Replacing motherboard on Gateway laptop

[Guest romac]

I have a Gateway laptop that lost all power and after thorough

troubleshooting I determined that the motherboard is the problem (no voltage

to the fans, etc.).

I want to order a replacement MB but the last time that I replaced a MB (on

my old desktop) there was a conflict with the new MB and and hard drive so I

eventually had to reinstall Windows XP. I'm repairing this laptop for a

friend and she is hoping to keep everything on her hard drive but I'm afraid

that I will run into the same problem as before where I might have to do an

Windows reinstall.

 

Any insight and knowledge would be greatly appreciated

[Guest Unknown]

Re: Replacing motherboard on Gateway laptop

 

Is the power supply and mother board the same? (Power supply built on mother

board)

"romac" <romac@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:038BD013-28E4-4564-8FF1-5D27349ABBC1@microsoft.com...

>I have a Gateway laptop that lost all power and after thorough

> troubleshooting I determined that the motherboard is the problem (no

> voltage

> to the fans, etc.).

> I want to order a replacement MB but the last time that I replaced a MB

> (on

> my old desktop) there was a conflict with the new MB and and hard drive so

> I

> eventually had to reinstall Windows XP. I'm repairing this laptop for a

> friend and she is hoping to keep everything on her hard drive but I'm

> afraid

> that I will run into the same problem as before where I might have to do

> an

> Windows reinstall.

>

> Any insight and knowledge would be greatly appreciated

[Guest romac]

Re: Replacing motherboard on Gateway laptop

 

I really don't know. I didn't know that the MB had a built in power supply.

Could this be my problem all along? Can the power supply on a laptop be

replaced instead of the whole MB?

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Unknown" wrote:

> Is the power supply and mother board the same? (Power supply built on mother

> board)

> "romac" <romac@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:038BD013-28E4-4564-8FF1-5D27349ABBC1@microsoft.com...

> >I have a Gateway laptop that lost all power and after thorough

> > troubleshooting I determined that the motherboard is the problem (no

> > voltage

> > to the fans, etc.).

> > I want to order a replacement MB but the last time that I replaced a MB

> > (on

> > my old desktop) there was a conflict with the new MB and and hard drive so

> > I

> > eventually had to reinstall Windows XP. I'm repairing this laptop for a

> > friend and she is hoping to keep everything on her hard drive but I'm

> > afraid

> > that I will run into the same problem as before where I might have to do

> > an

> > Windows reinstall.

> >

> > Any insight and knowledge would be greatly appreciated

>

>

>

[Guest Unknown]

Re: Replacing motherboard on Gateway laptop

 

That is MY question. I never worked on a laptop so don't know. You stated it

was the mother board (because of lack of power), I wondered why not the

power supply.

"romac" <romac@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:4089CB2F-2B91-4D31-9B7C-19563608C665@microsoft.com...

>I really don't know. I didn't know that the MB had a built in power supply.

> Could this be my problem all along? Can the power supply on a laptop be

> replaced instead of the whole MB?

>

>

>

>

>

>

> "Unknown" wrote:

>

>> Is the power supply and mother board the same? (Power supply built on

>> mother

>> board)

>> "romac" <romac@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

>> news:038BD013-28E4-4564-8FF1-5D27349ABBC1@microsoft.com...

>> >I have a Gateway laptop that lost all power and after thorough

>> > troubleshooting I determined that the motherboard is the problem (no

>> > voltage

>> > to the fans, etc.).

>> > I want to order a replacement MB but the last time that I replaced a MB

>> > (on

>> > my old desktop) there was a conflict with the new MB and and hard drive

>> > so

>> > I

>> > eventually had to reinstall Windows XP. I'm repairing this laptop for a

>> > friend and she is hoping to keep everything on her hard drive but I'm

>> > afraid

>> > that I will run into the same problem as before where I might have to

>> > do

>> > an

>> > Windows reinstall.

>> >

>> > Any insight and knowledge would be greatly appreciated

>>

>>

>>

[Guest romac]

Re: Replacing motherboard on Gateway laptop

 

As it turns out...on a laptop, the motherboard IS the power supply.

 

"Unknown" wrote:

> That is MY question. I never worked on a laptop so don't know. You stated it

> was the mother board (because of lack of power), I wondered why not the

> power supply.

> "romac" <romac@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:4089CB2F-2B91-4D31-9B7C-19563608C665@microsoft.com...

> >I really don't know. I didn't know that the MB had a built in power supply.

> > Could this be my problem all along? Can the power supply on a laptop be

> > replaced instead of the whole MB?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > "Unknown" wrote:

> >

> >> Is the power supply and mother board the same? (Power supply built on

> >> mother

> >> board)

> >> "romac" <romac@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> >> news:038BD013-28E4-4564-8FF1-5D27349ABBC1@microsoft.com...

> >> >I have a Gateway laptop that lost all power and after thorough

> >> > troubleshooting I determined that the motherboard is the problem (no

> >> > voltage

> >> > to the fans, etc.).

> >> > I want to order a replacement MB but the last time that I replaced a MB

> >> > (on

> >> > my old desktop) there was a conflict with the new MB and and hard drive

> >> > so

> >> > I

> >> > eventually had to reinstall Windows XP. I'm repairing this laptop for a

> >> > friend and she is hoping to keep everything on her hard drive but I'm

> >> > afraid

> >> > that I will run into the same problem as before where I might have to

> >> > do

> >> > an

> >> > Windows reinstall.

