How to change the cooktop on a GE Profile Electric Kitchen Range

After 6 years of luck a candlestick fell on our glass cook top and shattered it. We ordered the replacement part in sale from Sears (about $300) and set out to change it. Most web entries I found indicated that screws to release the top were in the oven, this was not the case. It took my wife and I two hours to replace the cook top, most of the time was figuring how because we could find no manual or instructions. This is why I want to share what we learned. I probably could do that now in 30 minutes, provided I have someone to help me with holding the cook top while detaching and then re-attaching the burners. Turns out the cook top is held in place by five screws that can be found under the control panel of the profile range. To remove the control panel you first remove the knobs, then the big plastic nuts that are under the knobs and then pull it out gently. You need to disconnect a long ribbon cable and before you do that it is a good reminder to switch the breaker for the range (typically a dual switch) off. Do not continue without switching the power off, you will be pulling many cables and there are many open connections under the cook top. Having removed the control panel, four more screws remove a second panel and allow access to a front row of five screws that hold directly the cook top. Essentially all the screws are hex screws and having a nice drill with controllable speed and clutch to control torque makes the job much easier. Remove all of them. I recommend documenting where every screw goes on a pad and keeping the screws separately in cups. Taking pictures is also helpful. Once the front screws are removed you still have two more screws that can be found in the side panels of the cook top about 2 inches from the back of the appliance. You will have to slide the appliance 6-8 inches forward and tilt it so that you can access those screws (one on each side). You are ready to hinge the entire cook top open. Keep the front down and lift from the back. You will find tons of cables that you should not disturb too much. Keep all cables connected; and I recommend you take a picture of how it looks. The goal is to detach the burners without disconnecting them from their cables. You need to remove a pair of metal clips that holds each burner in place using a Phillips screw driver. Notice that there is a specified position for each burner and for each clip. If you change the angle for any burner the cables will not reach. Gently remove the four little lights that indicate the cook top is hot, it hinges from one side and then disconnects. Once all burners are detached the entire glass cook top pulls out. Now the trick is to reverse the process as accurately as possible. I recommend using a soft towel where you rest the new cook top while you are attaching the burners to prevent a scratch or even worse a break. Lining up the clips that hold the burners is a bit tricky. I found that the screw driver helped me coax them to twist until I could align the holes properly. Check that each burner matches each socket and is attached flush. When it is time to lower the cook top back in place make sure that all cables are out of the way and that it fits flush against the range. Screw the side panels and then replace the screws in the front. Return the second panel and finally reconnect the ribbon cable. Before you push on the connector make sure that all pins align perfectly, a little patience can save you weeks for a replacement part. Return the control panel and attach knobs. Clean the glass before you heat it up. Return the power and enjoy your new glass cook top!
If for some reason something doesn't look right, review every step, your pictures and notes.