Internal photos of the 200A5 laptop

[sunshine]

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[Ioman]

Thanks for the pics! I will upload them to our server tonight.

[Ioman]

Ok, they are uploaded to the server. Links are:

http://www.designtechnica.com/files/vpr1.jpg

http://www.designtechnica.com/files/vpr2.jpg

[cnc137]

Thanks for the images. I already downloaded them and saved them for future reference.

I didn't realize that the left front of the machine was getting hot because of the hard drive. I thought it was the CPU or graphics processor getting that hot. Interesting...

Would the 5400RPM drives get even hotter since they are spinning faster? That might be a bad thing and is that why vpr Matrix decided to put in a 4200RPM drive?

Has anyone that has replaced there 4200RPM drive with a 5400RPM drive noticed anymore heat from the front left part of the computer?

Just wondering...

cnc137.

[sunshine]

Also if you look at the photos closely you can tell the wifi antenna on both sides of the laptop. It is the silver metal part that is located where the tabs are if you don't have the laptop disassembled.

[dnt]

Hey sunshine. I want to replace the wireless card with a better brand or even the G version when it comes out. Anyways I notice that the antenna connector on card is the right side for our card but if you look at the orinoco cards (pretty much a standard on the IBM, Dell, Gateway, etc laptop) it's on the left side. Take a look at any ebay auction. Is there enough slack to move it to the left side? thanks

[llbbl]

Originally posted by sunshine
.

Is that a bag of orangish fluid in the middle or am I seeing things incorrectly?

[sunshine]

Originally posted by dnt
Hey sunshine. I want to replace the wireless card with a better brand or even the G version when it comes out. Anyways I notice that the antenna connector on card is the right side for our card but if you look at the orinoco cards (pretty much a standard on the IBM, Dell, Gateway, etc laptop) it's on the left side. Take a look at any ebay auction. Is there enough slack to move it to the left side? thanks

I don't really know? Actually I'm not really sure what you're asking as well. I think all minipci cards should be standard and will fit the slot just fine.

[sunshine]

Originally posted by TecknoGeek


Is that a bag of orangish fluid in the middle or am I seeing things incorrectly?

It really does looks fluid and your eyes are not deceiving you, however it really is just a piece of transparent plastic that protects whatever is behind it.

[Angus]

I don't really know? Actually I'm not really sure what you're asking as well. I think all minipci cards should be standard and will fit the slot just fine.

One thing you might want to consider is that when placed into the notebook the miniPCI wifi card sits top-down when looking at the computer upside down. This would make it appear that the connectors are on the right side of the card when really they're on the underside on the left. At least I think that's how it works....God now I have to go open up my new notebook and make sure. Heh.

[Ioman]

So which of these pictures shows the wireless antennae cables and where are they located at? Do they just snap into the wireless adapter?

[dnt]

What I mean is if you look at our minipci wireless card, The place where the antenna connects is on the right side. (Look at where the black and white wires connect ont he card) But if you look at this ebay auction, the connection is on the left side. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3403098243&category=20321

Actually most wireless minipci card seems to be on the left side for the dell, sony, compaq, etc brand laptop. I was wondering if I buy the ORiNOCO brand wireless card, would there be enough slack on the wires (black and white) to reach the left side.

FYI consumer level 802.11b cards are really made by 2 chipset makers. The chipset are the ORiNOCO and prism. The orinoco is older but it seems to still get better connection than the prism. We have the prism. Funny thing is that the previous vpr matrix laptop have the orinoco chipset. We ended up with the prism chipset. If you ever want currect drivers and a newer firmware, you can download the drivers at intersil. It will update the firmware automatically.

[sonoronos]

Folks, how in the world do you put the keyboard back ON to the laptop?

[patpatt]

I clicked on the links for the photos listed by Ioman and found a lost link. Can someone repost the internal photos please? Thanks.

[spankers]

For people looking for a wireless upgrade to 802.11g or a, DO NOT USE an Atheros based mini-pci card. The vpr 185/200/220 BIOS does not like it at all and your computer will not boot (not even the BIOS screen). I've upgraded my 185A5 to an Xterasys XG-600 802.11g and am very happy with the performance. Another useful bit of information: all mini-pci cards are not the same size. IIIA mini-pci cards will not fit in the vpr widescreen laptops, but the IIIB mini-pci's will. The Xterasys card is IIIB and will fit and is accepted by BIOS (it is an Intersil based card).