Difficulty
Easy
Steps
21
Time Required
30 - 35 minutes
Sections
5
- External Battery
- 2 steps
- Bottom Cover
- 6 steps
- Internal Battery
- 3 steps
- Smart Card Reader
- 9 steps
- Smart Card Reader Cable
- 1 step
Flags
0
BackLenovo ThinkPad T460
Full Screen
Options
History
Save to Favorites
Download PDF
Edit
Translate
Get Shareable Link
Embed This Guide
Notify Me of Changes
Stop Notifications
Introduction
The smart card reader’s job is to read a smart card, which is a device used to store data and provide login authentication. The smart card reader cable connects the smart card to the laptop’s motherboard.
If you cannot retrieve data or log in to your laptop using a smart card, or if you are experiencing error messages when using a smart card and have ruled out the smart card reader itself as the issue, you may need to replace your laptop’s smart card reader cable.
Make sure to disable the internal battery, power down your device, and disconnect from any external power sources before you begin.
What you need
Step 1
External Battery
- Before you begin this guide, make sure to disable the internal battery, power down your device, and disconnect from any external power sources.
- Place the laptop so that the bottom is facing upwards.
- Slide the latch on the left side of the battery to the left until it clicks in place.
Before you begin this guide, make sure to disable the internal battery, power down your device, and disconnect from any external power sources.
Place the laptop so that the bottom is facing upwards.
Slide the latch on the left side of the battery to the left until it clicks in place.
1024
Step 2
- Slide the latch on the right side of the battery to the right and hold it in place with your thumb.
- Use your other hand to slide the battery towards the back of the laptop.
- Lift the battery up and away from the laptop.
Slide the latch on the right side of the battery to the right and hold it in place with your thumb.
Use your other hand to slide the battery towards the back of the laptop.
Lift the battery up and away from the laptop.
Step 3
Bottom Cover
- Loosen the eight captive screws in the bottom cover using a Phillips #1 screwdriver.
Loosen the eight captive screws in the bottom cover using a Phillips #1 screwdriver.
Step 4
- Insert the flat end of a spudger in between the bottom cover and the rest of the laptop, starting in the lower left corner.
- Pry the lower left corner of the bottom cover up by a few millimeters.
- Slide the spudger along the bottom of the laptop to release the clips until you reach the lower right corner.
- You may hear some snapping noises as the clips are released.
Insert the flat end of a spudger in between the bottom cover and the rest of the laptop, starting in the lower left corner.
Pry the lower left corner of the bottom cover up by a few millimeters.
Slide the spudger along the bottom of the laptop to release the clips until you reach the lower right corner.
You may hear some snapping noises as the clips are released.
Step 5
- Slide the spudger along the right and top sides of the bottom cover to release the clips.
- You may hear some snapping noises as the clips are released.
- Potential for device damage: If the clips do not release easily, check to ensure that the captive screws are fully loosened. Forcing the clips to detach can crack the bottom cover.
Slide the spudger along the right and top sides of the bottom cover to release the clips.
Potential for device damage: If the clips do not release easily, check to ensure that the captive screws are fully loosened. Forcing the clips to detach can crack the bottom cover.
Step 6
- Use the spudger to pry the upper left corner up by a few millimeters.
- Pry up the sections of the bottom cover with printed logos of the ports.
- Potential for device damage: Prying inside the ports themselves can damage your laptop. Be sure to only pry up on the sections of the cover that extend past the ports.
Use the spudger to pry the upper left corner up by a few millimeters.
Pry up the sections of the bottom cover with printed logos of the ports.
Potential for device damage: Prying inside the ports themselves can damage your laptop. Be sure to only pry up on the sections of the cover that extend past the ports.
Step 7
- Use the spudger to pry up the bottom cover in the lower portion of the external battery compartment by a few millimeters.
Use the spudger to pry up the bottom cover in the lower portion of the external battery compartment by a few millimeters.
Step 8
- Use both hands to lift the bottom cover up and away from the laptop.
Use both hands to lift the bottom cover up and away from the laptop.
Step 9
Internal Battery
- Use a pair of blunt nose tweezers to pull the black connector out of its socket.
- This connector may be difficult to remove. You can use a pair of tweezers to gently rock the connector back and forth until it is free from the socket.
Use a pair of blunt nose tweezers to pull the black connector out of its socket.
This connector may be difficult to remove. You can use a pair of tweezers to gently rock the connector back and forth until it is free from the socket.
Step 10
- Remove the three 3.7 mm screws from the internal battery using a Phillips #1 screwdriver.
Remove the three 3.7 mm screws from the internal battery using a Phillips #1 screwdriver.
Step 11
- Use your hands to lift the battery up and away from the laptop.
Use your hands to lift the battery up and away from the laptop.
Step 12
Smart Card Reader
- Remove two 5 mm screws from the speaker in the lower right-hand corner using a Phillips #1 screwdriver.
Remove two 5 mm screws from the speaker in the lower right-hand corner using a Phillips #1 screwdriver.
Step 13
- Use your hand to lift the speaker out of its compartment.
- The speaker’s wire will still be secured to the laptop; it is not necessary to remove the wire.
Use your hand to lift the speaker out of its compartment.
The speaker’s wire will still be secured to the laptop; it is not necessary to remove the wire.
Step 14
- Use your fingers to lift the black flap up from the smart card reader cable connector.
Use your fingers to lift the black flap up from the smart card reader cable connector.
Step 15
- Use the pointed end of a spudger to open the white clip on the smart card reader connector.
Use the pointed end of a spudger to open the white clip on the smart card reader connector.
Step 16
- Use a pair of blunt nose tweezers to slide the cable out of the connector on the smart card reader.
Use a pair of blunt nose tweezers to slide the cable out of the connector on the smart card reader.
Step 17
- Remove two 3.8 mm screws from the smart card reader bracket using a Phillips #1 screwdriver.
Remove two 3.8 mm screws from the smart card reader bracket using a Phillips #1 screwdriver.
Step 18
- Use your fingers to lift the smart card reader bracket up and away from the laptop.
Use your fingers to lift the smart card reader bracket up and away from the laptop.
Step 19
- Remove two 3.7 mm screws from the smart card reader using a Phillips #1 screwdriver.
Remove two 3.7 mm screws from the smart card reader using a Phillips #1 screwdriver.
Step 20
- Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the smart card reader up by a few millimeters.
- Use your other hand to lift the smart card reader up and away from the laptop.
Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the smart card reader up by a few millimeters.
Use your other hand to lift the smart card reader up and away from the laptop.
Step 21
Smart Card Reader Cable
- Use your fingers to peel up the smart card reader cable and disconnect it from its socket on the motherboard.
Use your fingers to peel up the smart card reader cable and disconnect it from its socket on the motherboard.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Answers community for help.
Cancel: I did not complete this guide.
Author
Kristen Gismondi
Member since: 11/12/2014
69,397 Reputation
176 Guides authored
Badges:
44
+41 more badges
Team
iFixit
Member of iFixit
Community
141 Members
15,772 Guides authored
