How to Remove the Headphone Outlet From a Dell Laptop
- 1). Power off your Dell laptop, close the LCD screen and unplug the AC adapter and any other cables connected to notebook. Flip the laptop over and remove the battery pack.
- 2). Locate the screw on the bottom of your laptop with a picture of a “padlock” next to it. Loosen and remove the screw with the Phillips screwdriver, and then slide the optical drive out of the laptop shell.
- 3). Locate the screws on the bottom of the notebook that secure the hard drive tray. Remove the tray retaining screws. Pull the hard drive tray out of the notebook.
- 4). Locate the screw with a small picture of a memory module or an “M” label next to it. Remove the screw then remove the memory slot cover.
- 5). Slide the antistatic wrist strap on to your arm, and then clip the other end of the strap to a metal surface. Push out on the clips that secure the memory module in the slot until the module pops up. Remove the memory module from the notebook.
- 6). Remove the slot cover screw for the mini-wireless card if your Dell laptop has one. Remove the wireless card using the same method you used to remove the memory module. Disconnect the wireless card antenna cable from the card. Remove the wireless card from the notebook.
- 7). Flip the Dell notebook back over so that it is right side up. Open the LCD screen until fully extended or almost 180 degrees.
- 8). Insert an awl or flathead screwdriver in the narrow slot between the hinge cover or keyboard edge cover on the top row of keys on the Dell laptop keyboard. Use the tool to pry up the edge or hinge cove gently. After you pry up the cover, remove it from the laptop.
- 9). Use the screwdriver to remove the two screws above the top row of keys. Lift up on the top edge of the laptop keyboard until you can reach the ribbon cable underneath. Disconnect the keyboard ribbon cable from the laptop motherboard. Slide the keyboard out of the notebook shell.
- 10
Close the LCD screen on the laptop. Flip the notebook back over and remove the two screws in the top corners – the edge with the monitor hinges. Flip the laptop over again and rotate the unit so that the ports on the back of the notebook are visible. - 11
Remove the small screws at each corner on the rear side of the laptop. Open the LCD screen and unplug the wireless antenna cable from the motherboard. Lift up on the LCD screen to remove it from the laptop. - 12
Close the LCD screen and flip the laptop back over. Loosen and remove all remaining screws from the bottom of the notebook. - 13
Turn your Dell laptop right side up again. Loosen the screws that hold the palm rest and touch pad in place. Lift up on the palm rest and disconnect the touch pad cable from the motherboard. Remove the palm rest and touch pad assembly from the laptop. - 14
Loosen the lock washers that secure the microphone and headphone jacks to the laptop chassis. Lift up on the modular card connected to the jacks to remove it from the connector pins on the motherboard. Set the old modular card aside. - 15
Push the new modular card down on to the pins on the motherboard. Secure the jacks to the chassis with the lock washers. - 16
Replace the palm rest and touch pad assembly. Reverse the steps used to disassemble the laptop to put it back together again. - 17
Reinsert the battery pack and connect the AC power adapter. Use the laptop as you normally would with headphones or external speakers.
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