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Alienware Area-51m R2 Service Manual

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Removing the system board

Prerequisites

  1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
  2. Remove the base cover.
  3. Remove the battery.
  4. Remove the memory modules.
  5. Remove the wireless card.
  6. Remove the solid-state drive from M.2 slot one.
  7. Remove the solid-state drive from M.2 slot two.
  8. Follow the procedure from step 1 to step 4 in Removing the hard drive, if applicable.
  9. Remove the solid-state drive from M.2 slot three, if applicable.
  10. Remove the solid-state drive from M.2 slot four, if applicable.
  11. Remove the solid-state drive interposer board, if applicable.
  12. Remove the rear-I/O cover.
  13. Remove the computer base.
  14. Remove the heat-sink assembly.
  15. Remove the left power-adapter port.
  16. Remove the graphics card.
  17. Remove the processor.

About this task

The following image indicates the connectors on the bottom side of your system board.
Figure 1. System-board connectors on the bottom
Image: System-board connectors
  1. Power-button board cable
The following image indicates the connectors on the top side of your system board.
Figure 2. System-board connectors on the top
Image: System-board connectors
  1. Coin-cell battery cable
  2. Card-reader board cable
  3. Keyboard-controller cable
  4. Touchpad cable
  5. Left power-adapter port cable
  6. Audio daughter-board cable

The following image indicates the location of the system board and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure.

Image: Removing the system board

Image: Removing the system board

Steps

  1. Place the palm-rest assembly on a clean and flat surface with keyboard facing up, disconnect the power-button board cable.
  2. Turn the palm-rest assembly over.
    NOTE: Ensure that the power-button board cable is disconnected before removing the system board.
  3. Open the latch and disconnect the audio daughter-board cable from the system board.
  4. Open the latch and disconnect the touchpad cable from the system board.
  5. Open the latch and disconnect the keyboard-controller cable from the system board.
  6. Using the pull tab, disconnect the card-reader board cable from the system board.
  7. Disconnect the coin-cell battery cable from the system board.
  8. Remove the four screws (M2.5x5) that secure the system board to the palm-rest assembly.
  9. Lift the system board off the palm-rest assembly along with the right power-adapter port.
  10. Remove the right power-adapter port.
  11. After performing all the above steps, you are left with the system board.

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