Before You Begin

Dell™ Inspiron™ 8500 Service Manual

Preparing to Work Inside the Computer

CAUTION: Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer. Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty. Read and follow applicable instructions in safety instructions in the Owner's Manual that came with the computer.

CAUTION: To prevent static damage to components inside your computer, discharge static electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer's electronic components. You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface.

CAUTION: Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the components or contacts on a card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal mounting bracket. Hold a component such as a microprocessor by its edges, not by its pins.

NOTICE: To avoid damaging the computer, perform the following steps before you begin working inside the computer.

Ensure that the work surface is flat and clean to prevent scratching the computer cover.
Save any work in progress and exit all open programs.
Turn off the computer and all attached devices.

NOTE: Ensure that the computer is off and not in a power management mode. If you cannot shut down the computer using the computer operating system, press and hold the power button for 4 seconds.

If the computer is connected to a docking station, undock it.
Disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet.
To avoid possible damage to the system board, wait 10 to 20 seconds and then disconnect any attached devices.
Disconnect all other external cables from the computer.
Remove any installed PC Cards from the PC Card slot.
Close the display and turn the computer upside down on a flat work surface.

NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the main battery before you service the computer.

Slide and hold the battery-bay latch release on the bottom of the computer, and then remove the battery from the bay.

Remove any installed memory modules, Mini PCI cards, and modules, including a second battery if one is installed.
Remove the hard drive.

Recommended Tools

The procedures in this manual require the following tools:

#1 Phillips screwdriver
¼-inch flat-blade screwdriver
Small plastic scribe
Flash BIOS update program floppy disk or CD

Computer Orientation

1

back

2

right

3

front

4

left

Screw Identification

When you are removing and replacing components, photocopy "Screw Identification" as a tool to lay out and keep track of the screws. The placemat provides the number of screws and their sizes.

Optional Module:
(1 each)

Modem:
(1 each)

Hard Drive:
(1 each)

Fan:

(2 each)

Keyboard:
(2 each)

Display Assembly:
(2 each)

Display Bezel:
(display bumpers, 8 each)
(8 each)

Display Panel:

(9 each)

Display Latch:

(2 each)

Video Card

(4 each)

Palm Rest:

(2 each)

(13 each)

Speakers:

(1 each)

System Board:

(3 each)

(2 each)

(1 each)

Back to Contents Page