dell latitude ls portable computers User Manual

							support.dell.com Dell Latitude LS Portable Computers Service Manual 13
3. Separate the bezel from the display-assembly top cover.
The bezel is secured by slot openings that snap into the display-assembly 
top cover. Carefully lift the inside edge of the bezel, working your way 
around the inside perimeter, to unsnap and remove the bezel from the 
display assembly.
Display Assembly Latch
Figure 10.  Display Assembly Latch Removal
NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the 
main battery before you service the computer.
1. Remove the display assembly bezel.
2. Lift the display assembly latch of off the display-assembly top cover       
(see Figure 10).
3. Slide the latch spring off of the post on the display-assembly top cover  
(see Figure 10).
You may need to use a small flat-blade screwdriver to separate the latch 
spring from the post.
To replace the display-assembly latch, perform the following steps:
1. Carefully place the latch spring over the post on the display-assembly top 
cover.
You may need to use a small flat-blade screwdriver to place the spring over 
the post. Hold the spring on the post with the screwdriver while 
performing the next step.
2. Holding the latch, stretch the spring slightly and set the display-assembly 
latch in place in the display assembly top cover.
3. Reinstall the bezel.
display assembly latch
latch spring
post
display assembly 
top cover 
						

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LCD Panel   
Figure 11.  LCD Panel Removal
NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the 
main battery before you service the computer.
1. Ground yourself by touching the unpainted metal surface of the I/O panel 
on the back of the computer.
2. Remove the keyboard bezel.
3. Remove the display assembly.
4. Remove the display assembly bezel.
5. Remove the four M2 x 3.5-mm screws on the left and right sides of         
the display assembly that secure the LCD panel to the top cover             
(see Figure 11).
6. Remove the M2 x 3.5-mm screw that secures the inverter to the top cover. 
7. Lift and roll the inverter over (toward you), so the bezel side is down (see 
Figure 11).
LCD panel
wide flex 
cable
narrow flex 
cable
back light
plug
M2 x 3.5-mm screws (4)
back light
plug
inverterinverter
narrow flex 
cable
ZIF 
connector
M2 x 3.5-mm 
screw  
						

							support.dell.com Dell Latitude LS Portable Computers Service Manual 15
8. Disconnect the narrow flex cable from the ZIF connector on the left side of 
the inverter.
9. Disconnect the two-wire back-light plug from the connector on the right 
side of the inverter (see Figure 11).
10. Remove the inverter. 
11. Lift the LCD panel from the bottom edge, giving enough room to fit your 
hand between the LCD panel and the top cover.
12. Carefully peel the LCD flex cable away from the top cover.
13. Lift the LCD panel out of the top cover.
14. Lift up on the tape that is covering the wide flex-cable connector on the 
back of the LCD panel.
NOTE: Keep the tape for when you replace the LCD panel.
15. Disconnect the wide flex cable from the connector on the back of the LCD 
panel.
To replace the LCD panel, perform the following steps: 
1. Connect the LCD flex cable to the connector on the back of the LCD panel.
2. Reinstall the tape that covers the LCD flex-cable connector on the back of 
the LCD panel.
3. If you are installing a new LCD flex cable, peel off the backing tapes that 
are on the LCD flex-cable EMI sponges. 
4. Reinstall the LCD panel in the top cover.
a. Holding the LCD flex cable against the back of the LCD panel, insert 
the right edge of the LCD panel into the right end of the top cover.
The right edge of the LCD panel should press against the EMI sponge 
on the right side of the top cover. The LCD panel should not rest on top 
of the EMI sponge. 
b. Lower the bottom end of the LCD panel into the top cover, making sure 
the LCD flex cable lines up with the opening that is to the right of the 
left hinge.  
c. Make sure the inverter flex cable is visible at the bottom edge of the 
LCD panel. 
d. Press the LCD panel into the top cover.
5. Connect the inverter flex cable to the ZIF connector on the inverter. 
						

