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Do you have an Averatec 3200 laptop? Do you want to know how to take it apart? Check out these photos with instructions. The author of the guide disassembled his laptop in order to repair the power jack.
The following laptop components you can access and remove from the bottom:
1. DVD drive. Simply remove screws securing the DVD drive and pull the drive from the laptop.
2. Memory. This laptop has only one memory slot and it comes with 512MB PC2700 module installed. The laptop specification says that you can install maximum 512MB into this laptop but according to memoryx.net:
Averatec shipping this laptop with the specification of 512MB max, however numerous users have reported success with installing a 1GB module in the machine.
3. Cooling module. Both the heatsink and cooling fan can be accessed and removed through the bottom cover.
4. CPU is located right under the cooling module.
The following laptop components are located inside the case:
1. Wireless card is located under the palm rest, in the lower left corner.
2. Hard drive also could be found under the palm rest. This laptop comes with a 60GB 4200RPM IDE hard drive but you can replace it with a larger and faster one.
3. The RTC (CMOS) battery also located under the palm rest, on the right side from the wireless card.
Need spare parts for your Averatec 3200 laptop? Search here.
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October 27th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
thanks, i had to replace my power jack as well, but i ended up with two extra screws. How many screws are there to take off back cover and where are they?
November 9th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
My power module is really touchy – any movements and it cuts in and out. Do I have to buy a new module, or can I solder it? Any recommendations?
November 9th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Graham,
First of all, test the power adapter. Test you adapter with a voltmeter and make sure your adapter outputs stable voltage when you move the power cord. If it cuts off when you move the cord, there could be damaged wire inside the cord. In this case you’ll have to replace/repair the power adapter.
You’ll have to disassemble the laptop take a closer look on the power jack. If the power jack is broken, you’ll have to replace the jack or the whole board.
If the jack looks OK but solder joints has cracks, you’ll have to resolder the jack.
May 9th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
I had this same problem and had a terrible time finding the dang module. Here’s where I found it. As far as I can tell, no one else has it. I found this out the hard way, getting the wrong part from some aftermarket place. This company is the one averatec sends you to. hope it helps!
http://www.fremontek.com
June 19th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Hi. I have an avertec 3200 and having problem with monitor. it will start with avertec screen and phenox bios logo then go black and stay tht way. if you turn it on and off multiple time you have a chance of it working. does anyone know why this is happening or howto fix the problem?
thanks,
sam
June 24th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
sam,
Take a closer look at the screen when it goes black. Is it really black? Maybe there is some data on the screen. Maybe the image is still there but it’s very dark?
If that’s the case, there could be a problem with the screen inverter or backlight. Take a closer look at the screen.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Sam & Laptop Tech,
I am having the same problem. I turn on the Avertec 3200 and within a couple on minutes the screen goes black. There is actually a faint image underneath. If you press FN-Zz keys and put the laptop to sleep for a few seconds and then press FN the screen will come back for a few more minutes. Has anyone been able to fix this problem? Also the audio will become very “tinny”. The two problems seem to be related.
Thanks,
Bill
July 1st, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Bill,
Most likely you have a problem with the screen inverter (more likely) or CCFL backlight lamp (less likely).
The inverter board located inside the display panel and mounted below the LCD screen. The inverter works as a power supply for the backlight lamp and when it fails, the laptop screen “looses” backlight.
I would try replacing the inverter board first.
I don’t think this problem is related to your audio problem.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:43 am
On the Averatec 3300, essentially similar to the 3200, I’m trying to remove the HDD, as this has a badly cracked screen and I’m not convinced it’s worth repairing. I’m having trouble getting the palm rest off, to get at the HDD. It seems to be tightly attached just to the right (viewed from the keyboard) of the SD card slot, yet I see no screw under that point.
Any suggestions?
July 7th, 2009 at 8:09 am
I should add that I DID remove the screw covered by tape on bottom. It seems to be sticking about 3 inches from the right edge.
July 7th, 2009 at 8:34 am
Never mind. Got it out. There was a “hook” on the front edge at that point.
September 14th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Hi! I have an averatec 3250 and I disassembled the unit to for cleaning and to check my power dc jack as it seemed loose. I followed all the directions posted on the guide how to disassemble the unit and when reassemble it back and powered up nothing happens. I get a white blank screen and the hdd light flashes. I didn’t touch the hard drive at all. Not sure what went wrong. If anyone out there could please help it would be great. Thanks
September 19th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
shafiq,
Make sure the video cable is properly connected to the motherboard. Could be some kind of connection related problem. I cannot tell what is wrong exactly without looking at the laptop.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
About the screen issues — I have an Averatec 3360 (3300 Series), which is extremely similar to the 3200, and have run into a similar non-inverter problem with the screen… Initially, it went black (no faint image) for days, then it would come on perfectly bright but then shut off at random points & not come back on until rebooting, then it reliably would turn off partway through boot regardless of OS, and now it will do that at cold boots while a reboot freezes the entire system with LCD stuck on at the initial “Averatec” logo.
