Laptop does not start. Fixing the problem.

If your laptop does not start at all or it starts but will not boot properly, it’s possible that you can fix the laptop at home without taking it to a repair center. Here are some troubleshooting tips for you. I’m not sure if I can cover all situation at once, so I will update this post as more examples come into my mind.

Situation 1.
The laptop appears to be dead. You plug the AC adapter but the LEDs (power light, hard drive light, battery charge light, etc…) do not light up and the laptop will not react at all if you press on the power button.

First of all in this situation check the AC adapter. You can test the output voltage with a voltmeter. If you cannot do that, find a known good AC adapter and use it for testing the laptop. It is possible the laptop appears to be dead because the AC adapter is bad (and the battery is discharged). If you know that the AC adapter is working properly and it outputs correct voltage but the laptop is still dead, most likely you have a power issue on the motherboard (or power board on some laptops) and it has to be replaced.
If you have to replace the AC adapter, make sure you use a correct one. The output voltage must be exactly the same as on the original adapter. The output amperage has to be the same as on the original adapter or higher, but not lower.

Situation 2.
When you plug the AC adapter the power LED and the battery charge LED light up. When you press on the power button the laptop powers up but will not start. There is no video on LCD or external monitor.

If the power LED lights up it indicates that the laptop is getting power from the AC adapter. Most likely there is nothing wrong with the adapter but just in case test it with a voltmeter to make sure the output voltage is correct.
Also try this. Unplug the AC adapter, remove the battery and wait for 1-2 minutes. After that plug the AC adapter ans try starting the laptop again. Sometimes this trick helps.
It also could be a memory related problem. Try reseating the memory module, just remove it from the slot on the motherboard and install it back. Try installing the memory module into the other slot (if it’s available). If you have two memory modules installed, try removing them one by one and start the laptop just with one memory module installed.
If the laptop starts fine with one memory module in both slots, but will not start with the second memory module in both slots, the second memory module is faulty. Replace the module.
If the laptop starts fine with both memory modules when they are installed in the slot A, but will not start with both memory modules installed in the slot B, the slot B is faulty and you’ll have to replace the motherboard or use only one memory slot.

Situation 3.
When you press on the power button, the laptop makes a series or short and long beeps and will not start up. There is no video on the screen.

In this situation test the memory module as I described in the situation2. Try installing a known good memory module. Most likely you are getting a beep error because of a faulty memory.

Situation 4.
You start the laptop. It sounds like the laptop is booting normally (hard drive LED is flashing) but there is no video on the screen

In this situation test the laptop with an external monitor. If the external screen works fine but there is no video on the laptop LCD, most likely there is a problem inside the laptop display assembly. Go to my previous post witch covers laptop video problems in more details.

Situation 5.
You start the laptop and it starts making repetitive clicking noise or grinding noise.

Most likely you hear this noise because of a faulty hard drive. You can remove the hard drive and start the laptop without it. If the noise is gone, the hard drive is your problem. Replace it.
If the laptop makes clicking or grinding noises and you still have video on the screen, you can run a hard drive test utility. I usually use Hitachi’s drive fitness test. This test is reliable and easy to use.

Situation 6.
The laptop boots into Windows ans works for a while, but after that it shuts down by itself without any reason or warning. You restart the laptop but the same problem appears again

Most likely it’s a heat related issue. Listen for the cooling fan, make sure it works.
Also this problem might appear because of a faulty memory module, try some tips from the situation 2.
The laptop still boots ans you still can see the screen, so you can run the memory test. I usually use Memtest86+. Run the memory test and if it fails, replace the faulty module.

Situation 7
The laptop starts normally but video on the screen has lines, some strange characters or other defects

It could indicate a problem with the laptop LCD screen, video cable, graphics card or motherboard. Here’s my previous post witch covers troubleshooting bad images on the screen in more details.

Laptop Running Hot? - Reasons and Solutions to Heating Problems

Laptop heating is perhaps the most predominant problem that all of us may have encountered or will encounter with Laptop technology. The sad thing is, there is no way you can stop Laptops running hot. But you can take some steps to abate the heat they generate with these tips.

Why Do Laptops Heat Up?
Before we give you the different ways by which you can lessen the heat emitted by your laptop, we will discuss the reason for this. Why do laptops really heat up ? There are several known reasons why this occurs, although there is no really clear cut study about this. The common reasons why laptops heat up include:

Clogged laptop vents - If your laptop is old, chances are it might have accumulated a lot of dust and/or lint that clog your laptops air vents. Heat emitted by the laptop parts inside can not escape out of your laptop's body. Hence, while using your laptop for any length of time, you'll soon feel the heat coming out from your laptop.

Room Temperature - If your laptop's vent is clear of any obstruction, but you still feel your laptop heating up, the problem may be caused by the temperature of the room where you are working. Hot room temperature contributes to the heating up of your laptop.

Improper Placement of Laptop - Related to the first reason we mentioned, another cause of too much heat emitted by your laptop might be the fact that you placed your laptop on a surface which may be stopping the airflow through your laptop's air vent.

Malfunctioning laptop internal fan - Our laptops are similar to a car's engine. If the cooling fan is not properly working, your car would experience overheating. The same is true with our laptops. A malfunctioning fan will cause the laptop to heat up, since nothing is cooling it down.

Over performing laptops - Another reason that might be causing your laptop to heat up is the fact that it is overpowered.

How to Lessen the Heat Emitted by Laptops
Now that you know some of the most common reasons why laptops heat up, what can you do to abate this heat? Take note, we said abate and not prevent or stop. That's because laptops are bound to heat up no matter how much manufacturers claim that their laptops don't. Somehow, the laptop's thin and small body makes it inevitable. The cramped space and electronics inside your laptop make it prone to heating up.

Here are some of the most common ways by which you could lessen the heat generated by your laptop:

Clean laptop vents - Make it a habit to regularly check your laptop's vent. This is the key reason why laptops heat up so it must be checked first. If you find your laptop's air vent clogged, use some portable pressurized air to blow out the dust and lint clogging it.

Work in a Cooler Room - As much as possible, work in a room where the temperature is cooler. It doesn't have to be in an air-conditioned room, but a room with good air circulation is enough to lessen the heat your laptop generates.

Check Your Laptop's Internal Fan - If you're not brave enough to open up your laptop to check its innards on your own, get a computer technician to do this for you.

Adjust Power Settings - Your laptop maybe emitting too much heat due to over-usage. But we're not going to say that you should stop using your laptop. Actually, you may use it all you want, but it would be wise to adjust the laptop's power settings to a level that won't overpower your laptop's capabilities. Laptops today have the option for various usage settings. Study the best settings for your laptop, specifically those that could lessen the heat generated by your laptop.

Laptop Cooling Pad - I don't know about you, but in the area where I am right now, generic laptop cooling pads are widely available at PC stores. And these cooling pads don't cost too much. You can get some cooling pads for $3. Since I bought my laptop cooling pad, I never use my laptop without putting it on top of the cooling pad.

The Problem with Overheating Laptops

Laptops are unfortunately prone to overheating. Unlike desktop PCs, a laptop's hardware components are all in close proximity to each other with little room for air movement. The current trend towards miniaturization -- stuffing faster processors into ever smaller cases -- is also increasing the potential for laptops to overheat. In fact, researchers who are trying to solve the problem with nanoelectronics are predicting that if this continues, laptops will be as hot as the sun in a decade or two. In other words, hot laptops are a real problem!

