Sony Laptop Harddrive replacement

[jimbouk]

Arg!!!! After removing all the screws on the underside, and the rear, I've had no luck taking the thing apart to get at the drive.

We had a harddrive crash and bought a replacement thinking it would be like any other standard laptop, but there seems to be no way to get the thing open. It's a PCG-8Q8M, pretty standard 15" laptop, which of course is 13 months old so out of warrenty.

With all the screws out i can lift up the front and right side of the panal and sneak a look inside. The drive is in the front left corner but I cant get to it properly and I'm worried all the bending it to take a look will soon snap it. I think there is a screw right in the middle holding it together still, which would require drilling through the keyboard to get to. As it isn't my computer I was wondering if anyone knew how to get this thing open without resorting to powertools.

Cheers
Mark Campbell

[RVF500]

Try this site

http://www.club-vaio.sony-europe.com/

There's a forum there and you may be able to register and get some assistance. No promises but they gave me a few answers for my Vaio laptop

[jimbouk]

Thanks a lot, I'll give it a try and see what I find.

[OmarSantiago]

Vaios are tricky little buggers: aside from screws easily visible there's also a few hidden ones and sometimes you'll need to do something like pull away the keyboard (you can insert something flat and gently prise above the top to pop it free) and the fascia above it to access the last few screws. It will come apart without brute force but you need a fine screwdriver (both flathead for prying and a Philips one or two) to take it apart. After all, they're designed to be taken apart by field techs so they can't be too difficult to remove; just take pictures with a digicam at every point so you can remember the layout

[jimbouk]

Yay, I got it - the keyboard comes out with some hard work and small screwdrivers for wedges. A link from a link from a link from about page 50 of the Vaio forums, someone fitting a wireless card in! I hope it all goes back together again.....