HP Pavilion N3250 DVD drive removal

[kd8ma]

Please help!! I am trying to figure out how to remove my dvd/cd drive from my Pavilion N3250. I checked the Hewlett-Packard web site and they pointed me to a video that was supposed to show me how to do it. Well the video was of another larger computer that was different than mine. I am supposed to remove a securing screw that cannot be found on my machine. As a matter of fact, I removed the battery, the hard drive and the memory, as well as every screw that was visible, and the drive will still not come out. It's as if it is secured from the top and not the bottom. Can anyone please help me?
Thank you in advance. ... Jim

[D'Arscone]

You actually don't need to mess with the screws you see on the bottom.

Instead, open the laptop up completely so the monitor is all the way back and flat. You'll need a flat screwdriver for this next part. On the upper right, just above your keyboard, you'll see where it says N3250. Put the blade of the screwdriver in the small gap below the model number (just above the page up key) and pry the cover nameplate off.

Next, undo the screws holding the keyboard on; there are three of them. Look just to the right of where the keyboard is plugged in and you'll notice a small screw (phillips) and another about an inch above that one. Remove those 2 screws and you'll have released the DVD drive. Using your finger, push between where the 2 screws were and you'll be able to push the drive out to the right.

Voila! Hope this helps.

[kd8ma]

Thanks for your help. That is the info that I was looking for.
Thanks again for your help.
Jim

[D'Arscone]

You're welcome!

I actually just checked on my N3250 a few days ago, including checking the DVD-rom drive. It took me a while, but I found some instructions for a different HP and I just kinda winged it from there.

[kd8ma]

That sure helped me. Thanks again. I actually Sent this info on to HP, giving you full credit, in case someone else needs this info. Now I need to upgrade my Win.98 to XP home. I have the disk but when I try to unlock it, it tells me that my Win. XP home has been used too many times (twice that I know of). I guess that I need to find a product key that is not expired. Thanks again for all your help. Jim

[D'Arscone]

I'm sticking with Windows 98 for mine as I plan on using it mostly to play older games (ie classic Sierra games) and just as a backup laptop.

The only problem I'm having with mine right now is that the original battery doesn't charge and the new battery I got isn't being recognized by my computer. Any ideas?

[kd8ma]

Hi, Can't help you there. I had to buy a battery for mine as well. Sometimes you can tear them apart and "zap" the bad cells and salvage the battery. I can't get my netgear WiFi to work properly with Win. 98. It works ok at home but not at restaurants . Good luck though.
Jim