Dangers of Laptop Overheating
Even if it isn't running at 6,000 degrees Celsius, if your laptop overheats it can do some serious damage to both your body and the internal hardware. A laptop that's too hot, for example, can actually scald you (Sony recalled thousands of VAIO laptops due to possible burn hazards). There's also some indication that working with a hot laptop in your lap, where they were designed to be, can potentially cause male infertility.

Regarding the device itself, operating a laptop at very high temperatures leads to failed hardware components (video cards, motherboards, memory modules, hard drives and more are susceptible to damage) and decreases the lifespan of your computer. It can also be a fire hazard: faulty laptops have actually burned down houses.

Signs of Laptop Overheating
But what's the difference between an overheating laptop and one that's just a little hot? If your laptop feels hot and shows any of the problems below, chances are it's overheating or getting there:
Fan constantly running and making loud whirring noises
Computer struggling to perform basic tasks like opening a new browser window
Mysterious error messages popping up in random programs
Lines on your laptop screen (a sign your video card is overheating)
System freezing or the dreaded BSOD (blue screen of death)
The laptop abruptly shuts down on its own

If your laptop is overheating, take steps immediately to cool down your laptop and prevent further overheating damage.

Diagnose and Fix an Overheating Laptop

One of the most common issues with aging laptops is overheating, something many people aren’t sure how to fix. We’ll help you figure out what’s causing the heat and how to keep your notebook functioning at a lower temperature.

Overheating computers can cause a lot of problems, from seemingly random blue screens to data loss. You might not even know that it’s the root of your issues, and before you know it you have a burnt-out motherboard on your hands. Let’s go step by and step and see how to deal with overheating computers. We’ll be dealing primarily with laptops, but most of the same principles apply to desktops as well.

Find the Heat Source

Air Flow and Heat Transfer

The first thing you need to do is figure out where the heat is coming from. No air flow means no heat transfer, so figure out where the air vents are. Are they blowing hot air, or is there barely a breeze, even when the fan is overtaxed?


Most commonly, an accumulation of dust in the vents and fans through the cooling channels will be culprit in restricting air flow. Cleaning it out will work best. Turn you laptop upside-down and look at what you’ve got.

Unscrew the fan doors and you should be able to lift out the fan and clean everything with a can of compressed air.

If you find that a fan is spinning erratically, you may want to try lifting the sticker off of the axle and putting a drop of mineral oil to keep it going.

You can also try to look up the part number from your laptop’s user manual or by searching your laptop model number online. Once you have that, you can find replacements pretty easily on eBay and the like.

Dying Batteries
There are plenty of different types of batteries, and many different schools of thought on battery maintenance and life span, but one thing that seems pretty unanimous is that batteries aren’t meant to be stored at 100% or 0% capacity. I know plenty of people who buy laptops and always keep the charger in, never actually using the battery. You can definitely expect to kill your battery’s health this way, since you’re essentially storing the battery when it’s full. Bad batteries don’t just give out really quickly, they can generate heat.



You can buy replacement batteries pretty easily online, even for laptops that are four years old. You just need to know what model your computer/battery is. If you can’t find one, you may consider using your laptop as a desktop and remove the overheating battery completely from the equation.

Persistent Overheating
If you’ve taken the air vents and battery out of the picture and you’re still having problems, then you might have a more persistent heat issue. Sometimes a dusty hard drive can cause heat problems and data loss. Some laptops just “run hot,” even without a major load on the CPU. Try cleaning out these areas as best you can before you move on to another solution.


Dust under the processor and RAM doors to get rid of any dust and debris. If you’ve got a netbook or a laptop without compartments underneath, things might be more difficult. You should be able to find instructions for getting the back off so you can clean things properly.



Lighten the Load
If your computer’s heat is related to how much data the CPU chugs through, you might want to manage your processes better. You can use the Windows Task Manager to see what’s most intensive, then use Autoruns to see all your startup processes and trim them down. You can also change the order of the startup processes that are necessary. The staggered loading of software will help balance your processor’s load.

You can install and run Process Explorer to see the files that each process has open and its associated CPU usage over time. This can help you decide what to get rid of and what to spare. We’re also big fans of CCleaner, which allows you to clean history and cache files as well as manage your startup applications quickly and easily. You can free up some much needed space that way and get a little more efficiency out of your OS.

If you want to keep an eye on the temperature of your laptop, I recommend Core Temp for Windows. It’s an extremely light-weight app that won’t pressure your CPU, but lets you keep an eye on your internal temperature.


You can tell it to display the temperature when it’s in the system tray. One of the best features is under the Options menu: Overheat Protection.

Here, you can define a temperature that will trigger your computer to Sleep, Hibernate, or Shutdown. Core Temp also works as a Windows Gadget, though if you’re overheating from CPU-intensive processes, I’d turn Desktop Gadgets off. Another thing you can do isturn that fancy Aero interface off, and you can create a shortcut to quickly toggle it if you can’t live completely without it.

If you’re using Linux instead, you might want to consider a more spartan distro. I’ve personally had a lot of success with Crunchbang; a clean install leaves me with Openbox as a window manager, a nice dock, and some nice desktop effects, along with only 80MB of RAM usage. It’s based on Debian, so there’s a good amount of compatibility with software. If you run Arch, you might want to try ArchBang instead, which is the same thing but built on Arch instead of Debian.
Behavior Changes

Laptop owners have a lot of luxury by not being tethered to a chair and desk. We develop a lot of habits, like browsing in bed, that can actually work against of computers. A lot of laptops are designed with their air vents on the bottom for some ridiculous reason, so setting it down on soft bedding or carpet for prolonged use is a bad idea. You’d be surprised at how quickly the heat can build up. If you this is a habit, you might consider investing in a laptop stand to keep the air flow unobstructed.





If none of the above methods helped cool your laptop sufficiently, you might consider using a cooling pad, like this:



The fans will help direct cool air into the underside vents of your laptop. Some even come with USB hubs and other bells and whistles.

If your vents are placed on the sides or elsewhere, but the bottom of your notebook is still really warm, you can try out a thermal (passive) cooling pad.



These are soft pads filled with special crystals that are designed to conduct heat away from the source. You can find thermal cooling pads in smaller sizes, too. I used a 9” one for my old netbook and it did wonders for me.

Sure, these will make your laptop less mobile, but if it helps with overheating then at least you’ll have a laptop that runs.
Repurpose It



If you can’t use it as a laptop anymore, consider repurposing it. The compact motherboards fit great inside of older and smaller computer cases and cardboard boxes. These kinds of rigs are great for in-drawer HTPCs, closet-servers, or under-the-desk mounted workstations. You’ll have to be a bit more careful if you leave the guts exposed, but depending on the room, it can cut down on dust problems. You can also regulate air flow a bit better and mount some standard computer fans in clever places, like in the back and sides of the drawer or desk.

Another idea is to try running a very light-weight version of Linux, and use it for something that isn’t very CPU-intensive, like a file server. The lack of processor-heavy tasks will keep the temperature low, but you can still get some use out of it. And, if you’re only ditching the battery, then you can leave things inside the case and stick it on a shelf as a head-less (SSH and command-line only) server. The possibilities are endless!

