Anyone open up a TouchPad?

[xecure]

Anyone open up their touchpad to replace a screen or other reason?

After opening it up is it difficult to close it back up? Do the gaskets get destroyed? Any idea where to purchase new gaskets if they do? Do the clips get destroyed? Any tips for someone opening it up for the first time?

[Remy X]

clips are designed to be single-use only, so the answer is often yes... But they are easy to find online

[xecure]

Originally Posted by Remy X

clips are designed to be single-use only, so the answer is often yes... But they are easy to find online

Do you know where I can find them online?

Also do the gaskets get damaged?

[imfallen_angel]

Opened one of mine over a week ago... the whole dead battery issue... and now awaiting the new battery to arrived, so it sits opened on my desks next to me.

It was NOT easy as I found that the info online is still not very clear on some things, BUT after a good 1/2 hour, I manage to do it and not a single broken clip (but a couple of broken tabs that helps hold the clips in place, but from what I can see, not that important.

There's seven clips I think and are on three sides only... the side where the speakers are, there are no clips, but slots that once you get the clips "popped", the screen will open like a book to release the screen and back BUT, carefully, there's the cables that you must disconnect to move forward.

Then there's a bunch of screws all over the place with some mini-boards that needs to be removed before you can get to the motherboard, and then the battery...

And the gaskets are around the screen where you need to pry to pop the clips... and I didn't damage it at all as far as I can see/tell. I slid the letter opener very gently, prying it slowly popping the clip, and then placing a screwdriver in to hold it open while I moved on to the next clip.

Just use proper tools and be careful (and take all the time you need) and you should be fine I would think.

It's a really annoying design, and made to make the battery hard to get to (the plug/connector).. a few minor tweaks and they could have easily made the battery accessible from the back and removable/replaceable.

My tools were a staple remover and small screwdrivers (jewelers type) and lots of patience.

Go find an online guide with pictures and note where the clips are... if you pop those out by knowing their location, it'll be much easier...

Now that I've done it oce, I'd probably be able to do it in half the time easily.

I haven't put it back together yet, but once I get that battery in, I will be... and from what I see and can tell, I don't have any worries about it holding together... the worse will be to get all the parts reconnected, and will make sure that it's working before I close it.

But expect a LOT of small screws and lots of connection cables/ribbons that you have to unplug properly...

Replugging those ribbon cables is my biggest worry when I'll be putting it together again.

[HelloNNNewman]

iFixit has step by step procedures posted for replacing pretty much everything...

This one shows how to pull the case apart and where the clips are located:
Installing HP TouchPad Battery - iFixit

[xecure]

Originally Posted by imfallen_angel

Opened one of mine over a week ago... the whole dead battery issue... and now awaiting the new battery to arrived, so it sits opened on my desks next to me.

It was NOT easy as I found that the info online is still not very clear on some things, BUT after a good 1/2 hour, I manage to do it and not a single broken clip (but a couple of broken tabs that helps hold the clips in place, but from what I can see, not that important.

There's seven clips I think and are on three sides only... the side where the speakers are, there are no clips, but slots that once you get the clips "popped", the screen will open like a book to release the screen and back BUT, carefully, there's the cables that you must disconnect to move forward.

Then there's a bunch of screws all over the place with some mini-boards that needs to be removed before you can get to the motherboard, and then the battery...

And the gaskets are around the screen where you need to pry to pop the clips... and I didn't damage it at all as far as I can see/tell. I slid the letter opener very gently, prying it slowly popping the clip, and then placing a screwdriver in to hold it open while I moved on to the next clip.

Just use proper tools and be careful (and take all the time you need) and you should be fine I would think.

It's a really annoying design, and made to make the battery hard to get to (the plug/connector).. a few minor tweaks and they could have easily made the battery accessible from the back and removable/replaceable.

My tools were a staple remover and small screwdrivers (jewelers type) and lots of patience.

Go find an online guide with pictures and note where the clips are... if you pop those out by knowing their location, it'll be much easier...

Now that I've done it oce, I'd probably be able to do it in half the time easily.

I haven't put it back together yet, but once I get that battery in, I will be... and from what I see and can tell, I don't have any worries about it holding together... the worse will be to get all the parts reconnected, and will make sure that it's working before I close it.

But expect a LOT of small screws and lots of connection cables/ribbons that you have to unplug properly...

Replugging those ribbon cables is my biggest worry when I'll be putting it together again.

Thanks for all the helpful information!

My touchpad is working perfectly fine and am really trying to open it because I want to wrap the back housing in vinyl. I want to get a perfect wrap and for that I'd have to open up the touchpad.

Originally Posted by HelloNNNewman

iFixit has step by step procedures posted for replacing pretty much everything...

