Monday 30 September 2013

Laptop TroubleShooting Steps

If a PC suddenly fails to boot properly, you should perform a hard reset as the first procedure.

Disconnect all peripheral devices and remove all USB devices and media cards. You want to test the computer not the accessories!
Disconnect the AC power adapter, remove the battery, and then press and hold the power button for at least 15 seconds .
Reconnect the AC power adapter (but do not connect the battery), Press the Power button, Look for glowing LEDs near caps lock and num lock keys, and Listen for sounds of a disk drive and fan turning.

**Actions to take after performing hard reset**
If no error message is displayed: Connect an external monitor to test the display Test for memory module problems Test the hard drive Contact HP for technical assistance

If the display remains blank (black screen or white screen) after doing a hard reset, temporarily connect an external monitor to test the notebook's display . If an image displays on the external monitor, continue to perform the tests, install drivers, and make adjustments as described in the next section.

Connect an external monitor to test the display

The notebook's screen display may remain black when there is a corrupted graphics driver, or a problem with the LCD display's back light. You can test the display by attaching an external monitor and restarting the computer. Testing with an external display is helpful if the notebook display is black but you can hear sounds; such as fans, spinning drives, or beep tones which indicate that the computer is operating. If you can hear sounds of operation but no image is visible on either display, contact an authorized repair center.

If there are no sounds from the computer when the power is turned on, check for a different problem; such as a loose RAM memory chip or disconnected hard drive.
If you are having trouble viewing the external monitor, click f4 (or the key with this symbol ) to switch the screen image among display devices connected to the system. For example, if a monitor is connected to the computer, pressing this key alternates the screen image from computer display to monitor display to simultaneous display on both the computer and the monitor.
If an image displays on the external monitor, there may be a graphics driver conflict with the notebook’s LCD display. With the external monitor connected, download and install the latest drivers for your specific computer and graphic chip set.
If you do not have an external monitor, it may be possible to see an image by switching the LCD display to a low resolution mode. To change the resolution, turn on the computer, and press the f8 key. If the graphic display is working at the BIOS level, a text screen displays and you can select the Enable low-resolution video option. If the graphics display is not working at the BIOS level, contact an authorized repair center.

As a final action, if there is an image on the external monitor and you have installed the latest BIOS, updated CPU chips set, and updated graphics drivers but the notebook display remains black, the LCD may be defective. It may be necessary to contact HP for technical assistance or send the notebook for service to replace the display.

Disconnect all peripherals and repeat the hard reset

Even when instructed to disconnect all peripheral devices from the notebook before doing a hard reset , some devices are often overlooked.

Double-check that all devices are disconnected including: external keyboard and mouse (wired or wireless), USB connected external drives and devices, thumb drives and flash drives, network storage devices, PC card, SD memory cards, express card, eSata connections, firewire or similar devices, printer, scanner, camera, port replicator, or docking station, any CD/DVD from the optical disc drive, and any media from the multi-card reader.

Test for memory module problems

When you try to turn on a computer, one of the first hardware tests performed is the memory check. If the start up test cannot access the memory chips, the testing stops and no additional actions can be taken. In other words, when you press the power button the LEDs may glow for a moment and a fan may start to spin, but then all action stops.

This problem must be resolved before you can boot into the BIOS or Windows and perform any other tests.

Some HP Notebook PCs come with two sticks of memory and have two memory slots. If you experience a black screen error, the problem could be with one of the sticks of memory or with one of the memory slots, or one of the sticks may not be seated properly in the slot.

To determine is a memory module is causing the failure, try to isolate the problem by Performing a memory self test , Checking for loose memory modules , Testing the memory modules , and Testing the memory slots .

The memory module compartment on most notebooks is located on the bottom of the case. The exact position varies by model. However, on some models, the memory compartment is under the keyboard. See your User Guide for the exact location of memory modules on your notebook.

Perform memory self test

If the computer can access part of the memory, it may be possible to access the BIOS Setup Utility display and perform a memory self test to identify other memory issues. If the computer cannot boot to the BIOS Utility, try removing and reseating the memory and the hard drive, and then repeat the following steps to perform the memory self test.

