Tutorial or link for disassembly of A31

[volunteer]

As the donated A31 is mostly likely not rfixable with our economic restraints, it might be a project laptop. Is there a tutorial of website for taking one of these apart. I want to treat it as if it were fixable even though that isn't too likely.

[rkawakami]

There's not a complete site (as far as I know) showing the full disassembly of an A3x system. The best thing to do is grab a copy of the Hardware Maintenance Manual from here:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-39796

That should show you everything you need to know about how to take it apart (and put it back together again). There's some videos at lenovo.com but they only cover the basics: removing the memory, hard drive or battery.

[volunteer]

I had downloaded the maintenance manual. It doesn't take into account inexperience with laptops. Do I need to remove the modem card in order to remove the CMOS battery? The illustration just shows it removed with a black clip? that was around it. I don't see anywhere to release that black clip and pull it forward.

[rkawakami]

In order to get the CMOS battery out of an A31 system it may be necessary to remove the modem daughter card (don't have an A31 at my fingertips at the moment). The black clip should be part of the base or motherboard assembly and does not come out with the battery; it merely holds it in place so the battery doesn't flop around.

[volunteer]

Thanks you. Just because someone mentioned that removing the ethernet and modem cards brought their laptop back to life, just had to try it. I think I'm just going to set this laptop aside for sale as parts for someone with more experience. It looks like the laptop was probably taken apart to some degree as several screws are missing.

[ElbertR]

I have taken apart A31's and A31P's dozens of times. It's not that hard.

Here is part 1 on how I do it (from memory), this will expose the inner guts of the machine:

- Remove main battery;
- Remove drives from both Ultrabays;
- Remove cards from PCMCIA slots;
- Remove screw for HD cover (top left when A31 looking at the bottom and front side is facing you). This is the clearly visible screw, not the sunken screw all the way top left.
- Remove the HD by gently pulling/pushing the HD bezel out.
- Remove the 2 small screws now visible with the HD removed (1 short, 1 long). These have smaller heads than all the other screws;
- Remove 2 sunken screws holding on the keyboard: 1 center/middle bottom, 1 front/middle bottom
- With 1 finger gently push up against the bottom of the keyboard through the small opening next to the contacts for the battery. It should pop up easily
- Slowly remove the keyboard and disconnect the keyboard connector (pull up on the connector).
- There are 3 screws underneath the keyboard holding on the top bezel:
- Remove screw front/middle (underneath where mouse buttons would be)
- Remove screw Top/Middle (close to underneath where power-on button would be)
- Remove screw Left/Center (between heatsink and left ultrabay.
- Remove 4 sunken screws on bottom, 1 in each corner.
- Gently pop up the top/keyboard bezel, start at the front and slide it out from underneath the screen.

Will type up a part 2 sometime in the next week or so.