Troubleshooting a Hard Drive Replacement for the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3

Last year, I was assigned a Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 as my work laptop, and recently, I encountered a challenge while trying to clear the hard drive of work-related programs. Unfortunately, the drive is encrypted, and the company no longer possesses the BitLocker key necessary to decrypt it.

Being relatively new to hardware repairs, I decided to attempt a hard drive swap, as I have an additional drive available. However, I’ve hit a wall. Before I proceed with anything that could potentially damage my laptop, I am reaching out to the community for advice.

My primary struggle lies in locating the hard drive within the device, and I could really use some guidance on the replacement process. I’ve attached a photo to showcase the current state of the laptop for reference. While I’m more than willing to take it to a professional repair shop, I thought I would give this a shot first.

If anyone has experience with the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 or can provide insights on this type of hard drive replacement, your help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your assistance!

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  1. Hard Drive Replacement Guidance for Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3

    Hi, thank you for reaching out with your concerns. Replacing the hard drive in the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 is a manageable process if you follow proper procedures. Here’s some guidance to help you:

    • Locate the Hard Drive: Typically, the hard drive is situated under thebottom cover of the laptop. To access it, you’ll need to remove the bottom screws and carefully pry open the case. Make sure to disconnect the battery before proceeding to prevent any electrical damage.
    • Tools Needed: A precision Phillips screwdriver, plastic pry tools, and an anti-static wrist strap are recommended to avoid static damage.
    • Removal Steps:
      • Power off the device and unplug all cables.
      • Remove the screws securing the bottom cover.
      • Gently pry open the cover starting from the edges, working slowly to avoid damaging clips.
      • Locate the SSD/HDD—it’s usually a 2.5″ drive or an M.2 drive, depending on your model configuration.
      • If it’s a 2.5″ drive, disconnect the SATA and power cables and slide the drive out of the bay.
    • Replacement: Insert the new drive into

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