Alienware M11Xr3 Disassembly And Cleaning Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          20 minutes - 2 hours

Sections

Alienware M11xR3 Disassembly and Cleaning
35 steps

Flags

Action Shots

Be an action hero! This guide needs images that better demonstrate how to perform specific actions.

Confusing Text

Some of this guide’s text is confusing, duplicated, or off-topic. Clarify it by editing!

Needs Better Images

Better photos will improve this guide. Help out by taking, editing, or uploading new ones!

Member-Contributed Guide

An awesome member of our community made this guide. It is not managed by iFixit staff.

BackAlienware M11x
Full Screen
Options
History
Save to Favorites
Download PDF
Edit
Translate
Get Shareable Link
Embed This Guide
Notify Me of Changes
Stop Notifications

Introduction

I am not responsible for damages that may be caused. This is for informational purposes only. Follow at your own risk.

This is my first guide so please be kind.

What you need

Step 1

              Beginning (Parts, Tools and Laptop)

Welcome to the Alienware M11xR3 disassembly. Below, I will describe the necessary tools and steps to disassemble the Alienware M11xR3. This disassembly applies to all M11x, including the R1, R2, and R3.
Required tools:
1x Phillips #1 and #00 Screwdriver
1x Flathead Screwdriver
1x Small Needle Nose Pliers or Tweezers
1x Thermal Paste and Finger Stalls Optional: Small water balloons (to spread thermal paste without getting dirty)
1x Anti-Static Mat
I highly recommended reading about static electricity and how it can damage electronic components.

Welcome to the Alienware M11xR3 disassembly. Below, I will describe the necessary tools and steps to disassemble the Alienware M11xR3. This disassembly applies to all M11x, including the R1, R2, and R3.

Required tools:

1x Phillips #1 and #00 Screwdriver

1x Flathead Screwdriver

1x Small Needle Nose Pliers or Tweezers

1x Thermal Paste and Finger Stalls Optional: Small water balloons (to spread thermal paste without getting dirty)

1x Anti-Static Mat

I highly recommended reading about static electricity and how it can damage electronic components.

1024

Step 2

              Remove back plate screws.

Gently flip over the laptop so that the bottom side is facing up.
Use a Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove the 8 screws securing the base-plate.

Gently flip over the laptop so that the bottom side is facing up.

Use a Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove the 8 screws securing the base-plate.

Step 3

              Remove back plate.

Lift the bottom cover and remove it.

Lift the bottom cover and remove it.

Step 4

              Unscrew and unplug battery.

Remove the battery cable on the plate by pulling vertically.
Unscrew and remove the screws retaining the battery.

Remove the battery cable on the plate by pulling vertically.

Unscrew and remove the screws retaining the battery.

Step 5

              Remove Battery.

Remove the battery.

Remove the battery.

Step 6

              Remove the HDD

Remove the hard drive mounting bracket by removing the three screws with the Phillips #1 screwdriver.
Pull out the hard drive by lifting up on the black tab.

Remove the hard drive mounting bracket by removing the three screws with the Phillips #1 screwdriver.

Pull out the hard drive by lifting up on the black tab.

Step 7

              (Optional) Replace HDD

In order to remove the hard drive from the mounting bracket, remove the four screws at each corner with the Phillips #1 screwdriver.
When installing a new hard drive, never forget to remove the SATA adapter before installation.

In order to remove the hard drive from the mounting bracket, remove the four screws at each corner with the Phillips #1 screwdriver.

When installing a new hard drive, never forget to remove the SATA adapter before installation.

Step 8

              Remove RAM

Pull the tabs away from RAM.

Carefully pull the RAM module to remove.

Depending on the configuration that you have on your Alienware, there may be another RAM module.

If you want to upgrade your RAM please read the manual about which modules are compatible. Here are the RAM specs:

Number of Sockets: 2

Max memory: 16384 MB (16GB)

Step 9

              Remove WLAN module

Depending on your Alienware configuration, it can have up to 3 aerial cables.
Remove the aerial cables vertically with Tweezers or Small Needle Nose Pliers.
Once the aerial cables are removed, extract the screws.
Remove the WLAN card.
On USA models, a WWAN card may be located near the WLAN card. Use the same process to remove it.

Depending on your Alienware configuration, it can have up to 3 aerial cables.

Remove the aerial cables vertically with Tweezers or Small Needle Nose Pliers.

Once the aerial cables are removed, extract the screws.

Remove the WLAN card.

On USA models, a WWAN card may be located near the WLAN card. Use the same process to remove it.

