Microsoft Surface Book Keyboard Heat Sink Replacement

Written By: Natalie Weisenburger

Comments: 7

Microsoft Surface Book Keyboard Heat Sink Replacement

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

15 - 45 minutes

Introduction

Use this guide to remove and replace the heatsink in a Microsoft Surface Book.

This will require an extensive teardown of the keyboard's internals. You will be removing the motherboard, SD card slot, USB ports, and other internals. Make sure you have a secure place to store the tiny screws you will be removing.

The heat sink transfers heat from the graphics card and motherboard to the fan, ensuring that your computer doesn't overheat. If this heat sink is damaged and not replaced, you run the risk of permanent damage to your motherboard and graphics card by overheating.

Tools

Step 1

In order for the keyboard to be detached with the Detach buttons, both batteries must be charged above 10 percent. If your device doesn't power on and you can't use the Detach buttons, skip to the next step.
Press and hold the Detach button on the keyboard.
Once pressed, the Detach button it will light up red. After a second, it’ll turn green and you’ll hear an audible clicking sound.
Alternatively, click the Detach icon on the right-hand side of the Windows 10 taskbar.
Remove the display.

Step 2

The next six steps show how to detach the display manually if you’re unable to power on the Surface Book.
Flip open the display as far as it will go.
Lift the device up and place it on its side, with the display facing away from you and the SurfaceConnect port facing up.

Step 3

Straighten out one section of a paper clip.

Step 4

The Surface Book has an internal lever arm mechanism that can be manually actuated through an access hole in the vents on side of the display.
Insert the straight end of the paper clip at a 45 degree angle into the sixth hole from the left.

Siete geniali! Bravissimi! Ggrazie di cuore

Adriano Mezzi -

Step 5

Firmly push the paper clip into the hole.
This may take a considerable amount of force.
Once the internal lever arm is fully depressed, you can disconnect the display.
Pull the base away from the display to detach it.
If you are unable to detach the display from the base on this side, release pressure on the paper clip and try again.

You should feel slight resistance when pressing against the internal lever arm. If you don’t feel the resistance after about half an inch, back out and try again. Be careful not to push the paper clip too far, as it can scratch the screen bezel from the inside, leaving a visible mark.

Alexander V Trofimuk -

This doesn't work on mine... there's a 90° metal support bracket that covers the entire corner (goes up to about the 8-9th hole on the side) and blocks any & all access to the screen release mechanism. After seeing this "solution" online so many times, I never understood how this worked for anyone else...

miked9746 -

I could detach mine following these instructions. When inserting the paper clip you will feel a resistance like pushing a spring. In my case, pushing the paper clip in about 5 millimeters and holding it when I hear a "click" sound. Be sure to grab the tablet when you see it separating (or have at hand a plastic spudger or opening pick to avoid snapping into place again due to the very strong magnets present).

Andrés Vettori - 27/11/23

Step 6

The magnetic connections are prone to snap back into place, so hold the two halves apart.
With one side detached, pull firmly to pivot the display out to disconnect the second side.
If the magnetic connection feels extra strong and the display won't detach on the second side, keep the detached side separated with a spudger, pen, or pencil, and repeat the paper clip process on the other side of the display.

Step 7

Remove the display.
Completely power down your Surface Book before opening it up for any repairs.

Step 8

Flip the keyboard over so you can see the back panel.

In this photo, there is a clear crevice around the edge of the panel and the keyboard. On my Surface Book, there is no such crevice. The panel is flush up to the keyboard with a gap that looks to be maybe 0.2mm max. There is no way to fit a tool into the crevice to lift off the panel. Any tips?

Darren Reynolds - 04/07/18

Step 9

Insert the plastic opening tool in the crevice between the panel and the keyboard.
Apply some pressure and lift up so that the back panel is pried away from the keyboard.
The panel is glued down on the inside so this may require some force to lift away the panel.
Continue to lift until the panel is completely separated from the keyboard.
The panel is still attached to the keyboard by a ribbon cable so only lift the panel a few inches.

Step 10

Lift the panel away with the ribbon cable still attached and set aside the panel so that you can work on other components.

Step 11

Orient your keyboard with the internals facing up and the USB ports on the right.

Step 12

Use the T3 screwdriver to remove the two 4 mm screws on the right side of the SD Card Reader.

Step 13

Remove the black ribbon cable tab on the SD card reader from the chip with a plastic opening tool. Place the tool underneath the tab and pry it off.
Removing this tab can be a little difficult. Be sure that you have a good angle and do not get discouraged if removing the tab takes you multiple tries.
Lift the SD card reader away from the keyboard to replace it.

Step 14

Remove the larger, black ribbon cable located on the USB card with a plastic opening tool by lifting the tab away from its connector. Again, place the tool underneath the tab and pry it off.
This may require some force. Do not get discouraged if it does not detach on the first try.

What is this black ribbon cable called as for some reason mine has been taken out and it has been impossible to find a replacement

Mel Pike - 15/08/18

Step 15

Use the T3 screwdriver to remove three 4 mm screws located on the black bar towards the bottom of the board.
Use the T3 Torx Screwdriver to remove the remaining six 4 mm screws.

Step 16

Lift both clamps with the blue plastic opening tool. Place the tool underneath the clamps and pry them open.
Use the plastic opening tool to slide ribbon cable toward the wall of the keyboard until the ribbon cables come loose.

Does anyone know what type of ribbon cable this is?

Larry - 06/02/19

Step 17

Wiggle the the GPU board out away from the keyboard.
This may require some force to remove.

Step 18

Unscrew the screw on the side of the black fan vent.

Step 19

Remove the heat sink. It's the long, flat, black piece that runs against the bottom of the keyboard, from the graphics card to the fan vent.
Reapply thermal paste before reinstalling the heat sink.

Conclusion

Compare your new replacement part to the original part—you may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.

To reassemble your device, follow the above steps in reverse order.

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Check out our Answers community for troubleshooting help.

Author

Natalie Weisenburger

Member since: 06/10/16

587 Reputation

Microsoft Surface Book Keyboard Heat Sink Replacement

Introduction

Tools

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