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Computer Fundamental
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COMPUTER FUNDAMENTAL TUTORIAL
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ABOUT THE TUTORIAL
Computer Fundamentals Tutorial

Computer is an advanced electronic device that takes raw data as input from the user and processes it
under the control of set of instructions (called program), gives the result (output), and saves it for the
future use.
This Computer Fundamentals tutorial covers a foundational understanding of computer hardware,
software, operating systems, peripherals etc. along with how to get the most value and impact from
computer technology.
Audience
This tutorial has been prepared for the beginners as well as advanced learners who want to deal with
computers. This tutorial is also very useful for the undergraduate students of computer science,
engineering, business administration, management, science, commerce and arts where an introductory
course on computers is a part of curriculum. After completing this tutorial you will find yourself at a
moderate level of expertise in knowledge of computer basics from where you can take yourself to next
levels
Prerequisites
Knowledge of computers is not a prerequisite to follow the contents of this tutorial. This tutorial assumes
no background in computers or computer programming.
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Table of Content
Computer Fundamentals Tutorial ............................................. 2
Audience .................................................................................. 2
Prerequisites ............................................................................ 2
Copyright and Disclaimer Notice .............................................. 2
Overview .................................................................................. 8
Functionalities of a computer ..................................................................... 8
Definition .................................................................................................... 8
Advantages ................................................................................................ 9
High Speed ................................................................................................ 9
Accuracy .................................................................................................... 9
Storage Capability ...................................................................................... 9
Diligence .................................................................................................... 9
Versatility.................................................................................................... 9
Reliability .................................................................................................. 10
Automation ............................................................................................... 10
Reduction in Paper Work ......................................................................... 10
Reduction in Cost ..................................................................................... 10
Disadvantages ......................................................................................... 10
No I.Q ....................................................................................................... 10
Dependency ............................................................................................. 11
Environment ............................................................................................. 11
No Feeling ................................................................................................ 11
Applications ........................................................................... 12
Banking .................................................................................................... 13
Insurance ................................................................................................. 14
Education ................................................................................................. 14
Marketing ................................................................................................. 15
Health Care .............................................................................................. 16
Engineering Design .................................................................................. 17
Military ...................................................................................................... 18
Communication ........................................................................................ 18
Government ............................................................................................. 19
Generations ........................................................................... 21
First Generation ....................................................................................... 21
Second Generation .................................................................................. 23
Third Generation ...................................................................................... 24
Fourth Generation .................................................................................... 25
Fifth Generation ....................................................................................... 27
Types ..................................................................................... 29
PC (Personal Computer) .......................................................................... 29
Workstation .............................................................................................. 30
Minicomputer............................................................................................ 30
Mainframe ................................................................................................ 31
Supercomputer ......................................................................................... 31
Components .......................................................................... 33
Input Unit .................................................................................................. 34
CPU (Central Processing Unit) ................................................................. 34
Output Unit ............................................................................................... 34
CPU Central Processing Unit .............................................. 35

Memory or Storage Unit: .......................................................................... 36
Control Unit .............................................................................................. 36
ALU(Arithmetic Logic Unit) ....................................................................... 37
Arithmetic Section .................................................................................... 37
Logic Section............................................................................................ 37
Input Devices ......................................................................... 38

Keyboard .................................................................................................. 38
Mouse ...................................................................................................... 39
Advantages .............................................................................................. 39
Joystick .................................................................................................... 40
Light Pen .................................................................................................. 40
Track Ball ................................................................................................. 41
Scanner .................................................................................................... 41
Digitizer .................................................................................................... 42
Microphone .............................................................................................. 42
Magnetic Ink Card Reader(MICR) ............................................................ 43
Optical Character Reader(OCR) .............................................................. 43
Bar Code Readers ................................................................................... 44
Optical Mark Reader(OMR) ...................................................................... 44
Output Devices ...................................................................... 46

Monitors ................................................................................................... 46
Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) Monitor ........................................................... 46
Flat-Panel Display Monitor ....................................................................... 47
Printers ..................................................................................................... 48
Impact Printers ......................................................................................... 48
Character Printers .................................................................................... 49
Dot Matrix Printer ..................................................................................... 49
Advantages .............................................................................................. 49
Disadvantages ......................................................................................... 49
Daisy Wheel ............................................................................................. 50
Advantages .............................................................................................. 50
Disadvantages ......................................................................................... 50
Line Printers ............................................................................................. 50
Drum Printer ............................................................................................. 51
Advantages .............................................................................................. 51
Disadvantages ......................................................................................... 51
Chain Printer ............................................................................................ 51
Advantages .............................................................................................. 51
Disadvantages ......................................................................................... 52
Non-impact Printers ................................................................................. 52
Laser Printers ........................................................................................... 52
Advantages .............................................................................................. 52
Disadvantages ......................................................................................... 52
Inkjet Printers ........................................................................................... 53
Advantages .............................................................................................. 53
Disadvantages ......................................................................................... 53
Memory .................................................................................. 55
Cache Memory ......................................................................................... 55
Advantages .............................................................................................. 55
Disadvantages ......................................................................................... 55
Primary Memory (Main Memory) .............................................................. 56
Secondary Memory .................................................................................. 57
Random Access Memory ....................................................... 59

Static RAM (SRAM).................................................................................. 60
Dynamic RAM (DRAM) ............................................................................ 60
Read Only Memory ................................................................ 61

MROM (Masked ROM)............................................................................. 61
PROM (Programmable Read only Memory) ............................................. 62
EPROM(Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory) .................... 62
EEPROM.................................................................................................. 62
(Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory) ............... 62
Advantages of ROM ................................................................................. 62
Motherboard .......................................................................... 63
Features of Motherboard .......................................................................... 63
Popular Manufacturers ............................................................................. 64
Description of Motherboard ...................................................................... 64
Memory Units ......................................................................... 65

Ports ...................................................................................... 67
Serial Port ................................................................................................ 68
Parallel Port.............................................................................................. 68
PS/2 Port .................................................................................................. 68
VGA Port .................................................................................................. 69
Power Connector ..................................................................................... 69
Firewire Port ............................................................................................. 69
Modem Port.............................................................................................. 69
Ethernet Port ............................................................................................ 70
Game Port ................................................................................................ 70
Digital Video Interface, DVI port ............................................................... 70
Sockets .................................................................................................... 70
Hardware ............................................................................... 71
Relationship between Hardware and Software ........................................ 72
Software................................................................................. 73
System Software ...................................................................................... 73
Application Software ................................................................................ 74
Number System ..................................................................... 76

Decimal Number System.......................................................................... 76
Binary Number System ............................................................................ 77
Characteristics of binary number system are as follows........................... 77
Example ................................................................................................... 77
Octal Number System .............................................................................. 77
Characteristics of octal number system are as follows ............................. 77
Example ................................................................................................... 77
Hexadecimal Number System .................................................................. 78
Example ................................................................................................... 78
Number Conversion ............................................................... 79

Decimal to Other Base System ................................................................ 79
Example ................................................................................................... 79
Other base system to Decimal System .................................................... 80
Example ................................................................................................... 80
Other Base System to Non-Decimal System............................................ 80
Example ................................................................................................... 80
Step 1: Convert to Decimal ...................................................................... 81
Step 2: Convert Decimal to Binary ........................................................... 81
Shortcut method - Binary to Octal ............................................................ 81
Example ................................................................................................... 81
Shortcut method - Octal to Binary ............................................................ 81
Data and Information ............................................................. 84

Data Processing Cycle ............................................................................. 85
Networking ................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

Network Cables .......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Distributors ................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Router ........................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Network Card ............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Internal Network Cards............................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
External Network Cards ............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Operating System ..................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Objectives of Operating System ................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Characteristics of Operating System .......... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Internet and Intranet .................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

Intranet ....................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Similarities in Internet and Intranet ............. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Differences in Internet and Intranet ............ Error! Bookmark not defined.
How to Buy? ............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

Monitor ....................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Operating System ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Optical Drive (CD / DVD / Blu-ray) ............. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Memory ...................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Hard Drive .................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
CPU............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Available Courses ..................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Diploma Courses ........................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER
Overview
odays world is an information-rich world and it has become a necessity for everyone to know about
computers. Purpose of this tutorial is to introduce you about computer and its fundamentals.
Functionalities of a computer
Any digital computer carries out five functions in gross terms:
Takes data as input.
Stores the data/instructions in its memory and use them when required.
Processes the data and converts it into useful information.
Generates the output
Controls all the above four steps.
Definition
Computer is an electronic data processing device which
accepts and stores data input,
processes the data input, and
generates the output in a required format.
Advantages
Following list demonstrates the advantages of computers in today's arena.
High Speed
Computer is a very fast device.
It is capable of performing calculation of very large amount of data.
The computer has units of speed in microsecond, nanosecond, and even the picosecond.
It can perform millions of calculations in a few seconds as compared to man who will spend many months for
doing the same task.
Accuracy
In addition to being very fast, computers are very accurate.
The calculations are 100% error free.
Computers perform all jobs with 100% accuracy provided that correct input has been given.
Storage Capability
Memory is a very important characteristic of computers.
A computer has much more storage capacity than human beings.
It can store large amount of data.
It can store any type of data such as images, videos, text, audio and many others.
Diligence
Unlike human beings, a computer is free from monotony, tiredness and lack of concentration.
It can work continuously without any error and boredom.
It can do repeated work with same speed and accuracy.
Versatility
A computer is a very versatile machine.
A computer is very flexible in performing the jobs to be done.
This machine can be used to solve the problems related to various fields.
At one instance, it may be solving a complex scientific problem and the very next moment it may be playing a
card game.
Reliability
A computer is a reliable machine.
Modern electronic components have long lives.
Computers are designed to make maintenance easy.
Automation
Computer is an automatic machine.
Automation means ability to perform the given task automatically.
Once a program is given to computer i.e. stored in computer memory, the program and instruction can
control the program execution without human interaction.
Reduction in Paper Work
The use of computers for data processing in an organization leads to reduction in paper work and results in
speeding up a process.
As data in electronic files can be retrieved as and when required, the problem of maintenance of large
number of paper files gets reduced.
Reduction in Cost
Though the initial investment for installing a computer is high but it substantially reduces the cost of each of
its transaction.
Disadvantages
Following list demonstrates the disadvantages of computers in today's arena.
No I.Q
A computer is a machine that has no intelligence to perform any task.
Each instruction has to be given to computer.
A computer cannot take any decision on its own.
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Dependency
It functions as per a users instruction, so it is fully dependent on human being.
Environment
The operating environment of computer should be dust free and suitable.
No Feeling
Computers have no feelings or emotions.
It cannot make judgment based on feeling, taste, experience, and knowledge unlike a human being.
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CHAPTER
Applications
ollowing list demonstrates various applications of computers in today's arena.
Business
A computer has high speed of calculation, diligence, accuracy, reliability, or versatility which made it an integrated
part in all business organisations.
Computer is used in business organisations for:
Payroll calculations
Budgeting
Sales analysis
Financial forecasting
Managing employees database
Maintenance of stocks etc.
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Banking
Today banking is almost totally dependent on computer.
Banks provide following facilities:
Banks provide online accounting facility, which includes current balances, deposits, overdrafts, interest
charges, shares, and trustee records.
ATM machines are making it even easier for customers to deal with banks.
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Insurance
Insurance companies are keeping all records up-to-date with the help of computers. The insurance companies,
finance houses and stock broking firms are widely using computers for their concerns.
Insurance companies are maintaining a database of all clients with information showing
procedure to continue with policies
starting date of the policies
next due installment of a policy
maturity date
interests due
survival benefits
bonus
Education
The computer has provided a lot of facilities in the education system.
The computer provides a tool in the education system known as CBE (Computer Based Education).
CBE involves control, delivery, and evaluation of learning.
The computer education is rapidly increasing the graph of number of computer students.
14
There are number of methods in which educational institutions can use computer to educate the students.
It is used to prepare a database about performance of a student and analysis is carried out on this basis.
Marketing
In marketing, uses of computer are following:
Advertising - With computers, advertising professionals create art and graphics, write and revise copy, and
print and disseminate ads with the goal of selling more products.
At Home Shopping - Home shopping has been made possible through use of computerised catalogues that
provide access to product information and permit direct entry of orders to be filled by the customers.
15
Health Care
Computers have become important part in hospitals, labs, and dispensaries. The computers are being used in
hospitals to keep the record of patients and medicines. It is also used in scanning and diagnosing different
diseases. ECG, EEG, Ultrasounds and CT Scans etc. are also done by computerised machines.
Some major fields of health care in which computers are used are:
Diagnostic System - Computers are used to collect data and identify cause of illness.
Lab-diagnostic System - All tests can be done and reports are prepared by computer.
Patient Monitoring System - These are used to check patient's signs for abnormality such as in Cardiac
Arrest, ECG etc.
Pharma Information System - Computer checks Drug-Labels, Expiry dates, harmful drugs side effects etc.
Surgery: Nowadays, computers are also used in performing surgery.
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Engineering Design
Computers are widely used in Engineering purpose.
One of major areas is CAD (Computer aided design).that provides creation and modification of images. Some
fields are:
Structural Engineering - Requires stress and strain analysis for design of Ships, Buildings, Budgets,
Airplanes etc.
Industrial Engineering - Computers deal with design, implementation and improvement of integrated
systems of people, materials and equipments.
Architectural Engineering - Computers help in planning towns, designing buildings, determining a range of
buildings on a site using both 2D and 3D drawings.
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Military
Computers are largely used in defence. modern tanks, missiles, weapons etc. Military also employs computerised
control systems. Some military areas where a computer has been used are:
Missile Control
Military Communication
Military Operation and Planning
Smart Weapons
Communication
Communication means to convey a message, an idea, a picture or speech that is received and understood clearly
and correctly by the person for whom it is meant for. Some main areas in this category are:
E-mail
Chatting
Usenet
FTP
Telnet
Video-conferencing
18
Government
Computers play an important role in government. Some major fields in this category are:
Budgets
Sales tax department
Income tax department
Male/Female ratio
Computerization of voters lists
Computerization of driving licensing system
Computerization of PAN card
Weather forecasting
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20
CHAPTER
Generations
Computer Generations
eneration in computer terminology is a change in technology a computer is/was being used. Initially, the
generation term was used to distinguish between varying hardware technologies. But nowadays, generation
includes both hardware and software, which together make up an entire computer system.
There are totally five computer generations known till date. Each generation has been discussed in detail along
with their time period and characteristics. Here approximate dates against each generations have been mentioned
which are normally accepted.
Following are the main five generations of computers
S.N. Generation and Description
1
First Generation
The period of first generation: 1946-1959. Vacuum tube based.
Second Generation
The period of second generation: 1959-1965. Transistor based.
Third Generation
The period of third generation: 1965-1971. Integrated Circuit based.
Fourth Generation
The period of fourth generation: 1971-1980. VLSI microprocessor based.
Fifth Generation
The period of fifth generation: 1980-onwards.ULSI microprocessor based
First Generation
The period of first generation was 1946-1959. The computers of first generation used vacuum tubes as the basic
components for memory and circuitry for CPU (Central Processing Unit). These tubes, like electric bulbs, produced
a lot of heat and were prone to frequent fusing of the installations, therefore, were very expensive and could be
afforded only by very large organisations. In this generation mainly batch processing operating system were used.
Punched cards, paper tape, and magnetic tape were used as input and output devices. The computers in this
generation used machine code as programming language.
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The main features of first generation are:
Vacuum tube technology
Unreliable
Supported machine language only
Very costly
Generated lot of heat
Slow input and output devices
Huge size
Need of A.C.
Non-portable
Consumed lot of electricity
Some computers of this generation were:
ENIAC
EDVAC
22
UNIVAC
IBM-701
IBM-650
Second Generation
The period of second generation was 1959-1965. In this generation transistors were used that were cheaper,
consumed less power, more compact in size, more reliable and faster than the first generation machines made of
vacuum tubes. In this generation, magnetic cores were used as primary memory and magnetic tape and magnetic
disks as secondary storage devices. In this generation assembly language and high-level programming languages
like FORTRAN, COBOL were used. The computers used batch processing and multiprogramming operating
system.
The main features of second generation are:
Use of transistors
Reliable in comparison to first generation computers
Smaller size as compared to first generation computers
Generated less heat as compared to first generation computers
Consumed less electricity as compared to first generation computers
Faster than first generation computers
Still very costly
23
A.C. needed
Supported machine and assembly languages
IBM 1620
IBM 7094
CDC 1604
CDC 3600
UNIVAC 1108
Third Generation
The period of third generation was 1965-1971. The computers of third generation used integrated circuits (IC's) in
place of transistors. A single IC has many transistors, resistors and capacitors along with the associated circuitry.
The IC was invented by Jack Kilby. This development made computers smaller in size, reliable and efficient. In this
generation remote processing, time-sharing, multi-programming operating system were used. High-level languages
(FORTRAN-II TO IV, COBOL, PASCAL PL/1, BASIC, ALGOL-68 etc.) were used during this generation.
The main features of third generation are:
IC used
More reliable in comparison to previous two generations
Smaller size
Generated less heat
24
Faster
Lesser maintenance
Still costly
A.C needed
Consumed lesser electricity
Supported high-level language
IBM-360 series
Honeywell-6000 series
PDP(Personal Data Processor)
IBM-370/168
TDC-316
Fourth Generation
The period of fourth generation was 1971-1980. The computers of fourth generation used Very Large Scale
Integrated (VLSI) circuits. VLSI circuits having about 5000 transistors and other circuit elements and their
associated circuits on a single chip made it possible to have microcomputers of fourth generation. Fourth
generation computers became more powerful, compact, reliable, and affordable. As a result, it gave rise to
personal computer (PC) revolution. In this generation time sharing, real time, networks, distributed operating
system were used. All the high-level languages like C, C++, DBASE etc. were used in this generation.
25
The main features of fourth generation are:
VLSI technology used
Very cheap
Portable and reliable
Use of PC's
Very small size
Pipeline processing
No A.C. needed
Concept of internet was introduced
Great developments in the fields of networks
Computers became easily available
DEC 10
STAR 1000
26
PDP 11
CRAY-1(Super Computer)
CRAY-X-MP(Super Computer)
Fifth Generation
The period of fifth generation is 1980-till date. In the fifth generation, the VLSI technology became ULSI (Ultra
Large Scale Integration) technology, resulting in the production of microprocessor chips having ten million
electronic components. This generation is based on parallel processing hardware and AI (Artificial Intelligence)
software. AI is an emerging branch in computer science, which interprets means and method of making computers
think like human beings. All the high-level languages like C and C++, Java, .Net etc. are used in this generation.
AI includes:
Robotics
Neural networks
Game Playing
Development of expert systems to make decisions in real life situations.
Natural language understanding and generation.
The main features of fifth generation are:
ULSI technology
27
Development of true artificial intelligence
Development of Natural language processing
Advancement in Parallel Processing
Advancement in Superconductor technology
More user friendly interfaces with multimedia features
Availability of very powerful and compact computers at cheaper rates
Some computer types of this generation are:
Desktop
Laptop
NoteBook
UltraBook
ChromeBook
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CHAPTER
Types
omputers can be broadly classified by their speed and computing power.
Sr. No.
Type
Specifications
PC (Personal
Computer)
It is a single user computer system having moderately powerful

