The motherboard of your laptop (alternatively referred to as the mainboard) is a sophisticated piece of electronics that serves as the core hub of your laptop.
Everything your laptop does, from peripheral functionality to memory management and data transport to your monitor, is determined by the motherboard.
If your laptop will not power on at all, it could be due to a faulty mainboard, and you’re wondering How to Replace Laptop Motherboard.
Many laptop users believe that if this occurs, they will be required to purchase a new laptop. However, a motherboard may frequently be repaired.
In some cases, you can replace the motherboard without replacing any other components, which can save you a significant amount of money.
Three Things You Should Be Aware of When It Comes to Motherboards
1) Diagnosing and repairing motherboard malfunctions is challenging.
The issue with a motherboard is that when something goes wrong, it might cause a variety of components in your laptop to behave strangely.
The only way to reliably isolate the problem is through a time-consuming and skill-intensive elimination approach.
Additionally, it is critical to repair the motherboard, as everything within your laptop must be removed before the motherboard can be replaced.
A knowledgeable nerd is frequently your best bet for diagnosing and resolving a motherboard problem effectively.
2) They’re remarkably delicate.
Due to the complicated nature of motherboards, they can be disabled by a variety of various scenarios.
Electric spikes and surges are the mainboard’s kryptonite. Additionally, your fan has the potential to harm your laptop’s hair, dust, and other foreign objects sucked into it.
3) You cannot just replace your motherboard with an off-the-shelf option.
When replacing a motherboard, it is critical to ensure that the replacement motherboard is compatible with the existing hardware on your computers. A mainboard that is incompatible with the rest of your components will destroy your laptop.
Not only does a discordant motherboard put additional strain on other components, but it may also necessitate a hard disk reformat, resulting in total data loss. If your laptop’s mainboard is failing, it is critical to trust a nerd.
How to Diagnose Laptop Motherboard Problems
- While it can be difficult to diagnose a motherboard failure based on symptoms alone, here are a few things to look for.
- Your computer begins booting extremely slowly.
- Peripherals on your computer become defective.
- On your monitor, you may see strange behavior, flickering, lines on the screen, or unexpected freezes.
- Occasionally, when you put a flash drive into the USB port on your laptop, it does not initialize.
- Increased occurrences of “blue death screen” problems.
- A burnt or melting plastic aroma.
- The key to your mainboard’s failure is irritating unpredictability.
How to Replace Laptop Motherboard

If the motherboard of a laptop dies and it is in good condition, you can obtain replacement parts and possibly even update your computer (depending on the model of the laptops).
Finding a replacement board may prove difficult. Several online auction houses and regular stores, on the other hand, sell OEM replacement parts or used parts taken from damaged machines.
Once you’ve obtained the motherboard, you may use this guide to learn how to swap it out for the old one.
How to Replace Laptop Motherboard (Step by Step)
Step 1:
For complete instructions on removing components such as the optical and hard disks, consult the laptop manufacturer’s manual.
Step 2:
Please power down laptops and disconnect the battery from the power cable.
Step 3:
Close the laptop lid and place it upside down on a clean work surface.
Step 4:
By touching a grounded metal surface, you can discharge all static energy in your body.
Step 5:
Take the screws and other fasteners that hold the optical and hard discs in place. Remove them from your laptop and set them aside.
Step 6:
Unscrew the memory access cover. (Consult the location manual.)
Step 7:
Lift each module by locking the clamps that secure the memory chips. Memory chips are frequently located adjacent to the wireless mini-PCI. Memory chips are roughly the size of a PCI card.
Step 8:
Disconnect the antenna leads from the wireless card if they are present. Secure the card by removing the clips.
Step 9:
Open the processor’s access door, if the machine has one. If the CPU is detachable and the replacement motherboard is not included, remove it and store it securely.
Step 10:
Remove all screws keeping the machine’s case together from the bottom. They are quite little and readily removed, therefore use the proper screwdriver for the job. Remove no screws that secure the LCD screen to the machine unless absolutely essential.
Step 11:
Carefully open the case. If pressured to open, hidden clips may fracture. Certain machines may require the keyboard to be removed or removed entirely.
Step 12:
Before separating anything else, create a graphic depicting the component locations. It assists you in properly assembling the equipment following the completion of the job.
Step 13:
Disconnect all motherboard connections. Unplug all external cards, such as a video card, that are not integrated into the mainboard. Locate and unscrew the motherboard’s mounting screws.
Step 14:
Remove the old motherboard, assemble the replacement device, then reassemble the components in reverse order.
FAQs ― How to Replace Laptop Motherboard
How much does it cost to replace a laptop motherboard?
We discovered this “Ask a Geek” thread from a year and a half ago, which suggests that you should budget between $250 and $500 for a new motherboard. However, this includes a new motherboard license if your computer is replaced (which is unlikely to be licensed for use on the new system).
Can you replace a motherboard?
The bad news is that you will almost certainly need to purchase a new motherboard (and perhaps RAM). If your motherboard or CPU breaks, you can install a replacement of the same model. However, if you wish to upgrade, you must first finish some research.
How difficult is it to replace a motherboard on a laptop?
While replacing motherboards in computers is frequently uncomplicated, it is all too easy to lose sight of what goes where. If you want to break it, find a deconstruction video and photograph each step of the disassembly process.