How to Remove the Hard Drive from a Dell Laptop
Table of Contents
Introduction
Removing a hard drive from a laptop is a straightforward process. If your laptop stopped working and you want to access old photos and videos or some important data for work, then taking the hardware out and putting it into another system is your only option. Or maybe you want to remove the hard drive to replace it with a bigger one or an SSD so that your computer works much faster?
Whatever the reason behind it, we got you covered. Dell has a few different mechanisms that it uses on its laptops and we will go over all of them. There is the Latitude (which actually uses a few different mechanisms), the Precision, and the Inspiron lineups. No matter which one you got, you will learn how to remove the hard drive from a Dell laptop here. Let’s get started then!
Latitude Laptops
If you have a Latitude laptop, you will need to check which model you have exactly and then follow the instructions accordingly. There are several different systems that Dell uses to hold the hard drive in place but don’t worry. You will be able to remove the hard drive in just a few easy steps because it is not a complicated procedure.
You can check which Dell Latitude model you have by checking the label on the bottom of the laptop. You can also find it in the user manual that came with your laptop. Once you know which model you have, follow the instructions and the hard drive will be out.
Latitude E63xx, E64xx, E65xx
These are all the models that start with the letter “E”, which is followed by one of those aforementioned numbers. These are some of the easiest laptops to remove the hard drive from.
Here is how:
- Unscrew all screws that hold the hard drive on the bottom of the laptop. You can recognize them because they are next to a piece of plastic that looks removable. You can check the user manual or the manufacturer’s website for your model if you can’t find the screws.
- Remove the hard drive by sliding it out.
That is all you have to do. As you can see, it is very simple and easy. It will take you more time to flip the laptop around and find the screwdriver than it will to remove the hard drive itself.
Latitude E62xx, E54xx, E55xx
These Dell Latitude laptops have the hard drive located on the bottom part of the laptop. Removing the hard drive is slightly more difficult than on some other laptops from the list, but it is not too difficult.
This is what you have to do:
- Remove the battery from the laptop.
- Remove the bottom plastic from the laptop.
- Unscrew the screws that hold the hard drive and the bracket.
- Grasp the plastic pull tab on the hard drive and pull it upward to make the hard drive release from the hub. Make sure to be gentle because the tab can break easily.
Once you pulled the hard drive out, you are good to go. You can put in a new one by following the steps in reverse order if that is the reason why you removed it.
Latitude E6420 XFR (Rugged)
The XFR is one of the coolest and most unique laptops out there. It is an extremely durable version of the regular E6420, so the two use a different mechanism to hold the hard drive in place. Removing the hard drive from the XFR is not difficult, though.
Here is how:
- Remove the battery.
- Unlatch the plastic door from the hard drive compartment on the side of the laptop.
- Push the blue button on the right and take the hard drive out by pulling the blue plastic. You must do both actions at the same time to remove it.
Now that you have it out, putting it back in is as simple as sliding it in and latching the plastic bit again.
Latitude XT2
The hard drive on the XT2 sits below the battery. This means that removing it is very easy, but you will have to get a screwdriver for this.
Here is how to do it:
- Remove the battery by unlatching it and taking it out.
- Undo the screws that are in each corner of the hard drive.
- Remove the bracket that holds the hard drive in place.
- Slide the hard drive out. Remember that it is plugged in at the top, so do not go sideways.
When you decide to put it back in or add a new one, do not forget to put the hard drive bracket back on before putting the battery back in.
Latitude XT3
This is another slightly more complicated one, mostly because it has a hard drive caddy that you will have to remove from the hard drive once you slide it out.
This is how it’s done:
- Remove the battery.
- Remove the two screws that hold the big plastic access door in place.
- Remove the access door.
- Unscrew the screws that hold the hard drive.
- Pull the hard drive out. The plastic piece on the left is what is holding it in place.
If you plan to use a new hard drive, you will have to remove the hard drive caddy from the old one by unscrewing the screws on the caddy and then removing all the plastic pieces so that you can use it on your new hard drive.
Check Also: Laptop Only Works When Plugged In
Precision Laptops
All Dell Precision laptops use the same mechanism for removing the hard drive.
These are the steps that you will have to take to remove the hard drive on a Precision laptop:
- Remove the battery.
- Remove the plastic bottom door by undoing the two screws that hold it in place.
- Remove the screws that hold the hard drive bracket and make sure that the hard drive latch is in the unlocked position.
- Remove the hard drive together with the bracket by sliding it out.
Note that if you have a smaller hard drive, it will have a rubber filler that prevents it from vibrating. Bigger hard drives (9 mm) do not use them. If you plan to continue using a smaller one, make sure to put the rubber filler in place.
Inspiron Laptops
Last but not least, we have Dell Inspiron laptops. All of them use the same mechanism.
You can follow these steps if you have an Inspiron:
- Remove the battery.
- Unscrew and remove the plastic back door.
- Unscrew the screws that hold the hard drive in place.
- Slide the hard drive out. This will unplug it as well.
- Use the plastic tab to lift and remove the hard drive.
Some Dell Inspiron laptops, like the Inspiron 1150, use a slightly different mechanism that is more similar to a previous mechanism where you just have to remove two screws that hold the hard drive tray in place and then slide it out.
Are instructions Not Applicable for Your Model? Here Is What to Do
If you followed all the instructions for your model, but still struggle to get the hard drive out, it could be that your laptop is using a different mechanism. You can always double-check the user manual to make sure that you are not doing something wrong. It will contain all the information that you need to remove or replace the hard drive.
Some laptops will not let you follow any of the steps, but that is very rare. In general, most laptops make it very easy to remove the hard drive. Yet some Dell laptops will go out of their way to make it near-impossible to remove the hard drive.
For example, the Dell XPS series of laptops are very difficult to open because they are designed to be sleek and do not have any screws that you can undo. Instead, you have to pry it open. Do not attempt to do this on your own because you can damage or break your laptop. Instead, take it to a professional who will do it for you.
Read Related Topic: How to Play Xbox 360 on a Laptop with HDMI
Conclusion
Most laptops have removable hard drives. Some use simple mechanisms where you just have to remove a few screws and then slide it out, and that is it. And yet other laptops are very difficult to open, like the Dell XPS 15. If your laptop does not have an easy way to remove the hard drive, you should ask a professional to do it instead because you might break the laptop.
Thankfully, most Dell laptops have removable hard drives with trays that allow you to slide the hard drive out. Even if you have to open the back access panel on some models, removing the hard drive will be as easy as removing a few screws and then pulling the hard drive out. Just remember that all hard drives are plugged in, so be gentle and do not use force to pull them out. Once you know how to remove a hard drive, putting a new one in will be just as easy.
About the Author Marcus
Marcus has a graduate degree in computer engineering and has many years of experience in cutting-edge technology research and development in both startups and Fortune 500 corporations. In his free time, he enjoys RTS gaming.
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