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.

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 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.

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.