I hate seeing machines go to waste. My last project took a seven-year-old overheating Dell Inspiron 9100 and turned it into a cool-running under-the-table HTPC.

Have you recently given an overheating laptop new life? Have some better tips for temperature management? Know what to kill to keep CPU load light? Share in the comments!

Laptop Keyboard Not Working

Having trouble typing on your laptop keyboard? Read this article which will help you in troubleshooting your laptop's keyboard problems.
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Laptop keyboards are a little more delicate than keyboards used in desktop computers. Hence they face more problems. Normally, they are replaced when they render defective. However, most of these keyboard issues can be taken care of or even prevented by regular cleaning. Common issues like, keys not working on your keyboard, having to press keys firmly to get the output or any keyboard typing issues, can easily be handled at home.

Problem #1 - My Laptop's Keyboard Keys are Not Working
Sometimes you may find certain keys of your laptop's keyboard to not be working properly. You type those keys but there is no output on the screen or you need to press these keys firmly to get a result. You face this problem if you accidentally spill any liquid substance on your keyboard, or due to dust accumulating on the inside of the keys, pressing certain keys really hard while playing games or even due to absence of lubrication. Therefore you are supposed to maintain your laptop's keyboard by cleaning and lubricating it regularly.

Troubleshooting Steps

• To start with, take out each key. Use a small screwdriver to carefully pry each key by making it loose. As they become loose, keys will simply pop off. Also, take out the rubber piece present under every key. Keep the keys and rubber pieces in different containers.
• Once you have removed all keys from the keyboard, you will have to clean the keyboard from the inside. Use cotton swabs or ear bubs and slightly dip them in water. Avoid getting them too moist, as excess water can damage the keyboard. Meticulously clean the whole keyboard using moist cotton swabs, laying extra emphasis on key spaces.
• Now, start cleaning keys you had earlier removed and kept in the container. Use foam rubber and lighter fluid to clean each key alone. This will help in removing any sticky substance present on keys. Apply any household cleaner on these keys and let them stay for about 15 minutes. After this, wash all the keys properly using hot water and let the keys dry completely.
• The small rubber pieces which you took out earlier and kept in the container have to be thoroughly rinsed in warm water, after you have sprayed a household cleaner on them. Soak these rubber pieces up in paper napkins so that they dry quickly.
• To lubricate the keys, place all keys (facing top-down) on a flat surface. Apply mild lubricant from all sides, on all keys and leave them to dry. Avoid applying too much lubricant instead go for a light coat.
• Similar to the manner in which you lubricated the keys, apply mild lubricant on the keyboard surface and let it dry.
• Once you have cleaned and lubricated all the parts, carefully reassemble the keyboard. Begin with placing all rubber components on the keyboard. Next, fix all keys in their respective positions cautiously securing the wire in these keys. Use your finger and press down all keys, one at a time, firmly so that they fit properly in the slots. That is it.
• The complete process will take you a maximum of 2 hours. Cleaning and lubricating the keyboard in the above prescribed manner once a year, can prevent many such situations.

Problem#2 - My Laptop's Keyboard Types Wrong Characters
When your keyboard types wrong characters, it is because of a software problem and not a hardware one. If you accidentally press specific keys on your keyboard, it can activate a particular function responsible for the problem.

Troubleshooting StepsSelect the control panel option
Click on → 'Regional and Language Services' → 'Languages' → 'Details' → 'Key Settings'
Choose the option 'Switch Between Input Languages' and click on 'Change Key Sequence'
Make sure that all the check boxes in the window are unchecked and repeat the same for 'Switch to..... (Keyboard Type)'
Click →'Ok' → 'Ok' → 'Apply' → 'Ok'.

Problem#3 - My Laptop's Keyboard Types Numbers Instead of Letters
This is another problem due to some software issue. It is possible you may have enabled a digital lock unknowingly.

Troubleshooting Steps
Pressing the 'Function' key along with the 'Num lock' key (Fn + Numlock) or press the 'Function' Key along with the 'Shift' and 'Num Lock' key (Fn +Shift + NumLock). This will disable the lock and consequently solve your problem.

This was all about solving your laptop keyboard problems that you can try out yourself. After trying all the above given options, if you still find the keyboard still not working, you will have to take your laptop to a service center to get it repaired.

The keyboard on Therese Gween's laptop is misbehaving

The keyboard on Therese Gween's laptop is misbehaving. What can she do about it?
Too bad you own a laptop. Desktop keyboards are easy to fix. Just buy a new one (they can cost less than $15) and plug it in.

Since that's not an option, let's start with the next simplest fix: The driver. But first, just to play it safe, create a restore point.

Once you're safe, open Device Manager: If you're using Windows XP, click Start, right-clickMy Computer, and select Properties. Click the Hardware tab, then the Device Managerbutton. In Vista or Windows 7, just click Start, type device manager, and press ENTER.

Find your keyboard under Keyboards. Right-click it and select Uninstall.



When it's uninstalled, select Action, then Scan for hardware changes. This reinstalls the driver.

If that doesn't fix the problem, you need to find out if it's a hardware or Windows problem. Try these two tests:

First, plug in an external keyboard and try using that. If the problem persists, your keyboard isn't the problem.

Next, try working in a live Linux environment. This allows you to boot into Linux from a CD or flash drive, without installing the operating system. I recommend either Puppy Linux, which is small, fast, and easy for Windows users to figure out, or Ubuntu, which is much more powerful. Both download as .iso files. To burn either of them to a CD, double-click the .iso file. If that launches a program, follow the prompts. If it doesn't, download and install theISO Recorder for Windows XP and Server 2003 or ISO Recorder for Vista and Windows 7. Then double-click the .iso file.

If the problem persists in Linux, you can't blame Windows.

If these tests determine that it's a Windows problem, try System Restore, going back to a date from before the problem started. If that doesn't fix it, I hate to say this, but you may have to reinstall Windows. See Reinstall Windows Without Losing Your Data for instructions.

If it appears to be a hardware problem, you'll probably have to replace the keyboard. You might want to go to a professional for this job, but if you're feeling brave--and lucky--see Fix a Laptop's Sticky, Broken Keys.

Fan Always Runs Or Laptop Overheats And Shuts Itself Off

Warning! Before Disassembling Laptop always unplug power and remove the battery.

Laptops that shut down without warning are often experiencing overheating issues. Overheating may be a symptom of age, of clogged ventilation or impending failure, but it can also result from simply using the laptop in a bad location. Before you try to take the laptop apart to look for problems, it pays to patiently troubleshoot the symptoms and see if an easy fix is possible. I wrote The Laptop Repair Workbook to teach basic laptop technology and troubleshooting to regular people and techs in training. The overheating flowchart below is one of twelve flowcharts in the book.

The diamond symbols are linked to text that explains each decision point.

Laptop Overheating Causes Shut Down
Note that these steps correspond with decision points on the flowchart and are reached through the interactive diamond symbols. The text below cannot be read sequentially.

Can you smell burning or see smoke? Don't sit around wondering if you should put out the fire. While new laptops (and new electronics in general) might put out a bit of odor the first time they really heat up, they shouldn't smoke under any circumstance. If you knock over a drink or spill something on your laptop, hold the power button in until it shuts down and unplug the AC adapter. Try to sop up everything you can with paper towels, and let it dry out overnight. At that point, I would pull the keyboard to inspect whether the liquid got into the laptop body. The longer you wait before you try to power it up again, the more likely it will be dried out. When you power up again, there may be a bit of odor as a residue from the spill burns off, but burning plastic smell or serious smoke mean shut it down.

