Presario 5000: How to get at 3.5" drives?

Seems like both 5.25 and 3.5" devices are on some sort of clips/rails that need
tb squeezed from the front of the case.

But I cannot figure out how to get the face of the case off. There is some
clear plastic that forms a separate part of the face which, if removed, would
seem to give the required access - but that seems clipped into place by
inaccessible clips.

This is a small-ish case with a face that is wider than the body of the case and
which contains a storage area on the bottom for a few CDs. To the right of the
two 3.5" bays, are two USB receptacles.

Anybody know the secret?
--
PeteCresswell

Per (PeteCresswell):

But I cannot figure out how to get the face of the case off.

I would amend that: what I really meant to say is that I can't get the front
bezel off.

This is a 5005CL. The case is different from most in that instead of a hood
that you lift off to expose the innards, there is only a side panel. The rest
of the case is a single unit.

With the side panel off, I can get to three of the bezel clips on that side and
can pry the bezel up a little - hoping to pivot it on the other side's clips.
But it seems to be hanging up on something so that it cannot be opened more than
about a sixteenth of an inch.

I've got CompaQ's "Maintenance and Service Guide Compaq Presario 5000, 5100, and
5200 Series Computers", but it's removal/replacement procedures refer to a
conventional hooded case and not my case in which only one side panel is
removable.

I'm getting close to unleashing my inner Magilla-The-Gorilla and just duct
taping the thing back together when I'm done.
--
PeteCresswell

"(PeteCresswell)" wrote in message
...
Per (PeteCresswell):

But I cannot figure out how to get the face of the case off.

I would amend that: what I really meant to say is that I can't get the
front
bezel off.

This is a 5005CL. The case is different from most in that instead of a
hood
that you lift off to expose the innards, there is only a side panel. The
rest
of the case is a single unit.

With the side panel off, I can get to three of the bezel clips on that
side and
can pry the bezel up a little - hoping to pivot it on the other side's
clips.
But it seems to be hanging up on something so that it cannot be opened
more than
about a sixteenth of an inch.

I've got CompaQ's "Maintenance and Service Guide Compaq Presario 5000,
5100, and
5200 Series Computers", but it's removal/replacement procedures refer to a
conventional hooded case and not my case in which only one side panel is
removable.

I'm getting close to unleashing my inner Magilla-The-Gorilla and just duct
taping the thing back together when I'm done.
--
PeteCresswell

I have had trouble getting the fronts off as well. I think you have to grab
the front from the bottom where you should find a recess and pull back
towards you and upwards. I seem to remember there is a plastic bit that
sticks out and you have to lift it a little to unclip.

Good Luck.

Per Eric H:
I seem to remember there is a plastic bit that
sticks out and you have to lift it a little to unclip.

I think that's what I'm looking for...... The rest of the case is riveted
together and I know in my heart that there's something somewhere that allows
that bezel to come off without breaking anything.... I just have to find it.

Do you recall where the plastic bit sticks out? Top, bottom.... somewhere
else?
--
PeteCresswell

Per Eric H:
I have had trouble getting the fronts off as well.
Also, which front were you removing? The full bezel (i.e. cream-colored
plastic top-to-bottom) or the small bezel-within-a-bezel (the clear blue/gray
plastic surrounding the drive bays)?
--
PeteCresswell

"(PeteCresswell)" wrote in message
...
Per Eric H:
I have had trouble getting the fronts off as well.
Also, which front were you removing? The full bezel (i.e. cream-colored
plastic top-to-bottom) or the small bezel-within-a-bezel (the clear
blue/gray
plastic surrounding the drive bays)?
--
PeteCresswell

The whole bezel can be removed by putting your hand under the front and
lifting the clip and pulling towards you.
The inner bezel can be removed by unclipping one side then pulling so the
clips come out of the outer bezel. You can then manouvre the inner bezel
from the outer bezel so the clips detach from the other side..
After you have done this you can get at the CD & floppy drive.

Per Eric H:
The whole bezel can be removed by putting your hand under the front and
lifting the clip and pulling towards you.

I must have a different case then. There's no clip, just a little plastic part
that says "5000" and can be pried out of the bezel. It's on two posts, which
go into holes in the bezel.

I ground down an old screwdriver to a chisel point to make a tool to get at the
clips of the inner bezel. There's a cutout in the inner bezel on each side of
the CD storage area and a little arrow logo on the bezel near each cutout. I'm
guessing that's some sort of access point/indicator for getting at the inner
bezel clips.

Right or wrong, it worked.

Whew!!!!

Maybe I've stumbled on the reason this particular case was discontinued. -)
--
PeteCresswell

I must have a different case then. There's no clip, just a little
plastic part
that says "5000" and can be pried out of the bezel. It's
on two posts, which
go into holes in the bezel.


The clip is under the floppy bays inside,
and has a little lock symbol on it. You flip it down, and can then
remove the bezel around the drives by lifting up and pulling out on
those two finger holes on the front. It sort of unlocks the bezel,
rather than the drives like you would think.

For next time...

Per Fost:
The clip is under the floppy bays inside,
and has a little lock symbol on it. You flip it down, and can then
remove the bezel around the drives by lifting up and pulling out on
those two finger holes on the front. It sort of unlocks the bezel,
rather than the drives like you would think.

Thanks. Doesn't seem that intuitive though - those little plastic clips are
pretty well set into the side of the case. Tried pulling, but stopped before I
broke something. The sharpened screwdriver did the trick - prying the clips
loose before I stuck my fingers in and pulled.
--
PeteCresswell