Thinkpads Forum

Hi
I have taken various courses on repairing PCs, Printers etc., but I won't even attempt a look into a laptop for fear of breaking something when opening it up. Does anyone know of any training available on laptop repair?

Yes there is. It is called self-training . Since you've been into PC and printer repair courses, you are already adequately equipped (sans the confidence and certification, of course) to open up a laptop.

Start with the Thinkpad Hardware Maintenance Manuals by downloading them from the IBM site. Get parts machines from eBay. I recommend the Thinkpad 600e since there are lots of them, cheap (so that you don't have to curse to high heavens if you break something) yet with a performance that meets most of the computing needs of the average user. The best part is you have the great folks here of Thinkpads forums to help bail you out if you got bogged down.

Cheers.

I did exactly as Rick suggests. I've cobbled together a half-dozen 600's into working condition, all from parts machines off eBay. I've supplied my family and friends with laptops at little cost. However, I now have a lot of "pieces" lying about.
The 600 is "easy" to take apart the second time.
FWIW, here are some tips.
Get the hardware maintenance manual from the IBM web site.
Take care in removing the black disks that cover the screws holding the
keyboard. They are the ones on the bottom with an arrow next to them. The ones without an arrow need not be removed. Be careful, the little disks fly away like tiddley (sp) winks.
Keep the disks on wax paper for replacement later. Place the screws on a sheet of paper marking their relative positions because they're of different lengths. There are screws at the edges where the hard drive and the CD-ROM are so you have to remove those pieces to get at the screws. There's also one screw near the battery terminal.
There is one screw on the top of the keyboard near the IBM logo. It is
under a black disk.
BE VERY CAREFUL when you lift up the keyboard. The keyboard ribbon
connector is fairly substantial, but the smaller ribbon cable for the
speakers is fragile (I've ruined two in the past) I've been more successful if I can get the keyboard cable off first, then move the keyboard towards the front to expose the speaker cable.
Even with all the screws removed, the keyboard resists coming up. It is
held at the edges with small tips that are inserted into the base. You have
to gently push the keyboard towards the center as you try to lift it up.
Once the keyboard is off, all the components on the MB are accessible.
This all sounds more complicated than it is.

Take a service manual nad just browse a bit tru it... it's nice to know a few things!!!