How to disassemble Lenovo ThinkPad W540/W541/T540p

I used W540 as sample, T540p and W541 has same structure as W540. Be careful when you try to take out keyboard, which has very fragile key cap, if the keyboard bezel stuck somewhere, please check before contuining.

[@skolo65]

Thank you so much for a good hint. The most difficult for understanding is the keyboard separation. I saw some clips and in all it looks uneasy and even damaging. It will not be complex if you know this. There are two but actually three parts - big outer frame with touchpad, the keyboard assembly with its inner latticed frame (which is the part of keyboard assembly). It is hard to reach six tiny screws that happen to be covered by the keys and the inner frame. Fortunately this frame is a bit movable. When with thin instrument of your choice you push the inner frame towards the screen as on this video, you at the same time gently press the screen facing edge of that inner frame down, you guide it the way it slides under the far inner edge of the outer frame. This way the inner frame will slide under the buttons and you get a full access to those screws, almost 3 мм gap. I hope it will help somebody.

[@joyschinese]

You are right. But for the one never been opened, it was very hard to slice the top keyboard frame

[@skolo65]

@@joyschinese mine was never opened before so I probably was lucky, it was not hard. The point here is to press far from you side of the inner frame to let it slide under the outer frame. If you do not do this, outer frame edge being at the same level with inner one does not let it slide. After you manage to do this once all becomes clear and you will not damage the keys mechanics popping them up. Thanks for your kind comment

[@cholasimmons]

Very simple process, daunting of you don't understand it or have the right tools, a small Philips screwdriver and a 1cm steel "spatula" should do it, just hold down a key and shove the spatula around the top edge of the key to push the upper plastic layer of the keyboard upwards,

[@cholasimmons]

Yea open it this rough and you'll break about 3 to 5 components. Also, begin by disconnecting the battery

[@Good_Luck_8619]

The way u lifted the cpu is a risk to bending pins u should hold it with your fingers from sides ! Pity this laptop doesn’t have pci-e slot

[@2minutewithGod]

I need help

[@12bitvinyls87]

Please, work more carefully. Battery is the first thing to remove after disabling internal battery from bios before starting the maintenance. Voltages running through the systems and you are yanking the keyboard out with nuts unscrewed not properly. You need magnetic tip electrical screwdriver with various bits for different screw types. You need a declutcher handle, usually teflon or stronger material to seperate the joints. Metal scrapes on the joint points hurt the eyes when it is looked at under a scope.

[@sf_khan9329]

I needed to change the thermal Paste but it is pretty hectic to open.

[@joyschinese]

Yes, and it might damage the keyboard.

[@irp-politics]

dude really rough on that keyboard and the screws. Didn't remove the battery. Terrible job

[@jamshedkhan6241]

You can change cpu but I wanted to change GPU any solution

[@sf_khan9329]

You cannot change GPU on laptops.

[@flamestoyershadowkill6400]

​@@sf_khan9329ever heard of an mxm card

[@EffortlessEthan]

@@sf_khan9329that's not true, it just depends on the laptop, some laptops you can

[@cholasimmons]

sorry not on this model, which GPU do you have?
Im stuck with the K1100m

[@TiagoNevesNET]

lol, 30 secs in and I'm done... don't remove the battery, break half the keys on kb, you should be banned from working on laptops, just horrid.

[@ishtarcephei5054]

WTF keyboard design is this! What a shame, Lenovo!

[@carnelianknight5713]

The presidential candidate Andrew Yang?