Laptop Keyboard Replacement

ID: 147499

Description: The goal is to replace a keyboard that has been...

Flip the PC over; the screen hinge is at the top of the photo
Tools: Philips 0 screwdriver, flat screwdriver, a magnet on the blade of the Philips screwdriver makes it easier to recover the screws. Here magnet came from a HDD. A lamp allows you to see the screws at the bottom of the holes.
Translator note: more conveniently, use the magnet to magnetize the screwdriver, draw the blade across the magnet longitudinally, the more you do that the more it will be magnetized; advantage... the magnet doesn't fall off, stick to other things or block your view.
Unscrew the (18) bottom screws
Remove the bottom using a pick and a flat-head screwdriver.

Take out the optical drive (black circle in the photo) which is no longer screwed in (a bottom screw you already removed secured it).
Unscrew the 2 screws securing the connector that connects the optical drive to the motherboard (yellow circle) and unplug the connector.
Disconnect the cable connecting the motherboard to the trackpad board (orange circle). the lock pulls horizontally. the cable passes under the lock, between the board and the lock.
Unplug the cable connecting the speakers to the motherboard (green circle). The plug is pulled horizontally.
When unplugging the various cables, do not pull on the wires or cables. rather exert force on the plugs they are attached to with a plastic spudger or similar tool to avoid damaging them.

Disconnect the cable connecting the motherboard to the USB circuit - card reader - start buttons (red circle). The lock tilts upwards, the cable passes under the lock.
Unplug the power cable plug on the motherboard (green circle). The plug is pulled horizontally.

Unscrew the screw holding the 1TB disk (red circle). The other screw was threaded through the bottom. Unplug and remove the disk.
The other disk, 128 GB will remain attached to the motherboard (yellow circle).
I chose not to separate the motherboard and the cooling system in order to avoid problems with loss of thermal conduction.

Disconnect the two coaxial antenna cables from the wifi card (blue circle). Be careful, the sockets are quite fragile. Keep the yellow insulation (Kaptan tape, if lost or not reusable cellophane tape will work).
Disconnect the screen ribbon cable (green circle). The lock swings upwards.
Locate the cable routing along the fan and under the hinge. release the cables. (Note: A photo of the routing may be helpful later as incorrectly routing them is very likely to cause damage on reassembly)

Unscrew the screws securing the fans: two per fan. In the images the screws are unscrewed.

Unscrew the two screws at the bottom of the motherboard (yellow circles).
Lift the fans and flip the motherboard toward the bottom of the photo.
The two keyboard cables pass through the metal support plate and are connected to the motherboard. The small one for the lighting and the large one for the keys. (Red Circles)
The locks pull horizontally. The cable contacts are on top and the locks are placed under the cables between the keyboard and the cable.

The metal plate supporting the keyboard is melt-fused to the bottom by protrusions passing through the keyboard. I broke them by forcing a flat-head screwdriver under the plate.. You can also melt them with a soldering iron. (Don't inhale the fumes!)
The screws securing the plate at the bottom were missing, when reassembling I used screws "inherited" from the removal of HDD disks. Diameter 2mm
The yellow kaptan tape(s) must be replaced when reassembling.
The broken keyboard to be replaced by the new keyboard

Perform the previous steps in reverse order.
The holes marked with an X will be used by the screws passing through the bottom

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