Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement

Jeff Suovanen and one other contributor

Last updated on May 7, 2024

45 minutes - 1 hour

Moderate

Community-Contributed Guide

Introduction

Go to step 1

If your 700m is prone to overheating, a new fan and some upgraded thermal paste may be just the ticket. You can also use this guide to access the fan for cleaning.

What you need

Fix Kit

This kit contains all the parts and tools needed to complete this guide.

Arctic Silver Thermal Paste
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Parts

Tools

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Step 1 Battery

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement, Battery: step 1, image 1 of 1

Before you begin, make sure the 700m is powered off.
Unplug the power cable.
Flip the 700m over and remove the battery.
Slide the battery release switch toward the center of the 700m, and then pull the battery free from the back.

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Step 2 Hard Drive

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement, Hard Drive: step 2, image 1 of 1

Remove the three Phillips screws securing the hard drive cover.
Remove the hard drive cover and set it aside.

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Step 3

Tool used on this step:

Tweezers

$4.99

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Remove the two Phillips screws securing the hard drive retaining bracket.
Remove the retaining bracket using your fingers or a pair of tweezers.

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Step 4

Pull up on the blue tab to lift the hard drive up at an angle.
Remove the hard drive.

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Step 5 Wi-Fi Card

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement, Wi-Fi Card: step 5, image 1 of 1

Remove the two Phillips screws securing the wi-fi cover.
Remove the wi-fi cover and set it aside.

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Step 6

You may find two Phillips screws located above and below the wi-fi card slot. If these screws are present, remove them now.

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Step 7

Using the flat end of a spudger, disconnect the black and white wi-fi antenna wires by prying them up from the wi-fi card.

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Step 8

Two clips secure the wi-fi card in place, one on either side. Using your fingers, spread the clips away from the wi-fi card.
When released, the wi-fi card will pop up at a slight angle.
Lift the wi-fi card to an angle of about 30 degrees and slide it out.

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Step 9

Remove the modem cable.

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Step 10 Optical Drive

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement, Optical Drive: step 10, image 1 of 1

Remove the Phillips screw securing the optical drive.

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Step 11

Slide the release switch for the optical drive toward the back of the 700m, and remove the optical drive.

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Step 12

Remove the small Phillips screw from the edge of the optical drive bay.

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Step 13

Remove seven Phillips screws from the bottom of the 700m.
This screw is shorter in length than the others.

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Step 14

Rotate the 700m 90 degrees clockwise, and identify the VGA port.
Using a 5 mm socket, remove the two hex nuts located on either side of the VGA connector.

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Step 15

Flip the 700m over, and remove the two Phillips screws located on the back near the display lid hinges.
These screws secure the display to the body of the 700m. Once removed, be sure to keep the 700m upright, or, if you need to flip it over, take care to hold the display in place.

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Step 16 Keyboard

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement, Keyboard: step 16, image 1 of 3

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement, Keyboard: step 16, image 2 of 3

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement, Keyboard: step 16, image 3 of 3

Open the display and lay it down flat.
Beginning from the left side, use the flat end of a spudger to gently pry up the plastic trim that runs along the top of the keyboard. Remove the trim.

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Step 17

Remove the two Phillips screws securing the keyboard.
The screws are of different sizes; the longer screw goes to the left.

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Step 18

Tilt the top of the keyboard up at an angle and push the keyboard toward the back of the 700m, freeing the tabs along the bottom.
Do not push very hard, or you may damage the keyboard ribbon cable.

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Step 19

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement: step 19, image 3 of 3

Tilt the bottom of the keyboard up at an angle, and use the pointed end of a spudger to disconnect the ribbon cable by pushing open the clips on either side.
Remove the keyboard.

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Step 20

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement: step 20, image 3 of 3

There are four wires running from the display through small channels in the body of the 700m.
Using your fingers and the tip of a spudger, gently loosen the wires and free them from their channels.

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Step 21

Pull the lower ends of the black and white wi-fi antenna wires through the hole near the middle of the 700m.

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Step 22

Using your fingers or a pair of tweezers, disconnect the speaker cable by pushing the connector toward the back of the 700m.

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Step 23

Identify the display inverter cable, which connects to the motherboard just above and to the right of the speaker cable connector.
Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the inverter cable by prying up on each side of the connector.

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Step 24

Identify the LCD cable, which connects to the top left side of the motherboard.
To disconnect the LCD cable, grab the pull tab on the top of the connector and pull it straight up from the motherboard.
It may be helpful to use a spudger or small flathead screwdriver for extra leverage.

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Step 25

Lift the display straight up until it comes free, and set it aside.

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Step 26 Inner RAM Cover

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement, Inner RAM Cover: step 26, image 1 of 2

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement, Inner RAM Cover: step 26, image 2 of 2

Remove the two Phillips screws securing the inner RAM cover.
Tilt the right side of the RAM cover up at an angle and remove it.

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Step 27 Inner RAM Module

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement, Inner RAM Module: step 27, image 1 of 2

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement, Inner RAM Module: step 27, image 2 of 2

Two clips secure the RAM module in place, one on either side. Using your fingers, spread the clips away from the RAM module.
When released, the RAM module will pop up at a slight angle.
Lift the RAM module to an angle of about 30 degrees and slide it out.
When handling the RAM module, touch only the outside edges. Take care not to touch the gold contact points along the bottom edge.
To reinstall the RAM module, slide it in place at about the same angle until it is snug, and then swing it down until the two clips snap into place.

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Step 28

Use the pointed end of a spudger to disconnect the touchpad ribbon cable connector by pushing open the small clips on either side.

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Step 29

Remove one Phillips screw near the top-right of the keyboard area.

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Step 30 Upper Case

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement, Upper Case: step 30, image 1 of 2

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement, Upper Case: step 30, image 2 of 2

Beginning from the top left, use your fingers to separate the upper case from the 700m by pulling it straight up.
Remove the upper case.

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Step 31 Motherboard

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement, Motherboard: step 31, image 1 of 1

Remove the two Phillips screws from the top right edge of the motherboard.

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Step 32

Swing the right side of the motherboard up at an angle, and then slide the motherboard to the right to remove it.

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Step 33 Heat Sink & Fan

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement, Heat Sink & Fan: step 33, image 1 of 2

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement, Heat Sink & Fan: step 33, image 2 of 2

Flip the motherboard over and lay it down flat.
Disconnect the fan wire from the motherboard by pulling the connector straight up.

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Step 34

Remove the four Phillips screws securing the heat sink to the motherboard.
The screws thread into a thin metal backplate on the reverse side of the motherboard. The backplate will come loose when the screws are removed.
The screws are numbered one through four in a cross pattern. During reassembly, tighten the screws in this order.

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Step 35

Remove the fan and heat sink as a unit.

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Step 36

If you are replacing either the fan or heat sink, but not both, remove the three Phillips screws securing the fan to the heat sink, and then remove the fan.
If you are re-using the fan, use compressed air to blow the fan blades and airflow channel clean of dust and debris.

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Step 37

Now use our guide on How to Apply Thermal Paste to clean your heat sink and add some spicy hot thermal paste!

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Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

2 other people completed this guide.

Author

with 1 other contributor

Jeff Suovanen

Member since: 08/06/13

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2 Comments

Very complete - nice job

schmidtrg - Sep 18, 2016 Reply

A very well detailed instruction , very well presented, easy to follow and step by step pictures reference for the amateur handy husband . Thanks for the acquired knowledge you have given.

Danilo Belisario - Jul 27, 2017 Reply

Dell Inspiron 700m Fan & Thermal Compound Replacement

Introduction

What you need

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