Plug the AC adapter into the computer.
Turn off the computer and wait 5 seconds.
Press the Power button to start the computer and repeatedly press the f10 key to enter the BIOS Setup menu.
In the BIOS Setup Utility, use the Right Arrow or Left Arrow keys to navigate through the menu selection to locate the Diagnostics .
Use the Up Arrow or Down Arrow keys to select Memory Test .
Press Enter , and then Yes to perform memory test.
After test completes, press f10 to Save and Exit , and then press Enter to Exit Saving Changes? .

If the test fails, one or more of the memory modules may not be seated properly. Check for and reseat loose memory modules.

Check for loose memory modules

Normally, a computer will not display an image if a memory module is loose. However, in some cases, if a memory module is loose or is not making good contact with the memory slots, the computer may responds but does not recognize all of the memory. Reseating the memory module may resolve memory failure errors. To reseat the memory module, take the memory module out of the memory slot and then put it back into the slot to get a better connection so that the computer can recognize the memory.

The memory module compartment on most notebooks is located on the bottom of the case, however, on some models, the memory compartment is under the keyboard. See your User Guide for the exact location of memory modules on your notebook.

Use the following steps to remove and reseat the memory modules:

Step 1 - Remove the electrical power

To remove all power from the computer and prevent accidental damage to the electronic components, do the following:
1. Turn off the computer by pressing and holding down the Power button for about 30 seconds.
2. Unplug the AC adaptor from the notebook.
3. Slide and hold the battery release latch to the unlock position.
4. Use your finger to lift the battery up and out.
Step 2 - Remove the memory module
1. Remove the memory module cover on the bottom of the notebook.
  
  1 - Loosen the compartment's retention screws
  
  2 - Lift up and remove the memory compartment cover
2. Remove the memory modules from the memory slots.
  
  1 - Pull the retention clips away from sides of the memory module
  
  2 - Gently pull the module out of the memory module slot
  
  CAUTION: To prevent damage to the memory module, grasp the memory module by the side edges. Do not touch the metal contacts.
3. Reseat the memory module by holding module at a 45-degree angle, and pressing it firmly into the memory slot until it is seated.
  
  1 - Align the notched edge of the module with the tab in the slot.
  
  2 - Firmly press the module into the slot.
  
  3 - Pivot top edge of memory module downward until retention clips snap into place.
4. After reseating the memory module, replace the cover over the memory compartment before restarting the computer.
  
  1 - Align the cover tabs
  
  2 - Tighten the memory compartment cover screws
Step 3 - Replace the electrical power

When troubleshooting problems, use only the AC power to perform the tests. After the problem is resolved, you can turn off the computer and insert the battery into the notebook.
1. Plus the connection from the AC adapter into the notebook, and then connect the AC adapter to a working power supply.
2. Perform any tests to verify the computer can startup and run in the Windows operating system.
3. With the computer turned off, push the battery into the base enclosure until the retention clips click into position.

If the computer fails to boot to the Windows desktop after the memory is reseated and the battery is installed, contact HP for support.

Test the memory and hard drive

Only one memory module is required for the computer to operate. If two memory modules are installed, each memory module should be tested in the computer independently of the other.

Test the memory modules

To test the memory modules, follow the steps below:

With the AC adapter and battery disconnected, remove all the memory modules, and then insert one memory module in the first slot.
Connect the AC adapter and turn on the notebook. If the computer starts up normally, the memory modules function correctly.
Remove the AC adapter and turn off the notebook. Then repeat the same procedure for the second module.
If the computer starts normally, then both memory modules are good.

After the memory is reseated, connect the AC adapter and turn on the notebook.

If the computer starts up normally to the Windows desktop, no further action is needed.
However, if the computer still stops at the black screen continue by testing the memory slots.

Test the memory slots

If a memory module does not work in both the slots, to test the individual memory slots, follow the steps below:

After testing the memory modules as described above, insert one module in the second slot, connect the AC adapter and turn on the notebook.

If the computer starts up normally, the memory slot functions correctly.
Remove the AC adapter and turn off the notebook. Then repeat the same procedure for the second slot.

If the computer starts up normally, you have verified that both memory modules and memory slots function correctly.

After the memory is reseated, replace the memory compartment cover, connect the AC adapter and turn on the notebook.

If you do not feel comfortable reseating the memory yourself, take the computer to a computer retailer and ask them to reseat it for you.

