Home

Alienware M14X Laptop User Manual

1. Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Thermal Fan Replacing the Thermal Fan A WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at www dell com regulatory_ compliance A CAUTI ON Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty A CAUTI ON To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer A CAUTI ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer Removing the Thermal Fan 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Follow the instructions from step 2 to step 17 in Removing the System Board 3 Disconnect the thermal fan cable from the connector on the system board 4 Remove the three screws that secure the thermal fan to the system board 5 Lift the themal fan and gently peel the tape that secures the thermal fan to the heat sink 6 Lift the thermal fan off the system board thermal fan cable connector Replacing the Thermal Fan 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Align the screw holes on the thermal fa
2. Back to Contents Page Keyboard Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Keyboard Replacing the Keyboard A WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_compliance A CAUTI ON To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer A CAUTI ON Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty A CAUTI ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer Removing the Keyboard 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover 3 Remove the battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack 4 Remove the center control cover see Removing the Center Control Cover 5 Remove the three screws that secure the keyboard to the computer base A CAUTI ON The keycaps on the keyboard are fragile easily dislodged and time consuming to replace Be careful when removing and handling the keyboard A CAUTI ON Be extremely careful when removing and handling the keyboard Failu
3. Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products Dell Inc disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own Regulatory model P18G Regulatory type P18G001 2011 02 Rev A00 Back to Contents Page Battery Pack Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Battery Pack Replacing the Battery Pack WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_compliance CAUTION To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer CAUTION Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty CAUTION To avoid damage to the computer use only the battery designed for this particular Alienware computer Do not use batteries designed for other Alienware computers gt gt gt Removing the Battery Pack 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover 3 Disconnect the battery pack cable from the connector on the system board 4 Loo
4. indicated on the heat sink loosen the seven captive screws that secure the heat sink to the system board Carefully lift heat sink away from the system board 1 heat sink 2 captive screws 7 Replacing the Heat Sink 7 NOTE The original thermal grease can be reused if the original processor and heat sink are reinstalled together If either the processor or the heat sink is replaced use the thermal pad provided in the kit to ensure that thermal conductivity is achieved Follow the instructions in Before You Begin Clean the thermal grease from the bottom of the heat sink and reapply it Align the seven captive screws on the heat sink with the screw holes on the system board and tighten the screws in sequential order indicated on the heat sink Follow the instructions from step 4 to step 20 in Replacing the System Board A CAUTI ON Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Center Control Cover Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Center Control Cover o Replacing the Center Control Cover A WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_c
5. Battery Pack 10 Replace the base cover see Replacing the Base Cover CAUTI ON Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Speakers Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Speakers Replacing the Speakers A WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_compliance A CAUTI ON To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer A CAUTI ON Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty A CAUTI ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer Removing the Speakers 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover 3 Remove the battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack 4 Remove the center control cover see Removing the Center Control Cover 5 Remove the keyboard se
6. Remove the screw that secures the status light board to the palm rest assembly 10 Lift the status light board along with its cable away from the palm rest assembly status light board 2 screw Replacing the Status Light Board 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Align the slot on the status light board with the alignment post on the palm rest assembly 3 Replace the screw that secures the status light board to the palm rest assembly 4 Route the status light board cable through the routing guides on the palm rest assembly 5 Replace the palm rest assembly see Replacing the Palm Rest Assembly 6 Replace the keyboard see Replacing the Keyboard 7 Replace the center control cover see Replacing the Center Control Cover 8 Replace the battery pack see Replacing the Battery Pack 9 Replace the base cover see Replacing the Base Cover A CAUTI ON Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Memory Module s Alienware M14x Service Manual o Removing the Memory Module s o Replacing the Memory Module s A WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Complia
7. base cover off the computer base captive screws 2 base cover Replacing the Base Cover 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Align the tabs on the base cover with the slots on the computer base and slide the base cover until it snaps into place 3 Tighten the two captive screws that secure the base cover to the computer base Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Internal Card With Bluetooth Wireless Technology Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Bluetooth Card Replacing the Bluetooth Card A WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_compliance A CAUTI ON To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer A CAUTI ON Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty A CAUTI ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer If you ordered a card with Bluetooth wireless technology with your computer it is already installed Removing the Bluetooth Card 1 Foll
8. password The supervisor password controls access to the system setup utility Set User Password Allows you to set the user password The user password controls access to the computer at boot Comput race Allows you to enable or disable Computrace security feature Boot Menu Use the up or down arrow keys to change the boot device priority You can choose from Hard Drive USB Storage 1 CD DVD BD 1 Removal Devices 1 Network Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Base Cover Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Base Cover Replacing the Base Cover A WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_compliance A CAUTI ON To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer CAUTI ON Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty Removing the Base Cover 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Turn the computer over 3 Loosen the two captive screws that secure the base cover to the computer base 4 Slide and lift the
