Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

17

Time Required

                          15 - 30 minutes

Sections

2

  • Base Panel
  • 3 steps
  • Hard Drive
  • 14 steps

Flags

1

Member-Contributed Guide

An awesome member of our community made this guide. It is not managed by iFixit staff.

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Introduction

To replace the hard drive of an Alienware 15, you will first need to remove the base panel. After that, you’ll need to move some cables before you can get to the hard drive.

What you need

Step 1

              Turn Off and Turn Over the Computer
  • After turning the computer off, close the display and turn the computer over.

After turning the computer off, close the display and turn the computer over.

1024

Step 2

              Remove the Back Panel Screws and Lift
  • After the computer base (#1) is facing up, use a Philips screwdriver to remove the two captive screws (#2) which hold the base panel (#3) down.
  • Then, use a spudger (#4) to lift up the panel. You can also use your fingernail to lift it as well.
  • After the front has been lifted up a bit, the non-screw side of the panel will need to be slid forward a little to finish lifting out the base panel from the computer.

After the computer base (#1) is facing up, use a Philips screwdriver to remove the two captive screws (#2) which hold the base panel (#3) down.

Then, use a spudger (#4) to lift up the panel. You can also use your fingernail to lift it as well.

After the front has been lifted up a bit, the non-screw side of the panel will need to be slid forward a little to finish lifting out the base panel from the computer.

Step 3

              Optional: Disconnect the Battery
  • You don’t need to disconnect the laptop’s battery if you are only replacing the back panel: only perform this step if you will be handling or replacing the electrical components of the computer.
  • Disconnect the battery cable from the system board by pulling up on the battery connector (#1).
  • Turn the computer back over and open the display to the point where you can press the power button.
  • Press and hold the power button for 4 seconds to ground the system board so that you can safely remove components such as the RAM.

You don’t need to disconnect the laptop’s battery if you are only replacing the back panel: only perform this step if you will be handling or replacing the electrical components of the computer.

Disconnect the battery cable from the system board by pulling up on the battery connector (#1).

Turn the computer back over and open the display to the point where you can press the power button.

Press and hold the power button for 4 seconds to ground the system board so that you can safely remove components such as the RAM.

Step 4

              Remove Cables
  • CAUTION : Hard drives are fragile. Exercise care when handling the hard drive.
  • CAUTION : To avoid data loss, do not remove the hard drive while the computer is in sleep or on state.
  • Remove the keyboard-backlight cable, keyboard cable, and macro-keys cable from the routing guides on the computer base. You do not need to unlatch these cables from their connectors.

CAUTION : Hard drives are fragile. Exercise care when handling the hard drive.

CAUTION : To avoid data loss, do not remove the hard drive while the computer is in sleep or on state.

Remove the keyboard-backlight cable, keyboard cable, and macro-keys cable from the routing guides on the computer base. You do not need to unlatch these cables from their connectors.

Step 5

              Remove Hard Drive Assembly Screws
  • Remove the screws that secure the hard-drive assembly to the computer base.

Remove the screws that secure the hard-drive assembly to the computer base.

Step 6

              Disconnect Hard Drive
  • Using the pull tab, disconnect the hard-drive cable from the system board.
  • Note the hard-drive cable routing and remove the cable from the routing guides on the computer base.

Using the pull tab, disconnect the hard-drive cable from the system board.

Note the hard-drive cable routing and remove the cable from the routing guides on the computer base.

Step 7

              Remove Hard Drive
  • Lift and slide the hard-drive assembly off the computer base.

Lift and slide the hard-drive assembly off the computer base.

Step 8

              Remove Hard Drive From Assembly
  • Remove the screws that secure the hard-drive bracket to the hard-drive assembly.

Remove the screws that secure the hard-drive bracket to the hard-drive assembly.

Step 9

              Lift the Hard Drive off the Bracket
  • Lift the hard-drive bracket off the hard-drive assembly.

Lift the hard-drive bracket off the hard-drive assembly.

Step 10

              Disconnect Hard Drive From interposer
  • Disconnect the interposer from the hard drive.

Disconnect the interposer from the hard drive.

Step 11

              Connect Interposer to Replacement Drive
  • Connect the interposer to the new hard drive. The new drive must be a 2.5 inch hard drive.

Connect the interposer to the new hard drive. The new drive must be a 2.5 inch hard drive.

Step 12

              Align Hard Drive With Screw Holes
  • Align the screw holes on the hard-drive bracket with the screw holes on the hard-drive assembly.

Align the screw holes on the hard-drive bracket with the screw holes on the hard-drive assembly.

Step 13

              Replace Screws
  • Replace the screws that secure the hard-drive bracket to the hard-drive assembly.

Replace the screws that secure the hard-drive bracket to the hard-drive assembly.

Step 14

              Slide Hard Drive Assembly Into Computer Base
  • Slide the hard-drive assembly under the tab on the computer base and align the screw holes on the hard-drive assembly with the screw holes on the computer base.

Slide the hard-drive assembly under the tab on the computer base and align the screw holes on the hard-drive assembly with the screw holes on the computer base.

Step 15

              Secure the Hard Drive Assembly
  • Replace the screws that secure the hard-drive assembly to the computer base.

Replace the screws that secure the hard-drive assembly to the computer base.

Step 16

              Route and Connect The Hard Drive Cable
  • Route the hard-drive cable through the routing guides on the computer base.
  • Connect the hard-drive cable to the system board.

Route the hard-drive cable through the routing guides on the computer base.

Connect the hard-drive cable to the system board.

Step 17

              Route and Connect Keyboard Cables
  • Route the keyboard-backlight cable, keyboard cable, and macro-keys cable back through their routing guides on the computer base.

Route the keyboard-backlight cable, keyboard cable, and macro-keys cable back through their routing guides on the computer base.

If you have followed all these instructions, then your hard drive should be reinstalled!

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                    Johnathan Hammond

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