[SOLVED] Gateway NX570XL no start

**Raylo** · 11-28-2008, 05:01 PM

Vista Home Premium system

I left the thing computer hibernating this afternoon and when I tried to start it back up later I just got a black screen and no boot activity or sounds. Power light indicator and charging light are lit and the optical drive door will open and shut norrmally. Otherwise nothing. It has occassionally behaved similarly going into and/or out of standby but has always been fine after a hard power down and and restart. Not this time. I always suspected some Vista video driver incompatibility. Anyone have any ideas how to get this pig to start?

**TriggerFinger** · 11-29-2008, 08:06 AM

If you have not done so.. remove battery and ac adapter then press power ON button for 30secs at least. Put back battery and plug ac adapter. Power ON as normal.

**Raylo** · 11-29-2008, 12:08 PM

Thanks, Trigger, I'll give that a try. I had tried pulling the battery but I've not held the power button down as you suggested. Hopefully that will do something.

Otherwise I have tried reseating the RAM modules which did not help. Also tried starting just on AC with the battery out, and again just on battery power with A/C unplugged. It always does the exact thing, after the HD spins up the A LED(caps lock indicator) and the 1 LED flash on then off, then nothing. And the A LED will cycle on and off with the caps lock key. That seems to be the only key that remains functional. Also, the power button works for hard power on and off.

**TriggerFinger** · 11-29-2008, 07:00 PM

Without any Status Indicator Codes to use, start with replacing the RAM modules with good/working ones for testing purposes only.

**Raylo** · 11-30-2008, 08:56 AM

Well, holding the power button down didn't help. I have also tried starting with one RAM module at a time and it does the same thing. I also tried starting with no RAM and it did the same thing except the A and 1 LEDs didn't flash. Unfortunately I don't have any other compatible RAM modules to try. Not sure it would be worth buying a couple only to realize the MoBo (or GPU?) is toast. Not worth fixing either of these.

Some guys on a notebook forum have seen some Gateways GPUs that went off but could be revived by reflowing the solder connections with a heat gun. This is very similar to how an old Tosh I had died a few years ago. But that one would start only to shut itself down when the GPU fritzed out. I did reflow that several times and got it to work for another year or so. Finally got tired of redoing that and tried it with a torch. That finished it off for good. :-/

Do you guys have any links to Gateway disassembly instructions? I have never had this one apart and from past experience with other machines a litle specific knowledge can make the process much easier and less likely to break something. The RAM, HD, and wifi access panels all came off easily but even after I pulled all the other screws the case doesn't want to come open. I wonder what the trick is?

**TriggerFinger** · 11-30-2008, 11:36 AM

Try the link below... steps may be similar.

http://www.digitalscoop.net/Gateway%20Laptop%202.html

Yeah, it could be GPU or motherboard but let's hope not. Power On and observe if you hear movements from the drives.

**Raylo** · 11-30-2008, 11:45 AM

I checked out the disasembly link. Close, but not an exact match. It may be enough to get me through it. As long as the keyboard comes off in a smilar manner I should be able to do it.

Yes, the HD spins up and sounds normal when I try to start the computer. It sounds healthy but only makes the reading sound for a second or so when the whole process comes to a halt. I have had bad HDs before that made a sorry clunk sound and wouldn't boot. This one doesn't sound anything like that. It sounds healthy.

**Raylo** · 11-30-2008, 12:28 PM

Can't get the keyboard off. On my old Tosh you just pried the strip along the top of the keyboard off to get it out. Then the rest was a few screws and ribbon cables. I don't see any "tabs" behind some of the function keys as noted in the link you sent and the strip above the keyboard seems to be integral with the monitor hinges. I'm afraid to pry it lest I break it. I guess I really need model specific directions.

**Raylo** · 09-15-2009, 05:48 AM

Ressurecting an old thread....

I finally got around to messing with this. The NX570XL motherboards seem to have become more available so I ordered one last week from Skyline Engineering, a Gateway/E-machines parts supplier in Wisconsin. I installed it yesterday and the computer works like new. A bit of a challenge remembering how to put the puzzle back together but not too bad. 85 windows updates later I have a nice working machine again. :-/

Anyway, I recommend Skyline... not the cheapest but great service, fast shipment, and (so far) seems to be a quality product.

Call this one solved.

11-28-2008, 05:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
Raylo TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 521 OS: XP Desktop, Vista HP Notebook, XP Notebook	[SOLVED] Gateway NX570XL no start Vista Home Premium system I left the thing computer hibernating this afternoon and when I tried to start it back up later I just got a black screen and no boot activity or sounds. Power light indicator and charging light are lit and the optical drive door will open and shut norrmally. Otherwise nothing. It has occassionally behaved similarly going into and/or out of standby but has always been fine after a hard power down and and restart. Not this time. I always suspected some Vista video driver incompatibility. Anyone have any ideas how to get this pig to start?