9. pull tab gently lift the hard drive assembly and then disconnect the hard drive interposer Lift the hard drive assembly off the computer base 1 hard drive interposer 2 captive screws 3 3 pull tab 4 hard drive assembly 8 Remove the four screws that secure the hard drive bracket to the hard drive 9 Lift the hard drive bracket away from the hard drive hard drive bracket CAUTION When the hard drive is not in the computer store it in protective antistatic packaging see Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge in the safety instructions that shipped with your computer Replacing the Hard Drive 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove the new drive from its packaging Save the original packaging for storing or shipping the hard drive 3 Place the hard drive in the hard drive bracket 4 Replace the four screws that secure the hard drive bracket to the hard drive 5 Connect the interposer to the hard drive 6 Place the hard drive assembly in the computer base 7 Tighten the three captive screws that secure the hard drive assembly to the computer base 8 Follow the instructions from step 7 to step 9 in Replacing the Optical Drive 9 Replace the battery pack see Replacing the Battery Pack 10 Replace the base cover see Replacing the Base Cover CAUTION Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the
10. 0 Replace the battery pack see Replacing the Battery Pack 11 Replace the base cover see Replacing the Base Cover A CAUTI ON Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Processor Module Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Processor Module Replacing the Processor Module A WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_compliance A CAUTI ON Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty A CAUTI ON To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer A CAUTI ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer Removing the Processor Module 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Follow the instructions from step 2 to step 19 in Removing the System Board CAUTI ON To prevent intermittent contact between the ZI F socket c
11. Alienware M14x Service Manual Before You Begin Speakers Base Cover Subwoofer Battery Pack Internal Card With Bluetooth Wireless Technology Optical Drive Coin Cell Battery Hard Drive Display Assembly Memory Module s Mini Card Board Center Control Cover System Board Keyboard Thermal Fan Palm Rest Assembly Thermal Cooling Assembly Wireless Mini Card s Processor Module Power Button Board System Setup Status Light Board Flashing the BIOS Notes Cautions and Warnings K NOTE A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer A CAUTI ON A CAUTI ON indicates potential damage to hardware or loss of data if instructions are not followed A WARNING A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage personal injury or death Information in this document is subject to change without notice 2011 Dell Inc All rights reserved Reproduction of these materials in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc is strictly forbidden Trademarks used in this text Dell and the DELL logo are trademarks of Dell Inc Alienware is a trademark or registered trademark of Alienware Corporation Microsoft Windows and the Windows start button logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and or other countries Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG Inc and is used by Dell under license
12. Mini Card board see Replacing the Mini Card Board 11 Replace the palm rest assembly see Replacing the Palm Rest Assembly 12 Replace the keyboard see Replacing the Keyboard 13 Replace the center control cover see Replacing the Center Control Cover 14 Replace the memory module s see Replacing the Memory Module s 15 Follow the instructions from step 5 to step 7 in Replacing the Hard Drive 16 Follow the instructions from step 7 to step 9 in Replacing the Optical Drive 17 Replace the Mini Card s see Replacing the Mini Card s 18 Replace the battery pack see Replacing the Battery Pack 19 Replace the base cover see Replacing the Base Cover 20 Replace any cards or blank that you removed from the 9 in 1 Media Card reader CAUTI ON Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer 21 Turn on the computer K NOTE After you have replaced the system board enter the computer Service Tag into the BIOS of the replacement system board 22 Enter the service tag see Entering the Service Tag in the BIOS Entering the Service Tag in the BIOS 1 Ensure that the AC adapter is plugged in and that the main battery is installed properly 2 Turn on the computer 3 Press lt F2 gt during POST to enter the system setup program 4 Navigate to the security ta
13. ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer 7 Remove the battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack 8 Turn the computer top side up open the display and press the power button to ground the system board Contacting Alienware For customers in the United States Canada call 1 800 ALI ENWARE NOTE If you do not have an active Internet connection you can find contact information on your purchase invoice packing slip bill or Dell product catalog Dell provides several online and telephone based support and service options Because availability varies by country and product some services may not be available in your area To contact Dell for sales technical support or customer service issues 1 Go to dell com contactdell 2 Select your country or region 3 Select the appropriate service or support link based on your need 4 Choose the method of contacting Dell that is convenient for you Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page System Setup Alienware M14x Service Manual Configuring the System Setup Configuring the System Setup The System Setup options allow you to Change the system configuration information after you add change or remove any hardware in your laptop 1 Set or change a user selectable option View the installed amount of memory or set the type of hard drive installed Bef
14. adapters and display an error on the screen Allows you to enable or disable battery charging Advanced Performance Options Menu CPU Turbo Mode Overclocking Features Override Turbo settings Long Duration Power Limit Long Duration Time Window Short Duration Power Limit Short Duration Time Window Bus Clock Current Frequency New Frequency in 10KHz increments Apply New Bus Clock Frequency Allows you to enable or disable the Intel CPU turbo mode performance option Allows you to enable or disable the global overclocking feature Disabled The overclocking feature is disabled Enabled Displays additional overclocking options Allows you to override CPU turbo mode settings Allows you to set the turbo mode power limit 1 value in watts Allows you to set the turbo mode time 1 value in seconds Allows you to enable or disable short duration power limit Allows you to set the turbo mode power limit 2 value in watts Displays the current bus clock frequency Allows you to enter a new bus clock frequency in 10 Khz increments Allows you to apply the new bus clock frequency Immediately The new bus clock frequency is applied immediately Once The new bus clock frequency is applied once until the next reboot Permanently The new bus clock frequency is applied permanently after the next reboot Memory Override Allows you to enable or disable the memory override option suppo
