Lenovo Thinkpad T420S Palm Rest Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          30 - 45 minutes

Sections

Keyboard
4 steps
Palm Rest
7 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Keyboard

Flip your laptop over so the bottom is facing up.
Remove the memory panel by removing two black 5mm screws using the Phillips #0.
Remove the memory panel.

Flip your laptop over so the bottom is facing up.

Remove the memory panel by removing two black 5mm screws using the Phillips #0.

Remove the memory panel.

1024

Step 2

Remove the two 5mm screw using the Phillips #0 screwdriver.
Flip the laptop back over and open it.

Remove the two 5mm screw using the Phillips #0 screwdriver.

Flip the laptop back over and open it.

Step 3

Gently push down on the keyboard and slide it towards the screen. This will pop the bottom of the keyboard out of the casing.
The best place to push is on the frame of the keyboard by the power button.
Using the metal spudger, lift and slide out the keyboard.
When lifting the keyboard do not remove it completely because a cable will still be connected to the laptop.

Gently push down on the keyboard and slide it towards the screen. This will pop the bottom of the keyboard out of the casing.

The best place to push is on the frame of the keyboard by the power button.

Using the metal spudger, lift and slide out the keyboard.

When lifting the keyboard do not remove it completely because a cable will still be connected to the laptop.

Step 4

Remove the orange cable by lifting up on the tab on the end of the ribbon connection.

Remove the orange cable by lifting up on the tab on the end of the ribbon connection.

Step 5

              Palm Rest

Remove the additional thirteen 5 mm screws with your Phillips #0 screwdriver.
Remove the two 2.5 X 5 mm screws from the back of your laptop.
2.5 X 5 mm screws are slightly larger than the 5 mm screws.
Remove the 3 mm screw from the back of the laptop using the same screwdriver.

Remove the additional thirteen 5 mm screws with your Phillips #0 screwdriver.

Remove the two 2.5 X 5 mm screws from the back of your laptop.

2.5 X 5 mm screws are slightly larger than the 5 mm screws.

Remove the 3 mm screw from the back of the laptop using the same screwdriver.

Step 6

Disconnect the black and gray antenna cable connectors in the memory panel on the back of the laptop.
Remove any plastic wraps on the blue, white, and tan wires.

Disconnect the black and gray antenna cable connectors in the memory panel on the back of the laptop.

Remove any plastic wraps on the blue, white, and tan wires.

Step 7

Flip the laptop back over and pull all the wires from the previous step through to the top side.

Flip the laptop back over and pull all the wires from the previous step through to the top side.

Step 8

Remove the three 5mm screws holding the palm rest casing in place using the Phillips #0.

Remove the three 5mm screws holding the palm rest casing in place using the Phillips #0.

Step 9

Unplug the red, white, and blue bunch of wires.

Unplug the red, white, and blue bunch of wires.

Step 10

Lift up the black retaining flap holding the purple ribbon cable in place, and carefully slide out the ribbon.

Lift up the black retaining flap holding the purple ribbon cable in place, and carefully slide out the ribbon.

Step 11

Remove the top casing by lifting up and sliding out.
Be careful when sliding the casing out as some of the casing is still underneath the screen; some wiggling may be required, but do not force it.

Remove the top casing by lifting up and sliding out.

Be careful when sliding the casing out as some of the casing is still underneath the screen; some wiggling may be required, but do not force it.

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

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                    Tristan Broughton

Member since: 04/14/2015

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                       Cal Poly, Team 6-13, Maness Spring 2015                        

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                                            5 Guides authored

Timothy Beach - Feb 18, 2016

Thanks for putting this together. I had what seemed to be a fault hardware wifi switch on my ThinkPad T420s. I used this guide to take apart the machine. I re-seated the connector next to the hardware wifi switch (and added a e-tape shim to force downward pressure on it when reassembled). After I made this makeshift mod, the wifi is working again.

Thanks

Keith Cloward - Apr 18, 2017

This is not the Lenovo Thinkpad T420. You can Tell by the RAM memory Slot Cover and the Position the RAM is put into its slot. the T420 RAM is Vertical Compared with being Horizontal in this Picture. that includes the cover also. Then the Battery Slot is a Dead Giveaway clue. The T420 Battery slot is in the middle. and this Picture has the battery slot to bthe left. Sorry Not Even Close. None of the screws he removes are on the T420. so this is Completely Useless. Thanks

Thinkpad001 - Dec 1, 2017

You must not know how to read, or you are just stupid. It clearly says that the guide is for the T420s (the smaller model of the T420).

stan - Oct 11, 2017

Keith Cloward: the title states that this is for a T420s, NOT a T420.

Introduction#

What you need#

Team#

Introduction

What you need

Team