Your Gateway Profile 4 computer may perform up to snuff on any number of days out of the year, but it only takes one major error during a critical time to throw you completely off course and jeopardize any number of projects. Just like offerings from similar mass computer manufacturers, the Gateway Profile 4 can suffer from any number of problems that need to be addressed. Troubleshooting your machine and figuring out just what ails it is the initial step.
Instructions
1. Check your connections. Is your Profile 4 securely plugged into a wall outlet for power or, better yet, a surge protector? Are the keyboard and mouse connectors in the right sockets and not accidentally switched? If the connections are secure and the computer has been powered on, is the monitor plug loose from its connector? Unplug all the connectors and replug them in to ensure that the easiest solution is tested first.
2. Launch your web browser and connect to Gateway's page, searching for drivers for your particular machine. Click on "Support" and then "Drivers and Downloads." If you are having either mouse, keyboard or sound issues, there are drivers that can upgrade these devices so that the problem may be alleviated. Click on the section that corresponds to your device (mouse, keyboard, etc.) and input your specific Profile 4 information (see link in Resources).
3. Power on your computer and take your ear down to it. Listen for any sign of the fan running as it should. If the fan is not running and the screen is blank, there could be a motherboard or power failure, and this will have to be attended to by a professional. A motherboard should never be replaced as the cost of the motherboard will almost always outstrip the value of your machine currently. If the fan is running however, you may have a video problem on your hands (advance to the next step).
4. Try using an S-Video cable. There could be a problem with the monitor of your Gateway Profile 4, or the underlying video technology, but the problem is that with an All-in-One like the Profile 4, you cannot simply plug in a different monitor to your computer unit to test it. Instead, put one end of the S-Video cable into the S-Video cable slot on the back of the Profile 4, and the other end into a S-Video compatible TV (check your television manual for more instruction, if necessary).
5. Switch from the regular mode of your television to the A/V 1 (or A/V 2, depending on your setup) mode on your television once the connection is made. Does anything broadcast onto the television when the Profile 4 is turned on? If the TV does display Windows start up, the problem lies with the monitor itself. If the television displays nothing, you are dealing with either a motherboard problem or a video system error. Unfortunately, your Gateway Profile 4 as an entire unit will have to be sent in for repair.
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