Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

41

Time Required

                          2 - 3 hours

Sections

10

  • Bottom Cover
  • 3 steps
  • Battery
  • 2 steps
  • Keyboard
  • 7 steps
  • SSD
  • 2 steps
  • RAM
  • 1 step
  • Wi-Fi Card
  • 3 steps
  • WWAN Card
  • 3 steps
  • Fan Assembly
  • 3 steps
  • SIM Card Tray
  • 1 step
  • Motherboard
  • 16 steps

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Introduction

The motherboard, also known as a system board or mainboard, is the primary printed circuit board (PCB) in a computer that enables communication between the internal components.

Diagnosing a faulty motherboard is tricky since the symptoms are similar to other failing components. Signs of a faulty motherboard may include overheating, error codes, the blue screen of death, or failure of other ports and components.

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

              Bottom Cover
  • Disable the battery, power down the device, and unplug the power adapter from your device before proceeding/beginning the guide.
  • Loosen the six captive screws with a Phillips #1 screwdriver.

Disable the battery, power down the device, and unplug the power adapter from your device before proceeding/beginning the guide.

Loosen the six captive screws with a Phillips #1 screwdriver.

1024

Step 2

  • Remove the bottom cover with an opening tool.
  • Start from the top edge near the hinge and work your way along the edge until all of the clips are unsnapped.

Remove the bottom cover with an opening tool.

Start from the top edge near the hinge and work your way along the edge until all of the clips are unsnapped.

Step 3

  • Lift the bottom cover off.

Lift the bottom cover off.

Step 4

              Battery
  • Use the Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove four 4.5mm screws that hold the battery down to the mid frame.

Use the Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove four 4.5mm screws that hold the battery down to the mid frame.

Step 5

  • Lift the battery near the connector and remove it from the system.

Lift the battery near the connector and remove it from the system.

Step 6

              Keyboard
  • Disable the battery, power down, and unplug your device before you begin.
  • Pry the left and right trackpad buttons up with a spudger.

Disable the battery, power down, and unplug your device before you begin.

Pry the left and right trackpad buttons up with a spudger.

Step 7

  • With a Phillips #0 screwdriver, loosen the two captive screws underneath the left and right trackpad buttons.

With a Phillips #0 screwdriver, loosen the two captive screws underneath the left and right trackpad buttons.

Step 8

  • Wedge the spudger under the front edge of the keyboard to push the keyboard toward the back of the system.
  • Lift the front edge of the keyboard up by a few millimeters.

Wedge the spudger under the front edge of the keyboard to push the keyboard toward the back of the system.

Lift the front edge of the keyboard up by a few millimeters.

Step 9

  • Gently, pull the keyboard out from the bezel and flip it over.
  • It is connected to to the keyboard and trackpad cables so be sure not to yank it over to avoid tearing them.

Gently, pull the keyboard out from the bezel and flip it over.

It is connected to to the keyboard and trackpad cables so be sure not to yank it over to avoid tearing them.

Step 10

  • Use the spudger to disconnect the trackpad cable from the system.
  • For more information on types of connectors, check out this guide.

Use the spudger to disconnect the trackpad cable from the system.

For more information on types of connectors, check out this guide.

Step 11

  • Use the spudger to disconnect the keyboard cable from the system.

Use the spudger to disconnect the keyboard cable from the system.

Step 12

  • Lift the keyboard off of the palm rest.

Lift the keyboard off of the palm rest.

Step 13

              SSD
  • Use the Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove one 2.8 mm screw securing the SSD.

Use the Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove one 2.8 mm screw securing the SSD.

Step 14

  • Pull the SSD out of the socket.

Pull the SSD out of the socket.

Step 15

              RAM
  • Pull the plastic film back.
  • Push the clips outward to release the RAM stick.
  • My device doesn’t have RAM so you don’t see it.
  • The RAM stick will pop out at an angle. Pull the RAM stick out at the same angle.

Pull the plastic film back.

Push the clips outward to release the RAM stick.

My device doesn’t have RAM so you don’t see it.

The RAM stick will pop out at an angle. Pull the RAM stick out at the same angle.

Step 16

              Wi-Fi Card
  • Using the nylon spudger, pop the coaxial antenna wires off the Wi-Fi card.
  • When reassembling, reattach the gray wire closest to the screw and the black wire on the other side of the gray wire.

Using the nylon spudger, pop the coaxial antenna wires off the Wi-Fi card.

When reassembling, reattach the gray wire closest to the screw and the black wire on the other side of the gray wire.

