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In this guide I will remove a broken LCD screen from a Gateway MT6704 (Model MA7) laptop and replace it with a new screen. As I mentioned in my previous article, where I was replacing the laptop keyboard, this guide will work for many other Gateway laptops in MT6700 line.
Before you start, turn off the laptop, unplug the power adapter and remove the battery.
You’ll find six rubber screw seals on the display bezel. Remove all seals with a sharp object (picture above) and also remove all six screws found under the seals.
Start separating the display bezel from the screen cover with your fingers. A piece of soft plastic (I’m using a guitar pick) will help you to separate two parts without breaking the bezel.
Continue removing the bezel on the top of the display assembly.
The display bezel has been removed.
As you see on the picture below, a part of the screen inverter is covered by the LCD support bracket. If you are removing the LCD screen or inverter, you’ll have to remove the support bracket first.
Remove two screws securing the support bracket and after that remove the bracket.
Now you can access the inverter board which is glued to the screen cover. Be very careful while separating the inverter board from the cover, do not break it.
I will not be removing the inverter in this guide, it’s not necessary for replacing the screen. But I have to unplug one cable on the right side of the inverter. This cable is permanently attached to the LCD screen, actually it’s attached to the backlight lamp inside the screen.
Carefully separate the screen from the cover and place it face down on the keyboard.
The laptop screen is connected to the motherboard by the video cable. The video cable has to be unplugged from the screen before you can remove it.
The video cable connector is secured by a clear (sticky) tape. Remove the tape and unplug the video cable from the LCD screen.
Now you can remove the screen. As you see, the mounting brackets are still attached to both sides of the screen.
Remove two screws securing the mounting bracket to the screen.
Remove brackets from both sides of the screen.
I found a sticker on the back side of the screen. Apparently, the number above the barcode is the part number used by Gateway. I was able to find a new screen using this part number.
The broken LCD screen has been removed and I’m ready to install a new one. Are you looking for a new screen for your Gateway MT6700 laptop? Try here.
For complete laptop disassembly instructions please take a look at this guide. It’s a different Gateway model but the body is very similar.
March 27th, 2010 at 4:01 pm
I want to know where can I buy a laptop screen
March 13th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
The magnet belongs on the upper left hand sid of the screen if you look behind the bezel top left hand corner you will see a piece of platic that it sits on. Sometimes you can make out the image of it from the 2 sided tape that it sat on. So upper left hand side right above the screw hole on the bezel (this is the lcd screen front cover.
March 12th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
Thank you very much I was able to remove the screen on my Gateway T-Series. T-6339u notebook.
The computer was dropped and the screen backlight worked but did not display anything but some fuzzy colors, hazy colors. I tested with external monitor and this worked fine so I ruled out the video card. I took the screen out, unplugged the connections to the screen and inverter. When I plugged the connections back in the screen works again! Thank YOU!
February 18th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
bonita brown,
First of all, why did you replace the screen?
This could be bad inverter or backlight lamp problem.
February 16th, 2010 at 12:42 pm
I have replaced the Lcd screen on my gateway laptop W350A When first power up , screen will flash on then screen goes dark you can seen a faint outline on screen. Do you know what the problem may be ?
February 14th, 2010 at 10:37 am
I have replaced the Lcd screen on my gateway laptop W350A and magnet fell off can not find , screen will flash on then screen goes dark you can seen a faint outline on screen. 1. where can I get magnet /. 2. where does it go ?( I believe it came off hte top left hand corner ) please help .
January 12th, 2010 at 9:28 am
I have a Gateway 7330, My screen is starting to go on and off when I move the lid. My question is: Is there a cable that feeds the screen that could be starting to break or are there contacts in the hinges that could be dirty? Thanks for any info you can give me..
