Msi Ge72 6Qf Apache Pro Motherboard Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          45 minutes

Sections

Battery
6 steps
Fan
5 steps
Hard Drive
2 steps
Optical Drive
1 step
RAM
3 steps
SSD
2 steps
Motherboard
9 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Battery

Make sure the laptop is off and unplugged (not charging).
With the laptop closed and upside down, unscrew the nineteen 5.5mm Phillips #1 screws that keep the back cover in place.

Make sure the laptop is off and unplugged (not charging).

With the laptop closed and upside down, unscrew the nineteen 5.5mm Phillips #1 screws that keep the back cover in place.

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Step 2

Slide the optical drive out of the laptop.

Slide the optical drive out of the laptop.

Step 3

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the three screws along the edge of the optical drive bay.

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the three screws along the edge of the optical drive bay.

Step 4

Using your fingers, gently loosen the edges of all four sides of the back cover.
Gently pull off the back cover.

Using your fingers, gently loosen the edges of all four sides of the back cover.

Gently pull off the back cover.

Step 5

Unscrew the single 5.5mm Phillips #1 screw keeping the battery secure.

Unscrew the single 5.5mm Phillips #1 screw keeping the battery secure.

Step 6

Grab the battery with your fingers and gently pull it up and away from the rest of the laptop.

Grab the battery with your fingers and gently pull it up and away from the rest of the laptop.

Step 7

Fan

If you are replacing only the keyboard, you can skip to step 18, and then skip the WiFi adapter removal step. The CPU fan, m.2 SSD, RAM and WiFi adapter (marked in green) will all come off with the main board, giving you access to the keyboard.
Use a Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove the ten 5.5mm screws.
Remove the last two 5.5mm Phillips #1 screws, and remove the washers around them.

If you are replacing only the keyboard, you can skip to step 18, and then skip the WiFi adapter removal step. The CPU fan, m.2 SSD, RAM and WiFi adapter (marked in green) will all come off with the main board, giving you access to the keyboard.

Use a Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove the ten 5.5mm screws.

Remove the last two 5.5mm Phillips #1 screws, and remove the washers around them.

Step 8

Unplug both of the fan power cords from the laptop using a spudger.

Unplug both of the fan power cords from the laptop using a spudger.

Step 9

Continue to use the spudger to carefully separate the wires of the power cord from the laptop.

Continue to use the spudger to carefully separate the wires of the power cord from the laptop.

Step 10

Fully remove the fans from the rest of the laptop.

Fully remove the fans from the rest of the laptop.

Step 11

Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the six 5mm screws.
Separate the fans from the silver fan covers.

Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the six 5mm screws.

Separate the fans from the silver fan covers.

Step 12

              Hard Drive

Remove the two 5.5mm screws with the Phillips #1 screwdriver.

Remove the two 5.5mm screws with the Phillips #1 screwdriver.

Step 13

Gently pull out the hard drive by wiggling it from right to left with your hands until it is removed.

Gently pull out the hard drive by wiggling it from right to left with your hands until it is removed.

Step 14

              Optical Drive

Carefully slide the Optical Drive off of the SATA connector.
The red marker shows the location for where the retaining screw comes through the back panel to hold the Optical Drive.

Carefully slide the Optical Drive off of the SATA connector.

The red marker shows the location for where the retaining screw comes through the back panel to hold the Optical Drive.

Step 15

RAM

When you open the back cover, the RAM will be located as shown in the picture.

When you open the back cover, the RAM will be located as shown in the picture.

Step 16

Press the hinges on the sides of the RAM chip as shown in the picture, in order to unlock it.
Carefully, slide it out at a 45 degree angle.
Don’t press on the hinges too hard.
Be careful about the angle at which you’re sliding out the chip.

Press the hinges on the sides of the RAM chip as shown in the picture, in order to unlock it.

Carefully, slide it out at a 45 degree angle.

Don’t press on the hinges too hard.

