When disassembling a laptop Mike, a technician, should do which of the following?

Backing up data is good practice before any work involving storage, but it is a preparatory step rather than the primary procedural guidance for safe disassembly.

Organizing screws is a helpful habit but is a minor detail; without knowing the correct disassembly order from documentation, screws may be irrelevant if components are damaged first.

Laptops differ widely in screw placement, hidden clips, ribbon cable routing, and component removal order depending on the manufacturer and model. Manufacturer documentation - such as a service manual or hardware maintenance guide - provides the exact disassembly sequence, torque specifications, and warnings specific to that unit, preventing damage to fragile components and avoiding voiding warranties.

There is no universal 'start from the top' rule for laptop disassembly - different manufacturers require different entry points, and following an assumed sequence without documentation can break clips or cables.