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Dell XPS 13 Motherboard Replacement

Written By: Evan Shui (and 3 other contributors)
  • Comments: 18
  • Favorites: 0
  • Completions: 11

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

24

Time Required

15 minutes

Sections

5

Flags

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Archived
Archived Guide
This guide is retained solely for historical purposes. Use the updated version of the guide to perform your repair.
Archived

Introduction

Use this guide to replace the motherboard in the Dell XPS 13.

  1. Remove the eight 4 mm T5 Torx screws from the bottom cover. Remove the eight 4 mm T5 Torx screws from the bottom cover.

    • Remove the eight 4 mm T5 Torx screws from the bottom cover.

    Edit

  2. Use a plastic opening tool to pry open the 'XPS' flap in the middle. Use a plastic opening tool to pry open the 'XPS' flap in the middle.

    • Use a plastic opening tool to pry open the 'XPS' flap in the middle.

    Edit

  3. Remove the single Phillips screw hidden beneath the flap.

    • Remove the single Phillips screw hidden beneath the flap.

    Edit

  4. Use opening picks or a plastic pry tool to pry open the case clips, beginning from the back edge.

    • Use opening picks or a plastic pry tool to pry open the case clips, beginning from the back edge.

    Edit

  5. Remove the bottom cover.

    • Remove the bottom cover.

    Edit

  6. Pull the battery cable connector towards the battery to disconnect it from its socket.

    • Pull the battery cable connector towards the battery to disconnect it from its socket.

    • If the connector is stubborn, push a little at one side, then the other, to "walk" it out of its socket.

    • Do not pull up.

    • Open the display and press the power button for five seconds to drain any remaining charge from the system.

    Edit

  7. Use tweezers to remove the little white connector by pulling it out and away from its socket. Use tweezers to remove the little white connector by pulling it out and away from its socket. Use tweezers to remove the little white connector by pulling it out and away from its socket.

    • Use tweezers to remove the little white connector by pulling it out and away from its socket.

    Edit

  8. Remove the black standard flat connector by lifting the tab up with your hand. Remove the black standard flat connector by lifting the tab up with your hand.

    • Remove the black standard flat connector by lifting the tab up with your hand.

    Edit

  10. Remove the 4 mm Phillips #0 screw that connects the fan to the motherboard. Remove the 4 mm Phillips #0 screw that connects the fan to the base of the computer.

    • Remove the 4 mm Phillips #0 screw that connects the fan to the motherboard.

    • Remove the 4 mm Phillips #0 screw that connects the fan to the base of the computer.

    Edit

  11. Use your right hand to lift up the larger section of the motherboard, closest to the fan. Use your left hand to pull the fan at a 30-degree angle out from underneath the motherboard.

    • Use your right hand to lift up the larger section of the motherboard, closest to the fan.

    • Use your left hand to pull the fan at a 30-degree angle out from underneath the motherboard.

    Edit

  12. Remove the four 3 mm Phillips #0 screws located on each corner of the battery. Remove the four 3 mm Phillips #0 screws located on each corner of the battery.

    • Remove the four 3 mm Phillips #0 screws located on each corner of the battery.

    Edit

  13. Pull the battery cable connector towards the battery to disconnect it from its socket. Do not pull up.

    • Pull the battery cable connector towards the battery to disconnect it from its socket.

    • Do not pull up.

    Edit

  14. Peel up any tape securing the speaker cables to the battery.

    • Peel up any tape securing the speaker cables to the battery.

    • You do not need to remove the speakers, only the tape, allowing the battery to be removed out under the speaker cables.

    Edit

  15. Remove the battery.

    • Remove the battery.

    Edit

  16. Remove the eight 4 mm Phillips #0 screws from the motherboard. Remove the eight 4 mm Phillips #0 screws from the motherboard.

    • Remove the eight 4 mm Phillips #0 screws from the motherboard.

    Edit

  17. Locate the red and black cable connector at the bottom right of the motherboard. Use tweezers to slowly detach the cable connector from its socket by pulling it to the right and up. Use tweezers to slowly detach the cable connector from its socket by pulling it to the right and up.

    • Locate the red and black cable connector at the bottom right of the motherboard.

    • Use tweezers to slowly detach the cable connector from its socket by pulling it to the right and up.

    Edit

  18. Use tweezers to flip open the Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) connector. Use tweezers to detach the ribbon cable from the ZIF by pulling it towards yourself. Use tweezers to detach the ribbon cable from the ZIF by pulling it towards yourself.

    • Use tweezers to flip open the Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) connector.

    • Use tweezers to detach the ribbon cable from the ZIF by pulling it towards yourself.

    Edit

  19. Use tweezers to flip open the white ZIF connector. Use tweezers to detach the ribbon connector from the ZIF by pulling it towards yourself. Use tweezers to detach the ribbon connector from the ZIF by pulling it towards yourself.

    • Use tweezers to flip open the white ZIF connector.

    • Use tweezers to detach the ribbon connector from the ZIF by pulling it towards yourself.

    Edit

  20. Use tweezers to flip open the ZIF connector. Use tweezers to detach the orange ribbon connector from the ZIF by pulling it towards yourself. Use tweezers to detach the orange ribbon connector from the ZIF by pulling it towards yourself.

    • Use tweezers to flip open the ZIF connector.

    • Use tweezers to detach the orange ribbon connector from the ZIF by pulling it towards yourself.

    Edit

  21. Use tweezers to detach the black cable connector out of its socket by pulling it to the right. Use tweezers to detach the black cable connector out of its socket by pulling it to the right.

    • Use tweezers to detach the black cable connector out of its socket by pulling it to the right.

    Edit

  22. Use tweezers to gently detach the black and white cable connector out of its socket by pulling it to the right. Use tweezers to gently detach the black and white cable connector out of its socket by pulling it to the right. Use tweezers to gently detach the black and white cable connector out of its socket by pulling it to the right.

    • Use tweezers to gently detach the black and white cable connector out of its socket by pulling it to the right.

    Edit

  23. Locate the connector at the top right of the motherboard. Use tweezers to detach the cable connector from its socket by pulling it to the right.

    • Locate the connector at the top right of the motherboard.

    • Use tweezers to detach the cable connector from its socket by pulling it to the right.

    Edit

  24. Locate the last black cable connector. Use tweezers to detach the black cable connector from its socket by pulling it to the right. Use tweezers to detach the black cable connector from its socket by pulling it to the right.

    • Locate the last black cable connector.

    • Use tweezers to detach the black cable connector from its socket by pulling it to the right.

    Edit

  25. Use your hands to lift up the motherboard.

    • Use your hands to lift up the motherboard.

    Edit
Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

11 other people completed this guide.

Author

with 3 other contributors

Evan Shui

Member since: 04/26/2017

302 Reputation

1 Guide authored

Badges: 7

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Team

Cal Poly, Team S21-G6, Livingston Spring 2017 Member of Cal Poly, Team S21-G6, Livingston Spring 2017

CPSU-LIVINGSTON-S17S21G6

5 Members

24 Guides authored

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