> Cannot open old Micron Notebook chassis; No latch

[daniel1212]

Hi, i volunteered to help fix an old but still usual laptop, a Micron NBKU360 TransPort Trek. I would like to remove the HD, but i cannot find a way to get to it. Unlike most laptops, there is no access panel, and the only tabs are for the battery and the DVD rom.
Here http://www.auctiva.com/hostedimages/showimage.aspx?gid=519492&ppid=1122&image=123753995&images=123753319,123753382,123753456,123753546,123753660,123753775,123753896,123753995,123754093,123754187,123754255,123754376,123754493,123754579,123754697,123754812,123754887,123757582,123757683,123757825&formats=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0&format=0pics are pics of what it looks like from a seller on ebay. If someone has ever opened one of these let me know. I want to take the screws out but the owner wants to avoid that.

The software problem is that the entire Windows folder has been deleted, and she has lost her Windows 98se disk that she bought. I was able to save all the rest of the data to an external drive by using a copy of knoppix.

[street1 (RIP)]

This company is really tight on information.I used the serial number
from the one on E-Bay.

http://support.mpccorp.com/apps/complist.asp?SerialNo=1271759-0010

http://support.mpccorp.com/apps/compdet.asp?partno=HDI001176-00

[quaxo]

If there is no hatch to remove the hard drive, you'll have little other choice other than opening the entire case to remove the hard drive.

If you choose to go this route, keep the screws well organized and keep a written list of where each screw and piece came from came from as well as any other pieces that have to come out, as I've had to remove as many as 25 screws to get a hard drive out of a laptop before (Toshiba Libretto U100).

[daniel1212]

Thanks! I tried using the serial # before from the one i am working on but it would not go.   From the link street1 very helpfully provided (but only if i used IE (not FF). i  found a manual and a link that tells how to replace memory + the HD. http://primus.mpccorp.com/mknowledge/publisher.dll?sid=8.0x0093BC00&page=4&id=mknowledge:1.0.176544060.3019188   

It says you must take the screws out.  But i also found that it has a 12.7 mm IDE Hard Drive rather than the now standard  2.5" 9.5mm, but some 2.5 external enclosures will not fit those. But doesn't this only refer to the enclosure, not the connector? ttp://cgi.ebay.com/USB-2-0-2-5-Hard-Driver-Enclosure-for-PC-MAC-Notebook_W0QQitemZ130218144219QQcmdZViewItem

[quaxo]

12.7mm refers to the height of the drive, it has nothing to do with the connector. If an external box isn't at least as high as the drive, it won't fit in the case.

Speaking of cases, don't get that one you linked. I've got that exact one sitting here in the shop. It's a generic piece of crap. Get a decent shock resistant case.

[daniel1212]

Thanks for the confirmation quaxo, and advice.  I expected that an enclosure that cheap would be cheap, but right now funds are low and i do not expect to use it much.   

I bought a cheap 20.00 external 3.5 pata enclosure about a year ago and i took it out of the case anyway so I can attach my DVD burner on it. Maybe i should have just gotten one of these: http://cgi.ebay.com/USB-To-IDE-2-5-3-5-5-25-Adapter-Cable-Enclosure-Ci_W0QQitemZ330231360801QQcmdZViewItem

After using it for a few months i had to solder a better 4 pin power connector on it. Works fine now.  I will wait a few days and see what i can get for a better 2.5 ext. enclsr.   Thanks again.