microprocessor
WorkStation
It is also a single user computer system which is similar to personal

computer but have more powerful microprocessor.
Mini Computer
It is a multi-user computer system which is capable of supporting

hundreds of users simultaneously.
Main Frame
It is a multi-user computer system which is capable of supporting

hundreds of users simultaneously. Software technology is different
from minicomputer.
Supercomputer
It is an extremely fast computer which can execute hundreds of

millions of instructions per second.
PC (Personal Computer)
A PC can be defined as a small, relatively inexpensive computer designed for an individual user. PCs are based
on the microprocessor technology that enables manufacturers to put an entire CPU on one chip. Businesses use
personal computers for word processing, accounting, desktop publishing, and for running spreadsheet and
database management applications. At home, the most popular use for personal computers is playing games and
surfing Internet.
Although personal computers are designed as single-user systems, these systems are normally linked together to
form a network. In terms of power, now-a-days High-end models of the Macintosh and PC offer the same
computing power and graphics capability as low-end workstations by Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard, and
Dell.
29
Workstation
Workstation is a computer used for engineering applications (CAD/CAM), desktop publishing, software
development, and other such types of applications which require a moderate amount of computing power and
relatively high quality graphics capabilities.
Workstations generally come with a large, high-resolution graphics screen, large amount of RAM, inbuilt network
support, and a graphical user interface. Most workstations also have a mass storage device such as a disk drive,
but a special type of workstation, called a diskless workstation, comes without a disk drive.
Common operating systems for workstations are UNIX and Windows NT. Like PC, Workstations are also singleuser computers like PC but are typically linked together to form a local-area network, although they can also be
used as stand-alone systems.
Minicomputer
It is a midsize multi-processing system capable of supporting up to 250 users simultaneously.
30
Mainframe
Mainframe is very large in size and is an expensive computer capable of supporting hundreds or even thousands
of users simultaneously. Mainframe executes many programs concurrently and supports many simultaneous
execution of programs.
Supercomputer
Supercomputers are one of the fastest computers currently available. Supercomputers are very expensive and are
employed for specialized applications that require immense amount of mathematical calculations (number
crunching). For example, weather forecasting, scientific simulations, (animated) graphics, fluid dynamic
calculations, nuclear energy research, electronic design, and analysis of geological data (e.g. in petrochemical
prospecting).
31
32
CHAPTER
Components
ll types of computers follow a same basic logical structure and perform the following five basic
operations for converting raw input data into information useful to their users
Sr. No.
Operation
Description
Take Input
The process of entering data and instructions into the computer system.
Store Data
Saving data and instructions so that they are available for processing as and
when required.
Processing Data
Performing arithmetic, and logical operations on data in order to convert them

into useful information.
Output Information
The process of producing useful information or results for the user, such as a
printed report or visual display.
Control the workflow
Directs the manner and sequence in which all of the above operations are
performed.
33
Input Unit
This unit contains devices with the help of which we enter data into computer. This unit makes link between user
and computer. The input devices translate the information into the form understandable by computer.
CPU (Central Processing Unit)

CPU is considered as the brain of the computer. CPU performs all types of data processing operations. It stores
data, intermediate results and instructions(program).It controls the operation of all parts of computer.
CPU itself has following three components
ALU(Arithmetic Logic Unit)
Memory Unit
Control Unit
Output Unit
Output unit consists of devices with the help of which we get the information from computer. This unit is a link
between computer and users. Output devices translate the computer's output into the form understandable by
users.
34
CHAPTER
CPU Central Processing Unit
PU consists of the following features:
CPU is considered as the brain of the computer.
CPU performs all types of data processing operations.
It stores data, intermediate results and instructions(program).
It controls the operation of all parts of computer.
CPU itself has following three components.
Memory or Storage Unit:
Control Unit
35
Memory or Storage Unit:

This unit can store instructions, data and intermediate results. This unit supplies information to the other units of
the computer when needed. It is also known as internal storage unit or main memory or primary storage or
Random access memory(RAM).
Its size affects speed, power and capability. Primary memory and secondary memory are two types of memories
in the computer. Functions of memory unit are:
It stores all the data and the instructions required for processing.
It stores intermediate results of processing.
It stores final results of processing before these results are released to an output device.
All inputs and outputs are transmitted through main memory.
Control Unit
This unit controls the operations of all parts of computer but does not carry out any actual data processing
operations.
Functions of this unit are:
It is responsible for controlling the transfer of data and instructions among other units of a computer.
It manages and coordinates all the units of the computer.
It obtains the instructions from the memory, interprets them, and directs the operation of the computer.
It communicates with Input/Output devices for transfer of data or results from storage.
It does not process or store data.
36

This unit consists of two subsections namely
Arithmetic section
Logic Section
Arithmetic Section
Function of arithmetic section is to perform arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication and
division. All complex operations are done by making repetitive use of above operations.
Logic Section
Function of logic section is to perform logic operations such as comparing, selecting, matching and merging of
data.
37
CHAPTER
Input Devices
ollowing are few of the important input devices which are used in a computer:
Keyboard
Mouse
Joy Stick
Light pen
Track Ball
Scanner
Graphic Tablet
Microphone
Magnetic Ink Card Reader(MICR)
Optical Character Reader(OCR)
Bar Code Reader
Optical Mark Reader(OMR)
Keyboard
Keyboard is the most common and very popular input device which helps in inputting data to the computer. The
layout of the keyboard is like that of traditional typewriter, although there are some additional keys provided for
performing additional functions.
Keyboards are of two sizes 84 keys or 101/102 keys, but now keyboards with 104 keys or 108 keys are also
available for Windows and Internet.
38
The keys on the keyboard are as follows:

Sr. No.
Keys
Description
Typing Keys
These keys include the letter keys (A-Z) and digit keys (0-9) which generally
give same layout as that of typewriters.
Numeric Keypad
It is used to enter numeric data or cursor movement. Generally, it consists of

a set of 17 keys that are laid out in the same configuration used by most
adding machines and calculators.
Function Keys
The twelve function keys are present on the keyboard which are arranged in a
row at the top of the keyboard. Each function key has unique meaning and is
used for some specific purpose.
Control keys
These keys provide cursor and screen control. It includes four directional
arrow keys. Control keys also include Home, End, Insert, Delete, Page Up,
Page Down, Control(Ctrl), Alternate(Alt), Escape(Esc).
Special Purpose
Keys
Keyboard also contains some special purpose keys such as Enter, Shift,
Caps Lock, Num Lock, Space bar, Tab, and Print Screen.
Mouse
Mouse is most popular pointing device. It is a very famous cursor-control device having a small palm size box with
a round ball at its base which senses the movement of mouse and sends corresponding signals to CPU when the
mouse buttons are pressed.
Generally it has two buttons called left and right button and a wheel is present between the buttons. Mouse can be
used to control the position of cursor on screen, but it cannot be used to enter text into the computer.
Advantages
Easy to use
Not very expensive
39
Moves the cursor faster than the arrow keys of keyboard.
Joystick
Joystick is also a pointing device which is used to move cursor position on a monitor screen. It is a stick having a
spherical ball at its both lower and upper ends. The lower spherical ball moves in a socket. The joystick can be
moved in all four directions.
The function of joystick is similar to that of a mouse. It is mainly used in Computer Aided Designing(CAD) and
playing computer games.
Light Pen
Light pen is a pointing device which is similar to a pen. It is used to select a displayed menu item or draw pictures
on the monitor screen. It consists of a photocell and an optical system placed in a small tube. When the tip of a
light pen is moved over the monitor screen and pen button is pressed, its photocell sensing element detects the
screen location and sends the corresponding signal to the CPU.
40
Track Ball
Track ball is an input device that is mostly used in notebook or laptop computer, instead of a mouse. This is a ball
which is half inserted and by moving fingers on ball, pointer can be moved. Since the whole device is not moved,
a track ball requires less space than a mouse. A track ball comes in various shapes like a ball, a button and a
square.
Scanner
Scanner is an input device which works more like a photocopy machine. It is used when some information is
available on a paper and it is to be transferred to the hard disc of the computer for further manipulation. Scanner
captures images from the source which are then converted into the digital form that can be stored on the disc.
These images can be edited before they are printed.
41
Digitizer
Digitizer is an input device which converts analog information into digital form. Digitizer can convert a signal from
the television or camera into a series of numbers that could be stored in a computer. They can be used by the
computer to create a picture of whatever the camera had been pointed at. Digitizer is also known as Tablet or
Graphics Tablet because it converts graphics and pictorial data into binary inputs. A graphic tablet as digitizer is
used for doing fine works of drawing and image manipulation applications.
Microphone
Microphone is an input device to input sound that is then stored in digital form. The microphone is used for
various applications like adding sound to a multimedia presentation or for mixing music.
42
Magnetic Ink Card Reader(MICR)

MICR input device is generally used in banks because of a large number of cheques to be processed every day.
The bank's code number and cheque number are printed on the cheques with a special type of ink that contains
particles of magnetic material that are machine readable. This reading process is called Magnetic Ink Character
Recognition (MICR). The main advantages of MICR is that it is fast and less error prone.
Optical Character Reader(OCR)

OCR is an input device used to read a printed text. OCR scans text optically character by character, converts
them into a machine readable code and stores the text on the system memory.
43
Bar Code Readers

Bar Code Reader is a device used for reading bar coded data (data in form of light and dark lines). Bar coded
data is generally used in labelling goods, numbering the books etc. It may be a hand held scanner or may be
embedded in a stationary scanner. Bar Code Reader scans a bar code image, converts it into an alphanumeric
value which is then fed to the computer to which bar code reader is connected.
Optical Mark Reader(OMR)

OMR is a special type of optical scanner used to recognize the type of mark made by pen or pencil. It is used
where one out of a few alternatives is to be selected and marked. It is specially used for checking the answer
sheets of examinations having multiple choice questions.
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45
CHAPTER
Output Devices
ollowing are few of the important output devices which are used in a computer
Monitors
Graphic Plotter
Printer
Monitors
Monitors, commonly called as Visual Display Unit (VDU), are the main output device of a computer. It forms
images from tiny dots, called pixels that are arranged in a rectangular form. The sharpness of the image depends
upon the number of pixels.
There are two kinds of viewing screen used for monitors.
Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT)
Flat- Panel Display
Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) Monitor

The CRT display is made up of small picture elements called pixels. The smaller the pixels, the better the image
clarity, or resolution. It takes more than one illuminated pixel to form whole character, such as the letter e in the
word help.
A finite number of characters can be displayed on a screen at once. The screen can be divided into a series of
character boxes - fixed location on the screen where a standard character can be placed. Most screens are
capable of displaying 80 characters of data horizontally and 25 lines vertically. There are some disadvantages of
CRT
Large in Size
High power consumption
46
Flat-Panel Display Monitor

The flat-panel display refers to a class of video devices that have reduced volume, weight and power requirement
in comparison to the CRT. You can hang them on walls or wear them on your wrists. Current uses of flat-panel
displays include calculators, videogames, monitors, laptop computer, graphics display.
The flat-panel display is divided into two categories
Emissive Displays - The emissive displays are devices that convert electrical energy into light. Example are
plasma panel and LED(Light-Emitting Diodes).
Non-Emissive Displays - The Non-emissive displays use optical effects to convert sunlight or light from
some other source into graphics patterns. Example is LCD(Liquid-Crystal Device)
47
Printers
Printer is an output device, which is used to print information on paper.
There are two types of printers
Impact Printers
Non-Impact Printers
Impact Printers
The impact printers print the characters by striking them on the ribbon which is then pressed on the paper.
Characteristics of Impact Printers are the following
Very low consumable costs
Very noisy
Useful for bulk printing due to low cost
There is physical contact with the paper to produce an image
These printers are of two types
Character printers
48
Line printers
Character Printers
Character printers are the printers which print one character at a time.
These are further divided into two types
Dot Matrix Printer(DMP)
Daisy Wheel
Dot Matrix Printer

