Gateway laptop

[BluesFan]

I have a Gateway M305CRV the keeps getting hot and has burned up 2 hard drives.
Where do I start? Open it up and make sure the fans are working and that it is clean? Then what?

Anyone?

 

[TEKKA]

make sure the fans are working and are clean then you could try a notebook cooler.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=+notebook+cooler

Maybe elevating the laptop a bit might help.

Get a can of compressed air and give it a good clean.

 

[BluesFan]

I have made sure it is well vented also. What would make it get so hot?

 

[TEKKA]

What type of cpu is in it? were do you use it? On your laptop or on a desk?
Has it always gotten this hot?

 

[BluesFan]

I don't remember what processor it has. It is what ever it came with.

 

[TEKKA]

If your using xp, go to control panel/system it will tell you in there.
Hot enough to kill hard drives is too hot... It could be your heatsink is failing.

 

[BluesFan]

It won't start up. The hard drive is bad. And yes. XP

 

[TEKKA]

oh ok, well these isn't much u can do apart from making sure all the fans are working and clean. I dont know wether it has an onboard temperature sensor, Can you get to the bios?

Edit: if so look for pc health status. or somthing along the lines of that.

 

[BluesFan]

I can't get the thing open! I have all the screws out and can't get it apart. The part in the back below the hinges.
Do you know how it comes apart?

Hammer and screw driver?
LoL
What the heck is with this thing?

 

[TEKKA]

I have taken apart laptops in the past but their all different, there is most likely some lugs/clips that u have to seperate.
once you have unscrewed it all.

Make sure you remember where all the screws come from..

 

[BluesFan]

I'm looking for a diagram now and not finding one. I don't see how this thing opens.

 

[TEKKA]

Does the keyboard pop out with clips? Not screws. if so, there could be more screws to undo under the keyboard.

 

[BluesFan]

WoW! What a chore! I finally got it though. Thanks for the keyboard tip.

Looks all clean inside.

Going to test the fan/heatsync.

Will I need to reapply paste to the cpu since I removed the heatsync?

 

[TEKKA]

Depends, it may be thin from years of use. But it certainly could help if you cleaned both the sink and cpu and re-applied some. That will help keep the temps down.