dayonecontinues | Channel 9

Day One Continues - Disassembling the display

Before disassembling the display there are couple of other devices that have to be removed: the mouse and the speakers.

23) Remove the mouse

The mouse like the keyboard will not be used in the future picture frame. All the parts for the mouse can be thrown away.

http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/removemouse1320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/removemouse2320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/removemouse3320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG

25) Remove the speakers

It will be good to reuse the speakers from the original laptop. This way it will not be necessary to find matching speakers for power and impedance and it is guaranteed that we are not going to overload the sound card. Disconnect the speaker cables firs before removing the speakers.

http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/removingspeaker1320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/removingspeaker2320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/removingspeaker3320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/removingspeaker4320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/speakers320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG

25) Disassembling the display

There are 4 screws that hold the display cover: 2 on the side and 2 on the front. I removed the screws on the side of the display at the very beginning of the project, so the following pictures may be a little bit out of sync. The point is that the screws are under a decorative detail that is glued and has to be removed.

http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/hiddenscrew1320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/hiddenscrew2320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG

After the screws are removed the display cover snaps-off with a little pressure.

http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/removedisplayframe320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG

Next I continued to meticulously disassemble the laptop and almost made another mistake: I tried to remove the hinges.

26) Remove the hinges

I did try to remove them but I could not. After several attempts I gave up and went for a snack. It was necessary to clear my mind and reflect on the next steps. Chewing on a sandwich gave me enough time to figure that all I wanted was the display and I didn’t need to to disassemble the computer. (As you know I have been pre-disposed to taking things entirely apart since an early age.)

27) Pull out the display cables

Pull the display cables out trough the hinges. Also pull out the antenna cables.

http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/pulloutdisplaycables1320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/pulloutdisplaycables2320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG

28) Take out the display

Take out the display and put it in a safe place. The display module is really fragile and it is good to do not touch it that much.

29) Remove the antennas

The antennas are glued to the top cover of the display with double sided sticking tape. It is very easy to damage the antennas so be careful when you try to pull them out.

To remove the antennas use sharp flat knife. Put the knife under the first antenna and apply steady pressure when you move the knife. Move the knife a bit and then lift it up. Repeat on small steps until the antenna is removed. There are three antennas that have to be removed.

http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/removeantenna1320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/removeantenna2320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG

30) Remove the wireless card with the antennas

http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/removewirelessandantennas320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG
At the end of the Day 1 after approximately six hours of work I had the whole laptop in pieces on my table. Not a pretty picture. It is time to wrap up the first day. Obviously I needed a tune up of my plan.

http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/baretop320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG

First thing I needed to do was to figure out what features I would like to have in my picture frame and then figure out how to get the necessary boards back together.

Obviously the original intent, to assemble only the boards, was not going to work. It was way to complex to build a holding mechanism for the irregularly shaped boards.

I had to put the boards back and use the original back cover of the computer. If I do this then I can have all original features of the laptop in my picture frame. The only problem with this will be how I can have access to the CD and SD reader. If I make aluminum frame it will be difficult to cut the opening and I will need a metal machinist for that. And this will be expensive.

The next thing I need to solve is the power button and the Toshiba tools button. Both buttons were over the keyboard. I will not be able to access these buttons no matter how I install the computer inside the frame if the frame is hung on the wall.

I could live without the Toshiba tool button. If I needed access to the Toshiba tools software I can activate it from the start menu or the task manager, but I have to be able to start and stop the machine when the picture is hanging on the wall. So the power button needs an extension.

I was ready to wrap Day 1.

http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/images/upload/Junktoprevival/endofday1320x240.jpg View Larger Image640x480.JPG

Next: DayTwo - Reassembling the laptop