How to Troubleshoot a Laptop

You've probably seen the advertisement. A man pounds on his notebook computer, says a few words under his breath and, believing it has a virus, throws it out the window, only to find out there was nothing really wrong with it. Don't make the same mistake. Here are a few tips on how to determine if your laptop has become an expensive paperweight.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Check the power. If your laptop won't turn on using the battery, plug it into a wall outlet using the power cable that came with the machine. If it powers up, you could have a dead battery which can easily be replaced. See if the battery will take a charge. If not, replace it.
2. Note if the AC power adapter is working. Low voltage could result in the laptop's battery being unable to charge or the computer not turning on. Check to see if the light on the power cable is on when it is plugged into the wall outlet. If there's no light, use a volt meter to check the voltage. If there's no indicator on the power cable, check the laptop to see if the "charging" light is lit.
3. Look for flashing drive lights or other activity after the laptop has been powered on. If so, and you get no display on the computer's screen, attach the laptop to an external monitor. If you get a display, then there's a problem with the laptop's LCD screen, and it may need to be replaced or repaired.
4. Check the laptop's power adapter. This requires opening the case and checking to see if the socket for the laptop's CPU is open or closed. If you're uncomfortable doing this, bring it to a qualified repair facility, and have them check it. Otherwise, open the case after disconnecting the batter and power cable. Remove the heat sink, which covers the CPU and check to see if the socket is set to open or closed. Set it to "closed," and then retest the computer.
5. See if the laptop's BIOS is up-to-date. Sometimes an outdated BIOS can result in your being unable to recharge the battery.
6. Check the video cables connecting the LCD panel to the laptop. These are know to come loose in shipping or after excessive use. Also check cables connecting drives and other peripherals to the computer or to its motherboard.

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