11-29-2008, 08:06 AM	#2 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,802 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Gateway NX570XL no start If you have not done so.. remove battery and ac adapter then press power ON button for 30secs at least. Put back battery and plug ac adapter. Power ON as normal. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

11-29-2008, 12:08 PM	#3 (permalink)
Raylo TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 521 OS: XP Desktop, Vista HP Notebook, XP Notebook	Re: Gateway NX570XL no start Thanks, Trigger, I'll give that a try. I had tried pulling the battery but I've not held the power button down as you suggested. Hopefully that will do something. Otherwise I have tried reseating the RAM modules which did not help. Also tried starting just on AC with the battery out, and again just on battery power with A/C unplugged. It always does the exact thing, after the HD spins up the A LED(caps lock indicator) and the 1 LED flash on then off, then nothing. And the A LED will cycle on and off with the caps lock key. That seems to be the only key that remains functional. Also, the power button works for hard power on and off.

11-29-2008, 07:00 PM	#4 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,802 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Gateway NX570XL no start Without any Status Indicator Codes to use, start with replacing the RAM modules with good/working ones for testing purposes only. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

11-30-2008, 08:56 AM	#5 (permalink)
Raylo TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 521 OS: XP Desktop, Vista HP Notebook, XP Notebook	Re: Gateway NX570XL no start Well, holding the power button down didn't help. I have also tried starting with one RAM module at a time and it does the same thing. I also tried starting with no RAM and it did the same thing except the A and 1 LEDs didn't flash. Unfortunately I don't have any other compatible RAM modules to try. Not sure it would be worth buying a couple only to realize the MoBo (or GPU?) is toast. Not worth fixing either of these. Some guys on a notebook forum have seen some Gateways GPUs that went off but could be revived by reflowing the solder connections with a heat gun. This is very similar to how an old Tosh I had died a few years ago. But that one would start only to shut itself down when the GPU fritzed out. I did reflow that several times and got it to work for another year or so. Finally got tired of redoing that and tried it with a torch. That finished it off for good. :-/ Do you guys have any links to Gateway disassembly instructions? I have never had this one apart and from past experience with other machines a litle specific knowledge can make the process much easier and less likely to break something. The RAM, HD, and wifi access panels all came off easily but even after I pulled all the other screws the case doesn't want to come open. I wonder what the trick is? Last edited by Raylo; 11-30-2008 at 08:59 AM.

11-30-2008, 11:36 AM	#6 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,802 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Gateway NX570XL no start Try the link below... steps may be similar. http://www.digitalscoop.net/Gateway%20Laptop%202.html Yeah, it could be GPU or motherboard but let's hope not. Power On and observe if you hear movements from the drives. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

11-30-2008, 11:45 AM	#7 (permalink)
Raylo TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 521 OS: XP Desktop, Vista HP Notebook, XP Notebook	Re: Gateway NX570XL no start I checked out the disasembly link. Close, but not an exact match. It may be enough to get me through it. As long as the keyboard comes off in a smilar manner I should be able to do it. Yes, the HD spins up and sounds normal when I try to start the computer. It sounds healthy but only makes the reading sound for a second or so when the whole process comes to a halt. I have had bad HDs before that made a sorry clunk sound and wouldn't boot. This one doesn't sound anything like that. It sounds healthy. Last edited by Raylo; 11-30-2008 at 11:52 AM.

11-30-2008, 12:28 PM	#8 (permalink)
Raylo TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 521 OS: XP Desktop, Vista HP Notebook, XP Notebook	Re: Gateway NX570XL no start Can't get the keyboard off. On my old Tosh you just pried the strip along the top of the keyboard off to get it out. Then the rest was a few screws and ribbon cables. I don't see any "tabs" behind some of the function keys as noted in the link you sent and the strip above the keyboard seems to be integral with the monitor hinges. I'm afraid to pry it lest I break it. I guess I really need model specific directions.

09-15-2009, 05:48 AM	#9 (permalink)
Raylo TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 521 OS: XP Desktop, Vista HP Notebook, XP Notebook	Re: Gateway NX570XL no start Ressurecting an old thread.... I finally got around to messing with this. The NX570XL motherboards seem to have become more available so I ordered one last week from Skyline Engineering, a Gateway/E-machines parts supplier in Wisconsin. I installed it yesterday and the computer works like new. A bit of a challenge remembering how to put the puzzle back together but not too bad. 85 windows updates later I have a nice working machine again. :-/ Anyway, I recommend Skyline... not the cheapest but great service, fast shipment, and (so far) seems to be a quality product. Call this one solved.