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In this guide I’ll explain how to take apart an Acer Aspire 5100 laptop. I’ll show how to remove and replace major laptop components such as CD/DVD drive, memory, hard drive, wireless card, cooling fan and keyboard.
In the next article I’ll explain how to remove LCD screen and replace inverter board.
First of all, make sure the laptop is turned off, the power adapter is disconnected and the battery is removed.
Both memory modules, wireless card, cooling and and hard drive can be accessed from the bottom. Remove four screws marked with red circles and loosen two screws marked with green circles. Remove both covers.
You can search for Acer Aspire 5100 spare parts here.
Removing DVD drive:
1. Remove one screw (red circle) securing the drive.
2. Push the drive from the laptop with a flathead screwdriver.
3. Pull the drive form the laptop.
Removing hard drive:
1. Pull the hard drive to the right side until it’s disconnected from the motherboard.
2. Lift up the hard drive.
If you are replacing the hard drive with a new one, you’ll have to transfer the mounting bracket to a new drive.
My laptop had a 80GB 5400RPM SATA hard drive installed. You can upgrade it to a larger and faster SATA drive.
100GB, 120GB, 160GB and 250GB SATA drives should work just fine in this laptop.
Removing laptop memory:
1. Carefully spread latches on both sides of the memory module until it pops up at a 30 degree angle.
2. Pull the memory module by the edges.
Acer Aspire 5100 has two memory slots. You can install up to 4GB RAM total. Up to 2GB memory module into each slot. You should use PC2-533 DDR2-667MHz 200pin SODIMM RAM modules.
Removing wireless card:
1. Disconnect both antenna cables. Grab the antenna cable connector with your fingers and unsnap it from the connector on the wireless card.
2. Spread latches on both sides of the wireless card same way as you did with RAM modules.
3. When the wireless card pops up at a 30 degree angle, pull it from the slot by the edges. Remove wireless card.
Removing cooling fan:
1. Remove two screws securing the fan.
2. Carefully disconnect fan cable from the motherboard.
3. Lift up and remove the fan.
My laptop had a lot of dust trapped between the fan and heatsink. This dust buildup kills normal airflow inside the cooling module and causes laptop overheating. You can blow off dust using canned air.
Here’s how you can replace thermal paste between the heatsink and CPU.
Removing laptop keyboard.
In the following steps I’ll explain how to disconnect and remove the keyboard.
1. Lift up the keyboard bezel with a flathead screwdriver as it shown on the picture below.
2. Remove keyboard bezel.
3. Remove two screws securing the keyboard.
4. Carefully lift up the keyboard, it’s still attached to the motherboard.
5. The keyboard is connected to the motherboard via a flat ribbon cable. Before you can remove the keyboard, you’ll have to unlock the connector and release the cable.
6. Carefully move the black tab about 1-2 millimeters up with your fingernails as it shown on the picture below.
DO NOT SEPARATE THIS TAB FROM THE CONNECTOR, IT HAS TO STAY ATTACHED TO THE CONNECTOR.
If you break the keyboard connector, you’ll have to replace the whole motherboard. Be careful.
7. Now you can release the cable and remove the keyboard.
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February 25th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Kevin,
Do you have a SATA or IDE hard drive installed into your laptop. Here’s the difference between these two hard drives.
I’m not sure what you call the power card. Is it the power jack? You can buy it on eBay.
February 25th, 2009 at 1:23 am
Hi,
I have two broken acer aspires and now on my third it is not from manufactor issues. It is that my dear wife keeps manageing to drop them and bust the dc power port off. so my question is I have tried to search the part number for my 5100z and come up with nill. The other is an 5610z witch i can get the part but can not solder to save my life. I guess my questions are 1. for the 5610 where can i get an external case for my hard drive? ( bought 1 from R.S. and it was the wrong one.) 2. could you point me in the direction for a new power card for my 5100?
February 24th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
Mike Merriman,
It’s really hard to tell what’s going on with your laptop. Could be some kind of grounding issue but in order to narrow down the problem, it’s necessary to disassemble the laptop and take a closer look inside. Could be loose connection somewhere on the motherboard. There is no simple answer.
February 24th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
To comment 170,
If the cooling fan started making noise, cleaning it will not help. You’ll have to replace the fan.
