After a long search for laptops and successfully completed my university, I have finally found our next candidate for disassembly. Today a friend has kindly contributed a laptop to the AhWee.com laptop disassembly guide. It is the Sony Vaio VGN-C25G (PCG-6R6P) one of the Vaio VGN-C series laptops.

This guide will explain detailed step by step sequence to dismantle a Sony Vaio VGN-C25G laptop.

Read me

AhWee.com is not by any means giving out professional advice. AhWee.com will be held no responsibility for any hardware and warranty faults.

If a warranty sticker that states “Warranty void if removed” is present. I highly discourage you to proceed further unless you are well aware of your warranty period.

Tools you need for dismantling and cleaning

1. Philips Screwdriver (I use a Pro’s Kit #0×75, blade size approximately 2.4 mm)
2. Flat Blade Screwdriver (Anything smaller than 2.5 mm)
3. Polyester brush (about 1/2″ wide would do)

 Before you start

There are a few things you will need to do before you start disassembling your Sony Vaio VGN-C25G.

1. Clear your table
   Ensure that you have plenty of space (1 meter square would be great) to put all the components so they won’t go missing or dropping off the table.
2. Remove the battery
   To remove the battery from your Sony Vaio VGN-C25G. Unlock the battery and slide the battery latch to the right, then slide it out.
   
3. Ground the motherboard
   When the battery is removed, simply ground the motherboard by pressing on the power button for a few seconds.
4. Ground your hands
   Ground your hands by wearing a wrist grounding strap or touching an unpainted metal surface from time to time.

And now you are set to dismantle your Sony Vaio VGN-C25G.

Step 1: Removing harddisk

Always remove your harddisk first if you are cleaning your laptop and put them in an anti static bag if possible.

1. Remove two screws (M2x7mm)
2. Carefully slide it out of the hub.

Step 2: Removing CPU fan

If you are not confident in laptop maintenance, I suggest Step 2 is the furthest you should go. Most dust collects near the fins of the heat sink and the CPU fan. This model (Sony Vaio VGN-C series) is designed with CPU fan cleaning in mind, thus the CPU fan is easily reachable.

1. Open the CPU cover by removing two screws (M2x7mm) and one captive screw shown below.
2. Lift the cover up.
   
3. When you see the fan, remove four screws (M2x4mm) and unplug the power cable.
   
4. Lift the fan out of its seating.

If you think there is a need to remove and clean the heat sink by itself, by all means, remove the four screws (M2x4mm) near the processor. Bear in mind to always use a thermal compound to replace the old one to maintain optimum heat transfer from the processor to the heat sink.

Step 3: Removing the memory modules

1. Remove the captive screw on the RAM covers.
2. Pull the pins sideways as shown in the picture below.
3. Carefully slide the RAM modules out of the connector.

Step 4: Remove the optical drive

1. Remove one screw (M2x7mm) pointed out in the picture below.
2. Slide the optical drive out of the bay.

Step 5: Remove the keyboard

1. Remove one screw (M2x15mm) located at the center.
   
2. First use a little flat bladed screwdriver to pry up one side of the dead securing pin located at the far right of the keyboard.
3. Then, using your nails, press in four remaining live securing pins and lift up the keyboard as you go. (!) Be careful when you lift the keyboard as there is a connector at the back of it.
   
4. Disconnect the connector at the back of the keyboard.

Step 6: Removing the palm rest

This is the trickiest part for most beginners and I highly suggest you not to rush this step. Take it slow and make sure all the screws are out before taking the palm rest apart.

1. Turn to the back of the laptop and remove ten (M2x7mm) screws and three (M2x3.5mm) screws located near the optical drive.
2. Turn the laptop upright and remove two (M2x7mm) screws and one (M2x15mm) screws.
3. Disconnect three cables (power, speaker and touchpad).
4. Carefully lift the palm rest from the base of the laptop from the back.

Step 6: Removing the PCMCIA module

Although step 6 and 7 might seems unnecessary, but some of the cables are overlapping each another. So I have took the time to disassemble them to show you how it really works.

1. Remove two screws (M2x2.5mm).
2. Disconnect the FPC (Flat Printed Circuit Cable) shown in the picture.
3. Lift the board up.

Step 7: Remove the communication board

Depending on how the laptop is initially setup, this step is done either before or after Step 8. If the display cable routes below this board, then you will have to do this step first. If it goes on top, then you can skip this step.

1. Remove two screws (M2x3mm) on the communication board.
2. Remove two screws (M2x3mm) on the RJ45 and RJ11 mount.
3. Disconnect two FPC cables.
4. Disconnect two WLAN cables.
5. Lift the communication board up.

Step 8: Remove the LCD screen

1. Disconnect the LCD connectors using the blue coloured pull tab.
2. Unscrew six hinge support screws (M3x3mm)
3. Carefully lift the LCD screen up and make sure to put it on a smooth surface.

That is it folks. The Sony Vaio VGN-C25G/PCG-6R6P disassembled.

More laptop disassembly guides at the Laptop Disassembly Archive.

It has been awhile since I actually disassembled a laptop or even written an article. Fortunately, when I was back in hometown for new year, my brother who trusted my ability to disassemble laptop had offered me the opportunity to clean his Dell Latitude E4300.

