The Dell Inspiron 5150 is a rarity; most notebook video cards cannot be upgraded.
Among laptop computers, the Dell Inspiron 5150 is a rarity in that its massive size and weight allow it to have sufficient room for a video card that can be removed and upgraded. The Inspiron 5150 is compatible with either 32 MB or 64 MB versions of the ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 and GeForce FX Go5200 video cards. Upgrade the video card in your Dell Inspiron 5150 to increase the performance of your aging laptop.
Instructions
1. Shut your computer down completely. Unplug the power cable and any external peripherals. Turn the computer over and remove the battery, then turn it over again so that the top faces you. Open the main hinge of the Inspiron 5150 as far as possible.
2. Find the small indentation on the right side of the plastic strip for the power button, above the keyboard. Place the flat-head screwdriver into the indentation and use it to pry the plastic strip up. Using your hands, ease the plastic strip off the computer, working from right to left. Be careful not to bend the plastic.
3. Use the Phillips screwdriver to remove the four retaining screws from above the keyboard, then lift the keyboard away from the laptop until you can see the cable under it. Ease the cable out of the connector, and set the keyboard aside. Below the keyboard, you will see a metal shield and a cable leading from the video card.
4. Remove the video cable by pulling the plastic tab.
5. Use the Phillips screwdriver to remove the screw from the left side of the metal shield, then lift the shield away from the body of the computer. Below the shield, you will find the video card (left) and central processor (right, with a fan).
6. Remove the Phillips-head screws from the upper left and lower right corners of the video card, then use the white plastic loop at the top of the video card to pull it out of the system.
7. Place the new video card over the connector, then push on the corners opposite those with the screw holes until it is securely in place. Screw the video card in place.
8. Replace the parts that you removed from the Inspiron 5150 by reversing the steps in this article.
Tags: Inspiron 5150, video card, Dell Inspiron, Dell Inspiron 5150, plastic strip, 5150 rarity, above keyboard