What Tools Do I Need To Open Her Up?

right so today i plan on getting a q6600, 320GB HD and 2GB ram but what tools willi need to open her up so i can do everything?

 

a hammer comes to mind
look through the user or service manuel and it will tell you all the things you will need.

 

ive looked through it several times, but ill have another look thanx

do i need a antistatic wrist strap?

 

A small screwdriver, thermal paste, something to remove the old thermal paste (ArctiClean or high-purity isopropyl alcohol), and a static-free place to work should be all you'll need.

 

how do i knoe if where im working is antistatic, i dont think i will need to remove the thrermal paste as im replacing the CPU with a new CPU (Q6600)

 

You dont really need an antistatic wrist band. Just touch something metal like a desktop case before opening your laptop. and avoid breakdancing on your sweet shag carpet

 

okay thanx, the only thing metal in my room is my bed. how do i know if im in a antistatic location?

 

Preferrably touch something thats grounded, like your sink in your kitchen.

 

and what about the antistatic room thing?

 

antistatic? lol you are not building a space shuttle. what you need is a clear desk, screw drivers, AS5 and paste cleaner.

 

okay thanx but why paste cleaner? as im replacing the CPU with a new one.

 

Get yourself one of these (or something similar):


it's an anti-static workpad (this one's from Radioshack), with an attached wristband - the setup has a grounding wire that may be plugged into the ground line of a suitable wall socket, or clipped onto any metal object (provided there's enough metal to properly dissipate any static buildup).

There's no sense in taking unnecessary risks with a very expensive piece of equipment. It is the case that you can discharge any static buildup by touching a metal item (the metal, being more conductive than you - even if you do lead a symphony orchestra ); however, since you'll be constantly moving around, and therefore constantly generating at least a little bit of static, you'd have to make sure you were constantly touching this metal object - which could be a problem if you get intensely focussed on what you're doing and forget about touching your metal talisman. Why not just get a proper anti-static kit and then you don't need to constantly worry whether you've touched enough metal.

Other than that, you're going to want a nice hard, level surface with lots of space on it and nothing else on top of it for your working area - a large table comes to mind. I would not, under any circumstances, do the work on your bed (unless you've covered the bed with a large piece of plywood, first).

Finally, you're going to want something like an egg-carton - anything with lots of little easy-to-access compartments, to keep the little bits and pieces organized and safe. I would also get a piece of styrofoam or something else similar to that which you can draw a basic diagram on and push screws down into; I do that when I dismantle the VAIO so that I know which screws belong where on the computer when I go to put it back together (and pushing them into the styrofoam also helps to keep them from getting lost, because let me tell you, tiny little screws just love to go walk-about when you least expect it).

 

Ahh, but you're not also replacing the heatsink, are you?

 

As Shyster said you still need to clean up the paste on the heatsink. I did it once on my thinkpad and it was a nasty job lol.

 

i wont be moving around, im going to be sat down at my long desk, im going to make sure i have everything ready so that when i start i dont have to move around to get anything i htink i might have OCD

we have a few thing s i can put the bits in so that should be okay, any other tips

where can i get a kit like that?

 

i was told i didnt need to, do i? or can i just clean it, if so then ill get the paste cleaner

 

Which kit are you referring to?
screw drivers: any dollar stores
AS5: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007
Cleaner: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100010
lot of napkins: from your toilet?

 

You will have a hard time to clean them without a cleaner.

 

okay thanx, i hope that Novatech has both of them as thats where im getting my CPU, RAM and HD from.

 

so i can still use the same heatsink?

 

same heatsink but same paste.

 

right so all i have to do is remove the paste on the heatsink and replace it with new paste then put the new paste onto it and put the CPU back in and put more paste onto the CPU?

 

1) remove the heatsink
2) unscrew the old CPU and take it out
3) clean up the old paste on both old CPU and heatsink
4) insert your new CPU
5) apply AS5 on top of the new CPU
6) put the heatsink back on (no AS5 need to apply on heatsink)

 

right thanx, very helpful

 

My honor to help Sir.

 

and yove helped me ALOT

 

lol, someone was thread camping. =P

 

i think he was just being helpful

 

especially yours.

 

actually, i was thinking more of armageddon. nearly every other post was his. =P

it was definately a good read though, i think i'll rep everyone who contributed. i certainly got some good hints.

 

Runs in to contribute at the last second.

No, but seriously, good luck replacing your CPU. I had a friend who had just bought a new QX6850, and when he took it out to place in his desktop he didn't ground himself and fried his new thousand dollar CPU. When he told me about it I was really surprised that he was so stupid.

 

for F*** sake, now im paranoid about eletricuting my self
yes im a very paranoid person

what if im wearing trainers that have rubber on them? will i still get fried

thats what i did

 

Actually it also depends on where you live and the weather. During the hot humid summer months, static is less common, but in the colder winter months with the drier air, static is much more common. I guess you can go to your bathroom and get it all steamy and change your CPU there Just kidding !!! Get yourself and antistatic band and mat and you should be fine. God Bless

 

right its hot here so that helps, ill look for the mat and wristband thing

 

right i have all the parts (Q6600, 2GB RAM and 320GB HD) but ive hit a problem, i cant undo the small screws they are really tight and i keep slipping and scratching them im affirad that ill end up damaging the screws any ideas what i should do?

when i put the first 320GB hard drive in, the screws were quite easy to get out but now they are really hard. what screw drivers do you people use to open yours up as i think it may be the screw driver that im using that may be wrong as its different to the one i used frist time around - and i cant find it anywhere in the house and i went to our local hardware store but still couldnt find one.

but i do have the big screws done, so im halfway there

 

can anyone help?

 

Get smaller screwdrivers, and get the sort that have a bit on the end of the handle that can turn independently of the handle. Next, make sure you're applying good, strong force (don't break anything, please - use your common sense) straight down on the screw, and then slowly turn the handle in a counterclockwise direction (i.e., to loosen the screw), and make sure that you pay attention to any signs of imminent slipping of the screwdriver and stop before it slips and chews up the screw itself.

Also, just in case you do chew some of them up, get a couple of replacement screws.

 

i have several scredrivers whichfit the screw but they dont have decent handles, they are thin metal ones

i pm'ed Kobalt (on there forum) too see how much it would cost if i sent the stuff up to them and got them to do it and sent it back - its my baby and i dont want to break her

 

well i contacted Kobalt and they said to do everything it would take a couple of days and would cost about £100,not too bothered about the cost but the amount of time it would take to do it all and get it back to me is abit annoying as i would need it sooner rather then later.

 

Sounds like you'd be better off investing in a small Philips-head screw driver.

 

i know, but i cant get hold of one. got any links to websites where i could buy the right scredriver?

i found somewhere just down the raod from where im livng that does it but it COSTS, £36 Per Hour

 

Any hardware store will have the screwdrivers you need, you don't have to be too picky. Just make sure they're not magnetized, and you should be able to do all the work yourself. If you're having trouble turning the screwdriver, you can use a cloth or something for extra grip (just make sure the cloth doesn't leave any lint, and your handles aren't metal/ make sure you're constantly grounded).
Also, it might be a good idea to remove your battery while doing any work, in case you hit the power button accidentally.

 

for this you need to undo the screws, and that im having trouble undoing them.

well ive just moved soi dont know where anything is, but ill have a look.

im thinking that it will cost about £100, £150 max and i would rather pay this and get some one professional to do the work rather then me trying and screwing everything up