Step 17

  • Use the Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove one 2.8mm screw holding the Wi-Fi card down to the motherboard.

Use the Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove one 2.8mm screw holding the Wi-Fi card down to the motherboard.

Step 18

  • Slide the Wi-Fi card out from the slot.

Slide the Wi-Fi card out from the slot.

Step 19

              WWAN Card
  • Flip the cardboard cover off of the WWAN card.
  • Using the spudger, release the coaxial antenna wires from the WWAN card.
  • When reassembling, reattach the blue wire on the left and the orange wire on the right.

Flip the cardboard cover off of the WWAN card.

Using the spudger, release the coaxial antenna wires from the WWAN card.

When reassembling, reattach the blue wire on the left and the orange wire on the right.

Step 20

  • Use a Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove one 2.8mm screw.

Use a Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove one 2.8mm screw.

Step 21

  • Slide the WWAN card out from the slot.

Slide the WWAN card out from the slot.

Step 22

              Fan Assembly
  • Use the spudger to disconnect the fan cable from the motherboard.

Use the spudger to disconnect the fan cable from the motherboard.

Step 23

  • Loosen the six captive screws attaching the fan assembly to the motherboard.
  • This system was missing the two screws by the fan but I have highlighted them to show where they are located.

Loosen the six captive screws attaching the fan assembly to the motherboard.

This system was missing the two screws by the fan but I have highlighted them to show where they are located.

Step 24

  • Lift the thermal fan assembly from the system and remove it.

Lift the thermal fan assembly from the system and remove it.

Step 25

              SIM Card Tray
  • Insert the SIM eject bit or a paper clip in the hole of the SIM tray to eject it.
  • Remove the SIM tray.

Insert the SIM eject bit or a paper clip in the hole of the SIM tray to eject it.

Remove the SIM tray.

Step 26

              Motherboard
  • Use the spudger to disconnect the LCD cable from the motherboard.

Use the spudger to disconnect the LCD cable from the motherboard.

Step 27

  • Use the spudger to disconnect the camera cable from the motherboard.

Use the spudger to disconnect the camera cable from the motherboard.

Step 28

  • Remove all antenna cables from their routing.

Remove all antenna cables from their routing.

Step 29

  • Use the spudger to disconnect the SD card reader/audio card cable from the board.
  • The cable is attached to the board with adhesive so you will need to peel the cable up.

Use the spudger to disconnect the SD card reader/audio card cable from the board.

The cable is attached to the board with adhesive so you will need to peel the cable up.

Step 30

  • Use a connector puller or spudger to disconnect the coin cell battery from the board and pull the cable from the notch.

Use a connector puller or spudger to disconnect the coin cell battery from the board and pull the cable from the notch.

Step 31

  • Use the spudger to disconnect the trackpad cable, the Hall sensor cable, and the smart card reader cable from the motherboard.

Use the spudger to disconnect the trackpad cable, the Hall sensor cable, and the smart card reader cable from the motherboard.

Step 32

  • Disconnect the USB Card cable from the motherboard using the spudger.

Disconnect the USB Card cable from the motherboard using the spudger.

Step 33

  • Use the spudger to disconnect the power button cable from the motherboard.

Use the spudger to disconnect the power button cable from the motherboard.

Step 34

  • Use the Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove the 4.6 mm screw from the USB-C bracket.

Use the Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove the 4.6 mm screw from the USB-C bracket.

Step 35

  • Lift the USB-C bracket from the system.

Lift the USB-C bracket from the system.

Step 36

  • Use the Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove the 4.7 mm screw from the trap door.

Use the Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove the 4.7 mm screw from the trap door.

Step 37

  • Lift the trap door out.

Lift the trap door out.

Step 38

  • Remove the 4.4 mm screw from the HDMI bracket using the Phillips #1 screwdriver.

Remove the 4.4 mm screw from the HDMI bracket using the Phillips #1 screwdriver.

Step 39

  • Remove the HDMI bracket from the motherboard using your fingers.

Remove the HDMI bracket from the motherboard using your fingers.

Step 40

  • Using the Phillips #1 screwdriver, remove four 3.1 mm screws from the motherboard.

Using the Phillips #1 screwdriver, remove four 3.1 mm screws from the motherboard.

Step 41

  • Lift the motherboard from the chassis to remove it from the device.

Lift the motherboard from the chassis to remove it from the device.

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.

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                    Sarah Westberg

Member since: 03/11/2019

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