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In the following guide I will take apart a Dell Vostro 1510 notebook. You can use this guide for removing almost all internal parts from the notebook base. I think these instructions might work for some other Dell Vostro notebooks, not just a Vostro 1510. If it fits your laptop, please mention the model in the comments below.
If you need spare parts for your Vostro 1510 laptop, you can search for used and new parts here.
Before you start the disassembly process do not forget to unplug the power adapter and battery.
STEP 1.
Remove hard drive and memory covers.
STEP 2.
Pull the hard drive to the left and disconnect it from the motherboard.
Remove the hard drive. As you see it’s a SATA hard drive. If you are replacing the hard drive, any large 2.5″ SATA hard drive should work just fine.
STEP 3.
Remove both memory modules. In a Dell Vostro 1510 you can install up to 4GB RAM (2GB module into each slot). You should use DDR2-667 modules.
STEP 4.
Remove three screws securing the cooling fan. Unplug the cooling fan cable from the motherboard.
Remove and lift up the cooling fan.
STEP 5.
Loosen four screws securing the heat sink.
Carefully lift up and remove the heat sink.
STEP 6.
Disconnect two antenna cables from the wireless card. Grab the golden connector on the end of the antenna cables with your fingers and pull it up.
Remove one screw securing the wireless card and remove the card.
STEP 7.
Lift up the keyboard cover with a small screwdriver or another sharp object.
Remove the keyboard cover.
STEP 8.
Remove two screws securing the keyboard.
Lift up the keyboard so you can access the keyboard cable connector underneath.
Very carefully unlock the connector and release the keyboard cable.
Now you can remove the keyboard.
If you are replacing the keyboard, you don’t have to through steps 1-6. Simply remove and replace the keyboard as it shown in steps 7 and 8.
STEP 9.
In the following three steps I’ll remove the display panel assembly.
Remove one screw securing the right hinge.
STEP 10.
Disconnect the video cable from the motherboard.
Pull both wireless antenna cables through the opening.
Remove five screws securing both display hinges.
STEP 11.
Remove the display assembly.
If you would like to know how to take apart the display panel and remove the LCD with inverter, check out other disassembly guides in the Dell category. The LCD screen removal instructions will be similar for most Dell (and other ) laptops.
STEP 12.
Disconnect three cables and remove three screws from the top cover assembly.
STEP 13.
Remove all screws from the bottom of the notebook.
STEP 14.
Start separating the top cover assembly from the base assembly. You can use a small flathead screwdriver.
Continue separating the top cover assembly with your fingers.
Remove the top cover.
STEP 15.
The CD/DVD drive is mounted inside the base and can be removed only after you remove the top cover.
Disconnect the CD/DVD drive cable from the connector on the motherboard.
Lift up and remove the CD/DVD drive.
STEP 16.
Remove three screws securing the motherboard.
Unplug the USB board cable from the motherboard.
Lift up the motherboard as it shown on the picture below.
Remove the motherboard.
The processor (CPU) is locked in the socket. In order to remove the processor, you’ll have to unlock the socket first. There is a small screw on the side of the socket. This screw locks/unlocks the socket.
In this notebook the CMOS (RTC) battery is replaciable. You can unlug the old CMOS battery from the motherboard and replace it with a new one.
July 28th, 2011 at 7:01 am
I have problem. My Dell Vostro laptop’s battery needs to be replaced. Since I could not find an original one, for the time being I have been working on it by plugging it to the power. Yesterday while I was browsing suddenly a blue screen came on and then it went off, after that i switched it on and it is not booting. I got it checked by a technician and he says that its hard disk needs to be replaced. do you think that is the problem. I had such a lot of data stored in it and if at all the hard disk needs to be replaced where can I find the right one for vostro 1510.Could you please help me???
July 21st, 2011 at 7:25 pm
Um, Is there any way to fix my speaker/headphone jack? I have tried several headphones and speakers, It works, but only when I press the plug to a certain direction, and it gets so frustrating as I always use headphones to listen to music on my laptop. I’m thinking that the jack might be loose? Do I have to take the whole laptop apart in order to get to it? (can’t see clearly in the images above.) Might sound like a simple problem, but it’s driving me nuts! Lol.
July 10th, 2011 at 2:59 pm
I have a Vostro 1510; aprox 3 years old. Similar to another post, the screen developed a jerky LCD display which at first was intermittent, then became permanent and would freeze in place. If I apply and hold pressure to the upper left hand corner of the screen’s frame, it works normally. I assume the screen does not need replacement since I can get it to function, albeit awkwardly. I did take it to a professional Geek, who said there wasn’t anything he could do and I had to listen to his litany of how Dell laptops have been notorious for problems in the past, but had thought that they had made improvements in their quality. Eitherway, I am basically left with an external hard drive, as the system does operate on a remote screen.
Any suggestions and/or help out there? Any brains to pick out there?
June 15th, 2011 at 9:28 am
This guide was very helpful to me. My plain-jane Vostro 1510 came an optical drive that would read DVDs but _not_ write them. So I bought a Sony Optiarc DVD burner on eBay. (Based on a little eBay research I knew that drive was compatible.) I had considered yanking the unit open without any guidance, but I have opened just enough laptops to know I would probably be better off the have a guide. Thanks for the wonderful help!
June 1st, 2011 at 7:42 am
This was a very useful guide for disassembling my Dell Vostro 1510. My CMOS battery died and dreadfully, I had to take the ENTIRE laptop apart to replace it. Then, I found that the CMOS battery module resides in a custom shroud, so I had to have one of my technicians resolder the existing cable leads to a new battery. PAINFUL OPERATION. But your guide was priceless throughout the endevour, so thank you!
May 23rd, 2011 at 5:16 pm
Thanks very much for this walkthrough! It was quite handy as I had to find and clear out an *ant nest* from a Vostro this week!
Many thanks, again!
-Will
May 19th, 2011 at 9:06 pm
@Sunshuvo: not sure if this applies but i updated the bios on a perfectly working vostro and the update failed turning my moms laptop into a doorstop. same deal, powered on, three lights and black screen. after hours of research, it turns out that many people had the same problem and dell will not take responsibility but for around $200 they will fix it for you. luckily i found a guy on ebay under the name of biosdepot that sells the replacement chip for $20. you just have to have the tools and soldering skills to make it all come together or take it to someone that can do it for you. i lucked out again as i have the tool and skill needed so what could have been a major mess-up, turned out to be a inexpensive little one. hope it helps.
May 12th, 2011 at 1:39 pm
Doug,
Not really. If you have a slot load DVD drive (as in my example), it’s mounted inside the laptop case.
You’ll have to go though all steps. I guess you can skip steps 2-5 (removing memory, Hard drive and heat sink).
May 9th, 2011 at 9:02 pm
If I simply want to replace the CD/DVD drive are there any steps I can omit, such as disconnecting the monitor and such?
April 8th, 2011 at 9:46 am
fishy13,
I’ve had the same problem with a Vostro 1520 running Win7 x64 build 7600. The machine completely freezed when power cord was taken out.
I’ve managed to workaround this problem by avoiding C:\Windows\System32\igfxpers.exe to run. This program is part of the video driver, but it is not absolutely necessary.