Deal with a Dead Laptop Screen

One of the most dreaded laptop mishaps is a faulty LCD screen. Not only does this sort of damage render a portable potentially unusable, manufacturers typically will only repair laptop screens if the damage is considered to be a defect.

Be warned: Broken displays resulting from an accidental drop, impact, exposure to water, or electrical overload are generally not covered. But if your laptop’s screen suffers from a mass of bad pixels or more severe physical failures through no fault of your own, chances are the manufacturer will fix it.

To determine if your faulty screen qualifies for repair, diagnosis of the notebook is generally required using either onboard software or assessment from a tech support rep over the phone.


In the event of a serious system failure needing physical repair, the standard limited warranties for major manufacturers (such as Dell) usually allow for customers to send their machines back to a company repair facility. Under Dell’s standard warranty, a replacement laptop will be sent back to the customer the next business day along with shipping material to return the defective unit. Keep in mind that shipping times vary depending on availability of replacement parts, and manufacturers are not responsible for lost data contained on the faulty machine if returned. The whole process can take as long as 10 to 14 days, or perhaps longer if the requested part is out of stock and slow ground shipping is used.

Some users decide to avoid the hassle and uncertainty of mailing in their laptop altogether and attempt to repair it themselves. This is a solution best tried only when the laptop’s warranty has expired, because tinkering with a display will void existing coverage plans. Adventurous souls, however, can purchase replacement screens through sites such as www.screentekinc.com for about $100. The site provides helpful instructional hardware repair guides.

Quiet a Noisy Fan

Sometimes a laptop’s cooling system kicks into overdrive, causing it to create excessive fan noise and push hot exhaust out of its vents. The main reason a notebook’s fan spins up is that the system detects high internal temperatures and is attempting to cool things down. To kill the din, first make sure your laptop has adequate ventilation by clearing space around it on all sides. Physical obstructions such as books, papers, pillows, and other clutter may be restricting air flow by blocking vents. Soft surfaces with padding and fabric or dirt and dust particles could also be clogging circulation. You may find that relocation to a flat, hard surface—plus a few squirts from a can of compressed air—does wonders.Digsby


If these factors are not the issue and you hear distracting fan whir during basic computing tasks, your laptop could be unnecessarily dialed up for maximum performance. Try adjusting the Windows power plans withing the Control Panel. First click the Start button > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound, and next click on Power Options. Here you can choose a more efficient power plan (anything other than High Performance).

Protect Your Battery

How long you first charge a latop’s battery no longer has any bearing on its performance. That said, there are definite physical conditions that affect overall battery life. Chief among them is temperature, and heat is the enemy. Though Lithium Ion cells have a comparatively high operating temperature (212 to 302 degrees Fahrenheit) as opposed to NiCd (95 to 134 degrees), their capacity degrades at a faster rate when exposed to heat.

Ideally, store unused laptop batteries in a cold, dry environment to prolong their life. Leaving a laptop plugged into an AC outlet for extended periods poses a risk to batteries because of heat exposure. One way to avoid this threat is to remove your battery when your system is plugged in for long stretches.

A more sensible approach is to unplug your notebook once in a while, which cools things down and helps push the battery toward its recommended storage charge of 40 percent. At full charge, batteries degrade the swiftest. Be careful, though, because depleting Lithium Ion cells completely increases the likelihood of battery failure.

 Fixing Common Laptop Problems
Liquid Spills on Laptop

I have repaired many Laptops exposed to accidental liquid spills. This is a recoverable condition in most cases. It is most important to respond to the cleaning up process as soon as possible (before corrosion or internal soakage occur)! Liquid intrusion can cause the following types of laptop damage:
Short circuit due to conductive nature of wet liquid (problem may clear as liquid dries)
Short circuit due to dried liquid residue
Corrosion occurs (particularly volatile with some acidic soft drinks - Coke)
Electronic components damaged by above short circuits

Immediately when a spill occurs, turn off the laptop, invert the laptop and leave the unit upside down (drainage) for at least 20-30 minutes. Then, remove any attached leads, remove the power unit and battery, and allow the unit to air-dry overnight.


To remove any liquid residual: Have someone remove the keyboard assembly and perform additional cleaning. It may help to use cotton buds and distilled water to remove any contamination. Where corrosive side effects may be suspected (with coke), gently rub any suspect areas with a cotton bud dampened with CRC or WD-40. Dry the treated areas so that only a light film of the WD-40 anti-corrosive solution remains. While the keyboard is removed, use a bright light and magnifying lens to inspect areas where the liquid made contact.

Laptop randomly turns off

This is often due to:
AC power adaptor sensing an overload of power drain
Overheating processor due to a build of internal dust (clogged fan)
AC power adaptor not able to sustain normal power needs (faulty power adaptor)
Battery overheating, due to internal battery fault, or charging levels
Intermittent short circuit or open connection (check condition of power leads)

On older Laptops, the most common reason is poor cooling. Try going somewhere air-conditioned and see if that helps. Inspect the areas near the internal cooling fan; see if there is a build up of dust fibres. Easy way to check this; with the unit running, feel the flow of air from the cooling outlet(s) - is the airflow very low? If yes, and the unit is at normal operation temperature, this may indicate the internal cooling system is partially clogged.


