Hey guys,

I just ordered my black M1710 and am interested in finding out if it's possible to do the following:

1) Swap out the silver LCD frame for an M170 or M90 black frame. I would like to keep the black metal piece that goes in the center.

2) Swap out the silver palm rest with one from an M170
or M90.

3) Swap out the silver keyboard with a black keyboard from an M170 or M90.

The palm rest should be no problem, I think, because
the bottom of the chassis houses the new pci express card reader. The M170 has a PCMCIA card reader. If there is a problem, then the M90 palmrest should work.

The computer would be really nice then!!



Thanks for your opinions and ideas, I can't wait...It's going to be about three weeks before I get it!!

Best Regards,

Aerospace101

Sounds like you are looking for the same as me: An M1710 that looks like an M170!

You cannot keep the black metal piece from the center as the entire back panel is one piece. Other than that, I have been trying to find out whether or not this mod is possible as well. I haven't had very much luck in getting any sort of definitive answers though. I am quite sure that we aren't the only ones looking to do the same thing.

I found a used M170 LCD frame witout the metal center piece. Are you sure that it can't be replaced?

The total price for the three items that I listed in the original thread totalled out to less than $100.00

They were all M170 parts, though. All used parts.

I am told that the new parts from Dell are priced about the same, but you have to provide them with the Express Service Code that is found on the bottom of the laptop. Otherwise, they won't sell you the parts.

I have the Express Service Code from a friends' machine. Also, I can order the parts from a friend who owns an IT business through his Dell Rep.

It would be a cool mod to make the system all black...

Cheers,

Aerospace101

I'm pretty sure the M170 keyboard connector is different to the m1710s. there was a thread on that somewhere.

So which original parts of the chassis do you want to keep on the M1710? I actually want a black and red M1710 instead of Silver and Red. So all the silver parts would be black with the red lid and red led on the mouse pad. How's that sound?