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|This is a guide for completely disassembling an [[Atari 7800]]. The process is mostly straight-forward, but removing the RF shield can be frustrating. Click on any of the images for a larger version.

You will need the following tools:

* A small pair of pliers

* A small, sturdy (i.e. difficult to bend) flathead screwdriver for bending hard-to-reach metal tabs

==Step 1 - Open the case==

|Flip the console over and remove the 5 screws on the bottom, which are circled in the picture. Turn it back over and lift the top off. The top should come off effortlessly.

|[[File:Atari_7800_teardown02.jpg|200px|right]]

==Step 2 - Remove the motherboard from the case==

|The motherboard is not physically attached to the case, so there are no screws to remove for this step. To take the motherboard out of the case, lift up the back end first so you can slide the controller ports out of the holes in the case. You may damage the controller ports if you attempt to lift the front end first.

|[[File:Atari_7800_teardown03.jpg|200px|right]]

==Step 3 - Remove the RF shield==

| Fully exposing the motherboard can be somewhat time consuming. The board is partially encased by an RF shield consisting of top and bottom halves that interlock using several metal tabs, which are bent to prevent the halves from detaching. There are 14 metal tabs, and you'll have to straighten each one to remove the shield. There are 4 tabs on each side except for the back near the cartridge slot where there are only 2 (see pictures). Save the 2 in the back for last.<br/>

==Step 4 - Remove the plastic cartridge slot enclosure==

| With the RF shield off, you can finally remove the final piece, which is the black plastic piece which surrounds the cartridge slot. It's easy to remove: first, remove the two screws holding the piece in place. These screws are smaller than those on the outer case, so you'll need a different screwdriver. Next, push the tabs inward and down through the holes, and the plastic piece should pop out easily.

| [[File:Atari_7800_teardown10.jpg|200px|right]]

Once the RF shield is back on, you'll need to resecure it. If you ever plan on reopening your 7800, then do not bend all of the metal tabs back into place. Leave most of them straight, and only bend 3 or 4 easily accessible tabs to hold it together. After that, put the motherboard back in the case, making sure to put the front end in first to slide the controller ports into place. Close the case, screw everything back together, and you're done!