Is the environment hot? Laptops are designed for operating in a normal temperature range. If you sweat bullets in your attic in the summer, you laptop will likely overheat up there as well. Enough direct sunlight will overheat your laptop, especially if the laptop color and keyboard are black. If you leave you laptop in your car and the car feels like an oven when you open the door, it's too hot to turn the laptop on. All laptops rely on the surrounding air for cooling. The hotter the air, the less cooling the laptop will receive by circulating the air through the computer.

Is the battery overheating? Batteries can get hot for a number of reasons, including internal failure prior to bursting into flames:-) That doesn't happen very often anymore, thanks to massive recalls a few years ago, but if you can't touch the battery without feeling burned, I would shut down, remove the battery, and run on the AC adapter. The battery may run hotter than normal simply because the whole laptop is running hot and heat conducts, even through plastic. I'd check the web for recalls if you feel the battery is too hot, and if it's not on the list, proceed to the battery troubleshooting flowchart.

Has the fan been running? If the fan never runs on your laptop, it's a problem. Most laptop fans run more than the users would like, especially the noisy ones, but no fan at all usually means dead fan and overheating laptop. The higher the laptop quality, the more likely they use a high quality fan and run it at the lowest RPMs possible to reduce noise. But if your laptop is overheating and you never hear the fan and can't detect any air circulation at the vents, either the fan is dead or there's something wrong with the controller. If you don't replace the fan or get it working again, you are going to shorten the life of your laptop.

Did you flash the BIOS for any reason? I discourage everybody from flashing their laptop BIOS unless it's absolutely required to fix an operational problem. If you flash the BIOS and the fan stops working or the laptop starts overheating, you can blame the manufacturer for supplying a bad upgrade, and you can blame yourself for installing it. The first step is to check their website and see if the original BIOS is still available. Unfortunately, the tech support departments for many laptop manufacturers and warranty service sub-contractors will lead you through flashing the BIOS if you don't have the latest version as part of their process of elimination when you call with any problem.

Have power and thermal management settings been changed? It always pays to check both CMOS Setup and Windows power management settings to see if there are lower power or cooler settings available. Some laptops gave users an option to run quietly, which usually means reducing fan speed which leads to quicker heating. The power management profile for playing DVD movies may try to limit fan noise at the expense of heat, and CMOS Setup may include some fan controls that aren't overridden by Windows. There are a lot of user options for customizing your performance and power use, and if you didn't have overheating problems before changing them, you might want to return to the defaults settings.

If a fan has failed or is noisy, it's a pretty easy replacement job on most laptops, though you better check first to see if more than one fan is used so you can get the right one. I recently talked a friend's daughter into replacing her noisy fan herself (OK, her mother helped) after showing her how she could buy a new one from Amazon for a few bucks. The shipping cost more than the fan. If you can't tell whether a fan is operating, try holding a thin piece of paper near the vents on the laptop and see if it pulls into the vent or blows away from it, either of which would indicate that the fan is working.

Are you using the laptop on a soft surface? Laptops are designed to run on hard, flat surfaces. Some of them have air vents on the bottom, with nothing but a few little rubber nubs to maintain the laptop's distance from the surface. On a bed or your lap, the vent is going to get blocked. Most laptops put the vents on the sides or the back, but it's easy enough to block these if you use the laptop in bed, on loose clothing, or on a badly cluttered table. If the vents are blocked, the laptop fan is going to work overtime and the laptop is still going to get hot. If your laptop keeps shutting itself down, take a hint that it might be shutting down to protect itself from thermal damage and look at the environment you are operating in.

Did the laptop shut down automatically? Most laptops are designed to shut themselves down if the CPU overheats, and other overheating conditions may trigger an automatic shutdown as well. You don't want to keep turning the laptop back on again if it's hot and it keeps shutting down. Better to figure out why it's overheating and not push it to the limit. Some overheated laptops may have a time-out period before you can power them back on, others may start to boot and then lock up or shut down again. There aren't any rules, it depends on the engineering for the particular laptop. Automatic shutdown is for thermal runaway is generally going to be a BIOS routine, which may have a control point setting in CMOS Setup. In all instances, if you have an overheating shutdown, and the laptop doesn't return to normal for an hour or two, I would make sure to back up any important data as soon as it does boot.

Is the fan on all of the time or getting hot spots? Some laptop models were just poorly designed, so there's a particular spot on the keyboard or where you rest your wrists while typing that gets hot every time you run the laptop for more than five minutes. It's worth doing a little Internet research to see if this is a known problem for your model. If there are tons of mentions online from people who have the same hot spot yet their laptops haven't been failing, it may just be a nuisance. Another nuisance is a fan that runs all of the time, or spins up and down whenever you open a new program, etc. Too much fan noise is better than no fan at all, so I tend not to worry about it unless it represents a change, as in, "My laptop fan used to run a couple minutes an hour, now it runs all of the time." Again, a little Internet research can tell you is continual fan noise is just a characteristic of your laptop model.


Has the laptop been freezing or losing data? Data loss can result from all manner of software problems, including malware, so I can't go into in depth here. But data loss from files not being closed properly when the laptop freezes are not out of the ordinary, and you can expect hard drive errors if it is running super hot. If your laptop isn't running hot and you are experiencing data loss and freeze-ups, see the motherboard, CPU and RAM flowchart.

Does the same problem show up without overheating? The truth is, lots of laptops run hot under certain conditions because of poor design, insufficient memory or slow CPUs. So you can't assume that any problems you have with an overheating laptop (aside from the temperature and fan noise) are due to the overheating. If the laptop displays the same problems the next day within minutes of being turned on, before it gets hot, then the problems probably aren't due to the overheating. Try going through the other flowcharts for performance issues. If, however, the problems don't return until the laptop is in use long enough to heat up again, it's time for a thorough cleaning and to make sure you are using the laptop in a temperature friendly environment.

Check CMOS settings for automatic shutdown. The laptop BIOS probably has a setting to inform the operating system of low battery condition and forcing hibernation since it's the fastest way to shut down without data loss. You want to attach the AC adapter in this case, because hibernation will drain a low battery flat in the course of a few hours. If you let it drain flat and the battery doesn't seem to accept a charge after you reconnect the AC adapter and reboot, try charging the battery with the laptop turned off. The LED should still report charging status.

How to clean an overheating laptop. Start by unplugging the AC adapter, removing the battery, and then carefully inspecting all of the laptop surfaces for vents. If there are vents on the bottom, it's a sure sign that operating the laptop on any soft surface, including your lap, may lead to overheating. If you weren't aware of the vent locations and realize that you laptop airflow has been obstructed, try operating on table top and see if your overheating problem goes away.

Look inside the air vents with a bright flashlight and see if there are layers of dust or crud (which can get sucked in through the air intake) built up on the heatsinks. You may be able to clean up some of the dust and crud with Q-tips from the outside, or with a safe electronics vacuum. In general, it's safest to use canned air that's specific for cleaning electronics, but you should wait until the laptop is opened up so the dust has somewhere to go. If you just blow compressed air into the vents, you may clean the immediate pathway and get some cooling, but there's every chance you've blown an insulating blanketed of lint onto some electronics that would rather you didn't.

