Microsoft Surface Pro 7 MicroSD Card Reader Replacement

Written By: Sam Omiotek

Comments: 14

Microsoft Surface Pro 7 MicroSD Card Reader Replacement

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

1 - 2 hours

Introduction

Follow this guide to replace the microSD card reader in a Microsoft Surface Pro 7.

There is a significant chance that you may break the unreinforced and fragile display panel during this procedure. Be sure to apply adequate heat and be extremely careful while slicing through the adhesive. Wear safety glasses in case the glass shatters.

Tools

Step 1

Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes, and be careful not to damage the LCD screen.
If your display glass is cracked, keep further breakage contained and prevent bodily harm during your repair by taping the glass.
Lay overlapping strips of clear packing tape over the Surface’s display until the whole face is covered.
This will keep glass shards contained and provide structural integrity when prying and lifting the display.
Do your best to follow the rest of the guide as described. However, once the glass is broken, it will likely continue to crack as you work, and you may need to use a metal prying tool to scoop the glass out.

Step 2

Completely power off the Surface before you begin disassembly.
Heat an iOpener and apply it to the right edge of the Surface's screen for two minutes.
You may need to reheat and reapply the iOpener several times to get the tablet warm enough. Follow the iOpener instructions to avoid overheating.
A hair dryer or heat gun may also be used for more heat, but be careful not to overheat the Surface—the screen and internal battery are susceptible to heat damage.

Step 3

Take note of the screen adhesive layout before continuing:
These areas only contain adhesive and are safe to cut.
The display board and flex cables sit here close to the edge. Cut carefully and do not insert the pick more than 1/8 inch (3 mm).
Fragile antenna cables lie under this part of the screen. Carefully follow the procedure in step 13 to avoid damaging them. The adhesive is also the thickest here.

Be prepared; the bluetooth/wifi antennas are adhered to the glass with this very strong tape. You WILL 98% of the time damage them; have another module available that includes the antennas before you attempt this repair as you will damage them if you've never done this repair before. Ive done dozens of these and damage most of them.

Gregg Stanley -

For tablets without swollen batteries you can use one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019PX...

For tablets with swollen batteries, you can use one of these: https://www.amazon.com/220V-300W-Tool-Bl...

Just be careful that you don't damage the touchscreen by heating one spot too much. Also, the trick is to get the pick against the back of the display above the adhesive.

David S. -

I managed to remove the screen successfully without breaking the glass, but I found out I completely sliced through cables underneath the lower portion of the display as I used a razor blade, so be careful!

Muhammad BahaaElDin - 22/12/22

Muhammad, if you are still looking at this, what do the antennas connect to> I can't find the antennas on my glass, nor where they would connect to the frame?

Thomas Hayes -

Step 4

Insert an opening pick into the speaker opening on the screen and slide the pick between the glass and speaker grille.
Don't insert the opening pick any deeper than the black bezel on the edge of the screen. Inserting the pick too far may damage the LCD.

Note carefully where they start. It is the only place with any sort of access. Razor blade is best. Use picks to hold the top open. Do NOT insert more than a quarter inch ever.

Thomas Hayes -

Step 5

Rotate the pick toward the bottom of the Surface to slide it underneath the lower edge of the speaker cutout.

Step 6

Slide the pick down the right edge of the Surface to slice through the adhesive under the screen.
Throughout the rest of the procedure, if you encounter significant resistance while sliding the pick, stop and reheat the section you're working on. Applying too much pressure with the pick can crack the glass.
Leave this opening pick in the right edge to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 7

Reheat your iOpener and apply it to the bottom edge of the Surface's screen for two minutes.
You may need to reheat and reapply the iOpener several times to get the tablet warm enough. Follow the iOpener instructions to avoid overheating.
A hair dryer or heat gun may also be used for more heat, but be careful not to overheat the Surface—the screen and internal battery are susceptible to heat damage.

