Lenovo ThinkPad W540 Optical Disk Drive (ODD) Replacement

Introduction

If your laptop is unable to read or write into disks, even after you have checked that the disks themselves are not scratched or damaged, and that the drivers are up to date, then this guide should help replace the optical drive bay, or ODD for short.

Note that you should take out any disks still inside the drive bay before proceeding with this replacement guide.

What you need

Step 1 Optical Disk Drive (ODD)

Lenovo ThinkPad W540 Optical Disk Drive (ODD) Replacement, Optical Disk Drive (ODD): step 1, image 1 of 2

Lenovo ThinkPad W540 Optical Disk Drive (ODD) Replacement, Optical Disk Drive (ODD): step 1, image 2 of 2

Turn your laptop over so the backplate is facing you.
Start with your Phillips #0 screwdriver and unscrew the 2 screws in each of the top corners of the backplate.
These screws should stay put on the backplate, and should not fall off.

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Step 2

With your Phillips #00 screwdriver, simply remove the one 3mm screw on the upper left side.

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Step 3

Lenovo ThinkPad W540 Optical Disk Drive (ODD) Replacement: step 3, image 3 of 3

Remove the ODD by using a plastic opening tool to push the drive out of the side of the laptop.
Make sure to place the tool where we removed the screw holding the drive in place in Step 2.

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