Warning: Avoid static discharge by grounding yourself using a wrist strap or by touching a bare metal surface like a connector on the back of the laptop and remove all of the power including the battery and power adapter.
Make sure all data is backed up before removing or replacing your hard drive. Laptop hard drives are very sensitive and can be damaged easily. Handle with care. Performong your own repairs may void your warranty.
Transcript
You'll need a flat-head and a philips screwdriver. Before you start, always remove the ac adapter and battery.
1. Remove the two (2) screws that secure the hard drive base to the assembly, and slide the hard drive out.
2. Remove the retaining screw that secures the optical drive and then use the tip of the screwdriver to slide the optical drive out.
3. Remove the two (2) screws that secure the center control power button cover to the base of the computer.
4. Remove the four (4) screws holding the bottom base access cover and remove the cover starting from right to left.
5. Remove the two (2) hinge screws holding the LCD assembly to the base of the laptop.
6. Remove the eleven (11) screws that are holding the touch pad palm rest to the base.
7. With your fingers separate the clips on each side of the memory sticks until the memory lifts up, gently pull the memory stick out of the memory slot.
8. Loosen the five (5) retaining screws on the heat sink then remove the heat sink by lifting up and out.
9. Using a small flat-head screw driver turn the CPU locking screw counter-clockwise approximately 180 degrees to unlock the CPU then gently lift out the CPU.
10. Disconnect the antenna wire from the wireless card, then loosten the antenna cables from the base assembly antennas routing channels, then remove the retaining screw and remove the wireless mini-PCI card.
11. Turn the computer over and fully open the display making the laptop as flat as possible.
12. Lift and unsnap the power button cover using a flat-head screw driver starting from right to left.
13. Remove the two retaining screws above the keyboard, then gently lift up the keyboard revealing the ribbon cable below. Be very careful removing the keyboard because it is very easy to damage the ribbon cable and the motherboard connector.
14. Lift the keyboard connector cable latch and remove the keyboard ribbon cable and keyboard.
15. Unplug the power button circuit board cable from the motherboard and remove it.
16. Disconnect and remove the display cable and camera cable from the motherboard.
17. Pry the antenna cables out of the motherboard and loosen them from the routing channels of the laptop.
18. Unscrew the four (4) waffle hinge screws from the left and right display hinge.
19. Lift the LCD display assembly of the bottom base.
20. Remove the four (4) screws from the middle of the palm rest and the single waffle screw on the upper-left hand corner.
21. Unplug the touch-pad cable from the motherboard.
22. Unplug the blue tooth cable from the motherboard.
23. Carefully lift the touch pad palm rests of the base starting from the upper-left corner unsnapping it along the edges.
24. Unplug the speaker wire, unplug the USB wire, and unplug the CPU fan.
25. Remove the three (3) screws that hold down the express card slot assembly on the base, and gently lift and remove the express card slot assembly.
26. Remove the four (4) remaining screws that hold down the motherboard, then gently pull the motherboard out of the base by lifting the right side first.
27. Place the new motherboard into the base assembly and screw down with the four (4) screws.
28. Connect the CPU fan, speaker wire, and USB wire.
29. Firmly press the express card slot assembly connector into the motherboard connector and screw down with the three (3) screws.
30. Lay the touch pad palm rest on the base and snap the edges in, then screw down the touch pad palm rest with the five (5) screws, and connect the touch pad to the motherboard.
31. Place the power button board and cable into the motherboard connector and press down on the connector latch.
32. Align the display hinges to the bottom base and seat carefully.
33. Replace the four (4) waffle hinge screws on the right and left side.
34. Reroute and connect the video cable and camera cable to the motherboard.
35. Connect the blue tooth cable to the motherboard.
36. Reroute the antenna cable through the upper routing channels, then pass the antenna cable through the motherboard to the bottom.
37. Place the keyboard cable onto the motherboard connector and press down on the latch.
38. Place the keyboard onto the palm rests, aligning the tabs on the bottom of the keyboard to the palm rests, then screw down the top of the keyboard.
39. Place the power button cover on the laptop starting from the left side moving to the right side while snapping it into place.
40. Close the LCD panel and flip the laptop over.
50. Place the wireless mini-PCI card at a 45 degree angle and press down. Secure it with the single retaining screw.
51. Reroute the antenna cable through the bottom routing channels, then connect the antenna cable to the wireless card.
52. Place the CPU into the slot and lock it down by turning the locking screw clockwise.
53. Place the heat sink and tighten the sequential order shown on the heat sink.
54. Place the memory stick into the memory slot so the cut out matches, hold it at a 45 degree angle until you hear it click.
55. Replace the eleven (11) screws that hold down the touch pad palm rest to the base.
56. Put in the two (2) screws that hold down the display assembly to the base of the laptop.
57. Place the bottom base access cover onto the base assembly starting from the left to right, then tighten the four (4) screws.
58. Slide the optical drive into the base, seat firmly, and replace the optical drive retaining screw.
59. Slide the hard drive assembly into the laptop and secure it with the two (2) hard drive screws.
60. Re-seat the battery.
Parts-People Specializes in repairing Dell laptops. They do not offer parts or service for any other manufacturer. Although they are not affiliated with the Dell Computer Corporation, they have been specializing in Dell Laptop parts and Dell laptop repair services for ten years. Parts-People also offers Dell laptop repair at their 14,000 square foot facility in Austin, Texas. They keep a large inventory of Dell laptop parts and refurbished Dell laptops so they can replace your Dell computer if it cannot be repaired.
Learn more at amazon.com
More Windows Troubleshooting Articles:
• How to Fix Extensible Storage Engine Errors
• How to Reinstall Windows XP
• A Required DLL Was Not Found
• Solving Image Problems on HP Laser Printers
• Free Open Source CPU Temperature Monitor
• Free Detailed PC Analysis
• PC Troubleshooting - No Sound
• Free Firewall - ZoneAlarm
• How to Fix Error "Can't Find NTLDR"
• What's With All Those Error Messages?