15. am screw and the processor when removing or replacing the processor press to apply slight pressure to the centre of the processor while turning the cam screw A CAUTI ON To avoid damage to the processor hold the screwdriver so that it is perpendicular to the processor when turning the cam screw 3 To loosen the ZIF socket use a small flat blade screwdriver and rotate the ZIF socket cam screw counterclockwise until it comes to the cam stop fs Join comer a a socet cam screw CAUTION To ensure maximum cooling for the processor module do not touch the heat transfer areas on the processor thermal cooling assembly The oils in your skin can reduce the heat transfer capability of the thermal pads A CAUTI ON When removing the processor module pull the module straight up Be careful not to bend the pins on the processor module 4 Lift the processor module off the ZIF socket Replacing the Processor Module K NOTE If a new processor module is installed you will receive a new thermal cooling assembly which will include an affixed thermal pad or you will receive a new thermal pad along with documentation to illustrate proper installation 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Align the pin 1 corner of the processor module with the pin 1 corner of the ZIF socket K NOTE The pin 1 corner of the processor module has a triangle that aligns with the triangle on the pin 1 corner of the ZIF socket 3 Place the process
16. appear on the screen Click BIOS 5 Click Download Now to download the latest BIOS file The File Download window appears 6 Click Save to save the file on your desktop The file downloads to your desktop 7 Click Close if the Download Complete window appears The file icon appears on your desktop and is titled the same as the downloaded BIOS update file 8 Double click the file icon on the desktop and follow the instructions on the screen Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Hard Drive Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Hard Drive Replacing the Hard Drive gt Pb bP Bb BD PP DED WARNI NG If you remove the hard drive from the computer when the drive is hot do not touch the metal housing of the hard drive WARNI NG Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_compliance CAUTI ON To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer CAUTI ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer CAUTI ON To prevent data loss turn off your computer see Turning Off Your Computer before removing the hard drive assembly Do no
17. b and enter the service tag in the Set Service Tag field Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Alienware M14x Service Manual K NOTE A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer A CAUTI ON A CAUTI ON indicates potential damage to hardware or loss of data if instructions are not followed A WARNING A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage personal injury or death Information in this document is subject to change without notice 2011 Dell Inc All rights reserved Reproduction of these materials in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc is strictly forbidden Trademarks used in this text Dell and the DELL logo are trademarks of Dell Inc Alienware is a trademark or registered trademark of Alienware Corporation Microsoft Windows and the Windows start button logo e are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and or other countries Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG Inc and is used by Dell under license Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products Dell Inc disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own 2011 02 Rev A00 Back to Contents Page
18. card by its edges or by its metal mounting bracket Hold a component such as a processor by its edges not by its pins CAUTION Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty A A A A tabs if you are disconnecting this type of cable press in on the locking tabs before you disconnect the cable As you pull connectors apart keep them evenly aligned to avoid bending any connector pins Also before you connect a cable ensure that both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned A CAUTI ON To avoid damaging the computer perform the following steps before you begin working inside the computer 1 Ensure that the work surface is flat and clean to prevent the computer cover from being scratched CAUTI ON When you disconnect a cable pull on its connector or on its pull tab not on the cable itself Some cables have connectors with locking 2 Turn off your computer see Turning Off Your Computer A CAUTI ON To disconnect a network cable first unplug the cable from your computer and then unplug the cable from the network device 3 Disconnect all telephone or network cables from the computer 4 Press and eject any installed cards from the 9 in 1 Media Card Reader 5 Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets 6 Disconnect all attached devices from your computer CAUTI
19. ce the three screws that secure the center control cover to the computer base 6 Replace the battery pack see Replacing the Battery Pack 7 Replace the base cover see Replacing the Base Cover CAUTION Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Mini Card Board Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Mini Card Board Replacing the Mini Card Board A WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_compliance A CAUTI ON To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer A CAUTI ON Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty A CAUTI ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer Removing the Mini Card Board 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover 3 Remove t
20. computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer 11 Install the operating system for your computer as needed 12 Install the drivers and utilities for your computer as needed Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Thermal Cooling Assembly Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Thermal Cooling Assembly Replacing the Heat Sink gt gt Db BR PB WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_compliance WARNING If you remove the heat sink from the computer when the heat sink is hot do not touch the metal housing of the heat sink CAUTION Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty CAUTION To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer CAUTION To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer Removing the Thermal Cooling Assembly Follow the instructions in Before You Begin Follow the instructions from step 2 to step 18 in Removing the System Board In sequential order
21. e Removing the Keyboard 6 Remove the palm rest assembly see Removing the Palm Rest Assembly 7 Turn the palm rest assembly over 8 Note the routing of speakers cable and remove the cable from the routing guides 9 Remove the four screws that secure the speakers to the palm rest assembly 10 Lift the speakers along with its cable away from the palm rest assembly 1 speakers 2 2 screws 4 speakers cable Replacing the Speakers 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Align the screw holes on the speakers with the screw holes on the palm rest assembly and route the speakers cable through the routing guides 3 Replace the four screws that secure the speakers to the palm rest assembly 4 Replace the palm rest assembly see Replacing the Palm Rest Assembly 5 Replace the keyboard see Replacing the Keyboard 6 Replace the center control cover see Replacing the Center Control Cover 7 Replace the battery pack see Replacing the Battery Pack 8 Replace the base cover see Replacing the Base Cover CAUTI ON Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Subwoofer Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Subwoofer Replacing the Subwoofer A WARNING Before working inside