This guide will explain detailed step by step way on how to dismantle to clean a Dell Latitude E4300 notebook.

READ ME

Advices taken here are taken at your own risk. AhWee.com will be held no responsibility if your laptop malfunction or lose your warranty.

NOTE: Even though Dell said disassembling laptop yourself would lose your warranty, but I haven’t void anybody’s warranty in any possible way yet.

Tools You Need For Dismantling and Cleaning

1. Philips Screwdriver (Size #0 is great)
2. Flat Blade Screwdriver (usually a test pen)
3. A brush (about 1 inch or 2 cm wide would do it, not too big)

It pays to go to your nearest hardware store and get a well fit Phillips screwdriver because you don’t want to spoil the screws in your laptop.

Before You Start

Here are a few things you’ll need to do before you start to disassemble your Dell Latitude E4300.

1. Clear your Table
   Ensure that you have plenty of space (1 meter square would be great) to put all the components so they won’t go missing or falling off the table.
2. Prepare a Small Container for Screws
   Every single screws taken out from the laptop has their own job in keeping the computer intact. Don’t lose them.
3. Disconnect all the Cables & Components
   It’s wise to disconnect all usb cables, pendrives, power cords.
4. Put Some Cloth or Thin Sponge Under the Laptop
   To make sure that the rough table surface would not scratch your laptop.
5. Remove the Battery
   To remove the battery from your Dell Latitude E4300, unlock 2 of the latches and remove the battery out from the battery bay.
   
6. Ground the Motherboard
   When the battery is removed, simply ground the motherboard by pressing on the power button for a few seconds.
7. Ground your Hands
   Ground your hands by wearing a wrist grounding strap or touching an unpainted metal surface from time to time.

Getting excited? We’re good to go now.

Step 1 : Remove The Harddisk

Always (I mean like every freaking time), remove the harddisk first and store it inside an antistatic bag if possible.

1. Turn the laptop upside down. Note the harddisk is at the lower right hand corner.
2. Unscrew two M3x3 screws.
   
3. Slide the harddisk out from it’s compartment.

Step 2 : Remove The Hinge Cover

I like the hinge cover in E4300, very flexible (very easy to break too) and easy to remove.

1. Note the indentation at the right side of the hinge cover, that’s the place where you start.
2. Pry up the hinge cover using your test pen.
3. Slowly lift up the whole thing from right to left.
   

Step 3 : Remove The Keyboard

After you remove the hinge cover, you can see three screws that secures the keyboard.

1. Unscrew all the three M2x3 screws located at the top of the keyboard.
2. Lift the keyboard up from the top, then slide the keyboard out.
3. The connector is not a wire so it slides out together along with the keyboard.
   

Step 4 : Remove The LCD Screen

1. Turn your laptop upside down, remove two M2.5×4 screws securing the display assembly on the white support.
   
2. Remove two more M2.5×4 screws at the back of the laptop
   
3. Turn the laptop rightside up and open the screen as far as possible.
4. Remove the display cable with the blue tab.
5. Remove 3 (white, grey, black) antennas that is labelled “Display”.
   
6. Slowly lift the LCD screen out from its respective compartments.

Step 5 : Remove The Palm Rest

Note that this is the hardest part during a laptop disassembly. Be extra careful here to make sure every cable are dislodged and every screw is unscrewed before taking the palm rest apart.

1. Turn the laptop upside down and remove the two M2.5×8 from the bottom of the computer and two M2x3 screws from the harddisk’s compartment.
   
   Obviously, I forgot to remove the harddisk first, sorry.
2. Turn the laptop rightside up, remove the five M2.5×8 screws and five M2.5×5 screws from the palm rest. The sizes are labelled beside each screw.
   
3. Remove 6 cables that connects the palm rest to the motherboard.
4. Start from the back of the laptop, slowly disengage every hooks until you have the whole palm rest out.

NOTE: If you think something is not right with the palm rest (it is not coming out or something), chances is that there are still some screws or cable still connected. Trust your instincts.

Step 6 : Remove The Dirty Fan

After the palm rest have been removed, you can see the system fan clearly.

1. Disconnect the cable that connects the fan to the motherboard.
2. Remove one M2.5×5 screw.
   

Sponge of dust would usually clog the air vent. It is extremely normal actually.

There you go, Dell Latitude E4300 disassembled.

Please inform me if I missed any of the crucial steps, wrote wrong screw dimensions or even forgot to add the tools needed to complete this guide.

More laptop disassembly guides at the Laptop Disassembly Archive.

Please forward any questions or comments regarding Laptop Disassembly to the Forum at Real Time Gamer (RTG) website. RTG is a website we have long-term partnership with.

It has become a growing trend whereby bloggers and website owners use Facebook’s multi-functional platform to spread their new articles over a wide array of readers. The application I am going to talk about today would be the built-in “Notes” application.

Facebook Notes in Detail

Facebook Notes, from what I can perceive is actually a mini blog for Facebook users. I have seen many friends posting their own Notes before, emotional Notes usually. The use of Facebook Notes does not just stop there.

