Acer Chromebook C720-2103 Motherboard Replacement

Written By: Matthew Holt

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Acer Chromebook C720-2103 Motherboard Replacement

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

1 - 2 hours

Introduction

This guide explains how to properly replace the motherboard for the Acer Chromebook C720-2103. This is a difficult replacement and requires the removal of the battery, fan, and solid state drive.

Although motherboard failures are uncommon, if your device has failed and nothing else has resolved the issue, a motherboard replacement might be necessary.

Be extremely gentle while handling internal components of the device, most are very fragile.
Make sure the device is powered off during this replacement. There is a possibility of electrocution.

Tools

Parts

Step 1

Shut the device off.
Turn the device over so the bottom is facing up.
Remove all thirteen 6mm screws using a Phillips #0 screwdriver.
Remember to keep screws separated by step and their locations in the device. This will help prevent confusion during reassembly.
Removing the battery is necessary to prevent electric shock during part replacement.

Step 2

Wedge a plastic opening tool between the back casing and the rest of the device.
Apply pressure up and down carefully, until backing pops up. Repeat this process in multiple spots if needed.
It is easiest to start at the back of the device, between the hinges of the screen.
Do not apply too much force. This will crack the plastic.

Step 3

Remove the three 6mm screws indicated by the red circles with a Phillips #0 screwdriver.

Step 4

Pull the rainbow cable connector out of the white terminal by wiggling it gently from side to side with your fingers.
Be careful when removing the cable. Too much force can damage the motherboard or the cable connector.

Step 5

Lift the battery straight up and out of the device with your hands. Take care not to knock the battery against another component.

Step 6

Remove all four 6mm screws attaching the fan to the motherboard with a Phillips #0 screwdriver.
Remove the two 6mm screws attaching the fan to the device base with the Phillips #0 screwdriver.
These screws are permanently set into the fan. Once unscrewed from the base, the two screws will still be attached to the fan.

Step 7

Unsnap the two coaxial connectors from the motherboard.
To avoid damaging the wires, wedge a spudger under their rounded, metal ends and gently pop them up from the motherboard one at a time.
Unhook the coaxial wires from the side of the fan by gently pulling them downward and away from the hooks.
During reassembly, these two wires can be surprisingly difficult to reconnect to the motherboard. The easiest method is to hold the wires in place over their terminals and click the metal bases down with the tip of a spudger.

Step 8

Peel up the tape attaching the rainbow connector wire to the motherboard, but leave the tape attached to the wire itself.
Removing the tape from the wire can damage the wire.
Pull the rainbow cable connector out of the black terminal by wiggling it gently from side to side with your fingers.

Step 9

Lift the fan component up and out of device with your hands. Take care not to knock the fan against the motherboard.

Step 10

Remove one 6mm screw using a Phillips #0 screwdriver.

Step 11

Carefully remove the solid state drive from the solid state drive slot by sliding it downward away from the motherboard.

Step 12

Unscrew the five screws attaching the motherboard to the device base.
Be careful, the mother board is very fragile.

Step 13

Push the three white hinges upward, gently, with your finger or a spudger. The hinges will move away from the blue tab on the cables. This will release the ribbon cables sandwiched under the hinge.
The white hinges are also attached to a black base on one side. Do not try to pry the black bases off the motherboard. This will break them.
Pull the ribbon cables away from their black bases gently with your fingers. Hold the whole cable by the end with the blue tab, but do not pull on the blue tab alone. That can rip the tab off.

Step 14

Detach the tape from the motherboard, but leave it attached to the wire itself to avoid damaging the wire.
Pull the white cable connector out of the black terminal by wiggling it gently from side to side with your fingers.
Pull the black cable connector out of the white terminal by wiggling it gently from side to side with your fingers.
Be sure not to pull on the cables too hard as they are fragile .