How to Rebuild a Laptop Computer

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If you have an old laptop that has seen better days, you can rebuild it as a better, faster machine. From adding more memory to choosing a faster hard drive to using a better optical drive, there are many upgrades you can use to make your old laptop run like new again.

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Step 1

Shut down your laptop and disconnect the power cord. Turn the laptop over and slide the battery release lever to the unlocked position. Remove the battery and set it aside.

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Step 2

Remove the retaining screw from the memory slot cover. Carefully pry the cover loose with a small flat end screwdriver. Insert new memory modules in the memory slots and replace the memory module cover.

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Step 3

Slide the hard drive release lever to the unlocked position and remove the hard drive. Insert a new high capacity hard drive in the bay and move the release lever back to the locked position.

Step 4

Move the release lever for the optical drive to the unlocked position and pull the old optical drive out. Replace the existing optical drive with a new Blu-ray DVD player or DVD burner.

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Step 5

Insert the restore CD that came with your laptop into the optical drive. Replace the battery and connect the AC power. Turn your laptop on and run the restore process to reinstall your operating system and system software.

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