Replacing Laptop parts, what/how to search for

Question

Recently my laptop needed some attention; the plastic lid and the front plastic were replaced (the plastic part that holds the monitor in place secured to the hinges). This got me thinking, I need a new fan, and maybe heatsink. I would like to replace my cd/dvd drive with an ssd, maybe even some more memory.

I found it very hard to find the parts, mainly because I don't know the names, and well I just have a feeling that I'm searching for these things the wrong way. I think that doing a search "(laptop brand and model) heat sink and fan" is not the optimal way to do it, probably because the whole model series would use the same heat sink and fan.

How would you search for this, is there a particular model for the heat sink that I should be searching for?

If you know any European website for laptop parts it'd be nice to know, but I mainly want to know what/how to look for so i can reproduce in the future.

Answer 1

You start by finding a service manual - these contain the part numbers of everything in a laptop, assembly/disassembly instructions and so on.

Many of the components you talk about typically are not replaced - heatsinks are passive and don't wear out. Fans may be, and with the right FRU you could order one.

The service manual would also show if/where laptop has additional ram slots.

Adding an SSD where the the drive bay is wouldn't be covered - you just need to find an appropriate adaptor/caddy for it. I do believe its possible to do so, and there's a few questions on the site in the past that reference this

Answer 2

At the end of the day, if you feel comfortable enough, you could always open up the unit and look for the part number, or the model of the actual part. It should be printed on most components. If not, then you can resort to either calling the manufacturer or searching [LaptopModel] Fan and Heatsink.

As an example, the part number for a Dell 6410 Keyboard is PK130AF2A00, a search for that shows that it also is used for the Dell UK717. Just to show the increase in results by using the part number instead.

Answer 3

Some laptop vendors let you buy individual parts for self-repair. Some parts, like motherboards, CPUs, heatsinks, screens, and hinges, are usually not sold for self-repair. It all depends on the vendor. Apple doesn't allow self-repair for most parts, while Dell allows some. Unfortunately for you, laptops are wear items, and you have to do the cost/benefit/risk analysis... is replacing a $200 part with all of the risks that entails worth it, compared to getting a faster laptop for $500?