How to Fix a Laptop CD Drive That Is Not Working

No matter what brand and model of laptop you own or what you use it for, the CD-ROM or CD writer can make it a lot more useful. A functioning CD drive allows you to play your favorite music, back up your vital files and install the software you need to keep your laptop running. When the CD drive on the laptop stops working, it is best to take a step-by-step approach to fixing the problem, because a number of factors can cause CD drive problems in a laptop.

1 Turn off the laptop and restart it. Press the "Eject" button on the CD drive as soon as the laptop starts up. Restarting the laptop often allows the tray to release if it was stuck.

How to Troubleshoot a Mini SD Card

Mini SD cards are more compact versions of the standard SD memory cards and are meant primarily for cell phones and cameras. If your mini SD card is no longer working properly, there could be a variety of causes for the problem, from corrupted data to physical damage. Before throwing away the mini SD card and losing all of your files, you can go through a series of troubleshooting steps to attempt to salvage the card and its data.

1Remove the mini SD card from its current device and put it into a different device that has a mini SD slot, such as a camera or cell phone. Check to see if the mini SD card works in a different piece of equipment. If it works, this will indicate that the original device is malfunctioning but that the mini SD card is fine.

2 Take the mini SD card out of the new device if it still isn't working. Physically inspect the bottom of the card to make sure it isn't bent or damaged in any way. Replace the card entirely if it has any physical damage.

3 Check the side of the mini SD card to see if it has a locking switch. Push the switch into the "unlock" position. Put the card back into an electronic device and attempt to use it again to see if the problem is resolved.

4 Insert the mini SD card into the card reader on your computer. Acquire an external USB card reader if your computer does not have a built-in card reader. Connect the reader to the USB port on your computer and then put the mini SD card into the corresponding slot.

5 Open up your computer's Start menu. Click on the "My Computer" icon. Scroll down through the list of drives on your computer and find the drive letter that corresponds to your mini SD card.

6 Right-click on the mini SD card drive letter and choose "Format." Click on the "File Format" box and select "NTFS." Click on "Start" and wait for the formatting process to finish.

7 Place the mini SD card back into its original device and attempt to use it again.

HDMI Port on an Acer Doesn't Work

Several Acer computer models feature high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) ports. Acer computers also feature preinstalled Windows software for simple dual monitor keyboard shortcuts and user friendly display options. With this software and the HDMI video outputs, even novice users can hook up an HD television for use with certain Acer laptops or desktops. When these HDMI ports are unresponsive, however, the process can go from user friendly to utterly frustrating. With some cleaning and additional preinstalled Windows software, you can fix certain HDMI port problems on your Acer computer.

How to Fix Wireless Internet Problems

Fixing a wireless Internet connection can be frustrating, but fortunately it's not impossible. As much as we all want to slam our fists in frustration when our connection goes wrong, there are steps to take to rectify our troubles.

1 Check the connection icon in the system tray, usually found in the lower right of your computer screen. The icon is often a small computer monitor and will often have a red "x" if there is no wireless Internet connection established. If there is no connection, attempt to reconnect your Internet.

How Do I Troubleshoot an HP Laptop CD/DVD Driver?

If you're having issues with your HP laptop's CD or DVD drive, it might not be a physical issue with the drive. Instead, the driver your optical drive uses may be corrupted or not working properly, or may need to be upgraded. Troubleshooting an HP laptop's CD or DVD driver is not difficult and takes approximately 10 minutes. If the troubleshooting steps do not resolve your driver issue, you may have a physical problem with the HP's optical drive.

1 Turn your HP laptop off. Turn the laptop over and find the battery release latch. Move this latch to the unlock position, indicated by an open lock icon on the bottom of the laptop. Pull the battery out of the computer and set it aside.

How to Reduce Laptop Fan Noise

The beauty of a laptop is its mobility and the variety of places in which you can use it. But if your laptop has a grating fan that makes a great amount of noise, taking it to the library or class aren't viable options. However, there are many ways to reduce the noise, from altering the options of your CPU fan to replacing it with a new and quieter one.

The Software Fix

1 Download and install a computer fan-control program like Speed Fan on your laptop. (See Resources.) Many of these kinds of programs can be found all over the Internet. If you have any problems installing the software, consult the documentation included with it.

