FM towns UX20 repair

[Monstermug]

Has anybody taken this apart before? I need to access the cd rom "open tray button" but can't seem to figure out how to remove the front panel of the case off to get access to it. I can see some clips underneath the front panel but something by the floppy drive seems to keep it in place. Tried to remove the cd rom out but it seems to get stuck by a pcb attached to the main cpu motherboard, just behind the main cd drive unit. Removed every bolt I can find but no luck. Don't want to damage it by yanking it. Any tips?

[kamiboy]

Do a youtube search. There is a video of a fellow who took his apart. Hint, getting to the CD drive is a pain in the ass it seems.

[SuperDeadite]

On the top of the machine above the floppy drives is a small plastic door that hides a screw which must be removed. After that everything else is mostly held on via plastic tabs. But you have do take everything off in order including the rear and side panels. The CD drive itself is one of the last things which can be accessed. Just hope that your Towns has socketed ribbon cables for the CD drive, as some models were directly soldered, making opening the drive about 100x worse.

[kamiboy]

He is asking about the UX20, the all in one unit. Taking that apart is a different process from the Towns II towers.

[Monstermug]

Do a youtube search. There is a video of a fellow who took his apart. Hint, getting to the CD drive is a pain in the ass it seems.

I have watched that video from Retrorepair. Great video but he hardly went into much detail. I have called him and he seem to have forgotten how he got to the cd drive lol. I've taken out the monitor chassis, monitor power board, main power board, and even taken out the tube. Removed the top cover which access the cd rom drive enclosure . The cd rom becomes loose but am not able to remove it completely as it gets stuck with a pcb behind the cd rom enclosure. Can't lift it because the ribbon cable is stuck in it and cant pull it out because of the pcb. This pcb seems to be connected to the mainboard which I can't seem to get to either. I think it's to add hard drive or something to the unit. There are two or three tabs directly underneath the front cover. I can see a ribbon cable attached to the cd rom drive but cannot access that either.

I think if I can access the main logic board that would solve this.

There's not much documentation on the UX20. Can't seem to find the manual for it too but I guess it would all be in Japanese anyway.

It's quite a nice unit too, with cd rom actually working! It be a shame to let this one rot just because of this.

[SuperDeadite]

oops I totally read it as CX20 lol.

[Monstermug]

Just an update. I figured out how to take the cd out to access the final screws that holds the front panel in place. I had to remove a final metal shielding, above the hard drive bay area and then you have to slowly edge the cd unit out at about a 35 degree angle so that the back end just misses the expansion pcb. Then once the cd drive is out there are two hidden screws that holds the front panel in place. Remove these screws and use the tabs underneath the front panel to remove the front panel. Happy days.