22. er Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty CAUTION To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer gt gt gt BP A CAUTI ON Handle components by their edges and avoid touching pins and contacts The system board s BIOS chip contains the Service Tag which is also visible on a barcode label at the bottom of the computer Removing the System Board 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove any installed card or blank from the 9 in 1 Media Card reader 3 Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover 4 Remove the battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack 5 Remove the Mini Card s see Removing the Mini Card s 6 Follow the instructions from step 4 to step 6 in Removing the Optical Drive 7 Follow the instructions from step 5 to step 7 in Removing the Hard Drive 8 Remove the memory module s see Removing the Memory Module s 9 Remove the center control cover see Removing the Center Control Cover 10 Remove the keyboard see Removing the Keyboard 11 Remove the palm rest assembly see Removing the Palm Rest Assembly 12 Remove the Mini Card board see Removing the Mini Card Board 13 Using the pull tab disconnect the display cable from the connector on the system board 14 Disconnect the touch screen b
23. he battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack 4 Remove the Mini Card s see Removing the Mini Card s 5 Remove the center control cover see Removing the Center Control Cover 6 Remove the keyboard see Removing the Keyboard 7 Remove the palm rest assembly see Removing the Palm Rest Assembly 8 Remove the three screws that secure the Mini Card board to the computer base 9 Lift the Mini Card board to disconnect the connector on the mini card board from the connector on the system board 1 screws 3 2 mini card board Replacing the Mini Card Board 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Align the connector on the mini card board with the connector on the system board and press gently 3 Replace the three screws that secure the mini card board to the computer base 4 Replace the palm rest assembly see Replacing the Palm Rest Assembly 5 Replace the keyboard see Replacing the Keyboard 6 Replace the center control cover see Replacing the Center Control Cover 7 Replace the Mini Card s see Replacing the Mini Card s 8 Replace the battery pack see Replacing the Battery Pack 9 Replace the base cover see Replacing the Base Cover CAUTI ON Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer Back to Contents Page
24. he computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Coin Cell Battery Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Coin Cell Battery Replacing the Coin Cell Battery A WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_compliance A CAUTI ON To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer A CAUTI ON Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty A CAUTI ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer Removing the Coin Cell Battery 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover 3 Remove the battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack 4 Remove the center control cover see Removing the Center Control Cover 5 Remove the keyboard see Removing the Keyboard 6 Remove the palm rest assembly see Remov
25. he system board and replace the screw that secures the Mini Card to the system board 5 Connect the appropriate antenna cables to the Mini Card you are installing The following table provides the antenna cable color scheme for each Mini Card supported by your computer Connectors on the Mini Card Antenna Cable Color Scheme WWAN 2 antenna cables Main WWAN white triangle white with gray stripe Auxiliary WWAN black triangle black with gray stripe WLAN 2 antenna cables Main WLAN white triangle Auxiliary WLAN black triangle 6 Replace the battery pack see Replacing the Battery Pack 7 Replace the base cover see Replacing the Base Cover CAUTION Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer 8 Install the drivers and utilities for your computer as required K NOTE If you are installing a Mini card from a source other than Dell or Alienware you must install the appropriate drivers and utilities Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Optical Drive Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Optical Drive Replacing the Optical Drive WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regu
26. ht Board Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Status Light Board Replacing the Status Light Board A WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at www dell com regulatory_compliance A CAUTI ON To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer A CAUTI ON Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty A CAUTI ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer Removing the Status Light Board 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover 3 Remove the battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack 4 Remove the center control cover see Removing the Center Control Cover 5 Remove the keyboard see Removing the Keyboard 6 Remove the palm rest assembly see Removing the Palm Rest Assembly 7 Turn the palm rest assembly over 8 Note the routing of status light board cable and remove the cable from the routing guides status light board cable 9
27. in Before You Begin 2 Align the slots on the subwoofer with the alignment posts on the computer base 3 Route the subwoofer cable through the routing guides 4 Connect the subwoofer cable to the connector on the system board 5 Replace the palm rest assembly see Replacing the Palm Rest Assembly 6 Replace the keyboard see Replacing the Keyboard 7 Replace the center control cover see Replacing the Center Control Cover 8 Replace the battery pack see Replacing the Battery Pack 9 Replace the base cover see Replacing the Base Cover CAUTION Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page System Board Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the System Board Replacing the System Board Entering the Service Tag in the BIOS WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_ compliance CAUTION To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer CAUTION Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your comput
28. ing the Palm Rest Assembly 7 Disconnect the coin cell battery cable from the connector on the system board 8 Pry up the coin cell battery from the slot on the computer base 1 coin cell battery cable 2 coin cell battery Replacing the Coin Cell Battery 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Use the adhesive on the coin cell battery and adhere it to slot on the computer base 3 Connect the coin cell battery cable to the connector on the system board 4 Replace the palm rest assembly see Replacing the Palm Rest Assembly 5 Replace the keyboard see Replacing the Keyboard 6 Replace the center control cover see Replacing the Center Control Cover 7 Replace the battery pack see Replacing the Battery Pack 8 Replace the base cover see Replacing the Base Cover A CAUTI ON Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Display Assembly Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Display Assembly Replacing the Display Assembly A WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_compliance A CAUTI ON To avoid elec
