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+--- Thread: Dell MINI 9 + coffee = a close call ... (disassembly pix inside) (/showthread.php?tid=75972)
Dell MINI 9 + coffee = a close call ... (disassembly pix inside) - deckeda - 04-08-2009
It survived. But she DID try to turn it on before letting it dry. Only the power light came on, and then it would go out. Failed POST, no video etc. It was in her bag (loose, of course); she "thought the coffee mug was empty ... are you gonna tell your MR buddies about this?" Oh but yes, dear. With pictures.
The MINI 9 is an easy laptop to take apart and put back together. It's a motherboard sandwich, with screws bottom and top (once the keyboard and top plate is removed.)
This is not intended to be a definitive or step-by-step narrative. But in general, you remove all bottom screws, remove keyboard, remove top plate in that order. I didn't bother to draw arrows or circle anything. All screws are the same size except for 4: the two that secure the bottom access cover and the two for the mobo are short ones.
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To get the keyboard out, 2 screws from the bottom first come out. Just remove all the bottom screws now, including the 2 hidden beneath the two rubber feet embedded in the rear corners (they pry out.) Then pry up the rear of the keyboard if it hasn't already fallen out. At some point you'll additionally need to remove the bottom access cover to get to another screw (or is it 2?) --- all that stuff screws into the top plate!
In the picture immediately below, there are then 6 obvious screws already removed (metal shielding is part of top plate) + 1 more (upper-left, black plastic near red/blk connector.)
The two vertically-oriented ribbon cables with cables attached must be removed in order to remove the top plate. The red/blk wires you see can optionally be removed if you intend to remove the mobo.
The ribbon cable connector in the lower-right with nothing plugged in is actually UNUSED. All ribbon cables pull out once their little release tabs are freed.
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Bottom of the keyboard. If you look closely you'll see brown stain, and one reason why we couldn't just turn it in for a "warranty claim" --- there's a clear plastic sheet glued to it. Removing it in order to get to the coffee probably would have been a disaster.
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The removed top plate. Once necessary screws were removed, I began prying with a flat-blade screwdriver. Yes, it's also a snap fit, and at least one might break off. Don't sweat it, remember there are a thousand screws you'll put back that hold the thing together afterall. If it unsnaps everywhere except near the trackpad that means you didn't remove the screw(s) [sorry, I can't remember if it's 1 or 2] beneath the bottom access cover.
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Underside of the top plate. Nice that the left/right button assembly can be removed separately from the trackpad is necessary.
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You shouldn't need to go any farther than this (but of course you won't know that for sure, and will want to check the bottom of the mobo too ...) To get the mobo out, remove all ribbon or wire connectors. There are only 2 screws holding it in and they are still present in the photo here (located by white triangles on the mobo itself.)
The blk/white wires that disappear into the hole in the mobo connect to the WiFi board on the other side. The connectors neatly snap off and back on --- but take note of which goes where.
Note also the piece of masking tape holding down the microphone wires near the front. The tape wraps around top and bottom of the mobo and was the only thing that took me a little finagling to get right again.
Best way to remove the board is to push inward (i.e. to the right) on the SD card reader, freeing the left ports from the case, then lift out. The right-side ports (primarily audio in/out) are a little more tucked into the case.
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Here's what I was almost certain we were gonna have to buy (assuming it would even be cost effective):
We took it apart last night and used a bit of witchhazel on a Q-tip where we could see Starbucks residue. Some near the Ethernet port (as yet untested) some near the right-click button, some on the CPU and edges! and a couple other places. Nothing extensive. It wasn't soaked. We let everything just sit overnight.
Tonight was re-assembly. It fully booted on the first try --- video, speakers, WiFi all working --- but the trackpad buttons and USB ports were dead. Removed the keypad again, removed top plate again. Re-seated all mobo connections again. Now the buttons and USB worked too.
Now shopping for a sleeve for the damn thing. Maybe a Ziploc freezer bag or other waterproof solution.
Re: Dell MINI 9 + coffee = a close call ... (disassembly pix inside) - Big Daddy Cool - 04-08-2009
Nice tour.
Hope it all stays well.
Re: Dell MINI 9 + coffee = a close call ... (disassembly pix inside) - Lux Interior - 04-08-2009
Hardcore mini-pr0n!
Re: Dell MINI 9 + coffee = a close call ... (disassembly pix inside) - rgG - 04-08-2009
are you gonna tell your MR buddies about this?" Oh but yes, dear. With pictures.
:jest:
Re: Dell MINI 9 + coffee = a close call ... (disassembly pix inside) - NewtonMP2100 - 04-08-2009
. . .nice..like playing Operation. . .
Re: Dell MINI 9 + coffee = a close call ... (disassembly pix inside) - jesse - 04-08-2009
Walmart has some neoprene sleeves back by the portable dvd players, I believe they're Caselogic, but the fit the Dell mini 9 and they're only about $8.00.
Re: Dell MINI 9 + coffee = a close call ... (disassembly pix inside) - DaviDC. - 04-08-2009
Good pictures!
I took my Dell mini apart one night just to see what was inside. I had a bluetooth module from another Inspiron model & wanted to see if I could make it fit. No way. The mini 9 takes its own unit & nothing else will work.
Re: Dell MINI 9 + coffee = a close call ... (disassembly pix inside) - Racer X - 04-08-2009
how about a no liquid near a computer policy?
Re: Dell MINI 9 + coffee = a close call ... (disassembly pix inside) - deckeda - 04-08-2009
You would think that after spilling water on her work laptop (it too survived) and a cellphone a few years ago (it didn't) she would already adhere to that policy.
Her: "I didn't think there was liquid ...."
Me: "Totally not the point--protect it in a case so that you don't have to worry as much about liquid."
Wonder if I could just Scotchgard the crap out of it. Brush on some varnish? Wait, I know: get a big condom for it.