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. Most laptops are secured with a series plastic flaps that are held in position by one 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 consist of platters that spin at high speed inside the laptop. The platters can break if the device is dropped. An SSD, on the other hand, does not have these problems, and is significantly faster than a hard drive. Sometimes, it can be possible to swap the hard drive with a SSD to make the machine function more quickly. You may need to consult an expert in laptop repair because some SSDs are soldered directly to the motherboard.
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. If you’re unsure of how to proceed, check out Laptop Repair 101. This article will show you how to troubleshoot different issues and find a solution for your device.
First, determine if your laptop is experiencing power or motherboard issues. A digital multi-meter is a good tool to check for these issues. If you can’t see an image on your LCD screen, then it’s likely that your ram is not working properly. A bad cooling fan, or a failing hard disk are other common problems.
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 allow you to restore your system to a previous state and help you diagnose the problem.
If you can’t fix your laptop by yourself, you can try taking apart your laptop’s battery. Some parts of your laptop are incredibly fragile and require professional help to repair them. It’s relatively simple if you know how to do it. In many cases, the parts that are most likely to fail are hidden under the flaps on the bottom of your machine. You can also buy second-hand parts on eBay.
Dirt and dust can cause damage to the keyboard. You can check for this 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.