Gateway 450SX4 No Cooling Fan

vanagon40vanagon40 Indiana Member
edited January 2010 in Hardware
My daughter brought her Gateway 450SX4 laptop home from college complaining of "internet problems." I was checking it out and discovered that the dial-up connection was lost after approximately 5 to 10 minutes. My daughter claims her problems started after installing SP2.

I eventually noticed that the cooling fan was never coming on (it took me a while to notice this as I never work on a laptop).

So my questions are, how can I determine if this is a hardware problem or a software problem? Is there some way to "hard start" the fan?

Would overheating cause the modem to shut down? My initial thoughts (before I noticed the fan) was that there was a modem problem.

Is this something I can (or another college student) fix or replace. I assume it is. If so, where can I find installation instruction, disassembly instructions, etc. for this model?

What else should I do?

What will happen if my dauther continues to use the computer with no cooling fan? (I think I know the answer to this one, and suspect it is analogous to driving a car.)

The computer was purshased directly from Gateway a little over a year ago as a refurbished model. It is out of the warranty period.

Thanks.

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    EDIT

    I'm a total ass. I didn't see the word "Laptop" in the post (Selective attention, hai hai). All my comments are null and void.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited October 2004
    vanagon40 wrote:
    So my questions are, how can I determine if this is a hardware problem or a software problem? Is there some way to "hard start" the fan?

    It's probably not a software problem, and on that computer there is probably no way to force the fan on, no.
    Would overheating cause the modem to shut down? My initial thoughts (before I noticed the fan) was that there was a modem problem.

    Quite possibly, yes.
    Is this something I can (or another college student) fix or replace. I assume it is.

    Should be.
    If so, where can I find installation instruction, disassembly instructions, etc. for this model?

    If you're lucky, on gateway's site. If you're not, you get to do it the old fashioned way (by the seat of your pants).
    What else should I do?
    I'll get to that in a second :)
    What will happen if my dauther continues to use the computer with no cooling fan?

    Laptop CPU go bye-bye, that's what. It'll be going to the great computer in the sky...

    As for what to do...
    Step 1: Download (on another computer) this program, put it on a CD or something, get it onto the laptop and install it. http://www.geocities.co.jp/SiliconValley-Oakland/8259/release/0310/mm0310.zip

    Post the CPU temperatures if it can read them; start the program immediately after installing it (which you need to do asap after windows boots) and keep an eye on the temps for a while. If it hits 70*C+, shut the laptop down as fast as possible (hold power button down until it shuts off or pull the battery and A/C adapter). Either way, post the results here. Also, specs on the laptop (CPU, RAM, etc.) would be useful.
  • vanagon40vanagon40 Indiana Member
    edited October 2004
    Apparently my daughter and I are suffering from a distance problem and her lack of recognition of a problem. I told my wife I thought the problem was heat related as the fan was not working. I went to work before my daughter was up. That evening, my daughter had already returned to college before I could talk to her.

    However, her mother relayed my diagnosis, and she reportedly responded that the fan has not worked for MONTHS!!!!! DOH!

    I'm not sure what she intends to do, but she mentioned she might have some computer friends at school attempt to fix it. This does not sound promising.

    I'm checking out ebay for some parts. BTW, I think I remove the keyboard to gain access to the fan and heat sink. (Saw a photo of a 450SX4 on ebay for parts with the keyboard removed, and I believe the fan and heat sink were sitting right on top.)
  • edited August 2005
    vanagon40 wrote:
    Apparently my daughter and I are suffering from a distance problem and her lack of recognition of a problem. I told my wife I thought the problem was heat related as the fan was not working. I went to work before my daughter was up. That evening, my daughter had already returned to college before I could talk to her.

    However, her mother relayed my diagnosis, and she reportedly responded that the fan has not worked for MONTHS!!!!! DOH!

    I'm not sure what she intends to do, but she mentioned she might have some computer friends at school attempt to fix it. This does not sound promising.

    I'm checking out ebay for some parts. BTW, I think I remove the keyboard to gain access to the fan and heat sink. (Saw a photo of a 450SX4 on ebay for parts with the keyboard removed, and I believe the fan and heat sink were sitting right on top.)

    I am experiencing the same problem. Can you tell me how you resolved yours? In particular, can you help explain the best means of opening the laptop in order to replace the fan? Thanks.
  • vanagon40vanagon40 Indiana Member
    edited August 2005
    You really don't want to solve your problem the same way I solved mine (BTW, anyone want to buy a Gateway laptop for parts? On ebay hopefully this week.)

    With the Gateway 450SX4, you must remove the keyboard to gain access to the fan. The Gateway website has complete instructions for removing the keyboard on the 450SX4.

    Good luck.
  • xodusssxodusss Arizona
    edited January 2010
    There is a complete service manual for the 450sx4 available on the website
    at [removed by Leonardo] If you need just drivers, they are there for free download as well.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2010
    There is a complete service manual for the 450sx4 available on the website
    Well, if the original poster is still trying to fix the problem FOUR AND A HALF YEARS LATER, that manual for the OLD, OLD laptop might come in handy.


    :)
  • jedihobbitjedihobbit Central Virginia, USA New
    edited January 2010
    Leonardo wrote:
    Well, if the original poster is still trying to fix the problem FOUR AND A HALF YEARS LATER, that manual for the OLD, OLD laptop might come in handy. :)

    Believe this comes under the "leap before you look syndrome". I have done it more times that I would like to remember! ;D

    Was actually responding to a post here when I happened to look at the last posting date and went "oooops!" :o
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2010
    Jedi, that previous poster only stopped long enough at threads here to do a No. 2 and drop semi-helpful posts, loaded with advice to go to his site. His intent wasn't to contribute.
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