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6. With bezel side of the inverter facing down, connect the two-wire 
back-light plug to the connector on the right side of the inverter.
When the plug is all the way in the connector, the key slot in the center of 
the plug should not be visible. If you can see the key slot, the plug is not in 
the connector correctly. Pull the plug out, turn the plug over, and reinsert it 
into the connector. 
7. Roll the inverter over (away from you), so the bezel side of the inverter is 
up.
8. Place the inverter into the top cover, aligning the posts in the top cover 
with the alignment holes in the inverter.
9. Holding the inverter in place, reinstall the M2 x 3.5-mm screw that secures 
the inverter to the top cover.
10. Reinstall the four M2 x 3.5-mm screws, in the left and right ends of the top 
cover, that secure the LCD panel to the top cover.
11. Reinstall the display assembly latch.
12. Reinstall the display assembly bezel.
Display Assembly Hinges
1. Remove the keyboard bezel.
2. Remove the display assembly.
3. Remove the display bezel.
4. Remove the two M2.6 x 4-mm screws that secure the left hinge to the top 
cover (see Figure 9).
5. Remove the two M2.6 x 4-mm screws that secure the right hinge to the 
top cover.
When replacing the left and right hinges, make sure they are installed 
correctly. An L is stamped on the left hinge and an R is stamped on the right 
hinge. 
						

							support.dell.com Dell Latitude LS Portable Computers Service Manual 17
Keyboard Assembly
 
Figure 12.  Keyboard Assembly Removal
To remove the keyboard assembly, perform the following steps.
NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove    
the main battery before you service the computer.
NOTICE: Make sure that the work surface is clean to prevent          
scratching the computer cover.
1. Remove the keyboard bezel.
2. Remove the four M2 x 4-mm screws located across the top of the 
keyboard assembly (see Figure 9).
NOTE: Five metal tabs retain the bottom of the keyboard in the palmrest 
assembly.
3. Release the keyboard assembly from the palmrest assembly by lifting the 
top edge of the keyboard assembly up and sliding it toward the back of the 
computer.
4. Rotate the keyboard up so it is perpendicular to the computer. 
5. Carefully disconnect the keyboard cable from the connector on the system 
board.
M2 x 4-mm screws (4)
keyboard
assembly
keyboard
cable 
						

							18 Dell Latitude LS Portable Computers Service Manual
NOTICE: The keycaps on the keyboard are fragile, easily dislodged, 
and time-consuming to replace. Be careful when removing and 
handling the keyboard.
6. Remove the keyboard assembly.
To replace the keyboard assembly, perform the following steps.
NOTICE: Position the keyboard cable so it is not twisted when it is 
connected to the system board.
1. Connect the keyboard cable to the connector on the system board.
NOTE: Five metal tabs retain the bottom of the keyboard in the palmrest 
assembly.
2. Fit the keyboard into place by sliding the five tabs on the bottom of the 
keyboard into the palmrest assembly.
It is important that the two tabs on the bottom right edge of the keyboard 
assembly fit correctly into the slotted holes in the palmrest assembly. To 
help align the tabs with the slotted holes, you can temporarily insert the 
hard-disk drive into the hard-disk drive bay before you place the keyboard 
assembly in the palmrest assembly. By resting the keyboard assembly on 
the hard-disk drive, the tabs will be at the correct height to enter the 
slotted holes. When the keyboard assembly is seated in the palmrest 
assembly, remove the hard-disk drive and look through the hard-disk drive 
bay to make sure the tabs are seated in the slot holes. 
3. Ensure that the top screw-hole tabs rest correctly in the screw slots on the 
palmrest assembly.
4. Verify that the keyboard is correctly installed. 
The keys should be flush with the left and right surfaces of the palmrest.
5. Reinstall the four M2 x 4-mm screws that secure the top of the keyboard 
assembly to the bottom assembly.
6. Reinstall the keyboard bezel. 
						