In the market one of the most popular printers is Dot Matrix Printer. These printers are popular because of their
ease of printing and economical price. Each character printed is in form of pattern of dots and head consists of a
Matrix of Pins of size (5*7, 7*9, 9*7 or 9*9) which come out to form a character that is why it is called Dot Matrix
Printer.
Advantages
Inexpensive
Widely Used
Other language characters can be printed
Disadvantages
Slow Speed
Poor Quality
49
Daisy Wheel
Head is lying on a wheel and pins corresponding to characters are like petals of Daisy (flower name) that is why it
is called Daisy Wheel Printer. These printers are generally used for word-processing in offices which require a few
letters to be sent here and there with very nice quality.
Advantages
More reliable than DMP
Better quality
The fonts of character can be easily changed
Disadvantages
Slower than DMP
Noisy
More expensive than DMP
Line Printers
Line printers are the printers which print one line at a time.
50
These are of further two types
Drum Printer
Chain Printer
Drum Printer
This printer is like a drum in shape so it is called drum printer. The surface of drum is divided into number of
tracks. Total tracks are equal to size of paper i.e. for a paper width of 132 characters, drum will have 132 tracks. A
character set is embossed on track. The different character sets available in the market are 48 character set, 64
and 96 characters set. One rotation of drum prints one line. Drum printers are fast in speed and can print 300 to
2000 lines per minute.
Advantages
Very high speed
Disadvantages
Very expensive
Characters fonts cannot be changed
Chain Printer
In this printer, chain of character sets are used so it is called Chain Printer. A standard character set may have
48, 64, or 96 characters.
Advantages
Character fonts can easily be changed.
Different languages can be used with the same printer.
51
Disadvantages
Noisy
Non-impact Printers
Non-impact printers print the characters without using ribbon. These printers print a complete page at a time so
they are also called as Page Printers.
These printers are of two types
Laser Printers
Inkjet Printers
Characteristics of Non-impact Printers
Faster than impact printers.
They are not noisy.
High quality.
Support many fonts and different character size.
Laser Printers
These are non-impact page printers. They use laser lights to produce the dots needed to form the characters to
be printed on a page.
Advantages
Very high speed
Very high quality output
Give good graphics quality
Support many fonts and different character size
Disadvantages
Expensive.
Cannot be used to produce multiple copies of a document in a single printing.
52
Inkjet Printers
Inkjet printers are non-impact character printers based on a relatively new technology. They print characters by
spraying small drops of ink onto paper. Inkjet printers produce high quality output with presentable features.
They make less noise because no hammering is done and these have many styles of printing modes available.
Colour printing is also possible. Some models of Inkjet printers can produce multiple copies of printing also.
Advantages
High quality printing
More reliable
Disadvantages
Expensive as cost per page is high
Slow as compared to laser printer
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54
CHAPTER
Memory
memory is just like a human brain. It is used to store data and instructions. Computer memory is the
storage space in computer where data is to be processed and instructions required for processing are stored. The
memory is divided into large number of small parts called cells. Each location or cell has a unique address which
varies from zero to memory size minus one. For example if computer has 64k words, then this memory unit has 64
* 1024=65536 memory locations. The address of these locations varies from 0 to 65535.
Memory is primarily of three types
Cache Memory
Primary Memory/Main Memory
Secondary Memory
Cache Memory
Cache memory is a very high speed semiconductor memory which can speed up CPU. It acts as a buffer between
the CPU and main memory. It is used to hold those parts of data and program which are most frequently used by
CPU. The parts of data and programs are transferred from disk to cache memory by operating system, from where
CPU can access them.
Advantages
The advantages of cache memory are as follows
Cache memory is faster than main memory.
It consumes less access time as compared to main memory.
It stores the program that can be executed within a short period of time.
It stores data for temporary use.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages of cache memory are as follows
55
Cache memory has limited capacity.
It is very expensive.
Primary Memory (Main Memory)

Primary memory holds only those data and instructions on which computer is currently working. It has limited
capacity and data is lost when power is switched off. It is generally made up of semiconductor device. These
memories are not as fast as registers. The data and instruction required to be processed reside in main memory. It
is divided into two subcategories RAM and ROM.
Characteristics of Main Memory
These are semiconductor memories.
It is known as main memory.
Usually volatile memory.
Data is lost in case power is switched off.
It is working memory of the computer.
Faster than secondary memories.
A computer cannot run without primary memory.
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Secondary Memory
This type of memory is also known as external memory or non-volatile. It is slower than main memory. These are
used for storing data/Information permanently. CPU directly does not access these memories instead they are
accessed via input-output routines. Contents of secondary memories are first transferred to main memory, and
then CPU can access it. For example: disk, CD-ROM, DVD etc.
Characteristic of Secondary Memory
These are magnetic and optical memories.
It is known as backup memory.
It is non-volatile memory.
Data is permanently stored even if power is switched off.
It is used for storage of data in a computer.
Computer may run without secondary memory.
Slower than primary memories.
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58
CHAPTER
10
Random Access Memory
AM(Random Access Memory) is the internal memory of the CPU for storing data, program and program
result. It is read/write memory which stores data until the machine is working. As soon as the machine is switched
off, data is erased.
Access time in RAM is independent of the address that is, each storage location inside the memory is as easy to
reach as other locations and takes the same amount of time. Data in the RAM can be accessed randomly but it is
very expensive.
RAM is volatile, i.e. data stored in it is lost when we switch off the computer or if there is a power failure. Hence a
backup uninterruptible power system(UPS) is often used with computers. RAM is small, both in terms of its
physical size and in the amount of data it can hold.
RAM is of two types
Static RAM (SRAM)
Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
59
Static RAM (SRAM)

The word static indicates that the memory retains its contents as long as power is being supplied. However, data
is lost when the power gets down due to volatile nature. SRAM chips use a matrix of 6-transistors and no
capacitors. Transistors do not require power to prevent leakage, so SRAM need not have to be refreshed on a
regular basis.
Because of the extra space in the matrix, SRAM uses more chips than DRAM for the same amount of storage
space, thus making the manufacturing costs higher. So SRAM is used as cache memory and has very fast access.
Characteristic of the Static RAM
It has long life
There is no need to refresh
Faster
Used as cache memory
Large size
Expensive
High power consumption
Dynamic RAM (DRAM)

DRAM, unlike SRAM, must be continually refreshed in order to maintain the data. This is done by placing the
memory on a refresh circuit that rewrites the data several hundred times per second. DRAM is used for most
system memory because it is cheap and small. All DRAMs are made up of memory cells which are composed of
one capacitor and one transistor.
Characteristics of the Dynamic RAM
It has short data lifetime
Need to be refreshed continuously
Slower as compared to SRAM
Used as RAM
Lesser in size
Less expensive
Less power consumption
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CHAPTER
11
Read Only Memory
OM stands for Read Only Memory. The memory from which we can only read but cannot write on it. This
type of memory is non-volatile. The information is stored permanently in such memories during manufacture. A
ROM, stores such instructions that are required to start a computer. This operation is referred to as bootstrap.
ROM chips are not only used in the computer but also in other electronic items like washing machine and
microwave oven.
Following are the various types of ROM
MROM (Masked ROM)

The very first ROMs were hard-wired devices that contained a pre-programmed set of data or instructions. These
kind of ROMs are known as masked ROMs which are inexpensive.
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PROM (Programmable Read only Memory)

PROM is read-only memory that can be modified only once by a user. The user buys a blank PROM and enters
the desired contents using a PROM program. Inside the PROM chip there are small fuses which are burnt open
during programming. It can be programmed only once and is not erasable.
EPROM(Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory)

The EPROM can be erased by exposing it to ultra-violet light for a duration of up to 40 minutes. Usually, an
EPROM eraser achieves this function. During programming, an electrical charge is trapped in an insulated gate
region. The charge is retained for more than ten years because the charge has no leakage path. For erasing this
charge, ultra-violet light is passed through a quartz crystal window(lid). This exposure to ultra-violet light dissipates
the charge. During normal use the quartz lid is sealed with a sticker.
EEPROM
(Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only
Memory)
The EEPROM is programmed and erased electrically. It can be erased and reprogrammed about ten thousand
times. Both erasing and programming take about 4 to 10 ms (milli second). In EEPROM, any location can be
selectively erased and programmed. EEPROMs can be erased one byte at a time, rather than erasing the entire
chip. Hence, the process of re-programming is flexible but slow.
Advantages of ROM
The advantages of ROM are as follows:
Non-volatile in nature
These cannot be accidentally changed
Cheaper than RAMs
Easy to test
More reliable than RAMs
These are static and do not require refreshing
Its contents are always known and can be verified
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CHAPTER
12
Motherboard
he motherboard serves as a single platform to connect all of the parts of a computer together. A
motherboard connects CPU, memory, hard drives, optical drives, video card, sound card, and other ports and
expansion cards directly or via cables. It can be considered as the backbone of a computer.
Features of Motherboard
A motherboard comes with following features:
Motherboard varies greatly in supporting various types of components.
Normally a motherboard supports a single type of CPU and few types of memories.
Video Cards, Hard disks, Sound Cards have to be compatible with motherboard to function properly.
Motherboards, cases and power supplies must be compatible to work properly together.
63
Popular Manufacturers
Intel
ASUS
AOpen
ABIT
Biostar
Gigabyte
MSI
Description of Motherboard
The motherboard is mounted inside the case and is securely attached via small screws through pre-drilled holes.
Motherboard contains ports to connect all of the internal components. It provides a single socket for CPU whereas
for memory, normally one or more slots are available. Motherboards provide ports to attach floppy drive, hard
drive, and optical drives via ribbon cables. Motherboard carries fans and a special port designed for power supply.
There is a peripheral card slot in front of the motherboard using which video cards, sound cards and other
expansion cards can be connected to motherboard.
On the left side, motherboards carry a number of ports to connect monitor, printer, mouse, keyboard, speaker, and
network cables. Motherboards also provide USB ports which allow compatible devices to be connected in plugin/plug-out fashion for example, pen drive, digital cameras etc.
64
CHAPTER
13
Memory Units
emory unit is:
the amount of data that can be stored in the storage unit.
that in which storage capacity is expressed in terms of Bytes.
Following are the main memory storage units:

Sr. No.
Unit
Description
Bit (Binary
Digit)
A binary digit is logical 0 and 1 representing a passive or an active state of a

component in an electric circuit.
Nibble
A group of 4 bits is called nibble.
Byte
A group of 8 bits is called byte. A byte is the smallest unit which can represent a
data item or a character.
Word
A computer word, like a byte, is a group of fixed number of bits processed as a unit
which varies from computer to computer but is fixed for each computer.
The length of a computer word is called word-size or word length and it may be as
small as 8 bits or may be as long as 96 bits. A computer stores the information in
the form of computer words.
65
Few higher storage units are following

Sr. No.
Unit
Description
Kilobyte (KB)
1 KB = 1024 Bytes
Megabyte (MB)
1 MB = 1024 KB
GigaByte (GB)
1 GB = 1024 MB
TeraByte (TB
1 TB = 1024 GB
PetaByte (PB)
1 PB = 1024 TB
66
CHAPTER
14
Ports
What is a Port?
port:
is a physical docking point using which an external device can be connected to the computer.
can also be programmatic docking point through which information flows from a program to computer or over
the internet.
Characteristics
A port has the following characteistics
External devices are connected to a computer using cables and ports.
Ports are slots on the motherboard into which a cable of external device is plugged in.
Examples of external devices attached via ports are mouse, keyboard, monitor, microphone, speakers etc.
67
Following are few important types of ports
Serial Port
Used for external modems and older computer mouse
Two versions: 9 pin, 25 pin model
Data travels at 115 kilobits per second
Parallel Port
Used for scanners and printers
Also called printer port
25 pin model
Also known as IEEE 1284-compliant Centronics port
PS/2 Port
Used for old computer keyboard and mouse
Also called mouse port
Most of the old computers provide two PS/2 port, each for mouse and keyboard
68
Also known as IEEE 1284-compliant Centronics port
Universal Serial Bus (or USB) Port
It can connect all kinds of external USB devices such as external hard disk, printer, scanner, mouse,
keyboard etc.
It was introduced in 1997.
Most of the computers provide two USB ports as minimum.
Data travels at 12 megabits per seconds
USB compliant devices can get power from a USB port
VGA Port
Connects monitor to a computer's video card.
Has 15 holes.
Similar to serial port connector but serial port connector has pins, it has holes.
Power Connector
Three-pronged plug
Connects to the computer's power cable that plugs into a power bar or wall socket
Firewire Port
Transfers large amount of data at very fast speed.
Connects camcorders and video equipments to the computer
Data travels at 400 to 800 megabits per seconds
Invented by Apple
Three variants: 4-Pin FireWire 400 connector, 6-Pin FireWire 400 connector and 9-Pin FireWire 800
connector
Modem Port
Connects a PC's modem to the telephone network.
69
Ethernet Port
Connects to a network and high speed Internet.
Connect network cable to a computer.
This port resides on an Ethernet Card.
Data travels at 10 megabits to 1000 megabits per seconds depending upon the network bandwidth.
Game Port
Connect a joystick to a PC
Now replaced by USB.
Digital Video Interface, DVI port
Connects Flat panel LCD monitor to the computer's high end video graphic cards.
Very popular among video card manufacturers.
Sockets
Connect microphone, speakers to sound card of the computer
70
CHAPTER
15
Hardware
ardware represents the physical and tangible components of a computer i.e. the components that can be
seen and touched.

Examples of Hardware are following:
Input devices -- keyboard, mouse etc.

Output devices -- printer, monitor etc.
Secondary storage devices -- Hard disk, CD, DVD etc.
Internal components -- CPU, motherboard, RAM etc.
71
Relationship between Hardware and Software
Hardware and software are mutually dependent on each other. Both of them must work together to make a
computer produce a useful output.
Software cannot be utilized without supporting hardware.
Hardware without set of programs to operate upon cannot be utilized and is useless.
To get a particular job done on the computer, relevant software should be loaded into the hardware
Hardware is a one-time expense.
Software development is very expensive and is a continuing expense.
Different software applications can be loaded on a hardware to run different jobs.
A software acts as an interface between the user and the hardware.
If hardware is the 'heart' of a computer system, then software is its 'soul'. Both are complimentary to each
other.
72
CHAPTER
16
Software
oftware is a set of programs, which is designed to perform a well-defined function. A program is a
sequence of instructions written to solve a particular problem.

There are two types of software
System Software
Application Software
System Software
The system software is collection of programs designed to operate, control, and extend the processing capabilities
of the computer itself. System software are generally prepared by computer manufactures. These software
products comprise of programs written in low-level languages which interact with the hardware at a very basic
level. System software serves as the interface between hardware and the end users.
Some examples of system software are Operating System, Compilers, Interpreter, Assemblers etc.
Features of system software are as follows
Close to system
Fast in speed
Difficult to design
Difficult to understand
73
Less interactive
Smaller in size
Difficult to manipulate
Generally written in low-level language
Application Software
Application software products are designed to satisfy a particular need of a particular environment. All software
applications prepared in the computer lab can come under the category of Application software.
Application software may consist of a single program, such as a Microsoft's notepad for writing and editing simple
text. It may also consist of a collection of programs, often called a software package, which work together to
accomplish a task, such as a spreadsheet package.
Examples of Application software are following
Payroll Software
Student Record Software
Inventory Management Software
Income Tax Software
Railways Reservation Software
Microsoft Office Suite Software
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Powerpoint
Features of application software are as follows
Close to user
Easy to design
More interactive
74
Slow in speed
Generally written in high-level language
Easy to understand
Easy to manipulate and use
Bigger in size and requires large storage space
75
CHAPTER
17
Number System
hen we type some letters or words, the computer translates them in numbers as computers can
understand only numbers. A computer can understand positional number system where there are only a few
symbols called digits and these symbols represent different values depending on the position they occupy in the
number.
A value of each digit in a number can be determined using
The digit
The position of the digit in the number
The base of the number system (where base is defined as the total number of digits available in the number
system).
Decimal Number System

The number system that we use in our day-to-day life is the decimal number system. Decimal number system has
base 10 as it uses 10 digits from 0 to 9. In decimal number system, the successive positions to the left of the
decimal point represent units, tens, hundreds, thousands and so on.
Each position represents a specific power of the base (10). For example, the decimal number 1234 consists of the
digit 4 in the units position, 3 in the tens position, 2 in the hundreds position, and 1 in the thousands position, and
its value can be written as
(1x1000)+ (2x100)+ (3x10)+ (4xl)
(1x103)+ (2x102)+ (3x101)+ (4xl00)
1000 + 200 + 30 + 4
1234
As a computer programmer or an IT professional, you should understand the following number systems which are
frequently used in computers.
S.N. Number System and Description
76
Binary Number System

Base 2. Digits used: 0, 1
Octal Number System

Base 8. Digits used: 0 to 7
Hexa Decimal Number System

Base 16. Digits used: 0 to 9, Letters used: A- F
Binary Number System

Characteristics of binary number system are as follows
Uses two digits, 0 and 1.
Also called base 2 number system
Each position in a binary number represents a 0 power of the base (2). Example 2 0
Last position in a binary number represents a x power of the base (2). Example 2 x where x represents the last
position - 1.
Example
Binary Number: 101012
Calculating Decimal Equivalent:
Step
Binary Number
Decimal Number
Step 1 101012
((1 x 24) + (0 x 23) + (1 x 22) + (0 x 21) + (1 x 20))10
Step 2 101012
(16 + 0 + 4 + 0 + 1)10
Step 3 101012
2110
Note: 101012 is normally written as 10101.
Octal Number System

