How To Disassemble HP Pavilion Dm1 - Inside My Laptop

Today I show how to disassemble a HP Pavilion dm1 laptop.

I’m working on the following model: HP Pavilion dm1z-4000 CTO Entertainment Notebook PC.

My goal is replacing failed cooling fan which is mounted on the bottom side of the motherboard. It means I’ll have to remove most internal components in order to get access to the fan.

During the disassembly process I’ll go through the following major steps:

STEP 1-7: Removing the bottom cover. Accessing the hard drive, CMOS battery, memory slots. STEP 8-18: Disconnecting and removing the keyboard. STEP 19-32: Separating the base assembly from the display. Removing the top cover. STEP 33-36: Removing the motherboard. Accessing the DC power jack. STEP 37-38: Disconnecting and removing the cooling fan.

STEP 1.

Make sure the computer is turned off and remove the battery.

HP Pavilion dm1 has a bottom cover but no screws.

In the following three steps I explain how to remove the cover.

STEP 2.

Slide the battery locking latch to the UNLOCKED position.

STEP 3.

While holding the battery latch in the unlocked position slide the bottom cover to the shown direction.

I had to apply some force in order to slide the cover.

STEP 4.

Lift up and remove the bottom cover.

Under the bottom cover you’ll get access to the following components: – hard drive – wireless card – CMOS battery – memory modules – cooling fan

STEP 5.

Remove one screw securing the hard drive mounting bracket.

STEP 6.

Lift up the hard drive assembly.

Disconnect the hard drive cable from the hard drive.

STEP 7.

Both memory modules located under the bottom cover.

My HP Pavilion dm1 had only one memory module installed.

It’s not necessary to disconnect the memory module for the purpose of my guide. I’ll leave it connected to the motherboard.

STEP 8.

Remove two rubber feet. You’ll have to lift them up with a sharp object.

Remove two screws found under those feet.

STEP 9.

Remove the left hinge cover.

STEP 10.

Remove the right hinge cover.

STEP 11.

Remove three screws securing the keyboard.

STEP 12.

There is an opening on the bottom through which you can see the keyboard. I’m pointing to it with the screwdriver.

Push on the keyboard with your finger.

STEP 13.

When you push on the keyboard through the opening on the bottom, the keyboard should lift up a little bit.

It should be enough to insert your fingers under the keyboard as it shown on the following picture.

STEP 14.

Carefully lift up the top side of the keyboard until it separates from the top cover.

STEP 15.

Turn the keyboard upside down and place it on the palmrest.

Now you can access the keyboard cable connector.

In the following two steps I explain how to unlock keyboard connector and release the cable.

STEP 16.

Lift up the left side of the locking tab with the fingernail.

The locking tab will open up at a 90 degree angle.

STEP 17.

On this picture the same connector shown in the unlocked position.

Pull the keyboard cable from the connector.

STEP 18.

Now you can remove the keyboard.

STEP 19.

Disconnect hard drive cable from the motherboard and remove it.

STEP 20.

Disconnect both antenna cables from the wireless card.

STEP 21.

Unroute both wireless antenna cables.

STEP 22.

Unplug the video cable connector from the motherboard.

STEP 23.

Remove two screws securing the display hinges.

STEP 24.

Lift up the base assembly and separate it from the display assembly.

STEP 25.

Remove seven screws from the bottom.

STEP 26.

Remove four screws from the top cover.

Disconnect the power button cable, touchpad cable and speaker cable.

STEP 27.

Unlock the power button cable connector and touchpad cable connector the same way as the keyboard connector.

Lift up the locking tab at a 90 degree angle.

STEP 28.

Pull the cable from the connector.

STEP 29.

The speaker cable has a regular male-female type of connector.

Unplug the speaker cable from the connector on the motherboard.

STEP 30.

Insert a piece of soft plastic (I’m using the guitar pick) between the top cover and laptop base and separate them from each other.

STEP 31.

Continue separating the cop cover assembly from the base.

STEP 32.

Top cover assembly removed.

Here’s the bottom side of the top cover assembly.

Here you can access the following components: – power button board – speakers – touchpad – touchpad button board

Now we’ll continue with removing the motherboard.

STEP 33.

It’s necessary to remove the wireless card in order to remove the motherboard.

Remove one screw securing the wireless card.

STEP 34.

Pull the wireless card from the slot and remove it.

STEP 35.

Start removing the motherboard from the left side.

STEP 36.

The motherboard removed.

Here’s the bottom side of the motherboard.

The DC power jack is not soldered to the motherboard. The DC power jack has a cable which is plugged into the motherboard.

If the DC jack failed, simply unplug it from the motherboard and replace with a new one.

STEP 37.

Remove two screws securing the cooling fan.

Disconnect fan cable from the motherboard.

STEP 38.

Lift up and remove the cooling fan.