Step 8

Insert a new opening pick into the bottom right corner and slide it around the corner toward the bottom edge.
Don't insert the opening pick any deeper than the black bezel on the side of the screen. Inserting the pick too far may damage the LCD.
Slide the pick along the bottom edge of the Surface to cut through the screen adhesive.
Leave this pick in the bottom edge to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 9

Reheat your iOpener and apply it to the left edge of the Surface's screen for two minutes.
You may need to reheat and reapply the iOpener several times to get the tablet warm enough. Follow the iOpener instructions to avoid overheating.
A hair dryer or heat gun may also be used for more heat, but be careful not to overheat the Surface—the screen and internal battery are susceptible to heat damage.

Step 10

Insert a new opening pick into the bottom left corner and slide it around the corner toward the left edge.
Be careful cutting under the lower 2.5 inches (65 mm) of the left edge. Do not insert the opening pick more than 1/8 inch (3 mm) here. The display cables sit near this part of the bezel and are easily damaged. Once past the display cable area, do not insert the pick past the bezel.
Slide the pick along the left edge of the Surface to cut through the screen adhesive.
Leave this pick in the left edge to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 11

Reheat your iOpener and apply it to the left edge of the Surface's screen for two minutes.
The adhesive is thickest along this edge, and you may need to reheat and reapply the iOpener several times to get the tablet warm enough. Follow the iOpener instructions to avoid overheating.
A hair dryer or heat gun may also be used for more heat, but be careful not to overheat the Surface—the screen and internal battery are susceptible to heat damage.

Step 12

Round the left corner with the opening pick and slide it along the top edge of the Surface. Stop when the pick is 2.75 inches (70 mm) away from the left edge.
The next 6 inches (15 cm) of the top edge of the case is covered by the left and right antennas, which sit between the case and the screen bezel. Follow the next steps carefully to avoid damaging the antennas.

Step 13

Fragile antenna cables lie under the top edge of the screen. Carefully follow the procedure to avoid damaging them.
Insert the point of a pick under the display where you just stopped cutting. Do not insert the pick deeper than the edge of the bezel.
Carefully roll the pick to the right, pressing the long edge of the pick into the screen adhesive underneath the bezel, cutting the adhesive as you go. Do not slide the pick along the edge of the Surface.
Repeat this motion of inserting the point of the pick where you just cut, and rolling to the right all along the top edge of the Surface, until the pick is 2.5 inches (64 mm) from the right edge of the Surface.

Die WLAN-Antennen sind durch eine Plastikabdeckung geschützt und können nur durch wirklich rohe Gewalt beschädigt werden.

sdufter - 12/02/22

Step 14

Once you cut the adhesive over the antennas (8.5 inches, or 22 cm, from the left edge), slide the pick the rest of the way along the top edge of the surface and round the top right corner to slice through any remaining adhesive.

Step 15

Very slowly lift the screen assembly away from the Surface case. If you encounter any resistance, stop and check that all the adhesive is separated.
Do not remove the screen yet. It is still connected to the motherboard by two cables.
Use an opening pick to cut through any remaining adhesive.
The flash lens may fall out of the Surface case. Keep track of the lens and return it to its cutout in the case during reassembly.

Step 16

Make sure you have your tweezers and spudger within reach.
Lift the top of the screen assembly away from the case while sliding the bottom of the screen closer to the motherboard display connectors.
Do not put any tension on the display ribbon cables.
Use one hand to hold the screen still.

Step 17

Use the pointed tip of a spudger to carefully push on each side of the battery connector.
Alternating from one side to the other, gently “walk” the connector out of its socket.

Step 18

Use a pair of tweezers to peel back the silver tape covering the left display cable connector.
Do not remove the tape from the ribbon cable.
Insert the flat end of a spudger underneath the tape and pry up on the connector to disconnect it from the motherboard.

I found that the replacement screen cable does not run the same way as the previous screen and it actually doubles over. Is there a reason for this? Can I get a cable that matches the new screen anywhere?

