How to disassemble Dell Inspiron 1764

posted in: 4. Dell | 12

Dell Inspiron 1764 disassembly

In this guide I show how to disassemble a Dell Inspiron 1764 laptop and access internal laptop components.

I’m taking it apart because it started overheating and the cooling fan started making rattling noise.

I will replace the processor cooling fan and clean up the heatsink.

As always, make sure the computer is turned off before you start taking it apart.

STEP 1.

Unlock and remove the battery.

Remove laptop battery

STEP 2.

Unscrew three screws securing the service cover on the bottom.

Lift up and remove the service cover.

Remove service cover

Under the service cover you can access the following internal components:
– Both memory modules.
– Hard drive.
– CMOS (RTC) battery.
– Wireless card.

This laptop can handle up to 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3-12800 SODIMM memory modules.

Hard drive, RAM, wireless card

STEP 3.

Remove four screws securing the hard drive.

Slide the hard drive to the left to disconnect it from the motherboard.

Disconnect hard drive

STEP 4.

Lift up and remove the hard drive.

Upgrading this regular 2.5″ SATA hard drive to a 2.5″ SATA solid state drive will improve laptop performance significantly.

Remove hard drive

STEP 5.

Remove one screw securing the optical drive.

Slid the optical drive to the left to disconnect it from the motherboard.

Pull the optical drive and remove it.

Remove optical drive

STEP 6.

Remove two screw securing the keyboard bezel on the bottom.

Remove two screws

STEP 7.

Start separating the keyboard bezel from the top cover.

You will have to wiggle the bezel to unlock hidden latches.

Lift up keyboard bezel

Be careful. The power button board attached to the keyboard bezel.

There is a cable connecting the power button board to the motherboard under the upper left corner of the bezel.

Lift up the bezel just enough to disconnect the cable from the motherboard.

In the following two steps I explain how to unlock the connector and release the cable.

Continue removing keyboard bezel

STEP 8.

Lift up the left side of the connector retainer (brown) with your fingernail.

The retainer will open up at a 90 degree angle.

Unlock cable connector

STEP 9.

On the following picture the same connector shown in the unlocked position.

Now you can pull the cable from the connector.

Release power button cable

STEP 10.

Continue separating the keyboard bezel from the top cover.

Separate keyboard bezel

You can use a guitar pick to separate the bezel.

Help with guitar pick

STEP 11.

The keyboard bezel removed.

Keyboard bezel removed

STEP 12.

Remove four screws securing the keyboard.

Remove screws from keyboard

STEP 13.

Lift up the upper side of the keyboard.

Turn the keyboard upside down and place it on the palm rest.

Lift up the keyboard

Now you can access the keyboard cable connector.

It’s necessary to unlock the connector and release the cable before you remove the keyboard.

Access keyboard cable

STEP 14.

Lift up the left side of the connector retainer with your fingernail.

Unlock keyboard connector

STEP 15.

Pull the cable from the connector.

Release keyboard cable

Now you can remove the keyboard.

STEP 16.

Remove all shown screws from the bottom.

Remove screws from bottom

Also, it is necessary to disconnect the antenna cables from the wireless card.

Access wireless card

STEP 17.

Disconnect both antenna cable from the wireless card.

Disconnect wireless antenna cables

STEP 18.

Remove antenna cables from the guided path on the bottom case.

Un-route wireless câbles

STEP 19.

Pull wireless antenna cables though the opening in the top cover.

Remove cables from the guided path on the top cover.

Pull wireless cables though opening

STEP 20.

Remove six screws securing the top cover.

Disconnect the trackpad cable from the motherboard.

Remove screws from top cover

STEP 21.

Start separating the top cover from the bottom case.

Separate top cover from bottom

STEP 22.

Continue removing the top cover.

Continue removing top cover

STEP 23.

The top cover has been removed.

Remove top cover assembly

Here’s the bottom side of the top cover.

Here you can access the trackpad and trackpad button board.

Laptop trackpad

STEP 24.

After the top cover removed, you can access the cooling fan.

In Dell Inspiron 1764 laptop the fan can be removed and replaced without removing the motherboard.

Access cooling fan

STEP 25.

Remove two screws securing the processor cooling fan.

Remove screws from cooling fan

STEP 26.

Lift up the fan and disconnect the cable from the motherboard.

Now the failed cooling fan can be replaced with a new cooling fan.

Disconnect fan cable

When the fan is removed you can clean up the heat sink.

Look how much dust got stuck between the fan and heatsink.

That’s why my Dell Inspiron 1764 was running so hot.

Dell Inspiron 1764 overheating problem


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12 Responses

  1. Tony Psmythe

    Hi,

    Overall this is a great site. I noticed one problem on https://www.insidemylaptop.com/disassemble-dell-inspiron-1764-laptop/. On removing the top cover, you forgot to mention 2 screws that needed to be removed from the bottom. They are located at the top right/left corners. They are essential for the removal of the top cover.

    Just wanted to let you know…

    Keep up the good work!

    😉

  2. aslanidis

    FINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Continue with other types of laptops
    THESE lessons are so important and useful for every body

  3. Onereaderwriter

    Very glad to have found this info and appreciate the time the writer took to create this.

  4. mkraai

    Eeww! Same problem here. Lots of cat hair and dust.

    Thanks for the step-by-step. I was on my way to figuring it out myself, then I got stuck. :^)

  5. Martha

    Hi,

    After doing the cleaning, I decided to add new paste. I also noticed new thermal pads were in order. I unfortunately didn’t take a look at the type of pad I would need. Do you happen to know if I can use any or do specific ones need to be used? Thanks.

  6. Fred Testerman

    Great job, hoping this will help my 1764, it’s running hot and high cup after 3 – 4 hours.

  7. Dirk

    Thanks mate. My wife’s laptop was crashing with no explanation and the fan was running constantly, it was also running very slow. Followed you guide and now it runs like new.

  8. Dale

    Wow, Your guide is very well done. Awesome, What else can I say?

  9. RP

    What an incredibly through set of instructions! I am going to try this while on vacation and if it works your are definitely getting a PayPal donation from me! I already know how much a computer repair shop would charge for the labor!

  10. Rory

    Excellent tutorial, mine was running terribly, followed the instructions perfectly and its like new! Thanks so much!