Do a search on YouTube for a video of somebody cleaning your model laptop. If you can't find any, do a search for the keyboard or motherboard replacement, which will show you how to gain access to the inside without removing every last screw. Once you have the body open (there's no need to take apart the lid section with the LCD), study the air paths that are used to take heat away from the CPU and the video processor. Don't go nuts with compressed air directly on a fan. It's possible to damage a fan by spinning it up too fast, and keep in mind that a DC powered fan is just a windmill running backwards, ie, taking power rather than generating it. You don't want your fans acting like windmills. The cabling in laptops is laid out carefully to avoid creating air turbulence and blockages, so make sure that flat cables are laying flat and look for broken attachment points and failed glue-downs.

If the overheating is critical, to the point that the CPU is going into thermal shutdown, it's time to remove the active heatsink, make sure the fan operates when powered, that it hasn't warped away from the CPU, and to refresh the thermal compound. Active heatsinks are always engineered for removal, while passive heatsinks, the finned metal tops without fans, are often glues to components since there no failure mechanism, other than the glue getting old. Some laptops may use an active heatsink on the video processor as well as the CPU, and many models use copper thermal masses to conduct heat away from the processors, with the fan located remotely.

Don't use some random gunk in place of thermal paste. Order up a tube on the Internet or visit your local electronics store. You also need to be careful about cleaning off the old gunk. I usually figure denatured alcohol is safe, some places sell special cleaners. What you don't want to do is use a household solvent that can leave an oily residue that ends up acting as an insulator, the last thing you want. When all is said and done, cleaning up won't always solve an overheating issue. Some chips run hotter and hotter as they age, with the ongoing overheating further increasing the internal resistance in a deadly spiral.

Is the AC adapter plugged in? Unplug the AC adapter form the wall outlet or turn off the power strip it's attached to, after which you can worry about removing it from the laptop. Unless it's smoking and the rubber is melting, it's probably OK to pull it out by the thumb grips, but I've taken a few burns from melting wires in my life and I don't recommend it. If it's just the odor of smoke with no continual billowing or flames, it's probably a popped component and the excitement is already over. Many people are trained to grab a fire extinguisher and dial 911 at the first sign of smoke. I'm not going to talk against it though I'm more likely to figure out a way to move the equipment outside than to wait it out in the house or abandon ship.

Finding out the source of the smoke after the fact can be a real troubleshooting job unless the cause is obvious. Before you open up the laptop, make sure it's cooled down, unplugged and the battery is removed. The two tools for locating burnt components are your eyes and your nose, though even with a motherboard removed from the laptop, it's tough to zone in on the failure with smell because the initial puff of smoke was trapped in a small place. You might want to use a magnifying glass to carefully inspect all of the components on the motherboard, looking for discoloration or melting of the components or the circuit board itself. If you discover a single component with a burnt spot, it's worth trying to replace it if it can be properly identified, but if there's a large area of damage, I wouldn't bother trying.

The way to Solve the Laptop Screen Flickering Problem

First of all I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year. In 2010 we started off as a small technology related blog. Currently, we have a reader base around 170. Thank you all for supporting us in a short while & may 2011 bring loads of success in your life.

Lets shift the focus on laptop screen flickering problems & the ways to solve it. Today, laptops have become almost a necessity. Though Desktop users like me won’t agree with this, as we are used to working on a desktop.

But sometimes even I feel the need of laptops, mainly when I’m getting bored traveling around. But I’ve seen my friends having problems with the laptop’s screen.

It keeps flickering for a moment or two & it’s quite irritating to work on such a flickering laptop. You need to adjust the screen to certain again or hold the back case of the screen tightly in order to make the flickering disappear. So lets take a look at the ways to Solve this nagging Screen Flickering problems in Laptops.

1. Update your Video Card Drivers

Sometimes it’s not just the hardware which is causing this problem. Old Video Card drivers could also be the cause of this problem.

For updating your drivers, you first need to Find the manufacturer of the Video Card by right clicking on your Desktop >> Properties >> Settings tab. Then Google for the update of your driver.

2. Screen Refresh Rate


A low Screen Refresh Rate can also cause Flickering Problems. Normally the Refresh Rate is set around 60 Hz. Today almost all LCD monitors are set to work perfectly for a Refresh Rate above 60 Hz.

If you’ve a good system then you can increase it beyond 60 Hz. Make sure that refresh rate is compatible with your system, else you’ll get problems in viewing two or more images where in you’ll find the top most image to be transparent.

3. Loose Connections
Sometimes you may get your screen to flicker due a loose connection in the wire which goes from the motherboard to the LCD screen. If you are not experienced enough in handling hardware problems, then don’t refrain from consulting an Engineer who’ll do the job more efficiently.

Opening the back cover of a laptop & checking for problems is a difficult task. You may end up fixing the loose connection but another problem might arise during this process.

How to Repair a Laptop Screen

One of the most common hardware problems that people who own a laptop experience is a broken or malfunctioning laptop screen. Laptop screens are essential to laptop use. Laptop screens can be incredibly delicate. However, they are surprisingly very easy to fix even if the fixer is not a technical person.

Troubleshoot the Laptop Screen Problem
Before replacing a laptop screen, it is wise to troubleshoot the problem. While obvious damage to a screen usually requires full replacement, other types of damage that are visible on the laptop screen may not be due to the screen itself.

Pixel Problems
Pixels often get damaged, making the laptop screen very difficult to read and use. Laptops use LCD (liquid crystal display) to show images, which are made from thousands of pixels (little dots). If a few pixels in one area are damaged, this can ruin the entire computing experience. In most cases, it is best to remove the entire laptop screen and replace it with a new one.
Laptop Screens with Faint Images

Laptop screens are back lit to improve screen visibility. However, sometimes the back light does not work, making the screen extremely difficult to read. The problem might be as simple as one of the latches being stuck in the closed position. For instance, if the laptop is opened and the switch is stuck in the closed position, the computer is usually on, but the back light remains off. First, find the back light switch. These switches are usually very tiny and located near the laptop hinges. Try to open and close the laptop a few times, if this does not work, a gentle tap or using a small pin to try to gently un-stick the latch usually does the trick.

The Laptop Screen Flickers or is a Solid White Color
If the laptop screen flickers on and off, the cause is probably an inverter problem. The inverter supplies power to the screen’s back light. Inverters are easy to replace and usually cost about $100. If the laptop screen is a solid white color, then the problem is possibly a bad cable connection between the monitor and the system board. Open up the laptop and make sure that the cables and connections are set correctly and undamaged.

Jumbled Screen Images
Laptop users often see jumbled images on their screen. In most cases, this is not due to the screen itself, but possibly the video card. One quick way to determine what is causing the screen to be jumbled is to connect a monitor to the laptop with a VGA port. If the other monitor shows jumbled images, then the problem is probably the laptop’s video card.

Replacing a Laptop Screen
If the image problem is due to a broken or malfunctioning laptop screen, replacing it is fairly easy. It should be noted that laptop screens are extremely expensive and can sometimes cost 50% or more of the total price of the computer, for instance more than $500 for a $1,000 computer. While a new screen can be purchased from the manufacturer, most people either decide to purchase a used laptop screen or buy a new laptop. Those who decide to replace their computer screen only need a screwdriver. Here are some easy steps to follow:

Step 1. Note the laptop screen type and purchase one that is guaranteed to fit. While some laptop models from the same manufacture may fit, ensure that it does before purchasing it. When ready to replace the screen, shut down the laptop, remove the battery, and unplug the laptop.

