How to disassemble Sony VAIO E Series

In this guide I will take apart a Sony VAIO E Series laptop.

Product name: SVE14A35CXH
MODEL: SVE14AJ16L

Make sure the laptop is turned off before you start taking it apart.

STEP 1.

Unlock and remove and replace the battery if necessary.

STEP 2.

Remove one screw securing the RAM cover.

Lift up the cover and remove it.

Under the cover you can access both RAM modules.

Sony VAIO E series supports up to 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3-12800 SODIMM RAM modules.

STEP 3.

Remove the hard drive cover.

Remove two screws securing the hard drive assembly.

Slide the hard drive to the left to disconnect it from the motherboard.

STEP 4.

Lift up and remove the hard drive.

I recommend replacing this regular 2.5″ SATA hard drive to a 2.5″ SATA solid state drive. Doing so will improve the laptop performance significantly.

STEP 5.

Remove one screw securing the optical drive.

Slide the optical drive to the left and pull it out.

STEP 6.

Remove all screws from the bottom cover.

Two hinge screws (green) are larger than other screws.

Two screws located in the battery compartment (yellow) are smaller.

STEP 7.

Start separating the bottom cover from the rest of the laptop.

You can use a guitar pick to split the case.

STEP 8.

Remove the bottom cover.

Under the cover you can easily access the following internal components:

– Power button board.
– DC power connector.
– Cooling fan assembly.
– Wi-Fi card.
– USB/Audio board.

STEP 9.

The microphone, headphone and two USB ports located on a separate board.

If one of the audio jack or USB ports is damaged, simply replace the entire board.

STEP 10.

In order to remove the cooling fan assembly you’ll have to remove a few screws securing the heat sink and unplug the fan cable.

STEP 11.

The DC power connector is NOT soldered to the motherboard. It can be easily replaced after you unplug the cable.

The DC connector secured to the case by a metal bracket. In order to remove the bracket you’ll have to remove the fan assembly first.

STEP 12.

There are a few latches securing the keyboard to the case.

In order to remove the keyboard you’ll have to unlock these latches.

STEP 13.

Push on a latch until it disengages from the case.

STEP 14.

When the latch is disengaged, the keyboard will lift up a little bit.

Continue separating the keyboard from the case with your fingers and at the same time unlock remaining latches on the other side.

STEP 15.

Separate the keyboard from the case and place it upside down on the palm rest.

STEP 16.

There are two cables connecting the keyboard to the motherboard.

– The backlight cable (narrow).
– The data cable (wide).

STEP 17.

The backlight cable connector doesn’t have a locking mechanism.

Simply pull the cable from the connector.

STEP 18.

The data cable connector, on the other hand, has to be unlocked first.

Carefully slide the locking tab about 2 millimeters away from the connector.

The tab must remain attached to the connector.

STEP 19.

Now you can pull the data cable from the connector (it goes under the locking tab).

STEP 20.

Remove the keyboard completely.

STEP 21.

The power button board cable can be accessed when the keyboard removed.

The board itself secured to the other side by one screw.

STEP 22.

Here’s how to remove the cable.

First, lift up one side of the locking tab until it opens up at a 90 degree angle (yellow arrow).

Second, pull the cable from the connector.

Now you can easily remove the power button board if necessary.