it has the same problem but now there is no strange sounds… so maybe the sounds were coming from the hard drive but that wasn’t the problem… any suggestions for what might be the problem???
Thanks!!!
December 6th, 2011 at 10:43 am
@ Phil,
You cannot replace the graphics card. It’s integrated into the motherboard.
Isn’t it coming from the hard drive area? Maybe the hard drive failed.
Remove the hard drive and try turning on the laptop without it.
December 3rd, 2011 at 11:51 am
Hello,
I have an Acer Aspire One ZA3 and i have a problem with either my hard drive,my graphics card or my CPU… You see when I turn on my netbook nothing happens…it’s just a black screen and even if i leave it like that for hours nothing happens…the lights of CPU and Caps Lock turn on and then off but the Bluetooth light remains on. I feel there’s something wrong with the graphics card and I don’t know if I can replace it… All I can hear is a strange noise coming from the right of the netbook (as you see it standing over the netbook) and it seems like something is starting to move and suddenly it stops…and this goes on forever!!!
Any help would be useful because I use my netbook a lot!!!
Thanks
December 1st, 2011 at 1:55 pm
@ chillo,
What is your Acer Aspire model number? Is it like one in this guide? If yes, I explained how to replace the screen in the following guide: http://www.insidemylaptop.com/remove-screen-from-acer-aspire-one-netbook/
But this model has a LED-backlit LCD screen which doesn’t have inverter board. If the screen stopped working properly, it could be bad screen ( or failed video cable or motherboard issue).