Tagclouds:laptop troubleshoot,Asus a32-f9 battery ,Dell latitude d400 Battery,Dell inspiron 1520 Battery

Unfortunately there is a huge disadvantage to owning a laptop… they can be such a headache, to disassemble and troubleshoot!
The good thing is, laptop troubleshooting is not as big of a challenge as many people would believe, as long as you are aware of the common issues that laptops have, and how to properly diagnose your laptop’s particular problems.
If you have a PC that is “newer”, most likely is has a manufacturer’s warranty, so you can send it to the manufacturer when major repairs are needed, and you will be able to tell them exactly what the problem is, for faster turn-around times! Of the numerous computers that we repair, here are… 6 of the laptop problems that we find to be most common, and what we do to troubleshoot and fix them!
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“My laptop does not recharge even though it is plugged in”.
a.) It is possible that the power adapter has failed or has problems. Check the cord that plugs into the power unit to ensure that it is still intact, and isn’t freyed or shorting. Also, check for the light on the power adapter (if there is one), to make sure that the light is on. If the light is not on, the power supply is either dead or has a short.
b.) It is possible that the DC power jack leading to the motherboard of the computer, is loose, broken, or has failed. If the jack is physically loose, damaged or no longer functioning, buying a new jack to be soldered into the mainboard, is mandatory (to prevent premature failure of other components when using faulty parts)
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“My laptop can’t hold a charge & shuts off when unplugged”
a.) There is a good chance that the battery has gone kaput. The end! One important fact to remember, is that laptop batteries gradually lose the ability to hold a charge, and as more time passes the percentage that they can charge decreases. There is hope however; by “cycling” a laptop battery, and remembering to always disconnect the battery from the computer when using an AC outlet.
b.) To cycle a battery, you will need to charge the battery up to 100% EACH time, before disconnecting it from the power adapter. Then, only use the laptop with the battery, and do not turn off the laptop until the battery has completely drained, and the computer shuts off. This process needs to be repeated numerous times, until the battery’s cell memory is restored. If the memory is not restored after using this process for several weeks, the battery may need replacing.
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“After booting, there’s a black screen & a cursor that blinks”
Many times when we receive a computer to repair that has this problem, the culprit is the hard drive. There are different factors that will corrupt the data on a hard drive (partition tables can become corrupt, MBRs – Master Boot Records, etc), causing the laptop not to boot after POST (Power On Self Test).
Hard disks can become corrupted in several different ways, including but not limited to: malware, lack of a surge protector, surges of power or lightning strikes, powering down a computer incorrectly, and many more.
Usually, reformatting a hard disk, and re-installing Windows can “fix” a drive that is not physically damaged! Unfortunately, if a drive has actually failed physically, there will be no other option but to replace the drive, and contact a data recovery company or qualified technician, to recover the lost data (if possible).
Since many hard drive manufacturers create diagnostic utility to troubleshoot laptop hard drive problems, learning the manufacturer of your hard drive and using diagnostic software periodically (to check for problems), will help prevent problems and expensive data loss.
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“Laptop doesn’t charge until I wiggle the power cord around”
a.) See item #1 for information regarding this problem. Usually, you will find the problem being one of two things: either the power adapter is shorting, or the DC jack has loosened, or is damaged.
b.) Another possibility, is the copper contacts that are inside of the motherboard, are damaged or have become increasingly worn. In the event that this happens, a motherboard replacement will definitely be necessary, since soldering a new DC jack to a damaged motherboard, will result in the exact same problem occurring.
Copper contacts are actually “pathways” that carry power from the power adapter, to the DC jack, and then throughout the motherboard to its components. Bad contacts will cause power to not be distributed correctly (or not at all), or may cause other problems that might otherwise be difficult to troubleshoot. If your computer has a warranty, call or email the manufacturer; the replacement will be free in most cases.
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“I can’t turn my laptop on at all, pressing the power button”
a.) It is quite possible (if you have used your laptop within the last 15 minutes), that it could have overheated. You should allow your PC to cool down for about 30 minutes, then press the power button again to see if it starts up.
b.) When a computer is not powering on for no good reason, it becomes difficult in that case to perform laptop troubleshooting, due to many variables that can cause that problem. It is possible that you may need to have the motherboard replaced, or it could be as “simple” as replacing the power switch that connects to the motherboard, if it has failed (if the switch can actually be removed/replaced).
* More tips to troubleshoot laptop power problems can be found above, in items #1 and 2*
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” When using my laptop for several minutes, it shuts off”
a.) One possibility, is that the computer is getting too hot. Click here to learn how you can prevent and troubleshoot laptop overheating!
b.) If your PC powers down suddenly without alerting you in any way (no error message, no noise, etc) and the laptop isn’t overheating, there could be an issue with the motherboard itself, or the processor, or other components. If you want to rule out other possibilities other than the mobo, take a look in your BIOS.
The BIOS can be accessed by pressing the necessary keys (or combinations of) to enter your setup menu, immediately after booting. Your BIOS menu has categories, the needed category being “Health” or “PC Health”, or “Temperatures” etc. You will be able to check the temperatures, as well as select the operating temperature for the computer.
In other words, you can choose the maximum temperature the CPU can reach, before shutting off (preventing hardware damaged). Next, you should check to see if your computer is restarting or shutting off due to the “shut off temperature setting” being engaged and/or incorrect. When you find the category or setting to change the max temperature, change the setting appropriately, or disable it all together.
NOTE: If you don’t have a laptop that overheats and is running within its normal operating temperatures, you can change this setting with no problem. If there IS a problem with your laptop overheating, do NOT touch this setting unless you have sufficient experience troubleshooting laptops; seek a professional instead.
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“My laptop doesn’t boot up and it keeps beeping”
a.) When memory, otherwise known as RAM, goes bad, or when the slot that the holds the RAM is bad, this problem can occur. Download memtest , install it (FREE), burn it to desk and run it at boot-up to troubleshoot laptop memory problems. Also, in your laptop’s manufacturer manual, you should find information on “beep codes” to give you exact detail on the beeps; what they mean and how to troubleshoot the problem.
For example, four extended beeps COULD indicate that your processor is bad, while two short beeps could point to a RAM stick that is loose and needs to be pushed in tighter! Always keep your manual handy and contact your technician for further assistance!
b.) The Basic Input Output System (BIOS) may be corrupted, check your manual for beep codes that pertain to a BIOS problem, and how to reset your BIOS (CMOS) when possible.
c.) The laptop battery may be dead. Check your manual for more information on how to change or troubleshoot laptop battery issues.
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That is all for now. Hopefully you now have more knowledge that you can use to narrow down the problems that your computer is making, and you may save a bit of money on having your computer diagnosed when you can do that yourself (at least)! As always, a small bit of laptop maintenance goes a very, long way.
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