Characteristics of octal number system are as follows
Uses eight digits, 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7.
Each position in an octal number represents a 0 power of the base (8). Example 8 0
Last position in an octal number represents a x power of the base (8). Example 8x where x represents the last
position - 1.
Example
Octal Number: 125708
Step
Octal Number
Decimal Number
77
Step 1 125708
((1 x 84) + (2 x 83) + (5 x 82) + (7 x 81) + (0 x 80))10
Step 2 125708
(4096 + 1024 + 320 + 56 + 0)10
Step 3 125708
549610
Note: 125708 is normally written as 12570.
Hexadecimal Number System

Characteristics of hexadecimal number system are as follows
Uses 10 digits and 6 letters, 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,A,B,C,D,E,F.
Letters represents numbers starting from 10. A = 10. B = 11, C = 12, D = 13, E = 14, F = 15.
Each position in a hexadecimal number represents a 0 power of the base (16). Example 16 0
Last position in a hexadecimal number represents a x power of the base (16). Example 16 x where x
represents the last position - 1.
Example
Hexadecimal Number: 19FDE16
Step
Binary Number
Decimal Number
Step 1 19FDE16
((1 x 164) + (9 x 163) + (F x 162) + (D x 161) + (E x 160))10
Step 2 19FDE16
((1 x 164) + (9 x 163) + (15 x 162) + (13 x 161) + (14 x 160))10
Step 3 19FDE16
(65536+ 36864 + 3840 + 208 + 14)10
Step 4 19FDE16
10646210
Note: 19FDE16 is normally written as 19FDE.
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CHAPTER
18
Number Conversion
here are many methods or techniques which can be used to convert numbers from one base to another.
We'll demonstrate here the following
Decimal to Other Base System
Other Base System to Decimal
Other Base System to Non-Decimal
Shortcut method - Binary to Octal
Shortcut method - Octal to Binary
Shortcut method - Binary to Hexadecimal
Shortcut method - Hexadecimal to Binary
Decimal to Other Base System

Steps
Step 1 - Divide the decimal number to be converted by the value of the new base.
Step 2 - Get the remainder from Step 1 as the rightmost digit (least significant digit) of new base number.
Step 3 - Divide the quotient of the previous divide by the new base.
Step 4 - Record the remainder from Step 3 as the next digit (to the left) of the new base number.
Repeat Steps 3 and 4, getting remainders from right to left, until the quotient becomes zero in Step 3.
The last remainder thus obtained will be the most significant digit (MSD) of the new base number.
Example
Decimal Number: 2910
Calculating Binary Equivalent:
79
Step
Operation
Result
Remainder
Step 1
29 / 2
14
Step 2
14 / 2
Step 3
7/2
Step 4
3/2
Step 5
1/2
As mentioned in Steps 2 and 4, the remainders have to be arranged in the reverse order so that the first remainder
becomes the least significant digit (LSD) and the last remainder becomes the most significant digit (MSD).
Decimal Number: 2910 = Binary Number: 111012.
Other base system to Decimal System

Steps
Step 1 - Determine the column (positional) value of each digit (this depends on the position of the digit and the
base of the number system).
Step 2 - Multiply the obtained column values (in Step 1) by the digits in the corresponding columns.
Step 3 - Sum the products calculated in Step 2. The total is the equivalent value in decimal.
Example
Step
Binary Number
Decimal Number
Step 1
111012
((1 x 24) + (1 x 23) + (1 x 22) + (0 x 21) + (1 x 20))10
Step 2
111012
(16 + 8 + 4 + 0 + 1)10
Step 3
111012
2910
Binary Number: 111012 = Decimal Number: 2910
Other Base System to Non-Decimal System

Steps
Step 1 - Convert the original number to a decimal number (base 10).

Step 2 - Convert the decimal number so obtained to the new base number.
Example
Octal Number: 258
80
Step 1: Convert to Decimal

Step
Octal Number
Decimal Number
Step 1
258
((2 x 81) + (5 x 80))10
Step 2
258
(16 + 5 )10
Step 3
258
2110
Octal Number: 258 = Decimal Number: 2110
Step 2: Convert Decimal to Binary

Step
Operation
Result
Remainder
Step 1
21 / 2
10
Step 2
10 / 2
Step 3
5/2
Step 4
2/2
Step 5
1/2
Decimal Number: 2110 = Binary Number: 101012

Octal Number: 258 = Binary Number: 101012
Shortcut method - Binary to Octal

Steps
Step 1 - Divide the binary digits into groups of three (starting from the right).
Step 2 - Convert each group of three binary digits to one octal digit.
Example
Calculating Octal Equivalent:
Step
Binary Number
Octal Number
Step 1
101012
010 101
Step 2
101012
28 58
Step 3
101012
258
Binary Number: 101012 = Octal Number: 258
Shortcut method - Octal to Binary

Steps
81
Step 1 - Convert each octal digit to a 3 digit binary number (the octal digits may be treated as decimal for this
conversion).
Step 2 - Combine all the resulting binary groups (of 3 digits each) into a single binary number.
Example
Octal Number: 258
Step
Octal Number
Binary Number
Step 1
258
210 510
Step 2
258
0102 1012
Step 3
258
0101012
Octal Number: 258 = Binary Number: 101012
Shortcut method - Binary to Hexadecimal

Steps
Step 1 - Divide the binary digits into groups of four (starting from the right).
Step 2 - Convert each group of four binary digits to one hexadecimal symbol.
EXAMPLE
Calculating hexadecimal Equivalent:
Step
Binary Number
Hexadecimal Number
Step 1
101012
0001 0101
Step 2
101012
110 510
Step 3
101012
1516
Binary Number: 101012 = Hexadecimal Number: 1516
Shortcut method - Hexadecimal to Binary

Steps
Step 1 - Convert each hexadecimal digit to a 4 digit binary number (the hexadecimal digits may be treated as
decimal for this conversion).
Step 2 - Combine all the resulting binary groups (of 4 digits each) into a single binary number.
Example
82
Hexadecimal Number: 1516

Step
Hexadecimal Number
Binary Number
Step 1
1516
110 510
Step 2
1516
00012 01012
Step 3
1516
000101012
Hexadecimal Number: 1516 = Binary Number: 101012
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CHAPTER
19
Data and Information
What is data?
ata can be defined as a representation of facts, concepts or instructions in a formalized manner which
should be suitable for communication, interpretation, or processing by human or electronic machine.

Data is represented with the help of characters like alphabets (A-Z,a-z), digits (0-9) or special characters(+,,/,*,<,>,= etc.).
What is Information?
Information is organised or classified data which has some meaningful values for the receiver.
Information is the processed data on which decisions and actions are based.
For the decision to be meaningful, the processed data must qualify for the following characteristics
Timely - Information should be available when required.

Accuracy - Information should be accurate.
Completeness - Information should be complete.
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Data Processing Cycle

Data processing is the re-structuring or re-ordering of data by people or machine to increase their usefulness and
add values for particular purpose. Data processing consists of basic steps input, processing and output. These
three steps constitute the data processing cycle.
Input - In this step the input data is prepared in some convenient form for processing. The form will depend on
the processing machine. For example, when electronic computers are used, the input data could be recorded
on any one of several types of input medium, such as magnetic disks, tapes and so on.
Processing - In this step input data is changed to produce data in a more useful form. For example, paychecks may be calculated from the time cards, or a summary of sales for the month may be calculated from
the sales orders.
Output -Here the result of the proceeding processing step are collected. The particular form of the output data
depends on the use of the data. For example, output data may be pay-checks for employees.
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86
CHAPTER
20
Networking
What is a Computer Network?
computer network is a system in which multiple computers are connected to each other to share
information and resources.
Characteristics of a computer network
Share Resources from one computer to another
Create files and store them in one computer, access those files from the other computer(s) connected over the
network
Connect a printer, scanner, or a fax machine to one computer within the network and let other computers of
the network use the machines available over network.
Following is the list of hardwares required to setup a computer network.
Network Cables
87
Distributors
Routers
Internal Network Cards
External Network Cards
Network Cables
Network cables are used to connect computers. The most commonly used cable is Category 5 cable RJ-45.
Distributors
A computer can be connected to another one via a serial port but if we need to connect many computers to
produce a network, this serial connection will not work. The solution is to use a central body to which other
computers, printers, scanners etc. can be connected and then this body will manage or distribute network traffic.
88
Router
A router is a type of device which acts as the central point among computers and other devices that are part of a
network. A router is equipped with holes called ports and computers and other devices are connected to a router
using network cables. Now-a-days router comes in wireless modes using which computers can be connected
without any physical cable.
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Network Card
Network card is a necessary component of a computer without which a computer cannot be connected over a
network. It is also known as network adapter or Network Interface Card (NIC). Most branded computers have
network card pre-installed. Network cards are of two types: Internal and External Network Cards.
Internal Network Cards

Motherboard has a slot for internal network card where it is to be inserted. Internal network cards are of two types
in which first type uses Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) connection while the second type uses Industry
Standard Architecture (ISA). Network cables are required to provide network access.
External Network Cards

External network cards come in two flavours: Wireless and USB based. Wireless network card need to be
inserted into the motherboard but no network cable is required to connect to network.
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Universal Serial Bus(USB)

USB card are easy to use and connect via USB port. Computers automatically detect USB card and can install
the drivers required to support the USB network card automatically.
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CHAPTER
21
Operating System
t is a program with following features:
An operating system is a program that acts as an interface between the software and the computer
hardware.
It is an integrated set of specialised programs that are used to manage overall resources and operations of
the computer.
It is specialised software that controls and monitors the execution of all other programs that reside in the
computer, including application programs and other system software.
Objectives of Operating System
To make a computer system convenient to use in an efficient manner
To hide the details of the hardware resources from the users
To provide users a convenient interface to use the computer system
To act as an intermediary between the hardware and its users and making it easier for the users to access
and use other resources
To manage the resources of a computer system
To keep track of who is using which resource, granting resource requests, according for resource using and
mediating conflicting requests from different programs and users
To provide efficient and fair sharing of resources among users and programs
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Characteristics of Operating System
Memory Management -- keeps tracks of primary memory i.e. what part of it is in use by whom, what part is
not in use etc. and allocates the memory when a process or program requests it.
Processor Management -- allocates the processor(CPU) to a process and deallocates processor when it is
no longer required.
Device Management -- keeps track of all devices. This is also called I/O controller that decides which
process gets the device, when, and for how much time.
File Management -- allocates and de-allocates the resources and decides who gets the resources.
Security -- prevents unauthorized access to programs and data by means of passwords and similar other
techniques.
Job accounting -- keeps track of time and resources used by various jobs and/or users.
Control over system performance -- records delays between request for a service and from the system.
Interaction with the operators -- The interaction may take place via the console of the computer in the
form of instructions. Operating System acknowledges the same, does the corresponding action and informs
the operation by a display screen.
Error-detecting aids -- Production of dumps, traces, error messages and other debugging and errordetecting methods.
Coordination between other software and users -- Coordination and assignment of compilers,
interpreters, assemblers and other software to the various users of the computer systems.
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CHAPTER
22
Internet and Intranet
Internet
t is a worldwide system which has the following characteristics:
Internet is a world-wide / global system of interconnected computer networks.
Internet uses the standard Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
Every computer in internet is identified by a unique IP address.
IP Address is a unique set of numbers (such as 110.22.33.114) which identifies a computers location.
A special computer DNS (Domain Name Server) is used to give name to the IP Address so that user can locate
a computer by a name.
For example, a DNS server will resolve a name http://www.tutorialspoint.com to a particular IP address to
uniquely identify the computer on which this website is hosted.
Internet is accessible to every user all over the world.
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Intranet
Intranet is system in which multiple PCs are connected to each other.
PCs in intranet are not available to the world outside the intranet.
Usually each company or organization has their own Intranet network and members/employees of that
company can access the computers in their intranet.
Each computer in Intranet is also identified by an IP Address which is unique among the computers in that
Intranet.
95
Similarities in Internet and Intranet
Intranet uses the internet protocols such as TCP/IP and FTP.
Intranet sites are accessible via web browser in similar way as websites in internet. But only members of
Intranet network can access intranet hosted sites.
In Intranet, own instant messengers can be used as similar to yahoo messenger/ gtalk over the internet.
Differences in Internet and Intranet
Internet is general to PCs all over the world whereas Intranet is specific to few PCs.
Internet has wider access and provides a better access to websites to large population whereas Intranet is
restricted.
Internet is not as safe as Intranet as Intranet can be safely privatized as per the need.
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CHAPTER
23
How to Buy?
his chapter gives the following information:
In this guide, we'll help you to buy a desktop on component by component basis.
As desktops are highly customizable, so it is better to learn about main parts and then go to manufacturer or
retailer shop or site instead of looking at some specific model directly.
Popular desktop brands are Dell, Lenovo, HP and Apple.
Compare the desktops based on their specifications and base price.
Monitor
Size - It is the diagonal size of the LCD screen. Larger the area, bigger the picture screen. A bigger picture is
preferable for movie watching and gaming. It will increase productivity as well.
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Resolution - This is the number of pixels on the screen. For example, 24-inch display is 1920x1200 (width
by length) and 22-inch display which is 1680x1050. High resolution provides better picture quality and a nice
gaming experience.
Inputs - Now-a-days monitors can accept inputs from cable as well apart from computer. They also can have
USB ports.
Stand - Some monitors come with adjustable stands while some may not.
Recommended - 24 Inch LCD.
Operating System
Operating System is the main software of the computer as everything will run on it in one form or other.
There are primarily three choices: Windows, Linux, Apple OS X.
Linux is free but people generally do not use it for home purpose.
Apple OS X works only on Apple Desktops.
Windows 7 is very popular among desktop users.
Most of the computers come pre-equipped with Windows 7 Starter edition.
Windows 8 is recently introduced and is available in market.
Windows 7 and Windows 8 come in multiple versions from starter, home basic, home premium,
professional, ultimate and enterprise editions.
As edition version increases, their features list and price increases.
Recommended - Windows 7 Home Premium.
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Optical Drive (CD / DVD / Blu-ray)
Optical drive is the drive on a computer which is responsible for using CD, DVD and Blu-ray discs.
Now-a-days, DVD burners are industry standards.
DVD Burner can burn CD, DVD and play them.
DVD Burner is cheaper than Blu-ray drives.
Blu-ray drives can play HD movies but are costlier component.
Recommended - DVD Burner.
Memory
RAM is considered as Computer Memory as performance of a computer is directly proportional to its memory
and processor.
Today's software and operating system require high memory.
Today commonly used RAM is DDR3 which operates at 1066Mhz
As per Windows 7, 1 GB is the minimum RAM required to function properly.
Recommended - 4 GB.
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Hard Drive
Hard disk is used for storage purpose. Higher the capacity, more data you can save in it.
Now-a-days computers are equipped with 500GB hard drive which can be extended to 2TB.
Most hard drives in desktop operate at the standard performance speed of 7200RPM.
Recommended - 500GB.
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CPU
Frequency (GHz) - This determines speed of the processor. More the speed, better the CPU.
Cores - Now-a-days CPUs come with more than one core, which is like having more than one CPU in the
computer. Programs which can take advantage of multi-core environment will run faster on such machines.
Brand - Intel or AMD. Both are equivalent. Intel is in lead.
Cache - Higher the L1, L2 cache, better the CPU performance
Recommended - Intel Core i3 i3-3225 3.30 GHz Processor.
101
CHAPTER
24
Available Courses
owa-days, various types of educational courses are provided by educational institutions.
Course
Name
Duration Minimum
(years)
Qualification
B.C.A
Bachelor of Computer Applications
10+2
P.G.D.C.A
Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications
Graduation
M.C.A
Master of Computer Applications
Graduation
B.Sc.(CS)
Bachelor of Science (Computer Science)
10+2
M.Sc.(CS)
Master of Science (Computer Science)
Graduation
B.Tech.(CSE)
Bachelor of Technology (Computer Science and

