Disassembling the PC - PROCEDURE:

Now you’re ready to get started. The following are the general steps to take to disassemble your PC’s system unit.

1. Determine whether your PC is still under warranty. If it is, call your vendor first – they have more experience, and you may invalidate your warranty by opening it up yourself. Next, determine whether you actually need to take apart your PC.
2. Find adequate, clean space on a tabletop, with good lighting in the work area.
3. Have the proper tools available, including a container in which you can store screws. Be equipped with antistatic wrist strap.
4. Turned off the PC and anything attached to it.
5. Remove the monitor and put it aside.
6. Unplug the PC and remove the cover, setting screws into the container discussed in step 3.

WARNING: Be careful that you don’t rip cables when removing the top; the metal cases used on most PCs can have very sharp edge.

7. Diagram the setup and internals before you begin removing anything, then rediagram as necessary to add information you couldn’t see when you first began, noting in particulars:

• Types and placement of cables
• Location and status of DIP switches and jumpers.
• Motherboard connections, including power supply, power, speaker, and keyboard (detach the battery only if it’s really necessary)

8. Start detaching the connections.
9. Remove the boards. Set the boards in a clean, safe location.

WARNING: Don’t force things. If a part won’t come out, stop and look again.

10. Remove drives (e.q. floppy disk drive, hard disk drive, CD-ROM drive & removable cartridge storage drive), along with their various drives screws and cables. Set the boards in a clean, safe location and store the screws in a container.
11. Remove the power supply. (see
12. Carefully remove the CPU by unlocking the locking lever on the ZIF socket or, if it’s in a LIF socket, by using a chip extraction tool to gently pry the CPU from the socket.
13. Carefully remove the motherboard as necessary for the type of case in use, being cautious not to bend it or exert undue pressure on it. Put this aside in a clean place where it can’t be jostled or knocked to the floor.
14. Evaluate the removed components, as desired.
15. Begin reassembling the PC while checking to make certain you’re not making one of the common errors, such as reversing the way cable should connect, forgetting to reconnect a wire, or failing to seat a board.