Stretching further we have the “Import an External Blog” function. That is the function you can use to synchronize your website (blog) articles to Facebook Notes.

How does Import External Blog work?

FB Notes will be notified as your RSS feed is updated. It reproduces another a copy of your article and post it on your FB News Feed. However, the setback for this function is that you will not have hits to your blog because your readers actually read your article on Facebook.

I personally think having more readers to read your article on many platforms is better than limiting reader’s access to your articles only on your website.

How To Do It

As you can see at the bottom of the Facebook user interface, you can see the Application Bar, or whatever it is called. Let’s call it application bar for the time being.

At the most bottom left there is a button named Application. Click on that you will see the past application you have used before and the lot. Look for the application called Notes that has an icon of a notepad.

On next page, you will get to see all of your friend’s notes. On the right panel, there is this Notes Settings.

If you want to start writing notes right away, you could just click on the Write a New Note located at the top of Notes Settings. Otherwise, click on the Import a blog link.

Next you will see a textbox where you get to type in your RSS feed address.

Type in your RSS feed address, tick the disclaimer and import away.

Out of a dozen Inspiron 6400s I am pretty sure eleven of them suffers from wobbling screens. Of course, mine wasn’t excluded from this “disease” as well. So today I decided to fix this problem and at the same time create a different post on how to disassemble the bezel and replacing the LCD panel.

• Constant adjustment to the screen
• Opening and closing the screens in an extremely fast manner
• Aggressive/fast screen movements

We all know how irritating wobbling screen can be sometimes, especially when you know there is something lose inside but you have no idea how to fix it. Thus, this article is written to solve the wobbling screen problem.

First I must confess that my wobbling issue was not severe, therefore I can easily solve it with my method. For those who have serious wobbling cases, you can try this method but I am not sure that it will 100% help you fix your problem.

Fixing Wobbling LCD Screen

1. Remove the LCD Screen.
2. Remove the Display Bezel.
3. As the display bezel is removed, you can see four screws (2 screws every hinge)
4. If your Dell Inspiron 6400 suffers from wobbling screen, most probably screws near the hinges are lose.
5. Tighten all the four screws on the both the hinges.
   

And you are done, wobbling screen fixed. Enjoy using your Dell Inspiron 6400 without being irritated by wobbling screen.

More laptop disassembly guides at the Laptop Disassembly Archive.

Please forward any questions or comments regarding Laptop Disassembly to the Forum at Real Time Gamer (RTG) website. RTG is a website we have long-term partnership with.

Due to popular search demands on removing the display bezel and the last day of using my camera, I decided to try and disassemble the display bezel. It was a success that’s why this article can be written to cater for those who want to replace their Dell Inspiron 6400′s LCD panel.

Removing the Display Bezel

1. Remove the Battery (available here).
2. Remove the Hinge Cover (available here).
3. Remove the LCD Screen (available here).
4. Note that in every round display bumpers, there is a M2.5 x 4.2-mm screw.
5. Unstick all the display bumpers. Please take note that some display bumpers comes out in 2 pieces. So you might need to pry it out with a small screwdriver before you get to unscrew it.
   
6. Unscrew all the six screws in the display bumpers.
7. Here is the hard part, it is extremely hard to unclip all the protruding edges shown below. On each side, there are at least three edges you will need to unclip.
   You will need to apply some strength to force the edges out, so don’t be sissy with the edges.
   

Replacing the LCD Panel

1. After the bezel is removed, you can fix the wobbling screen or replace the LCD panel.
2. To change a LCD panel, simply remove eight M2 x 3-mm screws (four on each sides of the panel).
   
3. Disconnect two connectors. One with the blue tag, another one by clipping it in and pull it out.
   
4. Connect those two connectors to the new LCD panel.
5. Fix it into the display back cover.

There you go, removing the display bezel and replacing the LCD panel of a Dell Inspiron 6400. I hope it helped you guys solve some of your problems.

More laptop disassembly guides at the Laptop Disassembly Archive.

Please forward any questions or comments regarding Laptop Disassembly to the Forum at Real Time Gamer (RTG) website. RTG is a website we have long-term partnership with.

This week I will take a break from writing articles regarding indifferent thoughts because I have a friend called Adam, who had lost all his MSN contacts when his account got hacked. He lost all his six hundred contacts which consist of mainly pretty babes.

To Save Contacts

Step 1: Go to Contacts > Save instant messaging contacts

Step 2: Give it a name and save

Step3: Put the .ctt file into your backup folder

To Import Contacts

Step 1: Go to Contacts > Import instant messaging contacts

Step 2: Search for your .ctt file in your backup folder

Step 3: Press Open

Step 4: Confirm it by pressing Yes

There you go, a “How To” guide to save your Window Live Messenger (MSN) Contacts. I am using the version 2009 Window Live Messenger. If you don’t have the contact save function I think it is probably time to update your MSN.

Let’s hope nobody loses their contacts anymore.

With the market flooded with varieties of laptops, buying your notebook (laptop) without sufficient knowledge of the world of Information Technology can never be a pleasant experience.

You know what you are going to do with your laptop, but knowing what your laptop is capable of is what needs to be answered. Thus this article “How To Choose a Laptop for Beginners” is prepared.

