To begin replacing the Sony VAIO laptop hard drive, remove the battery of the Sony VAIO laptop after disconnecting the AC adapter from the wall and the device. There is the possibility that the power button could be pushed or triggered by your movements or a screwdriver with a small built up charge; simply pop out the power button and set it to the side. When removing and replacing or upgrading a hard drive it is important to have a small piece of metal around to discharge any static electrical build up so the machine is not affected. Most Sony laptops will need to have the front cover and keyboard removed for access to the hard drive and internal components.
If the speakers are located above the keyboard, remove the screws, they will be located along the side of the device or on top. Slip the speaker cover off and disconnect the speaker connection wires. Next find the keyboard connection cable and remove it then the keyboard exposing the internal components. The hard drive will be hard to miss as it is 2.5 inches wide and encased in a holed casing, like Swiss cheese. There will be 3 – 4 screws holding the cage in place, remove them and then remove the screw on the back as it is the last one holding the cage and hard drive in place.
The cage/hard drive assembly has a connector that attaches it to the board, be very careful when moving the cage so you do not damage the connector. The hard drive is attached by four fasteners or screws depending upon the model; this will be done after removing the cage from the laptop assembly. You can remove the connector attached to the board either before or after removing the cage, but it is recommended that you do it before. Sony makes sure that more than enough screws and fasteners are used, so you may need to look for more screws if something does not quite come loose. To replace the hard drive simply follow these directions in reverse.