I have a Gateway Laptop model NV5302 and would like to know how to remove the DVD drive from it? I have looked for model specific diagrams online and have not found anything.
I found that it's really simple... I just finished taking everything apart in my Gateway NV5335u laptop. (It's one of those models that are sold cheap because they are an unofficial inbetween model.) Anyhow if the case is the same you should be able to find your way around.
In my model on the bottom there is ONE large plastic peace that covers about a good chunck of the center of the laptop. It gives access to the RAM and HDD along with the little wireless device in my case. If you have that large access panel on the bottom then your in luck. You should be able to see the silver outermost casing of the DVD drive after opening this large panel. It would be the angle corner of the drive. Near there is a single lonesome screw real close to were you can see the corner of the DVD Drive. That screw is the only thing holding the drive in place. To elaborate the location of the screw, it's right next to the HDD, it is accessible from outside of the panel, so there is no need to remove the panel to remove the screw, and it's a screw that is placed inwards in the case not easily accessible without a thin screw driver... hopefully that helps... Anyhow you can't pull the Drive with your hands or a tool without putting strain on the drive tray (which is the heart and soul of the drive in this case) so having that large access panel open provides a small opening to push the drive out once that single screw holding on is removed.
I actually saw this question and figured I should pull apart my NV53... it's less then a year old but the burning question was too much for me to resist opening up my machine =P. Hopefully this helps.