How to Replace a Motherboard in a Gateway Laptop

Motherboards act as the central backbone in any computer system that allows all of the various hardware components to interact with each other. Over time, it is possible for the motherboard in your Gateway laptop to stop functioning properly, either due to normal wear and tear or accidental damage from drops or spills. As the motherboard stops working, all of the other components will intermittently cease functioning. If you want to keep using your Gateway laptop you can manually replace the motherboard at home.

Things You'll Need

• Phillips head screwdriver

Instructions

1. Close down the Gateway laptop's operating system. Turn the laptop upside down. Push in the battery release button and pop the battery out of the computer.

2. Use the Phillips head screwdriver to remove all of the screws on the bottom and sides of the Gateway laptop's case. Pull off the plastic covers over the hard drive, memory module and DVD drive.

3. Push down the clip over the memory module and then lift the module out of the Gateway laptop. Pull the hard drive and DVD drive out of the laptop and set them aside.

4. Flip the laptop back over and lift open the LCD screen's lid. Position the edge of the screwdriver underneath the strip of plastic located underneath the LCD screen. Wiggle the screwdriver up and down until the strip pops off the case.

5. Pull out the two screws at the top-left and top-right ends of the keyboard. Unplug the keyboard's motherboard cable and then set the keyboard aside.

6. Locate the network card at the left end of the motherboard. Unplug the two cables connecting the card to the motherboard. Remove the card's screw and then lift the card off the motherboard.

7. Unplug the cord running from the processor fan to the motherboard. Push back the clamps on the fan. Lift the processor fan and its attached metal heat sink off the processor.

8. Lift up the plastic arm next to the processor that locks it to the motherboard socket. Pull the processor directly upwards and set it aside.

9. Take out the remaining screws holding the motherboard to the Gateway laptop's case. Pull out the motherboard. Put the new motherboard in the case and line up the side USB and Ethernet ports with the corresponding holes on the side of the case.

10. Reconnect the network card, processor fan, processor, keyboard, plastic strip, memory module, hard drive, DVD drive, plastic covers and battery. Turn on the Gateway laptop and wait for the operating system to load up to ensure the motherboard is working.

Tips & Warnings

• With several different models of Gateway laptops, such as the T-68 series, the memory module screw does not come all the way out of the laptop case. You can only loosen it to pop off the plastic cover over the memory module.

• You need to properly ground yourself before touching any of the parts inside your Gateway laptop. To ground yourself, grab a metal object that is touching the floor for five seconds.

References

• Gateway Laptop User's Guide

Resources

• Gateway Laptop Support