This one shows how to pull the case apart and where the clips are located:
Installing HP TouchPad Battery - iFixit

Thanks for the link, I 've taken a look there. Was very helpful. I just wanted some personal experiences of people opening up their touchpad.

[NewbyJE]

Originally Posted by xecure

I just wanted some personal experiences of people opening up their touchpad.

xecure:

Here is a link to my experience and some pictures to supplement iFixIt: 4G TouchPad Owners Lounge

Note: there are actually eight clips on both the WiFi and 4G versions.

John

[thricetwice]

It's not too hard at all to take one apart. You will break some clips, if your careful, you can salvage some of them.

I had to replace the screen on my girlfriend's touchpad. I ended up breaking 3 or 4 clips, and didn't replace them. It still sealed up pretty good. There is a small gap in 1 corner, but isn't horrible.

Make sure to use the pic's available so you don't damage any of the components. The iFixIt guides are really good at telling where and where not to pry at.

Definitely doable for an average skilled person, as long as you have directions to look at while you are doing it.

[gizmo21]

any product codes or links for spare-clips?

[thenyboy]

Can`t be wrong with this one:

http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/globalcitiz...1617223529.pdf

Straight from HP.

[qwikstep]

Originally Posted by thenyboy

Can`t be wrong with this one:

http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/globalcitiz...1617223529.pdf

Straight from HP.

I just replaced my touchpad battery last weekend. I have to say, it wasn't much fun. I used the youtube video and the iFixit instructions as reference. It was definitely much harder than it looks. I had to open it up 3 times because the connectors to the screen weren't properly connected - also, I broke two clips - the screen bulges out on one side just a little bit, but it works. My advise is to test the functionality of the screen before putting the screen back into the case - should have been obvious, but I didn't think of it until the 3rd time.

[xecure]

Originally Posted by qwikstep

I just replaced my touchpad battery last weekend. I have to say, it wasn't much fun. I used the youtube video and the iFixit instructions as reference. It was definitely much harder than it looks. I had to open it up 3 times because the connectors to the screen weren't properly connected - also, I broke two clips - the screen bulges out on one side just a little bit, but it works. My advise is to test the functionality of the screen before putting the screen back into the case - should have been obvious, but I didn't think of it until the 3rd time.

Thanks for the reply. I still haven't opened it up yet. Do you think the screen bulges because you opened it 3 times? or because you replaced the screen?

To be honest, the only reason I planed on opening up my touchpad was so that i could wrap the back in a vinyl. Opening it up would make the wrap look much cleaner. But I'd rather not open it up at all if just opening it up once will cause my screen to bulge/or have other cosmetic defects.

[Shadowflank]

Originally Posted by xecure

Thanks for the reply. I still haven't opened it up yet. Do you think the screen bulges because you opened it 3 times? or because you replaced the screen?

To be honest, the only reason I planed on opening up my touchpad was so that i could wrap the back in a vinyl. Opening it up would make the wrap look much cleaner. But I'd rather not open it up at all if just opening it up once will cause my screen to bulge/or have other cosmetic defects.

My touchpad bulges on the right side (Center button downwards), and its brand new.

If that gives you any indication.

[imfallen_angel]

Originally Posted by xecure

Thanks for the reply. I still haven't opened it up yet. Do you think the screen bulges because you opened it 3 times? or because you replaced the screen?

To be honest, the only reason I planed on opening up my touchpad was so that i could wrap the back in a vinyl. Opening it up would make the wrap look much cleaner. But I'd rather not open it up at all if just opening it up once will cause my screen to bulge/or have other cosmetic defects.

I've now opened mine enough times that I can do it easily and no longer scared to do it, it's all about having a proper tool to push the snaps (clips) back to that they release their kung-fu grip on the screen/top part. The hardest part is locating them for the first time, after that, it's finding them again.

I've not broken a single clip so far, but a few of the pins that hold them in place did snap off but they really don't change anything.

I've put the Touchpad together since I managed to get it working again (did a thread describing my ordeal) and left two of the clips out (more by mistake and not noticing that they weren't in there, and one being a pain as it slips under the USB board) but it closed just fine, can't even tell it's ever been opened aside the small scratches (pry-marks) when I opening it the first time and didn't have a clue where those clips were exactly.

For all the pain these clips are, the Touchpad does snap closed very well and I don't see how you'd get bulging unless you do something wrong and force something in the wrong way.

PS, the tool I used was a staple remover... (something like this: http://images.office365.co.uk/pim/535921.jpg) I'll take a picture if you'd like (once I get home), but overall, a strong thin metal with non ragged/sharp edges blade type tool will do.

What you need to know is how the clips are and how they grab the screen... I'll made a quick drawing to show how the clip work.


http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/r...dgets/clip.jpg