So to ensure that you get a laptop that suits your needs, here are a few things to take note of.

What You Want To Do With Your Laptop?

Different notebook usage requires different notebook specifications which will determine your budget. Word processing (writing, surfing, checking email) requires a lot less technology compared to graphic processing (graphic design, video editing, gaming and so on).

A famous question many beginners will ask is, “Do I need good specs to watch movies?” My answer will be, “it depends”. If you are going to watch HD (High Definition, 1080p for example) movies, get a laptop with at least a decent graphic card.

Learn The Information Technology Language

It would not hurt to learn a few words of the language computer geeks speak. In fact, it is very crucial to learn the language of a subject (in this case, computer subject) before you have anything to do with it.

Understanding words like processor, memory (aka RAM), harddisk (SATA or PATA), graphic cards, HDMI/RJ45/USB ports, operating system (Windows, Linux or MAC OS), optical device and a lot more allows you to understand more about the laptop you are going to buy.

The most important thing is to ask questions, be it to a sales assistant or the customer service through phone.

Go google up all the above terms yourself. There is plenty of information on the internet which I wouldn’t stuff you with.

Outlook

With pretty things being one of the most important factors when buying a product, I am sure how your laptop looks counts when you are buying your laptop. Outlook does matter to an extent that it should not be first priority when choosing a laptop.

Portability

Notebook portability is inversely proportional to the size of your notebook, meaning if you want more portability, you will have to have smaller notebook (10 – 12 inch screen). Small notebook translates to lousier specs, smaller screen, smaller keyboard, more expensive specs and so on.
Suitable for office, lecture, presentation and word processing use.

Large notebooks (17 inch screen) are not particularly helpful also since they are usually very pricey and are extremely heavy to carry around. You can’t even travel 200 meters without breaking a sweat with a 17 inch screen notebook on your back (during summer of course). The good thing about large notebooks is they have attractive specs.
Suitable for almost everything except for portability.

Medium sized notebooks (14 to 16 inch) will have the best of both worlds. You have specs, portability with a large keyboard and your compromise is too small to be noticeable.
Suitable for everything depending on usage.

Battery Life

Battery life can sometimes be a very important factor when choosing your laptop or vice versa if power ports are all around you.

If there is a lack of power ports at your work place or you like to use your laptop while you are traveling (in planes or trains), battery life is extremely crucial to you. Otherwise, you can forget about it since most laptop guarantees you at least 2 hours (1 hour+ when the battery loses its life).

Warranty and Support

All notebook manufacturers offer warranty and support for their notebooks, but they come in various forms. Some expect you to return the laptop to the factory when it is faulty (which takes weeks/months to repair) and some get their technicians to change the faulty parts the next business day.

It is our responsibility to discover which company offers the most beneficial after-sales support and for the above example, it is the latter type of after-sales support that we want.

Your Budget

Lastly your budget, one of the most important factors that determines which notebook you will get. After deciding what you want, set your budget and try not to go beyond the money you are willing to spend.

Specifications

After deciding everything above, you have to know what sort of specifications your future laptop should have.

Do you need a faster processing speed at a ridiculously price increase? Do you need that 500 GB of storage? Conventional SATA harddisk or wallet damaging Solid State Harddisk? Do you need 8GB of RAM while you can’t even finish using 2GB?

First Impression Is Important

When buying from a computer shop, your first thing you felt when you touch the notebook must be an excellent one. If something does not feel right, find the problem then decide if you can live with that or not. In case you can’t find out the problem, pick others.

When buying online, it is always advisable to visit some computer store to check the notebook out first.

Also, do note that keyboard varies in sizes and brands of notebooks. A smaller notebook would have a smaller and much cramped keyboard which does not suit people with large fingers.

Different brand of notebooks would also have different keyboard placements. Of course the alphabets are in the same place, but some keys like Spacebar, Shift, Ctrl, Enter, Backspace, Delete, Home, Insert, End keys are placed differently.

It is totally up to you whether to adapt to it or choose others.

My Thoughts

From this point onwards you can discredit my opinion if they do not make sense or sound wrong to you.

I am an all-rounder person, I play games, twiddle with graphic design, do some crazy engineering calculations and surf with 20 tabs open most of the time. I travel with my notebook only when I am forced to.

The ideal (ideal, not perfect) notebook for me would have

- 15.6 or 16 inch Full HD Display
- Any processor speed (processing speed is really something overrated for me)
- 320GB of harddisk space is more than enough (NO SSD for the time being)
- 2GB or 4GB of Memory depending on budget (6GB maximum)
- Any best Radeon or NVIDIA Geforce available
- The best support & warranty available (this is one of my highest priority)

Of course, wireless LAN card, Bluetooth and all those little things a notebook should have must be included.

I would get a 12 inch notebook (any specifications) for presentation and jotting down notes during lectures if I have extra money to spend.

To top that up I would also get a gaming desktop if the day I turn into a gaming freak arrives. I would not by any means go for a 17 inch notebook because I personally think that is just a marketing gimmick. A 17 inch notebook defeats the purpose of laptops. Laptops are meant to be portable and I don’t see how a heavy 17 inch notebook is portable. I might as well go to the gym if that is the case. 16 inch is the maximum I would go.

