Laptop Repair 101 – How to Troubleshoot Common Laptop Problems

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. 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. 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.

Sometimes, the problem may be as simple as a damaged chip. In such a case, you can try to fix it yourself before calling in 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 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.

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 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 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.

Dirt and dust can cause damage to the keyboard. You can check for this by lifting the key cover. This can be tricky since some keyboards don’t have removable key covers. 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.