How to Disassemble an Acer 3660 Notebook

Disassembling your Acer Aspire laptop allows you access to your computer's hardware.

Laptop disassembly is a useful skill for any laptop user to master. Disassembling your Aspire 3660 can be challenging. There is not a lot of room to work with inside the computer; but, it will allow you to clean and troubleshoot your Acer laptop's components. It is also a good way to learn how your Acer Aspire is designed. If you know where all the hardware on your computer is located and connected, you will be able easily locate, remove and replace your hardware.

Things You'll Need

• Phillips-head screwdriver
• Flat-head screwdriver
• ESD wrist strap

Instructions

1. Shut down the laptop, unplug the AC power adapter and close the LCD screen. Flip the laptop over and rotate the laptop so the front opening is facing forward. Locate the battery in the upper right corner of the laptop. Press down on the battery release button. Remove the battery from the laptop.

2. Locate the hard drive compartment cover in the bottom left corner of the laptop. Remove the Phillips-head screws from the cover and remove it. Remove the four Phillips-head screws securing the hard drive to the compartment. Grasp the two black, plastic tabs protruding from the hard drive. Slide it to the left and then lift it out of the laptop.

3. Locate the RAM and wireless card compartment cover in the center of the laptop's bottom casing. Remove the retaining screws and then remove the cover. Remove each RAM module by spreading the locking latches on each side of the module. Tilt each module at an angle and slide each module of its respective memory slot.

4. Disconnect the two antenna cables from the wireless card. Remove the wireless card the same way you would a RAM module.

5. Locate the CD/DVD drive in the upper right corner of the laptop just below the battery compartment. Remove the single Phillips-head securing the drive in place. Push the drive out of its compartment by with a screwdriver. Grasp the front plate of the drive and slide it out of the drive compartment completely.

6. Remove all remaining Phillips-head screws from the laptop's bottom casing. Place the laptop face up. Open the LCD as far as it will go. Make sure LCD screen is in the 180 degree position. Disengage the power button panel from the laptop. The power button panel is the strip of plastic situated between the LCD screen and keyboard. The button panel is still connected to the motherboard, don't remove it completely.

7. Remove the single Phillips-head screw securing the keyboard in place. Grasp the keyboard from behind the top row of keys. Place the keyboard face down over the touch pad area. Disconnect the keyboard's ribbon cable from the motherboard. Remove the keyboard from the laptop. Be as gentle as possible when disconnecting the ribbon cable. If you break the connector on the motherboard, you will have to replace the entire motherboard.

8. Locate the power button panel connector in the access hole in the upper right corner of the top casing. Disconnect the cable and remove the power button panel from the laptop.

9. Locate and disconnect the LCD video cable in the upper right corner of the motherboard. Remove the single Phillips-head screw from each LCD hinge. Lift the LCD assembly off of the laptop's base.

10. Locate and disconnect the two small, white ribbon cables from the center of the motherboard. Grasp the edges of the laptop's upper casing. Lift up on the upper right corner until it is disengaged from the laptop's base. Repeat this for all four corners of the laptop's upper casing. Remove the upper casing.

Tips & Warnings

• Using an ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) wrist strap will prevent damage caused by static electricity.

References

• InsideMyLaptop: How to Clean Cooling Module in Acer Aspire 3620 Laptop
• Acer: Acer Aspire 3660 Specifications