Acer ASPIRE 1642 Service Manual

Acer Aspire 1642 Disassembly Guide

Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 3

What you will need ................................................................................................................................. 3

Removing/Replacing the CD Tray................................................................................................................ 4

Step 1 – Remove the Battery .................................................................................................................. 4

Step 2 – Remove top cover ..................................................................................................................... 4

Step 3 – Removing the Keyboard ............................................................................................................ 5

Step 4 – Remove the CD/DVD tray retaining screw ................................................................................ 6

Step 5 – Sliding out the CD/DVD tray ...................................................................................................... 6

Step 6 – Removing CD/DVD tray support ................................................................................................ 7

Step 7 -Taking the CD/DVD tray apart..................................................................................................... 8

Cleaning the Cooling Fan .......................................................................................................................... 10

Step 1 – Undo 2 screws, and remove a third ........................................................................................ 10

Step 2 – Remove Cover ......................................................................................................................... 10

Step 3 –Remove fan cover screws ........................................................................................................ 10

Step 4 – Time to Clean .......................................................................................................................... 11

Accessing the Wireless Module ................................................................................................................ 12

Step 1 – Undo Cover Screws ................................................................................................................. 12

Step 2 – Remove Cover ......................................................................................................................... 12

Step 3 – The Wireless Module .............................................................................................................. 13

Changing The RAM .................................................................................................................................... 14

Step 1 – Undo Cover Screws ................................................................................................................. 14

Step 2 – Remove Cover ......................................................................................................................... 14

Step 3 – Under the Cover ...................................................................................................................... 15

Step 4 – Removing the RAM ................................................................................................................. 16

Step 5 – Inserting New RAM ................................................................................................................. 16

Step 6 – Reassemble ............................................................................................................................. 16

Introduction

Welcome to my guide for disassembling an Acer Aspire 1642 Laptop. I’ve had problems with my CD drive and when ACER wouldn’t fix it I was forced to take things into my own hands. I was unable to find a

guide to remove the CD tray so I had a go and decided to make this guide along the way. It also covers installing new RAM, getting to the Wireless module, cleaning the cooling fan, and replacing the keyboard. I have experience in different aspects of computers (Hardware and Software), having built and maintained computers for around 7 years.

Safety and Warranty Warning

The procedures in this document are relatively simple, however should anything go wrong I cannot be held responsible. Virtually all laptop manufacturers and retailers will not repair a laptop once it has been opened by an unauthorized person (I.E Anyone but them), by following the guide below you will almost invariably void your warranty. Now that’s out of the way, lets crack open your laptop.

What you will need

Philips Screwdriver - At least one, medium to small size. For cleaning the fan you will need a small size.

Time – Takes around 30 minutes to disassemble and re-assemble, but don’t rush.

Removing/Replacing the CD Tray

Step 1 – Remove the Battery

This should be pretty self explanatory. If you can’t do this, stop here, don’t attempt anything else!!

Removing the battery isn’t actually critical to any of the following steps, but it’s always safer if there is

no power through the machine when you are working on it.

Step 2 – Remove top cover

We need to remove 3 screws on the back of the laptop (Circled). These are 2 on the left (Fig. 1), and 1 on the right (Fig. 2).

Fig. 1 Fig. 2

After removing the screws turn the laptop over and open up the screen until it is flat with the laptop. You can now lift up the top plastic cover which has the power and Acer buttons embedded in it. This should lift up from the back with little resistance. Fig.3 is the laptop with this cover removed.

Fig. 4

Alignment Tabs

Ribbon Cable

Fig. 3

Step 3 – Removing the Keyboard

Now we need to remove the keyboard. First undo the 2 screws circled in Fig.3.

After this it is a case of manipulating the keyboard tray until it come out. The tray has tabs that hold it in place along the bottom, and also half way up along the sides. These are circled in red on Fig. 4.

While you are removing the keyboard tray it will probably feel as if you are pulling against something holding it down. This will be the adhesive that is between the underside of the tray and the laptop body. Don’t worry about the adhesive not re-sticking afterwards, the screws you have just removed do the job just fine.

When the keyboard finally comes loose there is a ribbon cable attaching it to the laptop body, so make sure you don’t pull it too hard and damage this cable. You have a choice of unplugging the cable or leaving it in. I left it plugged in, as you can easily turn the keyboard upside-down and rest it on the laptop body. If you need to replace the keyboard, now is the time to do it.

Fig. 5

Fig. 5 shows the laptop with the keyboard resting on it.

Step 4 – Remove the CD/DVD tray retaining screw

The retaining screw is circled in Fig.5. This step is as simple as removing that screw.

Step 5 – Sliding out the CD/DVD tray

Sliding sounds quite easy, this in fact was quite secure on my laptop. It took a good bit of pushing and pulling to remove the tray.

The best way I found was to push towards the edge of the laptop through the hole shown in Fig. 6, while simultaneously getting my fingernails in behind the gap underneath the laptop, where the CD/DVD tray slots in.

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