Step 2. Locate the screw covers on the plastic frame (usually rubber or plastic) to gain access to the screws that hold the screen to the bezel in place. In most cases, the screen has from 4 to 6 total screw covers. The user will probably need a small flat head or Phillips screw driver. However, some laptops might have their own screw heads that require special screw drivers or Allen wrenches to remove the screws. Screw covers are usually located at the bottom of the plastic frame. However, every computer model is different, so search for the screw covers to gain access to the screen.

Step 3. Once the screw covers are removed, remove all the screws while holding the screen in place. Once all the screws are removed, gently pull away the screen from the plastic bezel. The best way to accomplish this is to use one’s fingers to gently roll around the entire bezel, thereby loosening the screen. Once the screen is slightly separated, pull it away from the bezel with a light to moderate amount of force. If the screen does not budge, check whether any screws are still attached.

Step 4. When the bezel has been removed, the screen with a metal frame surrounding it will be visible. Tilt the screen forward, exposing the LCD frame’s metal back. The screen should gently pop out of its back shell. The wires running from the screen to the laptop will be visible. There should be two main wires. The first is a ribbon, which is the video cable. The video cable is usually taped in place. Remove the tape and gently disconnect the ribbon from the LCD screen. The other wire is the inverter’s power cable. In order to only replace the LCD screen, continue to use the inverter, leaving it as is. However, in order to replace the inverter as well, disconnect the power cable and unscrew the inverter from its mount.

Step 5. Once the old screen is removed, plug in the new screen and set it in the shell. However, before screwing in the bezels, test the screen to make sure it is working properly. In order to test the screen, power up the laptop. If the screen is working properly when powered up, shut down the computer and continue to screw the screen to the bezel and cover the screws with the plastic or rubber caps.

Screen replacement is complete. The computer should work like new. Replacing the laptop screen without a technician is a great way to save money, not only on the cost of the laptop screen, but the cost of labor as well.

Laptop has bad video on the LCD screen

Here we going to post some laptop screen photos showing bad video output. I’ll explain what was wrong with the screen and how I fixed it. I plan to ad more examples as soon as I get new pictures. If you have your own example (and know how to fix it) please let me know and I’ll post it too.

Here’s some help for finding a correct part for your laptop.

Example 1.
Here’s a picture of Satellite M55 LCD screen I made this morning. I got this video output as soon as I started the laptop. There were a lot of vertical lines, and they were changing color without any pattern. To me it looked like Northern Lights (never seen in real life)  . The external monitor worked fine.

 As soon as I applied some tension to the screen it changed the pattern. Some horizontal lines appeared in the middle of the LCD.

Here’s the difference. When I torque the screen, the image appears but it’s distorted with some horizontal lines running across the screen.

Reseating the video cable didn’t make any change and the problem was fixed after I replaced the LCD screen.

Example 2.
I took this picture from Toshiba Satellite M65. I think that this example is very typical. One day you wake up, turn on the laptop and see one or a few hair-like vertical lines in different colors.

When you move the LCD screen some lines might disappear or more lines appear on the screen. A video output on an external screen would be perfect, without any lines. Unfortunately, these lines indicate a screen problem. I’ve never seen this kind of video output caused by a bad video cable or bad FL inverter board. My laptop was fixed after I replaced the LCD screen.

Example 3.
The photo below comes from Toshiba Satellite 5205. The laptop displays identical vertical lines all over the LCD screen as soon as I turn it on. Sometimes these lines are red, sometimes they are blue, sometimes they become wider and change color to white.

The same pattern appears on the external monitor. It displays same vertical lines. When the same video defect appears on both monitors – internal LCD screen and external screen, then most likely it happens because of a bad video card. On some laptops the video card is integrated into the system board, on other models it’s a separate module.

In this example, the vertical lines were caused by a failed video memory on the system board. I’ve tested the video memory with Microscope utility and it failed the test. In Toshiba Satellite 5205 the video memory is integrated into the system board. To fix the problem, I’ll have to replace the board. (We do not have equipment to replace the memory module itself).

Example 4.
Here’s another example of a bad LCD screen. My bad! It wasn’t the LCD screen problem.

As soon as I turned on the laptop, I was getting these reddish marks on the LCD screen but not on the external monitor. Reseating and replacing the video cable didn’t help. The problem disappeared when I installed my test LCD screen. Yes, for some reason I wasn’t able to reproduce the problem on my test LCD screen. But the reddish video appeared again as soon as I replaced the screen. I guess it happened because the system board had some kind of intermittent problem with onboard video or video connector. Long story short, I had to replace the system board and it fixed the problem. Yep, I misdiagnosed this laptop.

Example 5.
Here’s one more example of a faulty LCD screen. The left half of the screen works just fine but the right side is completely white.



Example 6.
Here’s another laptop with a bad LCD screen. This time it’s a tablet PC.


Example 7.
This screen looks like the screen on the example 1. I hooked up an external monitor and the external video works perfectly fine.



Here’s the difference. When I torque the screen, the image appears but it’s distorted with some horizontal lines running across the screen.


After a few seconds the image washes away.


I had to replace the LCD screen.


Example 8.
This laptop displays inverted colors right from the startup. As you see, the Toshiba logo is light green instead of red. The background is light gray instead of black. The Intel logo should be blue on a white background but it is red on a black background.

 

When your laptop displays inverted colors as on the picture above, this is an indication of a bad screen. You’ll have to replace the screen.

Example 9.
Here are two more screens. In both cases this problem is related to the LCD screen, witch means the screen has to be replaced.

On the image below you see a white band running from the top of the screen to the bottom. This band appears right from the laptop startup and runs through the logo too.


On the following image only the left side of the screen is working properly. This problem is caused by faulty LCD screen.

Computer Use Tip Sheet

Alternate formats
To access the full Portable Document Format version (PDF, 2151 KB) you must have a PDF reader installed. If you do not already have such a reader, there are numerous PDF readers available for free download or for purchase on the Internet:

• Adobe Reader
• Foxit Reader
• Xpdf
• eXPert PDF Reader

This tool provides practical keyboard shortcuts and tips to help you improve your Computer Use skills.
Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts can be used to complete tasks on your computer more quickly. Here are some common keyboard shortcuts you can use to save time.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Ctrl +	Action
Ctrl + C	Copy the selected item.
Ctrl + X	Cut the selected item.
Ctrl + V	Paste the selected item.
Ctrl + Z	Undo the last action performed.
Ctrl + F	Display the Find dialog box.
Ctrl + P	Display the Print dialog box.
Ctrl + N	Open a New window or create a new file in the active program.
Ctrl + A	Select all the items in a file or window.
Ctrl + S	Save the current file.
Shift + any arrow key	Select more than one item in a window or on a desktop, or select text within a document.
Shift + Delete	Delete an item permanently.
Windows + M	Minimize all programs and windows.
Windows + E	Open Windows Explorer.
Windows + F or F3	Find files or folders.
Alt + Tab	Switch to another window or running program. Hold down the Alt key and press Tab until the window or program you want is active.
Alt + underlined letter in amenu name or dialog box	Display the corresponding menu or select the corresponding option in a dialog box.
Tab	Move to the next text box in a form.
Shift + Tab	Move to the previous text box in a form.
F1	Display the Help dialog box of an active program.
F5	Refresh the Internet browser and/or directory/folder.
F7	Check spelling in the active document.