Troubleshoot Laptop LCD Video Display problems

Here are some tips and tricks for troubleshooting and fixing laptop video problems. Video issues are very common within portable computers and with the following tips you should be able to detect and eliminate basic laptop video problems.
Laptop LCD screen has a faint image or is very dark

Look closely at the laptops LCD screen, and see if you can see a very faint image. If you can then it is possible that the Laptop's LCD lid close switch is stuck in the closed position. In this mode the backlight stays off, even with the LCD lid open. This is to conserve power when the laptop is ON with the LID closed. Check the LCD lid close switch. It is a small plastic pin located close to the back LCD hinges. Try tapping the lid switch a few times to see if you can turn on the screen backlight. If that does not help, then I would suggest to replace the FL inverter board.
Laptop LCD screen is solid white colour or garbled

Connect an external computer monitor to the laptop. If the external monitor display is fine, then you have a problem with the Laptop LCD screen or the LCD cable connection. If the external monitor image is the same as on the Laptop LCD, then it is likely to be a faulty integrated onboard video, this means replacing the motherboard of the Laptop.

A typical Laptop LCD display assembly

The above simplified block diagram illustrates the basic components that are involved on a Laptop LCD video display problem.

Connector Locations 1 - 2 - 3: Video data is sent from the motherboard through to the LCD screen at connector 2. The video cable also feeds voltage to the FL inverter board at connector 3.�

FL inverter PCB Locations 3 -4: This section converts the low voltage DC source (connector 3) to high voltage AC (connector 4), as required to energise the backlight bulb. If the FL inverter PCB is faulty, the LCD screen will appear as a very dim image on the Laptop display screen.

CCFL (backlight bulb): When the backlight bulb is working, you can see the image on the LCD screen. With some Laptops, the backlight bulb is a part of the LCD screen assembly and needs to be replaced with a complete LCD screen assembly. It requires a specialized Laptop repair workshop to replace the backlight bulb.

Laptop Lid close switch: This switch is a small switch (mechanical or magnetic) that is located close to the rear display hinges. Most laptops will either hibernate or operate in standby mode when the LCD is closed. This is achieved by interfacing with the Laptop's BIOS power management software. In turn this is linked to the Windows operating system.
Laptop is slow and continually shows Internet popup's

The Laptop is very likely infected with spyware. Spyware is software that hides on your computer and attempts to collect information about your activity on the internet. Spyware is sometimes transferred to your computer when you download 'unknown' free software or when you link to free music Internet programs . The best method to remove and further prevent spyware is to use Spybot.

Laptop is frozen, no response to keyboard or mouse, cannot ShutdownWith most Laptops I have seen that this will happen from time to time! The easy method to solve this problem is:
Disconnect the laptop power cord
Remove the battery from the laptop
Wait a short while (10 seconds)
Replace the Laptop battery into the unit
Reconnect the Laptop Power cord
Turn the Laptop on

The Laptop will start normally and be fully operational. If you were working on a Microsoft Word or Excel document at the time of the problem, then you may find that the data has been auto-recovered for you. In this case, you will be automatically prompted to view the last document you worked on when you open the Microsoft program.
Troubleshoot Laptop Hibernate and Standby problemsPower management options on laptops sometimes to cause problems. Hibernate and Standby modes are power saving modes of operations to battery powered laptops.

Hibernation is a procedure by which the working state (contents) of your work is stored to disk before the computer goes into hibernation or standby. When the Laptop is woken up, you are restored to the exact place you were before. Standby and Hibernation use a low power consumption mode, with enough power to preserve the content of such memory. This means that Laptop computer can wake up without a full restart and loss of work.
Laptop does not wake up from Standby or Hibernation

Here are my tested suggestions:
Give it time - some older Laptops may take up to 30 seconds to wake up - fully
Some Laptops have special keys or buttons for 'Wake Up' - read the manual
Press and hold the Laptops power button for five seconds or more. Some Laptops are configured to Suspend or Hibernate with a press of the power button. Holding the power button for 5+ seconds will usually reset and reboot the Laptop
As a last resort, remove the laptop battery and the power cord, wait 30 seconds, replace the batteries and reconnect the power cord

Now that the Laptop is operational, you should research the underlying problem. Typically, such problems arise from a disagreement either between the power management features of the Laptops BIOS and Windows.

A conflict with the Laptops BIOS power management and Windows power management is the most common cause of such wake-up failure. Try different settings in the BIOS to see if that might solve the problem. Look to see if the Laptops BIOS is configured to suspend the computer, and how it compares with the value configured in Windows. In most cases let Windows control the power management.

Laptop Stand by Alice Rosignoli 

A recycling project aiming to promote the FabBot, an ultra-lightweight manufacturing robot used for cutting and carving over large areas. The wooden base of discarded public school chairs is transformed into a laptop stand. The FabBot is used to carve elaborate ornaments which have also the function of cooling systems.

