Its quite a bad design to be honest. I took the screw out totally, not knowing it wasn't supposed to come out. I did find the panel easier to remove if you use a credit card or similar to prize if lose.

When I realised I had broken the screw I ordered a new back panel from a european distributor. Turned up after a few days and unit is now good as new - so all is not lost!

If you are in the US you can order the panel direct from the ASUS store. Its pretty cheap

alancastro24 wrote:
so i just opened the back cover of mine to see the open slots i have and i noticed a couple of the hold down brackets that snaps back on is snapped off. is it really that brittle or did i just force it too much?

alancastro24, sorry to hear that, it is possible to remove the back cover repeatedly without breaking the tabs. You just need to move slowly and bend in the left/right ends as you lift to help release the tabs.

I loosen the screw, it has a retaining lock washer that if you unscrew too far, will fall into the laptop - it is metal and conductive - so if this happens carefully turn the laptop upside down and gently move the laptop side to side so the washer can drop out of the laptop.

Then using a sharp flat nosed screw driver, inserted to the right of the screw hole in the gap between the panel and the laptop, pry up the panel - without applying too much pressure to avoid marring the laptop case, and once it pops up I put my hands on either side - left / right of the panel, and bend in the ends toward the center of the panel, and the lock tabs pop out without damage, then the panel hinges up and you can lift it out.

Do the same in reverse to insert the panel again.

I have done this on the JW/JX/JH a hundred times in total without breaking the tabs.

You can order a new panel from your country/region's Asus estore, here is the USA listing:

http://us.estore.asus.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=6460

If the back panel is staying after popping back in with a tab or two missing, you might be able to get by with it as is without replacement.

I panicked so i just superglued the little tabs back on :)) it snapped back in pretty fine. and nothing rattles when i shake the laptop. I live in the Philippines and theres no direct Asus replacement parts.

if there is something broken then use sticky tape - sticky on the double side - to reassemble this. Choose proper thickness. You know, you have to put it inside the frame.

or use glue. ..but sticky tape is more safe option and you can still take it apart without big problem

You can purchase parts here http://www.asusparts.eu/en
but they are not cheap

I have bended back cover [metal] in my G56 - my fault but it's easy to bend.
80 Euros including shipping

in Polish service they want about 50 Euros for the part and 60 Euros for labor...
this is so easy to change that its a pity that they do not sold any parts for their clients

I think its unfair ...because locally purchased parts are often cheaper and it is more easy to get them

US estore ????
Please give me a link. I'm just curious about prices there