Here are some common shortcuts you can use to insert French characters into your text using the numeric keypad.

Alt +	To insert…	Alt +	To insert…
128	Ç	138	è
130	é	140	î
131	â	144	É
133	à	147	ô
135	ç	150	û
136	ê	151	ù

** (Release the Alt key after you have keyed in the number.)

General Tips

• Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete (or Ctrl + Shift + Esc) to open the task manager and select “End Task” to close frozen programs.
• Reboot (shut down and restart) when your computer’s performance slows down or stops responding.
• Open a menu (e.g. File, Edit, etc.) in a window to see which commands have keyboard shortcuts. The shortcuts (if available) are shown next to the menu items.
• Maintain a minimum number of desktop shortcuts (icons used to access programs, folders and/or files you use often) to help your computer run more efficiently.
• Do not use passwords that may be easy for others to figure out (e.g. your birthday, phone number, etc.). Choose passwords that use a combination of numbers, upper and lower case letters, and special characters.
• Do not open or read email attachments from unknown or suspicious sources – delete them immediately.
• When using Internet search engines, narrow your search by using specific words to describe exactly what you are looking for. Put quotation marks around two or more words to search for an exact phrase.
• Centre your monitor in front of you, at eye level, approximately an arm’s length (18-30 inches) away to avoid eye strain and body discomfort.
• Take time to stretch when seated in front of your computer for long periods of time to avoid unwanted tension and pain – stretch within your comfort zone.
• Give your eyes a break when looking at your computer screen for long periods of time by focusing on something other than your computer screen (e.g. focus on distant objects, work on tasks or projects that do not require your computer, etc.).
• Take time to explore the various functions and features of your computer and software programs.

Computer Use Practice and Learning Exercises
Practice your Computer Use skills by completing the following exercises. Use the Computer Use Tip Sheet to help you as you work through the exercises. A learning plan template is also included to help guide your skills development.

General Practice Exercises
1. Open a word processing program and complete the tasks below.

General Practice Exercise 1

Task	Example
1. Type your first name.	kate
2. Press the Spacebar and type your last name.	kate smith
3. Press Enter and type your job title on the next line.	kate smith sales associate
4. Use the left and up arrows to place the cursor after the first letter of your first name.	k|ate
5. Press Backspace to erase the first letter of your first name.	ate
6. Hold Shift and type the first letter of your first name.	Kate
7. Press Delete 3 times.	K
8. Press Caps Lock and type in the rest of your first name.	KATE
9. Highlight your name (click and drag your mouse; or double click on your name; or Ctrl + Shift + right or left arrow key).	KATE
10. Bold your name.	KATE

2. Fill in the missing “Action” or “Keyboard Shortcut” in the table below.

Answers: 1) Copy the selected item; 2) Ctrl + V; 3) Save the current file; 4) Ctrl + X; 5) Select all the items in a file or window; 6) F7; 7) Switch to another window or running program; 8) Tab; 9) Display the Help dialog box of an active program.

Higher Level Practice Exercises

1. Open an Internet browser and complete the tasks below.
Task

• Open an Internet search engine.
• Search “The Nine Essential Skills”.
• Scroll down and review the first 5 results.
• Go back to the top of the page and select the first address resulting from your search.
• Bookmark or add this web page to your Favorites.
• Navigate the website for information on Essential Skills.
• Copy and paste information on the nine Essential Skills from the web page into a word processing program.
• Create a new folder on your desktop and save the file to this folder as “The Nine Essential Skills”.

2. Open an email application and complete the tasks below.Task

• Compose a new email message and type “Meeting Agenda” in the ‘subject’ line.
• Type your email address in the ‘to’ line.
• In the body of the message type “Today’s Meeting”. Bold and underline this title.
• Insert three bullets: “Project Review”, “Brainstorming Session”, “Roundtable”.
• Insert or create a signature that includes your name, title, telephone and fax numbers, and your email address.
• Attach a file to the message.
• Use the spell check function to check for spelling mistakes.
• Mark the email as urgent.
• Send the message.
• Check your inbox for new messages. Open the new message.
• Open and print the attachment.
• Delete the email from your inbox.

Additional Learning Exercises

• Practice performing basic mouse operations (e.g. click, right-click, double click, drag, etc.).
• Move, resize, minimize, and maximize a window.
• Create new directories or folders. Copy and move files from one folder to another to practice navigating between folders.
• Use your keyboard to navigate a software program (e.g. selecting menus, opening files, etc.).
• Create a new document in a word processing program. Use different formatting techniques to change the look of the document (e.g. font type and size, bold and underline text, text alignment, make a numbered list, copy and paste text, insert a picture, etc.).
• Ask a co-worker, supervisor or friend to show you how to do something new on a computer.
• Read operating manuals for the various types of equipment used in your workplace (e.g. computers, sales terminals, telephones, fax machines, etc.).

Explanation of Microsoft Windows Error Codes

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Windows 95
• Microsoft Windows 98
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Data Center Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server

SUMMARY
This following information lists the Microsoft error codes that may be reported by Device Manager, with suggestions for possible resolutions. To view error codes, follow these steps:

Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

In Control Panel, double-click System.

Click the Device Manager tab.

Double-click a device type (for example, double-click Mouse) to see the devices in that category.

Double-click a device to view its properties. If an error code has been generated, the code appears in the Device Status box on the General tab. In some cases, there will be a Solution button (Windows 98 only).

Code 1
This device is not configured correctly. (Code 1)
To update the drivers for this device, click Update Driver. If that doesn't work, see your hardware documentation for more information.

Solution button: Update Driver

This code means that the system has not had a chance to configure the device. To resolve the problem, follow the instructions in the Device Status box. In addition, you may be able to resolve this issue by removing the device in Device Manager, and then running the Add New Hardware wizard from Control Panel.

Code 2
Depending on which device is failing, you may see either of two different messages. This code means that the device loader (DevLoader) did not load a device. When this device is a Root Bus DevLoader (for example, ISAPNP, PCI, or BIOS), the following message is displayed
Windows could not load the driver for this device because the computer is reporting two <type> bus types. (Code 2)
Contact your computer manufacturer to get an updated BIOS for your computer.

Where <type> is ISAPNP, PCI, BIOS, EISA, or ACPI.

Solution button: None

When the device is not a root bus DevLoader, the following message is displayed

The <type> device loader(s) for this device could not load the device driver. (Code 2)

To fix this, click Update Driver to update the device driver.
Where <type> is the DevLoader such as FLOP, ESDI, SCSI, and so on.

Solution button: Update Driver

In addition to following the recommended solution, try removing the device from Device Manager, and then running the Add New Hardware wizard.

Code 3

The driver for this device may be bad, or your system may be running low on memory or other resources. (Code 3)

To update the drivers for this device, click Update Driver. To check your computer's memory and system resources, right-click My Computer on your desktop, click Properties, and then click the Performance tab.

Solution button: Update Driver

As an alternative, use Device Manager to remove the device and then run the Add New Hardware tool in Control Panel.

