How to know what's the max upgrade of my laptop motherboard??

[lordtroller]

This is my laptop (Gateway fx p7805u)

http://support.gateway.com/s/Mobile/2009/PSeries/P-78/P-78sp24.shtml

I've been trying to search for info about it, but it's kind of vague to me.

I'd like to know what kind of motherboards will fit my laptop in case I want to upgrade, can you guide me here??

I've read that a p7915u mobo would fit my laptop, but what are the considerations to assume this??, how should I look??

 

[Tom Tancredi]

Laptops are NOT upgradable. They are customized at the time of design for that platform, and majority of parts are SOLDERED together, including the CPU, GPU, etc. to the MOBO. Due to the specific design for that platform creates the design as well for that mobo, the power requirements, etc.

 

[lordtroller]

I'll ask this again.

When your motherboard fails (cpu, gpu, everything in it), you can buy other on Ebay or Newegg for instance.

Let's say my MOBO burns or something, what would be another upgrade?, cause yes, I've read posts about people upgrading the motherboard of my laptop to others more powerful.

 

[LummusMaximus]

Not all laptop CPUs are soldered. In every single one of the laptops I've disassembled, the CPUs have been socketed, and completely removable.

 

[Tom Tancredi]

I'll ask this again.
When your motherboard fails (cpu, gpu, everything in it), you can buy other on Ebay or Newegg for instance.
Let's say my MOBO burns or something, what would be another upgrade?, cause yes, I've read posts about people upgrading the motherboard of my laptop to others more powerful.

Your mixing things up. What you read is about DESKTOP Motherboard, CPU, GPU, 'everything'. These are made DIFFERENTLY. You CAN NOT go to NewEgg and 'just buy' a replacement because it isn't available to be purchased seperately (look up the Mobo Part# yourself). When people go to 'Ebay' they are getting second hand some 'condition' of someone else whom bought the very same one (same exact model, so you can't just get ANY gateway laptop and swap parts because they don't FIT), and say they sat on the LCD, then it be up to you to swap the mobos out (in your scenario) and you are on your own IF the 'used' one works at all.

To 'prove' this here is a simple test: Google Gateway Laptop Motherboard, and here is what they look like
https://www.google.com/search?q=Gateway+laptop+motherboard&num=30&newwindow=1&safe=off&espv=210&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=h_3yUs3bN8OC2AX-qYCIBA&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAg&biw=1366&bih=858

Now take a good look at what I am saying, they are SHAPED different for each MODEL even though they are all GATEWAY, because each laptop 'design' tends to be different to meet different needs which also makes the Mobo unique.

Google Desktop Motherboard
https://www.google.com/search?q=Desktop+motherboard&num=30&newwindow=1&safe=off&espv=210&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=FP7yUv68BtO02wXh3oC4Ag&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAg&biw=1366&bih=858

Look carefully the same purple connector, the same SHAPE motherboard, roughly the same position for the ports.

Now if you read articles on SPECIFICALLY that laptop and people 'replacing the mobo' then they are HACKING a DIY and are the only ones doing it, and know specifically what does work and what doesn't. So if you wish to replicate their hack (mind you and you should read numerous WARNINGS that there is a VERY HIGH risk of screwing it up because Gateway didn't "make it that way" - aka fit square cube in round hole) that is where your source is. As a STANDARD, Laptop, even ALIENWARE are not 'upgradeable' like a desktop is (mobo, install any GPU, etc.).

 

[lordtroller]

No hacking in motherboards as far as I can read, they just buy a new model (Like a 7915 model for their 7805 series) and it fits because both are gateway FX p series.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gateway-FX-P-7805U-FX-P-7807U-Motherboard-MB-W4201-002-/251432851818?pt=Motherboards&hash=item3a8a90d96a

That's my mobo.

 

[Tom Tancredi]

As I said, if they found one set of boards just happen to fit in a 'older' system, great but this would be just a rarity, as you can see that image you provided, now look back to the many other laptop boards in the Google link I showed. If you compare, note the position of the CPU and RAM (For the heat sink design of the case), note where the ports come out (One series laptop can have them on the left, the next 'series' from the same maker and same model have had them on the rear instead or worse in the front!) and you can see there is no 'just look on Ebay, Amazon, etc. and get a new one'; the point of the discussion.

I hope this helps clarify things. Your sole source is just that series, and those specific ones posted in their article, as the answer to your original question.

 

[lordtroller]

One of the posts I was referring on the internet was this:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/gateway-emachines/685851-p-7805u-motherboard-upgrade-assistance.html

And yes, I'm talking specifically about the P series.

