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In this guide I’ll be taking apart a Asus Eee PC 1201n netbook. I will show how to remove netbook memory modules, keyboard, top cover, hard drive, cooling fan and CMOS battery.
Most likely this guide will work for other Asus Eee 12XX netbooks. If it works for you, please mention the model number in comments after this post.
Make sure the netbook is turned off.
STEP 1.
Remove the battery.
Remove two screws securing the memory (RAM) cover and remove the cover.
STEP 2.
Both memory modules can be easily accessed through the door on the bottom.
Spread plastic latches on both sides of the memory slot until the memory module pops up at a 30 degree angle. After that carefully pull memory module from the slot by the edges.
In the following 7 steps I’ll be removing the keyboard.
STEP 3.
The keyboard secured by four latches on the top.
STEP 4.
Press on the latch with a sharp object and at the same time pull the keyboard a little bit up.
Do the same with remaining three latches.
STEP 5.
After all four latches are released, you can lift up the keyboard.
STEP 6.
Be careful, the keyboard attached to the motherboard with a flat ribbon cable.
Before you can remove the keyboard, you have to unlock the connector and release the cable.
STEP 7.
In order to unlock the keyboard connector, move the brown clip about 2-3 millimeters towards the display.
The brown clip must stat attached to the white base.
On the following picture the connector shown in the unlocked position.
STEP 8.
After the connector unlocked, you can release the cable and remove the keyboard.
You’ll find a few keyboard part numbers on the sticker. I’m not sure which one is the official Asus part number, but you can search on google for all of them.
I think one of these part numbers will lead you to the replacement keyboard.
In the following 5 steps I will show how to remove the top cover.
STEP 9.
Remove all screws from the bottom of the netbook.
STEP 10.
Remove all screws securing the top cover assembly.
Disconnect the touch pad cable.
STEP 11.
You unlock the touch pad connector same way you unlocked the keyboard connector.
STEP 12.
Start separating the top cover assembly from the netbook base. You can use a piece of soft plastic to separate the top cover. I’m using the guitar pick.
STEP 13.
Remove the top cover assembly.
STEP 14.
After you remove the top cover assembly, you can access the hard drive, cooling fan and CMOS battery.
STEP 15.
Remove four screws securing the hard drive assembly.
Slide the hard drive assembly to right to disconnect it from the motherboard.
Lift up and remove the hard drive.
As you see, it’s a regular 2.5″ SATA hard drive for notebooks.
STEP 16.
In order to remove the cooling fan, you’ll have to remove two screws and disconnect one cable from the motherboard.
After that the cooling fan is ready for the removal and replacement.
In the following guide I explain how to remove and replaced LED-backligt screen in Asus Eee PC 1201n netbook.
February 1st, 2012 at 8:31 am
@ wesley,
I don’t think this is heat related issue because the laptop works fine (as you said) when connected to both power sources.
I don’t think this is DC jack related issue because the same problem happens when the laptop runs only on the battery power.
I think this could be motherboard related failure but I cannot tell what exactly is failing.
January 26th, 2012 at 7:32 pm
hi i have a problem with my 1201N
everything is fine when the battery is connected and is connected to the ac source
but if i remove the battery and use only power from AC i get intermittent shut downs even when in the bios post
this also happens if i only use the power coming from the battery.
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:59 pm
@ ERROL BLAKE,
Normally the part number printed somewhere on the motherboard.
Look for a sticker in the memory compartment. If it’s not there, probably the sticker is somewhere under the keyboard or even top cover assembly.
I found one used motherboard on eBay for $200. Didn’t find any on Amazon.
Is this laptop really worth replacing the motherboard?
January 22nd, 2012 at 12:44 pm
Thanks. I need to change to motherboard of my 1201N. Where do I access Model No of the board, and can I purchase it from Amazon
December 6th, 2011 at 11:36 am
@ Susan,
The power jack? You’ll have to disassemble the laptop completely and remove the motherboard.
The DC power jack soldered to the motherboard.
December 5th, 2011 at 8:47 am
I need to fix jack only. What is the minimum I have to dismantle to do this? thanks
August 25th, 2011 at 7:15 am
Hi! i followed this manual to take apart my notebook (there is a problem with the dc jack, and when ytried to start again the blue lights of the on/off button turns on, but no fan/ nor screen is turned on!!!!
know how to fix it??
regards
jose
August 9th, 2011 at 11:04 pm
Sir, Can you please post how to take apart the Asus eee pc
1201T ? I need to replace the fan. It’s construction is a bit different from the 1201n. Many thanks.
June 23rd, 2011 at 11:16 pm
GREAT GUIDE! THANK YOU!
June 20th, 2011 at 10:54 pm
thanks indeed! this guide helped quite a lot.