Taking apart the display assembly on a Toshiba Satellite A210 and A215 laptop
Here are instructions for taking apart the display assembly on a Toshiba Satellite A210 and A215 laptop. These instructions are not for beginners. In order to get inside the display panel on this model you’ll have to go through many disassembly steps.
You can use these instructions for:
- removing the hard drive, the memory modules and the DVD drive
- removing the keyboard with the top cover assembly
- removing the LCD screen, the video cable and the inverter board
I have no idea why Toshiba engineered it this way, you cannot remove the LCD bezel without removing the top cover. Weird! This is extremely service unfriendly model.





February 4th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
I have just taken apart my a215-7416 and there are several major differences from the steps here. To get the top of the case off, you have to remove the display… the top edge of the case top wraps under the pivot of the screen. I actually broke part of the metal frame inside trying to figure out how to release the top edge after getting everything else free. The speaker cover IS part of the keyboard bezel.. really hard to get off, but you have to remove it to get to the hinge screws anyway. I removed just the silver bezel strip above the keyboard but they are not supposed to come apart, now it won’t go back together, TAKE THE TWO PIECES OFF TOGETHER! Other than a few other first-time laptop mistakes, this guide was very helpful. Going to clean everything while I have it apart, wondering if I’ll ever get it back together now!
February 3rd, 2010 at 4:54 pm
Hi,
I have a satellite A205 and I dropped it today. The backlight is working fine, and when I plug it into an external monitor, the computer loads just fine. The backlight also changes intensity as windows starts up and stuff…Any idea on what the problem might be? I am guessing its the LCD cable connection. Could it be anything else though? Because if it isn’t just an unplugged cable, then I’ll probably just not even bother opening up the laptop and use an external monitor from now on.
Thanks,
John
January 20th, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Broke the sping on the dvd rom that keeps it closed…now I need to replace the dvd rom…..please advice how I can remove broken one and install new one.. thanks
oH and does it have to be a DVD rom with the same name as the laptop?
Thanks again
October 1st, 2009 at 8:04 am
John,
If the touchpad doesn’t work after reassembly, try enabling it first. Use Fn+F9 keys. Press and hold down Fn and at the same time press once on F9.
Take a look inside the connector, you may use a magnifying glass.
There are a few golden pins inside the connector. Contacts on the touchpad cable have to face those pins. When you insert the cable, contacts on the cable have to touch golden pins inside the connector.
Also, make sure the touchpad cable is properly connected to the touchpad itself, maybe you accidentally pulled the cable. You can do that only when the top cover is removed.
October 1st, 2009 at 7:45 am
Followed the instructions to take apart a oshiba Satellite laptop. The internal power jack came dislogged and had to rescure it. Instructions worked well. But when I took off the top of the computer there was a flat cable from the touch pad to the mother board. I didn’t not which way the cable sshould be re-attached. Each end can be flipped and will fit.
Does anyone what side is up? The flat cable has a blue pull tab and I put that up but that didn’t work. Looking for ideas befre taking thia apart again.
Thanks
September 26th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
B J,
Are you trying to clear the BIOS password? Removing the CMOS battery will not help.
If the laptop set the BIOS password on its own, you can take it to the authorized repair center and whey will clear the password at no charge.
September 25th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
How I can reset CMOS of Toshiba Satellite A215
September 21st, 2009 at 10:23 am
I have a Toshiba A205-s4707 I was wondering if I can completely swap out my motherboard for a better model ? something that will have a faster processor and an actual graphics card as opposed to a graphics chip ?
September 3rd, 2009 at 10:41 pm
Care,
You can use something like dental pick.