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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.
Find brand new replacement laptop batteries in stock and ready to ship your way.
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.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Inez,
You will not loose any programs. Your programs are stored on the hard drive, not in the memory.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I want to upgrade my computer to 4GB from 1GB but I am afraid I will lose the programs I already have. Is it possible to switch without a problem. I have acer 5100-3583
Than you for your help.
December 24th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Laptop Tech,
Thank you for the reply.
I asked about this and she said it was not connected when dropped. Following your advice, I tested the power input of the laptop and found it to be fine, so I retested the charger. Guess what… another bad charger. The laptop connector of the charger has a loose wire and the first time I tested it, I got lucky. Now I know how to make it work long enough, so I was able to finish the repairs to her laptop and get it back to her.
Thank you again for the help and keep up the great work!
HNKelley
December 23rd, 2008 at 10:11 am
Ashley,
I didn’t skip your question. I’m just not sure what you are asking about.
I guess it’s normal because you are taking it apart. Just put it back in place as it was before.
They are wireless antennas.
I don’t know. How can I tell without looking at the laptop?
By the way, did you find instructions for taking apart the display panel? I linked to it at the beginning of the post.
December 23rd, 2008 at 9:57 am
thanks for skipping my question!
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:25 am
Emily,
Check the memory module. Maybe it popped up from the slot. Try reconnecting the module.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:04 am
Hi,
I dropped a book on my open laptop on the key board. the screen went blank and when i boot it up the screen is still black. I tried hooking it up to an external monitor. nothing happened. the hard drive light doesnt flicker and when i touch the caps lock key and the numlock key nothing happens.
Help?
Thank you
December 20th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
HNKelley,
Did she drop the laptop with the adapter connected? Maybe the power jack is damaged and has to be re-soldered or replaced?
I don’t think so. You said the laptop turns on when you press on the power button. Apparently, the power button board is working properly.
December 19th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
(in addition to the comment above)
lol sorry
the back is still connected by two little wires that go through a hinge on the left side of the base of the computer though. do you think it should just screw back on once i get a new screen?
December 19th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
hello,
your website helped a lot, thank you.
i have a question though.. I am trying to replace a cracked acer 5100 screen and I think i did everything right. However the BACK of the laptop pop’ed off when I was trying to remove the screen. I dont think it pop’ed off by me doing anything wrong to it, is this normal? I dont want to go on a buy a whole new screen if the back of the computer is broke now.