Replace the Motherboard in a HP NW8440
Your Compaq nw8440 laptop's motherboard is the main circuit board where all of your computer's hardware is connected. Replacing it is no simple task, and should be attempted under the supervision of an experienced laptop technician. Motherboard removal requires completely disassembling the outer casing of your laptop, and all hardware devices connected to your motherboard. Dissecting your laptop to this extent will most likely violate the terms of your Compaq nw8440 laptop's warrant agreement.
Instructions
1. Shut down your laptop and disconnect all cables and devices from your laptop's ports. Close the LCD screen, place the laptop face down with the front edge of the laptop facing toward you. Then remove the battery pack from the bottom casing of the laptop. Remove the three Phillips-head screws from inside the battery compartment.
2. Locate the memory compartment door on the bottom casing of the laptop. Remove the single Phillips-head screw securing the memory compartment door to the laptop. Grasp the top edge of the compartment door and remove it from the laptop.
3. Determine the first RAM module you want to remove from the memory compartment. Spread the retaining tabs on each side of the module. Tilt the module at a 20-degree angle and slide it out of the memory compartment. Repeat this step for each RAM module you remove from the laptop.
4. Locate the RTC battery next to the memory compartment. The RTC battery resembles a large watch battery. Grasp the battery between your fingers and lift it out of the RTC battery compartment. Set it aside.
5. Remove the single screw securing the hard drive compartment door to the bottom casing of the laptop. Remove the drive compartment door. Remove the single Phillips-head screw securing the hard drive to the drive compartment. Grasp the tab protruding from the hard drive, and then lift the hard drive out of its compartment and set it aside.
6. Remove the single Torx 8 screw on the bottom casing of the laptop that secures the CD/DVD drive to the laptop. Insert a small, flat-head screwdriver into the slot next to the screw you just removed. Push down until the CD/DVD drive disengages from the laptop. Slide the drive out of its compartment and set it aside.
7. Remove the two Phillips-head screws on the bottom casing of the laptop securing the keyboard assembly to the laptop casing. The two screws are located near the center of the laptop's bottom casing, and are about three to four-inches apart from each other. Place the laptop face-up and open the LCD screen.
8. Locate the four locking tabs behind the top row of keys on the keyboard. Grasp the keyboard from behind the top row of keys, and tilt the keyboard upward until the keyboard's ribbon cable is exposed. Disconnect the keyboard ribbon connector from the motherboard. Remove the keyboard from the laptop completely.
9. Locate the cooling fan assembly inside the laptop. Remove the four retaining Phillips-head screws from the cooling fan assembly. Grasp the cooling fan and lift it out of the laptop. Remove the four Phillips-head screws securing the thermal plate to the motherboard. The thermal plate is the metal plate that surrounded the cooling fan assembly. Lift the thermal plate out of the laptop and set it aside.
10. Remove the four Phillips-head screws securing the heatsink to the motherboard. Grasp the right side of the heatsink, and then lift up on it until the heatsink completely disconnects from the processor. Slide the heatsink to the right, and then lift it out of the motherboard.
11. Use a flat-head screwdriver to turn the processor's locking screw in the counter-clockwise direction one-quarter of a turn, or until the processor is released from its socket. Lift the processor straight up, and then remove it from the laptop.
12. Close the LCD screen and place the laptop face-down. Remove the single Phillips-head screw from the bottom casing that secures the touchpad to the laptop. The screw is located near the center of the bottom casing of the laptop. Flip the laptop over, and then open the LCD screen again.
13. Grasp the top edge of the touchpad, and then slowly lift up on the touchpad until it separates from the laptop casing. Locate the touchpad cable on the bottom side of the touchpad. Follow the cable to where it connects to the motherboard, and then disconnect the touchpad cable from the motherboard. Remove the touchpad from the laptop.
14. Grasp the hinge cover and remove it from the laptop and set it aside. The hinge cover is the thin strip of plastic covering the LCD hinges. The hinge should come right off at this point.
15. Disconnect the PCI antenna cables from the PCI card located near the front of the laptop base. Disconnect the LCD cable from the motherboard. Remove the three Phillips-head screws from each LCD hinge, and then slowly lift LCD screen off the laptop's base.
16. Place the laptop face-down, and then remove all Torx 8 screws from the bottom casing of the laptop. There are 11 screws total. Place the laptop base face-up, disconnect the fingerprint reader cable from the motherboard, and then remove the remaining four Torx 8 screws that secure the upper casing to the laptop. Lift up on the front edge of the top casing, and then slowly lift the rest of the casing off the laptop.
17.Locate the modem board near the center of the motherboard. Remove the four Phillips-head screws that secure the modem card to the motherboard. Disconnect the modem cable from the motherboard, and then lift the modem card out of the motherboard and set it aside.
18. Disconnect the remaining cables from the motherboard, and then remove the remaining four Torx 8 screws that fasten the motherboard to the base of the laptop.
19. Grasp the motherboard and slide it to the right until all the external ports and connectors are clear of their slots on the side casing of the laptop's base. Lift the motherboard out of the laptop and set it aside very carefully.
20. Install the replacement motherboard by repeating this process in reverse.
Tags: casing laptop, bottom casing, from laptop, bottom casing laptop, Phillips-head screws