Code 4
This device is not working properly because one of its drivers may be bad, or your registry may be bad. (Code 4)

To Update the drivers for this device, click Update Driver. If that doesn't work, run Scanregw.exe (click Start, click Run, type Scanregw.exe, and then click OK) to check your registry.

Solution button: Update Driver

This code indicates that the .inf file for this device may be incorrect or the registry may be damaged. This error code is displayed if the .inf file specifies a field that should be text, but is binary instead.




In addition to following the recommended suggestions, use Device Manager to remove the device and then run the Add New Hardware tool in Control Panel. If you continue to receive this error code, please contact the hardware's manufacturer for an updated .inf file.

Code 5
The driver for this device requested a resource that Windows does not know how to handle. (Code 5)

To fix this, click Update Driver to update the driver for this device.

Solution button: Update Driver

This code indicates that there was a device failure due to the lack of an arbitrator. If a device requests a resource type for which there is no arbitrator, you receive this error code.

To resolve this problem, update the driver as suggested, or use Device Manager to remove the device and then run the Add New Hardware tool in Control Panel.

LAPTOP PRINTING: ERROR MESSAGES

Pharos Popup: If you get Pharos popups appearing on your screen, it likely means that you had an old version of the printing software installed, which wasn't removed properly. To fix this:

Go to System Preferences -> Users & Groups -> Login Items

Select the item listed for Popup and delete it.

Restart your computer. (It's a good idea to try a test print at this point)

Beep Error Codes

AMI BIOS Beep Codes1 Short Beep System OK

• 2 Short Beeps Parity error in the first 64 KB of memory
• 3 Short Beeps Memory failure in the first 64 KB
• 4 Short Beeps Memory failure in the first 64 KB Operational of memory or Timer 1 on the motherboard is not functioning
• 5 Short Beeps The CPU on the motherboard generated an error
• 6 Short Beeps The keyboard controller may be bad. The BIOS cannot switch to protected mode
• 7 Short Beeps The CPU generated an exception interrupt
• 8 Short Beeps The system video adapter is either missing, or its memory is faulty
• 9 Short Beeps The ROM checksum value does not match the value encoded in the BIOS
• 10 Short Beeps The shutdown register for CMOS RAM failed
• 11 Short Beeps The external cache is faulty
• 1 Long, 3 Short Beeps Memory Problems
• 1 Long, 8 Short Beeps Video Card Problems

Phoenix BIOS Beep Codes

• 1-1-3 CMOS read/write failure
• 1-1-4 ROM BIOS checksum error
• 1-2-1 Programmable interval timer failure
• 1-2-2 DMA initialisation failure
• 1-2-3 DMA page register read/write failure
• 1-3-1 RAM refresh verification failure
• 1-3-3 First 64k RAM chip or data line failure
• 1-3-4 First 64k RAM odd/even logic failure
• 1-4-1 Address line failure first 64k RAM
• 1-4-2 Parity failure first 64k RAM
• 2-_-_ Faulty Memory
• 3-1-_ Faulty Motherboard
• 3-2-4 Keyboard controller Test failure
• 3-3-4 Screen initialisation failure
• 3-4-1 Screen retrace test failure
• 3-4-2 Search for video ROM in progress
• 4-2-1 Timer tick interrupt in progress or failure
• 4-2-2 Shutdown test in progress or failure
• 4-2-3 Gate A20 failure
• 4-2-4 Unexpected interrupt in protected mode
• 4-3-1 RAM test in progress or failure>ffffh
• 4-3-2 Faulty Motherboard
• 4-3-3 Interval timer channel 2 test or failure
• 4-3-4 Time of Day clock test failure
• 4-4-1 Serial port test or failure
• 4-4-2 Parallel port test or failure
• 4-4-3 Math coprocessor test or failure
• Low 1-1-2 System Board select failure
• Low 1-1-3 Extended CMOS RAM failure

IBM POST Error Codes

• 1 short beep System is OK
• 2 short beeps POST Error - error code shown on screen No beep Power supply or system board problem Continuous beep Power supply, system board, or keyboard problem Repeating short beeps Power supply or system board problem
• 1 long, 1 short beep System board problem
• 1 long, 2 short beeps Display adapter problem (MDA, CGA)
• 1 long, 3 short beeps Display adapter problem (EGA)
• 3 long beeps 3270 keyboard card

Award BIOS Beep Codes

• 1long, 2 short - Video adapter error (Either video adapter is bad or is not seated properly. Also, check to ensure the monitor cable is connected properly.)
• Repeating (endless loop) - Memory error (Check for improperly seated or missing memory.)
• 1long, 3short - No video card or bad video RAM (Reseat or replace the video card.)
• High frequency beeeps while running - Overheated CPU (Check the CPU fan for proper operation. Check the case for proper air flow.)
• Repeating High/Low - CPU (Either the CPU is not seated properly or the CPU is damaged. May also be due to excess heat. Check the CPU fan or BIOS settings for proper fan speed.)

Computer Error Beep Codes

Since I'm the "computer expert" among my friends and family, I often get those late night phone calls and e-mails asking me what's wrong with their computer. I'll be honest. It does get quite frustrating and annoying at times when people start off with "What did I do?" I understand that they're only asking me because they trust I can do a good job, and they really don't have anyone else to turn to.

When I start fixing a computer, 99% of the problems I see are software related. Most of the time it is you, the user that wrecks, breaks, crashes, or kills your computer. Sorry, I have to be blunt about it, but it's true. New processors, hard drives, video cards, memory and motherboards are just inanimate objects we can lay blame to.

Most of the time the main problem with these broken computers I tend to are due to too many programs loading up at start up. All those little programs add up, and sometimes eat up all the system resources.

Every now and then though, I do see a hardware problem and the first thing I do when I turn the computer on is listen to how it beeps.

When the computer makes those funny sound via the system speaker, it's not doing it because it wants to be heard. The computer is trying to talk to the operator/technician and tell them what's wrong. In testing computer components on and off for the last three to four years, I find that almost all motherboards adhere to the IBM BIOS standard beep codes... I think a few OEM's have developed their own or use Phoenix or AMI beep codes, but for the most part motherboard manufacturers uses the IBM based ones because they are grandfathered in.

Beep Code:	Description of Problem:
No Beeps	Short, No power, Bad CPU/MB, Loose Peripherals
One Beep	Everything is normal and Computer POSTed fine
Two Beeps	POST/CMOS Error
One Long Beep, One Short Beep	Motherboard Problem
One Long Beep, Two Short Beeps	Video Problem
One Long Beep, Three Short Beeps	Video Problem
Three Long Beeps	Keyboard Error
Repeated Long Beeps	Memory Error
Continuous Hi-Lo Beeps	CPU Overheating

So as you can see, if your computer doesn't start up and starts beeping away like a mime you can start the process of figuring out what is wrong by stopping for a second and listening. From a single beep which tells you everything is okay, to three long beeps which indicate a keyboard error to the siren like Hi-Lo beeps that tell you the CPU is overheating - listening to your computer is good!

As you become more and more experienced with computers, friends and family will naturally start to bring sick computers to your door to fix. When that happens, or when your own machine suddenly stops working, try listening to it first and see if it tells you what's wrong. If you are able to diagnose the problem just by listening to it, you will surely impress all your computer friends!