Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

32

Time Required

                          35 minutes

Sections

8

  • Battery
  • 2 steps
  • Keyboard
  • 2 steps
  • Wi-Fi Module
  • 3 steps
  • Hard-Drive Assembly
  • 11 steps
  • Palm Rest
  • 4 steps
  • Display Assembly
  • 5 steps
  • DC Jack
  • 1 step
  • Motherboard
  • 4 steps

Flags

1

Member-Contributed Guide

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

  • BackDell Inspiron 15R 5537

  • Full Screen

  • Options

  • History

  • Save to Favorites

  • Download PDF

  • Edit

  • Translate

  • Get Shareable Link

  • Embed This Guide

  • Notify Me of Changes

  • Stop Notifications

Introduction

The motherboard is the fundamental element of your laptop, sort of like the brains behind everything. It connects all of the components of your laptop together. A faulty motherboard can result in freezing of your computer, blue screen of death, or a burning odor.

It is important to be sure to run a windows diagnostics test on your computer to ensure that your motherboard is the part having issues. You can also do a visual check of your motherboard by checking for blown capacitors or bent pins, but this can only be done if you break down your computer to where the motherboard is properly exposed.

Before beginning this guide, make sure your laptop is powered off and disconnected from any external power source.

What you need

Step 1

              Battery
  • Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer.
  • Close the display and turn over the computer to see the battery locking tabs.

Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer.

Close the display and turn over the computer to see the battery locking tabs.

1024

Step 2

  • Pull both of the locking tabs outwards until they both click to release the battery.
  • Pull the battery out by lifting it from the top and sliding it forward.

Pull both of the locking tabs outwards until they both click to release the battery.

Pull the battery out by lifting it from the top and sliding it forward.

Step 3

              Keyboard
  • Turn the laptop over so that the keyboard is facing up.
  • Use an opening tool to pry the keyboard from the base of the laptop.
  • Once the top of the keyboard is released, slide the keyboard upwards.
  • Be sure not to pull the keyboard straight up; this could damage the keyboard ribbon cable.

Turn the laptop over so that the keyboard is facing up.

Use an opening tool to pry the keyboard from the base of the laptop.

Once the top of the keyboard is released, slide the keyboard upwards.

Be sure not to pull the keyboard straight up; this could damage the keyboard ribbon cable.

Step 4

  • Use an opening tool to remove the keyboard ribbon from the latch by lifting the tab on top.
  • Once lifted, disconnect the ribbon and replace with a new keyboard.

Use an opening tool to remove the keyboard ribbon from the latch by lifting the tab on top.

Once lifted, disconnect the ribbon and replace with a new keyboard.

Step 5

              Wi-Fi Module
  • Once the keyboard is removed, the Wi-Fi module will be accessible.

Once the keyboard is removed, the Wi-Fi module will be accessible.

Step 6

  • Use the opening tool to lift both antenna cables upward from the Wi-Fi module.

Use the opening tool to lift both antenna cables upward from the Wi-Fi module.

Step 7

  • Remove the 3mm Phillips #000 screw securing the Wi-Fi module.
  • Lift the Wi-Fi module up and out of the laptop.

Remove the 3mm Phillips #000 screw securing the Wi-Fi module.

Lift the Wi-Fi module up and out of the laptop.

Step 8

              CAUTION
  • WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in “Before You Begin”. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in “After Working Inside Your Computer”.
  • CAUTION: To avoid data loss, do not remove the hard drive while the computer is in Sleep or On state.
  • CAUTION: Hard drives are extremely fragile. Exercise care when handling the hard drive.

WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in “Before You Begin”. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in “After Working Inside Your Computer”.

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

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

Step 9

              Remove the 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 10

              Sliding the Hard Drive Assembly
  • Slide the hard-drive assembly forward to disconnect the hard-drive assembly from the system board.

Slide the hard-drive assembly forward to disconnect the hard-drive assembly from the system board.

Step 11

              Lifting the Hard Drive Assembly
  • Using the pull-tab, lift the hard-drive assembly out of the computer base.

Using the pull-tab, lift the hard-drive assembly out of the computer base.

Step 12

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

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

Step 13

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

Lift the hard-drive bracket off the hard drive.

Step 14

              Align the Screw Holes
  • Align the screw holes on the hard-drive bracket with the screw holes on the NEW hard drive.

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

Step 15

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

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

Step 16

              Placing the Hard Drive Assembly
  • Slide and place the hard-drive assembly in the hard-drive bay.

Slide and place the hard-drive assembly in the hard-drive bay.

