Step-by-step

1. 1

   Pop off the upper body covers

   2 min

   Grip the top corner of each upper cover plate and pull upward gently to release the clips. Slide the panels toward the bottom to detach them from the console body.

2. 2

   Detach the optical disc drive

   2 min

   Lift the bottom-right cover panel off to access the modular disc drive. Pull the drive straight up from its connector port to remove it without tools.

3. 3

   Remove the lower cover panels

   2 min

   Lift the remaining lower panel off the frame to expose the outer casing screws. Store the panels in a safe location free of dust.

4. 4

   Unscrew the fan intake panel

   3 min

   Use a T8 Security screwdriver to remove the accent panel screws holding the fan guard. Lift the plastic guard away from the chassis.

5. 5

   Disconnect and remove the fan

   3 min

   Unplug the fan power cable carefully from the motherboard header using tweezers. Lift the cooling fan assembly straight out of its housing.

6. 6

   Remove the outer housing screws

   5 min

   Unscrew all perimeter screws securing the top metal EMI shield using Torx T8 and Phillips screwdrivers. Keep track of the different screw lengths for reassembly.

7. 7

   Disconnect the Wi-Fi antenna cables

   3 min

   Use plastic opening tools to unclip the U.FL antenna connectors from the Wi-Fi module. Unthread the thin wires from their cable guides.

8. 8

   Remove the top metal shield plate

   3 min

   Lift the upper steel shield plate directly off the motherboard. Take care not to bend the metal edges during removal.

9. 9

   Disconnect the internal power harness

   2 min

   Unplug the main power supply harness connecting the PSU to the motherboard. Pull straight back on the connector housing rather than the wires.

10. 10

    Extract the motherboard assembly

    4 min

    Lift the motherboard away from the lower heatsink housing gently. Ensure the thermal material on the APU remains undisturbed and clean.

11. 11

    Mask surrounding components with Kapton tape

    4 min

    Cover nearby surface-mount components and capacitors around the HDMI port with high-temperature Kapton tape. This prevents accidental heat damage and component displacement.

12. 12

    Apply flux to the HDMI port pins

    2 min

    Apply a liberal amount of rosin flux paste across the 19 HDMI signal pins and the four mounting anchor posts. The flux aids heat distribution and prevents solder bridging.

13. 13

    Desolder and remove the damaged HDMI port

    8 min

    Heat the underside of the HDMI port pins with a hot air station set to 400°C. Once the solder melts, gently lift the damaged port free using tweezers.

14. 14

    Clean the PCB pads with desoldering wick

    6 min

    Add fresh solder to the pads, then sweep desoldering braid across them with a soldering iron to clear through-holes. Ensure all surface pads are flat and clean.

15. 15

    Set the new HDMI port in place

    3 min

    Align the anchor posts of the replacement HDMI port into the motherboard through-holes. Verify that all 19 signal pins sit flush against their corresponding PCB pads.

16. 16

    Solder the anchor posts and data pins

    10 min

    Solder the four structural anchor legs first to secure the connector in position. Carefully solder each of the 19 data pins using a fine chisel tip under magnification.

17. 17

    Clean the board with isopropyl alcohol

    4 min

    Remove residual flux using a cotton swab saturated with 99% isopropyl alcohol. Inspect the joint under a magnifying lens to ensure no solder bridges exist between pins.

18. 18

    Reassemble the console and test display

    12 min

    Reinstall the motherboard into the chassis, reconnect all internal cables, and reattach the fan and outer covers. Connect an HDMI cable to verify 4K video output.