29. l drive bracket to the optical drive Using the pull tab lift the optical drive bracket off the optical drive pull tab Replacing the Optical Drive 10 1d Follow the instructions in Before You Begin Align the screw holes on the optical drive bracket with the screw holes on the optical drive Replace the four screws that secure the optical drive bracket to the optical drive Adhere the optical drive cable to the optical drive bracket Connect the optical drive cable connector to the connector on the optical drive Replace the two screws that secure the the optical drive cable to the optical drive Align the captive screws on the optical drive with the screw holes on the computer base Tighten the four captive screws that secure the optical drive to the computer base Slide the optical drive cable into the connector on the system board and press down on the connector latch to secure the cable Replace the battery see Replacing the Battery Pack Replace the base cover see Removing the Base Cover CAUTION Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Palm Rest Assembly Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Palm Rest Assembly Replacing the Palm Rest Assembly A WARNING Before working inside your computer read
30. latory_ compliance CAUTION Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty CAUTION To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer CAUTION To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer Removing the Optical Drive 7 8 9 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover Remove the battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack Lift the connector latch and pull the pull tab to disconnect the optical drive cable from the connector on the system board Loosen the four captive screws that secure the optical drive to the computer base Using the pull tab lift the optical drive off the computer base optical drive cable optical drive pull tab captive screws 4 Remove the two screws that secure the optical drive cable connector to the optical drive Disconnect the optical drive cable from the connector on the optical drive Gently peel the optical drive cable from the optical drive bracket screws 2 2 optical drive cable connector optical drive cable 10 1d Remove the four screws that secure the optica
31. mputer is turned off or in standby mode AC Only Charge USB devices when connected to AC adapter only AC and Battery Charge USB devices when connected to AC adapter and when the computer is running on battery Disabled Disables USB PowerShare Allows you to enable or disable the on board LAN controller Disabled Internal LAN is disabled and is not visible to the operating system Enabled Internal LAN is enabled Allows you to enable or disable the internal high definition audio device Disabled The internal audio device is disabled and is not visible to the operating system Enabled The internal audio device is enabled Allows you to enable or disable the internal SD card reader Allows you to configure fields in the Performance Options sub menu for more information see Advanced Performance Options Menu Allows you to configure the operating mode of the integrated SATA hard drive controller ATA SATA is configured for ATA mode AHCI SATA is configured for AHCI mode Displays the installed SATA hard drive model Allows you to choose if the computer should display warning messages when you use certain power adapters The computer displays these messages if you attempt to use a power adapter that has too little capacity for your configuration Disabled BIOS will not detect unsupported AC adapters and will not display any message on the screen Enabled BIOS will detect unsupported AC
32. n with the screw holes on the system board 3 Adhere the tape to secure the thermal fan to the heat sink 4 Replace the three screws that secure the thermal fan to the system board 5 Connect the thermal fan cable to the connector on the system board 6 Follow the instructions from step 5 to step 20 in Replacing the System Board CAUTION Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Flashing the BIOS Alienware M14x Service Manual 1 Turn on the computer 2 Go to support dell com support downloads 3 Locate the BIOS update file for your computer K NOTE The Service Tag for your computer is located on a label at the bottom of the computer If you have your computer s Service Tag a Click Enter a Service Tag b Enter your computer s Service Tag in the Enter a service tag field click Go and proceed to step 4 If you do not have your computer s Service Tag a Click Select Model b Select the type of product in the Select Your Product Family list c Select the product brand in the Select Your Product Line list d Select the product model number in the Select Your Product Model list K NOTE If you have selected a different model and want to start over again click Start Over on the top right of the menu e Click Confirm 4 A list of results
33. nce Homepage at dell com regulatory_compliance A CAUTI ON To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer A CAUTI ON Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty A CAUTI ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer You can increase your computer memory by installing memory modules on the system board See Specifications in your Mobile Manual for information on the type of memory supported by your computer K NOTE Memory modules purchased from Dell or Alienware are covered under your computer warranty Your computer has two user accessible SODIMM connectors Removing the Memory Module s 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover 3 Remove the battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack 4 Loosen the two captive screws that secure the memory module cover to the computer base 5 Slide the tabs on the memory module cover out of the slots on the computer base 1 captive screws 2 2 memory module cover A CAUTI ON To prevent damage to the memory module connector do not use tools to spread the mem
34. oard cable Bluetooth card cable hard drive cable coin cell battery cable and subwoofer cable from the connectors on the system board 15 Remove the five screws that secure the system board to the computer base 16 Lift and ease the connectors on the system board out of the slots on the computer base hare drve cable connector uetooth cara cable connector a ouch screen boord cable connector a payable connector 17 Turn the system board over 18 Remove the thermal fan see Removing the Thermal Fan 19 Remove the thermal cooling assembly see Removing the Thermal Cooling Assembly 20 Remove the processor module see Removing the Processor Module Replacing the System Board 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Replace the processor module see Replacing the Processor Module 3 Replace the thermal cooling assembly see Replacing the Heat Sink 4 Replace the thermal fan see Replacing the Thermal Fan 5 Turn the system board over 6 Align the connectors on the system board with the slots on the computer base and place it on the computer base 7 Replace the five screws that secure the system board to the computer base 8 Connect the touch screen board cable Bluetooth card cable hard drive cable coin cell battery cable and subwoofer cable to the respective system board connectors 9 Connect the display cable to the connector on the system board 10 Replace the
