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Fixing a laptop isn't nearly as scary as you might think.

Summary

Most traditional "clamshell" laptops are relatively straightforward to disassemble and repair. Although they don't contain as many standard parts as a desktop computer, most parts can be replaced and some can be upgraded.

If you decide a laptop is beyond repair there may still be the possibility of reusing a few of the components.

Unfortunately, newer ultra-thin laptops offer less scope, and a few are virtually unrepairable.

Safety

Backup important data before you start. Things don't often go badly wrong, but why take the risk?

Before starting work, disconnect the power and remove a user-replaceable battery if there is one.

Consider whether you need to take antistatic precautions. Brushes and vacuum cleaners can create static.

Before you start

For any but the most basic tasks, the first thing to do is to search for an online repair or disassemble guide or video. One of the best places to look is iFixit.com but a search engine will give others. Many laptops come in several variants so if you can't find your precise model then take a look at a the guides for the closest match and it should give you a very good idea how to proceed.

The only tools you will normally need are a set of small screwdrivers and a prying tool - a thin-bladed tool for prying open the clips which very often hold the case together. The iFixit Jimmy is ideal. A knife, preferably with a round end and not too sharp will do if you have nothing else.

For the intermediate level tasks you will also need a means of organising the screws. Pill boxes are an excellent choice but egg boxes will do. Be sure to make a note of which compartment contains the screws from which disassembly step. Another good solution is to stick the screws to a sheet of paper with Blu-tac, and to write against each blob of Blu-tac where those screws came from. So long as you only use half the sheet you can fold it over in order to keep the screws reasonably safe if you need to come back later to complete the job.

What can you do?

The various tasks you can undertake are listed below, grouped roughly according to difficulty for a typical laptop. However, some tasks may be harder for some laptops.

Easy

Battery removal or replacement

Many laptops allow you to remove the battery simply by releasing a couple of catches. Often, one is spring loaded. With newer ultra-thin and convertible laptops you will probably need to remove the case back. Look for an online guide to show you how.

Unfortunately, sourcing replacement batteries is something of a minefield. Genuine manufacturer's batteries tend to be outrageously expensive, and if they have been sitting on a shelf for several years they may already be loosing capacity. After market batteries may or may not be worth the money and may even be pulled from scrap laptops. Always make sure the seller has a credible returns policy and check their reputation. A good mid price battery may well be re-manufactured with fresh cells.

RAM replacement or upgrade

Upgrading your RAM is probably the easiest upgrade you can do. You can usually access the RAM slots simply by removing a cover on the base.

If your laptop has a 32 bit processor or runs a 32 bit version of Windows and has less than 4GB of RAM, then upgrading to 4GB (the maximum it can use) is generally well worth while and relatively inexpensive.

(If you're not sure whether your laptop is 32 or 64 bit, press the Windows key and "R" and type msinfo32. Press Return. A complete run-down of your computer's resources will be given.)

Upgrading a 64 bit laptop beyond 4GB may well be worthwhile, particularly if you do graphics, video or audio editing, or commonly have many browser tabs open.

Replacement of a damaged or faulty keyboard

Many people put up with a damaged or unreliable keyboard without realising just how cheap and easy it might be to replace.

Search for an online guide. Quite commonly, all you have to do is release a series of catches along one long edge of the keyboard in order to lift it out. A ribbon cable will still be connecting it to the motherboard, and you can release this by carefully lifting or releasing a clamping bar.

On some laptops the keyboard is additionally held in place by one or more screws which you have to unscrew from the bottom of the case. On others, it's integral with the case top, but still not that hard to remove.

Replacement keyboards for most models of laptop are available online for around £20. Make sure you get one for your exact model. Also, make sure you get one with the right national keyboard layout, otherwise you may find some keys in unfamiliar places.

Hard disk replacement or upgrade

Very often you can access the hard disk simply by removing a cover on the base. On some laptops, particularly consumer grade ones, a first level of disassembly may be required.

Replacing a hard disk with a solid state disk is probably the most effective way of injecting new life into an old laptop. But if it's running slowly because of unwanted software, pop-ups or viruses then you should tackle these first.

If you are running out of storage space then fitting a larger hard disk is easy. Laptop hard disks are highly standardised in size though they do come in several different thicknesses. If you are fitting one with a higher capacity, check that it's no thicker than the old one.

