The cooling fan was very dirty and I disassembled the laptop for cleaning. When I completed the reassembly step by step and tried to turn on my laptop it just won’t. When I press the power it starts the fan for a second and when I press it once more and it begins to start but after a second or two it dies.

Most likely the laptop will not turn on because of some connection related problem.

Here are two more common mistakes people make while reassembling a laptop:

1. The memory module is not seated correctly.
Try reconnecting the memory module, make sure it’s installed properly.

2. The CPU is not seated correctly or the CPU socket is not locked.
If you disassembled your laptop for cleaning, most likely you had to remove the heatsink. There is a chance that you pulled the CPU from the socket and now it’s not making good contact with the motherboard.

Unlock the socket, reseat the CPU and after that lock CPU the socket.

Is the graphics card upgradeable for a Gateway MD7818U laptop? If no one knows how can I find out without having to either call the company or break open the laptop?

According to the Gateway MD7818U laptop review I found on NotebookReview.com, this model has Intel 4500MHD Integrated Graphics. It means, the video card is integrated into the motherboard and cannot be removed, replaced or upgraded.

You are stuck with what you got.

I have a Toshiba Satellite M45-S169 laptop less than 3 years old. My issue is the on-off switch in the upper left hand corner will not turn on without some effort to push the switch sideways, up or anything but the normal procedure to turn it on. Once on, the computer has no issues, so I feel the switch has issues. I have been told that maybe that switch is a unit with the 6 buttons below and is a plug-in. This is all located above the HeatPad. I don’t know how this unit is removed and if it is a plug-in or if the switch can be replaced independently? Maybe you could give me this information before I open the computer and any suggestions where to get the part the cheapest. Also what is that unit called?

The on-off switch (power button) is located on a 6-button switch board. If there is a problem with the on-off button, you’ll have to replace the whole switch board. Here’s the part number for the switch board: V000051150
The switch board could be found underneath the top cover assembly and it’s connected to the motherboard via a flat ribbon cable.
In order to access and replace the switch board, you’ll have to remove the top cover as it shown on the step 21 in this disassembly guide for Satellite M45 laptops.

Be careful. Taking apart laptops is not for beginners. Proceed on your own risk.

Can you please tell as how to connect my laptop to creative 5.1 speaker system so that I can hear surround sound from DVDs.

If you want to watch DVD movies on your laptop and experience full surround sound on 5.1 or 7.1 speakers, you’ll have to use a special sound card for notebook computers. For example, take a look at Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS PCMCIA notebook sound card. You plug this card into the PCMCIA slot you your laptop and then connect 5.1 or 7.1 speakers. You can find this card on the Internet for less than $100.

Just make sure your laptop meets all hardware requirements for the sound card.

I was taking my laptop apart. One of the screws was very tight and I accidentally stripped the screw. How can I remove the stripped screw?

I found that it’s easier to remove a tight screw if you heat it for a few seconds with a soldering gun. The heat will soften securing glue on the screw thread and make it easier to remove.

If the screw has been stripped, you can try removing it with a screw extractor.

I’ve been having a problem with my Toshiba A105-S4254. When I plug in and use a Logitech web cam, after about 5 minutes, the laptop monitor just shows a black screen. You can tell that the monitor still has power going to it, but only a black screen is shown. The power is still turned on but I have no idea whether or not the computer is still running. I do not believe that there is a problem with the camera since I did not experience this problem prior to reformatting my computer.

I ran a memory test and that came clean. Do you guys have any suggestions?

If the same web cam was working with the same laptop prior to reformatting, apparently you have a software related issue.
Make sure you have the latest web cam driver installed. Go to the manufacturer’s website and download the latest device driver for your camera.
Also, make sure you have the latest BIOS version installed on your laptop. Upgrade the BIOS if needed.

I am about to purchase my first laptop.
I know the features I want. I have found a second hand Toshiba Satellite 1410, and a TG 2000 and a HP Pavillion 4281. They are both ex rental models and come with 6 months warranty.
Price = $ 495.00
I preference the toshi myself as from my research they are very hard wearing when transported around.
I have an aversion to paying too much for anything computer like due to depreciation so secondhand seems an ok way to go.
What do you thing of these models, is there any pertinent question I should be asking the dealer? or anything I should watch out for here?