35. ompliance A CAUTI ON To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer A CAUTI ON Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty A CAUTI ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer Removing the Center Control Cover 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover 3 Remove the battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack 4 Remove the three screws that secure the center control cover to the computer base 1 screws 3 5 Turn the computer over and open the display as far as possible 6 Gently pry the center control cover and then ease the tabs on the center control cover out of the slots on the palm rest assembly 7 Lift the center control cover off the computer base center control cover Replacing the Center Control Cover 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Align the tabs on the center control cover with the slots on the palm rest assembly 3 Gently press around the edges of the center control cover till it snaps in place 4 Close the display and turn the computer over 5 Repla
36. or module lightly in the ZIF socket and ensure that the processor module is positioned correctly A CAUTI ON To avoid damage to the processor module hold the screwdriver perpendicular to the processor module when turning the cam screw 4 Tighten the ZIF socket by turning the cam screw clockwise to secure the processor module to the system board 5 Follow the instructions from step 3 to step 20 in Replacing the System Board CAUTI ON Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Power Button Board Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Power Button Board Replacing the Power Button Board A WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_compliance A CAUTI ON To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer A CAUTI ON Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty A CAUTI ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main ba
37. ore you use System Setup it is recommended that you write down the current System Setup information for future reference CAUTION Do not change the settings in System Setup unless you are an expert computer user Certain changes can cause your computer to work incorrectly Entering System Setup 1 Turn on or restart your laptop NOTE Keyboard failure may result when a key on the keyboard is held down for extended periods of time To avoid possible keyboard failure press and release lt F2 gt in even intervals until the System Setup screen appears 2 While the laptop is booting press lt F2 gt immediately before the operating system logo appears to access the BIOS Setup Utility If an error occurs during Power On Self Test POST you may also enter the BIOS Setup Utility by pressing lt F2 gt when prompted K NOTE If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop then shut down your laptop and try again System Setup Screens The BIOS Setup Utility window displays current or changeable configuration information for your laptop Information is divided into five menus Main Advanced Security Boot and Exit Key functions appear at the bottom of the BIOS Setup Utility window and lists keys and their functions within the active field System Setup Options K NOTE Depending on your computer and installed devices the items listed in this section may not a
38. ory module securing clips 6 Use your fingertips to carefully spread apart the securing clips on each end of the memory module connector until the memory module pops up memory module connector securing clips 2 memory module 7 Remove the memory module from the memory module connector Replacing the Memory Module s 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin NOTE If you need to install memory modules in two connectors install a memory module in the lower connector before you install a memory module in the upper connector 2 Align the notch in the memory module with the tab in the memory module connector 3 Slide the memory module firmly into the connector at a 45 degree angle and press the memory module down until it clicks into place If you do not hear the click remove the memory module and reinstall it K NOTE If the memory module is not installed properly the computer may not boot 4 Slide the tabs on the memory module cover into the slots on the computer base and lower the memory module cover into place in Tighten the two captive screws that secure the memory module cover to the computer base 6 Replace the battery pack see Replacing the Battery Pack 7 Replace the base cover see Replacing the Base Cover CAUTI ON Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to
39. ow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover 3 Remove the battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack 4 Remove the center control cover see Removing the Center Control Cover 5 Remove the keyboard see Removing the Keyboard 6 Remove the palm rest assembly see Removing the Palm Rest Assembly 7 Disconnect the Bluetooth card cable from the connector on the system board 8 Remove the screw that secures the Bluetooth card to the computer base 9 Note the routing of Bluetooth card cable and remove the cable from the routing guides 10 Lift the Bluetooth card along with the cable off the computer base 1 Bluetooth card cable connector 2 Bluetooth card Replacing the Bluetooth Card 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Align the screw hole on the Bluetooth card with the screw hole on the system board 3 Replace the screw that secures the Bluetooth card to the computer base 4 Connect the Bluetooth card cable to the connector on the system board 5 Replace the palm rest assembly see Replacing the Palm Rest Assembly 6 Replace the keyboard see Replacing the Keyboard 7 Replace the center control cover see Replacing the Center Control Cover 8 Replace the battery pack see Replacing the Battery Pack 9 Replace the base cover see Replacing the Base Cover CAUTION Before turning on t
40. ppear or may not appear exactly as listed Main Menu BIOS Version Displays the BIOS version EC Version Displays the EC firmware version ME version Displays the Intel ME firmware version CPU Frequency Displays the speed of the processor CPU L3 Cache Displays the processor cache size Advanced Menu Intel SpeedStep Virtualization USB Emulation USB Wake Support USB Power Share Integrated Network High Definition Audio SD Card Reader Performance Options SATA Operation SATA HARD DRIVE 1 Adapter Warnings Charger Behavior Allows you to enable or disable the Intel SpeedStep technology Disabling this feature may improve performance but will greatly reduce battery life Allows you to enable or disable the Intel Virtualization technology Allows you to enable or disable the USB emulation feature This feature defines how the BIOS in the absence of a USB aware operating system handles USB devices USB emulation is always enabled during POST NOTE You cannot boot any type of USB device floppy hard drive or memory key when this option is off Allows you to enable USB devices to wake the computer from standby or to disable the USB wake support feature NOTE If USB Powershare is enabled a device connected to the USB Powershare connector may not wake the computer Allows you to charge USB devices when the co
41. pports two Mini Card slots One full Mini Card slot for WWAN 1 One half Mini Card slot for WLAN K NOTE Depending on the configuration of the computer when it was sold the Mini Card slot may or may not have a Mini Card installed Removing the Mini Card s 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover 3 Remove the battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack 4 Disconnect the antenna cables from the Mini Card 5 Remove the screw that secures the Mini Card to the system board 6 Lift the Mini Card out of the connector on the system board CAUTI ON When the Mini Electrostatic Discharge Card is not in the computer store it in protective antistatic packaging For more information see Protecting Against in the safety information that shipped with your computer Replacing the Mini Card s 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove the new Mini Card from its packaging A CAUTI ON Use firm and even pressure to slide the card into place If you use excessive force you may damage the connector A CAUTI ON The connectors are keyed to ensure correct insertion If you feel resistance check the connectors on the card and on the system board and realign the card 3 Insert the Mini Card connector at a 45 degree angle into the connector on the system board 4 Press the other end of the Mini Card down into the slot on t