							support.dell.com Dell Latitude LS Portable Computers Service Manual 19
Memory Module
Figure 13.  Memory Module Removal 
NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the 
main battery before you service the computer.
1. Remove the keyboard bezel. 
2. Remove the keyboard assembly.
3. Ground yourself by touching the unpainted metal surface of an I/O 
connector on the computer’s back panel.
4. To release the memory module from its socket, carefully spread apart          
the inner tabs of the memory module socket just far enough for the 
memory module to disengage from the socket (it should pop up slightly)                
(see Figure 13).
5. Lift the memory module out of its socket.
To replace a memory module, perform the following steps:
1. Align the memory module’s edge connector with the slot in the center of 
the memor y module socket. 
The memory module is keyed, or designed to fit into the socket in only one 
direction. The slot on the system board is notched so that the memory 
module can be firmly seated only one way.
2. With the module at a 45-degree angle, press the memory module’s edge 
connector firmly into the memory module socket. 
3. Pivot the memory module down until it clicks into place. 
inner tabs (2)
memory module 
						

							20 Dell Latitude LS Portable Computers Service Manual
If you do not hear a click as each end of the memory module snaps into the 
tabs, remove the memory module and reinstall it.
Palmrest Assembly 
Figure 14.  Removing the Palmrest Assembly Bottom Screws
The palmrest assembly consists of the palmrest, status lights, and touch pad 
assembly.
NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the 
main battery before you service the computer.
1. Remove the keyboard bezel.
2. Remove the display assembly.
3. Remove the keyboard assembly.
4. Turn the computer upside down on a flat work surface.
5. Remove the six M2.6 x 1.6-mm screws located in the battery bay           
(see Figure 14).
NOTICE: Make sure that the work surface is clean to prevent    
scratching the computer cover.
6. Turn the computer right-side up.
7. Remove the four black M2 x 4-mm screws across the top of the computer 
(see Figure 15). 
M2.6 x 1.6-mm screws (6)  
						

							support.dell.com Dell Latitude LS Portable Computers Service Manual 21
 
Figure 15.  Removing the Palmrest Assembly Top Screws
8. Remove the three silver M2 x 6-mm screws in the keyboard-assembly  
area that secure the middle of the palmrest assembly to the bottom case 
(see Figure 15).
9. Disconnect the status lights flex cable from the ZIF connector on the 
system board.
10. Disconnect the touch pad flex cable from the ZIF connector on the system 
board. 
11. Carefully remove the palmrest assembly from the bottom assembly.
To replace the palmrest assembly, perform the following steps:
1. Place the palmrest assembly on the bottom assembly.
2. Reinstall the three silver M2 x 6-mm screws in the keyboard-assembly area 
that secure the middle of the palmrest assembly to the bottom-case 
assembly (see Figure 15).
M2 x 4-mm screws (4 black)
palmrest 
assembly
M2 x 6-mm screws 
(3 silver) 
						

							22 Dell Latitude LS Portable Computers Service Manual
3. Reinstall the four black M2 x 4-mm screws that secure the top of the 
palmrest assembly to the bottom-case assembly (see Figure 15).
4. Connect the touch pad flex cable to the ZIF connector on the system 
board.
5. Connect the status lights flex cable to the ZIF connector on the system 
board.
6. Turn the computer upside down.
7. Reinstall the six M2.6 x 1.6-mm screws in the battery bay that secure      
the bottom of the palmrest assembly to the bottom-case assembly        
(see Figure 14).
8. Turn the computer right-side up.
9. Reinstall the keyboard assembly.
10. Reinstall the display assembly.
11. Reinstall the keyboard bezel.
Touch Pad Assembly
Figure 16.  Touch Pad Removal
1. Remove the keyboard bezel.
2. Remove the display assembly.
3. Remove the keyboard assembly.
4. Remove the palmrest assembly.
5. Remove the three M2 x 3.5-mm screws that secure the touch pad 
assembly to the palmrest assembly (see Figure 16).
6. Slide the touch pad assembly out from under the two hold-down tabs.
7. Remove the touch pad assembly from the palmrest assembly.
M2 x 3.5-mm screws (3)
flex cable ZIF connector
touch pad
touch pad holder 
assembly