Laptop dropped & body dented - How difficult is it transfer to another body?

CCCustom

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As per topic.

The body is dented such that the charging port area is protruding in a V shape so can’t insert the charger completely. The charging port is also damaged but it is a separate module connected by a cable to the motherboard so just need to replace that module, costs like US$10 or so. The laptop itself works running on the battery ... well, whatever charge is still left in the battery anyway.

There are spare part body, i.e. the whole palmrest assembly, available in the market. How difficult is it to transfer everything, i.e. motherboard and all, from the existing body over to a replacement body/palmrest?
 

wtfh4x

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Depends what laptop it is. If it's an Ultrabook, usually quite easy cos all the components are soldered on the motherboard and the whole chassis is basically three pieces.
 

CCCustom

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Depends what laptop it is. If it's an Ultrabook, usually quite easy cos all the components are soldered on the motherboard and the whole chassis is basically three pieces.
It’s a HP Envy x360 ... the type with both M.2 and 2.5” hard drive combo.

The palmrest has the holes for the USB / HDMI / power ports at the sides, so this is the main body. Spare part bare palmrest itself without the keys and trackpad can be bought quite cheap actually, so the only thing is how difficult it would be to transfer everything over. The screen I think the most important thing is how to tuck the wifi wires and the screen & touch cables inside the hinge.
 

wtfh4x

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If it's anything like my Spectre then the hinges are with the LCD and it's just four screws to detach the entire LCD with the wires inside the hinges. The worst part will be moving the keyboard. It's 50+ screws.
 

Intrinion

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I would recommend looking up a guide, ifixit if available or HP’s support guide who often have service manuals available

Get a nice tool kit as well - Xiaomi has a great driver set that was in collaboration with Wiha - a German tools company.
 

cloud0

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If it's anything like my Spectre then the hinges are with the LCD and it's just four screws to detach the entire LCD with the wires inside the hinges. The worst part will be moving the keyboard. It's 50+ screws.

Was your a spectre x360? I dented my case from a drop and was looking to make a replacement.
 
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wtfh4x

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I didn't buy the chassis, I had to replace a keyboard, which is pretty much the same work except moving the LCD over.

You can try eBay and hopefully get one with a keyboard still in it.

Look for the hp service manual online for your model, it will tell you everything.
 

cloud0

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I didn't buy the chassis, I had to replace a keyboard, which is pretty much the same work except moving the LCD over.

You can try eBay and hopefully get one with a keyboard still in it.

Look for the hp service manual online for your model, it will tell you everything.

Thanks man
 

CCCustom

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Okay this is may be 1 of those unusual questions ...

The best condition palmrest/body for my model that I can find at a reasonable price with a keyboard attached, has a couple missing keys. If I transfer the laptop's existing keyboard over, it means I am going to screw and unscrew 100 screws just for the keyboard alone, since y'all saying it's 50 in 1 laptop :o

Is there any way to safely remove the keys from the existing keyboard that are missing from the replacement palmrest/body, and transfer just those keys over? Is there any guide to do this safely without damaging it so I won't end up with 2 damaged keyboards? :s22:
 

CCCustom

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Mine is actually the exact same type except silver (Intel model), not dark grey (AMD Ryzen model) like this 1, otherwise I would have bought it already :( The Intel model using this body / keyboard all used ones have dents, scrapes, earphone jack broken, etc :s22: Only 1 which looks quite good condition but missing a couple keys, that's why wondering if possible to transfer those keys from my existing keyboard over.
 

wtfh4x

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Mine is actually the exact same type except silver (Intel model), not dark grey (AMD Ryzen model) like this 1, otherwise I would have bought it already :( The Intel model using this body / keyboard all used ones have dents, scrapes, earphone jack broken, etc :s22: Only 1 which looks quite good condition but missing a couple keys, that's why wondering if possible to transfer those keys from my existing keyboard over.

The Intel one that is the same style with the sharp corners and is silver isn't x360.
 

wtfh4x

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My bad, I've never seen that model before. I guess you can buy the brown one if they are the same size, might look a bit weird but you can put a skin on the lid.
 

CCCustom

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My restoration project got thrown a wrench in the works ... it seems the keyboard is not screwed on to the palmrest, it’s using plastic rivets? :s22: But doesn’t seem right ... since got people sell just the palmrest without the keyboard, then buy those how to install the keyboard on it?

Anyone know?
 
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