42. r base 13 Gently slide the Mini Card antenna cables out through the slot on the computer base 14 Lift the display assembly off the computer display assembly 2 screws 4 1 display cable touch screen board cable Replacing the Display Assembly 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Slide the antenna cables in through the slot on the computer base 3 Place the display assembly in position and replace the four screws that secure the display assembly to the computer base 4 Connect the display cable to the connector on the system board 5 Connect the touch screen board cable to the connector on the system board 6 Turn the computer over and route the Mini Card antenna cables through the routing guides on the computer base 7 Connect the Mini Card antenna cables to the Mini Card s see Replacing the Mini Card s 8 Replace the palm rest assembly see Replacing the Palm Rest Assembly 9 Replace the keyboard see Replacing the Keyboard 10 Replace the center control cover see Replacing the Center Control Cover 11 Replace the battery pack see Replacing the Battery Pack 12 Replace the base cover see Replacing the Base Cover CAUTI ON Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Thermal Fan
43. re the following tools 1 Small flat blade screwdriver Phillips screwdriver Plastic scribe BIOS executable update program at support dell com Turning Off Your Computer A CAUTI ON To avoid losing data save and close all open files and exit all open programs before you turn off your computer 1 Save and close all open files and exit all open programs 2 Click Start and then click Shut Down The computer turns off after the operating system shutdown process finishes 3 Ensure that the computer and any attached devices are turned off If your computer and attached devices did not automatically turn off when you shut down your operating system press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer turns off Before Working Inside Your Computer Use the following safety guidelines to help protect your computer from potential damage and to help to ensure your own personal safety A WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_ compliance CAUTION To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer CAUTION Handle components and cards with care Do not touch the components or contacts on a card Hold a
44. re to do so could result in scratching the display panel 6 Pry the keyboard up and without pulling hard carefully lift the keyboard towards the display screws 3 2 keyboard 1 tabs 4 a palm rest assembly 7 Lift the release latches on the connectors on the system board and disconnect the keyboard cable and backlit keyboard cable 8 Lift the keyboard off the palm rest assembly ae keyboard cable E back it keyboard cable l Replacing the Keyboard 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Slide the keyboard cable and backlit keyboard cable into the connectors on the system board and press down on the connector latches to secure the cables 3 Slide the tabs on the keyboard into the slots on the palm rest assembly and lower the keyboard into place 4 Gently press around the edges of the keyboard to secure the keyboard under the tab on the palm rest assembly 5 Replace the three screws that secure the keyboard to the computer base 6 Replace the center control cover see Replacing the Center Control Cover 7 Replace the battery pack see Replacing the Battery Pack 8 Replace the base cover see Replacing the Base Cover A CAUTION Before turning on the computer replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Status Lig
45. rt Support Disabled The memory override support is disabled Enabled Displays additional memory override support options Memory Voltage Allows you to increase memory voltage Memory Frequency Allows you to set memory frequency XMP DIMM Profile Allows you to configure different XMP options Wireless Menu rr FT Bluetooth Allows you to enable or disable the internal Bluetooth device Disabled The internal Bluetooth device is disabled and is not visible to the operating system Enabled The internal Bluetooth device is enabled Wireless Network Allows you to enable or disable the internal wireless device Disabled The internal wireless device is disabled and is not visible to the operating system Enabled The internal wireless device is enabled WWAN Allows you to enable or disable the internal WWAN device Disabled The internal WWAN device is disabled and is not visible to the operating system Enabled The internal WWAN device is enabled Wireless Switch Hotkey Allows you to disable all internal wireless devices Security Menu Supervisor Password Displays if the supervisor password is clear or set User Password Displays if the user password is clear or set Set Service Tag Displays the service tag of the computer when the service tag is present Displays a field to input the service tag manually when the service tag is absent Set Supervisor Password Allows you to set the supervisor
46. sconnect the speakers cable and status light board cable from the connectors on the system board 10 Remove the two screws that secure the palm rest assembly to the computer base 11 Carefully pry out the palm rest assembly along the rear edge and then ease the palm rest assembly from the computer base A CAUTI ON Carefully separate the palm rest assembly from the computer base to avoid damage to the palm rest assembly 12 Lift the palm rest assembly off the computer base 1 touch pad cable connector 2 speakers cable a sous tne board cable a screws a palm rest assembly 16 power button board cable connector Replacing the Palm Rest Assembly 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Align the palm rest assembly on the computer base and gently snap the palm rest assembly into place 3 Replace the two screws that secure the palm rest assembly to the computer base 4 Connect the speakers cable and status light board cable to the connectors on the system board 5 Slide the touch pad cable and power button board cable into their connectors on the system board and press down on their connector latches to secure the cables 6 Replace the keyboard see Replacing the Keyboard 7 Replace the center control cover see Replacing the Center Control Cover 8 Close the display and turn the computer over 9 Replace the nine screws that secure the palm rest assembly to the computer base 1
47. sen the two captive screws that secure the battery pack to the computer base 5 Using the pull tab lift the battery pack off the computer base battery pack 2 pull tab 1 captive screws 2 battery pack cable Replacing the Battery Pack A CAUTI ON To avoid damage to the computer use only the battery designed for this particular Alienware computer 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Place the battery pack in the battery bay and tighten the two captive screws that secure the battery pack to the computer base 3 Connect the battery pack cable to the connector on the system board 4 Replace the base cover see Replacing the Base Cover Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Before You Begin Alienware M14x Service Manual Recommended Tools o Turning Off Your Computer Before Working Inside Your Computer Contacting Alienware This manual provides procedures for removing and installing the components in your computer Unless otherwise noted each procedure assumes that the following conditions exist 1 You have performed the steps in Turning Off Your Computer and Before Working Inside Your Computer You have read the safety information that shipped with your computer A component can be replaced or if purchased separately installed by performing the removal procedure in reverse order Recommended Tools The procedures in this document may requi
