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A+ Certification Guide
Chapter 9
Laptop Computers and
Portable Devices
Chapter 9Objectives
� Options for Expansion in Laptops and Portable Devices
– Describe the components of a laptop in contrast to a PC.
� Laptop Disassembly – Best Practices
– Demonstrate how to remove hard drives, memory, batteries, and so on.
� Hardware Device Replacement
– Hard drives, memory, batteries, and so on.
� Laptop Displays
– Resolution, technologies, and components
� Laptop Features
– Function keys, using projectors/external displays, and docking stations
� Portable and Laptop Diagnostics
– Demonstrate how to troubleshoot power, displays, and peripherals.
Features of Laptops and Portable Devices
� Display—LCD
� Keyboard—Built in
� Mouse or pointing device—Touchpad
� Battery use—Time limited
� Expansion bus—Docking station capability
� Hard disk form factor—Smaller; 2.5” or 1.8”
� PC Card slot—Card reader
� ExpressCard slot
� Floppy drive location—Optional peripheral on newer machines
� Optical drive—Generally included but removable
� Memory expansion—Small outline modules
� CPU upgrades—Not generally available
� Video—Integrated
Expansion Options
� PCMCIA cards/CardBus:
– Hot swappable—No rebooting to remove and substitute
� Express Cards:
– Express Card/34 or /54 slot
� Upgradeable SODIMM memory
� USB ports :
– For use with USB flash memory or hard drive drives
� Flash memory card reader slot
PCMCIA Comparison
PC Card Type Thickness Typical Uses Notes
Type I 3.3mm Memory Obsolete
Type II 5.5mm
I/O ports, wired or wireless networking, modems, external drive interfaces, hard drives
Older I/O port cards used dongles for I/O ports.
Type III 10.5mm Hard drives, combo I/O portsType III slot also supports two Type II devices.
PCMCIA Installation
ExpressCard Slots
– Replacement for PCMCIA /PC card slot
– 2.5 times faster than ExpressCard
– As fast or faster than CardBus
– Compatible with USB 2.0
– Two variations:
• ExpressCard/34 = 34mm wide
• ExpressCard/54 = 54mm wide
– /54 is compatible with /34 card.
– Communicates with system board chipset using PCIe or USB subsystem
Figure 9-4
Memory Options/Upgrades
� Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Module (SODIMM)
Normal DDR
SODIMM
� USB connected flash memory /external drives
� Flash memory cards (if reader slot is available)
SODIMM Memory Replacement� SODIMM chips are often nonproprietary and available from third-party vendors.
Figure 9-10
Best Practices for Laptop Disassembly
� Refer to manufacturer documentation:
– Identify screw types, screw lengths, number of screws.
– Most vendors offer this information online.
� Use appropriate hand tools for case disassembly/component
removal:
– Repair documentation typically lists the recommended tools for each
procedure.
� Document and label cable and screw locations:
– Typically use a mixtures of screw lengths and sometimes screw
types. Mix them up, and you could damage components or not
secure them properly.
� Organize parts:
– Small component storage tray
• Tip: Use an egg crate.
Hardware Device Replacement
� Laptops Versus Desktop
– Integrated: touchpad, wireless antenna, and speakers
– Proprietary components in many cases
– Tighter tolerances for opening case
• Easy to break snaps and plastic retainers
� Component Sources
– Display, keyboard, network card, and system board must generally
be purchased from the original manufacturer.
– Optical drives and hard driver, memory, and the CPU are available
from third-party sources but attention to compatibility is important.
� Laptop Power Sources
– Internal battery.
– AC adapter that also charges the battery.
– “Universal” replacement AC adapters/batteries are often available.
Laptop Screen Casing Parts
Figure 9-17
Laptop Display Options
� LCD
– Use CCFL (fluorescent bulbs)
– Refresh rate typically limited to 60Hz
� LED (Lighted Electrical Diode)
– Brighter, crisper color, more even coverage
– Less power hungry
� OLED
– Small screens – cameras/phones
� External Displays
– Connect to VGA/USB, and so on
– Use keyboard toggle to activate
Laptop LCD Resolution XP
Note that most laptops have an optimized default resolution.
Windows Vista/7 Resolution
Figure 9-16
Display Troubleshooting� If display is cracked, the entire LCD screen must be replaced.
– It’s sometimes cheaper to buy a new laptop PC.
� Use an external monitor plugged into the video input.
– This checks to see if the video subsystem works.
– Use Fn key to toggle from external to internal.
• Consult manufacturer’s manual for appropriate F key.
– If external monitor works, but LCD fails
• Check connector between motherboard and LCD.
• With unit running, check the screen display at an angle to see if
any of the familiar desktop icons are faintly there.
– If visible, replace bulb or bulb power inverter.
� Dead pixels—Pixels that do not change colors.
– Lightly tap on screen over a dead pixel; this may or may not work.
– Manufacturer’s warranty applies; see details in warranty.
Laptop/PDA Inputs
� Stylus/digitizer:
– Popular on PDAs and Tablet PCs
� Function (Fn) keys:
– Press Fn+F# key to access specific functions.
• Example: Dell: Fn+F3 brings up battery power display.
� Touch pad/left- and right-click buttons:
– External mouse
� Pointing stick/track pointer:
– Touch-resistant mini joystick in middle of keyboard
Input Problems� Stylus/digitizer issues:
– Check for loose connections.
� Keypad/keyboard:
– Try a different application, such as notepad.
