How to disassemble Sony Vaio VPCSA

posted in: 7. Sony | 44

Sony Vaio VPCSA

In this guide I explain how to disassemble a Sony Vaio VPCSA laptop.

In my case the full computer product name is: VPCSA4MFY. Model PCG-4121GL.

Don’t forget to turn it off before taking apart.

STEP 1.

Remove two screws securing the service cover on the bottom

Slide the cover away from the laptop case and remove it.

Remove service cover

STEP 2.

Push on the blue latch to unlock the battery.

Unlock battery

STEP 3.

Lift up the left side of the battery and pull it out.

Remove battery

STEP 4.

Spread latches on both sides of the RAM slot just enough to release the module.

Unlock RAM module

Pull the memory module out by the edges.

Remove RAM module

In a Sony Vaio VPCSA laptop you will find only one RAM slot.

The second RAM module is integrated into the motherboard and cannot be removed.

You can install up to 4GB DDR3-12800 SODIMM RAM module into this slot.

Onboard integrated RAM

STEP 5.

Remove four screws securing the hard drive mounting bracket.

Remove HDD screws

STEP 6.

Disconnect the hard drive cable from the motherboard.

Simply lift it up and unplug from the connector.

Disconnect HDD cable

STEP 7.

Lift up the hard drive assembly and remove it.

Upgrading this 2.5″ hard drive to a 2.5″ solid state drive will speed up the system.

Remove hard drive

STEP 8.

Remove two screws securing the optical drive.

Remove ODD screws

STEP 9.

Pull the optical drive to the left and remove it.

Remove optical drive

STEP 10.

Remove all screws from the bottom.

Remove screws from bottom

Keep all screws organized. As you see I placed them on a piece of paper in the order removed.

Screws organized

STEP 11.

Lift up the mylar cover located in the hard drive compartment.

Remove mylar cover

STEP 12.

Remove black tape from both flat cable connectors.

Remove tape from connector

Before you disconnected the cables it’s necessary to unlock both connectors.

Two cables

STEP 13.

Carefully slide the cable retainer about 2 millimeters to the shown direction to unlock the connector.

Unlock connector

STEP 14.

Disconnect the cable.

Disconnect cable

Both cables have to be disconnected.

Cables disconnected

STEP 15.

Start removing the top cover keyboard assembly as it shown on the following picture.

Lift up keyboard assembly

STEP 16.

Remove the top cover.

Remove keyboard assembly

STEP 17.

Here’s the bottom side of the top cover assembly.

Now you can access and remove the keyboard (not shown in this guide).

Top cover bottom side

The audio jack board located in the upper right corner of the top cover assembly.

Audio jack board

The power button board located in the upper left corner.

Power button board

The card reader board located in the lower left corner.

Card reader board

STEP 18.

When the top cover removed you can access and clean up the cooling fan.

In order to replace the cooling fan it’s necessary to remove the motherboard first (not shown in this guide).

Cooling fan

STEP 19.

The DC jack is mounted in the upper right corner of the laptop base.

In order to remove and replace the DC jack it’s necessary to remove the motherboard.

DC jack

The LCD screen bezel secured to the display cover by two screws hidden under rubber covers.

Bezel screws

You can remove the screw cover with a sharp object.

Remove screw cover

After that you can separate the screen bezel from the cover.

Be careful while separating the LCD bezel from the display. It’s glued to the screen on the top and bottom with double sticky tape.

Separate screen bezel

After you remove the bezel you can access and remove the screen.


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44 Responses

  1. h.z

    hi
    i want khnow a switch pin in the main
    pleas help and show me . i need . my main is not switch

    • IML Tech

      @ h.z,
      I do not understand your question, sorry.

    • IML Tech

      @ Erika,
      I don’t have the motherboard removal guide for this laptop but it should’t be very difficult when you get to the step 18.
      Basically, you’ll have to disconnect all cables and remove screws securing the motherboard.

  2. Andrei

    Hello,

    I have a VPCSA2CFX. I disassembled it to clean the fan and mounted it again.

    Now there are some parts that don’t work:

    = keyboard leds (NUMLOCK, CAPSLOCK, SCROLL LOCK
    = WIRELESS, HD AND BATTERY LEDS
    = SOUND OUTPUT TEH WINDOWS SOUND ICON SHOWS RED AND WHITE CROSS
    = power switch led

    I have probebly disconnected something between tehe keyboard assembly and the rest..

    Keyboard illumination is ok. TOuchpad working fine.

    Any ideas of what went wrong?? Thanks

    Andrei

    (during disassembly a small metal part fell off and we cant find where it belongs)

    • IML Tech

      @ Andrei,
      Check cables shown in the step 14. Make sure both cables are seated correctly.

  3. Andrei

    Hi, Thanks for the help!!! double checked these 2 cables. They
    look good to me. Any other suggestions?

    • IML Tech

      @ Andrei,
      Sorry, I cannot give any good advice without looking at the laptop. It feels like loose connection somewhere but I cannot tell where.

