How Do I Troubleshoot a Gateway MX6956 MA7 Motherboard?

The Gateway MX6956 notebook includes a 1.60 GHz Intel CPU, 1024 MB of DDR2 RAM, an onboard graphics chip, a 160 GB hard drive and a DVD+/-RW drive. The motherboard provides a complex structure through which the devices installed on the system communicate. Components either connect to specific slots on the motherboard or are built into the board itself. Signs of a defective motherboard include system freezes, sudden restarts, hardware errors and stop screens. To troubleshoot a Gateway MX6956 MA motherboard, reset the BIOS settings, upgrade the chipsets and check your RAM for errors.

Instructions

Reset the BIOS

1. Press the "Power" button to turn on the Gateway MX6956 MA7. Press "F2" at the boot screen to load the CMOS Setup Utility.

2. Press the key as indicated on-screen to restore fail-safe or factory defaults.

3. Press "F10." Highlight "Yes." Press "Enter" to exit the CMOS Setup Utility.

Upgrade the Chipsets

1. Go to the Gateway website (see Resources). Point to "Support." Choose "Drivers & Downloads" from the menu.

2. Click "Browse All Downloads." Choose "Notebook Computers" for "Product Type." Choose "Gateway MX6956" for "Product Model."

3. Choose your operating system from the third option. Click "Display Results."

4. Scroll to "Motherboard Downloads." Click "Gateway Intel Chipset Driver Revision." Click "Download Now."

5. Click "Run" to immediately launch the installer, or click "Save" or "Save As" to upgrade the driver at a later time. Double-click the file to begin the upgrade. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the upgrade.

Check the Memory for Errors

1. Click the Windows logo button located on the taskbar. Enter "memory" into the search box.

2. Click "Memory Diagnostic Tool" from the results displayed in the left pane.

3. Click "Restart now and check for problems (recommended)" from the application. Wait for Windows Vista to reboot and scan your memory for errors.

4. Review the results of the diagnostic test after logging in again to Windows Vista. Replace your RAM if Windows detects an error.

References

• Gateway: Gateway Support: 1014033R Gateway MX6956 Notebook

Resources

• Gateway: Gateway Support: Drivers, Software and Firmware Updates
• How-to Geek: Test Your Computer's Memory Using Windows Vista Memory Diagnostic Tool