Laptop Cooling System

Laptop computers, just like desktop computers, can easily become overheated as a result of all the electronic components inside them. Heat is generated by the electronic components and all the work they do, so an efficient laptop cooling system is critical to dissipate these enormous amounts of heat. In fact, a laptop may face more problems from heat than does a typical desktop computer. Notebook computers tend to overheat more quickly than their desktop counterparts, since the components are compacted and fitted into the narrow casing of a laptop, allowing little space for excess heat to dissipate effectively and making cooling more challenging.
As new laptop operating systems require more processor power to operate, more heat is generated inside their cases. Laptop components can be extremely temperature-sensitive and require a cool environment to provide optimal performance. Overheating due to ineffective laptop cooling can result in malfunctioning of the electronic components, make the machine slow to respond, and can cause damage that can cost hundreds, or even thousands of dollars to repair. This is one of the main reasons why it's absolutely necessary to have the proper laptop cooling system in place.
Temperature Settings
One of the ways you can check the temperature of your laptop is with the BIOS setting. The software settings inside the computer communicate when the notebook gets overly hot and decide at what temperature the fans should start working. BIOS updates can help you optimize the temperature in your laptop. However, this is only for more experienced computer users; you may want to consider consulting a professional if you're not familiar with these installations.
Cooling Your Laptop
There are components inside of a notebook that try and keep the unit cool. Heat sinks, air vents, and fans can all work together to keep the computer cool when it's running. Even if only one of these components fails to function, it can lead to overheating. Maintaining the components inside of your notebook is important to gain the maximum benefit. Making sure your laptop cooling abilities are in top form can go a long way toward avoiding a problem. Cooling systems like blowers and fans are some of the most effective ways to draw hot air out from the laptop case and suck in cooler air from the outside. These laptop components are essential to dissipate the heat produced by laptop components like the processor. There are different shapes and sizes of fans and specific types of fans meant for particular systems, so it's important to determine which type of fan is compatible with your laptop. Check the fan part number before you purchase a replacement, or else you may end up buying a fan that won't fit into your system or does not have the required power to dissipate heat properly, which can eventually cause your laptop to break down.
Ways to Check if Your Laptop Is Overheating
Some of the signs that your laptop is overheating – and that you need to replace or upgrade your laptop cooling system – include random system shut downs and error messages. If this happens, you should check to see if the fans in the laptop can't handle the heat. If the fans have seen too much normal wear and tear in trying to keep up with constant operations, then you should replace the fans or get additional external fans. You should also clean the air vents of your laptop regularly. Your laptop cools itself by airflow with air intake vents in front of the case and exhaust vents at the back. If these vents are blocked by dust, it can cause real problems. Make sure to clean the vents immediately if you notice they are blocked. Dust and debris act like an insulation by trapping the heat and allowing no means of escape for the hot air, thus causing the laptop to overheat.

                                          Characteristics and capabilities of printers.
Printers available today are usually either laser printers using electrophotographic technology or inkjet printers using electrostatic spray technology. Dot matrix printers using impact technology are used in applications that require carbon copies.  The list of printer selection criteria.

Capacity and Speed Printer capacity and speed are factors to consider when selecting a printer. Inkjet printers are usually slower, but they might be adequate for a home or small office. The speed of a printer is measured in pages per minute (ppm). The speed of an inkjet printer is 2–6 ppm. The speed of a laser printer is 8–200 ppm.

Color or Black and White A computer monitor produces colors through the additive mixing of dots that are displayed on the screen. The eye picks up the colors directly. The dots produce the color range using red, green, and blue (RGB) dots.
A printer produces colors using subtractive mixing. The eye sees a color that reflects from the combination of colors on the paper. Figure 2 shows a CMYK color wheel.
The choice between a black-and-white printer and a color printer depends on the needs of your customer. If your customer is primarily printing letters and does not need color capability, a black-and-white printer is sufficient. However, an elementary school teacher might need a color printer to add excitement to lessons.

Quality The quality of printing is measured in dots per inch (dpi). The more dpi, the higher the resolution. When the resolution is higher, text and images are usually clearer. To produce the best high-resolution images, you should use both high-quality ink or toner and high-quality paper.

Reliability A printer should be reliable. Because there are so many types of printers on the market, research the specifications of several printers before selecting one. Here are some of the options available from the manufacturer:
            .Warranty – Identify what is covered within the warranty.

             .Scheduled servicing – Servicing is based on expected usage. Information is  found in   the manual     or on the manufacturer's website.

            .Mean time between failures (MTBF) – There is an average length of time that the printer works without failing. Information is found in the manual or on the manufacturer's website.

              .Total Cost of Ownership Consider the cost when selecting hardware. When buying a printer, there is more than just the initial cost of the printer to consider. The total cost of ownership (TCO) includes a number of factors:
Initial purchase price
Cost of supplies, such as paper and ink
Price per page
Maintenance costs
Warranty costs
When calculating the TCO, you should also consider the amount of material printed and the expected lifetime of the printer.