Computer Tutorial

The Dell Vostro V13 laptop is one of those odd computers that allows you to access the internal components by removing the base. If you need to replace the hard drive or the audio board, which are assembled together inside the computer, you can get the job done in about a half-hour. The job isn't as easy to do as it is in computers with an external hard drive, but it's still fairly simple, considering that you don't have to disassemble the computer completely to take these components out.

1

Save all your important files and documents on a removable media device, such as a USB flash drive, external hard drive or CD.

Step 2

Shut down the computer and remove the power cable and all the externally munted devices from the system.

Step 3

Push in the Express card or Express card placeholder and the SD card or its placeholder to release them and then pull them out of their slots.

Step 4

Turn the computer over and extract the six screws on the base cover.

Step 5

Extract the screws on the left and right sides of the back of the computer.

Step 6

Slide the base cover toward the front of the computer and lift it to remove it.

Step 7

Locate the battery (the large black item on the front-right side of the computer) and disconnect the large, copper-colored ribbon cable that connects it to the motherboard.

Step 8

Extract the two screws on each side of the battery and lift it out of the computer.

Step 9

Disconnect the audio cable from its connector on the left side of the computer.

Step 10

Disconnect the copper-colored hard drive ribbon cable from its connector just above the audio cable connector.

Step 11

Extract the screw on the audio board and the two screws on the left and right sides of the hard drive.

Step 12

Lift the hard drive and audio board out of the computer.

Step 13

Slide the audio board out of the left side of the hard drive.

Step 14

Extract the four screws from the sides of the hard drive and remove the hard drive from its casing.

Step 15

Follow the instructions in reverse order to assemble the computer.

Use replacement parts if you're fixing or upgrading either the hard drive or the audio board.