Dell Inspiron 15 N5010 Hard Disk Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

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Sections

RAM, CD/DVD drive or Keyboard
4 steps
Hard Disk
3 steps

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What you need

Step 1

              Battery removal

Turn the laptop over and unlock the battery by sliding the two locking tabs away from each other. The one on the left is spring loaded. Slide the battery out.
Simply slide the battery out in the direction shown.

Turn the laptop over and unlock the battery by sliding the two locking tabs away from each other. The one on the left is spring loaded. Slide the battery out.

Simply slide the battery out in the direction shown.

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Step 2

              RAM removal

Undo the locking screw on RAM cover, then prise open the cover.
Release the RAM module or modules by pushing the metal clips outwards. Put the modules aside.
On reinserting the RAM modules, ensure that they are fully home in their sockets before angling them downwards to engage the clips.

Undo the locking screw on RAM cover, then prise open the cover.

Release the RAM module or modules by pushing the metal clips outwards. Put the modules aside.

On reinserting the RAM modules, ensure that they are fully home in their sockets before angling them downwards to engage the clips.

Step 3

              Bottom screws

Note: if the laptop you are working on is a very slightly different model it is possible that it will have a different number of screws in slightly different positions. The important thing is to note where the shorter screws come from so as to avoid inserting a longer screw in its place on reassembly.
Remove a 5mm screw to the left of the RAM sockets, then pull out the CD/DVD drive. (Not necessary if you are only replacing the keyboard.)
Remove a 5mm screw to the right and the rear of the RAM sockets. If you just want to replace the keyboard, skip to the next step.
If you are going to remove the hard disk, motherboard or fan, remove 4 3mm screws.
Remove 7 5mm screws. (There are 6 more at the rear which should be left.)

Note: if the laptop you are working on is a very slightly different model it is possible that it will have a different number of screws in slightly different positions. The important thing is to note where the shorter screws come from so as to avoid inserting a longer screw in its place on reassembly.

Remove a 5mm screw to the left of the RAM sockets, then pull out the CD/DVD drive. (Not necessary if you are only replacing the keyboard.)

Remove a 5mm screw to the right and the rear of the RAM sockets. If you just want to replace the keyboard, skip to the next step.

If you are going to remove the hard disk, motherboard or fan, remove 4 3mm screws.

Remove 7 5mm screws. (There are 6 more at the rear which should be left.)

Step 4

With a thin metal spudger you should now be able to release 4 clips along the top of the keyboard in order to lift it out.
If you find one or more of the tabs refuse to release, do not force it. You probably missed one (or more) of the screws in the bottom.
Lift the keyboard slightly from the back, disengaging its tabs along the front panel at the front. Turn it over towards you, taking care not to strain the ribbon.
Gently lift the locking bar on the ribbon socket and withdraw the ribbon. Put the keyboard aside.

With a thin metal spudger you should now be able to release 4 clips along the top of the keyboard in order to lift it out.

If you find one or more of the tabs refuse to release, do not force it. You probably missed one (or more) of the screws in the bottom.

Lift the keyboard slightly from the back, disengaging its tabs along the front panel at the front. Turn it over towards you, taking care not to strain the ribbon.

Gently lift the locking bar on the ribbon socket and withdraw the ribbon. Put the keyboard aside.

Step 5

              Hard Disk

Gently lift the black locking tabs and disconnect the 3 narrow ribbon cables.
On reassembly, after closing the locking tabs, pull gently on the ribbons. If they come out of the sockets then they weren’t fully inserted. Fully inserting them can be a little fiddly, and tweezers can help.
Remove 5 screws labelled M2.5x5 on the mid plate.

Gently lift the black locking tabs and disconnect the 3 narrow ribbon cables.

On reassembly, after closing the locking tabs, pull gently on the ribbons. If they come out of the sockets then they weren’t fully inserted. Fully inserting them can be a little fiddly, and tweezers can help.

Remove 5 screws labelled M2.5x5 on the mid plate.

Step 6

Using a spudger, release the front panel from its clips on the front and both sides. If you cannot easily release it, it will be because you have missed one of the screws on the bottom.
Once released, gently lift the front panel and put it aside.

Using a spudger, release the front panel from its clips on the front and both sides. If you cannot easily release it, it will be because you have missed one of the screws on the bottom.

Once released, gently lift the front panel and put it aside.

Step 7

Lift the hard drive connector out of its socket and hence remove the hard drive.
If you are replacing the hard drive with another one (or with an SSD), transfer the connector from the old drive to the new. This simply pushes on.

Lift the hard drive connector out of its socket and hence remove the hard drive.

If you are replacing the hard drive with another one (or with an SSD), transfer the connector from the old drive to the new. This simply pushes on.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                    Philip Le Riche

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Sandor Felho - Jul 1, 2020

In Step 4, lift the black locking bar going from the left edge where the ribbon meets the black bar and gentle pulling upward. The spudger (flat end) was handy to pry the black bar upward; the black locking bar is very stiff. Initially, I was at a loss as to how lifting the locking bar was accomplished.

Advit Singh - Feb 20, 2022

Amazing work

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