Step 10

              Remove chassis and keyboard screws

Remove the chassis screws using a Phillips #1 screwdriver.
Remove the keyboard screws using a Phillips #1 screwdriver.

Remove the chassis screws using a Phillips #1 screwdriver.

Remove the keyboard screws using a Phillips #1 screwdriver.

Step 11

              Remove the chassis screws

Remove the chassis screws.

Remove the chassis screws.

Step 12

              Remove the bottom chassis screws

Remove the bottom chassis screws.

Remove the bottom chassis screws.

Step 13

The screw marked with a yellow circle is near the hard drive bay.

The screw marked with a yellow circle is near the hard drive bay.

Step 14

              Remove the screws from the keyboard

Remove the screws from the keyboard.

Remove the screws from the keyboard.

Step 15

              Remove the cover

Use a small flat screwdriver to carefully pry the cover from the chassis.
Next, use your finger as a lever to extract the cover. The cover has tabs that attach it to the chassis.
In the next step, I’ll show you tab locations.

Use a small flat screwdriver to carefully pry the cover from the chassis.

Next, use your finger as a lever to extract the cover. The cover has tabs that attach it to the chassis.

In the next step, I’ll show you tab locations.

Step 16

              Tab locations

Clamping tabs

Clamping tabs

Step 17

Remove the two screws to release the keyboard.
Wait for the next step to remove the keyboard; there are bus data cables underneath the keyboard that must be removed first.

Remove the two screws to release the keyboard.

Wait for the next step to remove the keyboard; there are bus data cables underneath the keyboard that must be removed first.

Step 18

              Remove bus data cables (part 1)

There are 2 bus data cables.
The thin orange cable is the RGB led keyboard retro illumination.
Lift the tab to a vertical position to free the bus cable as shown.

There are 2 bus data cables.

The thin orange cable is the RGB led keyboard retro illumination.

Lift the tab to a vertical position to free the bus cable as shown.

Step 19

              Remove bus data cables (part 2)

Free the keyboard bus data cable as you did for the RGB bus data cable.
Remove the keyboard to replace it; it has pressure points like the previous cover.
If the keyboard fails, the best option is to replace it for a new one.

Free the keyboard bus data cable as you did for the RGB bus data cable.

Remove the keyboard to replace it; it has pressure points like the previous cover.

If the keyboard fails, the best option is to replace it for a new one.

Step 20

              Remove more chassis screws

Continue taking out the chassis by unscrewing the 3 shown screws.
First one to the left of the RGB bus data cable.
Second one at bottom near the touchpad.
Third one on the right edge of the laptop.

Continue taking out the chassis by unscrewing the 3 shown screws.

First one to the left of the RGB bus data cable.

Second one at bottom near the touchpad.

Third one on the right edge of the laptop.

Step 21

              Remove touchpad data bus cable

Lift the tab to disconnect the touchpad data bus cable.

Lift the tab to disconnect the touchpad data bus cable.

Step 22

              Remove bus cable to Motherboard.

Extract the bus cable with needle nose pliers by lifting the tab and pulling it away.
If your computer doesn’t power on, then check to make sure this cable is plugged in.
Always lift tabs vertically to free cables.

Extract the bus cable with needle nose pliers by lifting the tab and pulling it away.

If your computer doesn’t power on, then check to make sure this cable is plugged in.

Always lift tabs vertically to free cables.

Step 23

Lift the case with your fingers, as shown in the pictures.
Don’t remove the case yet. There is another cable on the upper left corner that must be removed to fully remove the case.

Lift the case with your fingers, as shown in the pictures.

Don’t remove the case yet. There is another cable on the upper left corner that must be removed to fully remove the case.

Step 24

This is the cable that I mentioned in the previous step.
Pull the cable out to the right to remove it.

This is the cable that I mentioned in the previous step.

Pull the cable out to the right to remove it.

Step 25

Here’s a top and bottom view of the board with the power on switch and LED status.

Here’s a top and bottom view of the board with the power on switch and LED status.

Step 26

And here’s a bottom view of the touchpad.

And here’s a bottom view of the touchpad.

Step 27

              Removing the bluetooth card.

Remove the shown screw.
Pull the cable off.

Remove the shown screw.

Pull the cable off.

Step 28

              (Optional)  Remove the BIOS battery

This is the BIOS battery for internal configuration and clock. If you have problems with it, remove it by disconnecting it from the motherboard.

This is the BIOS battery for internal configuration and clock. If you have problems with it, remove it by disconnecting it from the motherboard.

Step 29

Pull the speakers connector towards you and away from the I/O board, marked by a yellow square.
Remove the 3 screws and lift as you see in the picture
Move the board a little to the left while lifting to prevent damaging the two attached USB 3.0 ports.

