Introduction

This is a full teardown of the Sony Vaio VGN-SZ120P laptop computer. This guide provides detailed photographs and steps to taking apart and repairing the laptop.

Hazards

Keep out of reach of children and pets.

DO NOT attempt to teardown or repair your device under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

DO NOT ingest any parts of the system.

Use the correct tools as stated in the tools section.

DO NOT touch any gold connectors on interior or exterior of the system.

Make sure system is unplugged before performing any maintenance on the system.

  1. YVEe4YNQNnAHAEQI
    YVEe4YNQNnAHAEQI
    PV2RnCofwwBg1lcX
    • Turn the laptop upside down.

    • Locate the battery.

    • Unlock the battery by shifting the 'lock' slide to the 'unlock' position on the underside and back of the system.

    • Hold the release on the right side and remove the battery out carefully.

  2. 5F1cFPbDVQX1ivJs
    5F1cFPbDVQX1ivJs
    xa2KZTOKfeOBSLsg
    CJENRTaKYQy6bVeA
    • Remove the four screws from the heat sink panel with the phillips screwdriver.

    • Unscrew the two screws from the memory panel with the phillips screwdriver.

    • Remove both panels and set aside.

    • Be careful with the heatsink, as this can be messy if handled improperly. It is a copper heat pipe.

  3. 4hxs5VZF2eZAjeQb
    4hxs5VZF2eZAjeQb
    ZKdIOKlKjMnZeruA
    BBQJ4S2vRTr1KgYC
    • Lift the film covering to reveal the memory modules with the tweezers.

    • Pull the tabs on both sides of the RAM away from the module. The module will pop up.

    • Repeat these step for the other RAM module located above the RAM module previously removed and set aside.

  4. 3kNiVXcZkJ31AUtS
    • Using a Philips screw driver, unscrew the rear keyboard screw from the bottom of the laptop.

  5. VdWDuQdvvAshYJ2i
    VdWDuQdvvAshYJ2i
    ADMCpTNukD1PBguP
    • Push the tabs shown on both sides and the keyboard will pop up.

    • A small flat-head might help you push the tabs.

    • Move the keyboard toward the mouse pad and gently pull up.

  6. 6ApROplHAVfl2FfF
    6ApROplHAVfl2FfF
    Oab6YKNAirXMbLsT
    • Caution: there is a ribbon cable attached to the keyboard. It will break easily.

    • Gently disconnect the ribbon cable by sliding down the tabs.

    • Gently take out the keyboard.

  7. KKGKQHdkbeTN2qQS
    KKGKQHdkbeTN2qQS
    tZ4LIqfcNSRvGVEP
    • Unscrew the two securing screws indicated.

    • Carefully lift the heatsink out of the system with the tweezers and set it aside.

  8. tlBkLfZIF5DaEKWe
    tlBkLfZIF5DaEKWe
    aYphAlXYLlJdRDtK
    GpTXFOiaOM5yHLpu
    • Caution: DO NOT touch the gold connectors on the cpu, as this may damage your processor.

    • Turn the securing screw on top of the CPU housing bracket counter-clockwise on the unlock position.

    • Gently lift the CPU out of the system with tweezers and set aside in a safe place.

  9. neeDISJ532TZqv2T
    neeDISJ532TZqv2T
    pHHjpbNCgFw5ndmJ
    44CTmri1Jm6tVeMJ
    • Remove the three screws from the front mouse panel.

    • Lift the mouse assembly just enough to access the connecting ribbon cable.

    • Lift the ribbon cable lock to remove the cable.

    • Carefully remove the mouse panel assembly and set aside.

  10. xGEaKdwySNGWBrcJ
    xGEaKdwySNGWBrcJ
    FwS4eyosatvLhTLn
    • Remove the securing screw on the bottom left of the optical drive.

    • Carefully slide the optical drive to the right.

    • The IDE connector on the left will pop out.

  11. 5c45SVI5CCnjqh1o
    5c45SVI5CCnjqh1o
    3dYSc6ccZNDS1q3F
    2Am3FP2b5yW2wMep
    • Disconnect the antennae from the wireless card.

    • Pull back the tabs on the right of the wireless card until the card disconnects and pops up.

    • Remove the wireless card and set aside.

  12. kqUFSNBPGqsAHyJb
    kqUFSNBPGqsAHyJb
    MAMsYKIGMgjrXxwO
    EfC6wkSex4FjZZM5
    • Remove the four screws from the underside of the computer. These screws are located underneath where the battery sits and secure the top keyboard panel.

    • To remove the panel below the screen, press up on the two tabs holding the panel in and lift up. The panel should pop off.

    • Before proceeding, remove all black tape holding down wires and other cabling.

  13. 6koxKUQ5AjXpN2it
    6koxKUQ5AjXpN2it
    AQTjHyEdiTWf3BgB
    • First pop off the antenna using a pair of tweezers.

    • Use a Philips screw driver to unscrew the screw holding the board in place.

    • Remove the board using a pair of tweezers.

  14. 1PjSSsSgmibgv1ZA
    • Remove the seven philips screws holding the speaker assembly in place.

    • Disconnect the ribbon cable located at the top left corner of the assembly.

    Only 2 screws, the others come from the bottom and secure the plastic shield removed 2 steps before this,

    also 1 of the marks is a push-button...

    oppermafkees -

  15. awSmDAiRdoNRnhuP
    awSmDAiRdoNRnhuP
    YNy2hRorXwZuYeGo
    • Caution: Be careful of snags when pulling up assembly and speakers.

    • To remove the VGA cable, lift up on the metal bracket and gently lift the connector off the logic board.

    • To remove the webcam cable, lift up the connector from the logic board gently.

  16. CEFJrA2EYkD2QbaI
    • This is where your Hard Drive is located.

    • Remove the three harddrive securing screws.

    • The Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive is located where the yellow box indicates in the picture.

  17. GoHWAMbfHPbJDuMR
    GoHWAMbfHPbJDuMR
    wXncg6MMPsHr64ZS
    • Remove all screws holding the keyboard tray to the laptop.

    • Lift the cover off the console and set aside.

  18. BLs6Nu3LYGrPkgfv
    • Caution: Be careful of snags when pulling up assembly and speakers.

    • Remove bluetooth, speaker, webcam assembly. This is one unit and will come out together.

  19. BtEMmfgBsSpwYTEG
    BtEMmfgBsSpwYTEG
    1qhZfHy5XmgZLtch
    dQ5OIbxIsldJEGCO
    • Unscrew the four securing screws, two on each side of the LCD.

    • Carefully remove the LCD

  20. NrNlXcxZYc5sIPAP
    • Remove all the screws securing the keyboard tray.

    • Remove keyboard tray.

  21. htlkPPLIxtAN3ike
    htlkPPLIxtAN3ike
    NyrYVTKT1cpjAUqi
    • Caution: When removing the fan, be careful to not tear the attached ribbon cable.

    • Unscrew and remove the internal fan.

    • Unscrew and remove the logic board from the backing.

David Hoyt

Member since: 09/04/10

4023 Reputation

2 comments

Does this work with the PCG 9J5L

frederick200147 -

Extremely similar to PCG-6Q2L, one thing to note is that the HDD in this unit was glued to the SATA connector, it can be a little tricky to remove but can be done if you go slow enough.

Myles B -