How to Fix a Gateway MT6451 Laptop That Clicks and Won't Power Up
Your computer's hard drive stores the operating system and the files you use every day. As the component with the most moving parts, it's also the most prone to failure. Clicking and whirring noises when the computer won't boot are the classic signs of a dead drive. Hard drive failures are one of the most common computer problems. Not only are you forced to buy a new hard drive and replace it, you've also lost all the files stored on the failed drive. Swapping out a new drive in your laptop isn't very hard, but it is frustrating.
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Things You'll Need
- Gateway MT6451 Laptop
- Replacement 2.5-inch laptop hard drive
- Phillips-head screwdriver
Instructions
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Replacing the Hard Drive
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1
Turn off the computer and remove all power and data cables. Close the lid and flip the computer upside down on a clean, sturdy table.
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2
Remove the two screws from the hard drive bay -- the plastic rectangle in the lower-left-hand corner of the bottom of the computer. Place the screws in a cup or bag for safekeeping. Slide the drive bay to the left and pull it out.
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3
Remove the four screws holding the drive in place. Pull the drive out and set it aside. Place the new drive on the bay in the same sticker-up position and replace the screws.
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4
Slide the drive bay back into the slot and replace the two screws. Flip your computer over, raise the lid and replace the power and data cables you removed in step one.
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1
Tips & Warnings
After installing a new hard drive, you will need to insert your Windows recovery disk or a new copy of Windows and reinstall.
It's more than likely that the data on your previous drive is irrecoverable with consumer-grade tools. There are data recovery services that may be able to help, but these are usually so expensive that it isn't practical for anything but vitally important files.
References
- Photo Credit Jon Schulte/Photodisc/Getty Images
