Gateway/NV54/innards/notes
2010-08-17
This unit came to the shop because of an apparently failing power adapter socket. The unit would randomly beep as if the power was being disconnected and reconnected, sometimes repeatedly. Eventually it got to the point where the battery wasn't being charged enough to even start booting -- when you press the power button, a small red light at the near side of the case blinks slowly, but nothing else happens.
Finding disassembly information for this model has been impossible so far. I have posted all reference information I have been able to locate in the Gateway/NV54 article.
Disassembly without a manual has so far failed. I took out all the screws I could find on the underside (there are no screws on the top) and one of the hinges, and removed the Z-shaped cover for the hard drive and memory; still tight. Then I noticed a couple more screws, and removed them. Then I took out the battery, and found two more screws (now removed).
So far only the back end (near the hinges) has shown any sign of coming loose. The rest of the unit feels as if the screws were still in place -- completely tight.
The key turns out to be the LED panel just below the screen - it pops out from the sides (be careful of the small, flimsy ribbon cable -- it disconnects at the panel). The curved plastic between the hinges is part of it. After that, the keyboard pops out towards the back (be careful of this ribbon cable too).
Having difficulty disconnecting the ribbon cable. Not sure if I've broken bits of plastic off the connector (it should work fine without them, but the ribbon might come out too easily e.g. if the laptop is bumped around too much).
When I pried the cable loose, it came with a thin piece of black plastic which didn't stay attached to anything. This is not normally how things work, but I don't think I broke it. Looks like it wedges in above the cable to keep it in place, and the connector has claws on either side to keep the black plastic thing in place. Kind of klugey.
At this point, I put the screws back in the hinges because it definitely does not look like they are involved in getting the unit apart.
I finally noticed some screws where the hinges attached to the base. On a whim (and because I had tried everything else), I unscrewed them. At that point, the plastic top finally started to separate from the base. Found one more screw inside the keyboard pan (near the back right corner).
It turned out to be a good idea to detach all the left-hand display cables (I don't see any way to detach the white/black pair on the right), as well as the small ribbon cable at the bottom left (probably the mousepad). The latter has another one of those horrid black plastic pieces which I don't know if I will be able to reinstall properly.
...alao, small black/white twisted pair near top left of base (speaker?).
At this point it became necessary to elevate the screen with a cardboard box in order to keep it out of the way without putting too much strain on that black/white wire pair (which disappears under the CD-ROM drive, so I still can't disconnect it). The system board is completely uncovered. Unfortunately, the power connector is on the underside (as are most of the other connectors on the left -- memory card connector excluded).
The system board is mostly loose on the right, seemingly entangled only with the CD-ROM; on the left, it still seems tight -- but I'm hoping it will come loose when I can pull it to the right.
Had to disconnect another cable on the right, just above the CD-ROM.
Ok, it's not the CD-ROM that's causing the problem on the right; trying to peer underneath to see what's going on. Had to unscrew small circuit board (CD-ROM interface?) so its cable wouldn't be strained.
Ok, yes it was the CD-ROM. The CD-ROM does not need to be unscrewed, as I first thought; it just needs its data connector disconnected. It slides easily out to the right, emerging on the outside of the case.
After that, there was one more screw holding the system board down (top right, with an arrow pointing at it) -- and the system board comes out without much difficulty.
And yes, the power connector is cracked.
This is supposedly the replacement part, although it's labeled for NV56 and NV58: Laptop King (also available in 5 and 10 packs) -- but I decided to order from Ebay, because someone had it for the same price but with FREE shipping instead of $11, and the model number was correct, and the unit shown looked more like the one being replaced.