How to disassemble HP and Compaq Presario laptops

In the following guide I explain how to disassemble an HP G72 laptop.
This guid also works for Compaq Presario CQ72 models.
In this particular case I’m taking apart an HP G72-B57CL laptop.
I’ll go though the following major disassembly steps:
STEP 1-6: Removing laptop hard drive and optical drive. Accessing CMOS battery, wireless card and memory modules.
STEP 7-15: Disconnecting and removing laptop keyboard.
STEP 16-20: Removing the top cover assembly.
STEP 21-26: Removing laptop motherboard.
STEP 27-30: Accessing laptop cooling fan and DC jack cable.

Before you start, make sure the laptop is turned off. Also, I would recommend to keep track of all removed screws because they all have different length.
Draw a diagram with correct location of all removed screws. This will help tremendously during the reassembly process.
STEP 1.
Unlock and remove the main laptop battery.

STEP 2.
Remove four screws securing two service covers on the bottom of the laptop.
Lift up and remove both covers.

Under these service covers you can access the following laptop components:
- Wireless card.
- Both memory modules.
- CMOS battery.
- Hard drive.

STEP 3.
Remove four screws securing the hard drive assembly to the laptop case.

STEP 4.
Disconnect the hard drive cable from the motherboard.

STEP 5.
Lift up and remove the hard drive assembly.

STEP 6.
Remove one screw securing the optical drive.
Pull the optical drive to the shown direction and remove it from the laptop.

STEP 7.
Remove four screws securing the keyboard on the bottom of the laptop.

STEP 8.
It’s a little bit tricky to remove the keyboard from an HP G72 laptop and how’s here I did it.
Insert a small screwdriver into the screw hole. I’m using a T6 torn for that.

STEP 9.
When you push on the screwdriver you’ll one side of the keyboard will separate from the top cover.
Insert your fingers under the keyboard.

STEP 10.
Continue separating the keyboard from the top cover.
NOTE: in my case the keyboard was glued to the top cover with sticky tape. I had to wiggle the keyboard in order to unglue it from the top cover.

STEP 11.
Remove the keyboard from the laptop and turn it upside down.
Be careful, the keyboard still connected to the motherboard.

STEP 12.
Before you pull the keyboard cable from the connector it’s necessary to unlock the connector.
In the following two steps I explain how to unlock the connector.

STEP 13.
Carefully lift up the left side of the cable retainer with your fingernail.
The retainer will open up at a 90 degree angle.

STEP 14.
On the following picture you can see the keyboard connector in the UNLOCKED position.
Now you can pull the cable from the connector.

STEP 15.
Remove the keyboard.
If you need a new replacement keyboard for your HP G72/Compaq Presario CQ72 laptop you can find it here.

STEP 16.
Remove all screws from the bottom of the laptop.

STEP 17.
Remove screws securing the top cover assembly.
Disconnect the following cables:
1. Power button board cable.
2. Speaker cable.
3 and 4. Touchpad cables.
Unplug cables 1, 3 and 4 the same way you unplugged the keyboard cable in steps 13 and 14.

Here’s how to disconnect the speaker cable.

STEP 18.
Start separating the top cover assembly from the laptop bottom cover using a piece of plastic. I’m using the guitar pick for that.

STEP 19.
Continue removing the top cover assembly.

STEP 20.
Top cover assembly removed.

On the bottom side of the top cover assembly you can access the following components:
- Speaker assembly.
- Power button board.
- Touchpad.

Now we are going to disconnect and remove the motherboard.

STEP 21.
Disconnect the CMOS battery cable (1) and DC power jack cable (2) from the motherboard.
Disconnect wireless antenna cables 3 and 4 from the wireless card.

STEP 22.
Remove one screw securing the wireless card and pull the card from the slot.

STEP 23.
Disconnect the following cables from the motherboard:
1. Video cable.
2. Microphone cable.
3. Optical drive board cable.
4. USB board cable.

Here’s how to disconnect the video cable (1) and optical drive board cable (3).

STEP 24.
Remove three screws securing the motherboard.

STEP 25.
Start removing the motherboard from the right side.
Carefully lift up the right side of the motherboard and pull it from the laptop case.

STEP 26.
The motherboard removed.

STEP 27.
Here’s the laptop base without the motherboard.

STEP 28.
If you are going to remove the cooling module assembly (cooling fan and heatsink) you’ll have to disconnect the fan cable which is shown on the picture below.

STEP 29.
You can access the cooling module assembly on the other side of the motherboard.
New replacement fans for HP G72 and Compaq Presario CQ72 laptops available here.

STEP 30.
The DC power jack located in the upper right corner of the laptop case.
The DC jack is attached to a cable.
New replacement DC jacks for HP G72 and Compaq Presario CQ72 laptops available here.