Difficulty
Moderate
Steps
36
Time Required
25 - 30 minutes
Sections
8
- Keyboard
- 4 steps
- Trackpad
- 4 steps
- Wireless Network Card
- 3 steps
- Expansion Slot
- 4 steps
- Modem
- 3 steps
- Screen
- 7 steps
- Fan
- 10 steps
- CPU
- 1 step
Flags
0
BackIBM ThinkPad T41
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Introduction
What you need
Step 1
Keyboard
- Close the screen and turn the closed laptop over.
- Remove all 17 screws on the bottom of the computer.
- The multiple colors (turquoise, red, blue, orange, yellow, and purple) are for organizational purposes, indicating different screws.
- The yellow marker at the rear denotes the UltraBay device retaining screw. This screw is optional as the UltraBay mechanism will hold the drive or battery in place anyway. The yellow marker at the front denotes the hard disk caddy retaining screw.
Close the screen and turn the closed laptop over.
Remove all 17 screws on the bottom of the computer.
The multiple colors (turquoise, red, blue, orange, yellow, and purple) are for organizational purposes, indicating different screws.
The yellow marker at the rear denotes the UltraBay device retaining screw. This screw is optional as the UltraBay mechanism will hold the drive or battery in place anyway. The yellow marker at the front denotes the hard disk caddy retaining screw.
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Step 2
- Remove the extra RAM cover, by lifting where the screw was and pulling out.
Remove the extra RAM cover, by lifting where the screw was and pulling out.
Step 3
- Turn the laptop right side up and open the screen.
- Lift the keyboard, using a spudger at the seam between the keyboard and trackpad.
- Careful of the ribbon cable underneath, which may tear if the keyboard is lifted too vigorously.
Turn the laptop right side up and open the screen.
Lift the keyboard, using a spudger at the seam between the keyboard and trackpad.
Careful of the ribbon cable underneath, which may tear if the keyboard is lifted too vigorously.
Step 4
- Unplug the keyboard’s ribbon cable, by lifting up the edges of the plug.
- Remove the keyboard.
Unplug the keyboard’s ribbon cable, by lifting up the edges of the plug.
Remove the keyboard.
Step 5
Trackpad
- Close the laptop and turn it over.
- Remove the five plastic stickers covering the screws on the front edge of the case.
- In order to reuse the stickers, remove them carefully.
Close the laptop and turn it over.
Remove the five plastic stickers covering the screws on the front edge of the case.
In order to reuse the stickers, remove them carefully.
Step 6
- Unscrew the five screws that were hidden by the stickers.
Unscrew the five screws that were hidden by the stickers.
Step 7
- Turn the computer right side up and open the screen.
- Lift the trackpad assembly by placing hands on both edges and then pull towards you till it is free of the case.
- Be careful of the ribbon cable underneath. It may tear if the trackpad is pulled too vigorously.
Turn the computer right side up and open the screen.
Lift the trackpad assembly by placing hands on both edges and then pull towards you till it is free of the case.
Be careful of the ribbon cable underneath. It may tear if the trackpad is pulled too vigorously.
Step 8
- Unplug the trackpad’s ribbon cable by pulling on the white plastic tab.
Unplug the trackpad’s ribbon cable by pulling on the white plastic tab.
Step 9
Wireless Network Card
- Pull off the one black and one white coaxial cables by lifting the tabs labeled main and aux (for auxiliary).
Pull off the one black and one white coaxial cables by lifting the tabs labeled main and aux (for auxiliary).
Step 10
- Push apart the retaining clips.
- Note: The card should pop up a little bit.
Push apart the retaining clips.
Note: The card should pop up a little bit.
Step 11
- Pull the wireless network card out.
Pull the wireless network card out.
Step 12
Expansion Slot
- Remove the screw on the left hand side of the case, above the expansion slot.
Remove the screw on the left hand side of the case, above the expansion slot.
Step 13
- Lift the black plastic border by lifting on either side.
- Once the sides are up, pull the border towards you and away from the screen.
- When lifting up, there are two pairs of plastic clips hooking into the fan grill. If you pull hard enough the border will come away, but it’s better to push the clips with the spudger.
Lift the black plastic border by lifting on either side.
Once the sides are up, pull the border towards you and away from the screen.
