Gateway LT2514u Troubleshooting

Netbook won't power on.

Make sure the battery is in place and is firmly connected. If the netbook still won’t power on, plug in your power supply and try again. If the netbook powers on, then your battery is dead and may simply need to charge. Leave the netbook plugged in for a while and then disconnect the power supply. If the netbook immediately shuts off, you should replace the battery using this guide.

If the battery is dead and the netbook won’t power on even when plugged in, you may have a problem with the power supply. To test the power supply by itself, start by removing the battery. Make sure your power supply is plugged into an outlet that you know is working by testing it with another device. If the other device also doesn’t turn on, try a different outlet. Once you’ve found a working outlet, there are 3 places to check to make sure the power supply itself has a firm connection: the outlet, the converter (the black box midway along the power cable), and the netbook. Make sure all three have a firm connection. If you are still not getting any power to your netbook, you will need to replace the power supply.

If you’ve replaced both the battery and the power supply and issue is not resolved, the issue is likely the motherboard. Replacing the notebook or taking it to a professional repair shop are your best options at this point.

When the netbook isn’t plugged in, the battery dies quickly.

Start by plugging in the netbook and allowing the battery to fully charge. Once the battery indicator in the notification section of the taskbar indicates a 100% charge, disconnect the power supply. If the battery still drains significantly faster than it has in the past, you will need to replace the battery by following this guide.

Netbook turns off without warning.

If the netbook shuts off without warning, wait for it to happen again and immediately check to see if the bottom of the netbook is hot to the touch. If so, it is likely the netbook is overheating due to an issue with the cooling fan. To troubleshoot, clean the vents on the netbook with a can of compressed air. If problem persists, you may need to replace the fan by following this guide.

If the computer shuts off without warning and is not hot to the touch, your computer may have a virus. Although rare, some viruses will shut your computer off when a specific keystroke is made or when a particular program is opening. To troubleshoot, make sure your computer’s anti-virus software is running and is up-to-date with the latest definitions. If problem persists, having your computer professionally inspected is your best option.

While in use the computer makes a loud humming noise.

Although there are many possible sources of the noise, the most common is the cooling fan. With your netbook powered off, gain access to the cooling fan by following this guide. Using a can of compressed air, begin clearing the fan of dust by hitting it with short bursts of air from different angles. Reassemble the netbook by following the previous guide in reverse order and then turn it on again to see if problem is resolved. If the problem persists replace the fan using the same guide.

If the fan has been cleaned and/or replaced and you still hear the same noise, the next most common source of additional noise is likely from the hard drive. You may need to replace it. You can do this by following this guide.

Sound is crackling, distorted, or absent when headphones (or speakers) are plugged in.

If sound is not playing, look to the lower right of the task bar. Click the speaker icon and make sure the volume isn't muted or turned all the way down.

Use the built in speakers to establish that the netbook is providing sound. If the netbook is putting out sound properly, then the issue lies with either the headphones or the netbook’s audio output jacks. To test the headphones, verify that they work with a different device. If they do, then the device’s audio jacks are faulty and need to be replaced at a professional repair shop.

Sound is crackling, distorted, or absent when playing through computer’s speaker.

If sound is not playing, look for the speaker icon in the lower right of the task bar. Click on it and make sure the volume is not muted or turned all the way down.

If the sound is absent, distorted, intermittent, there may be a connection issue with your speakers. See this guide to access the speakers, and verify that all cables are properly seated.

If the netbook is providing sound properly to headphones or external speakers and all onboard speaker cables are properly seated, then there is an issue with your onboard speakers. Try to clean the dust from the speakers with a can of compressed air. If this does not resolve the issue, then the speakers need to be replaced using this guide.

Netbook responds sluggishly or slows down after extended usage.

If the computer slows down after extended usage, the device may be running out of memory. A restart will clear up the issue temporarily, but consider installing larger RAM cards to permanently solve it. Follow this guide to remove the existing RAM and replace with larger capacity cards.

Unused programs may be taking up memory and processing power that can be used elsewhere. Try closing the programs normally. If you are unable to close them, open the Task Manager by right-clicking on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen and selecting Start Task Manager. Making sure you’re under the Applications tab at the top, select the program(s) you want to end and click End Process.

Your netbook may be starting too many programs upon Windows startup. To manage what programs automatically start, click on the start menu and type msconfig. Once the tool is open, select the Startup Services tab across the top. Uncheck the box next to any program you either do not use or do not want to startup whenever Windows starts and click Apply. After you click OK, Windows will need to restart in order for the changes to take effect.

If the previous options have been ruled out, then it is more than likely that your device is infected with a virus, malware, or adware. Bring it to a professional repair shop, and if the problem persists, nuke it from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.