Troubleshooting Laptop Hardware Problems - Taking a Break
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You have arrived at the end of the first half of this two-part article series. Here we have covered most of the hardware failures that could prevent a laptop from booting as well as problems with LCD screens. However, this isn't the end of this guide. In the next part, we are going to discuss techniques for diagnosing and fixing system instabilities.
Fortunately by now you should have brought your notebook computer back to life and should be able to read the second part of this series from it. If not, don't lose hope. You may have found the root of the problem, but since you don't have the necessary equipment or skill and experience, you could not fix the issue by yourself. You've still taken a step forward.
You can join our friendly community of experts in Software, Hardware, and Consumer Electronics over at DevHardware Forums and ask for guidance. Don't forget to tell us your exact notebook details, such as manufacturer, model, specifications, and every symptom that you can think of in as much detail as possible. Ultimately, if you have done some tests or modified something, tell us the activities you have done.
You can be sure that we'll do our best. On the other hand, if you still cannot find a way to repair your laptop, then you could take your laptop to a repair shop and have a discussion with the engineer there. Explain your problem and ask for help; he may be able to give you a tip that jump-starts your endeavors to fix the laptop or even fix it himself for a fair price. Either way - don't forget to always consider the price-vs.-value.
Sometimes fixing your precious laptop might cost more than it is worth. Suppose it is from the year 2005 (more than three years old) and unfortunately its LCD panel has gone bad -- totally defective and cannot be fixed. It isn't improbable that a new replacement screen will cost a couple hundred dollars. You could pick up a newer second-hand notebook or perhaps add a bit more and purchase a new one with years of warranty.
All in all, learning how to troubleshoot notebook computers isn't as hard as it looks, but it requires practice, patience, and much attention to detail. You can't rush into things and assemble a laptop in less than a minute, as you may do with a desktop system at this time. With experience, however, you may be able to speed up the process.
As for a final suggestion - I for one wholeheartedly recommend searching the Internet for the service manual and disassembly guide of each particular laptop model that you might try to troubleshoot and work on. This is incredibly useful and, if you can, don't hesitate to print out the guides. It does help a lot - trust me!
Don't forget to stick around for the second half of this "do it yourself" guide!
| DISCLAIMER: The content provided in this article is not warranted or guaranteed by Developer Shed, Inc. The content provided is intended for entertainment and/or educational purposes in order to introduce to the reader key ideas, concepts, and/or product reviews. As such it is incumbent upon the reader to employ real-world tactics for security and implementation of best practices. We are not liable for any negative consequences that may result from implementing any information covered in our articles or tutorials. If this is a hardware review, it is not recommended to open and/or modify your hardware. |
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