When lifting up, there are two pairs of plastic clips hooking into the fan grill. If you pull hard enough the border will come away, but it’s better to push the clips with the spudger.
Step 14
- Pull the sheet metal cover away from slot.
Pull the sheet metal cover away from slot.
Step 15
- Lift out the expansion slot by starting at the entrance hole and pulling upward.
- Note: Try wiggling the slot from side to side until it comes out all the way.
Lift out the expansion slot by starting at the entrance hole and pulling upward.
Note: Try wiggling the slot from side to side until it comes out all the way.
Step 16
Modem
- Remove the three screws holding down the modem in the upper left corner of the laptop.
Remove the three screws holding down the modem in the upper left corner of the laptop.
Step 17
- Lift the modem up, unplugging it from the motherboard as you lift.
Lift the modem up, unplugging it from the motherboard as you lift.
Step 18
- Pull out the wire that connects the modem to the screen.
- Unplug the other cable that attaches the modem to the motherboard
Pull out the wire that connects the modem to the screen.
Unplug the other cable that attaches the modem to the motherboard
Step 19
Screen
- Close the computer screen.
- Remove the four screws on the back of the laptop, near the right and left hinges.
Close the computer screen.
Remove the four screws on the back of the laptop, near the right and left hinges.
Step 20
- Open the laptop screen.
- Remove the single screw that secures the left hinge to top of the computer.
Open the laptop screen.
Remove the single screw that secures the left hinge to top of the computer.
Step 21
- Remove a single screw from the metal plate that secures the display cable.
Remove a single screw from the metal plate that secures the display cable.
Step 22
- Pull the metal plate away from the display cable.
Pull the metal plate away from the display cable.
Step 23
- Disconnect the display cable.
Disconnect the display cable.
Step 24
- Carefully pull up the long antenna cables that were attached to the wireless network card.
Carefully pull up the long antenna cables that were attached to the wireless network card.
Step 25
- Lift out the screen.
Lift out the screen.
Step 26
Fan
- Unsnake the black cable from the black plastic frame.
Unsnake the black cable from the black plastic frame.
Step 27
- Remove the sheet metal piece, which was underneath the modem.
Remove the sheet metal piece, which was underneath the modem.
Step 28
- Remove the rubber microphone cover in the upper left hand corner by lifting up the gray metal frame.
Remove the rubber microphone cover in the upper left hand corner by lifting up the gray metal frame.
Step 29
- Lift away the gray metal frame.
Lift away the gray metal frame.
Step 30
- Remove three screws near the edge of the computer, holding the optical bay and HDD covers.
- Remove three other screws on the other side of the covers.
- You should have six screws in total, three of one size and three of another size.
Remove three screws near the edge of the computer, holding the optical bay and HDD covers.
Remove three other screws on the other side of the covers.
You should have six screws in total, three of one size and three of another size.
Step 31
- Lift out the optical bay and HDD covers.
Lift out the optical bay and HDD covers.
Step 32
- Lift out the black plastic frame.
Lift out the black plastic frame.
Step 33
- Unplug the fan from the motherboard.
Unplug the fan from the motherboard.
Step 34
- Remove the three screws on the fan.
Remove the three screws on the fan.
Step 35
- Lift the fan out.
Lift the fan out.
Step 36
CPU
- Turn the CPU retaining screw 90 degrees counterclockwise.
- Carefully pull the CPU out of its socket.
Turn the CPU retaining screw 90 degrees counterclockwise.
Carefully pull the CPU out of its socket.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
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Marissa Blustein
Member since: 04/16/2010
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Cal Poly, Team 7-8, Maness Spring 2010
Member of Cal Poly, Team 7-8, Maness Spring 2010
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26 Guides authored
Msu Europagii - Feb 12, 2020
Reply
The disassembly of the machine goes way too far. Due to my experience it’s enough to remove keyboard, palm rest/ touchpad unit (only unscrew it and set a bit aside from fan) and fan (there are different versions, long/ short). Then you can exchange/ replace the CPU an reassamble all the stuff. This shortens the time needed to about 10 to 15 minutes. Don’t forget to add some thermal compound to assure heat flow between CPU and fan. I needed to replace a Banias with a Dothan CPU to have the NX CPU flag available. NX is a prereq for Windows 10.