Step 17

              Sliding the Hard-Drive Assembly
  • Slide the hard-drive assembly backward to connect the hard-drive assembly to the system board.

Slide the hard-drive assembly backward to connect the hard-drive assembly to the system board.

Step 18

              Replace the Screws
  • 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 19

              Palm Rest
  • Remove thirteen 5mm Phillips #000 screws from the back cover of the laptop.

Remove thirteen 5mm Phillips #000 screws from the back cover of the laptop.

Step 20

  • Use the opening tool to unplug the palm rest cables and slide the cables out.

Use the opening tool to unplug the palm rest cables and slide the cables out.

Step 21

  • Remove seven 5mm Phillips #000 screws from the midframe.

Remove seven 5mm Phillips #000 screws from the midframe.

Step 22

  • Use the opening tool to lift the edges of the palm rest. Once all of the sides are lifted, pull the palm rest off.

Use the opening tool to lift the edges of the palm rest. Once all of the sides are lifted, pull the palm rest off.

Step 23

              Display Assembly
  • Unplug the DC jack to the right of the fan.

Unplug the DC jack to the right of the fan.

Step 24

  • Unplug the display cable below the fan by pulling the cable straight back.

Unplug the display cable below the fan by pulling the cable straight back.

Step 25

  • Unplug the display cable located near the right display hinge by lifting the tape and pulling back.

Unplug the display cable located near the right display hinge by lifting the tape and pulling back.

Step 26

  • Remove the two 5mm Phillips #000 screws from the left and right hinges.

Remove the two 5mm Phillips #000 screws from the left and right hinges.

Step 27

  • Remove the display assembly by lifting the display from the hinges.
  • It is important to ensure the display cables are fully disconnected before removing the assembly.

Remove the display assembly by lifting the display from the hinges.

It is important to ensure the display cables are fully disconnected before removing the assembly.

Step 28

              DC Jack
  • Remove the DC jack once the display is removed by pulling the cable assembly upwards.

Remove the DC jack once the display is removed by pulling the cable assembly upwards.

Step 29

              Motherboard
  • Unplug the speaker cable.

Unplug the speaker cable.

Step 30

  • Remove the cable running over the hard drive by using the opening tool to lift the tab and pull back.

Remove the cable running over the hard drive by using the opening tool to lift the tab and pull back.

Step 31

  • Remove the single 5mm Phillips #000 screw.

Remove the single 5mm Phillips #000 screw.

Step 32

  • Remove the motherboard by lifting straight up. Ensure the CD drive is disconnected from the motherboard.

Remove the motherboard by lifting straight up. Ensure the CD drive is disconnected from the motherboard.

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

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      One other person completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 2 other contributors 


                    Ashton Floda

Member since: 09/16/2019

566 Reputation

                                      5 Guides authored                  



                       Badges:
                       7







                                                        +4 more badges

Team

                       Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Team S6-G5, Salas Fall 2019                        

                                                  Member of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Team S6-G5, Salas Fall 2019 



                    ERAU-SALAS-F19S6G5                     


                                            4 Members                     


                                            6 Guides authored

Daniel G. Candido - Feb 11, 2020

Reply

Do you have a photo from the back of this motherboard? Does it support M.2?

Cody Charnisky - Feb 11, 2020

Hey Daniel,

My names Cody and I was apart of the team that created this guide. To answer your question, sadly we did not take any pictures of the back of the motherboard when we had it disassembled. As for the compatibility for an M.2 drive I did not see a port that would be compatible with it but our computer could have a different motherboard than yours does, which means there is always a possibility that yours does have a slot for one. The only way to know is to take off the bottom cover of your computer and you would be able to see an existing M.2 in your motherboard or an empty slot for one.

Sincerely,

Cody Charnisky

ma7ame7oo - May 31, 2020

Reply

hi

need to ask about somethings i have laptop dell inspiron 15R 5537 ( I5 / Ram 4g / GPU amd ) and need to upgrade Processor and the GPU i know it’s hard to do so i wonder if i can change the motherboard with high Processor like I7 ????

thank you

Cody Charnisky - Jun 1, 2020

Hi ma7ame7oo,

I’m cody and helped in the original making of this guide. To answer your question what you’re looking for is compatibility. What I mean by that is Dell only made (from my knowledge) two different motherboards for this computer that would be compatible for it. That would be the inspiron GPU and the AMD GPU. There is always a possibility of being creative enough to find a motherboard to fit the computer, but that task is a little out of the ball park for the average person. So to answer your question I don’t believe it would be possible to find a new motherboard with an I7 that would fit this specific computer and just plug and play. I’m sorry I couldn’t help more but I hoped I answer you’re question.