48. t remove the hard drive while the computer is On or in Sleep state CAUTI ON Hard drives are extremely fragile Exercise care when handling the hard drive CAUTI ON Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty CAUTI ON When you disconnect a cable pull on its connector or on its pull tab not on the cable itself Some cables have connectors with locking tabs if you are disconnecting this type of cable press in on the locking tabs before you disconnect the cable As you pull connectors apart keep them evenly aligned to avoid bending any connector pins Also before you connect a cable ensure that both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned NOTE Dell or Alienware does not guarantee compatibility or provide support for hard drives from sources other than Dell NOTE If you are installing a hard drive from a source other than Dell or Alienware you need to install an operating system drivers and utilities on the new hard drive Removing the Hard Drive 4 6 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover Remove the battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack Follow the instructions from step 4 to step 6 in Removing the Optical Drive Loosen the three captive screws that secure the hard drive assembly to the computer base Using the
49. the computer 8 Turn on the computer As the computer boots it detects the additional memory and automatically updates the system configuration information To confirm the amount of memory installed in the computer Click start Control Panel System and Security System Back to Contents Page Back to Contents Page Wireless Mini Card s Alienware M14x Service Manual Removing the Mini Card s Replacing the Mini Card s WARNING Before working inside your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_compliance CAUTION To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer CAUTION Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty gt D gt gt BP CAUTI ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer K NOTE Dell or Alienware does not guarantee compatibility or provide support for Mini Cards from sources other than Dell or Alienware If you ordered a wireless Mini Card with your computer the card is already installed Your computer su
50. the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_ compliance A CAUTI ON To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer A CAUTI ON Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty A CAUTI ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer Removing the Palm Rest Assembly 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover 3 Remove the battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack 4 Remove the nine screws that secure the palm rest assembly to the computer base A A gt ma 5 Turn the computer over and open the display as far as possible 6 Remove the center control cover see Removing the Center Control Cover 7 Remove the keyboard see Removing the Keyboard A CAUTI ON Pull the pull tabs on top of the connectors to avoid damage to the connectors 8 Lift the connector latches and pull the pull tabs to disconnect the touch pad cable and power button board cable from the connectors on the system board 9 Di
51. trostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer A CAUTI ON Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty A CAUTI ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer Removing the Display Assembly 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover 3 Remove the battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack 4 Disconnect the antenna cables from the Mini Card s see Removing the Mini Card s 5 Note the routing of the Mini Card antenna cables and remove them from the routing guides on the computer base Mini Card antenna cables 6 Turn the computer over and open the display as far as possible 7 Remove the center control cover see Removing the Center Control Cover 8 Remove the keyboard see Removing the Keyboard 9 Remove the palm rest assembly see Removing the Palm Rest Assembly 10 Using the pull tab disconnect the display cable from the connector on the system board 11 Disconnect the touch screen board cable from the connector on the system board 12 Remove the four screws that secure the display assembly to the compute
52. ttery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer Removing the Power Button Board 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover 3 Remove the battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack 4 Remove the center control cover see Removing the Center Control Cover 5 Remove the keyboard see Removing the Keyboard 6 Remove the palm rest assembly see Removing the Palm Rest Assembly 7 Carefully peel the power button board cable from the palm rest assembly 8 Remove the two screws that secure the power button board to the palm rest assembly 9 Lift the power button board along with its cable away from the palm rest assembly power button board cable Replacing the Power Button Board 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Slide the power button board cable through the slot on the palm rest assembly 3 Use the alignment posts on the palm rest assembly to place the power button board in place 4 Replace the two screws that secure the power button board to the palm rest assembly 5 Adhere the power button board cable to the palm rest assembly 6 Replace the palm rest assembly see Replacing the Palm Rest Assembly 7 Replace the keyboard see Replacing the Keyboard 8 Replace the center control cover see Replacing the Center Control Cover 9 Replace the battery pack see Replacing the
53. your computer read the safety information that shipped with your computer For additional safety best practices information see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell com regulatory_compliance A CAUTI ON To avoid electrostatic discharge ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface such as a connector on your computer A CAUTI ON Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty A CAUTI ON To help prevent damage to the system board remove the main battery see Removing the Battery Pack before working inside the computer Removing the Subwoofer 1 Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2 Remove the base cover see Removing the Base Cover 3 Remove the battery pack see Removing the Battery Pack 4 Remove the center control cover see Removing the Center Control Cover 5 Remove the keyboard see Removing the Keyboard 6 Remove the palm rest assembly see Removing the Palm Rest Assembly 7 Disconnect the subwoofer cable from the connector on the system board 8 Note the routing of subwoofer cable and remove the cable from the routing guides 9 Lift the subwoofer along with the cable off the computer base 1 subwoofer cable 2 subwoofer Replacing the Subwoofer 1 Follow the instructions

Alienware M14X Laptop User Manual

Contents

Download Pdf Manuals

Related Search

Related Contents