Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

8

Time Required

                          5 - 10 minutes

Sections

5

  • Disassembling IBM ThinkPad T42 Rear Cover
  • 2 steps
  • Keyboard and Trackpad
  • 2 steps
  • Disassembling IBM ThinkPad T42 Plastic Edge Cover
  • 1 step
  • Disassembling IBM ThinkPad T42 Lower Bracket
  • 2 steps
  • Fan
  • 1 step

Flags

4

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Bottom cover
  • Use a Phillips #0 screwdriver to remove the twenty screws on the underside of the T42.

Use a Phillips #0 screwdriver to remove the twenty screws on the underside of the T42.

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Step 2

              Rear screws
  • Remove the four Phillips screws located on either side of the rear of the T42 (there are two on each end.)

Remove the four Phillips screws located on either side of the rear of the T42 (there are two on each end.)

Step 3

              Keyboard and Trackpad
  • Flip the laptop over and open the screen to access the keyboard and trackpad.
  • The keyboard and trackpad are connected to the motherboard. Before removing the keyboard and trackpad, disconnect both components from the motherboard, as shown in the following step.
  • The bezel and keyboard will be loose, be careful.

Flip the laptop over and open the screen to access the keyboard and trackpad.

The keyboard and trackpad are connected to the motherboard. Before removing the keyboard and trackpad, disconnect both components from the motherboard, as shown in the following step.

The bezel and keyboard will be loose, be careful.

Step 4

  • Carefully maneuver the palm rest away from the keyboard, as both the keyboard and palm rest/trackpad will come off together.
  • Remember, both the keyboard and trackpad have connectors to the motherboard. Disconnect these before completely removing either component.

Carefully maneuver the palm rest away from the keyboard, as both the keyboard and palm rest/trackpad will come off together.

Remember, both the keyboard and trackpad have connectors to the motherboard. Disconnect these before completely removing either component.

Step 5

              Disassembling IBM ThinkPad T42 Plastic Edge Cover
  • Starting from the bottom right, carefully remove off the bezel. Use a spudger or flat head screwdriver if needed.

Starting from the bottom right, carefully remove off the bezel. Use a spudger or flat head screwdriver if needed.

Step 6

              Disassembling IBM ThinkPad T42 Lower Bracket
  • Grasp the metal bracket to remove it from the device.

Grasp the metal bracket to remove it from the device.

Step 7

              Microphone cover
  • Remove the rubber cover from the microphone.

Remove the rubber cover from the microphone.

Step 8

              Fan Removal
  • Unscrew the 3 screws on the copper heatsink.
  • Now, unplug the connection to the motherboard..
  • Due to the nature of old thermal paste, it might take some force to remove the heatsink.

Unscrew the 3 screws on the copper heatsink.

Now, unplug the connection to the motherboard..

Due to the nature of old thermal paste, it might take some force to remove the heatsink.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                                      with 5 other contributors 


                    Kevin Rehm

Member since: 04/19/2010

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                       Cal Poly, Team 29-76, Johann Spring 2010                        

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                                            35 Guides authored

Martin Campbell - Feb 10, 2016

Reply

How about you just down the freely available Hardware Maintenance Manual (HMM) for the laptop. They are downloadable in PDF format, and very well done.

Tobyn Genn - May 8, 2021

Reply

It doesnt take this much, if you remove the palm rest and keyboard you can get it at an angle it slides straight out.