  4. Jacob

    Andrei,

    Did you ever find a solution? I am having a similar problem with my vpcsc31fm/s. Acually I had the motherboard repaired by a shop and the system is working again, but no LED’s as you mention and my optical disc does not eject from the button either….but does from the windows eject menu. Would this be a connection missing from the motherboard? Based on what you’re saying, the cables from step 14 are probably connected properly, if not there would probably be a lot more problems.

  5. Huy Nguyen

    I did all the steps to clean the cooling fan. After put it all back together there are few keys (A,W,Q,Z,P,windows key ect) on the keyboard dont work. Can you show me how to fix it?

  6. Stefan

    hi, plz help
    I clean my fan then put back evrything together but now the laptop wont power up/turn on
    its not turning on anymore

  7. Mario

    I sent my laptop to a computer store to clean it up and after that it never sound again, even if a plug a headphone on the headphone socket any idea about what can I double check in order to fix it

    Thanks

  8. Alice

    Mine just suddenly shut down by itself while i was watching a movie. I tried to turn it back on but couldnt and nothing lights up. Then i charged it, but the little ‘charged light’ on the side of the laptop didnt show. Im guessing it was overheated. What should i do?

  9. Gabriel

    Hey, man thanks for the info. But when i assembled my laptop, it wouldn’t turn on/power up! now i have opened it up again and put all back together, but it still won’t turn on! can you help me out? thanks in advance!

  10. IML Tech

    @ Nuy Nguyen,

    After put it all back together there are few keys (A,W,Q,Z,P,windows key ect) on the keyboard dont work.

    Make sure the keyboard cable is plugged correctly. Maybe you accidentally pulled the cable from the connector during the disassembly process.
    It’s likely that reseating the cable will help to fix this problem.

  11. IML Tech

    @ Mario,

    after that it never sound again, even if a plug a headphone on the headphone socket

    Check cables shown in the step 12. It’s possible one of them is not plugged correctly. Try reseating both cables.

  12. IML Tech

    @ Alice,

    Then i charged it, but the little ‘charged light’ on the side of the laptop didnt show.

    It’s possible the laptop will not turn on because the AC adapter failed.
    I would test the adapter with a voltmeter to make sure it outputs correct voltage. If there is no voltage, replace the adapter.

  13. IML Tech

    @ Gabriel, Stephan,

    But when i assembled my laptop, it wouldn’t turn on/power up!

    Probably the laptop will not turn on because it’s not assembled correctly. Most likely it’s related to not properly inserted/connected cables.
    There is no way I can tell what exactly is causing this without looking at the laptop.
    When I have a problem like that, I take it apart again and check ALL cables to make sure they are seated correctly.

  14. Pragati Gunasekar

    Hey ! Hi ! Thanks a lot for the steps. Was very useful. I tried to dissemble and assemble all the parts back. The first time the power button worked but the keypad and sound system was not working. So I dissembled again to fix the loose connections. But the second time the power button is not working at all. Could you show a close up of only the power button functioning. I know its loose connection but I need to know how to exactly connect the power button alone. PLS HELP !

  15. JD

    Can you also show how to take out the touchpad for VPCSE or VPCSE15FG model ?
    I replaced the whole palm rest but facing little bit of difficulty in taking out the Touchpad..

    Thanks in advance..

    • IML Tech

      @ JD,

      I replaced the whole palm rest but facing little bit of difficulty in taking out the Touchpad.

      Is it glued to the palm rest with adhesive tape? You can try using a hair dryer to soften the adhesive tape. It will make it easier to separate the touchpad from the palm rest. I don’t have a guide for that, sorry.

  16. christino

    hy.. pleasee help me
    i need flexcible cable mssd ffc for sony vaio VPCSC1AFM PCG 41217L,which same as notebook VPCSA4MFY. Model PCG-4121GL. you can see it at your tutorial STEP 13 and STEP 14.
    my location is INDONESIA ( PekanBaru City).

    the laptop made in USA ( INTERNASIONAL), so service center SONY at INDONESIA cannot help me.

    Please reply me ASAP , THANK YOU

  17. Vitaly

    Good day. I have to replace the key board of vaio vpcbs almost same as vpca. I have access to the keyboard but I don’t knowhow how to disconnect the key board and top cover. Please give me clear guid for this. Many thanks in advance.

  18. cory

    hi, I accidentally spilled coke in my bag and I think the liquid go to the front edge of my laptop inside the bag. Then my laptop won’t turned on. Then, I dried it without disassemble the laptop completely (just remove the battery cover and open small part of keyboard top cover). Afterwards, the laptop able to turn on, but now the microphone won’t work and the 2 lids at the front edge somehow won’t turn off (even when the laptop shutted down). Do you know which cable I should fix for it?

  19. rob

    Hi, a couple of days after a thunderstorm very close my vpcsa did not turn on and the batterylight at the front kept on flickering. after removal of the battery the laptop functioned normally.
    i ordered a new battery on the internet and after installing (battery charged 75%) the laptop functioned normally again. exept for the next day it wouldn’t turn on again an same light flinckering. Again I removed battery and laptop functioned normally. Can you give me an idea of what is wrong?

