Gateway Z5WTC Hard Drive Replacement

Introduction

I have created this guide for the reader with minimal-to-intermediate technical experience. I estimate that most readers can complete my guide within 15-25 minutes. To complete the guide's steps, the only tool you will need is a #1 Phillips screwdriver. As an outline of my procedure, I will remove the laptop’s backing, access the hard drive, disconnect it, and replace it with a working hard drive. My guide is helpful, because it shows you how to fix a 2014 laptop, a cost-effective alternative to your purchasing a new laptop.

What you need

Step 1 Hard Drive

Gateway Z5WTC Hard Drive Replacement, Hard Drive: step 1, image 1 of 1

Ensuring the laptop is turned off, flip the laptop upside down.
Remove the single Phillips #1 screw in the laptop bottom casing.

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Step 2

Insert a prying tool into the casing’s opening and steadily pry around the casing’s edges until it pops open.

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Step 3

Using a Phillips #1 screwdriver, remove the single screw in the hard drive's metal holder.

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Step 4

Remove the hard drive, pulling up on the hard drive’s plastic tab while inserting and lifting a prying tool inside the hard drive bay.
When the above step is complete, the hard drive will gently "pop" out of the hard drive bay.

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Step 5

Remove the two Phillips #1 screws in the metal hard drive holder. One screw is on each side of the metal frame.

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Step 6

Slide the hard drive out of the metal hard drive frame.
Slide the replacement hard drive into the frame.

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Step 7

Screw in the two screws in the metal hard drive holder. One screw is on each side of the metal frame.
Use a #1 Philips screwdriver

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Step 8

Insert the metal hard drive holder into the hard drive bay, then push the hard drive’s plastic tab to connect the hard drive to the laptop.

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Step 9

Using a #1 Philips screwdriver, screw in the single screw in the hard drive metal holder.

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Step 10

Tilting the bottom of the laptop's casing at a 45 degree angle, insert the casing's bottom "teeth" into their holders.
Place a bottom casing tooth into holder here
Place a bottom casing tooth into holder here
Place a bottom casing tooth into holder here
After the bottom of the casing is installed, apply slight pressure on the right, center, and left areas of the casing to place each tooth into its holder (see second photo).
Apply slight pressure on the right
Apply slight pressure on the center
Apply slight pressure on the left