Engineering)
10+2
B.Tech.(IT)
Bachelor of Technology (Information Technology)
10+2
B.Tech / B.E.
M.Tech.(CSE) Master of Technology (Computer Science and Engineering)
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M.Tech.(IT)
Master of Technology (Information Technology)
B.Tech / B.E.
B.E.(CSE)
Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Science and

Engineering)
10+2
B.E.(IT)
Bachelor of Engineering (Information Technology)
10+2
Diploma Courses
Apart from regular degree courses, now computer centers also provide short term courses (from 3 months to 1
year).
Online courses are also getting popularity.
Computer Basics
Programming Language Trainings
Hardware Trainings
Network Certifications
103
1
Basic Notes laptops, nafees ahmad- email nafeeskkll@gmail.com
Motherboard
The motherboard serves as a single platform to connect all of the parts of a computer
together. A motherboard connects CPU, memory, hard drives, optical drives, video
card, sound card, and other ports and expansion cards directly or via cables. It can be
considered as the backbone of a computer.
Features of Motherboard
A motherboard or pcb comes with following features:
Motherboard varies greatly in supporting various types of components.
Normally a motherboard supports a single type of CPU and few types of
memories.
Video Cards, Hard disks, Sound Cards have to be compatible with motherboard
to function properly.
Motherboards, cases and power supplies must be compatible to work properly
together
The Parts of a Computer Motherboard
The main printed circuit board in a computer is known as the motherboard. Other
names for this central computer unit are system board, main board, or printed wired
board (PWB). Motherboard is sometimes shortened to Mobo.
Numerous major components, crucial in the functioning of the computer, are attached to
the motherboard. These include the processor, memory, and expansion slots. The
motherboard connects directly or indirectly to every part of the PC.
2
The type of motherboard installed in a PC has a great effect on a computer's system
speed and expansion capabilities.
Major Motherboard Components and Their Functions
A labeled AS Rock K7VT4A Pro Main board.
3
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Also known as the microprocessor or the processor, the CPU is the computer's brain. It
is responsible for fetching, decoding, and executing program instructions as well as
performing mathematical and logical calculations.
The processor chip is identified by the processor type and the manufacturer. This
information is usually inscribed on the chip itself. For example, Intel 386, Advanced
Micro Devices (AMD) 386, Cyrix 486, Pentium MMX, Intel Core 2Duo, or icore7.
If the processor chip is not on the motherboard, you can identify the processor socket
as socket 1 to Socket 8, LGA 775 among others. This can help you identify the
processor that fits in the socket. For example, a 486DX processor fits into Socket 3.
Random Access Memory (RAM)
Random Access Memory, or RAM, usually refers to computer chips that temporarily
store dynamic data to enhance computer performance while you are working.
In other words, it is the working place of your computer, where active programs and
data are loaded so that any time. Time the processor requires them, it doesn't have to
fetch them from the hard disk.
Random access memory is volatile, meaning it loses its contents once power is turned
off. This is different from non-volatile memory, such as hard disks and flash memory,
which do not require a power source to retain data.
When a computer shuts down properly, all data located in RAM is returned back to
permanent storage on the hard drive or flash drive. At the next boot-up, RAM begins to
fill with programs automatically loaded at startup, a process called booting. Later on, the
user opens other files and programs that are still loaded in the memory.
Basic Input/output System (BIOS)
BIO stands for Basic Input/output System. BIOS are a "read only" memory, which
consists of low-level software that controls the system hardware and acts as an
interface between the operating system and the hardware. Most people know the term
BIOS by another namedevice drivers, or just drivers. BIOS are essentially the link
between the computer hardware and software in a system.
All motherboards include a small block of Read Only Memory (ROM) which is separate
from the main system memory used for loading and running software. On pcs, the BIOS
contains all the code required to control the keyboard, display screen, disk drives, serial
communications, and a number of miscellaneous functions.
The system BIOS is a ROM chip on the motherboard used during the startup routine
(boot process) to check out the system and prepare to run the hardware. The BIOS is
stored on a ROM chip because ROM retains information even when no power is being
supplied to the computer.
Bios
Hp
Acer
Dell
Samsung
Asus
Lenovo
boot menu
F2
F12
bios setup
F12
F2
4
Toshiba
LG
F2
F2
F12
F10
Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor Random Access Memory (CMOS

RAM)
ACMOS battery.
Motherboards also include a small separate block of memory made from CMOS RAM
chips which is kept alive by a battery (known as a CMOS battery) even when the PCs
power is off. This prevents reconfiguration when the PC is powered on.
CMOS devices require very little power to operate.
The CMOS RAM is used to store basic Information about the PCs configuration for
instance: Floppy disk and hard disk drive types
Information about CPU
RAM size
Date and time
Serial and parallel port information
Plug and Play information
Power Saving settings
Other Important data kept in CMOS memory is the time and date, which is updated by a
Real Time Clock (RTC).
5
Cache Memory
L2 cache on an old motherboard.

Cache memory is a small block of high-speed memory (RAM) that enhances PC
performance by pre-loading information from the (relatively slow) main memory and
passing it to the processor on demand.
Most cpus have an internal cache memory (built into the processor) which is referred to
as Level 1 or primary cache memory. This can be supplemented by external cache
memory fitted on the motherboard. This is the Level 2 or secondary cache.
In modern computers, Levels 1 and 2 cache memory are built into the processor die. If a
third cache is implemented outside the die, it is referred to as the Level 3 (L3) cache.
Expansion Bus
PCI slots.
An expansion bus is an input/output pathway from the CPU to peripheral devices and it
is typically made up of a series of slots on the motherboard. Expansion boards (cards)
plug into the bus. PCI is the most common expansion bus in a PC and other hardware
platforms. Buses carry signals such as data, memory addresses, power, and control
signals from component to component. Other types of buses include ISA and EISA.
Expansion buses enhance the pcs capabilities by allowing users to add missing
features in their computers by slotting adapter cards into expansion slots.
Chipsets
A chipset is a group of small circuits that coordinate the flow of data to and from a PC's
key components. These key components include the CPU itself, the main memory, the
secondary cache, and any devices situated on the buses. A chipset also controls data
flow to and from hard disks and other devices connected to the IDE channels.
A computer has got two main chipsets:
The Northbridge (also called the memory controller) is in charge of controlling

transfers between the processor and the RAM, which is why it is located physically
near the processor. It is sometimes called the GMCH, for Graphic and Memory
Controller Hub.
The Southbridge (also called the input/output controller or expansion controller)
handles communications between slower peripheral devices. It is also called the
ICH (I/O Controller Hub). The term "bridge" is generally used to designate a
component which connects two buses.
Chipset manufacturers include SIS, VIA, ALI, and OPTI.
CPU Clock
The CPU clock synchronizes the operation of all parts of the PC and provides the basic
timing signal for the CPU. Using a quartz crystal, the CPU clock breathes life into the
microprocessor by feeding it a constant flow of pulses.
For example, a 200 mhz CPU receives 200 million pulses per second from the clock. A
2 ghz CPU gets two billion pulses per second. Similarly, in any communications device
a clock may be used to synchronize the data pulses between sender and receiver.
A "real-time clock," also called the "system clock," keeps track of the time of day and
makes this data available to the software. A "time-sharing clock" interrupts the CPU at
regular intervals and allows the operating system to divide its time between active users
and/or applications.
Switches and Jumpers
DIP (Dual In-line Package) switches are small electronic switches found on the
circuit board that can be turned on or off just like a normal switch. They are very
small and so are usually flipped with a pointed object, such as the tip of a
screwdriver, a bent paper clip, or a pen top. Take care when cleaning near DIP
switches, as some solvents may destroy them. Dip switches are obsolete and you
will not find them in modern systems.
Jumper pins are small protruding pins on the motherboard. A jumper cap or bridge
is used to connect or short a pair of jumper pins. When the bridge is connected to
any two pins, via a shorting link, it completes the circuit and a certain configuration
has been achieved.
Jumper caps are metal bridges that close an electrical circuit. Typically, a jumper
consists of a plastic plug that fits over a pair of protruding pins. Jumpers are
sometimes used to configure expansion boards. By placing a jumper plug over a
different set of pins, you can change a board's parameters.
Note: You can check the jumper pins and jumper cap at the back of an IDE hard disk
and a CD/DVD ROM/Writer.
AC/DC power adapter as known as power supply or power brick converts the high
voltage AC power from a wall outlet into the low voltage DC power needed for your
laptop.
The AC/DC adapter provides power for the laptop and charges the battery. Its very
important to use the right adapter for your laptop.
If you are looking for a new adapter, you should check the following:
1. Your new adapter must have exactly the same plug (adapter tip) as the original one.
2. Your new adapter must output exactly the same voltage as the original one.
3. Polarity on the new adapters plug must be the same as on the original one.
You can find the output voltage and amperage on the adapters label. As you see on the
picture below, my adapter outputs 19V-3.42A.
When you buy a new adapter, you can follow this rule:
The output voltage must be the same, the amperage could be the same or higher than
8
on the original power adapter. For example, if my laptop requires 19v-3.42A adapter, I
can safely use 19v-3.95A adapter.
How to test or repair adapters
Most new laptop power adapters are sealed and you cannot repair them. If the adapter
is dead, youll have to buy a new one.
1. How can you tell if the AC adapter is dead? You can test it with a voltmeter. On the
picture below Im testing a 15V adapter and as you see the output is 15.45V. Its pretty
normal and there is nothing wrong if the output voltage is a little bit higher but if you are
getting 0V, the adapter is definitely bad.
2. If you accidentally damaged the adapter plug, you can replace it with a new one. Just
make sure the new plug has the same size as the old one. Cut off the old damaged plug
and solder a new one.
Battery charging problems, In this post I explain how to troubleshoot battery charging
problems. I will discuss most common failure examples and suggest some
troubleshooting steps.
Example 1- Laptop shuts off when AC adapter unplugged.When you move the
cursor arrow over the battery icon while the laptop is connected to AC adapter, it show
the remaining charge and says charging.
The power meter utility (if available) also shows that battery is connected and charging.
But as soon as you unplug the AC adapter, the laptop shuts off completely.
Possible problems:
1. The battery not seated correctly. Try reconnecting it.
2. The battery contacts got dirty or oxidized and its not making good connection with
the motherboard. Apply some electronic contact cleaner on the contacts.
3. If reconnecting the battery doesnt help, most likely its bad and has to be replaced.
4. If you replaced the battery but the problem still exists, this is motherboard related
failure. Apparently the charging circuit on the motherboard failed. In this case the whole
motherboard has to be replaced (or repaired on the component level).
Example 2- the battery not detected by the laptop. There is a red cross on the
battery
Icon.
10
If you move the cursor arrow over the battery icon, it says no battery detected.
Possible problems:
1. Most likely the battery is bad. You have a very good chance to fix this problem by
replacing it with a new one.
2. If replacing the battery doesnt help, this is motherboard related failure. The
motherboard has to be replaced (or repaired on component level).
Example 3 the battery discharges very quickly after it reaches some critical point.
The battery detected by the laptop and charges properly to 100%.

When you unplug the AC adapter, it take normal time to discharge until some critical
point (lets say 80%) but after that the battery discharges very quickly to 0%.
Possible problems: This is battery failed. It has to be replaced with a new one.
Example 4 -the battery charges only if the power plug positioned correctly.
You have to wiggle the power plug in order to charge the battery. After you find the right
position, it charges properly.
Possible problems:
1. AC adapter failure. The AC adapter power cable is damaged. Heres how to test your
AC adapter.
11
2. If the AC adapter works fine, most likely this is power jack (connector where you plug
power adapter) failure. In this case the power jack has to be replaced.
Battery not charging if connector moved

This laptop has a power problem. The battery stops charging when I move the AC adapter
connector inside the jack. When the connector or power cord moved, the battery charge LED
light on the front goes on and off. Lets troubleshoot this problem and figure out if this is DC jack
related failure or the AC adapter is defective.
12
First of all, I tested the laptop with the battery removed. It turns on and runs properly
from the AC adapter but as soon as I start moving the connector inside the jack the
laptop shuts off and it loses power immediately.
If you have a problem like that, most likely its related to the AC power adapter or the
DC jack.
First of all, I tested the adapter with a voltmeter. The power didnt cut off no matter how
badly I wiggled the cord. I was reading 15.45VDC all the time. It helped me to make a
conlcusion that there is nothing wrong with the adapter connector or cord and most
likely there is a problem with with the power socket inside the laptop.
The next step was the DC jack inside the laptop.
In order to access the jack I had to disassemble the laptop and remove the top cover
assembly with the display.
You can find disassembly instructions for most laptops in their service manuals.
13
In my case the DC jack was attached to a cable and I easily disconnected it from the
motherboard. I tested it with the voltmeter as it shown on the following picture.
When the adapter cord didnt move, I was reading 15.45VDC.
But as soon as I started wiggle it, the voltage dropped to 0VDC.
The DC jack harness is defective and had to be replaced and the new one fixed the
problem.
In some models the DC jack is soldered to the motherboard.

If the battery stops charging when you move the adapter plug, test the AC adapter first.
If it pass test, replace the jack.
14
DC power jack repair guide

This guide will explain how to repair a failed or loose DC power jack on a laptop
computer yourself.
For this repair youll need the following tools.
1. Soldering iron or soldering station. I use Weller WES51 soldering station and for this
job I set temperature to about 800-850F.
2. I use high-tech rosin core silver-bearing solder from radioshack with diameter 0.022 (
Catalog #: 64-013 ). I think standard rosin core solder will work just fine.
3. Disordering pump for removing solder around component leads. I use Edsyn Solda
pullt pump, model DS 017.
4. 99% isopropyl alcohol and tooth brush for cleaning the motherboard from flux.
5. A new DC power jack.
Laptop DC power jack repair guide.
15
As you see on the following picture, the solder drop on the positive terminal looks
different than on other three contacts. Thats where the problem is. The positive pin is
not making a good contact with the motherboard and because of that power to the
laptop cuts off when I move the power plug inside the power jack.
Im going to desolder the power jack from the motherboard, clean contacts on both
power jack and motherboard and then solder it back in place this is the proper way
fixing the power problem
Start disordering process with adding some new fresh solder to all three contacts. This
will make old solder more flow able, easier to remove.
16
While heating one of the contacts, remove the solder from this contact using the
disordering pump. Repeat the same steps with all power jack contacts until you remove
as much solder as possible.
Grab the power jack and carefully try removing it from the motherboard. Most likely you
will not be able to remove the power jack the first time because there will be some
solder bridges left between the contacts and traces on the motherboard. Carefully
wiggle the power jack without applying any significant force and at the same time heat
up all contacts one by one. This will help you to remove the power jack.
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The DC power jack is almost removed from the motherboard.
Be careful. Inside the positive hole there is a copper sleeve which connects the terminal
on one side of the motherboard with the traces on the other side. If you are removing
the power jack with force, you can pull the sleeve from the hole. You dont want to do
that.
Update: If you accidentally removed the internal sleeve, check out this post: How
to fortify damaged power jack connection.
So, do not apply any force and make sure the solder is melted when you are removing
the power jack. I hope you understand what Im talking about.
After the power jack is removed, clean all oxidized contacts with a knife.
Apply a fresh coat of solder to all contacts on the power jack.
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The power jack terminals will look dirty because of melted flux.
You can remove the flux using the tooth brush and alcohol. Its not necessary but it will
make your job looking clean.
Apply a fresh coat of solder to all power jack terminals on both sides of the
motherboard.
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This side has been coated.

