Instructions for Install a Dell Inspiron 5100 Motherboard
You need to replace the motherboard on a Dell Inspiron 5100 laptop if the motherboard goes bad or if a component that is integrated into the motherboard goes bad. Installing a new motherboard requires almost complete disassembly of the laptop so as to remove the existing motherboard. Removing parts and screws from the laptop can be tricky, so make sure to document where each part and screw goes so you can properly reassemble the laptop after installing the new motherboard.
Instructions
1. Turn the laptop over so the bottom is up and the hinges are facing away from you.
2. Remove the battery by pushing the battery latch up, then pulling the battery to the left, away from the computer. The latch is at the center of the computer and the battery is at the left side, towards the bottom.
3. Remove all the screws from the bottom of the computer, then pull the hard drive to the right to remove it. The hard drive is located at the right side of the laptop towards the top.
4. Remove the two plastic covers on the bottom of the laptop, then remove the two memory modules, the PCI card and the modem. For the two memory modules located in the center space, separate the metal clips on either side of each module, then pull the module away from the computer to remove it. For the PCI card located in the bottom-right space, disconnect the two gold connectors at the top right of the card, then push the two clips on either side away from each other and pull the card away from the computer and remove it. Unscrew the two screws from the white, rectangular modem, then lift up on it to remove it from the computer.
5. Turn the laptop over and around so the hinges are facing you, then remove the two screws on either end of the laptop and the two hex screws on either end of the VGA connector (the blue trapezoidal connector).
6. Turn the laptop around so the hinges are pointing away from you, then open the display as wide as it will go.
7. Use a flat-head screwdriver to pry the right side of the blue plastic cover above the keyboard away from the laptop. Pull the cover from right to left to remove it, then unscrew the four screws at the top of the keyboard above the first and last keys and above the "F5 and "F12" keys. Lift the keyboard up, then disconnect the keyboard cable from the motherboard by pulling up on the black connector on the motherboard. Remove the keyboard, then pull up the white and orange connectors to the right of the keyboard connector on the motherboard.
8. Pull the two black tabs in the upper left of the laptop, then unscrew the two screws on each hinge and the two screws along the top edge of the laptop. Lift up on the display to remove it, then remove the single screw at the center of the laptop connecting to a metal plate. Lift the metal plate out to remove it.
9. Use your fingers to separate the palm rest from the bottom of the computer, then remove the screws holding the video card and the cooling assembly to the motherboard. The video card is the metal piece located in the middle of the computer with screws in the upper-left and bottom-right corners. The cooling assembly is to the right of the video card with screws with numbers marked next to them. Remove the screws in numerical order, then pull up on the white tabs for the video and the cooling assembly to remove them.
10. Turn the screw to the left of the square metallic processor found underneath the cooling assembly. Turn the screw until it stops, then lift the processor away from the laptop.
11. Remove the nine screws connecting the motherboard to the laptop. Three screws are at the edges of the hard drive cage located in the upper-left side of the laptop. Two screws are on the bottom of the disc drive cage located in the bottom left of the laptop. Two screws are on the yellow antennae located on the left edge of the laptop between the hard drive cage and the optical drive cage. Two screws are on the left edge of the battery bay located in the bottom right of the laptop.
12. Lift up the motherboard out of the laptop, then replace it with the new motherboard. Reverse steps 1-11 to reassemble the laptop.
Tags: away from, cooling assembly, drive cage, from computer, hard drive, then pull