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Question

Dell M5010 Keyboard Can't Remove

Jan 19, 2012 9:40AM PST

I have tried to remove my Dell M5010 keyboard to replace a bad CPU (7 beep code on start-up) and have taken all of the screws out of the back and the keyboard screw. The keyboard releases from the 4 clips at the top but the the left side will not come up. What am I missing???
Sonny01

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Did you try the service documentation?
Jan 19, 2012 9:51AM PST
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Answer
Dell M5010 Keyboard Can't Remove
Jan 19, 2012 11:01AM PST

Thank you but I have been to that exact web page and followed the instructions...I've even found a You Tube video. The problem is I can't get the left side of the keyboard to release. It feels like there is a screw holding it down but all of the screws on the back are out including the ones under the rubber caps.
Sonny1952

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Did you notice that we had to pry it off?
Jan 19, 2012 1:12PM PST

Very hard to explain in words but the diagram shows us using some flathead to pop the tab out of the slot.
Bob

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Answer
Dell M5010 Keyboard Can't Remov
Jan 19, 2012 7:30PM PST

I have no problem getting all four tabs to release...there is something holding the left side of the keyboard down. I can left up the top of the board and get several of the lower tabs to pull out on th bottom right but something in the middle left is restraining. Like I'm missing a screw but all screws are out.

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On some you have to
Jan 20, 2012 4:24AM PST

You have to remove the optical drive to find that last screw. The document I linked to has some instructions about that.

In fact it looks to be under the BASE COVER "Remove the screw that secures the keyboard to the computer base."
Bob

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Answer
Dell M5010 Keyboard Can't Remove
Jan 20, 2012 9:21AM PST

I removed the base cover and the optical drive and the keyboard screw and every other screw on the bottom and still the left side won't release.

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At this point.
Jan 20, 2012 12:55PM PST

I ask my friend to look for it.

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Answer
remove Dell M5010 keyboard issue
Feb 23, 2012 4:13AM PST

For some unknown stupid reason, on some of the Dell laptops, Dell put double sided tape on the bottom of the keyboard. That is what is holding down the keyboard on the left side even after you've followed all the directions in the service manual. You will have to carefully pry the keyboard loose, praying you don't break the keyboard or the ribbon cable. Good luck.

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keyboard
Feb 23, 2012 10:37AM PST

That you very much...I gave up on it and the owners dad has it to try to fix it...I passed your info on to him.
Sonny1952

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Answer
Re Keyboard M5010
Jun 2, 2012 11:30AM PDT

There is some glue that holds the keyboard down on the left side. if you pull very very carfully it will come loose. just remember that there is a ribbon cable attached to the keyboard also.

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Fix from Dell Certified Technician
Jun 18, 2012 6:58AM PDT

Hi Sonny1952,
Please be informed that there is no glue holding the bottom of the keyboard to the palmrest. However, there are two screws in this machine which hold the keyboard. The first one is located right under your service tag label. And the other one is inside of the memory door. So remove these two screws and you can pull the keyboard out easily.
Hope that helps. Anticipating your reply.
Zohaib_Raza
Certified Dell Community Professional
You can reach us at https://twitter.com/#!/dellcares / https://www.facebook.com/dell / http://en.community.dell.com/

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Glue
Jul 12, 2012 7:33PM PDT

I have just had a Dell M5010 laptop in for repair.

There were no screws securing the keyboard, Nothing under the service tag and nothing inside the memory door. There was however the strongest double sided sticky tape / Glue underneath the keyboard on the left hand side.

Colin

Very Much UnCertified Dell Community Professional.

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Confirmed
Oct 15, 2012 5:13AM PDT
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strong glue strip confirmed!!
Jul 1, 2013 9:57PM PDT

Me too: I confirm there is 2 strong glued strip at left and no screw near the memories ram like on videos!!
very dangerous fto no break the keyboard Sad....

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OMG! What a nightmare!
Sep 21, 2013 11:42PM PDT

Thank you for the warning about the tape!!!

Tutorials on removing a keyboard from an m5010 are sadly incomplete.
Maybe so technicians seem like brainiacs? I hate that. Hide critical info and make it look easy.

Here's the scoop, folks, it isn't hard.
Thanks to the tape warning, I devised a pretty easy extraction process.

1. Press down the home key and locate the slot that contains the first tab at the top of the keyboard. Using a small flathead screwdriver, push down above this tab and pry the tab/keyboard down slightly so the very small tab clears the bezel around the keyboard. You should be able to lift the keyboard a half centimeter up.
2. Slide something under the corner of the keyboard so it doesn't come down and latch again. I used a toothpick.
3. Slide a fingernail under the keyboard to slightly pry the keyboard away from the laptop until you get to the second tab above the + and - keys. Press down on that tab with the screwdriver and pry it away like you did with the home key slot-tab so the keyboard is free of the bezel. Repeat this sliding of the fingernail over to the tab above the "6" key and free that tab. Ditto the last tab over the "1".
4. The top of the keyboard is free, You may wish to slide another toothpick under the top left corner so IT doesn't drop down and latch.
5.. With the top now free, keeping the keyboard flat against the laptop surface and bezel, (no lifting is involved here) and getting your fingers UNDER the keyboard if you can to avoid placing pressure on the keys, slowly rotate the keyboard counterclockwise. Moving the right side of the keyboard towards the screen. This slides the rightmost bottom tab out of it's slot. Continue rotating and as the 2nd tab from the right frees from its slot you may start to hear the tap ripping loose. Torq is doing the job that lifting doesn't do easily.
6. When you feel that the tap is no longer giving resistance, move the keyboard up towards the screen to free all 4 bottom tabs from their slots. You'll probably then wish to flip the top edge of the keyboard towards you to reveal the keyboard connector.

This took me 40 minutes to figure out. You should be able to do it in ten.