And this side has been coated too.
Now you can install the power jack back on the motherboard. Put something under
power jack so there is no gap between the jack and the motherboard. Now you are
ready to solder the jack back in place.
Solder all power jack pins.
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The job is done and the laptop DC power jack is fixed. B-E-A-utiful!
Now just install the motherboard back into the laptop and you are done.
How to modify damaged DC jack
In this guide I explain how to modify damaged DC jack. While replacing the DC jack a
few days ago I accidentally damaged one of the thermals on the motherboard.
I pulled out the internal copper coating (I name it a sleeve) from the inside of the +
terminal as it shown on the picture below
Main battery
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Any laptop computer has a battery pack which provides power to the laptop while its
not connected to the wall-plug through AC/DC power adapter. Laptop batteries come in
many different shapes and they are model-specific.
The laptop battery life depends upon many conditions and circumstances: screen
brightness, intensity of running programs, the temperature of the working environment,
etc
The same battery could last longer in the same laptop if you optimize the power usage
settings in the control panel. You can lower screen brightness, reduce CPU processing
speed, chance cooling method, and other settings available on your laptop. Some of
these settings could be changed only through the manufacturers power management
software. In most laptops the main battery connects directly to the system board.
.
Troubleshooting laptop battery problem
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Lets say your laptop stopped running on the battery power. It works fine from the AC
adapter but shuts down as soon as you unplug the adapter. If thats the case, try
reconnecting the main battery. Remove it from the laptop and install back. Its possible
the battery is not making good connection with the motherboard.
Unfortunately, the only reliable way to test the main battery is replacing it with another
known good battery. If the laptop cannot detect the battery, even though its installed, try
replacing the battery with a new one. If you still have the same issue, most likely there is
a problem with the system board.
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A system board also known as motherboard or main board is the main circuit board in
any laptop. Unlike desktop PC system boards, laptop system boards come in thousands
of different shapes and sizes. Laptop motherboards are model-specific. In other words,
you cannot remove motherboard from a Toshiba laptop and stick it into a Dell laptop. All
parts inside a laptop are connected to the system board, either directly via a connector
mounted on the system board or through a cable.
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In a typical laptop the following ports and components are permanently attached
to the system board and cannot be easily removed and replaced without
soldering:
1. Hard drive (HDD) connector.
2. CD/DVD drive connector.
3. Memory (RAM) slots.
4. Battery connector.
5. Keyboard connector.
6. Audio (headphone and microphone) jacks.
7. Volume control wheel.
8. USB ports.
9. Ethernet (RJ45 aka network) port.
10. IEEE 1394 (Fire Wire) ports.
11. Video chip and some other components and ports.
System board, processor (CPU) and LCD screen are the most expensive parts in any
laptop. In some cases, when one of these three parts fails, its cheaper to buy a brand
new laptop than replace the failed part. But each case is different so do your research.
The system board is mounted inside the laptop base assembly. In order to remove or
replace the motherboard, youll have to disassemble the whole laptop.
System board failure symptoms.
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When a system board fails, you may experience the following most common problems
with your laptop. 1. The laptop is completely dead. There are no LED light activity when
you press on the power button or plug in a known good AC power adapter. 2. The
laptop starts but the video output on the LCD screen or external monitor is garbled.
Most likely this is related to the VGA chip failure. 3. The laptop turns on without video on
the screen and the power LED starts flashing. 4. The laptop works fine with AC power
adapter but will not charge a known good battery. If thats the case, most likely there is
something wrong with the battery charging circuit or DC power jack.
Heres another type of CMOS battery. Basically, its two coin cell batteries but they are
bundled together and have a cable which plugs into the system board. This battery is
removable and replaceable.
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On the next picture you see a CMOS battery which is soldered to the system board. In
order to replace this type of battery, youll have to unsolder it from the system board.
CMOS BATTERY LOCATION IN A LAPTOP.
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In some laptops the CMOS battery could be easily accessed from the bottom, as it
shown on the picture below. As an example I took a Dell Inspiring 1720.
In some laptops the CMOS battery is hidden under the keyboard. As an example I took
a HP Compaq nc6400 laptop.
Heres the worst case scenario. The CMOS battery is hidden under the laptop cover. In
order to access and replace the battery youll have to disassemble the whole laptop. As
an example I took a Toshiba Satellite A305 laptop.
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CMOS BATTERY RELATED PROBLEMS.

Heres the most common problem related to the CMOS battery.
Each time you turn off the laptop it resets date and time back to factory defaults. When
you turn the laptop back on it asks you to set date and time. If thats the case, most
likely your CMOS battery is old and has to be replaced. By the way, removing the
CMOS battery on most newer laptops will not clear the BIOS password.
In laptops, a keyboard is the main input device. Its interface between a user and a
laptop. In most laptops the keyboard is connected directly to the motherboard via a flat
ribbon cable.
KEYBOARD REMOVAL STEPS. In most laptops you can remove the keyboard as it
explained in the following three steps.
STEP 1. Remove keyboard bezel.
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STEP 2. Unscrew the keyboard from the laptop base. Usually there is one or
more screws securing the keyboard.
STEP 3. Disconnect the keyboard cable from the motherboard and remove the
keyboard.
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KEYBOARD RELATED PROBLEMS.

1. Heres a very common keyboard related problem. When you press on keys U, I, O,
J, K, L, M the keyboard types 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 0. It happens because the Number Lock
function is enabled. You can turn this function off via a shortcut on the keyboard. Hold
down the Fn key and at the same time press once on the numlk key.
2. One or more keyboard keys came off. You can install these keys back on the
keyboard; youll find lots of instructions on the internet or youtube how to do that.
3. When you press on one key it types two letters. For example, you press on W but it
types WE, you press on T and it types TY, etc Most likely this problem is related to
the keyboard and it has to be replaced.
4. Some keys in horizontal or diagonal row stopped working at all. Again, most likely
there is a problem with the keyboard and it has to be replaced.
ATTENTION! If you still have the same issue after replacing the keyboard, there could
be a problem with the keyboard controller on the motherboard. It means the whole
motherboard has to be replaced.
A laptop keyboard is not repairable. If it stopped working, you have to replace the whole
unit.
A processor also known as CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the brain of a laptop
computer. The processor is one of the main components in a laptop. Laptop processors
are made mainly by Intel and AMD.
The processor connects directly to the system board via a processor socket aka CPU
socket as it shown on the picture below.
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

Question: Can I over clock the CPU in my laptop?
Answer: No, you cannot. In most laptops the BIOS doesnt give you this option.
Question: Can I upgrade the CPU in my laptop?
Answer: Unfortunately, laptop manufacturers do not provide this information to general
public. Yes, its possible on some laptops. Youll have to find a new CPU which fits the
same socket and try it.
Question: Are CPU failures very common?
Answer: No, they are not. Cpus fail rarely. If your laptop stopped booting, the CPU will
be the last component to blame. Check the memory and motherboard first.
A CPU cooling fan is a dedicated fan which cools down the heatsink and eventually the
CPU (Processor). Usually the CPU cooling fan comes as a part of the heat sink
assembly a metal part drawing heat from the CPU chip. In addition to the CPU cooling
fan, some laptops have a dedicated GPU (graphics processing unit) fan which cools
down the GPU chip.
The CPU and GPU cooling fans connect directly to the motherboard via a cable running
from the fan. When CPU and GPU chips get hotter, the cooling fan spins faster.
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Cooling fan location on laptop
On some laptops the cooling fan can be easily accessed through a door on
the bottom, as on the following Gateway laptop.
If you cannot find it on the bottom, then its buried inside the case, as on the following
Dell laptop.
COOLING FAN RELATED PROBLEMS.

If your laptop feels very hot and shuts down without any warning, its possible that you
have a faulty fan. Listen for the fan. Is it working? Sometimes you can see the fan
through the fan grill on the bottom of the laptop. Can you see the fan spinning?
If the fan never starts, probably it is bad and has to be replaced.
When the fan bearing goes bad, the fan starts making grinding noise. In this case youll
have to replace the fan.
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If your CPU fan works hard all the time, most likely it happens because the heat sink is
dirty and is clogged with dust and lint. You can clean the heat sink using compressed
air.
What does a RAM stick look like?
What is RAM?
Random Access Memory, or RAM, is a way for your computer to store temporary data,
rather than in a cache or permanent storage. Storage, often wrongly referred to as
memory, is permanent data stored on a hard drive or solid state drive. A CPU cache is a
small amount of often-needed memory that is stored on a CPU chip. Both the RAM and
CPU cache are temporary data stores that are cleared when your computer is turned
off.
One way to think of the difference between these different types of storage is to imagine
them as paper documents. The cache is a list of names or numbers you constantly refer
to and keep close at hand. A folder full of papers you may need for your current task is
similar to computer memory or RAM. The file cabinet full of folders for all your projects
is like the storage on your hard drive.
Memory problems are less common than other computer problems because memory
sticks have no moving parts and thus fewer points of failure. However, due to this many
RAM problems go undiagnosed. Memory usually will last longer than other computer
components so manufacturers offer longer warranties for it than other parts. If you buy
brand name memory it will likely have a lifetime warranty.
Symptoms of a RAM Problem
When you first turn on your computer it runs fine, but as you go about your
business you notice that its performance diminishes. By lunch time, websites
take minutes to load and local programs run at a snail's pace. This type of
gradual deterioration of PC performance, especially with memory-intensive
programs, may be caused by a RAM problem.
Your computer randomly restarts while you are in the middle of something or
freeze sporadically. It may also reboot almost immediately upon opening the
desktop. This could be a sign of faulty RAM.
A blue screen with white text flashes before restarting. Blue-screen errors are
annoying because you don't even have a chance to read the error message. Bad
RAM is one thing that cause them.
Filesparticularly ones you frequently access and saveseem to be
inexplicably corrupted. RAM issues can lead to this problem, which can worsen
over time. The file structure of your hard drive may slowly degenerate and you
will no longer be able to boot your machine.
Your attempts to install a new program repeatedly fail for unknown reasons. You
try to reinstall the operating system, but keep getting odd error messages.
There are certainly a variety of problems that could cause the issues above, but faulty
RAM is an often-overlooked root cause of inexplicable issues. If you have one or a
combination of the above problems you are likely facing a memory issue.
What Causes Memory Damage?
Power surges can damage most computer components, including RAM. You
should plug your computer and other expensive electronics into a surge
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protector. Make sure you know the difference between a surge protector and a
power strip.
Before you handle any parts in your computer, make sure you ground yourself by
touching a piece of grounded metal to discharge static electricity. Electrostatic
discharge can damage your computer.
Excessive heat can cause RAM and other parts to wear out over time. Individual
components can overheat, or heat from one component can cause damage to
adjacent parts.
If you have over clocked any part of your computer incorrectly, it may cause
damage in the form of excess heat.
Your memory module may have some fault that passed through quality control
and worsened over time. This is the most likely cause behind a damaged RAM.
It is also possible that the memory module is fine, but one or more memory slots
on your motherboard are defective, hindering the RAM's performance. The defect
may even be so bad that it damages the memory stick.
Diagnosing the Problem
If the symptoms started after you recently added more memory, the new module
could be faulty. This seems obvious, but any time a problem begins after making
a change, first check to see if the change caused the problem.
Your computer may produce multiple beeps or a continuous beep when you turn
it on. These beeps can indicate many different problems, including being a
symptom of bad RAM. Beep codes vary depending on the manufacturer of your
BIOS. You can look up the beep codes for your specific computer to figure out its
specific problem.
If you are not comfortable fixing your computer yourself, I recommend taking your
computer to a local repair store rather than a big retail store. Big stores are in the
business of selling additional parts, not fixing problems.
If you are an advanced user, there are diagnostic programs that can help you
figure out if you have a memory problem. Your computer may have one preinstalled by the manufacturer or you can download a third-party program. The
Windows Memory Diagnostic by Microsoft is also good if you suspect memory
problems on a Windows PC.
If the above programs indicate your memory sticks are functioning, but you still
suspect a RAM problem or if you need to find which memory module is the
problem, you can try removing the modules and placing them in different slots.
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Installed RAM
What installed memory modules look like.

Memory modules, pictured in the image above, are small circuit boards that lay
perpendicular to the motherboard. Note that I removed many of the other components
to make the memory more visible. If your computer has more than one module you
should remove all of them except one and then run the diagnostic tests above or
perform the task that normally causes the problem.
Fixing the Problem by Removing Memory
To remove a RAM module you need to press the tiny levers on each end to
release it.
Test each of your memory modules one at a time to find which ones are bad.
When you find the sticks that are bad you can order replacements. It is possible
all the memory modules are damaged if your computer experienced a serious
power surge.
If all the memory modules appear bad, then the problem is likely with the memory
slot itself. Try testing each memory module in each of the memory slots to find if
one of the slots is faulty. To fix a faulty slot you would need to replace your
motherboard.
When replacing a module, make sure the indention on the bottom is lined up
correctly with the slot and then press it in until you hear the levers snap. Note
that some levers do not make a snapping sound.
RAM Slot Levers
The levers for the memory slot are white in this example.
Other Possible Problems
RAM problems often go undiagnosed, but they also can be misdiagnosed. Some
common problems that have nothing to do with memory can cause the symptoms listed
above:
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Many of the symptoms listed above can actually be caused by a hard drive
problem. You can run a utility called CHKDSK by pressing the Windows button
and R at the same time, typing CHKDSK into the dialog box, and pressing enter.
Alternatively, you can click on Computer, right-click the drive you intend to scan,
click Properties, then the Tools tab, and click Check now. Note you will need to
restart your computer. Also, be aware this process may take an extended
amount of time to finish running. If you hear your hard drive making lots of noise
during normal operation, it may be the cause of your problems. Defragmenting
your drive every few months is a good idea as well.
If the performance problems occur during graphic-intensive programs such as
games or rendering, your graphics driver could be outdated. Be sure to always
keep your drivers up to date.
Excessive heat in your machine can cause a variety of problems.
Random reboots can be cause by a failing power supply.
Dirt and dust can also cause issues that look like memory problems. It is a good
idea to clean dust out of your computer at least once a year, more often if you
have furry pets.
Your computer can also have a virus. Note that many people automatically
assume any problem with their computer is caused by a virus and many large
retail repair stores frequently misdiagnose hardware problems as viruses. Make
sure you have a good anti-virus program and run scans on a regular basis.
DDR1, DDR2, DDR3: Navigating The RAM Maze
Updated on March 20, 2011
Which DDR Is Which? Here Is A Full Guide To RAM.
4GB DDR3 1333mhz PC3-10600 240 pin DESKTOP Memory Non ECC 1333 Low
Density RAM
Many computer enthusiasts know exactly what they want when they go to configure
their new system. They've researched and picked out a perfectly matching CPU,
motherboard and video card combination that will meet all their needs. However, when
it comes to RAM many users become totally befuddled. They generally know how much
RAM they need (1GB is the effective operating minimum these days, 2GB if running
Vista or using hungry apps like Photoshop), but they don't have a clue as to what
DDR1, DDR2 or DDR3 means.
It turns out that selecting the proper DDR variant is a very important factor that
determines how your overall system will perform, thus every enthusiast/prosumer/gamer
should be well-advised to learn the basics.
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4GB DDR3 1333mhz PC3-10600 240 pin DESKTOP Memory Non ECC 1333 Low
Density RAM
Double Data Rate DIMM is known as DDR-DIMM, DDR DIMM, or most popularly just
plain DDR. Double Data Rate interfaces provide two data transfers per differential clock.
The data becomes registered when the CK goes high [the + side], and /CK goes low
[the - side]. DDR1 utilizes the JEDEC standard for Double Data Rate [DDR I] SDRAM.
Like all DDR RAM it is available as registered or unbuffered. Registered dimms are
generally known as FB-dimms and have their address and control lines buffered in
order to reduce signal loading. FB-dimms are considerably more expensive than un
buffered dimms and are generally reserved for server use. There are very few
enthusiast/ prosumer/gamers utilizing FB-dimms in their rigs. Un buffered dimms don't
feature address lines and control line buffering, so they cost quite a bit less. However,
they may be system-loading limited and are thus generally restricted in the number that
can be fitted onto one system. You'll find that most un buffered dimms these days can
only be installed on one motherboard to a maximum of 4 x 1GB. Buffered or registered
dimms don't have these limitations and server boards can accommodate 8 x 1GB, 16 x
1GB or more. An interesting and largely unknown aspect of un buffered DDR dimms is
that they are able to operate one clock cycle faster then FB-dimms.
DDR2 memory is the second generation in DDR memory. DDR2 begins with a speed
level of 400mhz as the lowest available while the 400mhz speed is actually the highest
speed for DDR1. Therefore, DDR2 picks up where DDR1 leaves off. It's a bit strange
but due to different latencies a 400mhz DDR1 will outperform a 400mhz DDR2, but the
advantage returns to DDR2 as soon as the speed reaches the next step 532mhz, which
DDR1 cannot reach.
It follows that DDR3 is the third generation in DDR memory. DDR3 begins with a speed
level of 800Mbps (400mhz) as the lowest available. As of May, 2010 (a full three years
after the rest of this Hub was written) the highest popularly available DDR3 speed is
represented by the Patriot Viper II Series Sector 5 Edition PC3-20000 2500mhz
modules!
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Adding to customer confusion is that RAM is often referred to as a DDR-number or a
PC-number. (The Revenge of the Geeki zoids continues.) Here is a Chart for the
various currently common ddrs as of May 2010:
Current DDR2
DDR2-400. Memory Clock: 100 mhz Bus Clock: 200 mhz Data Transfers/Sec.:
400,000,000. Module Name: PC2-3200.
533,000,000. Module Name: PC2-4200.
667,000,000. Module Name: PC2-5300.
800,000,000. Module Name: PC2-6400.
1,066,000,000. Module Name: PC2-8500.
Current DDR3
800,000,000. Module Name: PC3-6400.
1,066,000,000. Module Name: PC3-8500.
1,333,000,000. Module Name: PC3-10600.
1,600,000,000. Module Name: PC3-12800.
1,800,000,000. Module Name: PC3-14400.
1,866,000,000. Module Name: PC3-14900.
DDR3-2000. Memory Clock: 250 mhz Bus Clock: 1000 mhz Data
Transfers/Sec.: 2,000,000,000. Module Name: PC3-16000.
Now which CPU/chipset matches which RAM? It would take an encyclopaedia to list all
the cpus and all the chipsets and their "best-fit" ddrs. Before finalizing your system
configuration you should research your CPU manufacturer's RAM recommendations
and fit that exact type of DDR to it. You would be just as foolish in using a PC3-12800
DDR3-1600 with an AMD Sempron 2800+ as you would be to burden down your Intel
QX6800 with a PC1600 DDR-200. Every CPU/chipset combo has its proper DDR fit,
and you should find out exactly what they are and stick to them. Fitting a slower than
recommended DDR to your system will bottleneck critical RAM functions and could slow
your otherwise very speedy system to a tortoise crawl.
There are many other factors involved in choosing the right RAM for your rig. Latencies
are critical, but the details are too extensive to include here and will form the basis of a
future blog. There are also a mind-boggling array of RAM brand names and price
points. Generally, you get what you pay for and as long as you are comparing various
brands at the same retailer, the price will be a fairly good indicator of quality. Some of
the leading manufacturers include:
A couple of more points to remember. First, RAM heat spreaders may or may not be
worth the extra cost. I can see that they would be useful only in the tiniest minority of
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high-load, prolonged-heavy-use situations. Don't ever touch your RAM (or other PC
internal components) without being thoroughly grounded with a good static strap. Static
can zap your circuitry before you know it.
If you follow these guidelines and thoroughly research the proper DDR for your system,
you'll be rewarded with years of speedy and trouble-free computing. A bit of prior study
is a small price to pay!
A laptop memory also know as RAM (Random-access memory) is a temporary data