If you're happy to reinstall your operating system on your new disk then that's the easiest way to go. To copy your existing system you will need appropriate disk cloning software.

Just a little harder

Replacing the WiFi adapter

WiFi is supposed to be standardised, but nevertheless sometimes a particular brand of adapter will sometimes refuse to work reliably with a particular router. The WiFi adapter is often a small easily replaceable board.

It may be easily accessible along with the RAM and the hard disk under a cover on the bottom of the case. Gently lift off the two antenna connectors and remove one or two screws holding it in place, then remove the adapter from the socket it fits in, similar to a RAM socket.

On some laptops the WiFi adapter may not be quite so easily accessed, requiring a first level of disassembly.

Cleaning the fan

After a few years it's very common for the fan, or more usually the cooling fins, to get clogged with matted dust. This will cause the laptop to overheat, the fan to run continuously, and may cause the laptop to crash.

Cleaning the fan is not difficult but usually requires fairly extensive disassembly of the laptop, which may be daunting. Don't be put off. Given a good disassembly guide, this is perfectly doable.

Replacing the power connector

A damaged power connector which no longer connects reliably is not uncommon. In many cases it's replaceable. As with cleaning the fan, this is likely to require fairly extensive disassembly but often, the power connector itself is easily removed from the case and simply plugs into the motherboard via a flying lead.

If you're unlucky you may find the power connector is soldered directly to the motherboard, in which case you will need to be confident with a soldering iron to replace it.

More difficult

Fixing a broken hinge

A broken laptop hinge is a very common problem. Unfortunately it's nearly always not the hinge itself that's broken but the plastic the hinge is attached to. The hinge screws usually screw into brass bushes set in plastic pillars which are part of the case moulding. These pillars are simply not strong enough in many laptops and break off.

Repair can be quite difficult. If you glue the plastic pillar back to the case it has to be positioned very precisely if it's not to be strained when you screw the hinge back to it. If possible, it's best to glue the pillar back to the case, still attached to the hinge, in order to position it accurately. Rapid setting two part epoxy glue is best, and once it's lightly glued, build up more epoxy around the break to reinforce it.

Cracked casing

If the laptop has been dropped the case may be cracked or broken. A cover or bezel may be broken so that it keeps falling off and this may be challenging to repair.

If the strain of the hinge is causing the case to start to crack you can maybe build up a layer of reinforcement across the crack with epoxy glue, or glue a piece of an old circuit board across the crack.

In addition to epoxy, you may be able to find an inventive way of using thermoplastics for case repairs.

Replacing the screen

A laptop screen can get cracked though physical abuse, or may become faulty, for example showing horizontal or vertical bars across the screen. There are two options: either you can change just the LCD display panel or you can replace the entire laptop lid with a spare, probably taken from a scrap laptop of the same model. Which you choose may depend on availability of spares, ease of disassembly of the laptop, and whether the existing lid itself is damaged and in need of replacement.

Replacement of the the entire lid will require a fairly extensive disassembly, but don't be daunted! In addition to the screen data cable there may be another cable for the screen backlight, probably two for the WiFi antennae and another for the webcam, if fitted.

Replacing just the LCD panel may be easier. Typically there will be a couple of screws securing the bezel, with adhesive covers hiding their heads for cosmetic purposes. After removing these, the bezel can be unclipped from the shell of the lid using a prying tool. The screws holding the LCD panel in the shell will now be revealed, and removing these allows the panel to be carefully angled forwards enabling you to disconnect the data cable.

Replacing or upgrading the processor

In most traditional clamshell laptops the processor is in a socket rather than soldered to the motherboard, and in principle, can be fairly easily replaced. You might want to do that if you believe that a faulty processor is causing frequent crashes, though it would be hard to come to make that diagnosis with any level of confidence. You could perhaps fit a slightly faster processor to bring it up to the specification of a more powerful variant of the same model of laptop but it's doubtful whether the effort and expense would be worth it.

The heat pipe and cooling grill are permanently attached to the heatsink, and this can be detached from the processor by removing the screws or clips that hold it in place. A lever or quarter-turn screw will then release the processor from its zero insertion force socket. It's critical that all the old heatsink paste is cleaned of and new applied exactly as recommended otherwise the processor is liable to overheat.

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