I’d like to conclude the article with my 2 cents regarding support and warranty. To be honest, I can’t really be bothered with the high-end specifications if I am not guaranteed with an excellent after-sale service. Pretty laptop and high-end specs count to nothing if they are not replaced (longest) in a week when spoilt.

That is all for this article, I sincerely hope you learned something from it. Happy shopping for laptops!

Have been awhile since I last written anything. Here is a laptop disassemble guide, the Dell Precision M65. A workstation class notebook built for business purposes 3 years ago. This is quite a fighter I must say. All thanks to HQ and Thomas I am able to disassemble this laptop.

This guide will explain detailed step by step guide on how to dismantle a Dell Precision M65 notebook.

READ ME

This guide is made for the purpose of cleaning your laptop.

Advices taken here are taken at your own risk. AhWee.com will be held no responsibility if you break any of the hardware and lose your warranty.

NOTE: Even though Dell said disassembling laptop yourself would lose your warranty, but I haven’t void anybody’s warranty in any possible way yet.

Contents

1. Tools Needed
2. Before You Start
3. Step by Steps
4. Replace RAMs

Tools You Need For Dismantling and Cleaning

1. Philips Screwdriver (M2.5 will do)
2. Flat Blade Screwdriver (usually a test pen)
3. A brush (not too big, about 1 inch in width or smaller)

I usually have 2 Philips screwdrivers, big one for more unscrewing force, small one for less screwing force (so that I don’t spoil the screws), then a test pen for prying up parts and a brush for cleaning.

Before You Start

Here are a few things you’ll need to do before you start disassembling your Dell Precision M65.

1. Clear your Table
   Ensure that you have plenty of space (1 meter square would be great) to put all the components so they won’t go missing or falling off the table.
2. Disconnect all the Cables & Components
   It’s wise to disconnect all usb cables, pendrives, power and HDMI cables.
3. Put Some Cloth or Thin Sponge Under the Laptop
   To make sure that the rough table surface would not scratch your laptop.
4. Remove the Battery
   To remove the battery from your Dell Precision M65, simply grasp on the latch and lift the battery from the handle.
   
5. Ground the Motherboard
   When the battery is removed, simply ground the motherboard by pressing on the power button for a few seconds.
6. Ground your Hands
   Ground your hands by wearing a wrist grounding strap or touching an unpainted metal surface from time to time.

All preparations done. This is one of the easier type of laptop that can be cleaned without removing the motherboard (which is tedious).

Step 1 : Remove The Harddisk

For the sake of your business data stored inside the laptop, I strongly suggest the harddisk to be removed first and placed somewhere safe. Preferably inside an antistatic bag.

1. Remove two screws that secures the harddisk.
2. Pull the harddisk out from its compartment.
   

Step 2 : Remove The Hinge Cover

Removing hinge cover can be a little tricky as the hinge cover can be bent quite easily. You don’t want to bent it too much and break it but you need to apply enough force to snap it out from the palm rest. So be gentle.

1. Open your LCD screen all the way until it is 180 degrees with the base of the laptop.
2. Note the little notch at the right side of the hinge cover.
3. Use your flat blade screwdriver to pry up the hinge cover from the notch.
4. The popping sounds indicates that the edges are disconnected
   

Step 3 : Remove The Keyboard

I like removing keyboards, because they are so easy.

1. Remove all three screws located at the upper side of the keyboard.
2. DO NOT pull your keyboard out yet, the connector is located right behind the keyboard.
3. Slowly lift the keyboard upwards so that you can disconnect the keyboard cable.
   

Step 4 : Remove WLAN Card

1. In case you don’t know where WLAN card is, it is located at the bottom left hand side, beside it is the WWAN slot.
2. Simply disconnect all those antennas. (Don’t worry if you will forget where the antenna go, the WLAN card clearly states that black is right side and white is left side)
3. Spread the securing metals apart to pop up the WLAN card.
4. Remove it from the slot.
5. Don’t forget to unroute the antennas from their routing guides.
   

Step 5 : Remove LCD Screen

1. Turn your laptop upside down and remove 2 screws labeled “D” (for display) at the bottom of the laptop.
2. Turn your laptop topside up and remove 2 screws at the back of the laptop.
   
3. Disconnect the display cable from the motherboard by pulling the blue tag.
4. Unroute all the cables from the routing guides (highlighted) as shown in the figure below.
   
5. Lift the LCD screen up.

Step 6 : Remove The Palm Rest

Tired of looking at the dirty fan but unable to reach it already? This is just one step away and the hardest one.

1. Remove the bluetooth device at the center of the hinge cover.
2. Remove three screws labeled “M2.5X5″ from the top of the palm rest.
3. Disconnect the speaker cable and the touchpad cable located in between the RAM and WWAN.
   
4. Turn your laptop upside down and remove twelve M2.5 x 5-mm screws.
5. Starting from the back of the laptop, slowly disconnect all the edges of the palm rest and the base of the laptop.

Step 7 : Remove The Fan

Finally, the fan.