Gateway Laptop Heating Problems

An overheating computer is a malfunctioning computer. If your computer is operating at a higher- than-ideal temperature, it will not be at its most efficient. If the computer gets too hot, it will either shut down, or break. Gateway laptops are no more susceptible to overheating than any other computer, but will probably experience overheating problems at some point, regardless of age.

Avoid Overheating

Your computer produces heat as it operates. Although Gateway computers have a sophisticated and extensive heat-transfer system, all laptop computers are less than perfect at removing heat.

How to Replace the Laptop Fan on an Acer Aspire 3000

Laptop computers generate heat while they process information, which can potentially cause the processor or other components to shut down. To keep the system working properly your Acer Aspire 3000 uses a cooling fan that prevents overheating. If the fan goes out you will need to replace it before the internal components experience permanent damage. The fan is connected to the bottom of the laptop's case, but unfortunately it can only be accessed by removing the motherboard and most of the other parts.

1 Turn off the Acer Aspire 3000 and unplug any cables that are attached to the laptop. Shut the laptop's lid and turn the unit upside down. Slide over the release latch and remove the battery pack.

How to Replace a Cooling Fan on a Sony Vaio Laptop

As the size of laptops shrink while their internal technology grows more powerful, cooling the delicate computing systems has become more difficult. While the causes of Sony Vaio laptops overheating vary, design problems may lead cooling fans to clog and jam from excessive dust and debris build-up. To prevent this, clean and test your fan before moving forward with more extensive repairs. If the problem persists, the fan is likely faulty, so replacement of the unit must be done to ensure proper functioning.

1  Shut down your Vaio, then unplug the AC adapter and remove the battery.

How do I set the speed of my computer's processor to its correct speed after a BIOS/CMOS battery failure

In the days of Intel Pentium, Intel Pentium II and AMD K6 processors, a processor had only a single set of bus lines that communicated with the rest of the system called the frontside bus (FSB).FSB speeds went from 66MHz to 100MHz and then to 133MHz, but, even so, the speed of memory access was a significant bottleneck that restricted performance. Intel invested heavily in the very expensive Rambus memory that was much faster than the current standard SDRAM memory. Intel signed an agreement that prevented AMD from using the Rambus technology.AMD (Intel's only competitor in the PC processor market) developed an alternative called double data rate (DDR) memory, which transfers two bits of data per clock signal instead of just one (hence the double data rate).This matched Rambus memory and was considerably cheaper.Intel has itself now adopted DDR/DDR2/DDR3 memory AMD integrated the memory controller on the motherboard into the central processor chip, which enables a processor to have a separate memory bus that runs at a much higher speed.

Therefore,AMD Athlon processors have separate bus lines running at different speeds for the memory and the motherboard chipset access. The DDR memory bus clock speed (the FSB) is set to half the speed of the memory, For example, with 400MHz-rated DDR memory the FSB would run at 200MHz. The FSB that connects the processor to the motherboard chipset originally ran at

100MHz, then 133MHz, then 166MHz, and finally at 200MHz. In your computer, it should be running at 166MHz, but you have it set at 133MHz. That is why it the processor is configured and reported as an Athlon XP 2200+ processor instead of what it is - a AMD Athlon XP 2800+.

Your computer seems to have the first Thoroughbred chip. Most motherboards detect the correct settings  for  the  processor  automatically.  This  can  be  completely  automatic,  as  it  is  with most Dell, HP and other major brands, or there may be a BIOS option that loads default values. The BIOS setup program can offer two sets of default values - failsafe (slow but reliable) and optimal (best). However, the BIOS setup program itself and the motherboard's user manual don't make it clear which is which. The latest processor of a range (Athlon XP 3200+ using an FSB of

200MHz was the last in the line) might be too recent for the original motherboard BIOS to be able to recognise it automatically. However, the computer manufacturer or the motherboard manufacturer  usually  provide  a BIOS update  that  enables  the BIOS to  recognise  the  latest processors in a range. If an update is available from either of the sites of those manufacturers, you should install it (reflash the BIOS with it). The update itself should provide a readme file that provides instructions on how to reflash the BIOS.

How to Fix a Broken Laptop Fan

Laptops, as computers, generate heat while working and one of the ways to control and regulate their temperature is through the use of small fans. These fans expel warm air generated by laptop processors or other components and also draw cooler air inside. Since laptop fans control the operating temperature and directly influence the performance of the processor, it is necessary to replace or repair a broken fan immediately. A broken fan can cause a laptop to freeze or shut down and can even lead to more serious damage.