February 24th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Why buy acer,
Could be overheating. Take a look inside the heat sink. Do you see a lot of dust inside? Blow off dust using canned air. Clean the heat sink and test the laptop again. There is a good chance that cleaning the heat sink will fix your problem.
February 24th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Rob,
This is a really weird problem. Sounds like a 3G device damaged the motherboard somehow.
February 24th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
From Post 108.
Hi guys, i can report that the problem with my Aspire 5610 must be the controller on the hard drive. I installed a new 160GB sata Samsung drive and the machine boots correctly and straight away. Unlike needing a second start as in the past. Thanks for your advice. Now I am happy again..
Tim
February 24th, 2009 at 9:41 am
Correction
Also for several months the Power ON, HD Caps Lock etc lights go out when the laptop has been ON for about 10 mins, etc
February 24th, 2009 at 9:36 am
I have an ACER 5100, for several months now the touch-pad has not worked, I have checked that the software is loaded O.K. Also for several months the Power ON, HD Caps Lock etc lights go out when the laptop has been of for about 10 mins, recently the speakers have started to crackle if the Laptop is moved, if the case if flexed the crackeeling stops for a while but the Laptop hangs. Please Advise
February 23rd, 2009 at 11:47 am
hi could someone help please, i was using laptop (not heavy handed)when the left touchpad button decided to collapse i have took the top off to try and reconnect but have had no joy , what shall i do?
February 22nd, 2009 at 7:38 am
hi…i have Aspire 5100 n i need help with problem….for some reason my laptop starts making loud noises…it sounds like its grinding something…i believe it to be the fan got dust n i opened it up to clean it but it was clean…so now i have no idea what to do…i cant use my laptop cuz this noise is making me have headaches.
Plz help!!!!
February 20th, 2009 at 9:24 am
The laptop boots into Vista no problem and runs it no problem (except noisy fun and sluggish graphics), but if I try to install an OS (any) laptop powers off at the loading setup files from DVD, it also powers off after ~7% memtest. After it powers off, if you try to run memtest again, it will power off almost immediately, even if you enter BIOS, and will not load Vista (will give a physical memory dump screen). The only way to circumvent this would be to do a total power reset unplugging all sources of electricity, and then it would boot normally again. I run the memtest with the stock memory that came with it, and still same problem. Any thoughts? (p.s. why are their MBs so bad, and who makes the best ones, also what do you think about Asus vs Acer)
February 19th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Nice site! I have a weird situation with my acer 5100. A friend connected a 3G device, and the system asked something like ‘hit enter to continue’. But now the keyboard does not respond; no touchpad either; I attached a external kb but no response, external usb mouse, nothing either; I turned off the notebook, but it loads back into windows and asks the same question; I tried to force in safe mode, but can’t press F5, F8, neither enter bios setup thru F2, cause there no keyboard response. So I thought the only chance would be resseting the bios – oened the bottom but I can’t see any battery, jumper, nothing? I tried to interrupt boot sequence thru battery removal, nothing; and installing a new windows, but it asks for ‘press C to continue’… WTF? Thank you for any ideas!!! Rod – Brazil
February 16th, 2009 at 6:30 am
161. John Edwards,
/*
I have a friend’s Acer Aspire 3100 laptop and it has an issue where the laptop freezes whenever any usb device is inserted. It then has to be turned off to commence operations. At first I thought (was hoping) it was software related but after reloading the OS ans all the drivers I still have the problem.
*/
Hi,
my usb are broken (i’ve tested in XP & linux)
buy a pcmcia/usb adapter (i’ve do it)
February 12th, 2009 at 8:50 am
I have the acer aspire 5100 and I play the sims 2 alot and I wanted to upgrade my video card at one point. Is that possible or is it built into the motherboard?
Im also have issues with my DVD-r/CD-r drive. fists problem with it is sometimes it cant find the drive unless I open and close it or if I go to Hardware changes and just refresh till it finds new hardware. 2nd problem is when it is working I cannot burn a dvd or cd. I can put files in to burn but when I click burn it says there is no dvd/cd in the drive. With that all said should I just buy a new dvd/cd drive for it? I know once I read it could be the lens in the player thats not letting me burn. But not sure let me know what you think. Thanks!
February 11th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Hello
My scree is bad on my 5100 where can I purcase one and is it hard to change myself. I also need to purcahse a power cord.
