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In the following guide I’ll be taking apart a Gateway NX570X laptop. I think my disassembly instructions will work for other Gateway laptops in the NX570 line too. Please let me know if you have a different Gateway laptop and this guide works for you, you can mention your model in the comments below.
The laptop I’m fixing stopped charging the battery even though the AC adapter works properly and outputs correct voltage. I tested the adapter with a voltmeter. Actually, it’s charging the battery but only intermittently, when the AC adapter pushed in firmly. In order to charge the battery I have to adjust the AC adapter plug inside the power socket on the back of the laptop. Apparently, there is a problem with the power socket (aka power jack) and it has to be replaced or resoldered. OK, let’s take this lappy apart. I’ll be removing the system board so I can access and repair the power jack.
Are you looking for spare parts for your Gateway NX570 laptop? You’ll find them here.
STEP 1.
Turn off the laptop, unplug the AC adapter and remove the battery.
Remove seven screws (yellow circles) securing the memory cover.
Remove one screw (yellow circle) securing the keyboard. There are two more keyboard screws under the memory cover. You can see them in the step 5.
Remove one screw (orange circle) securing the Wi-Fi card cover.
Remove two screws (red circle) securing the hard drive. In order to disconnect the hard drive from the motherboard, you’ll have to slide the hard drive assembly to the left. Remove the hard drive assembly from the laptop.
STEP 2.
Disconnect two antenna cables from the wireless card, simply unsnap them from the card using your fingers. Remove one screw securing the wireless card and remove the card.
Remove both memory modules.
Loosen four screws securing the heat sink assembly (red circles).
STEP 3.
Carefully lift up the heat sink assembly from the laptop. The cooling fan is attached to the motherboard. Unplug this cable from the motherboard.
STEP 4.
Remove one screw securing the CD/DVD drive. Push the drive to the left and remove it from the laptop.
STEP 5.
Remove all screws from the bottom of the laptop. Two screws marked with green circles are securing the keyboard.
If you are replacing the keyboard, you simply remove one green screw in the step 1 and two green screws in the step 5 and then proceed to steps 7,8,9,10.
STEP 6.
Remove two screws from the hinge cover.
STEP 7.
Start removing the hinge cover with a small flathead screwdriver and continue removing it with your fingers.
STEP 8.
Remove the hinge cover.
STEP 9.
Lift up the keyboard as it shown on the picture below and place it upside down on the palm rest.
STEP 10.
Unlock connector on the system board. Release the cable and remove the keyboard.
STEP 11.
Release the wireless card antenna cables.
Unplug LCD cable from the system board.
Remove two screws from each display hinge.
STEP 12.
Carefully lift up and remove the LCD assembly.
STEP 13.
Remove four screws securing the top cover.
Unplug the touch pad cable from the system board.
STEP 14.
Lift up and remove the top cover assembly.
STEP 15.
Remove five screws securing the motherboard.
Unplug the speaker cable (left) and the Bluetooth card cable (right) from the system board.
STEP 16.
Start removing the system board from the left side.
You’ll have to disconnect one more cable shown on the picture below.
Finally, the system board has been removed.
Now you can access and repair the power jack. You can use these power jack replacement instructions.
When I was removing the power jack from the system board, it came out with the internal sleeve attached to the “+” connector. This sleeve connects traces on both sides of the system board and normally, when you unsolder the power jack, it stays inside the hole.
Now I’ll have to make a modification so traces on both sides of the system board are connected. I’ll have to connect traces with a cable.
December 8th, 2011 at 6:07 pm
Eric,
Sure, I explained it here:
http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2008/10/28/fortify-damaged-power-jack-connection-in-laptop/
I’ll add this link to the guide.
December 8th, 2011 at 11:44 am
Can you explain in more detail about you made a modification to connect both traces after you removed the power jack? I have that same problem and I’m not sure how to do that.
Thanks,
Eric
December 6th, 2011 at 11:58 am
@ Luna,
It’s possible the hard drive was damaged.
December 5th, 2011 at 9:09 pm
Hi I have a problem. I am normally good with computers but this one has me stumped. I am also not familiar with Gateway. My mother and fiance got into a fight and she threw his computer on the ground. Its left hinge was already broken but when he turned it back on it keeps getting a message about something like systems arent found or something. I took it apart, and cleaned it out really well from dust and things, even the fan which was much needed. I put it back together and got the same message. It acts like it wants to turn on, goes through the loading screen like when you let it die before you charge it, then when it gets about 1/3 to half way across the message pops up.
This is a Gateway MX6421.
November 9th, 2011 at 1:57 pm
nevermind i managed to get the motherboard out
the solder contacts on the jack look
a brownish colour does this mean a cold solder
sorry first time doing this
garry
November 9th, 2011 at 12:17 pm
@ garry,
Pull up out of motherboard.
November 9th, 2011 at 11:57 am
Im stuck at the display cable connected to motherboard
does it pull up out of motherboard or out towards touchpad
i cant see its covered in black tape
help!!
November 4th, 2011 at 10:14 pm
im am pretty skilled with a soldering iron i have a propayne weller wsta6, but ive never tested my skills on an IC board so i guess you could say im not that skilled… but im confident! any sugestions on desoldering the power jack, im working on the replacement jack tutorial on the MA7 youve posted. everything up to removing the power jack was helpfull. keep in mind the laptop is not important. im in a learning process so ill just replace the mobo if i have to..any help would be apriciated!
October 24th, 2011 at 7:06 am
@ Stephanie,
Take a closer look at the connector. It has two pieces: female part soldered to the motherboard and male part.
You carefully pull the mail connector (which has wires attached) using your fingernails. Do not pull by the wires.
October 23rd, 2011 at 8:49 am
How do you unplug the white piece that the wires for the cooling fan go into on the motherboard? Do you just pull? Or is there some type of clip to press or squeeze? I’ve tried gently tugging but it doesn’t seem to budge and I don’t want to yank the wires out of the white piece they hook into. Thanks