Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[jereboam]

Well, sort of

Can anyone advise me about dismantling a 10 year old laptop so I can replace the hard disk, as I think the one in there has given up the ghost?

I need a portable W2K system to run some elderly non-XP compatible software.  I don't have (or need) a newer laptop, and I can't afford to buy one at the moment, so I can't dual boot a suitable OS.  I haven't used the old one for ages, and now I try, it won't boot. 

I've managed to remove all the screws holding the base of the machine to the upper section, and the casing is loose all the way round except in one place.  There are no more screws, and I can't see anything causing it to stick, but it just won't budge.  I don't want to force it, so I'm just hoping someone can offer a helpful suggestion.

Don't think a picture will help, as it's not a well known brand, but I can post one later if it anyone needs it.

[tunnie]

Brand and model is going to be needed, as they are all different. However most i worked on just have 2 for the caddy, remove those and the hard drive slides out, in most cases whole back does not need to come off

[mantahatch]

Some laptops have the hard disk under a removable plastic cover, usually only need to remove one or two screws for it.
Others (older) you do have to seperate the the plastic halves.

Often they nicely hide screws under the keyboard, usual way to remove keyboard is it just flips out with a small screwdriver form the top. Or you remove a seperate smaller piece of plastic to reveal screws holdong down the keyboard (sony)

When removing keyboard be very careful of the ribboncable attaching it.

I have an old IPC laptop here, just needs a new keyboard. Also a fairly modern Acer Travelmate which just needs a new keyboard.

For all there faults I found sony laptops very easy to get into.

[jereboam]

It's an AJP 3420.  Ever heard of it?

I've just noticed that by loosening the back, a previously latched cover with a disk symbol on it has opened and the hard disk is visible.  But there's a clear plastic sheet ove it saying "do not remove".  I can't actually see how to remove it anyway, and it doesn't look like standard 2.5" disk.  Is that the "caddy" you were referring to?

[mantahatch]

Clear plastic sheet is usually just anti static protection. And most laptop hard drives do indeed have a caddy.

If you have not used for a while, is it just BIOS battery failed and not the hard drive it self ?

[tunnie]

older lappys have known hard disk to be under battery cover, yours look like this?

[jereboam]

Clear plastic sheet is usually just anti static protection. And most laptop hard drives do indeed have a caddy.

If you have not used for a while, is it just BIOS battery failed and not the hard drive it self ?

Don't think so - it boots past the CMOS stuff, but then hangs indefinitely as though it was trying repeatedly to read from disk.  TBH, I haven't actually tried to boot it up today - I spent hours on it a couple of months back and decided then that it must be the disk.  I've got a couple of spare 2.5" disks, so I thought I'd try that next.

[jereboam]

older lappys have known hard disk to be under battery cover, yours look like this?

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/803897/Misc/IMG_6670.jpg

Yep - thats the one.  The plate on the lower right covers the memory sticks and the hatch for the disk is on the RH edge under the 3 audio sockets.

[Mr Skrunts]

Generally take off the plastic cover, remove the plastic cover, undo any hard drive retaining screws and remove, them get somethig similar to a lolipop stick and insest at the end where it is connected and twist the stick gently, there will be a 1/4" + gap at the back of the hard drive where it will slide to, then with your finger nail just lift it ip from the end and remove it.

Make sre you touch something metal before you start to discharge anti static.

[jereboam]

Generally take off the plastic cover, remove the plastic cover, undo any hard drive retaining screws and remove, them get somethig similar to a lolipop stick and insest at the end where it is connected and twist the stick gently, there will be a 1/4" + gap at the back of the hard drive where it will slide to, then with your finger nail just lift it ip from the end and remove it.

Make sre you touch something metal before you start to discharge anti static.

Can't do that - the cover is on the edge of the  PC, so all I can see is the end (or side?) of the disk and there are no screws visible, and no way of gripping it. 

I looked under the memory sticks before, and there is a single screw there which seems to be sprung in some way.  Is it possible that this is retaining the disk (caddy) in place? 

[jereboam]

Generally take off the plastic cover, remove the plastic cover, undo any hard drive retaining screws and remove, them get somethig similar to a lolipop stick and insest at the end where it is connected and twist the stick gently, there will be a 1/4" + gap at the back of the hard drive where it will slide to, then with your finger nail just lift it ip from the end and remove it.

Make sre you touch something metal before you start to discharge anti static.

Can't do that - the cover is on the edge of the  PC, so all I can see is the end (or side?) of the disk and there are no screws visible, and no way of gripping it. 

I looked under the memory sticks before, and there is a single screw there which seems to be sprung in some way.  Is it possible that this is retaining the disk (caddy) in place? 

I can answer my own question - no it wasn't.  I've got the disk out.  Dead simple really - pull the bit of plastic that says "do not remove" and it slides out easily.

Thanks to all for the help.

Now, can I put it back together again...

[jereboam]

Not my day!

Thought I'd re-check the replacement disc before transferring it to the laptop.  Couldn't get it to run via USB.  Tried 2 other disks - they wouldn't work either.  Came to the conclusion that my PC USB interface must be faulty.  So I went and tried them out on my son's PC - they didn't work there either.

Do these things seize up if you don't use them for a while?  Is there anything I can do about it?  Hit with a hammer?  Wash them in soapy water? WD40?

 

[cem_devecioglu]

try connecting directly (not to lappy)  .. I dont think all of them can be donald..

[KW]

Do these things seize up if you don't use them for a while?

As a rule, no.
However we are talking electro-mechanical/electronic devices, and they can fail at ANY time for no apparent reason.

Is there anything I can do about it?

Confirm the USB interface is good by using a known good hard drive.
You could also grab a copy of Hiren's and test the disk drive directly on the laptop itself.

[eddie]

http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page

Start up-press F2 until BIOS screen comes up,go to advanced section and move 'CD-Rom' to top of boot list. Press F10 to save new settings.
Insert cd and restart.
When screen comes up see if you have access to hard drive.

Hard drive is commonly accessible via a hatch similar to the one lower right in the picture,some hinge up(after removing cover) to allow extraction. Some have to be pulled clear of the connector without any hinging motion.

What Laptop is it?

eddie