Be careful about the angle at which you’re sliding out the chip.

Step 17

Similarly, press on the hinges on the sides of the other RAM chip, in order to unlock it.
Some laptop models might not come with two RAM chips, so if that is your case, you can skip this step.

Similarly, press on the hinges on the sides of the other RAM chip, in order to unlock it.

Some laptop models might not come with two RAM chips, so if that is your case, you can skip this step.

Step 18

SSD

Remove the single 5.5mm Phillips #1 screw attaching the SSD to the laptop.

Remove the single 5.5mm Phillips #1 screw attaching the SSD to the laptop.

Step 19

Pull out the SSD by gently wiggling it from side to side until it comes out.
If the old SSD you removed contains the operating system, then the new SSD must also contain an operating system.

Pull out the SSD by gently wiggling it from side to side until it comes out.

If the old SSD you removed contains the operating system, then the new SSD must also contain an operating system.

Step 20

              Motherboard

Pull upward to lift the front speakers and sub-woofer out of place.
Carefully slide out the connectors for both of the speaker systems.

Pull upward to lift the front speakers and sub-woofer out of place.

Carefully slide out the connectors for both of the speaker systems.

Step 21

Use the Phillips #0 Screwdriver to remove the two 4mm screws that are holding the SATA connector in place.

Use the Phillips #0 Screwdriver to remove the two 4mm screws that are holding the SATA connector in place.

Step 22

Remove the WIFI card by disconnecting the two coax cables and removing the retaining screw.
Try to preserve the tape that covers the WIFI card so it can be reapplied.

Remove the WIFI card by disconnecting the two coax cables and removing the retaining screw.

Try to preserve the tape that covers the WIFI card so it can be reapplied.

Step 23

Use the plastic opening tool to pry up the connector that holds the display cable so it can be disconnected.
The connector for the display cable flips upward, but be careful because it is fragile enough to break.

Use the plastic opening tool to pry up the connector that holds the display cable so it can be disconnected.

The connector for the display cable flips upward, but be careful because it is fragile enough to break.

Step 24

Remove the SD card reader by unscrewing the two 3 mm screws that hold it in place.

Remove the SD card reader by unscrewing the two 3 mm screws that hold it in place.

Step 25

Remove the power and USB connectors that are connected to the left side of the motherboard by pulling them from the motherboard and SD card reader respectively.
The power connector pulls out without the chance of breaking, but the USB connector is another fragile flip-up style connector.

Remove the power and USB connectors that are connected to the left side of the motherboard by pulling them from the motherboard and SD card reader respectively.

The power connector pulls out without the chance of breaking, but the USB connector is another fragile flip-up style connector.

Step 26

Disconnect the motherboard from the mouse key control board by pulling the connector out.

Disconnect the motherboard from the mouse key control board by pulling the connector out.

Step 27

Disconnect the keyboard from the motherboard by carefully sliding the connectors out of the connections on the motherboard

Disconnect the keyboard from the motherboard by carefully sliding the connectors out of the connections on the motherboard

Step 28

Use the Phillips #0 screwdriver to remove the three 3.8 mm standoff screws that retain the motherboard and carefully remove it.

Use the Phillips #0 screwdriver to remove the three 3.8 mm standoff screws that retain the motherboard and carefully remove it.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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Author

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                    Riley Smith

Member since: 09/22/2017

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Team

                       Central Washington University, Team S1-G2, Pengilly Fall 2017                        

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                                            4 Guides authored

AR DaNish - Mar 26, 2021

looking a motherboard MSIGE72 2qe apache pro

Luke - Aug 24, 2021

Hi Riley,

Are you able to tell me what the number on the power IC is on this board? I have the same laptop and the power IC (located on the base of the board below ‘opposite side’ of the AC power connection cable to the board). The IC is fried and need the number to order the chip! It can’t be read off my chip due to damage.

Many thanks in advance, Luke :)

Introduction#

What you need#

Team#

Introduction

What you need

Team