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General discussion

Gateway ML6721 - motherboard crashed

by sharoninchicago Jul 21, 2009 3:55AM PDT

I bought my Gateway laptop in Nov 2007. After a problem-free year & 1/2, I returned from vacation recently (not having used it for 10 days) to find that the motherboard is dead. I have no Extended Warranty, & I bought it at (don't laugh) Circuit City. Geek Squad quoted me $400 ($200 ea/parts-labor) for repair. What should I do? It seems that a motherboard should last longer than 2 months, no? Am I screwed?

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5 Posts
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Sad story.
by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jul 21, 2009 4:02AM PDT

But before I write any answer did you try the usuals such as taking the battery out, no AC cord, press and hold the power button for 1 minute (yes it takes less time but I've lost count of seeing people hold it for 14 seconds when you need 15!)

Then slip in the AC and try again.

I have NOT researched your model to see if there is a reset button or CMOS BATTERY to replace. You do that.

Bob

PS.Answers Try the above and Yes to last 2 questions.

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Tried it
by sharoninchicago Jul 21, 2009 4:26AM PDT

Thanks for your reply! Yep, I tried removing the battery, holding down the power button (my initial error was "Operating System Not Found"). The Geeks did find that they can recover the data on my hard drive (for $100), which I'll try to do myself. Otherwise, guess I'll be looking at a new purchase .... (sigh). It will NOT be a Gateway.

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my initial error was "Operating System Not Found"
by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jul 21, 2009 4:53AM PDT

Hold on here. If the machine is doing that my next test is to go get my UBUNTU LiveCD and boot that up. I use that since I don't have to install that and it lets me look around the machine.
Bob

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No CD drive either
by sharoninchicago Jul 21, 2009 10:19AM PDT

Not sure what that CD is ... but even still, the CD drive seems inoperable. I have to manually open it, & when I put in the Operating System Disk, it doesn't read it at all.
(sigh)

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Ouch.
by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jul 21, 2009 12:18PM PDT

If the drive is dead we have to fix that too.

But your reply did not correct my thought so I'm left with a thought that the machine may be saved but it may not be something you will do since the basics such as what a CD is are not something you use day to day. Ubuntu didn't seem to be an option here.

Sorry, it looks like a repair counter for this one.
Bob

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