storage. Its a volatile type of memory. When you turn off the laptop, all the information
stored in a RAM module is lost.
More memory installed into your laptop gives you a better (faster) performance.
You can test laptop memory with a free diagnostic tool called Memtest86+.
A type of memory used in laptop computers called SO-DIMM (Small Outline Dual In-line
Memory Module).
Here are three most common memory types found in laptop computers:
1. SDRAM SO-DIMM memory has 144pins.
PC100 modules running at 100mhz.
PC133 modules running at 133mhz.
PC133 modules are backward compatible with PC100 modules. If your laptop requires
a PC100 memory module, you can safely use a PC133 module but it will run at PC100
speed.
2. DDR SO-DIMM memory has 200 pins.
PC2100 (DDR266) modules running at 266mhz.
PC2700 (DDR333) modules running at 333mhz.
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PC2700 memory is backward compatible with PC2100 memory. If your laptop requires
a PC2100 module, you can safely use a PC2700 module but it will run at PC2100
speed.
DDR memory modules are not backward compatible with SDRAM modules.
3. DDR2 SO-DIMM memory has 200 pins.
PC2-3200 (DDR2-400) running at 200mhz.
Faster DDR2 memory modules are backward compatible with slower DDR2 memory
modules. For example, if your laptop requires a PC2-4200 memory module you can
safely use a PC2-5300 module but it will run at PC2-4200 speed.
DDR2 memory modules are not backward compatible with DDR modules. The notch on
DDR2 is located in a different position from DDR.
WHERE MEMORY MODULES ARE LOCATED.
In a laptop computer memory slots could be found in a few different locations, it
depends on the brand and model of the laptop.
1. Both memory slots can be accessed from the door on the bottom.
2. One slot is located on the bottom and another one under the keyboard.
3. Both memory slots are located under the keyboard.
4. There is only one memory slot available for upgrades. The main memory is integrated
into the motherboard.
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How to remove memory module from the slot
Step1. Release latches on both sides from the memory module with your fingers.
Step2. The memory module will pop up at a 20-30 degree angle.
Step3. Carefully pull the memory module from the slot by the edges.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE BUYING LAPTOP MEMORY.

1. You are looking for SO-DIMM memory used in laptop computers.
2. Type of the memory used in your laptop: SDRAM, DDR, or DDR2.
3. How many memory slot are available.
4. How much memory your laptop can handle.
Quick vs. Full format on your hard drive
Updated on September 3, 2013
Hard Disk Drive

Source:http://partition.radified.com/partitioning_2.htm
Whether your computer is a desktop or laptop, your operating system needs to reside
on some local drive, whether its a hard drive, or a USB flash drive, or firewire drive. In
any case, the drive needs to be formatted properly in order to store and retrieve any
data.
Why does it need to be formatted?
When a hard disk drive is manufactured, unless you buy it pre-formatted, its primarily
just a blank disc (actually, multiple disks) with a very smooth magnetic coating on both
sides, and several read/write arms. In order for data files to be stored and retrieved from
the hard drive, it needs to be organized into sectors (or numbered containers), along
with a table of contents, known as a master file table. This is how it knows where to find
your files. It also needs a few other bits of info, to keep things in order, but I wont go
into that.
Should you use the quick formatting or full formatting method?
Briefly, quick formatting is basically re-setting (or initializing) the master file table to a
blank state, without wiping out the data it refers to, that may be on that partition (or the
disk). This of course means that whatever was previously on the drive is no longer
accessible, even though the data hasnt been erased. If its a brand new hard drive, the
formatting process still has to format the sectors, but it doesnt do any checking. This
method is usually quite fast, and sufficient for a new drive.
On the other hand, full formatting erases everything on the partition (or the disk),
including all data that was there (if any). It then performs a write/read check on each
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and every sector on the partition (there are thousands of them). This will take
considerably longer.
Remember: make backups of any files you need to keep, before doing any
formatting or partitioning.
Most external drives use a USB connection. USB 2.0 is adequate, but USB 3.0 is much
faster, if your computer supports this version. Some external drives also use esata,
which is better still, since it is the same kind as your SATA internal hard drive, except
with a more robust connector. Firewire is also available on some, with transfer speeds
roughly comparable to USB 3.0.
How long will it take to format?
If youre doing a full format on an external 2TB drive, regardless of the number of
partitions, youd be looking at about 6 hours (via USB 2.0) or so before its done.
However, as I said, if its a brand new drive, a quick format is quite sufficient. Full
formatting is only recommended if the drive has been used for some time, has a
different format scheme than the one you want, or has developed some access
problems, due to bad sectors. If this is the latter case, it may be best to backup as much
as you can and get a new drive, although any decent hard drive will keep track of bad
sectors and prevent the system from writing to them.
A typical (though an old-style IDE) hard drive

Different types of formatting
A number of different formatting schemes have been used for computers over the last
three decades. Theres an old standard known as FAT32. This is ok, but a little
outdated, and limits file sizes to 4GB. Not much good for video, or long, hi-resolution
audio tracks. It does have the advantage of being readable and writeable on both PC
and Mac computers. However, on a large drive it wastes a ton of space.
Back around the mid-1990s, Microsoft introduced a new file system called NTFS (for
Windows PCs). This didnt waste anywhere near as much space, and has the
advantage of accommodating very large file sizes, as well as some security features.
Apple uses their own version of high-capacity formatting called HFS+, or OSXExtended. This is of course incompatible with Windows PCs. Some of the file formats
used by Mac computers are different as well.
However, there is a nifty solution. You can format your external drive using NTFS, then
install a utility program on your Mac computer called Paragon NTFS, which allows you
to both read and write on the Mac. For the Windows PC, you dont need anything extra,
it will already read and write just fine. Alternately, you can get a software utility for a
Windows PC, called Mac Drive, which enables your Windows PC to read and write to
an HFS+ drive, which of course is also read/writeable on a Mac computer.
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Formatting Tools
Both Windows and Macs have built-in formatting and partitioning tools, both during the
initial operating system install, and system software to format additional hard drives.
A few partitioning and formatting software programs are available. These offer a great
deal more flexibility, without making your job overly complicated. One of the best of
these is an excellent free tool called easeus Partition Master [Home Edition].
Partitioning your hard drive

Partitioning your hard disk drive
Partitioning is dividing the available space on the drive into sections, which appear as
separate drive letters (C, D, etc.). This is not the same as creating multiple folders.
On a Windows PC, there are 3 types of partitions: primary, extended and logical. If you
only have one hard drive, the disk needs at least a primary partition, since the operating
system cant be installed on any other type of partition. This makes the operating
system automatically bootable when you first turn on your computer.
On a Mac computer, the partitioning scheme depends on whether your main processor
is an Intel CPU or a powerpc. Your install program will know which youve got, before
you install the OS-X operating system. If its a non-bootable external drive, it doesnt
matter.
You can have just one primary partition, no matter how big the capacity of the hard
drive is (Note: on Windows systems, the FAT32 format is artificially limited to 32GB per
partition), and this is what most people do.
Nothing wrong with that, of course. Except that if you had a hard drive failure, or crash,
not only would the operating system become inaccessible, so would the files youve
created while using the many programs installed on the computer.
Multiple partitions
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If you were to create at least 2 partitions on your hard drive, right from the start, you
could keep most of your created data on a second partition. This would isolate your
files from any problem that occurred on the main partition.
Another good reason is that, because of the way the drive is formatted, the data in each
of the files is not always stored together, in whole blocks, but becomes fragmented over
time. In order to keep the computer running quickly and smoothly, you need to run a
defragmenting utility program every week or so.
With only one partition on a 500 Gigabyte hard drive (for instance), this defragmenting
would take quite a while. Whereas, if you had multiple partitions, they could each be
defragmented separately, and each one would not take as long. Some partitions may
not need to be done as frequently either.
With an external drive, you may find the need to hook it up to either a Windows PC, or a
Mac, at different times. For instance, using a Windows computer at work, and bringing
some of the work home to work on your Mac. This is entirely possible if you have the
proper utility programs (see above) installed.
You may also be inclined to have 2 partitions on the external drive..one with HFS+, and
one with NTFS. This can be done, although file access on either operating system is not
guaranteed to be problem-free. As long as its never intended to be bootable, it should
work fine. However, its best to stick with a single format on each of the partitions, along
with the necessary utility software.
Most modern laptops use 2.5 hard drives. Older laptops use IDE hard drives; newer
laptops use SATA hard drives. SATA and IDE drives are not interchangeable, they have
absolutely different connectors.
If your laptop came with an IDE hard drive you cannot replace it with a SATA drive. The
connector on your drive will not mach connector on the motherboard.
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As you see on the picture above, a SATA drive has two flat connectors and an IDE drive
has two rows of pins. SATA hard drives has faster data transfer rate then IDE drivers.
SATA, 150MB/s and IDE, 100/133MB/s.
Laptop hard drives spin at different speeds and most common are 4200RPM,
5400RPM, 7200, RPM.
The RPM number indicates how fast the hard drive platters spin. Hard drives with high
RPM number are quicker than hard drives with low RPM number because they can
access data faster.
SATA connectors on a laptop hard drive are similar to SATA connectors on a desktop
hard drive. You can connect a SATA laptop hard drive to a desktop computer using
same SATA cables.
WHERE HARD DRIVE IS LOCATED IN A LAPTOP. On most laptops the hard drive
can be accessed from the bottom.
On some laptops the hard drive is burried inside the case and its necessary to
disassemble the laptop in order to access and replace the hard drive.
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HARD DRIVE UPGRADE.

A hard drive is the slowest part in any laptop. If you would like to speed up your laptop,
replace your low RPM drive with a faster one. Fast RPM drives are backward
compatible with low RPM drives.If you would like to install a larger hard drive, take a
look at the users manual and laptop specifications. Make sure your laptop supports
larger drives.
A graphics card also known as a video card or VGA board is a laptop component
responsible for creating images on a laptop screen.
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In most low-mid range laptops the graphics card is integrated into the motherboard. In
other words, its a part of the motherboard. If thats the case, the graphics card is not
removable or upgradeable. If the graphics card fails, you have to replace the whole
motherboard.
A discrete graphics card can be found in high range models and high end gaming
laptops. Discrete graphics cards can be removed and in some cases they are
upgradeable.Heres another example of the discrete video card in a high end gaming
laptop. As you see the video card can be separated from the motherboard.
GRAPHICS CARD RELATED PROBLEMS You can use the following method for
troubleshooting problems related to graphics cards. Lets say your display stopped
working properly. The image is distorted or garbled. Is this problem related to the VGA
board or LCD screen?
Connect your laptop to an external monitor and take a look at the external video output.
If you see the same problem as on the internal LCD screen, most likely its related to the
VGA board. If video on the external monitor works fine and the problem appears only on
the internal LCD screen, most likely your problem is related to the LCD screen or LCD
cable.TYPICAL VIDEO CARD FAILURE Below you can see a few pictures taken from a
laptop with a faulty video card.
1. When you start the laptop, the initial screen with manufacturers logo is not displayed
properly on both internal LCD screen and external monitors. You can see random
characters, vertical lines running through the logo, random colors, etc
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2. Same problem appears when the laptop displays the boot menu. The screen is either
not readable at all, or there are some random characters all over the image.
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3. Finally, the laptop starts loading Windows, but the image on both screens is still
garbled.
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A problem like that is not related to the laptop screen or inverter board.Again, if the
video card is integrated into the motherboard and it fails, youll have to replace the
motherboard.
Most modern laptops are equipped with a CD/DVD-RW drive also known as an optical
disc drive which allows it to read and write data from or to a CD/DVD disc. All laptop
CD/DVD drives are shaped the same but they all have different face plates also know
as front bezels. On the picture above you can see three different laptop CD/DVD drives
with different face plates/front bezels.
When you are replacing a failed CD/DVD drive, you have to make sure that the face
plate from the old drive will fit your new drive.
On the picture below you can see two different types of connectors found in modern
CD/DVD optical disc drives. One drive has a SATA connector and the other one has an
older slim ATAPI connector.
An optical disc drive with a SATA connector is not interchangeable with an optical disc
drive with a slim ATAPI connector and vice versa. In other words, if your laptop
motherboard comes with a SATA connector for the optical drive, you can only use
CD/DVD drives with SATA connectors.
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On the next picture I compare a SATA connector used in laptop hard drives with a
SATA connector used in CD/DVD drives. As you see, these two connectors are a little
bit different. The data connector (right connector) is shaped similarly for both drives, but
the power connector (left connector) is shaped differently.
By the way, you can connect a 2.5 laptop SATA hard drive to a desktop computer
using same cables as you use for a regular 3.5 desktop hard drive.
In order to connect a Slim line SATA optical CD/DVD drive to a desktop computer, youll
have to purchase the Slim line SATA Cable.
If you are replacing the CD/DVD disc drive in your laptop with a new one, make sure
your new drive is compatible with the laptop. The best way to find a new optical disc
drive is searching by the manufacturers part number found on the old drive.
When you install an optical drive which is not compatible with your laptop, it will not be
recognized by the BIOS or youll get IDE #1 ERROR on start up.
HOW TO REMOVE CD/DVD DISC DRIVE
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In most laptops, the CD/DVD disc drive is secured by one or two screws on the bottom
of the laptops. Remove these screws and pull the optical disc drive from the laptop.
On some other models, the optical drive is secured by one or two screws located under
the keyboard. If thats the case, youll have to remove the keyboard first. After that
remove those screws and pull the drive from the laptop.
In most laptops the audio board also know as sound board is integrated into the
motherboard. In other words, its a part of the motherboard and cannot be removed or
replaced separately.
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Why the audio board cannot be removed? Because the audio chip is soldered to the
motherboard.
If the audio board fails, youll have to replace the whole motherboard.
AUDIO BOARD FAILURE SYMPTOMS AND TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS.
1. There is no sound from internal speakers or headphones.

