Common Sense Tips On How To Fix A Laptop

If like me, you depend on a portable machine for most of your work it’s a pretty good idea to have a bit of knowledge of how to fix a laptop. In real life there are always malfunctions. Some repairs can be easy and some can be hard. But with the right methodical approach and common sense, you can become nearly expert at fixing your own laptop. This does your confidence good and helps you save on those expensive service fees.

Here is a checklist to help you in preliminary and minor notebook repairs. It is important to know which laptop parts to check first before giving up, or going of to your laptop service provider.

1. The first thing to do if your laptop encounters any problem is to check for power supply or lack of it. There will be times when your monitor or the LED will not light up, but do not immediately conclude that the laptop does not have power. Check for sounds of fans or drives spinning. If the case feels hot then it can be smart to unplug it at this point before continuing your investigation.

2. If your laptop power does not seem to be available, and it is not plugged in, check that the battery has been attached properly. Try to remove and then re-insert the battery. If it still does not work, try again to plug in your laptop because it may be a problem with an uncharged battery. (In general be careful when charging batteries - if you charge them without fully discharging first then you may have issues later, since batteries have a tendency to remember the charge-level they previously had. This is particularly true of NiCd batteries).

3. One of the most common laptop failures - often needing repairing - is the hard drive. This is because while your laptop is operating the hard drive is moved, more so than desktop hard drives. Some laptop hard drives are easier to get into than others but either way replacing them is easy and doable. Before opening the removable panel found at the bottom of a typical laptop it is best to first remove the battery. Once the panel clears the bottom of the laptop, pull the hard drive out from its bay at a shallow angle after clearing the locking stubs that hold the cases in place. Be sure to take careful note of how the old drives are caged because this will be the same way you will mount the replacement drives. After mounting the replacement drive, you can now install, or screw it in the laptop. Then close the bottom of the laptop.

4. If you want to do a memory replacement, just follow these easy steps. You must first make sure that you purchase the right memory type. Your laptop manual can tell you the maximum memory capacity of your laptop and how much is currently installed. Once you know that your laptop will accept a memory upgrade you then go through the process of choosing the correct memory module for your laptop. You can browse for manufacturer choices corresponding to your model name and model number. Once your new memory chip is ready, open the memory cavity cover. Inside you will see the memory socket which is located parallel to the motherboard. Remove the old memory chip from its latches. Take note of the angle it is installed and how it is fastened in the latches. Once removed, insert the new memory chip. Make sure that the notch in the contact edge matches the groove in the memory socket. Once the memory chip snaps into place, replace the cover and battery and check if the laptop registers the new memory – this is something you will see automatically on the screen when you boot up the machine.

5. If your laptop screen displays rows or columns or it appears dead, you might want to remedy this by replacing your LCD. In a typical laptop you would first remove the screws at the corners of the unit that hold the LCD in place. Then remove the lip on the video connectors typically located at the left hinge. Now remove the ribbon cable connector at the back of the LCD by disconnecting the lip on the ribbon cable and the connector. It’s pretty important to use flat head screws for this job. If you are able to do all this, you can now reinstall the new laptop screen exactly as you removed the old one. But always make sure that wires and cables do not get pinched between the bezel and laptop screen frame.

Before attempting to fix your laptop you should first familiarize yourself with the basic manual. Always check out the laptop components and how to troubleshoot them - and be aware of the part of the manual to run through when you have the inevitable problems that occur with a laptop.

Laptop Manual