[SOLVED] Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue

jerkyjerky · 12-22-2008, 11:50 AM

I am trying to help a friend out with a Gateway Profile 4. It will power up every time you press the power button. You have to do this several times to get the machine to actually boot. It appears to power up because you can hear it power up and hear the fans and the screen comes on with nothing on it. Also the power button is orange most of the time to try to start it up. When you get a successful boot the button is green and not orange. So you have to try to power it up several times before it will actually give you a successful boot. I have tried another power adapter so I know that is not the problem. Could the motherboard be going out? Sometimes I get a good boot but there seems to be no rhyme or reason to it, you just have to keep trying it until it eventually boots up. Any thoughts?

**wrench97** · 12-22-2008, 12:33 PM

By "tried another power adapter" Do you mean the AC cord as I believe these have a built in 160w power supply or inverter board?
Usually it's a power supply issue that causes this.

jerkyjerky · 12-22-2008, 12:49 PM

I tried another power adapter and power cord. This is an all in one unit and has a bulky adapter like a laptop has. This is what I have replaced already and did not remedy the problem. I have not tried the inverter board inside the machine yet.

**wrench97** · 12-22-2008, 01:19 PM

Did the part you replaced look like this?

jerkyjerky · 12-22-2008, 03:24 PM

No. It's the pieces outside of the computer. Picture attached.

jerkyjerky · 12-22-2008, 03:25 PM

I have not changed out the internal card that you referred to yet.

**wrench97** · 12-22-2008, 03:35 PM

That seems to be the weak link in this system.
Unfortunately I didn't find a pin out of the card to tell you what voltages to check but normally yellow is 12v, Red is 5v, Orange is 3.3v and Black is ground.

jerkyjerky · 12-22-2008, 03:45 PM

I've ordered the card you had pictured in your message. I will try that next. The little CMOS battery on the motherboard wouldn't have anything to do with this problem would it? I will change it out anyway when I open up the case. Just thought I would mention it.

**wrench97** · 12-22-2008, 03:53 PM

If the Cmos battery was bad you would normally have to reset the Time and Date on every boot.

jerkyjerky · 12-28-2008, 12:19 PM

Well the power card iniside the machine didn't fix the problem. Must be the inverter for the LCD. I've read that they are notorious in that model for going out.

**wrench97** · 12-29-2008, 02:33 AM

The lcd inverter should not leave the power button yellow, that's usually a indication of a power issue.

jerkyjerky · 01-11-2009, 01:59 PM

Well I've changed the LCD interter now too. That problem is stil there. Most of the time when you press the power button the button is red and the screen is just gray. If you mess with it for about 3 min or so you can eventually usually get it to come up. The machine will eventually get the green button status and power up and go through the usual boot up process. Any ideas now?

**wrench97** · 01-11-2009, 02:15 PM

Do you have access to a digital volt meter?

jerkyjerky · 01-11-2009, 03:19 PM

No I don't. I could probably borrow one. What is your suggestion?

**wrench97** · 01-11-2009, 03:27 PM

I was looking for pinouts but so far unsuccessfully, I'll keep looking.

jerkyjerky · 01-11-2009, 04:18 PM

Thank you for your continued help and suggestions

jerkyjerky · 01-21-2009, 01:13 AM

I just changed out the motherboard. That did the trick. In hind sight I believe it was the built in video card on the motherboard. I took the CPU and heatsink from the previous board. It works like a champ now. Thanks again for your suggestions.

**wrench97** · 01-21-2009, 01:46 AM

Glad to hear you have it working.

12-22-2008, 11:50 AM	#1 (permalink)
jerkyjerky Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 34 OS: Windows XP Pro SP3	[SOLVED] Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue I am trying to help a friend out with a Gateway Profile 4. It will power up every time you press the power button. You have to do this several times to get the machine to actually boot. It appears to power up because you can hear it power up and hear the fans and the screen comes on with nothing on it. Also the power button is orange most of the time to try to start it up. When you get a successful boot the button is green and not orange. So you have to try to power it up several times before it will actually give you a successful boot. I have tried another power adapter so I know that is not the problem. Could the motherboard be going out? Sometimes I get a good boot but there seems to be no rhyme or reason to it, you just have to keep trying it until it eventually boots up. Any thoughts?

