Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

26

Time Required

                          45 minutes - 1 hour            

Sections

5

  • Battery
  • 4 steps
  • SSD/Hard Drive
  • 4 steps
  • Keyboard
  • 6 steps
  • Screen Module
  • 9 steps
  • Motherboard
  • 3 steps

Flags

2

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Preparations               
  • Before you begin, be sure to turn off your laptop and unplug it from the outlet.

Before you begin, be sure to turn off your laptop and unplug it from the outlet.

1024

Step 2

              Locate the battery               
  • Flip the computer upside down.
  • The red rectangle shows the location of the battery.

Flip the computer upside down.

The red rectangle shows the location of the battery.

Step 3

              Unlock the left switch               
  • Locate the two switches that lock the battery. Push the left-hand switch outward into the “unlocked” position.

Locate the two switches that lock the battery. Push the left-hand switch outward into the “unlocked” position.

Step 4

              Remove the battery               
  • Now push and hold the right clip to the right while using your other hand to gently slide the battery away from the computer.

Now push and hold the right clip to the right while using your other hand to gently slide the battery away from the computer.

Step 5

              Locate the hard drive enclosure               
  • Locate the hard drive enclosure (marked by the red rectangle).

Locate the hard drive enclosure (marked by the red rectangle).

Step 6

              Remove enclosure               
  • Use a small Phillips screwdriver to unscrew the single screw that holds down the hard drive enclosure cover.
  • The screw is designed to remain within the plastic cover. Don’t worry about extracting it completely.
  • Carefully remove the hard drive enclosure cover.

Use a small Phillips screwdriver to unscrew the single screw that holds down the hard drive enclosure cover.

The screw is designed to remain within the plastic cover. Don’t worry about extracting it completely.

Carefully remove the hard drive enclosure cover.

Step 7

              Remove SSD/hard drive               
  • Gently pull the black pull tab out from above the hard drive. Continue pulling on the pull tab until the hard drive and the two plastic rails come out of the enclosure.
  • Pull on the tab firmly but slowly. The hard drive should come out of the enclosure effortlessly.

Gently pull the black pull tab out from above the hard drive. Continue pulling on the pull tab until the hard drive and the two plastic rails come out of the enclosure.

Pull on the tab firmly but slowly. The hard drive should come out of the enclosure effortlessly.

Step 8

              Remove plastic rails               
  • Remove the plastic rails from the old SSD/hard drive and place them on the new SSD/hard drive.

Remove the plastic rails from the old SSD/hard drive and place them on the new SSD/hard drive.

Step 9

              remove screws               
  • There are 2 screws securing the keyboard. You can identify them by a small keyboard symbol (marked by an orange rectangle in the second picture).
  • Once you have located the two screws, remove them with a small Phillips screwdriver.

There are 2 screws securing the keyboard. You can identify them by a small keyboard symbol (marked by an orange rectangle in the second picture).

Once you have located the two screws, remove them with a small Phillips screwdriver.

Step 10

              remove strip above keyboard               
  • This step is not required.
  • Gently pull the strip out from the case.

This step is not required.

Gently pull the strip out from the case.

Step 11

              pop keyboard out of the casing               
  • Use a a plastic spudger (or a flat screwdriver) to push the keyboard towards the screen. This will pop the bottom of the keyboard out of the casing.

Use a a plastic spudger (or a flat screwdriver) to push the keyboard towards the screen. This will pop the bottom of the keyboard out of the casing.

Step 12

              lift keyboard               
  • Carefully lift the keyboard so that you can access its connector.

Carefully lift the keyboard so that you can access its connector.

Step 13

              Unplug keyboard               
  • Carefully unplug the connector by pulling.

Carefully unplug the connector by pulling.

Step 14

              done               
  • You are done - the keyboard is not connected to the laptop any more and can be replaced.

You are done - the keyboard is not connected to the laptop any more and can be replaced.

Step 15

              Screen Module               
  • Remove five 5.7mm screws from the bottom.

Remove five 5.7mm screws from the bottom.

Step 16

  • Unscrew two 5.7mm screws from the top of the bottom of the laptop.

Unscrew two 5.7mm screws from the top of the bottom of the laptop.

Step 17

  • Pull the palm rest off the laptop board.

Pull the palm rest off the laptop board.

Step 18

  • Unlock the white seal and disconnect the blue cable.

Unlock the white seal and disconnect the blue cable.

Step 19

  • Carefully disconnect blue and red cables and remove them from plastic case.

Carefully disconnect blue and red cables and remove them from plastic case.

Step 20

  • Unlock white seal and diconnect blue cable from upper corner.

Unlock white seal and diconnect blue cable from upper corner.

Step 21

  • Remove two 4.1mm screws from the black frame.

Remove two 4.1mm screws from the black frame.

Step 22

  • Carefully pull off black frame from laptop board.

Carefully pull off black frame from laptop board.

Step 23

  • Carefully lift the screen module straight up to detach from board.

Carefully lift the screen module straight up to detach from board.

Step 24

              Motherboard               
  • Remove a total of twenty-three 4.1mm screws from around the black plastic in the board.

Remove a total of twenty-three 4.1mm screws from around the black plastic in the board.

Step 25

  • Disconnect black and red wires from bottom right corner.

Disconnect black and red wires from bottom right corner.

Step 26

  • Carefully detach the motherboard (black plastic) from the laptop.

Carefully detach the motherboard (black plastic) from the laptop.

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

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                    Lino Virgen                     

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Marcin - Feb 5, 2017

Reply

is the cpu replaceable on one of these, or its soldered to the mobo? I want some laptop from the X- series wich will be able to handle an i7 (best if x230 as it is the newest i can afford)

Marshall Richards - May 27, 2017

The X230 CPU is soldered to the board. i7 not really worth it because the performance difference is about +5% and battery life is poor compared to the i5 X230.

hanif.fuqoha - Jun 23, 2017

Reply

i am using lenovo x230, when i press the power button not show screen POST Bios (Blank Screen) but the power button and the flash light on. What is my x230 problem ? htttp://www.designstrusted.com

chris.r - Dec 4, 2017

Reply

Great walk-through.

I used this for my x220, which was identical apart from three minor differences.

Many thanks.

Koulutus5 Terasoft - Jan 24, 2018

Reply

Really clear document, better to use than Youtube videos.