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These instructions explain how to take apart a Sony Vaio VGN-FZ220 series laptop. I had to replace the DC-IN power jack because it was broken. The jack is soldered to the power harness and can be easily replaced if you have basic soldering skills. Use this guide on your own risk.
You can search for spare parts for Sony Vaio VGN-FZ series notebooks here.
I created these instructions while taking apart a Sony Vaio VGN-FV220E but I think you can use them for entire VGN-FV220 line.
STEP 1.
Unplug power adapter. Unlock and remove laptop battery. Remove one screw securing the memory cover and remove the cover. Remove one screw securing the hard drive cover and remove the cover.
STEP 2.
Remove three screws securing the hard drive. Slide the hard drive to the left side and disconnect it from the connector on the motherboard. Remove the hard drive. Remove both memory modules (spread latches on both side of the memory module and carefully pull it from the slot).
STEP 3.
Remove two screws securing the DVD drive. Carefully pull the DVD drive from the laptop and remove it.
STEP 4.
Remove all screws (marked red and green) from the bottom of the laptop.
If you are taking apart the whole laptop, you’ll have to remove all screws.
If you are using this guide just for removing or replacing the keyboard, you’ll have to remove just four green screws (they secure the keyboard bezel) and after that you can proceed to the steps 7-9.
Again. If you want to disassemble the whole laptop, you’ll have to remove all screws from the bottom (red and green).
STEP 5.
Carefully disengaged three latches in the battery compartment. These latches secure the keyboard bezel. Push on latches with a small flathead screwdriver until they are unlocked.
STEP 6.
Carefully unlock two more latches in the DVD drive compartment. I wasn’t careful enough and broke one latch. :)
STEP 7.
You can remove the keyboard bezel with a small flathead screwdriver.
STEP 8.
Remove two screws securing the keyboard.
STEP 9.
Carefully lift up the keyboard and place it upside down on the palm rest. The keyboard cable is connected to the motherboard.
First, unlock the connector. Remove clear tape securing the connector. After that slide the LOCK (this part of the connector secures the cable inside) about 1-2 millimeters to the left using your fingernails. This will release the keyboard cable. Now you can pull keyboard cable from the connector and remove the keyboard.
WARNING! If you break the keyboard connector you’ll be screwed big time. The keyboard will never work again (until you find a way to repair the connector or replace the whole motherboard). Be careful.
STEP 10.
Disconnect cables pointed with red arrows. Disconnect three wireless card antenna cables pointed with yellow arrows.
STEP 11.
Release all disconnected cables. Remove screws securing display hinges (three screws securing each hinge).
STEP 12.
Lift up and remove laptop display panel.
IMPORTANT! You’ll have to go through steps 10-12 only if you want to remove the display panel.
In order to remove the laptop base cover and access the power jack, it’s not necessary to remove the display panel. It occurred to me only after I removed the display panel.
Here’s what you have to do. Leave all cables mentioned in the step 10 connected to the laptop and go to the step 11. Remove only two red screws from each hinge and do not remove green screws. Now you can close the display and proceed to the step 14 (removing base assembly).
STEP 13.
The display panel has been removed. I didn’t have to remove it but I did.
STEP 14.
Turn the laptop upside down and remove the base cover.
STEP 15.
Now you can access and replace the DC-IN power jack located in the top left corner of the laptop.
Do you see the RTC (CMOS) battery? I’ll explain at the end why I mentioned the battery.
STEP 16.
The DC-IN power jack was broken in many pieces. I unsoldered the broken jack and replaced it with a new power jack.
The power jack has been replaced. Now you can assemble the laptop following steps 16-1.
IMPORTANT! After I replaced the jack, I assembled the laptop back together, plugged in the power adapter, pressed on the power button and NOTHING! The laptop was dead! There were no LED lights or any activity at all. I tested power jack continuity with a voltmeter and didn’t find any problem. The motherboard was getting power but didn’t turn on. I thought the motherboard was fried. Just in case I unplugged the RTC (CMOS) battery from the motherboard, waited for 30 seconds and plugged it back in. Tested the laptop again AND it started like new!!!!
UPDATE:
Do you have a problem with video on your Sony VGN or VGC series laptop? Keep reading!
Distorted video, random characters or blank screen issues due to failure of the NVIDIA graphics chip. More details here.
