[Tutorial] Switching out the HDD

[Xenthalon]

I recently bought a Revo as a media center. Now as I found the standard 160gb 5400rpm drive a bit limited I decided to switch it with a nice 7200rpm 320gb one.

BEWARE! YOU WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY!

Here are the steps required to do so:

Opening the Revo
1. Down where the stand is you should see a small plastic sticker. Cut it open. This voids the warranty.
2. Remove the screw. This is the only screw on the Revo casing, now just be careful.
3. The side without the Windows License sticker and without the power button is the removable one, so carefully pull on the dark plastic down where the screw is to get a small gap in the white plastic frame. Put a knife (or smiliar) in between and carefully wiggle all around the box. The lid is snapped in several times all around, but the plastic bits holding it shut can eventually be opened, just don't use too much force and be careful.
4. Now your Revo is opened; if you intend to replace your RAM this is really all you need to do.

Replacing the HDD
You should be able to see the HDD now, but it won't budge. That is because it is fixed to the Motherboard with four screws from the bottom. To remove these you have to take out the Motherboard.
1. Remove the small PCB above the Power Button with the two USB slots. To do this just pull the two plastic bits holding it aside an pull it off.
2. Remove the four screws in each corner of the Motherboard. You will notice the Motherboard will still not move, that is because the screws holding the heatspreader hold the motherboard to the bottom of the casing aswell.
3. Remove the three small black screws from the fan that keep the fan attached to the heatspreader. Unplug the fan power connector and remove the fan.
4. Loosen the four heatspreader screws. Be careful while doing it, they are attached with springs, maybe not remove each in one go just as a safety measure.
5. Take off the heatspreader and put it aside carefully so the thermal paste won't be lost.
6. Remove the two plugs that are attached to the Atheros card (the grey and black cable, be sure to remember their locations and they are attached quite firmly. These are basically your antennas for WLan)
7. Gently pull out the motherboard and turn in around
8. Remove the four screws holding the HDD.
9. Remove the HDD, replace with one of your choice.

Assemble again and be happy with your bigger and better HDD.


So here is my short guide, if someone owns a camera and is willing to add pictures: you are welcome to do so!

[stefangeorg]

Thanks for the tutorial! Worked fine.
But i did not replace the HDD with a bigger one,
i stripped the HDD for using the Revo only with
a 4GB SDHC-Card. Fast and quiet

Some pictures of the opened Revo you can find at
http://hspod.blogspot.com/

Stefangeorg

[pilou]

@ Xenthalon : Hi, I am thinking about doing the same thing, did you notice a real change with your new HDD ? some inconvenient (noise? heat ?)

[finster]

Thanks Xenthalon - great guide.

I've swapped out the 160gb drive for a 500gb one tonight and it works great.

I'll attach some photos - here's the first one (removing the USB board)

revo_hd_swap_1.jpg (56.22 KiB) Viewed 5060 times

.

[finster]

Here's the second one (screws for the fan)

revo_hd_swap_2.jpg (64.49 KiB) Viewed 5068 times

[finster]

Here's number 3 (screws for removing the heat spreader)

revo_hd_swap_3.jpg (61.29 KiB) Viewed 5071 times

[finster]

Here's picture 4 (terminals for the wireless antenna)

revo_hd_swap_4.jpg (54.03 KiB) Viewed 5059 times

[finster]

And here's the final photo (showing removed motherboard with location of screws for hard drive).

Hope this all helps somebody, thanks again Xenthalon - you did all the hard work!

revo_hd_swap_5.jpg (65.31 KiB) Viewed 5074 times

[Smiley1081]

You mean that the Wi-Fi antenna is on the BOTTOM of the Revo, on the opposite angle from the power switch?

Who designed that, somebody from the Edsel drawing board?

[omnium]

the two build in WLAN Antennas are a bit useless.. viewtopic.php?f=11&t=10