Archive for the ‘Problems’ Category

Gateway Laptop Power Jack Problem

Saturday, April 10th, 2010

Sometimes things around us broke, as accidents happen all the time. Some of the broken things get thrown away because they can’t be repaired, so let’s be thnakful for the ones that can be repaired instead of whining that “Oh, my God, my laptop is broken again.” Well, believe it or not most of the time the cause of the malfunction is very simple and it involves a tiny piece that can be easily replaced.

One of the most frequent problems when it comes to Gateway laptops or any kind of laptops is the fact that the power jack no longer works properly. This happens because the power jack gets loose as you use the AC adapter every day to charge the battery if you are a frequent user. In this case after a few hours of use you will have to plug in your adapter and charge the battery, so that your laptop will be ready for work the next day. Imagine that you repeat this operation every single day for at least one year or two of laptop use.

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I can guarantee you that you do not pay much attention to this operation and sometimes you may force the plug in the power jack or trip over the cable and the cord gets thrown out of the jack and so on. The result is a defective power jack that does not allow your laptop’s battery to charge, hence you will not be able to use your laptop unless you fix the problem, because the laptop won’t work even if plugged all day long.

When you suspect a Gateway laptop power jack problem just make sure you diagnose the cause of the malfunction properly and do not get to order spare parts randomly. The first symptom is that your laptop turns off out of the sudden even if you just recharged the battery or even when it is plugged to the wall plug. In this case, take out the battery and connect only the AC adapter.

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If there is no light on the power button, move the cord slowly to the right and to the left. If your diagnosis is right, this light will be bit intermitently or even stay lit when you find the right position where it functions. But you should also check to see if there is a problem with the cable, if it is cut somewhere.

If nothing like that appears, you definetely have a problem with your power jack. It’s very easy to find one for sale on the internet, but serach for one that is compatible with your laptop model. This is a very easy job to do yourself because sometimes when you go to a repair shop they will say there’s something wrong with the motherboard and will ask you to replace it and you will have to pay a lot for their work, too.

But if you know the insides of your laptop a bit, you can do this with a little extra help. So if you are experiencing a similar problem and you can even see the loose jack when you open the laptop, do not hesitate to replace it . But first follow these links and you will find the necessary information, I mean a video and a written tutorial telling you what to do step by step. Good luck.

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What Will Cause My Gateway Laptop Not To Start

Thursday, April 1st, 2010

Usually the solution to your laptop’s problems are very simple ones , so you must not panick when something happens and your laptop does not work properly. I guess the most scary thing is for your laptop not to start at all. Then you wonder:”What will cause my Gateway laptop not to start?”. But the answer to this question is not that simple. There are multiple causes that can make your laptop not to start. The most common cause is your laptop battery. When your battery is toast it will not charge no matter how long you keep the charger plugged in.

This diagnosis is very easy to establish: just remove the battery and leave only the AC adapter supplying the energy directly from the wall plug. If your laptop starts and works properly, then it’s time to buy a new battery. They are not very expensive and you can easily find a compatible one on the internet. If it’s the AC adapter’s fault the battery will be charged if you bring another adapter. AC adapters are also very easy to purchase and very cheap, too. It is a common problem with laptops to have their AC adaper plug go loose when entering the motherboard, so you’s better check this out, too. If it is loose indeed, just squeeze it with some pliers and check again.


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Well, so much for the easy part. If you exhausted these possibilities it means that your Gateway laptop that just won’t start has more serious problems. One of the possibilities is the processor . This is the most important component in a laptop, considered by some to be the heart of a laptop or computer. If your processor is dead, the laptop does not start. Try to find another compatible processor to borrow for a few hours and replace your processor with this one. It is better to check its functionality first. If your computer starts and works just fine with the new processor, it’s obvious that you have to purchase a new one.

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Last, but not least, it’s the motherboard or the RAM memory. If you exchange processors and your laptop still does not work and you have also tried the above mentioned actions, now it’s time to check this possibility, too. You will need another compatible laptop to use it as a try stand for the pieces found on your motherboard. Take each piece and try it on the other computer. By doing this repeatedly, you will realize if they are good or not. If all the pieces are fine but the laptop does not work, it’s definetely the motherboard. So you’d better start saving money for one, as neither the motherboard, nor the processor are very cheap items. The same operation can be done with the RAM memory to find out whether it is burnt or not. If it’s the RAM and you have to buy a new memory, make it a good deal and upgrade your memory to the maximum.

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Gateway Laptop Cpu Temp 72c

Saturday, March 27th, 2010

Laptops are very complex devices and they try to compress all the technology that is present in a desktop computer and to make it work. But because the space is very small in the case of a laptop, all the electronic components put together get heated while functioning. That is why all laptops need fans or coolers to heat them up, because otherwise the CPU gets heated, too, and so does the motherboard and in this case you can experience malfunctns, the laptop freezes and eventually shuts down automatically .

It is set up to turn itself off when the CPU temperature is too high in order to avoid frying all the system components. The little space and the big number of components working there is the reason why the average CPU temperature of a laptop is usually higher than the one of a desktop. So do not try to make comparisons, as they are not correct. If desktops usually work better at 40 degrees for example, laptops are perfectly fine with 60. But even in the case of laptops examples can vary a lot.

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Different brands of CPUs support different temperature values. For example older series of AMD Athlon can support maximum 65-70 degrees, while more recent series of Intel can support up to 100 degrees Celsius maximum. So you ‘d better find out what is the maximum temperature supported by your Gateway laptop’s CPU before panicking. So a Gateway laptop CPU temperature of 72 degrees can be considered very high for one processor and rather normal for another. If you want to know exactly what is this temperature for your processor enter the official web site of the processor producer and you can find the information there. I should also mention the fact that even if the maximum temperature supported by your processor is 100 degrees for example it’s not recommended to use the laptop when it runs with this CPU temperature, as it will collapse sooner or later. You should have at least 20-30 degrees less than the maximum temperature.

If you see that your Gateway laptop CPU temperature of 72 degrees is a bit higher than it should be recommended, than you should do something to reduce it before you burn your processor or your motherboard. Here are some ideas.

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- Place the laptop on a hard surface when you are using it because the soft fluffy materials prevent a proper ventilation and will lead to overheating.

- Try to have as much space as possible under the laptop – again for a good ventilation. Many laptops have the air vents and the fans slots beneath the laptop, so if your laptop’s feet are too short, make them a bit higher by placing some adhesive pads under them.

- Blow the dust that gathers inside the laptop regularly , because the space is very little and when the fans spin the dust is brought inside piling up and making things get worse for the laptop functioning.

- Try to use few programmes or applications at the same time, as it solicits the processor and it heats up. if you use only one application or two at a time, the temperature will stay at a reasonable level. It is a good idea to set up the game graphics not to be at maximum resolution.

- If you are at home try to plug your laptop , so use the AC adpater instead of the battery, because if the battery is very solicited, it will also heat up.

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