Laptop users spend most of their time looking at the screen and keyboard. However, they don’t always realize the internal components of the laptop. 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. In addition, some laptops have snap-off plastic covers for things like the power switch and 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. When you drop the device, the platters may break. 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. Here you’ll learn what steps you can take to troubleshoot various issues and find a solution that works 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 you can’t see an image on your LCD screen, then it’s likely that your ram is not working properly. Other common problems include a bad cooling fan or a failing hard drive.
If your laptop is having problems with its screen, you might have accidentally hit “num lock”. 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 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 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. Use a cotton swab or compressed aer to clean the keys.
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.