Dude, these days new laptops are cheep. If you wait for a good sale and do some research for $100-200 more you can get a brand new laptop with one year warranty. Please do not waste your hard earned money on dinosaurs you mentioned above. This is my opinion.
Go online, visit BestBuy and Circuit City websites. Do your research and you’ll find a brand new laptop for the same amount of money you want to spend for a second hand laptop.

I have an Acer Aspire 3680 notebook, after plugging in a Targus wireless mouse, my screen flickered in a white light and then went black. I could sense that the keyboard and mousepad were working but after doing a hard power off it would not boot up. I just hear the fan and no display is shown. After a while I saw the splash screen, but then the same flicker and then darkness. Is this a hardware or software conflict? And how can it be resolved?

This problem sounds like a hardware related issue to me. If the laptop turns on but there is no video on the screen, not even initial logo, most likely it is a hardware failure.
Try removing the battery and starting the laptop just from AC power.
Test your laptop with an external monitor. If video on the external monitor is fine, it’s possible that problem is somewhere in the display panel. You said the screen is dark. How dark it is? Can you see anything at all? Maybe a very faint image?
If the screen is dark but you still can see a very dull image, it’s possible that you have a problem with the screen inverter.
Try reconnecting the memory module. Working fan and no display can indicate a problem with the memory module.

First of all I really want to congratulate you and thank you for the Laptop Disassembly guides. Thanks to you I was able to upgrade my Toshiba Satellite P105-S9312’s CPU.
Well It did take me a long time taking it apart (longer than putting it back together hehe)..

I applied Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound on the CPU, GPU, Chipset, etc… and put it back together..

I noticed I was left with 1 screw in my hand.. hehe it could have been worse. Anyways what I noticed is that you know that the P105 has a Blue LED stick right in front of both speakers, well the Left speaker’s Blue LED stick is not turning on, so I want to know if you would specify to me where’s the connection for that since the speaker does sound. And I don’t want to disassemble the laptop again unless I know exactly where to look.

Anyways, any suggestions will be really appreciated.

These lights are located on the back side of the top cover. The power cable for these light plugs into the motherboard and this connector is located on the right side from the touchpad cable under the keyboard.
Take a look at the step12 in this disassembly guide for Toshiba Satellite P105 notebook.
Do you see a small white connector on the right side from the touchpad cable? This is connector for the speaker lights cable. In my guide I used a laptop without lights on the speakers, that’s why there is no cable plugged on the picture. Try reseating the cable, reconnect the cable. Maybe it got loose.
If it doesn’t help, probably you’ll have to take it apart again and take a look on the back side of the top cover and check the cable.

My laptop seems to be experiences cooling fan gunk build up and that is one reason it may shut down unexpectedly.

BUT, in addition..when I move the laptop or shake the bottom a bit it seems to also shut down. Keep in mind it is not an adapter issue because the battery still has anywhere from 50-99% power remaining.

I will admit the battery isn’t so great and should be replaced. But just..moving it around. Would that be enough to create a shut down? Or is this too related to over heating?

I did at one point take a peek at the lap top too, I put it back together with maybe one or two tiny screws missing. This could also perhaps add to the dilemma.

First of all, remove the battery and test the laptop with the AC adapter. Does the laptop still shut down if you move it or shake the bottom when the battery is unplugged? If it does, the problem is not related to the battery or to the connection between the battery and motherboard. Something else is going on inside the case.
Make sure the memory is seated correctly and is making a good connection with the motherboard. Try reconnecting the memory module and test the laptop again.
Finally, minimize the laptop as much as you can. Remove battery, hard drive, DVD drive, wireless card, maybe even disconnect the keyboard and unplug the LCD screen. In short, take it apart to barebone system and leave only motherboard, CPU and memory. Test the system with the AC adapter and then with battery. Does it still shut down when moved? If yes, you can have a motherboard related problem, probably there is a bad contact somewhere on the motherboard.
By the way, what laptop do you have? What model?