Dell XPS L502X User manual

Dell™ XPS™ L502X Service
Manual
Regulatory model: P11F Regulatory type: P11F003

Notes, Cautions, and Warnings
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of
your computer.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates potential damage to hardware or loss of data if
instructions are not followed.
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™, the DELL logo, and XPS™ are trademarks of Dell Inc.;
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.
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: P11F Regulatory type: P11F003
2011 - 02 Rev. A00

Contents 3
Contents
1 Before You Begin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Recommended Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Turning Off Your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Before Working Inside Your Computer . . . . . . . . . 10
2Battery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Removing the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Replacing the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3 Module Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Removing the Module Cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Replacing the Module Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4 Memory Module(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Removing the Memory Module(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Replacing the Memory Module(s). . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5 Wireless Mini-Card(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Removing the Mini-Card(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

4Contents
Replacing the Mini-Card(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
6 Optical Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Removing the Optical Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Replacing the Optical Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
7 Palm-Rest Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Removing the Palm-Rest Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Replacing the Palm-Rest Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . 32
8 Power-Button Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Removing the Power-Button Board . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Replacing the Power-Button Board . . . . . . . . . . . 36
9 Coin-Cell Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Removing the Coin-Cell Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Replacing the Coin-Cell Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
10 Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Removing the Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Replacing the Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Contents 5
11 Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Removing the Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Replacing the Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
12 Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Display Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Removing the Display Assembly . . . . . . . . . . 49
Replacing the Display Assembly . . . . . . . . . . 52
Display Bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Removing the Display Bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Replacing the Display Bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Display Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Removing the Display Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Replacing the Display Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Display Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Removing the Display Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Replacing the Display Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Display-Panel Brackets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Removing the Display-Panel Brackets . . . . . . . 59
Replacing the Display-Panel Brackets . . . . . . . 60
13 Camera Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Removing the Camera Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Replacing the Camera Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

6Contents
14 Top Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Removing the Top Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Replacing the Top Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
15 Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Removing the Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Replacing the Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
16 Subwoofer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Removing the Subwoofer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Replacing the Subwoofer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
17 AC-Adapter Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Removing the AC-Adapter Connector . . . . . . . . . . 79
Replacing the AC-Adapter Connector . . . . . . . . . . 80
18 USB Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Removing the USB Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Replacing the USB Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Contents 7
19 TV Tuner Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Removing the TV Tuner Connector . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Replacing the TV Tuner Connector . . . . . . . . . . . 88
20 Heat Sink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Removing the Heat Sink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Replacing the Heat Sink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
21 Processor Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Removing the Processor Module . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Replacing the Processor Module . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
22 System Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Removing the System Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Replacing the System Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Entering the Service Tag in the BIOS . . . . . . . . . . 102
23 Speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Removing the Speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Replacing the Speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
24 Flashing the BIOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

8Contents

Before You Begin 9
1
Before You Begin
This manual provides procedures for removing and installing the components
in your computer. Unless otherwise noted, each procedure assumes that the
following conditions exist:
• You have performed the steps in "Turning Off Your Computer" on page 9
and "Before Working Inside Your Computer" on page 10.
• 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 require the following tools:
• Small flat-blade screwdriver
•Phillipsscrewdriver
•Plasticscribe
• BIOS executable update program available at
support.dell.com
Turning Off Your Computer
CAUTION: 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 To shut down the operating system, click Start and then click Shut
Down
.
3 Ensure that the computer is turned off. If your computer did not
automatically turn off when you shut down the operating system, press
and hold the power button until the computer turns off.

10 Before You Begin
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.
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.
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 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.
CAUTION: 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.
CAUTION: 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.
2 Turn off your computer (see "Turning Off Your Computer" on page 9) and
all attached devices.
CAUTION: 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 Media Card Reader.
5 Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from their electrical
outlets.

Before You Begin 11
6 Disconnect all attached devices from your computer.
CAUTION: To help prevent damage to the system board, remove the main battery
(see "Removing the Battery" on page 13) before working inside the computer.
7 Remove the battery (see "Removing the Battery" on page 13).
8 Turn the computer top-side up, open the display, and press the power
button to ground the system board.
CAUTION: Before touching anything inside your computer, ground yourself by
touching an unpainted metal surface, such as the metal at the back of the
computer. While you work, periodically touch an unpainted metal surface to
dissipate static electricity, which could harm internal components.

12 Before You Begin

Battery 13
2
Battery
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.
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 avoid damage to the computer, use only the battery designed for
this particular Dell computer. Do not use batteries designed for other Dell
computers.
Removing the Battery
1 Follow the instructions in "Before You Begin" on page 9.
2 Turn the computer over.
3 Slide the battery release latch to the side.
4 Lift the battery up at an angle and remove it from the battery bay.

14 Battery
Replacing the Battery
CAUTION: To avoid damage to the computer, use only the battery designed for
this particular Dell computer.
1 Follow the instructions in "Before You Begin" on page 9.
2 Align the tabs on the battery with the slots in the battery bay and press the
battery down until it clicks into place.
1 battery 2 battery release latch
1
2

Module Cover 15
3
Module Cover
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.
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 avoid damage to the computer, use only the battery designed for
this particular Dell computer. Do not use batteries designed for other Dell
computers.
Removing the Module Cover
1 Follow the instructions in "Before You Begin" on page 9.
2 Remove the battery (see "Removing the Battery" on page 13).
3 Loosen the three captive screws that secure the module cover to the base
cover.
4 Using your fingertips, release the tabs on the module cover from the slots
on the base cover.
5 Lift the module cover off the base cover.

16 Module Cover
Replacing the Module Cover
CAUTION: To avoid damage to the computer, use only the battery designed for
this particular Dell computer.
1 Follow the instructions in "Before You Begin" on page 9.
2 Align the tabs on the module cover with the slots on the base cover and
snap the module cover into place.
3 Tighten the three captive screws that secure the module cover to the base
cover.
4 Replace the battery (see "Replacing the Battery" on page 14).
1 screws (3) 2 module cover
3 tabs (4) 4 base cover
2
3
1
4

Memory Module(s) 17
4
Memory Module(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
www.dell.com/regulatory_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" on page 13) before working inside the computer.
You can increase your computer memory by installing memory modules on
the system board. See "Specifications" in the Setup Guide that shipped with
your computer or at support.dell.com/manuals for information on the type of
memory supported by your computer.
NOTE: Memory modules purchased from Dell 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" on page 9.
2 Remove the battery (see "Removing the Battery" on page 13).
3 Remove the module cover (see "Removing the Module Cover" on
page 15).
CAUTION: To help prevent damage to the memory-module connector, do not use
tools to spread the memory module securing clips.
4 Use your fingertips to carefully spread apart the securing clips on each end
of the memory-module connector until the memory module pops up.

18 Memory Module(s)
5 Remove the memory module from the memory-module connector.
Replacing the Memory Module(s)
CAUTION: 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.
1 Follow the instructions in "Before You Begin" on page 9.
2 Align the notch in the memory module with the tab in the
memory-module connector.
1 securing clip 2 memory-module connector
3 memory-module
2
3
1

Memory Module(s) 19
3 Slide the memory module firmly into the memory-module 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.
NOTE: If the memory module is not installed properly, the computer may not
boot.
4 Replace the module cover (see "Replacing the Module Cover" on page 16).
5 Replace the battery (see "Replacing the Battery" on page 14).
6 Connect the AC adapter to your computer and an electrical outlet.
7 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:
1 tab 2 notch
3 memory-module connector
3
1
2

20 Memory Module(s)
Click Start →Control Panel → System and Security → System.
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.