Pentium 4 processor runs very slowly

Both frequencies are being correctly reported, because the Intel D850MV motherboard does not support a 533MHz Front Side Bus (FSB) speed.

The so-called 533MHz FSB speed of motherboards that support it is only the base FSB of 133MHz multiplied by 4 to express the effective FSB speed of the RAM, which is not a frequency. It is the effective speed (frequency) of the RAM using DDR RAM and DDR RAM operating in dual-channel mode. The RAM would be running at an effective speed/frequency of 133 X 2 = 266MHz using Double-Data-Rate (DDR) RAM, which functions at double the data rate of the FSB.

How to Troubleshoot IBM Laptop Computers

Troubleshooting IBM laptop computers can be a painstaking process due to the necessity to rule out a large number of potential problems. However, there are several key problems that are most likely to afflict an IBM laptop, and these can be checked for and troubleshot first and foremost. Since these problems--such as driver errors and LCD display malfunctions--are leading causes of laptop issues, it is usually possible to immediately narrow the scope of your troubleshooting endeavors and thus make the process much more manageable.

1 Check for power issues. Your IBM laptop battery may be dead, but is your AC adapter successfully plugged into the wall, or has it come loose? Also, try different wall outlets or surge protectors.

I can't hear any sound from my computer

Try  using  the  Playing  Audio  troubleshooter  to  fix  the  problem.  It  checks  for  common problems with your volume settings, your sound card or driver, and your speakers or headphones. Open the Playing Audio troubleshooter by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type troubleshooter, and then click Troubleshooting. Under Hardware and Sound, click Troubleshoot audio playback.  If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Windows XP won't recognise Intel Core2 Duo E4600 2.4GHz dual-core processor's second core, but Windows Vista does

This problem often occurs after switching from a single-core processor to a dual-core processor without reinstalling Windows XP. You replaced the motherboard and processor, but used the samehard disk drive with Windows XP Pro SP3 installed on it.

Note that if you have an OEM copy of Windows XP/Vista and you change the motherboard, you have to buy a new OEM copy of XP/Vista or a new licence, because an OEM copy can only be installed on one computer, and changing the motherboard is defined by Microsoft as changing the computer. You are only allowed to change the motherboard if you have to replace the existing motherboard with another motherboard of exactly the same make/model.

Why is processor running so hot during a video conversion?

The computer would have shut down if it were actually running that hot, so I would say that the temperatures are an illusion.

You can use RMClock, as it has a display that shows the state of "throttling". If the processor's temperature goes over about 70C, the processor reduces its processing rate for short periods to control the temperature, which you would see that in the RMClock graph.

So if you don't see throttling, then you know the real processor temperature is not 118C. What you want in a hardware setup is to not lose any performance. So, if you see the graph dip when AGK runs, then you need more cooling, or to clean, apply paste, and reseat the processor's heatsink and fan cooler.

Failure with the processor

There are many possible reasons why a processor can appear to have failed. In the real world, outright processor failures are very rare, especially if the processor has worked in the past (unless we are talking about a very old CPU, more than ten years of age). If the processor works for the first month that it is installed, it will probably last for five or more years, as long as it isn't abused. Problems with processors are far more likely to be misconfigurations, overheating problems, or misdiagnoses of other failed components.

Recommendation:

• If you have recently assembled this PC, or you have recently performed an upgrade to it, check here for possible general problems.

Unlocking a CPU/processor locked cores

Perhaps  many  of  you  reading  this  have  also  read  that  the AMD  Phenom  II  X2  550  Black Edition dual-core CPU/processors have two locked cores. Mine has and I unlocked them to make it a  quad-core  AMD  Phenom  II  x4  processor.  Luck  is  involved  and  I  will  explain  why. When AMD manufactures  its  Phenom  CPUs/processors,  they  are  all  made  quad-core  (not including the new hexa-core (six-cores) models. These four cores are tested to make sure they work as they should. If that is the case, they are sold as quad-core processors.

Apparent failure of the motherboard or a system device on the motherboard

Outright motherboard failure is fairly rare in a new system, and extremely rare in a system that is already up and running. Usually, the problem is that the motherboard has been misconfigured or there is a failure with one or more of the components that connect to it. Getting a system in the mail that has a loose component or disconnected cable is very common. In fact, though, there are a surprisingly large possible causes for what may appear to be a motherboard failure.