As a part of our commitment to quality, for any customer who requires repair of their VAIO computer due to the NVIDIA graphics processor issue, Sony will cover the cost of repair (parts and labor) at no charge during the first four years following the date of purchase of the models in question (see list below).
In case your model is shown in the list below, we invite you to contact VAIO Support to arrange service for your VAIO.
The following Sony laptops are affected by this issue:
• VGN-FZ11x, VGN-FZ18x, VGN-FZ21x, VGN-FZ31x, VGN-FZ38x
• VGN-AR11x, VGN-AR21x, VGN-AR31x
• VGN-C1Zx, VGN-C2Zx
• VGC-LM1xx, VGC-LM2xx
• VGC-LT1xx, VGC-LT2xx
August 14th, 2011 at 10:16 pm
THANK YOU!!!!! very clear & easy to follow instrctions. My kind of teacher! I searched high and low on how to do this. You instrctions are the clearest and easiest to follow. Ill let u know how I do with the repairs. Again thanks the world is a better place with people like you offering to share the knowledge they have.
Sonia–Big Mama
August 12th, 2011 at 2:40 pm
Thanks man!
it really helps me a lot!
with out the pictures i would never be able to open mij Sony Vaio
regards,
Jalal
August 9th, 2011 at 9:56 am
Thanks for the insrtructions. Forst my battery failed, than in short order the laptop started overheating, now I have an NVIDIA failure, and the machine wont even finish booting most of the times.
Is it worthwile for me to open it, clean the fans and replace the battery, or is it likely that my graphic chip and or even the disk or mb is damaged?
Thanks!
July 28th, 2011 at 1:11 pm
@ Daniel,
Listen for the cooling fan sounds. Does it spin at all? Maybe they forgot to connect the fan cable.
July 27th, 2011 at 4:30 am
hey i got the Sony vaio fz21m since i got it iv been having at lot of problems with it and its really annoying, hmm, first i had trouble with my graphics card which i sent my computer to Sony to try and fix it, then when i got few days later i realise that my laptop started over heating and turning of, im guessing its from the fan ?…or something …umm any one got any ideas how i can fix it, or what might be wrong with it ? ….and this is the last time im getting Sony, its is freaking shit , my sis got a cheap Toshiba laptop and it lasted more then my shitty Sony did, which is really is disappointing :/ …thanks.
July 24th, 2011 at 1:52 pm
Hi.
I just had the need to replace a keyboard and a display hinge on a four-year old Sony Vaio VGN-FZ320E laptop. I found the parts on ebay,and followed your instruitons to take the computer apart and make the replacement. Your instructions and photos were the reason I was successful. I didn’t think I had the ability to take apart & reassemble a laptop, but with your instructions and clear photos, I knew just what I needed to do. The laptop is good as new now.
Thank you for your instructions.
July 13th, 2011 at 7:33 pm
Hi
Very interesting.
I opened my Vaio FZ11Z the same way, but without taking apart the keyboard (only the gray part that is beneath the keyboard), step 11 is critical, in order to take off the dust between the propeller and the copper sinker.
After 4 years, the Vaio was overheating even with no high computation demand.
Now it is working back as new
I have photos I would like to share, please send me your email.
I will send you 2 photos that you should add to this webpage.
Best regards
Lotfi
July 9th, 2011 at 12:05 am
Hi and thank you for clear instructions on how to take the sony laptop apart. My laptop worked fine then all of a sudden the power light came on but the HD light wont and the fan is quieter than it usually is. Does this sony vaio vgn fz have a cpu fan? If so how do you get to it? I suspect that the laptop is not coming on due to a fan or heat issue.(I hope the Mobo is not fried) I at least want to see if the cpu fan or case fan is an issue before I try to get it repaired. If any thing I at least want to salvage the HD. Thanks
July 4th, 2011 at 10:04 am
THANK YOU so much!
It was very kind of you to document the disassembly and re-assembly so well. I have a similar model, the VGN-FZ320E. I needed to clean the cpu/system fan. To do that, I had to completely disassemble and reassemble. WIth the exception of two screws difference, your instructions matched my model completely.
Once again I want to express my big thanks and appreciation for making the effort to help people, taking these photos, clearly documenting, and posting on the internet.
June 29th, 2011 at 7:36 pm
My VGN-FZ290E computer works fine, no problems what so ever, but my battery won’t respond. it’s like a desktop now since I can’t disconnect from the AC power adapter, if I do, the computer loses power and shuts down in an instant.