I’ve taken it apart & re-seated all cables both on the mainboard & inverter board repeatedly to no avail. So I’ve been using it with an external monitor/keyboard/mouse, claiming the “extremely flat desktop” is the next big wave in computing.
For now, I’m hoping it’s something I can somehow fix, or that it lasts long enough for me to learn how to repair damaged similar-era laptops on eBay so I can afford a decent replacement.
January 6th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
I have an Acer/Averatec 3200, it was dropped by someone and now the battery will not charge. It is recognized however, but it will not charge. Also the keyboard only types a few letters, and the letter “M” will not type M, it types 3 instead. Is there a connection problem? Or do i need a new keyboard. and do i need a new battery? Is there any hope for my laptop?
Thanks
January 6th, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Marcie,
Could be bad battery or there is a problem with the battery charging circuit on the motherboard. You cannot tell which one is causing the problem until you test the laptop with a known good battery.
Could be one of the following: bad connection between the keyboard and motherboard, bad keyboard, bad keyboard controller on the motherboard.
Here’s what you should try in the order:
1. Try reconnecting the keyboard cable.
2. Replace the keyboard.
3. Replace the motherboard.
January 15th, 2010 at 12:08 am
Apparently, there was a fairly widespread problem with the solder joint for the power supply jack on the motherboard. There was a fairly detailed instruction set online that detailed the disassembly of the laptop to gain access to the power jack which I was then able to firmly re-solder to the motherboard. Before the repair, the laptop would lose the power input even though the jack seemed to be in place. I think the intermittent power input was responsible for blowing my 1gig memory module (thank you lifetime memory warranty!)
February 18th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
thanks for the photo link, it’ll come in real handy for my future HDD upgrade
March 27th, 2010 at 6:22 pm
I,am Trying to replace The LCD screen on the Averatec 2370 Lop top, when First time got it I installed it plug in two cables (one inverter cable with two wires),and (video ribbon cable). all Polarized,and Full proof. But After powered up nothing happened; (I can hear start up music From speakers the but no video on screen. I thought Maybe The screen is not Compatible with the lop top. so send it back and got another one; went through installation again, and after power up
still did not have video on screen.
Please help me here tell me what did I do wrong? and what is the solution for it?
Does it require a device driver? or anything I missed?
Thanks !
March 27th, 2010 at 6:30 pm
Sorry I forgot that the original screen was cracked but still works, after the new screen did not
show anything I put back the old screen and no problem with video. Must be the new Screen.
Thank you Again!
March 31st, 2010 at 2:26 pm
alex Baranov,
If the laptop works fine with the old cracked screen but not with new screens, most likely the problem is related to the new screens. Apparently your new screens are not compatible with the laptop OR require a different LCD cable (which is not very likely).
I think both new screens are not compatible with the laptop somehow. I don’t know what else could be wrong.
May 26th, 2010 at 5:30 am
I have an Averatec 3200 Laptop.
My Internal CD/DVD no longer works so I have an EXTERNAL CD/DVD working off the USB.
My Computer NO LONGER Boots from Windows XP Home Edition. It goes back to SAFE BOOT.
Can I recover the WINDOWS XP Home Edition by using the EXTERNAL CD/DVD drive or do I need to find another way.
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks
Bob
May 28th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
I have a averatec 3270-EH1. I need to upgrade my Bios so that I can install a better CPU. Does anyone know where I can download the correct updated version of my bios. Ive looked everywhere, even called averatec with no help at all. I think the motherboard is made by TWInhead Int. Corp. not 100% sure though. I even called their US site called GammaTech and no help from them either unless I send them my laptop. I saw a post telling me to download twinhead r1.08 bios from the averatec forum but that forum doesnt exist anymore. Please, any help would be awesome!
May 29th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
Ryan,
Be careful with the BIOS updated. If you flash it with a wrong version, you’ll ruin the motherboard.
I searched their website and didn’t find any BIOS update for your laptop. I would recommend using it as is.
June 16th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
Hi…I have an Averatec 3200 and my power jack doesn’t work and my mother board may also be bad…my buddy has an extra 3200 around…could I just swap out hard drives?
July 27th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
THX. That really came in handy. I just had to re-solder the powerjack, Upgrade the HDD (samsung spinpoint 160gb, works flawlessly) and re-thermal the heatsink. I would have been lost without this article.
September 1st, 2010 at 7:04 am
I have an Averatec 3200. The symtoms are as follows: No Boot process no display screen. Even if i use a new battery. it appears to be charging. When i plug in the power adapter the power lite blinks on the laptop. However it will not start up. Is this a video chip issue like the common HP DV series or something else. I have completely disassembled the laptop and i cant see any physical damage to the board. Any help would be appreciated.