Gateway Solo 1200 Troubleshooting

The laptop fails to power on at all, even with the AC adapter plugged in.

Your battery may be loose. Open up the back of the laptop to ensure that the battery is secure and attached to the connectors correctly.

To test if your battery has died, first disconnect the AC adapter and your laptop’s battery. Hold the power button down for thirty seconds to make sure there is no remaining power left in the laptop. Plug the AC adapter into a working power outlet, then connect the AC adapter to your laptop. Turn the laptop on by pressing the power button. If the laptop powers on with the AC adapter plugged in and the battery removed, then the battery is dead, and requires replacement.

Your cursor or keyboard is unresponsive or behaves erratically.

It’s possible that the laptop and keyboard are not connected properly. Shut down your laptop completely. If possible, test the external keyboard and/or mouse on another device to confirm peripherals are in working order. Ensure that the peripherals are securely plugged into the computer before turning the device back on. Once connected, power on your laptop. If the peripherals are still unresponsive or behaving erratically, cleaning them should correct the issue.

Out-of-date device drivers could be preventing your peripherals from functioning properly. To update device drivers, download the most recent drivers from a site such as www.driverscape.com. Make sure to download drivers appropriate for the operating system your device is running.

Dust or debris could be interfering with the laptop’s connection. Clean the connection ports using a cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol, being sure to remove any dust, lint, or other debris build-ups.

To clean the keyboard, spray with canned air using a plastic straw attachment to clear out any debris stuck between keys.

To clean the mouse, turn it upside down and unscrew the retaining ring on the bottom of the mouse counter-clockwise. Remove the mouse ball. Clean the mouse ball using a soft cloth, being sure to remove any dust and lint. Clean the mouse rollers on the inside of the mouse using cotton swabs and isopropyl alcohol. Replace the mouse ball and re-attach the retaining ring.

While playing games or working, your laptop shuts off without any warning.

Dust clogging up your system is the most common cause of overheating. To fix this issue, blow compressed air onto the vent openings to remove the dust. In other cases, the dust may migrate inside the laptop and hinder the heatsink and inner-cooling system. This requires dismantling the laptop, inspecting the components for dust, and blowing the dust away with compressed air.

Overheating can be caused by improper air circulation throughout the laptop. Listen for stuttering, skipping, or slowed fan speed to determine if the component is faulty. If the fan isn’t properly running, it must be replaced.

You may be overworking your laptop and causing the processor to overheat. To fix this, try one or all of the following options:

Reset to Factory Standard

If you have maxed out the laptop's settings, you may have pushed the device past its intended purpose. Go into your laptop’s settings and reset the processing speed back to the factory default.

Reposition the Laptop

The fans and cooling system may not be getting adequate airflow for intense usage. Set the laptop on a flat, cool surface like a desk, and make sure the vents aren’t obstructed.

Shut Off

Make sure to shut off your laptop when not in use. Powering off the device ceases all processes and gives the components time to cool off completely.

Your laptop may need new thermal paste to cool the system properly. Thermal paste attaches the heatsink to your laptop’s processor; over time, the thermal paste can dry out and trap air between the components.

To apply new thermal paste, you’ll need to dismantle your laptop to access the cooling system. Completely clean the heatsink and processor of the old thermal paste, then apply a small amount of new thermal paste onto the center of your processor for proper adhesion. Gently press the heat sink onto the processor before reassembling the laptop.

Your laptop doesn’t charge, even when plugged into its charger.

Make sure that the vents on the laptop are not blocked. Vents on the back and sides of the laptop allow the laptop to release heat, but they can’t properly regulate temperature if they’re blocked. To fix this issue, place the laptop on a flat and firm surface, ensuring that the vents are free to let the air circulate.

Make sure your charging cord and its connectors are not damaged or outdated. You can prevent this by replacing your laptop cord when it expires, as well as properly using and storing your laptop’s charging cord. When using or storing your laptop, avoid rubbing the cable against the edge of your workplace, like desks or tables. Even small movements can wear away the protective rubber on your charging cord.

You can also protect your laptop by removing the charger from each end and not yanking the cord itself. Pulling the connectors out horizontally, not at an angle, will preserve the connectors. After unplugging, you should wrap your laptop’s charging cords loosely so as not to crimp the internal wires.

Also, consider the lifetime of your laptop’s cords. Laptop cords should last between three and ten years, depending on the model. If the cords are outdated or have signs of damage, it may be time to get a new charger.

Make sure that the charging port is clean. Over time, dust and grime can accumulate on the charging ports. This interrupts the electrical circuit from the charger to the laptop battery.

First, turn off your computer to avoid shock. You can clean the charging port by spraying the debris off with canned compressed air or a squeezable dust blower.

If the debris is too tightly packed, try using a Q-tip or a wooden toothpick to wipe debris away gently. Do not use metal or plastic because you may scrape and damage the charging ports.

If the debris is still not coming out, visit a professional and avoid causing irreparable damage to the charging port. You can help prevent this problem by using an anti-dust plug to cover your charging port.

Your laptop’s performance is unusually slow or freezes on regular programs. You may also see a low memory error on the screen.

Ensure your processes (programs, games, movies, etc.) are not using too much of your computer’s memory. Open task manager (ctrl+alt+delete) and select any non-system process that is using excessive memory. Check to see if the warning pops up again. You can help prevent this problem by only using processes that are within your computer’s capabilities.

Make sure temporary and unnecessary files are not eating up your laptop’s storage. You can fix this by using a built-in tool called Disk Cleanup. Open Disk Cleanup and select the drive that needs files removed, generally starting with the C-Drive. This should clean up temporary and unnecessary files. Check to see if the warning reappears. Cleaning your disks regularly with Disk Cleanup can prevent this error in the future.

Some low memory errors are actually scams. These files will tell you to download malicious files to “repair” your computer, infecting it further. Do not download or install anything onto your laptop without a computer professional present. You’ll need to use a professionally trusted antivirus and anti-malware program already installed on your computer.

First, use Windows’ built-in antivirus scanner, Windows Defender, to scan your laptop. Run a full scan through Windows Defender or another trusted program. Check to see if the warning pops up again. You can help prevent this problem by making sure you only download and install trusted programs from official sites.