12-22-2008, 12:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,450 OS: Win7	Re: Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue By "tried another power adapter" Do you mean the AC cord as I believe these have a built in 160w power supply or inverter board? Usually it's a power supply issue that causes this. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

12-22-2008, 12:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
jerkyjerky Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 34 OS: Windows XP Pro SP3	Re: Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue I tried another power adapter and power cord. This is an all in one unit and has a bulky adapter like a laptop has. This is what I have replaced already and did not remedy the problem. I have not tried the inverter board inside the machine yet. Last edited by jerkyjerky; 12-22-2008 at 12:52 PM.

12-22-2008, 03:24 PM	#5 (permalink)
jerkyjerky Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 34 OS: Windows XP Pro SP3	Re: Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue No. It's the pieces outside of the computer. Picture attached.

12-22-2008, 03:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
jerkyjerky Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 34 OS: Windows XP Pro SP3	Re: Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue I have not changed out the internal card that you referred to yet.

12-22-2008, 03:35 PM	#7 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,450 OS: Win7	Re: Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue That seems to be the weak link in this system. Unfortunately I didn't find a pin out of the card to tell you what voltages to check but normally yellow is 12v, Red is 5v, Orange is 3.3v and Black is ground. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

12-22-2008, 03:45 PM	#8 (permalink)
jerkyjerky Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 34 OS: Windows XP Pro SP3	Re: Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue I've ordered the card you had pictured in your message. I will try that next. The little CMOS battery on the motherboard wouldn't have anything to do with this problem would it? I will change it out anyway when I open up the case. Just thought I would mention it. Last edited by jerkyjerky; 12-22-2008 at 03:48 PM.

12-22-2008, 03:53 PM	#9 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,450 OS: Win7	Re: Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue If the Cmos battery was bad you would normally have to reset the Time and Date on every boot. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

12-28-2008, 12:19 PM	#10 (permalink)
jerkyjerky Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 34 OS: Windows XP Pro SP3	Re: Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue Well the power card iniside the machine didn't fix the problem. Must be the inverter for the LCD. I've read that they are notorious in that model for going out.

12-29-2008, 02:33 AM	#11 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,450 OS: Win7	Re: Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue The lcd inverter should not leave the power button yellow, that's usually a indication of a power issue. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

01-11-2009, 01:59 PM	#12 (permalink)
jerkyjerky Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 34 OS: Windows XP Pro SP3	Re: Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue Well I've changed the LCD interter now too. That problem is stil there. Most of the time when you press the power button the button is red and the screen is just gray. If you mess with it for about 3 min or so you can eventually usually get it to come up. The machine will eventually get the green button status and power up and go through the usual boot up process. Any ideas now?

01-11-2009, 02:15 PM	#13 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,450 OS: Win7	Re: Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue Do you have access to a digital volt meter? __________________ Power Supply and Selection

01-11-2009, 03:19 PM	#14 (permalink)
jerkyjerky Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 34 OS: Windows XP Pro SP3	Re: Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue No I don't. I could probably borrow one. What is your suggestion? Last edited by jerkyjerky; 01-11-2009 at 03:21 PM.

01-11-2009, 03:27 PM	#15 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,450 OS: Win7	Re: Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue I was looking for pinouts but so far unsuccessfully, I'll keep looking. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

01-11-2009, 04:18 PM	#16 (permalink)
jerkyjerky Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 34 OS: Windows XP Pro SP3	Re: Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue Thank you for your continued help and suggestions

01-21-2009, 01:13 AM	#17 (permalink)
jerkyjerky Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 34 OS: Windows XP Pro SP3	Re: Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue I just changed out the motherboard. That did the trick. In hind sight I believe it was the built in video card on the motherboard. I took the CPU and heatsink from the previous board. It works like a champ now. Thanks again for your suggestions.

01-21-2009, 01:46 AM	#18 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,450 OS: Win7	Re: Gateway Profile 4 Power Issue Glad to hear you have it working. __________________ Power Supply and Selection