Greg Child -

Step 19

Use a pair of tweezers to peel back the silver tape securing the right display cable to the motherboard.
Do not remove the tape from the ribbon cable.
Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the right display cable straight up and disconnect it from the motherboard.

Step 20

Remove the screen.
Once you have reached this step during reassembly, follow the screen adhesive replacement guide for the remainder of the repair.

Step 21

Use a T3 Torx screwdriver to remove the four 2.4 mm screws securing the EMI shield.

Step 22

Use a pair of tweezers to carefully peel back the three pieces of silver tape adhering the motherboard EMI shield to the copper heatsink.
These pieces of tape can be left on the motherboard EMI shield and do not need to be completely removed.

Step 23

Notice the small arrows surrounding the perimeter of the motherboard EMI shield. These mark the locations of each clip securing the shield to the motherboard.
During reassembly, press down on each of these arrows to make sure the clips are secured.

Step 24

Be careful not to puncture or deform the battery with your opening tool.
Starting with the clips adjacent to the battery, use an opening tool to carefully pry the motherboard EMI shield straight up from underneath each arrow to disconnect the clips.
Take care to deform the EMI shield as little as possible. It will need to be reused.

Step 25

Continue using your opening tool to disconnect the clips around the entire perimeter of the motherboard EMI shield.
Take care to deform the EMI shield as little as possible. It will need to be reused.

Step 26

Remove the motherboard EMI shield.

There is no step to remove the cover of the front cameras.

Gianluca Ronzioni -

Step 27

Gently peel the center thermal pad off of the copper heatsink.
The thermal pads are held in place with light adhesive.
The thermal pads are delicate and tear easily.

You don't need to remove the thermal pads. If they are stuck to the battery, use a thin pick under the edges and wiggle it and it will release.

Gregg Stanley -

Step 28

Peel the remaining two thermal pads off of the heatsink.
During reassembly, realign the copper strip on the thermal pad with the heatsink.

Die Pad´s reißen wirklich sehr sehr leicht… Gibt es eine Seite, wo man Ersatz kaufen kann?

Johannes Joschke -

Translated: The pads tear easily, is there a place to get replacements?

Thomas Hayes -

You don't need to remove the thermal pads. If they are stuck to the battery, use a thin pick under the edges and wiggle it and it will release.

Gregg Stanley -

Step 29

The heatsink screws are very fragile and can be stripped or broken very easily. Proceed with caution and make a note of where each heatsink screw came out from.
Use a screwdriver to remove the following seven screws securing the heatsink:
Four 3.4 mm T5 Torx screws
Three 2.7 mm T3 Torx screws

Step 30

Gently lift the heatsink straight up and off of the device.
The heatsink will be lightly stuck to the CPU by thermal paste.
During reassembly, be sure to install new thermal paste.
Place the two small holes on each end of the heatsink pipes onto the corresponding pegs in the case to ensure proper alignment.

Step 31

Use an opening tool to pry up on the edge of the EMI shield covering the microSD card reader connector and remove it from the motherboard.
Take care to deform the EMI shield as little as possible. It will need to be reused.

Step 32

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift up and disconnect the microSD card reader ribbon cable.

Step 33

Use a T5 Torx screwdriver to remove the two 3.1 mm screws securing the microSD card reader.

You don't need to remove the microSD card reader; you can gently lift the cable and slightly bend it out of the way enough for the logic board to slide out from underneath it.

Gregg Stanley -

Step 34

Remove the microSD card reader.

You don't need to remove the microSD card reader; you can gently lift the cable and slightly bend it out of the way enough for the logic board to slide out from underneath it.

Gregg Stanley -

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow the above steps in reverse order.

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Answers community for help.

Author

Sam Omiotek

Member since: 25/02/19

78491 Reputation

Microsoft Surface Pro 7 MicroSD Card Reader Replacement

Introduction

Tools

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