> >> >

> >> > Any insight and knowledge would be greatly appreciated

> >>

> >>

> >>

>

>

>

[Guest Unknown]

Re: Replacing motherboard on Gateway laptop

 

Except for the battery of course. The components in power supplies have a

higher failure rate than other computer parts.

I would try to fix the supply or find out why it doesn't run on the battery.

"romac" <romac@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:A4B73605-56A9-4372-A9AA-71DBF529412F@microsoft.com...

> As it turns out...on a laptop, the motherboard IS the power supply.

>

> "Unknown" wrote:

>

>> That is MY question. I never worked on a laptop so don't know. You stated

>> it

>> was the mother board (because of lack of power), I wondered why not

>> the

>> power supply.

>> "romac" <romac@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

>> news:4089CB2F-2B91-4D31-9B7C-19563608C665@microsoft.com...

>> >I really don't know. I didn't know that the MB had a built in power

>> >supply.

>> > Could this be my problem all along? Can the power supply on a laptop be

>> > replaced instead of the whole MB?

>> >

>> >

>> >

>> >

>> >

>> >

>> > "Unknown" wrote:

>> >

>> >> Is the power supply and mother board the same? (Power supply built on

>> >> mother

>> >> board)

>> >> "romac" <romac@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

>> >> news:038BD013-28E4-4564-8FF1-5D27349ABBC1@microsoft.com...

>> >> >I have a Gateway laptop that lost all power and after thorough

>> >> > troubleshooting I determined that the motherboard is the problem (no

>> >> > voltage

>> >> > to the fans, etc.).

>> >> > I want to order a replacement MB but the last time that I replaced a

>> >> > MB

>> >> > (on

>> >> > my old desktop) there was a conflict with the new MB and and hard

>> >> > drive

>> >> > so

>> >> > I

>> >> > eventually had to reinstall Windows XP. I'm repairing this laptop

>> >> > for a

>> >> > friend and she is hoping to keep everything on her hard drive but

>> >> > I'm

>> >> > afraid

>> >> > that I will run into the same problem as before where I might have

>> >> > to

>> >> > do

>> >> > an

>> >> > Windows reinstall.

>> >> >

>> >> > Any insight and knowledge would be greatly appreciated

>> >>

>> >>

>> >>

>>

>>

>>

[Guest John John (MVP)]

Re: Replacing motherboard on Gateway laptop

 

No, the battery pack or the AC adapter is the power supply.

 

John

 

romac wrote:

> As it turns out...on a laptop, the motherboard IS the power supply.

>

> "Unknown" wrote:

>

>

>>That is MY question. I never worked on a laptop so don't know. You stated it

>>was the mother board (because of lack of power), I wondered why not the

>>power supply.

>>"romac" <romac@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

>>news:4089CB2F-2B91-4D31-9B7C-19563608C665@microsoft.com...

>>

>>>I really don't know. I didn't know that the MB had a built in power supply.

>>>Could this be my problem all along? Can the power supply on a laptop be

>>>replaced instead of the whole MB?

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>"Unknown" wrote:

>>>

>>>

>>>>Is the power supply and mother board the same? (Power supply built on

>>>>mother

>>>>board)

>>>>"romac" <romac@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

>>>>news:038BD013-28E4-4564-8FF1-5D27349ABBC1@microsoft.com...

>>>>

>>>>>I have a Gateway laptop that lost all power and after thorough

>>>>>troubleshooting I determined that the motherboard is the problem (no

>>>>>voltage

>>>>>to the fans, etc.).

>>>>>I want to order a replacement MB but the last time that I replaced a MB

>>>>>(on

>>>>>my old desktop) there was a conflict with the new MB and and hard drive

>>>>>so

>>>>>I

>>>>>eventually had to reinstall Windows XP. I'm repairing this laptop for a

>>>>>friend and she is hoping to keep everything on her hard drive but I'm

>>>>>afraid

>>>>>that I will run into the same problem as before where I might have to

>>>>>do

>>>>>an

>>>>>Windows reinstall.

>>>>>

>>>>>Any insight and knowledge would be greatly appreciated

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>

>>

[Guest smlunatick]

Re: Replacing motherboard on Gateway laptop

 

On Aug 19, 11:29 am, romac <ro...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> I have a Gateway laptop that lost all power and after thorough

> troubleshooting I determined that the motherboard is the problem (no voltage

> to the fans, etc.).

> I want to order a replacement MB but the last time that I replaced a MB (on

> my old desktop) there was a conflict with the new MB and and hard drive so I

> eventually had to reinstall Windows XP. I'm repairing this laptop for a

> friend and she is hoping to keep everything on her hard drive but I'm afraid

> that I will run into the same problem as before where I might have to do an

> Windows reinstall.

>

> Any insight and knowledge would be greatly appreciated

 

Laptop motherboard are more complex than desktops/toyers. Every

componet is jammed onto the small motherboard to fit in the case. As

long as the replacement motherboard is "exactly" the same, you should

not have any problems.

 

If the motherboard is not the same, the you will have problems with

XP:

 

1) OEM XP license is usually tied to the original motherboard. You

might not be able to re-install your XP from the Gateway "recovery

media" since it could BIOS locked to the original Gateway board.

 

2) As per Microsoft's EULA, the OEM license can not be "transferred"

to a different PC. Different PC could mean motherboard.