 

[mariner3302]

Tom, although on the majority of laptops/notebooks out there, you MAY be for the most part correct. It certainly was that way ten years ago. However, in the case of the Gateway FX Series notebooks though, you are digging into a hole saying something when you are just plain wrong. Research it, admit it, and move on! The Gateway P-78 Series and the P-79 Series, and I am pretty sure the P-6000 Series, CAN be COMPLETELY disassembled with the exception of the GPU which is, in fact, soldered straight to the motherboard. It is not hard to do, and it is pretty mentally painless after the first time you do it. Just take out the screws and hardware in a logical order. Replace whatever is broke or needing upgrade (they're easy to find parts for). Then reverse the order to put it back together and VIOLA! They are really sweet machines. I use a dual core X-9100 CPU running at 3.06ghz stock, no overclocking here. What I can have for a few hundred bucks now is easily on par with newer machines at 4 times the price. Anyway - A Google search for "p-7805u disassembly" will give you this link as the top hit - Gateway FX Disassembly Guide (Covers all 17in FX Notebooks . It is exactly correct in how to do it. I have disassembled my P-7805u a number of times for RAM upgrades, cleaning, CPU upgrading, and such. I'm currently dealing with a motherboard that needs to be reflowed because I let so much pet hair build up between the heatsink and fans that it looked like a piece of thick felt. This led to very excessive temperatures and broke the link between the mobo and one of the two fans. I think I will replace the original motherboard to either a P-7811 or P-7908. The motherboards are the same with just different hardware features and capabilities. And ANYTHING you need to fix on of the notebooks IS in fact easily found on eBay and such. So if your 7805 motherboard craps like mine did, then replace it with a more capable model. I have 2 P-7811's also, so I think I will just use a new 7811 mobo to replace the crapped one. Once you have the computer completely taken apart, the skys the limit as to what you upgrade. As far as tools, all you need is a set of small screwdrivers and some patience. There is no drilling, dremeling, fitting, and all that. Easy as pie!

This is what a P-7805u looks like mostly disassembled, the heatsinks, CPU, wifi card and such are still onboard so I don't lose them to my cat or something -

Another good source of information starts here (look around and you will find other videos on the same topic) - P-7811 CPU replacement

 

[Tom Tancredi]

@mariner3302 Actually you proved and supported what I was saying if you read carefully what I said. I have taken apart most Dell, Gateway, Fijuitsu, Sony, etc. laptops since 1995 produced professional as IT Support, and with the rare exceptions (such as yours) they all required more then patience and in some cases the Service Manual, because the 'logical' steps were based on understanding the machine was being worked on both sides in a automated process so screws on one side released one part then the opposite side had to be removed to get to wires X Y and Z before removing the first side other part. Sadly these are inconsistent as I mentioned even from the same maker and having similar 'model series', for example the Dell Latitude 610 is quite different then the 650 and don't even try to compare to the 660 just to name one.

That said, I did mention in the last sentences February 5, 2014 7:18:45 PM "Now if you read articles on SPECIFICALLY that laptop and people 'replacing the mobo' then they are HACKING a DIY and are the only ones doing it, and know specifically what does work and what doesn't. " which BOTH the OP link and your own are HACKING DIY threads, not "Tom's Hardware guide to replace Laptop Mobos" or "Cnet article on replacing Gateway Laptop parts" like it was common task as say "Tom's Guide to replacing your Desktop Video Card" is. That was my point, that the threads you both mentioned would be the fair and most likely source to help the OP in this specific case, not as a generalized question presented "I'd like to know what kind of motherboards will fit my laptop in case I want to upgrade, can you guide me here??".

Giving a quick glance at your link I did not see the p7915u the OP would like to use, and I don't really have the time to search the entire thread for the OP (I think the OP is capable to do that themselves, or better yet ASK in that thread these questions). We m17xR2 owners also have our few specific threads, where we defied Dell/Alienware's 'standard parts' and have easily (as I am at this moment) used NVidia 670m in the same case design and breathe life to the legacy i7 chipset. While my 7200RPM and SSD work nicely, they are being hobbled by the SATA II chipset where I am waiting for HDD accessing.

 

[lordtroller]

Finally, mariner3302 answered the right question!!

At this time, I gave my lap a first service, and while it was kind of hard for being the first time doing it, I could clean everything from start to finish.

So what is the greatest MOBO upgrade?, because I checked in a forum somebody saying he was going to replace his p7805 motherboard with another that had a GTX 260m graphics card, but I dont know the model.

Hope you respond me man!!

And by the way, Tom Tancredi, being wrong once and once and now trying to say he was saying the same than you or I all along and playing semantics, come on man, even though it's the internet, admitting you messed up is ok sometimes.

 

[Krathoon]

Finally, mariner3302 answered the right question!!

At this time, I gave my lap a first service, and while it was kind of hard for being the first time doing it, I could clean everything from start to finish.

So what is the greatest MOBO upgrade?, because I checked in a forum somebody saying he was going to replace his p7805 motherboard with another that had a GTX 260m graphics card, but I dont know the model.

Hope you respond me man!!

And by the way, Tom Tancredi, being wrong once and once and now trying to say he was saying the same than you or I all along and playing semantics, come on man, even though it's the internet, admitting you messed up is ok sometimes.

Actually, I am about to do this very same upgrade. I am going to swap out my p7805u board for a p7908u one. I got it for $114. I am not really certain it is worth it though. Even though it is two generations after the GPU on the previous board, the GTX 260M is really not that amazing anymore. The new board is supposed to be able to take a quad core, however.

Another option is to max out the memory and replace the drives with SSD ones or at least replace the OS drive with a SSD one.