Weekend Update, and how to disassemble an HP DM3 Laptop

It was a reasonably productive weekend, but I _really_ needed an extra day.

The list of half-finished projects got bigger:

• The dryer part came in, but I didn't get a chance to install it.
• Ty and I started sanding our new table in preparation for painting it, but didn't finish.
• I manufactured a quart of copper acetate solution via electrolysis.  This was painfully slow, and I definitely need a new power supply for this sort of thing.  I didn't get a chance to recrystallize it, yet.
• I bought some MDF to make CNC Christmas trees with Little B, but we ran out of time.
• On the secret-squirrel 3d-printing with Metal project I successfully built the extruder over the weekend, but was unable to test it.
• I installed Windows 8.1. for my nephew's girlfriend.  This replaced Ubuntu, but she couldn't use it under Linux because no-one had configured the wireless NIC driver.
• Wife's HP laptop died.  A bit on that in a second.
• The Boy and I re-imaged his laptop.  It was a festering pustule of Virii and Malware.
• I rocked at Black Ops.

I was able to load all the Last Apprentice books on the Boy's nook, so that's one thing successful.

Wife's Laptop is an HP DM3.  I diagnosed the failure as a bad power button.  Disassembling this laptop is non-intuitive.

• Remove the Battery with the sliding lever on the bottom of the laptop.
• Under the battery is an orange sliding lever that releases the hard drive access door.
• Under the hard drive access door is an orange sliding lever that releases the memory access door.
• Remove three screws from behind the battery to release the keyboard.  
• Note: Keep track of which screws go where.  This laptop has 5 different types of screws and they are not interchangeable.
• Gingerly pry the keyboard up and out without tarfing the ribbon cable or socket.
• Close the laptop and remove the two screws next to the screen hinges, one screw under the DIMM cover, and two silver/rubber feet screws.
• Open the laptop and remove the one screw holding down the under-the keyboard plate.
• Disconnect the ribbon cables for the Touchpad and power button.
• Remove the under-keyboard plate
• Split the top half of the laptop including the bezel around the keyboard with a case cracker, plastic wedge, or screwdriver.
• Now the Power switch assembly will pop off the back.
• The Power switch PCB is held in the assembly by a single screw.

I had intended on replacing the little SMT switch on the PCB, but I managed to rip the end off of the ribbon cable.  Since I failed utterly (with no small amount of expletives) I ordered the PCB and Ribbon Cable assembly from eBay.

Fun stuff!