Thanks
alan
February 9th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
My another problem is that Laptop comes with Microsoft Vista Operating system. Now I want to change with Window XP. Where I get the drivers of my laptop Acer Aspire 5100 with Windown XP. Please guide at my email id. Thanx.
February 9th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
I have Acer Aspire 5100. I am facing the two problems. First one is, when I press the power button some time it is show own but hang after that. The light is on on the power button but no processing is done. Second when I am working on it or move the laptop from one side to another side the screen hang up. Please guide me at my email id how I solve this problem.
February 9th, 2009 at 12:42 am
Jose,
Turn on the laptop and try entering the BIOS setup menu. I’m not sure which keys you should use, try Esc, F1, F2. Can you? This will tell you if the keyboard works in the BIOS. Can you navigate the BIOS using keyboard keys?
If the keyboard works fine in the BIOS setup menu, your problem could be related to the operating system. Try reinstalling it from the recovery disc.
If the keyboard do not work on the BIOS level, there could be a problem with the motherboard.
February 8th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Hello, my acer 5100 has problems with the keyboard, touchpad and us ports. They just don’t work. I think It is a board problem. Do you think it is the end of this laptop? any advice?
February 8th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Laptop Tech,
Just to let you know that I’ve fixed my Acer laptop fully by purchasing and installing a replacement internal keyboard (bad keyboard was the only problem). This relates to my question #98 and your response #102. Thanks for your help!
February 8th, 2009 at 10:23 am
I have fixed computers for a living for the last 15 years full time so i know a little of what I am talking about though I do not work on laptops full time. This is a defective product and the culprit is most likely the motherboard. I have worked on two of these. Here are the symptoms:
USB stops working
CD/DVD stops working
Keyboard/mouse fail
Black screen
BIOS errors- PCI errors usually
Time setting in bios lost
Freeze if you get it to boot
It is not a BIOS issue,OS issue, memory issue, hard drive issue, cd issue, keyboard issue, mouse issue. I have tested/replaced all of these. It is a motherboard issue- defective from the manufacture.
This is a progressive issue- whatever you have will get worse. Cut your losses. Pull the hard drive and put the data somewhere else.
I have purchased for my employees/family/clients 30 Acer products over the last few years but I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ACER AGAIN!
BUYER BEWARE!
February 8th, 2009 at 10:04 am
John Edwards,
If the laptop fails the same way with many different USB devices, then most likely you have a problem with the USB controller which is integrated into the motherboard. I guess you’ll have to replace the motherboard or use the laptop as is.
Also, you can try updating/reflashing the BIOS. I’m not sure if it’s going to help but at least something to try.
February 8th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Hello Sir
I have a friend’s Acer Aspire 3100 laptop and it has an issue where the laptop freezes whenever any usb device is inserted. It then has to be turned off to commence operations. At first I thought (was hoping) it was software related but after reloading the OS ans all the drivers I still have the problem.
What do you think? Do you have a solution and if so, can you let me know what I can do to renmedy this?
February 7th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Jack,
I’m not sure if it’s going to help but you can try using an external USB keyboard.
February 7th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
p.s.
I did try another known good keyboard
February 7th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
I bought a used Acer 5100 and I cannot get the keyboard to function at boot. With out that I cannotinstall my OS to make the cd work or even access the setup function. I suspect that it was flashed wrong. Is there a way to reset the bios or cmos? Other than that the mobo may just be dead or a power chip that I cannot replace.
thanks
February 7th, 2009 at 11:21 am
rob hadcroft,
Have you tried booting the laptop from a bootable CD? Can you?
If the laptop boots from a CD but the CD/DVD drive doesn’t work in Windows, it’s possible you have a software related problem and Windows has to be reinstalled.
February 7th, 2009 at 10:46 am
hi,ihave an acer aspire 5650 and the cdrom has stopped working,the device manager says it is working,looked at the event viewer and there is an error code id 11 the driver detected a controller error on device cd rom0,also went on microsoft help and it says replace the wire,but there is no wire as you no,slots onto the motherboard.my cdrom is a matshita dvd ram uj845s would be glad of your help thanks rob
February 7th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Dani,
It’s necessary to disassemble the laptop and take a closer look at the power jack. Is it fixable? It depends on how badly the jack/motherboard are damaged. You cannot tell without removing the motherboard.