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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.
February 6th, 2009 at 9:13 am
yucan2,
Very carefully! If you break the connector, you will not be able to fix it.
The keyboard connector has two pieces – the white base and the brown (black) locking tab. You open the connector the same way as you open the display on your laptop. One side of the connector stay attached to the base and the other side goes up at a 90 degree angle. I hope you understand what I’m talking about. You open the locking tab with your finger nail. When you do that, one side of the tab goes up at a 90 degree angle, but the other side must stay attached to the connector base.
After the locking tab is opened, the keyboard cable is released you you can pull it from the connector.
February 5th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
So how do you unlock the connector on the system board to remove keyboard?
February 5th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
I got it apart. I had to pop up the keyboard carefuly as not to break it an the hidden screw was under the left bottom corner of it. Switched out the screen after changing out some of the other parts and no improvement. There is a strip across the top back of the lcd that may be the problem but I was not comfortable trying to change that out without some guidance. would like to switch back to the other screen if I can fix it as it does not have the scratches on it.
February 5th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
I am trying to repair my gatway solo 5030. works fine except for the colors. It goes back and forth between ok to mottled. I am also having trouble getting the bottom cover off of the parts computer I am using. seem to have one more screw hidden by the mic and sound jacks. any suggestions?
January 29th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
thanks a million, you are the man
January 12th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
exellent instructions i am please, great work, very helpfull
December 30th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
I have looked through this guide and from my memory I believe it will also work on a Gateway MT6452 notebook. Thank you SO much for you help. I need to repair this computer for a friend and have searched the internet for days literally to find a guide and this is the first one I’ve found. Thank you very much.
December 30th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
This guide worked for the MT6711. The pictures look exactly like my laptop. Thanks.
December 29th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Update
The pictorial was spot on and a really fine job.
The power jack however was totaly f*k*d so i solderd some pig tails onto the system board(as i have been unable to find a replacement) then added some nice 2 way connectors.
(Temporary) Job Done.
Thanks!
December 28th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Nigel,
I’m not familiar with model #M320 but I can tell you that laptop disassembly procedure is very similar for most brands and models.