I have a similar problem with a Gateway MA7, when I have the laptop in my lap or on a uneven surface and type the screen glitchs. Likewise when I move the screen it flickers on and off. I know it is not a driver problem. Is it possible that a cable is lose or dirty? I recently had the DC jack replaced by a tech and the screen has glitched since I got it back. I think something might have been pulled lose when the DC jack was replaced.
December 27th, 2009 at 2:58 am
Had a similar event with my MT6821, only with water. Replaced the inverter using the instructions here and solved the problem for about $17. Was prepared to replace the LCD ($85) if that hadn’t worked.
With mine, I knew the LCD was still working, as I could see the screen under bright light (and in the sun). The pixels were working…the bulb wasn’t. It also worked when hooked to an external monitor.
December 25th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
I suppose I got too wordy…
A much simpler question would have been, “What is the most likely cause of the symptoms I described that would be caused by the moisture/liquid entering that area (“bottom” of the “lid”)?
Although I’m old and somewhat ham-fisted, I pretty sure I can follow those instructions and get things apart and back together somewhat competently if I’m careful and take my time…
…but I don’t have a clue as to how to determine what component needs to be replaced.
I do own a decent digital multimeter… …is there some way to check the bulb or the inverter for proper function?
December 24th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Hi… …great and helpful site! I hope I’m in the proper thread.
After perusing much of your excellent site I find that my “symptoms” are fairly common, but the problem was precipitated by a somewhat unique accident, and I’m hoping that you might be able to possibly shortcut the diagnosis and repair and save me some unnecessary expense and repairs…
I have a Gateway MX 6453 that’s been treated with proper respect (at least until a few days ago).
A couple of days ago I was rushing around packing and preparing for a business trip, trying to do a half-dozen things at once…
I had a lot of things laid out on one part of the kitchen table trying to get organized; my wife was using the other part of the table to wrap Christmas presents.
I’ve got a large padded waterproof laptop travel bag with a number of compartments (about the size of a large attache case) that was sitting on the floor under the edge of the table with my laptop secured in the case (“hinge side down) and a couple of compartments open) while I was scurrying around assembling the things I needed to take…
Somewhere near the edge of the table sat a 16oz insulated travel mug filled with hot coffee (you can see this coming)…
Somehow, while I was out of the room for a few minutes, something on the overcrowded table got nudged or bumped (evidently by ghosts)…
I returned, and to my horror, the coffe mug was sitting upside down in the laptop compartment slowly leaking probably 2/3 of the contents into the “bottom” of the compartment…
Being waterproof, there was close to 1/2″ of black coffee across the bottom of the compartment until it had reached the level of the zipper (the rest overflowed to the kitchen floor.
…so, picture the laptop standing vertically on it’s spine, hinge down, latch on top, submerged in maybe 1/4 inch of hot coffee (well below the rearmost usb port… …just a small amount of liquid in the battery compartment)…
…hardly any liquid ran out when I picked it up, but it was damp… …no apparent liquid visible when I opened the cover, just a hint of dampness… …but it was “plenty damp” in the battery compartment.
I had to leave; was already running late, but shook, dried, paper-toweled, and used a portable hair drier for about 15 minutes to try to remove any available moisture and hope for the best.
Ended up being about 24 hours before unpacking it for a presentation…
…boots up, but no light behind the image on the screen; faintly visible in ambient light or with a flashlight; everything appears to be “there” but not enough to really operate anything, and can’t find the cursor on the screen…
I can get it to boot ok using the “enter” key and a couple of years of memory in the sequence, but that’s it… …without being able to see the cursor, I can’t get much farther…
…sound is good; makes all the right sounds… …haven’t plugged in an external monitor, but I’m confident that it would work…
So, is it the bulb? …or is it probably the inverter (which is evidently located at or near the bottom of the screen)? …or might I luck out by letting everything dry for a week or so (that worked for me for two cellphones that my wife has a habit of washing for a full cycle in the washing machine)?
What’s the most logical next step?
I’d sure appreciate any help I can get…
Thanks,
Buz