The video card replacement procedure on the Dell Inspiron 1720 is a momentous task that requires a near-complete disassembly of the computer. The video card is part of an assembly that is attached to the motherboard, so you'll have to strip the computer down to gain access to it. The manual labor isn't difficult (you don't have to wrestle with the computer), but there are so many screws to remove and cables to disconnect that you may lose count.
Instructions
External Disassembly and Keyboard Removal
1. Ensure that the optical drive is empty.
2. Shut down the computer and disconnect the power cable.
3. Remove the cables and peripheral devices from the computer.
4. Turn over the computer, press the battery release latch, and slide the battery out of its bay.
5. Locate the optical drive screw to the right of the memory module compartment (the square-shaped compartment in the middle of the computer base). Extract the screw.
6. Insert a screwdriver into the hole where the optical drive screw was and push the tab inside to the right to release the optical drive. Slide the optical drive out of the computer.
7. Wear a wrist grounding strap or periodically touch an unpainted metal object from this point on to keep from transferring static electricity to the internal components of the computer.
8. Locate the hard drive compartment at the top-left corner of the base. Extract the two screws on the cover and remove it to expose the hard drive.
9. Extract the three screws that secure the hard drive to the compartment and lift the hard drive out of the compartment.
10. Turn the computer over and open the display as far as it will go.
11. Insert a flat-head screwdriver into the indentation at the far-right side of the hinge cover (also called the keyboard bezel or center control cover). Pry the hinge cover up and remove it from the computer by lifting from right to left.
12. Extract the four screws at the top of the keyboard.
13. Lift the keyboard toward the display and then raise it to disengage it from the keyboard connector. Remove the keyboard from the computer.
Display Removal and Video Card Replacement
14. Close the display, turn the computer over, and locate the Mini Card compartment at the bottom-right corner of the base.
15. Extract the two screws on the Mini Card compartment cover and remove the cover.
16. Disconnect the antenna cables from the Mini Card, if there is one installed.
17.Extract the two hinge screws outside of the battery bay.
18. Turn over the computer and turn it so that the back faces you. Extract the two hinge screws on the back of the computer.
19. Turn the computer around and open the display.
20. Locate the display cable beneath the right corner of the display and extract the screw on it. Disconnect the display cable.
21. Disconnect the camera/microphone cable from its port beneath the middle of the display.
22. Remove the antenna cables from their channels under the palm rest and lift the display off the computer.
23. Locate the Bluetooth card compartment at the top-right corner of the computer (to the right of the display cable connector) and, if there is a card installed, disconnect the cables on it, and remove it from the computer.
24. Turn the computer over and extract 16 screws from the base. Hint: two screws are located inside the hard drive compartment--one on each side of the compartment divider.
25. Turn the computer over and extract the six palm rest screws at the top of the computer. Two are located between the hinges and the other four are situated in a straight line where the camera/microphone connector is located.
26
Disconnect the touchpad cable from the middle of the computer and remove the palm rest.
27
Locate the video card assembly in the middle of the motherboard. The assembly has a long, copper conduit extending from it toward the left. Extract the three screws that secure the assembly to the motherboard.
28
Lift the video card assembly out of the computer.
29
Follow the procedure in reverse order to install a new video card and assemble the computer.
Tags: hard drive, optical drive, computer over, from computer, base Extract, cover remove, display cable