• If characters do not appear, the keyboard controller may be bad.
– Keyboard controllers relate to PS/2 connectors.
• If characters do appear, the problem is in the keyboard.
– Restart the system.
– Try updating/reinstalling the keyboard driver software.
» Uninstall, and then reboot and let PnP discover the hardware.
• Try an external keyboard from a USB connector.
� Mouse/track pointer—Same basic procedure as for a keyboard
– Clean the mouse ball.
Mouse/Track Pad Pointer
External Docking Stations
Replicates Ports to enable instant access to
External speakers, VGA /HDMI/Component Display,
Additional USB Connections, Network Connection
Power Sources
� Power sources:
– AC adapter:
• Verify compatibility for wattage and connector sizing.
– 12v external power (for use with 12v automobile power):
• Verify wattage capacity.
– Onboard battery:
• Lithium-ion (Li-ion)—Most efficient, lightest weight.
– Look for highest mAh available for best runtime.
• Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH)—Replacement for NiCd.
• Nickel Cadmium (NiCd)—Legacy type.
– Still used for motherboard CMOS in some models.
Power Management Features� Processor throttling:
– Enabled through BIOS
� Peripheral power management:
– Low power sleep when idle—Device Properties � Power
� ACPI (Advanced Power Configuration Interface):
• APM was the older power management application.
– Allows Windows to manage power usage.
– Accessed in Control Panel (power options).
– Disable power management in BIOS to avoid ACPI conflicts.
– Power Schemes tab:
• Triggers Standby or Hibernate based on idle time
– Advanced tab:
• Closed lid triggers standby or hibernate.
– Alarms tab:
• Alerts user when battery is low
Suspend, Standby, and Hibernate Modes
� ACPI supports modes S0 (working)—S5 (system off).
� Standby modes:
• S1: Standby or POS (power on standby).– Computer is on at reduced power.
» Power to the CPU(s) and RAM is maintained.
– Processor caches flushed. CPU(s) stop executing instructions.
– Devices not needed may be powered down.
• S2: In addition to S1, the CPU is powered off.
• S3: Commonly referred to as Sleep, or Suspend to RAM (STR).– RAM is still powered.
– Quick recovery time to wake up and resume working.
– Suspend (supported by some manufacturers/models).
– Hibernate mode:
• S4: RAM contents saved to nonvolatile memory, such as a hard drive.
– Hiberfil.sys file on hard drive stores copies of all open programs, data, and settings.
– All power is turned off.
– Takes time to recover data to a fully operational state.
– Standby and Hibernate are supported by Windows 2000, XP, and Vista.
Power Options Properties(Accessed from Control Panel)
Troubleshooting Power Issues
� No power
– Plugged in?
– Wall outlet supplied with power?
– Check output with voltmeter.
� Battery charging problems
– Check to see if installed properly.
– Clean contacts.
– Is battery too old to hold a charge?
– Battery hot after charging? Replace it.
Laptop Security
� Physical security against theft
� Logical security against data breach
– If hard drive stolen, is it encrypted? Figure 9-25
LAN/WAN Connections
Communications Options
� Cellular WAN:
– Can use USB, ExpressCard, and CardBus.
– Connects to cellular phone providers.
– Device is found in Device Manager/modems.
� Ethernet:
– Uses an RJ-45 port.
– Can be integrated or mounted on a peripheral card.
– Can be wireless—Check documentation for 802 type.
� Phone modem—Not as common on modern laptops.
� Bluetooth:
– Mostly for connecting wireless keyboard/mouse.
Network Problems
� Wi-Fi
– Check signal strength.
– Check for presence of Wi-Fi networks.
– Check to see if Wi-Fi adapter is enabled.
• Try disabling and re-enabling.
– Check Device Manager for Wi-Fi adapter.
• Scan for hardware changes/driver updates.
� Bluetooth
– Press Fn key that enables Bluetooth.
– Verify that Bluetooth is enabled.
– Verify that any Bluetooth external adapters are fully plugged in.
– Check Bluetooth settings.
Preventative Maintenance
� Cooling devices:
– Make sure all fans work.
– Verify that air intakes are clear and clean.
– Verify that the processor heat sink is properly attached.
� Display screens:
– Clean with antistatic cleaners designed for LCD screens.
� Use PC in an appropriate atmosphere:
– Temperature range of 50–95 degrees.
– Condensation can form on cold PCs transferred into warm
environments, causing internal shorts.
– Air can be compromised by
• Smoking, dusty conditions, and small particulate
• Salty air
� If storing the unit for long periods, remove the CMOS battery to prevent
leakage.
What Have You Learned?
– What is processor throttling?
– How is standby different from hibernate?
– What is a common cause of a mouse pointer not
moving smoothly across a screen?
– What is wireless zero configuration?
– What type of memory module is used in a laptop
PC?
– Which key is normally found on a laptop PC that
might not be found on a desktop PC?
Chapter 9Summary
� Options for expansion in Laptops and Portable Devices
– Describe the components of a laptop in contrast to a PC.
� Laptop Disassembly – Best Practices
– Demonstrate how to remove hard drives, memory, batteries, and so on.
� Hardware Device Replacement
– Hard drives, memory, batteries, and so on
� Laptop Displays
– Resolution, technologies, and components
� Laptop Features
– Function keys, using projectors/external displays and docking stations
� Portable and Laptop Diagnostics.
– Demonstrate how to troubleshoot power, displays, and peripherals.
Next Lesson: Chapter 10
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