Test the hard drive

When you try to turn on a computer, one of the preliminary hardware tests performed is the hard drive connection check. If the start up test cannot access the hard drive, the testing stops and no additional actions can be taken. In other words, when you press the power button the LEDs may glow for a moment and a fan may start to spin, but then all action stops. Removing and reseating the hard drive can restore the connection and allow you to continue the start up testing and preform other hard drive tests.

NOTE:

This problem must be resolved before you can boot into the BIOS or Windows and perform any other tests.

Many computer problems are related to soft failures (or degraded performance) on the hard drive. The HP Hard Drive Self Test will repair soft errors on the hard drive, but it will not report the errors. After the test is complete, restart the computer to see if test repaired the problem you may been experiencing.

Use the steps below to test the hard drive in a computer using the HP Hard Drive Self Test.

Plug the AC Adapter into the computer.
Turn off the computer and wait 5 seconds.
Press the Power button to start the computer and repeatedly press the f10 key to enter the BIOS Setup Menu.
Use the Left Arrow or Right Arrow keys to navigate through the menu selection to locate the Primary Hard Drive Self Test option. Depending on your BIOS, this may be located below either Diagnostics or Tools .
Select Primary Hard Drive Self Test , and then press the Enter key to start the test.

NOTE: The exact wording for your particular BIOS may be slightly different.

The Hard Drive Self Test performs a Quick Test followed by a Comprehensive Test . During each test, the window displays a status bar and an estimated time to completion. See Testing a Hard Disk using the Built in Self Test for additional information.

If any test fails , contact HP service and support for instructions on how to order a replacement hard drive.
If all of the tests pass, the hard drive is not damaged. As a rule, HP will not replace a hard drive under warranty that does not fail the HP Hard Drive Self Test.

Laptop basic Trouble shooting Tips and Tricks

Laptop dead:

If your laptop is dead first remove the Laptop battery from the laptop and plug the laptop directly to power and now switch on the laptop and check it. This step is to check whether the battery is dead or not

If your laptop is not switched on after step 1 , Then remove the power connector from the laptop and Long press the power button for 5 seconds. Now again plug the power connector to the laptop and switch on the laptop . If your laptop gets any BIOS problem It will switch on now.
Disconnect the AC power adapter, remove the battery, and then press and hold the power button for at least 15 seconds

If the laptop doesn’t switch on ofter step 2, Then remove LLD(Lower Logic Door) from the laptop and then remove the RAM from the laptop and connect to power . Now power on the Laptop. If you get any beep sound from the laptop then remove the power connector from the laptop. Clean the RAM softly and then fix it again to the laptop. Now Power on the laptop , If still your laptop doesn’t switched on then Fix a new RAM.

If your laptop does not work still then remove the CMOS Battery from the laptop and check whether it has charge or not. If the CMOS Battery has no power then change the CMOS Battery. But before fixing CMOS Battery Switch on the Laptop without CMOS Battery so that if your laptop has any BIOS Problem it will be fixed.

If your Laptop does not switched on with the above steps then remove the Laptop Processor cooling fan . Then clean the laptop Processor cooling fan and then fix it . In this step most of the Laptop problem will be fixed . If the laptop still dead then it will be Motherboard Problem.

Small Tips:

Before Fixing the Laptop Adapter cable to the Laptop check whether the LED Light is flashing. If the Laptop Power adapter is not on then it will be the Laptop Power Adapter problem or It will be Motherboard Power unit ( Chip Level ) Problem.

Before doing the above steps, Please be sure that the laptop is switched off.

Saturday 28 September 2013

Backlights Explained

Screens based on either of these technologies are non-interchangeable. This is because the laptop is designed for only one type of backlight. So a laptop with a CCFL panel cannot use a LED panel and vice versa.

In order to ensure you are purchasing the best screen to fit your needs, here are three things you can do:

Refer to the documentation or owner's manual which came with your laptop (it may be online, too).
Call us so that we may guide you with our laptop screen expertise.
Find the screen-manufacturer's part number on the back of your screen, and then search our inventory using that part number. Feel free to use our removal-instructions to achieve this.

LED, LCD, and CCFL - what do these mean?

Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) do not produce any light by themselves, so they need a source of light to illuminate an image and make it visible. In laptop LCDs this illumination is made possible with a backlight, so called because it is positioned on the back or side of the panel.

