Acer Extensa Laptop 5620 Hotrod Overhaul Guide

Step 2 The layout- getting familiar with the landscape

The upgrades we plan will all pretty much be done within an inch of each other, and it's not nearly as scary as it seems. First off, unplug the charger and remove your battery! We don't want anything powered up while we're swapping parts. It's also a good idea to stay off carpets, touch something metal / grounded, yadda yadda. No one uses a grounded wrist bracelet anymore, but it doesn't hurt to be somewhat careful with delicate electronic parts and static.

Now turn your laptop over. Note the second picture- there is a plastic cover held on by seven Phillips head screws. Don't worry about them falling off; they're conveniently held in place on the cover even after loosening. Once they are all unscrewed, gently pry up on the indicated area, as shown.

Now you can study the internals (third picture)! I've labeled everything so you can refer back to it if you need to as we replace things.