1. Disconnect the fan’s power cable.
2. Remove two screws securing the fan.
3. Lift the fan from its compartment.
   

Be amazed at how dirty your fan can be.

Extra: How To Replace Dell Precision M65′s RAMs

How to replace DIMM A

The DIMM A of this Dell Precision M65 is located right beneath the keyboard. To reach it you have to follow steps 1 – 3 in order to reach it.

How to replace DIMM B

If you think removing DIMM A is much of a hassle, DIMM B can be reached from the bottom of the laptop.

1. Locate the cover located at the center (bottom view).
2. Remove the cover by loosening the captive screw.
3. DIMM B is located right there.

All Dell built RAMs follow one standard method of removing the RAM

1. Spread the metal clips outward
2. The RAM will pop up ready to be removed
   

That is all for how to disassemble Dell Precision M65. Happy disassembling.

More laptop disassembly guides at the Laptop Disassembly Archive.

Please forward any questions or comments regarding Laptop Disassembly to the Forum at Real Time Gamer (RTG) website. RTG is a website we have long-term partnership with.

This week’s laptop disassembly guide will be to disassemble a Dell Latitude D620, a slight upgrade of the previous model the D610. This guide is made possible thanks to a friend of mine Cklim.

This guide will explain detailed step by step way on how to dismantle a Dell Latitude D620 notebook.

READ ME

Advices taken here are taken at your own risk. AhWee.com will be held no responsibility if you break any of the hardware and lose your warranty.

NOTE: Even though Dell said disassembling laptop yourself would lose your warranty, but I haven’t void anybody’s warranty in any possible way yet.

Tools You Need For Dismantling and Cleaning

1. Philips Screwdriver (M2.5 will do)
2. Flat Blade Screwdriver (usually a test pen)
3. A brush (about 1 inch or 2 cm wide would do it, not too big)
4. Hex Nutdrivers (about 5 mm)
5. Thermal Compound

I usually have 2 Philips screwdrivers, big one for more unscrewing force, small one for less screwing force (so that I don’t spoil the screws), then a test pen for prying up parts and a brush for cleaning.

For this guide, because disassembling the motherboard is necessary, that is why you’ll need a hex nutdriver. A pair of pliers could do the job perfectly as well.

Before You Start

Here are a few things you’ll need to do before you start disassembling your Dell Latitude D620.

1. Clear your Table
   Ensure that you have plenty of space (1 meter square would be great) to put all the components so they won’t go missing or falling off the table.
2. Prepare a Small Container for Screws
   Every single screws taken out from the laptop has their own job in keeping the computer intact. Don’t lose them.
3. Disconnect all the Cables & Components
   It’s wise to disconnect all usb cables, pendrives, power cords.
4. Put Some Cloth or Thin Sponge Under the Laptop
   To make sure that the rough table surface would not scratch your laptop.
5. Remove the Battery
   To remove the battery from your Dell Latitude D620, unlock 2 of the latches and remove the battery out from the battery bay.
   
6. Ground the Motherboard
   When the battery is removed, simply ground the motherboard by pressing on the power button for a few seconds.
7. Ground your Hands
   Ground your hands by wearing a wrist grounding strap or touching an unpainted metal surface from time to time.

Are you ready now? Before you move on any further I have to warn you that the D620 is not easy to disassemble. To clean the fan (which is my main purpose of disassembling this notebook) I have to disassemble even the motherboard. Don’t risk it unless you suspect something is wrong with your fan (not functioning, dust clotting the air vent, etc).

Step 1 : Remove The Harddisk

A wise move when disassembling laptops is to remove the harddisk first to protect your data from possible bumps during the disassembling process. Store the harddisk inside an antistatic bag if possible.

1. Search for the “Container” labeled screws.
2. Unscrew 2 screws.
3. Slide the harddisk out from it’s compartment
   

Step 2 : Remove The Hinge Cover

Compared to removing the motherboard, the hinge cover should be considered easy. However, this will still pose a challenge to first timers.

1. Note the indentation at the right side of the hinge cover, that’s the place where you start.
2. Pry up the hinge cover using your test pen.
3. Slowly lift up the whole thing from right to left.
   

NOTE: Be gentle to the hinge cover as it’s very fragile. Trust your instincts.

Step 3 : Remove The Keyboard

1. Unscrew all the 3 screws located at the top of the keyboard.
2. Lift the keyboard up slowly because the keyboard connector is still connected to the motherboard.
3. Unlock the locking arm (blue color) by pulling the retaining bracket (black) sideways.
4. Disconnect the cable by pulling the pull-tab.
5. Remove the whole keyboard.
   

Step 4 : Remove The RAMs

These 2 RAMs are located at opposite sides of the laptop. DIMM A is located at the top of the touchpad and DIMM B is located right behind it.

Removing DIMM A

As soon as you removed the keyboard, DIMM A is reachable from there. Just push the pins sideways and the RAM will pop up.

Removing DIMM B

DIMM B is located at the back of the laptop, so you will have to reach in from the base of the notebook.

1. Note the small compartment above the battery.
2. Unscrew it.
3. DIMM B is inside, use the same method of RAM removal with DIMM A.
   

