Dell Inspiron 3500 - Manual (Page 105)

Hard-Disk Drive Disassembly: Dell™ Inspiron™ 3500 Portable Computer
To disassemble the hard-disk drive, perform the following steps:
1. Remove the hard-disk drive from the base of the computer.
2. Remove the 4-mm screw from the side of the hard-disk drive.
3. Lift up the large plastic tab that the screw had previously secured.
There are a series of small plastic tabs along the three sides of the plastic carrier.
4. Unsnap the plastic carrier along three sides.
5. Turn the carrier over in your hand so that the hard-disk drive partially falls into your hand.
The 9.5-mm hard-disk drive uses a spacer inside the plastic carrier for proper fit.
6. Slide the hard-disk drive connector out of the plastic retainer inside the plastic carrier and remove the drive completely from the carrier.
7. Use the plastic pull to remove the flex cable from the hard-disk drive.
CAUTION: The following procedure should be performed only by depot repair technicians.
Type of Screw Torque
FPH 3 x 4 (1) 2.0–2.5 kgf-cm
NOTE: Although the connector may not be as wide as the set of pins, it is keyed so that it can only fit one way on the pins.