Remove and Replace Dell Vostro 3700 Laptop Keyboard and CD/DVD Drive

Knowing how to replace your keyboard and CD/DVD drive in your Dell Vostro 3700 laptop can save you time and money. If a tragic accident befalls either your keyboard or your CD/DVD drive, you can order the replacement part and continue using your laptop. If you have a computer repair shop fix your laptop, you will not only have to pay a small fortune to get your machine fixed, but they will probably need to have it in their possession for more than a week.

Dell Vostro 3700 Keyboard

Turn your laptop off and unplug any cables attached to your laptop.

Push your screen back as far as it can go.

Locate the release tabs behind the last row of keyboard keys.

Press the release tabs with a pen to unlock the keyboard.

Lift the keyboard out and place it face down on the mouse pad.

Locate the ribbon cable that connects the keyboard to the laptop. Pull the blue clip back that is connecting the cable to the laptop. Carefully remove the cable.

Lift and remove the Dell Vostro 3700 Keyboard.

Pull back on the blue clip and insert the ribbon cable from the new keyboard.

Line up the tabs on the front part of the keyboard with the tab slots on the palm rest on the laptop. Press down on the back part of the keyboard until it pops into place.

Dell Vostro 3700 CD/DVD Drive

Turn off your laptop off and disconnect any cables that are connected to your laptop.

Turn your laptop over and position it so that the side that opens up is closest to you.

Locate the battery in the upper-middle of your laptop. Push the battery latch that is just below the lower-right corner of the battery to the left to release the battery.

Lift and remove the battery from the laptop.

Remove the two screws on the right side of the base cover in the middle part of your laptop.

Lift and remove the base cover from your laptop.

Remove the screw along the middle of the left edge of the area exposed by removing the base cover.

Slide a flathead screwdriver into the space around the CD/DVD drive and carefully pry the drive out until about one-half inch of the drive is exposed.

Grab the exposed part of the CD/DVD drive and pull it out of the laptop.

Slide the new CD/DVD drive into the empty bay on the laptop.

Screw in the screw along the middle of the left edge of the base cover area.

Slide the base cover tabs into their spaces on the left side of the base cover location. Press the base cover down on the laptop and insert the two screws on the right side.

Turn the laptop so the battery bay is closest to you. Slide the battery into the battery bay until it clicks and locks into place.

Turn your laptop over.