  20. James

    When you opened this baby up, were you able to tell if the processor were removable? According to CPU boss, the 2450M processor belongs to socket G2 and is removable, but I am skeptical. I might consider upgrading it if it is. Also, my screen is flickering and sometimes going dark until I pivot the screen a bit. I’m guessing its an improperly seated cable, but I rechecked it and they seem OK. Anything else you are aware of that could be causing this issue?

  21. Domenico (Italy)

    Hi,

    I have a sony vpcsa dead “no lights” – “battery led is off”
    The Charger has green light on.
    Laptop has only 2,5 years of life 🙁
    I had shut down the laptop because the battery was low.
    The day after I connected the charger but nothing works and battery led was off.
    I tried to do different test:
    Remove battery
    Hold button (start) down for 50 seconds
    🙁

    do you have any idea to save this laptop?

    Best regards ercole.
    From Italy

  22. Dave

    Hi,

    I’ve opened up the laptop to clean the fan a little bit and after I put it back together the power button and the keyboard did not work anymore. Most probbly because the cables are not seated correctly. The problem is that I do not know how to properly tape back the cables. I tried multiple times and once the power button worked and some of the buttons too but I still don’t know how to properly place the tape at the edge of the cables. Can you give me some pointers? Thanks

  23. Robert

    Hi,
    my wife has spilled some white coffee over the side of vaio vpc-sa and now the keyboard is not functioning properly (every key pressed the computer goes to sleep; then every key pressed, computer wakes. Keys are working – for example in calculator or notepad it shows pressed sign but goes to sleep)
    Does anyone has any tip, how to remove keyboard from the palmrest (STEP 17)? Is it glued or it has some hidden pins or clips that it is holding it to the palmrest housing (plastic)? I have come this far, but afraid to break something while pulling out the keyboard. If cleaning under water won’t help I’ll buy new keyboard and replace it.
    Thanks.
    Best regards, Robert, Slovenia

  24. J

    Where can you find one of those standard hard drive caddies for this computer? Mine does not have that hard drive caddy and I’d love to find one. Is there a part number on it?

  25. Frankfurter

    Can somebody explain a little how to take down the bezel? It looks quite different from the normal notebook bezel. VPC SA and VPC SE use the similar bezel, I have googled everywhere, but nobody has show a picture or video how to open this Sony series. Thanks a lot for all suggestions.

  26. sash

    Hi,

    I too have a the similar question regarding teh keyboard, i have removed the keyboard, but i am not able to fix it back, is there something that we need to use it fix the keybaord back to the whole top assembly. Pls let me know.

    I was able to get a replacement keyboard from a used vaio, but i am not able to fix it fully. if anyone has any video please let me know.

    Regards
    Sash

  27. Pri

    Thanks a bunch for this! Incredibly helpful, and the trick is to have lots of space to work in and be organised! Was having trouble with the keyboard when I put it back together. Remember to lock the connectors!

    Cheers!

  28. Carlos

    Hi All
    Whats the name of the cable on step 14? I might need to purchase it haha… (the white one).

  29. Andrea

    Hi,
    I have a sony vaio vpcsa 2c5e. Today it decided to not turn on. I can hear the hard disk running, but no led are turned on (start button, caps lock, keyboard, screen, etc.) only the light of battery charging is on when connect to ac cable.
    Anyone has idea of the problem?

  30. Tim

    I have a problem similar to andrea, no lights, except for the one for the battery at the front, left side, when ac adapter is plugged. Also, no sound from fan or so, only a slight short noise from the dvd drive, shortly after pressing the power button.
    I tried to remove battery and ac adapter and press the power button for a minute, but no success.. The laptop was playing a video and suddenly power went off. Then it tried to boot for 2 seconds and went dead again. Any ideas?

  31. Kostas

    Finaly, how can we put back the keyboard when unglued from the palmrest?

    • NINJA

      Oh my half of the comments are my lights wont come on lol people why on earth did you guys/girls disassemble your Vaio S if cant get it to work back again lol i have taken apart mine 4 times i purchased as a gamble as it was on ebay not turning on 60 pounds when i got it everything was disconnected i reconnected everything walla everything works flawlessly im so chuffed lol people take a deep breath relax and make sure all connection are lined up and it will turn on and all lights will work!

  32. Retsest

    Hi!
    Thanks for this, i managed to replace the keyboard of my mom’s vaio by following this post.

  33. NINJA

    Hey i know this is a old post do you have a guide to replace lcd cable ? Thanks

    • IML Tech

      No, I don’t have a dedicated guide explaining how to replace the LCD cable.
      In order to replace the cable you’ll have to:
      1. Remove the top case (shown in step 16).
      2. Separate the display panel from the laptop base (not shown).
      3. Disassemble the display panel (shown after step 19).
      4. Remove the LCD screen (not shown).
      5. Replace the LCD cable.

  34. Mara

    I have a SONY Vaio S VPCSC1AFM, the left mouse button no longer registers when I press it, damaged probably from either overuse or drops. Any idea how I can fix it or replace it?
    Or do I have to replace the entire top case?