Home
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.
September 26th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Bysoftie,
Sorry, cannot help. I don’t work on component level.
September 25th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Do you know whre the cmos-ram is located. Have to reset or replace it after wrong bios update.
September 19th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
SASIVARDHAN,
Check out this post about speakers problem. Might help.
September 15th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
My speakers are not working but thr headphone I am able to hear the sound. Can you guide me to troubleshoot? Mine is VOSTRO 1500.
August 15th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
I just bought my 1510 at a garage sale. The screen is cracked, I’ve removed it.
I’ve connected to my desk top monitor and there the hard drive is locked…. There is no sound from the Disk drive + won’t accept cd/dvd’s.
All the memory, and diagnostic checks are ok. – one – which I can’t remember at the moment as I’ve been at this for many hours now… If needed I can aquire it… ‘ ITC’ or something the like…
I removed the Bios battery for 20 seconds. it re-set the clock and I thought that it may cause the default settings for the hardrive to return. It asked for the hard drive pasword to be ‘set’ in the Bios. I put in ‘pheonix’ as this is the default for the Bios lock. I read this on a site that this might also be the default for the Hard drive. I booted, it gave me an error with ‘ Windows system 32 [.......] ‘ + asked to reinstall Vista. I had shut te comp down and rebooted and the Hard drive, in the Bios said ‘HD locked’ again. Is there a way to correct the password ? or by pass, reset the lock for the hard drive?
Problem # 2
The computer had sustained a drop as I noticed a bit of a bent housing on the Disk drive. The disk drive is not recognised in the Bios.
I had taken the computer apart a couple of times thinking maybe the ribon connection was incorrectly placed. Each time there was ‘not installed’ listed in the Bios. My question is – the computer should recognise somethings there even if it’s not connected properly – correct?
thanks for any help…. I found a Display for about $100.oo new, but will try to find used…. so if you might now of one too…. also thinking I might need a Disk drive…..too tired to look right now….
please send any and all to- quantum19 AT hotmail DOT com
Thanks
August 13th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
rafi,
That’s the reason I published this disassembly guide, so you can decide you you can do it yourself or not.
August 10th, 2009 at 12:35 am
hi can i do that with my self if am no profisional
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Have experience with Acer Aspire One 1542 series. How I can to clear cmos over this model.
thanks.
July 26th, 2009 at 3:40 am
I realize now I’m asking if I can replace my AC adapter connector. Any ideas?
July 26th, 2009 at 3:32 am
Hello I have a dell vostro 1510. Is there anyway I can isolate and replace the receiving end of my power chord? a few prongs broke in the socket in the laptop where the power plugs in and I can’t get a charge. Any thoughts?