LCD panels come with these backlights built-in and generally form the last layer of the LCD screen. The light source in the backlight is commonly made of the following:

Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL)
Light-Emitting Diode (LED)

Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL)

CCFL's are an older technology, and for the moment are the most widely used backlights in laptops LCDs. They consist of a fluorescent tube connected to a voltage inverter board which provides power to the backlight. Sometimes the backlight contains 2 tubes along with 2 pairs of inverters; these are called "Dual Backlights" or 2-CCFL.

Light-Emitting Diode (LED)

LED's are a newer technology and use a matrix or a strip of LED's instead of a tube. Most LED based backlights do not need inverters. LED backlights are already used in most mobile devices like phones and GPS devices. LED use in laptop screens has recently become popular due to advantages in size, power consumption, etc.

Differences in CCFL and LED Backlight Technologies

	CCFL	LED
Size	Thicker and heavier	Thinner and lighter
Cost	Cheaper and more cost effective	More expensive, but are becoming more affordable as more laptop manufacturers are using LED backlights
Power	Higher power consumption and heat generation	Lower power consumption and heat generation
Brightness	Lower brightness	Generally higher brightness
Finish	Available in Matte or Glossy	Available in Matte or Glossy
Lifespan	Shorter lifespan	Last longer than CCFL's

Wednesday 25 September 2013

Troubleshooting laptop with backlight failure

This laptop came for repair because of the LCD screen backlight failure. My customer complained that the laptop LCD screen is black but the laptop works with an external monitor.
Here are my steps for troubleshooting this laptop with the backlight failure.

First of all, I tested this laptop with an external monitor connected to the VGA port and the external monitor worked absolutely fine. I was able to get crystal clear image on the external screen even though the internal screen didn’t light up. If the external screen works fine, then most likely there is nothing wrong with the video card.

After that I took a closer look at the laptop LCD and noticed that the screen is not completely black. The laptop screen still works but the image is very very dull, you barely can see it. It means that the screen still gets data signal from the video card, but for some reason the backlight lamp doesn’t work.

From my experience I know that this problem can be related the lid close switch, faulty inverter board or bad backlight lamp. I checked them one by one.

If you have a similar problem, make sure the lid close witch moves freely. The lid switch is a small button located close to the LCD screen. This button triggers the hibernation or sleep mode when the screen is closed. If the lid close switch is dirty, it might get stuck inside the laptop case and cut off the power from the inverter board. The inverter board works as a power supply for the backlight lamp and if there is no power coming to the inverter board, the backlight lamp will not light up either.

In my case the lid button worked properly, it didn’t stuck inside the case. When I was pressing on the button very fast, I was able to light up the screen but only for a fraction of a second. The image wasn’t bright and it had a pinkish tone. A pinkish tone usually indicates a problem with the backlight lamp, not the inverter board.

Even though I suspected the backlight failure, I decided to test this laptop with a new inverter board just in case. But it didn’t help. The screen didn’t light up even after I replace the inverter board. So, I was right, this problem is not related to the inverter board.

Finally, I disconnected the screen backlight lamp connector from the inverter board and connected my test backlight lamp (I removed it from another cracked screen). You can find a new backlight lamp on eBay. Try to find a backlight with the connector already attached to it, so you can plug it into the inverter board. Make sure the connector on the backlight lamp is similar to the connector on your LCD screen.

As soon as I turned on the laptop, my backlight lamp lighted up. Yep, that’s the problem. The laptop screen has a faulty backlight lamp.

Here’s another laptop with backlight failure

This laptop video fails in a little bit different way. In this case the backlight lamp hasn’t failed completely.

The laptop starts with video on the screen but the background has reddish tone, the screen flickers and it makes noticeable buzzing noise coming from the backlight and inverter area. After a few minutes the backlight turns off by itself and the buzzing noise stops. When the backlight is off, the image on the screen is still visible but it’s very dark.

I removed the screen bezel and connected my test backlight lamp.

My test backlight works absolutely fine. The lamp doesn’t flicker and there is no buzzing noise. So, this laptop needs a new backlight lamp

Tuesday 24 September 2013

All main laptop and notebook parts explained

On this website you will find information about all main parts inside a typical laptop or notebook computer. You can identify parts by the description or image below. In order to get more information about a particular part, you can follow the link in the description or simply click on the image.

SYSTEM BOARD - MOTHERBOARD

The system board is the main logic board in any laptop. All internal components are connected to the system board. This is one of the most expensive parts in a laptop.

