While most laptop users spend all of their time staring at the screen and keyboard, they’re not always aware of the rest of the laptop’s internal components. The majority of laptops are secured by a series of plastic flaps that are held in place by a single or two screws. These allow you to get to the most common components without having to open the laptop up. Some laptops also have snap-off plastic covers that protect components like the power switch or screen surround.
A hard drive or solid-state drive is the part of your laptop that stores all your documents and programs. Hard drives are made up of platters that spin at high speeds inside the laptop. The platters can break if the device is dropped. SSDs are much faster than hard drives and have none of these problems. It is possible to swap the hard drives with SSDs to speed up the machine’s performance. However, since some SSDs are soldered to the motherboard, you may need to seek help from an expert in laptop repair.
In some cases, the issue may be something as simple as a damaged memory chip. You can attempt to fix the problem yourself before calling a technician. Laptop Repair 101 will help you if you are unsure how to proceed. This article will show you how to troubleshoot different issues and find a solution for your device.
First, you should determine whether your laptop has power issues or motherboard problems. A digital multi-meter is a good tool to check for these issues. If your LCD screen doesn’t display an image, it is likely that your RAM isn’t working properly. Other common problems include a bad cooling fan or a failing hard drive.
Secondly, if you’re having trouble with your laptop’s screen, there’s a chance that you may have accidentally hit the “num lock” key. If this is the case, you can use Windows troubleshooting software to fix the problem. It will also allow you to restore the system to a previous point and help you diagnose the problem.
If your laptop is not able to be repaired by you, you can attempt to remove the battery. Some parts of your laptop can be very fragile and need professional repair. Fortunately, it’s a relatively easy task if you know what you’re doing. In many cases, the parts that are most likely to fail are hidden under the flaps on the bottom of your machine. You can even buy second-hand parts from eBay.
The keyboard can be damaged by dirt and dust. This can be checked by lifting the key cover. Some keyboards don’t have removable keys covers so this can be difficult. To clean the keys, use a dry cotton swab or compressed air to remove any debris from them.
About Joshua Shuemake
Joshua Shuemake is an IT (information technology) professional, based in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas. Joshua is CEO of Joshua Shuemake Consulting, providing services such as IT consulting, laptop and computer repair, iPhone repair, and computer networking services for small businesses. You can follow him on Twitter at @joshuashuemake.