I is tool using primate

[patgund.livejournal.com]

So today I disassembled an HP Pavilion dv4000 series laptop. To be precise a dv4139 I brought back from Doha, Qatar to repair case damage to it while it was out on loan. Managed to do some horsetrading with an HP repair shop for parts, (except for the Arabic keyboard, still need to find a replacement for that.)

First thought - Ye GODS does HP use some cheap-ass plastic in their laptops!!!

And while the damage wasn't as bad as I thought, (top cover, bottom tray, and optical drive), it means total disassembly of the unit.

Second thought - It looks like there had never been any thermal paste between the processor and the heat sink. Hello, they freaking sold his model in the MIDDLE EAST, what the hell were they thinking????

Third thought - a 40 GB hard drive? Really?? Seriously cheap.

But I can do it. Hell, if I can fix Apple laptops without instructions, (I'm a certified Apple Tech), then I can fix HP laptops WITH a repair manual and detailed instructions.

In theory at any rate.

Comments

[mix-hyenataur.livejournal.com]

HP Pavilion DV4139 Intel Centrino 1.7Ghz-M
Intel® Centrino™ 1.7Ghz-M Processor 256MB DDR Memory Ram 40GB Hard Drive DVD+CDRW Combo Drive 15.4" TFT WXGA Screen Bluetooth 10/100 Ethernet Lan WIFI 802.11b/g 56K V.92 Modem Windows XP Home

Anything with 256 ram needs to be shot on site.

but yeah, I've not really found a 500GB IDE drive, though SATA ones go for $50 new, so it should be a standard.

the dv6000 series was the worst because the cheap plastic would break in the most crucial areas, like the power button cable, making me beleive they really never feild tested these guys.

[laptop-mechanic.livejournal.com]

HP's retail grade offerings (and the DV line in particular) are flextastic piles of fail. Damned things are pretty much deliberately designed to self destruct within 18 months of ownership. Heavy use of ABS means that board flex is a serious issue with the units once they get any kind of age or anything remotely resembling hard use on 'em. Flexing is known to kill the wifi slots on the DV6 line, at least. For a while, they had a recall out on them, but I think that's over with now.

[polarbee.livejournal.com]

HPs are nasty, but not nearly the worst I've ever disassembled. (That honor goes to a POS panasonic. Honest to god, I took a flaceplate off and three springs from who knows were shot off into the depths of the bench. SPRINGS!)

[patgund.livejournal.com]

Their new "Jack in the Box" feature?? Yeesh!

[tuba-man.livejournal.com]

That icon has to be the most disturbingly funny one I've seen on here. Why is that butt being chopped in half? :D

[patgund.livejournal.com]

It's all meat to the butcher. :-)