MEMORY - RAM

More memory you have installed – better the performance of the laptop.
Learn about different types of memory, compatibility issues and how you can replace or upgrade memory yourself. The memory is a user replaceable part.

HARD DRIVE

The hard drive is the main storage of information in a laptop. All system files, personal files are stored inside the hard drive. Find the difference between SATA and IDE hard drives. Faster hard drive you have installed – faster data access you get. You can upgrade the hard drive yourself.

PROCESSOR - CPU

The processor is the brain of your laptop. Faster CPU means faster data processing.

KEYBOARD

The keyboard is the main input device. Find out how the keyboard is connected to the motherboard and how it can be removed or replaced.

CD/DVD OPTICAL DRIVE

The CD/DVD drive allows you to read/write data from/to a CD or DVD disc. Lear about the difference between drives with regular and SATA connectors.

COOLING FAN

The cooling fan is a part of the cooling module in a laptop. The fan helps to cool down the processor when the laptop is turned on.

VIDEO CARD - GRAPHICS CARD

In most modern laptops the video card is integrated into the system board. If the video card fails you have to replace the whole motherboard.
In some laptops the video card is a discrete module and can be removed or replaced separately from the motherboard.

AUDIO BOARD - SOUND BOARD

In most laptops the audio board is a part of the motherboard. If that’s the case, all audio board input/output components such as volume control, microphone jack and headphone jack are soldered directory to the motherboard.

WIRELESS NETWORK CARD

The internal wireless card helps you to connect to the Internet without running a cable. Learn about different types of internal wireless cards and how they are connected to the motherboard.

CMOS BATTERY - RTC BATTERY

The CMOS battery provides power to the CMOS chip when the laptop is turned off or disconnected form the wall outlet.

LCD SCREEN

The LCD screen is one of the most expensive parts in a laptop computer. The LCD screen mounts inside the display panel.
If you accidentally cracked the screen, it has to be replaced. You cannot repair a cracked screen.

SCREEN INVERTER BOARD - FL INVERTER

The inverter board is a power supply for the backlight lamp inside the LCD screen. When inverter fails, the LCD screen goes very very dark and you barely can see any image on the screen. In most laptops the inverter board is mounted inside the display panel below the LCD screen.

SCREEN BACKLIGHT LAMP - CCFL TUBE

The backlight lamp is the main source of light in the LCD screen. The backlight lamp is mouted inside the screen. When the backlight lamp fails, you have to replace the whole LCD screen. It’s possible to replace just the lamp inside the screen but it’s very hard and has to be performed by an experienced technician.

SCREEN CABLE - VIDEO CABLE

The video cable connectes the Laptop screen to motherboard. The video cable carries data signal for the LCD screen and power for the ivnerter board.

WEB CAMERA

Many modern laptops come with a web camera built into the display panel. The web camera is not a part of the LCD screen. The web camers is located on a separate board and can be replaced separately from the LCD.

DISPLAY HINGES - SCREEN HINGES

The dispaly hinges connect two main parts of any laptop – the display panel and base assembly.

AC/DC POWER ADAPTER

The AC/DC power adapter converts high voltage AC power from the mains to low voltage DC power required by the laptop.

MAIN BATTERY

The battery is a secondary source of power for a laptop. The battery gets charged while the laptop is plugged into the mains and keeps the laptop running when it’s unplugged from the mains.

Friday 13 September 2013

USB 3.0 With Pins Details

On show for the first time, the next-generation of ‘SuperSpeed’ USB 3.0 cabling has been revealed at CES 2008. The new standard, which will boost data transfer speeds to HDTV-happy 4.7Gb/s (compared to the 480Mb/s of USB 2.0), is expected to be finalised by June this year, and will be backward-compatible with USB 1.1 and 2.0.

Images via Reg Hardware

That backward-compatibility is down to the 3.0 plugs & sockets having two sets of connections – new and legacy – which make contact depending on whether it’s an old or new device being plugged in. As a result, the USB 3.0 plugs will be longer (and the sockets deeper) than they currently are.

Tuesday 10 September 2013

How to fix "Unidentified Network" in Windows 7 Professional/Home/Ultimate

Unidentified Network is a problem caused the the Network Address of Network Adapter has been changed. This problem does not be solved even if the computer is formatted. The only one way to solve this problem is below...

1. Click "Start" menu and select "Control Panel"...