Hewlett Packard laptops are highly portable, allowing busy professionals to easily transport an entire file cabinet’s worth of data from one job site to another – but as with any laptop, this feature can prove to be its undoing. Because their compact size hinders airflow, HP laptops are highly susceptible to overheating. If your HP ProBook 4320s cpufan isn’t functioning properly, it’s important to waste no time in replacing it.
Step 1
Shut down your HP laptop, unplug its power cord and disconnect all peripherals.
Step 2
Discharge built-up static electricity from your body by touching an unpainted metal object.
Step 3
Place a soft cloth, such as a towel, on a flat surface. Close your laptop’s display panel and place it upside-down on the cloth.
Step 4
Remove the screw or screws from the battery cover with a Phillips screwdriver. Depress the locking tabs and lift out the battery assembly.
Step 5
Remove the screws from the hard drive cover with a Phillips screwdriver and lift off the cover. Unplug the cable that connects the hard drive to the motherboard, if applicable, and slide the drive out of its bay.
Step 6
Remove the screws that secure the CMOS battery and memory module panel. Lift off the panel and remove the battery and modules.
Step 7
Remove the keyboard cover screws with a Phillips screwdriver. These are located in some or all of the following places: the two corners of your laptop’s bottom, directly under the center of the keyboard, in the memory module bay and in the battery compartment.
Step 8
Turn the laptop over and open the display panel. Using a flat-head screwdriver, pry off the upper section of the keyboard flange. This is the piece that’s closest to the display panel.
Step 9
Remove the upper keyboard screws, which are located over the “F” keys.
Step 10
Lift the keyboard just enough to reveal its ribbon cable connection to the motherboard. If the ribbon cable is secured with a locking flap, lift the flap and gently pull the cable from the motherboard socket. If the connector features locking tabs, depress and hold in the tabs as you pull the cable from the socket. Lift out the keyboard.
Step 11
Locate the LED board socket, which is labeled, on the motherboard. Grasp the connector with your thumb and forefinger and carefully unplug the wire that connects the LED board to the motherboard. Do the same for the video display, power button, webcam, two antenna connections and touchpad, if applicable.
Step 12
Remove the screws from the display panel’s hinges with a Phillips screwdriver. Hold the panel with your free hand to prevent it from falling when the last screw is removed.
Step 13
Lift off the top cover assembly and unplug the cables that connect the USB ports, power jack and audio jacks to the motherboard.
Step 14
Remove the screws from the motherboard with a Phillips screwdriver. Use both hands to carefully lift the motherboard from the laptop case.
Step 15
Remove the screws from your HP’s fan or cooling assembly, unplug its power connector and lift it out of the laptop case.
Step 16
Place your new ProBook 4320s cpufan or cooling assembly in the laptop case, tighten its screws and plug in its power connector.
Step 17
Reassemble your HP by following steps 4 through 16 in reverse order.
