Fortunately, you do not need to remove the keyboard in your Gateway to remove the motherboard.
Your Gateway, like any laptop, is built to be relatively light and compact so that you may easily transport the device. Unfortunately, to achieve this convenience, Gateway engineers the hardware inside of its laptops to fit perfectly into the smallest possible space. Though the removal of your Gateway laptop motherboard is not particularly challenging, you must be prepared to spend at least an hour unscrewing the countless screws that hold every piece of hardware into place above the motherboard.
Instructions
1. Turn the computer completely off from the operating system start menu. The computer cannot be on "Standby" or "Hibernate" due to the risk of damaging internal components.
2. Unplug the A/C power supply cord from the laptop, if you are running on wall power.
3. Remove the Gateway laptop's battery by moving the lock tab into the "Unlock" position. Slide the longer tab to the right in order to release the battery. Set the battery to the side.
4. Remove all screws on the underside of your laptop. Depending on your Gateway model, you may have 10 to 20 screws holding the bottom in place. Place all screws in a secure place.
5. Remove the bottom plastic base of the laptop.
6. Unscrew the four laptop fan screws in order to take the device off of the motherboard.
7. Remove the laptop memory by pushing down on the locking tabs and pulling the memory sticks up.
8. Unplug the power-supply wire that connects to the motherboard, as well as the disk-drive wire and hard-drive wires. The wires should simply slide off of the motherboard connectors using little force.
9. Remove the screws holding your network adapter, USB, audio and any other ports to your motherboard. The motherboard cannot be lifted out of a Gateway laptop with the ports still attached because the ports are often part of the case assembly.
10. Locate all of the motherboard mounting screws and remove them carefully. Do not scratch the motherboard with your screwdriver, as this can completely ruin the device.
11. Lift the motherboard out of the laptop casing.
Tags: Gateway laptop, your Gateway, Remove screws, screws holding