Step 5 : Remove The DVD/CDROM

1. At the bottom of the DVD/CDROM, remove the screw if it is there.
2. push the CDROM as shown from the picture below.

   

Step 6 : Remove The LCD Screen

1. Disconnect all the cables from the WLAN card and the display cable.
2. Unroute all the cables linked to the LCD screen.
   
3. Turn the laptop around (bottom), unscrew two M2.5 x 8-mm screws labeled “D” .
4. At the back of the notebook (where all the ports resides), remove two M2.5 x 8-mm screws.
   
5. Lift the LCD screen from the base of the laptop.

Step 7 : Remove The Palm Rest

Note that this is also quite a hard part to disassemble. Be extremely careful and not to break any parts.

1. Remove three M2.5 x 8-mm screws labeled “P” from the palm rest.
2. Disconnect the Coin Cell Battery cable, Touch Pad cable and the Bluetooth Card.
3. Loosen 2 captive screws at the hard drive compartment.
4. Unscrew seven M2.5 x 8-mm screws located at the bottom of the notebook.
5. Starting from the back of the laptop, carefully separate the palm rest from the base of the laptop.
   

Step 8 : Remove The Speaker & Modem

Removing Speaker

Just disconnect the speaker cable and your speaker is out. There’s no need to remove any screws.

Removing Modem

1. Remove the M2 x 3-mm screw that secures the modem.
2. Disconnect the modem cable
3. Pull the modem out using the pull tab (star labeled).
   

Step 9 : Remove The Card Reader

1. Unscrew four M2 x 3-mm screws.
2. Pull the card reader out using the blue colored pull-tab
   

Step 10 : Remove the Heat Sink

I am sorry that I do not have a proper picture of the removal of heat sink. But I do have pictures of the heatsink when I was removing the palm rest though, that should be enough.

1. Remove four captive screws according to the sequences 1, 2, 3, 4 written on the heatsink.
2. Lift the heat sink assembly out from the motherboard
   

NOTE: Can you see the blue substance in between the processor’s core and the heatsink. Those are called thermal compound that helps heatflow from the processor’s core to the heatsink. It’s always better to scrap it off and replace it with new thermal compound.

Step 11 : Remove the Motherboard

You are almost there, just the last piece of component (the motherboard) that is the most fragile due to the amount of chips on it. Please, anything you do, don’t break any of the microchips on the motherboard.

1. Disconnect the fan cable.
2. Disconnect the other two cables circled in the picture below.
3. Remove 4 hex screws on the serial ports.
   
4. Remove four M2.5 x 5-mm screws as shown below.
5. Gently and slowly lift the motherboard out from the laptop.
   

Step 12 : Remove & Clean the Fan

Congratulations you have disassembled one of the hardest notebook disassembly process. Well, the most tedious I would say.

1. Just remove one M2.5 x 5-mm screw for the fan
2. Remove the fan from the base of the laptop

Damn I spent my whole afternoon writing this guide. I seriously hope it will help those D620 notebook users. Alright, this is all for How To Disassemble Dell Latitude D620.

Please inform me if I missed any of the crucial steps during the disassembling process.

More laptop disassembly guides at the Laptop Disassembly Archive.

Please forward any questions or comments regarding Laptop Disassembly to the Forum at Real Time Gamer (RTG) website. RTG is a website we have long-term partnership with.

Let’s step a generation back for laptop computers, where we will see these not-so-stylish (I’m just being honest here) Dell Latitude D610. Unstylishly as it looks, the performance of the laptop should not be disregarded as it is built to strike a balance between performance, size and battery life. I have to give thanks to my friend, Thomas and HQ who allowed me to disassemble this D610.

This guide will explain detailed step by step sequence on how to dismantle a Dell Latitude D610 laptop.

READ ME

Advices taken here are taken at your own risk. AhWee.com will be held no responsibility if you break any of the hardware and lose your warranty.

NOTE: Even though Dell said disassembling laptop yourself would lose your warranty, but I haven’t void anybody’s warranty in any possible way yet.

Contents

1. Before You Start
2. Step by Steps
3. Remove RAMs

Tools You Need For Dismantling and Cleaning

1. Philips Screwdriver (M2.5 will do)
2. Flat Blade Screwdriver (usually a test pen)
3. A brush (about 1 inch wide would do it)

I usually have 2 Philips screwdrivers, big one for more unscrewing force, small one for less screwing force (so that I don’t spoil the screws), then a test pen for prying up parts and a brush for cleaning.

Before You Start

Here are a few things you’ll need to do before you start disassembling your Dell Latitude D610.

1. Clear your Table
   Ensure that you have plenty of space (1 meter square would be great) to put all the components so they won’t go missing or falling off the table.
2. Disconnect all the Cables & Components
   It’s wise to disconnect all usb cables, pendrives, power and HDMI cables.
3. Put Some Cloth or Thin Sponge Under the Laptop
   To make sure that the rough table surface would not scratch your laptop.
4. Remove the Battery
   To remove the battery from your Dell Latitude D610, unscrew 1 screw and pull the battery latch outwards. The battery will automatically be lifted up.
   