Pull the speakers connector towards you and away from the I/O board, marked by a yellow square.

Remove the 3 screws and lift as you see in the picture

Move the board a little to the left while lifting to prevent damaging the two attached USB 3.0 ports.

Step 30

              Removing the display connector.

Remove the display connector by pulling vertically.
Lift using the plastic tab. See the image provided in this step.

Remove the display connector by pulling vertically.

Lift using the plastic tab. See the image provided in this step.

Step 31

              Removing the monitor mount

Unscrew the screws in the correct order by using the numbers near the holes.
Make sure you are holding the monitor while unscrewing to prevent dropping and damaging the screen.
After that, you must see the next step to remove the WLAN aerials.

Unscrew the screws in the correct order by using the numbers near the holes.

Make sure you are holding the monitor while unscrewing to prevent dropping and damaging the screen.

After that, you must see the next step to remove the WLAN aerials.

Step 32

              Pull WLAN cable away with monitor

The WLAN cable is the same as in step 9.
Pass the cable from the bottom of the laptop through the hole carefully.
Remember, depending on your Alienware configuration you may have 2 or 3 aerials. USA customers may also have the WWAN aerials

The WLAN cable is the same as in step 9.

Pass the cable from the bottom of the laptop through the hole carefully.

Remember, depending on your Alienware configuration you may have 2 or 3 aerials. USA customers may also have the WWAN aerials

Step 33

              Removing the motherboard.

Remove the four screws, marked by red circles, to remove the motherboard.
Now lift the motherboard slowly up while moving it to the right. Removing it this way prevents damage to your ports.
As you see in the picture, the I/O board and screen connector wasn’t here. They must be disconnected before removing the motherboard, not like the bluetooth board or coin-cell battery.

Remove the four screws, marked by red circles, to remove the motherboard.

Now lift the motherboard slowly up while moving it to the right. Removing it this way prevents damage to your ports.

As you see in the picture, the I/O board and screen connector wasn’t here. They must be disconnected before removing the motherboard, not like the bluetooth board or coin-cell battery.

Step 34

Disconnect the vent connector.
You must disconnect it to remove the heatsink.
To replace the vent, it is not necessary to remove the heatsink. You must do this step and in the next step I have marked in green the 3 screws that you need to remove.
To maintain good ventilation, clean the vent with compressed air.

Disconnect the vent connector.

You must disconnect it to remove the heatsink.

To replace the vent, it is not necessary to remove the heatsink. You must do this step and in the next step I have marked in green the 3 screws that you need to remove.

To maintain good ventilation, clean the vent with compressed air.

Step 35

              Remove heat sink and apply thermal paste

If this is your first time applying thermal paste, I recommend using a quality thermal paste brand like Arctic Silver and reading a guide here on iFixit.
With the motherboard out, turn it upside down on a static free surface.
To remove the heatsink and replace thermal paste, remove the screws in the correct order (marked with a number on the heatsink).
Clean old thermal paste with isopropyl alcohol. Ensure that after applying thermal paste it doesn’t leak onto the motherboard (if it’s on the green square, it’s fine).
When putting the heat sink back on, try to have the screw holes align on your first try. This is to maintain an even spread of the thermal paste.
Rescrew in the correct order (refer to the numbers on the heat sink).
Tighten each screw one at a time to end up with good heat dissipation.

If this is your first time applying thermal paste, I recommend using a quality thermal paste brand like Arctic Silver and reading a guide here on iFixit.

With the motherboard out, turn it upside down on a static free surface.

To remove the heatsink and replace thermal paste, remove the screws in the correct order (marked with a number on the heatsink).

Clean old thermal paste with isopropyl alcohol. Ensure that after applying thermal paste it doesn’t leak onto the motherboard (if it’s on the green square, it’s fine).

When putting the heat sink back on, try to have the screw holes align on your first try. This is to maintain an even spread of the thermal paste.

Rescrew in the correct order (refer to the numbers on the heat sink).

Tighten each screw one at a time to end up with good heat dissipation.

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      7 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 10 other contributors

                    AdrianP

Member since: 09/05/2013

437 Reputation

                                      1 Guide authored                  



                       Badges:
                       6







                                                        +3 more badges

Szymon PlayZGameZ - Oct 8, 2018

I needed to modify it so i t would work for my M11X R1

but after all, pretty goosd tutorial.

fraser - Feb 18, 2019

Awesomely detailed, thank you :)

Action Shots#

Confusing Text#

Needs Better Images#

Member-Contributed Guide#

Introduction#

What you need#