Problems related to Motherboard

Running the motherboard without a case is a common technique used by technicians to eliminate any weird grounding and shorting issues or mechanical stresses. It also makes it much easier to swap the CPU if that's required. I normally do my bench testing on top of a cardboard box, with a static free bag or foam between the bottom of the motherboard and the cardboard. You don't walk away from a test like this or you might come back to find the box on fire! If your motherboard powers up on the bench with the same power supply that you used in the case, you have a geometry problem.

Replace keyboards on various laptops

Sony laptop

1. Insert a small flathead screwdriver under the keyboard bezel and carefully lift it up. Continue releasing plastic latches and removing the keyboard bezel with your fingers.

2. Be careful, on some models the bezel might be connected to the motherboard as it shown on the picture above. If you accidentally pulled the cable, connect it back. It is not necessary to disconnect the keyboard bezel from the motherboard in order to remove and replace the keyboard, just put it aside so you can access the keyboard screws.

Problems with Laptop Keyboard

Keyboard is not working

There are a few things to try:

• Make sure your keyboard is plugged in to your computer correctly. If your keyboard connects to a

USB port, try unplugging the keyboard and plugging it into a different USB port.

A typical USB cable and port

• Many wireless keyboards require special drivers to work properly. Be sure that you have installed any software that came with the keyboard. If you use a wireless Bluetooth enabled device for your keyboard, see Set up a Bluetooth enabled device.

Troubleshooting laptop batteries

Note that these steps correspond with decision points on the flowchart and are indexed by the diamond symbols. The text below cannot be read sequentially.

Does the laptop need AC adaptor in order to boot?

The first step in troubleshooting of your laptop battery is determining whether it can hold enough charge to boot the notebook. Will the laptop power up and run on the battery, or does the AC adapter which doubles as the laptop battery charger need to be plugged in?

When the battery won't charge or the battery life is too short

Warning! Before Disassembling Laptop always remove battery. See the expanded text below the flowcharts for explanation of each step.

Laptop battery technology has come a long way from the early NiCad packs that had to be carefully managed. Otherwise their charge capacity would rapidly diminish to the point where an hour of unplugged operation was a fond memory. Some manufacturers did a better job managing NiCad battery life than others, but the only reason for nostalgia about those times was that the battery packs could often be rebuilt by the ambitious do-it-yourselfer.

Troubleshooting Laptop Power Failure

Note that these steps correspond with decision points on the flowchart and are indexed by the diamond symbols. The text below cannot be read sequentially.

Laptop Power LED On?

Most Laptop have a series of LED’s on the front Edge that offer a basic status report. Normally, there are separate LEDs that will light when the when the laptop power cord is plugged in, when the battery is charging, and when the laptop is powered on. In addition, there may me LEDs for hard drive and wireless activity and for DVD or CD action.

Problem with laptop power cord, jack, charging or AC/DC adapter

Warning! Before Disassembling Laptop always remove battery. See the expanded text below the flowcharts for explanation of each step.

Because laptops are designed to be portable and function on battery power, they are engineered to run on the DC (Direct Current) power that batteries provide. But all of the power distribution networks in the modern world utilize AC (Alternating Current) because it's a more efficient and economical way to move electricity long distances.This means that laptops are shipped with an AC adapter that plugs into a regular outlet and converts that AC power into the proper DC voltage for the laptop.

Laptop Power Supply Problem

Laptops are typically powered by an internal rechargeable battery that is charged using an external power supply, which outputs a DC voltage typically in the range of 7.2–14.8 volts. The power supply is usually external, and connected to the laptop through a AC connector cable. It can charge the battery and power the laptop simultaneously; when the battery is fully charged, the laptop continues to run on power supplied by the external power supply. The charger adds about 400 grams (1 lb) to the overall "transport weight" of the notebook.

Introduction to Laptop

Laptop computers are the largest growing part of the computer industry, with sales that continue to outpace desktop systems. According to data from the NPD group, August 2003 sales of laptops were up 55% over the same period in 2002, whereas desktop system sales increased by only 14%. Also, the average price of a laptop in August 2003 was $1,334. At the same time, desktop systems averaged only $725. Obviously, for those in the industry, there has never been a better reason to get into upgrading and repairing laptops, because not only are they selling better than ever, but their higher prices allow you to charge more for services rendered. Gartner, Inc. states that laptop computer shipments are expected to make up 28.8% of all computer shipments by 2006. Much of this is being driven by wireless technology, which is projected to reach 90% of the mobile system installed base by 2007.