5. Ground the Motherboard
   When the battery is removed, simply ground the motherboard by pressing on the power button for a few seconds.
6. Ground your Hands
   Ground your hands by wearing a wrist grounding strap or touching an unpainted metal surface from time to time.

All preparations done. Unfortunately, this laptop is designed by dirty people who doesn’t clean their laptops. So we’ll have to disassemble all the way to split the laptop into half in order to reach the fan (which contains the most dust).

Step 1 : Remove The Harddisk

This step is unnecessary. However, for the sake of your business data stored inside the laptop, I strongly suggest the harddisk to be removed and placed somewhere safe. Preferrably inside an antistatic bag.

1. Locate the harddisk that is just beside your battery.
2. Unscrew two M3 x 3-mm screws.
3. Pull the Harddisk handle and remove the harddisk.
   

Step 2 : Remove The Hinge Cover

For starters disassembling the hinge cover would always be a challenge. But as you get used to disassembling your laptop, this becomes as easy as eating peanuts.

1. Open your LCD screen as far as possible, all the way to 180 degrees.
2. Use your flat blade screwdriver (or testpen) to pry open the hinge cover from the right side.
3. Carefully unsnap the hinge cover starting from the right side.
   You will hear a few popping noises indicating that the hinge cover is disconnected from the base.
   

Step 3 : Remove The Keyboard

After your hinge cover is off, you will have access to the screws securing the keyboard.

1. Remove two M2.5 x 5-mm screws located at the top of the laptop.
2. Slowly lift up the keyboard (make sure you don’t snap the cable beneath).
3. Make sure you have enough room for your hand to go below the keyboard, then disconnect the cable by pulling the blue tag.
   

Step 4 : Remove The LCD Screen

Great job! You’ve disassembled 50% of your Dell Latitude D610. I know the lcd screen is heavier than the laptop base now. It’s irritating, let’s remove it.

Remove the Mini PCI Card

1. The Mini PCI Card is located bottom of the fan and left side of the RAM (DIMM A).
2. Unplug the antennas labeled “MAIN” and “AUX” and unroute them from their routings.
3. Pull the tabs located at the sides of the PCI Card, the card will pop up and ready for removal.
   

Remove the LCD Screen

1. Disconnect the display cable by pulling the blue pull-tab.
2. There’s also a captive screw right beside the display cable, unscrew it.
3. Remove four M2.5 x 5-mm screws located at each side of the lcd screen support.
4. Life the LCD screen out from the laptop base.
   

Step 6 : Remove The Palm Rest

This is the real challenge in disassembling laptops usually. During my first laptop disassembly I spent couple of hours only on this step, maybe because there isn’t a guide to help me out.

NOTE: If you have a CD/DVD ROM installed, just push it out like this.

Now let’s continue our Palm Rest disassembly.

1. At the top side up of the laptop, note 1 touchpad cable and two M2.5 x 5-mm screws.
   
2. Disconnect the cable and remove the two screws.
3. Turn the laptop upside down, remove thirteen more M2.5 x 8-mm screws.
   Pain in the ass I know, but not the hard part yet
4. Make sure all the screws are removed.
5. If everything is clear, separate the palm rest from the laptop base starting from the back. This is the hard part for every laptop, keep an eye on the force you exert here.
   

Just be careful not to break any components or hooks.

Step 7 : Remove & Clean The Dirty Fan

Removed the Palm Rest already? Cool, how long did it take you to do that? Anyhow, it’s time to clean the fan.

1. Unscrew two M2.5 x 8-mm screws.
2. Pull out the power cable.
3. Lift the fan off the base.
   

Cleaning Tips

Here’s a few places you need to pay more attention when cleaning your laptop.

1. The Fan
   Where most dusts are collected.
2. The Air Vents
   To improve air flow of the laptop. Would also collect a lot of dust. View here for example.
3. Motherboard
   Gently brush the dust away with a paint brush, not too hard unless you wanna break those little chips. You could also use a blower to blow all the dust out.
4. Covered part of the palm rest
   
5. Keyboard
   You will be amazed with how many things that was hid under the keys.

Extra: How To Remove The Latitude D610 RAMs

In your Dell Latitude D610, the RAMs are located at 2 parts of the laptop. DIMM A is located right beneath the keyboard and DIMM B is located at the bottom of the laptop.

Remove DIMM A

Follow the step by step instructions until Step 3 : Remove the keyboard. After Step 3, you can clearly see DIMM A. So what you do is pull the pins located at both sides of the RAM to remove it.

Remove DIMM B

This can be reached from the bottom of the laptop.

1. Locate the cover with a “M” label for Memory.
2. Open it and DIMM B is inside.
3. Pull the pins at both sides of the RAM to remove it.

I guess this is all for How to Disassemble your Dell Latitude D610. Have fun disassembling.

More laptop disassembly guides at the Laptop Disassembly Archive.

Updates

It has been confirmed the Latitude D610 is prone to the DC power jack problem.

Thanks to Ken, who provided us a link to the problem which is located here.

Please forward any questions or comments regarding Laptop Disassembly to the Forum at Real Time Gamer (RTG) website. RTG is a website we have long-term partnership with.