Alienware M18x CD Drive Replacement

Flip the laptop over and slide the battery release latch to the right.

Remove battery.

Turn the computer over.

Slide the battery latch over and lift the battery out.

Unscrew the four 3mm screws with a J000 screwdriver.

Use the iFixit opening tool to lift the bottom cover off.

Remove the two 4mm screws with the J000 screwdriver.

Turn the laptop right-side up, and open the laptop.

Use the plastic pryer tool to loosen the flat piece surrounding the keys by gently prying it upwards from the laptop's base.

Make sure to go around the entire perimeter of the piece to loosen all areas of it.

The piece is now free from its fastenings to the base of the laptop, and can be lifted off.

Gently remove the power cable with your hands or with the help of a prying tool.

The keyboard's 3mm fastening screws are now exposed and can be removed with a J000 screwdriver.

As before, the keyboard is now unfastened but still connected to the base via cables.

Flip the keyboard over towards the edge of the laptop to expose the locations of the connectors. Avoid tugging on the cables when you do this.

Locate and remove the first connector cable.

Locate and remove the second connector cable.

The left section of the keyboard is connected by a single screw and two connector cables.

Remove the 4mm screw with a J000 screwdriver.

Remove the connecting cables with a prying bar.

All sections of the keyboard are now free to be taken off and replaced!

Computer should be upright.

Find the connecting tab that is holding the laptop's top section in place.

Disconnect the tab with needle-nose pliers.

Lift the panel up slowly to gain access to the internal parts.

Track down the blue USB board. The CD Drive is covered by this board.

Locate the card holders' edges, and then gently pry each one from its socket

With a screwdriver, remove the screws holding the USB port board in place.

To remove all connections from the board, disconnect the orange tab.

In order to access the CD Drive, raise the board.

The CD Drive housing should be free of the four 3mm screws.

The orange connector's thin end should be disconnected from the motherboard. The CD Drive should still be attached to one end of it.

From the laptop, gently remove the CD drive.