Make sure the volume level is not set to minimum.
Make sure the volume is not muted.
If the volume is not mutes and volume level is not set to minimum, but you still have
no sound, try reinstalling the audio driver.
If reinstalling the audio driver doesnt help, try reinstalling the operating system.
If nothing helps, its possible you have a problem with the audio board.
2. Headphones are working fine but there is no sound coming from the laptop speakers.
Sometimes contacts inside the audio jack get stuck and there is no external sound
because of that. Try to plug and unplug the headphone connector into the jack very
quickly a few times.
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Laptop internal wireless network cards also know as WLAN card or Wi-Fi card come in
different shapes ans sizes. On the picture above you see two most common internal
wireless card types found in laptops.
Two wireless cards on the top have Mini PCI form factor connector and found mostly in
older laptops.
Two wireless cards on the bottom have Mini PCI-E (Mini PCI Express) form factor
connector and found mostly in newer laptops.Mini PCI-E connector is not backward
compatible with Mini PCI connector. In other words, you cannot install a Mini PCI-E
wireless card into the Mini PCI slot.
The wireless card plugs into the Mini PCI or Mini PCI-E slot on the motherboard. Most
internal cards have two small connectors for wireless antenna cables, some newer Mini
PCI-E cards have three connectors and require three antenna cables.
On the picture below you see an internal Mini PCI wireless card connected to the
laptop. As you see, there are two antenna cables connected to the card. One main
antenna cable and one auxiliary antenna cables.
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In order to remove the wireless card, youll have to disconnect the antenna cables first.
Grab firmly the antenna connector with your fingers and unsnap it from the card. Do the
same with the second antenna cable. After that you remove the wireless card the same
way as you remove the RAM module.
1. Spread latches on both sides of the card with your fingers and the card will pop up at
a 20-30 degree angle.
2. Carefully pull the wireless card from the slot.
On the picture below you see a newer Mini PCI-E wireless card pluged into the slot on
the motherboard. In my example the card has three antenna cables. Many Mini PCI-E
cards have only two antenna cables.
This card connects to the motherboard differently than a Mini PCI card. Ther are no
latches on the sides. The card is secured to the motherboard by two screws.
In order to remove this card:

1. Disconnect all antenna cables from the card. Do not forget to make a note how
cables are connected.
2. Remove two screws and the card will pop up at a 20-30 degree angle.
3. Carefully pull the wireless card from the slot.
On some laptops the internal wireless card could be accessed thought the hatch on the
bottom, on other laptops its hidden under the keyboard or laptop cover.
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A laptop screen also known as LCD screen displays an image generated by the laptop
video card. The LCD screen receives data signal from the video card through the LCD
cable.
Laptop screens come in many different sizes and resolutions. In order to find the LCD
screen size (in inches), youll have to measure the screen between the two diagonal
corners.Older laptops had mostly full screen LCD displays. Newer laptops have mostly
widescreen LCD displays.
A backlight lamp (also known as CCFL bulb) is the main source of light in any LCD
screen. The backlight lamp powers up by the inverter board.
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The laptop screen mounts inside the laptop display panel between the screen bezel and
display cover. The screen is attached to the screen brackets (display brackets) which
are permanently attached to the display hinges.
TYPICAL LCD SCREEN RELATED FAILURES
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On the following images youll see some typical LCD screen related failures.
1. You can see image only on a part of the LCD screen. For example, only the top side
of the screen works properly.
2. There is one or more thin multi color lines running down the screen.
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3. There is a wide band running down the LCD screen. The
BUYING A NEW REPLACEMENT SCREEN

The LCD screen is one of the most expensive parts in a laptop computer. If your screen
is damaged and you decide to replace it yourself, youll have to make sure to purchase
a new screen compatible with your laptop. Hear are a few things to consider before
buying a new screen:
1. Screen size.
2. Some laptops come with full size lcds. Some laptops come with widescreen lcds.
3. LCD screen could be matte or glossy.
4. Same size LCD screens may have different resolutions.
The best way to find a new replacement screen would be using the manufacturers part
number or LCD screen model. Both could be found on the back side of the screen.
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Laptop inverter boards (also know as LCD inverter, FL inverter, screen inverter,
backlight inverter) come in different shapes and sizes. On the picture above you see
some typical looking inverter boards found in laptop computers.
The inverter board works as a power supply for the backlight lamp mounted inside the
LCD screen. The inverter board converts low voltage DC power (few volts) supplied by
the motherboard to high voltage AC power (few hundred volts) needed for the backlight
lamp.
When the inverter board works properly, the backlight lamp gets power and the LCD
screen lights up. As a result, the image on the screen is bright.
HOW INVERTER CONNECTED TO LDC SCREEN
On the picture below you can see a typical laptop display assembly which includes the
LCD screen, video cable and inverter board.
One side of the inverter board connects to the backlight lamp and another side to the
video cable (LCD screen cable).
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HOW INVERTER MOUNTED INSIDE LAPTOP DISPLAY PANEL

In most laptops the inverter board is mounted below the LCD screen as it shown on the
picture below. You can get an access to the inverter board when you remove the screen
bezel a plastic frame around the LCD screen.
TYPICAL INVERTER FAILURE SYMPTOMS
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Usually inverters fail in one of the following ways:
1. When you turn on the laptop, the screen lights up for a short period of time and then
goes dark. You still can see an image but it is very dark, almost invisible and definitely
not usable. When you restart the laptop, the screen lights up and then goes dark again.
The laptop works fine with an external monitor.
2. Your laptop turns on but the screen remains dark all the time. You still can see a very
dim image outline. The laptop works fine with an external monitor.
3. The laptop screen works fine for hours or even days, but sometimes it goes very dark
as it mentioned above. When you restart the laptop, the screen works fine again.
Inverter failure symptoms are very similar to backlight lamp failure symptoms and in
most cases you cannot tell which one is causing the problem until you replace either the
inverter board or the backlight lamp. From my personal experience, inverter boards fail
more often than backlight lamps. If you have to guess, replace the inverter first.
A backlight lamp (also know as backlight bulb, screen backlight, CCFL tube or bulb) is
the main and only source of light in a laptop LCD screen. A typical laptop LCD screen
has only one backlight lamp installed. The backlight lamp mounts inside the laptop
screen in the lower part of the screen as it outlined on the picture above.
A pair of cables with one connector coming from the screen plugs into the screen
inverter board.
The backlight lamp receives high voltage AC power from the screen inverter board
which receives low voltage DC power from the motherboard via the LCD screen cable
as it shown on the picture below.
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On the next picture you see a typical backlight lamp removed from a typical laptop LCD
screen. There are two cables soldered to both sides of the backlight lamp attached to
one connector.
BACKLIGHT LAMP REPLACEMENT

It is possible to replace a failed backlight lamp with a new one but its not easy because
the backlight lamp is buried deep inside the LCD screen and its very easy to damage
the screen during the disassembly process. This repair should be performed only by an
experienced technician. You can find some home made backlight replacement
instructions if you do Google search. For inexperienced people it would be much easier
to replace the whole LCD screen.
BACKLIGHT LAMP FAILURE SYMPTOMS
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1. The laptop screen lights up only for a short period of time or will not light up at all.
The image on the screen is so dim that you can barely see it. At the same time, an
external monitor attached to the laptop works fine.
2. When you turn on the laptop, the screen works fine for a while, then start flickering
and the light turns off. Again, there is a very faint image on the laptop screen and
external video output works fine.
3. The screen works but the image has a reddish/pink tone. External video output works
fine.
The backlight lamp failure symptoms are very similar to the inverter board failure
symptoms. If you have to guess which one is causing the problem, try replacing the
inverter board first.
A laptop LCD cable also known as video cable, display cable or screen cable. This
cable transfers data signal from the motherboard and video card to the LCD screen.
Also, most video cables supply high voltage DC power to the screen inverter.
On the picture you can see a typical laptop video cable. The cable has three ends with
three connectors. One end plugs into the connector on the back of the LCD screen, the
second end plugs into the inverter board, the third end plugs into the connector on the
motherboard or video card.
The top part of the cable runs inside the laptop display panel between the LCD screen
and display cover.
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The bottom part of the cable could be found either under the keyboard or keyboard
bezel.
In order to remove and replace the LCD cable, it will be necessary to disassemble the
whole laptop.
LCD CABLE RELATED PROBLEMS
1. The image on the screen appears normal until you move the display up or down.
When you move the display, the images on the entire screen starts to flicker, disappear
or change collars. As soon as you stop moving the display, the image gets back to
normal.
2. The LCD screen lights up but there is no image at all. The entire screen is blank. An
external monitor connected to the laptop VGA port works fine, there is no problems with
the external video output at all.
3. Image on the entire LCD screen is garbled. An external monitor works fine.
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In many cases the video cable failures are very similar to the LCD screen failures.
Display hinges connect two halves of a laptop the display panel and base assembly.
All regular laptops have two hinges located on the left and right sides of the display
panel. Tablet pcs have one hinge-swivel located in the middle of the display.
The LCD screen mounts to the the screen mounting brackets which are permanently
attached to the display hinges. There are two or more screws securing the LCD screen
to each mounting bracket.
The display hinges are not repairable. If the hinge is broken or too loose to keep the
display in an open position, you have to replace it with a new one.
On the picture below you see a laptop with removed LCD screen.
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In order to remove and replace hinges, youll have to disassemble both, the display
panel and laptop base.
HINGE RELATED PROBLEMS
1. The laptop display feels loose. It will stay in the up position, but when you move the
display it feels floppy.
First of all, try tightening screws securing both hinges to the laptop base and display
cover. If tightening screws doesnt help, apparently your hinges are worn out and will
have to be replaced soon.
2. The display will not stat in the up position. When you open the display and leave it in
the up position, it falls back.
Most likely one or both hinges are broken and have to be replaced. Even if only one
hinge is broken, I would recomment replacing both hinges because the second one is
worn out and could break too in the near future.
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Most newer laptops come with a build-in web camera also known as webcam. The web
camera is located on the top of the display panel. Some people think the web camera is
a part of the LCD screen but its not. The web camera is a separate module which is
mounted inside the display panel above the LCD screen.
On the picture below you see a laptop display with removed bezel. The web camera
module is glued to the display cover. The web camera is connected to the system board
via a cable which plugs into the connector on the right side of the web camera board.
The web camera cable runs alone the right side of the LCD screen.
The web camera board and LCD screen are two separate modules and can be removed
and replaced separately.
WEB CAMERA RELATED PROBLEMS.Lets say your web camera stopped working.
You can see the camera detected in the device manager, but it will not work. What can
you do? Try reinstalling the webcam driver and most likely the problem will be fixes.
Heres how you can reinstall the driver.
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Go to the device manager and find the webcam. It might be listed in USB devices. Right
click on the webcam entry and uninstall the driver. Now restart the laptop. When it
boots, the laptop will detect the webcam and install the driver. Does it work for you?
Test Your RAM
If you don't find any errors by using event viewer, or don't know how to, the next thing to
do is to check your hardware, notably the RAM.
Turn off your PC and remove the side panel.
Insideonce you push aside the mass of cablesyou will find the RAM affixed to
the motherboard. The RAM chips generally sit next to each other in parallel slots on
the motherboard. Little plastic clips sit in small grooves on the sides, keeping the
chips fixed in place.
Likely, your PC has more than one stick of RAM. To establish which chip is causing
the problem, simply remove the clips on either side of one of the sticks, and then
pull it out. Try loading up the computer again. If the problem still exists, put the chip
back, and remove a different stick of RAM.
PC RAM chips affixed to a motherboard.

If the problem persists
The purpose of this hub has been to try and explain the error, hopefully to help prevent
the need to pay out for a computer repair. While i've done my best to cover the most
common causes of this particular blue screen crash, and present you with the less
complicated home troubleshooting options available to you, no online guide could ever
cover every single possibility.
If the problem persists, you are left with an issue that is too complicated to troubleshoot
by following an online guide. It could be occurring due to faulty hardware such as your
motherboard, CPU or graphics processor, or it could be due to badly written software
or drivers that are interacting with an area that they should not be.
Unless you already have a good understanding of how to repair your own computer,
then consider taking it into a professional.
Fix Blue Screen Windows Stop Error - BSOD 0x0000007b
Updated on September 5, 2015
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Source: BSOD, Blue Screen of Death

Inaccessible Boot Device or 0x07b Stop Error
The 0x0000007b Blue Screen Error is one of the most common windows stop errors
and can have its source in a bad hardware, outdated driver, corrupted registry or a
virus. The stop error occurs accompanied, along with the BSOD, with one of the
following factors:
1. Windows restarts and you see the message: A problem has been detected and
windows has been shut down to prevent damages.
2. Windows restarts and you see the message: INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE
Error.
3. Windows restarts and you see other less common error messages ( like hal.dll
error).
As bad and scary as it sounds...it is curable and fixable...most of the times anyway.
I have put together a check list of steps to perform when you get the 0x0000007b Stop
Error and recommendation on what to do to avoid getting BSOD in the future.
Causes of BSOD and 0x07b Error
The 0x0000007b Error, commonly, can be triggered by the following factors:
1. Outdated or Corrupted Drivers - A device driver was poorly installed or outdated.
2. System File Corruption - A program or a virus corrupted windows system files.
3. Hardware malfunctions - New Hardware might not be compatible with existing or
it just stopped working from other reasons.
4. Registry Corruption - A virus or a program overwrote the registry keys or deleted
some keys.
5. Viruses - A virus had deleted, overwritten or changed important files that are need
for Windows to function properly.
Solutions to Windows Stop Errors - Part 1
Fixing the Blue Screen of Death 0x07b error can be slightly difficult if you are not an
advanced PC user. I hope that the steps i provide will help any level PC user to solve
this windows stop error.
STEP 1. Obviously your PC has been restarted. If it turned back on and you did not
experience another BSOD, you are a lucky fellow. Do not perform any of the steps
below, unless or until you get another blue screen.
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STEP 2. Check your hard drive and make sure it is properly installed.
1. Set the jumper to Master, if you want to use it as primary disk or Slave if you ant to
use it as a secondary drive.
2. Make sure the IDE or SATA cable is properly and securely connected to your harddrive.
3. Make sure the power cable is properly connected: the red wire should be on the
inside of the cable.
4. Please use the screws and screw back your hard drive.
STEP 4. You installed new drivers for your hard drive or any other hardware and
you get stop 0x07b error and blue screen.
Restart PC, while restarting press F8 to go to advanced boot options and
choose: Last Known Good Configuration.
Boot into windows and perform a system restore. Choose the restore point
immediately before the installation of new drivers.
If you know what drivers you have installed, go to Device manager and perform
a driver rollback.
STEP 5. Update drivers for your entire system. NOTE: If you are an advance PC
user you can uninstall old and install new drivers manually. If you are not one, go
with professional programs - that do it for you. It is your choice.
The Driver Software that i personally use and recommend is Driver Robot. Read Below
In Tips &Tricks my review about it.
Solutions to Windows Stop Errors - Part 2
STEP 6. Perform a full virus scan of your computer. Include the Boots Sector and
Master Boot Record in the scan.
If you have a professional anti-virus software, you are lucky again. You won't have to
purchase anything. Here is what you do:
1. Update your security program.
2. Set up a custom full scan including MBR and boot sectors.
If you do not have a professional anti-virus software, i can recommend 3 antivirus
programs that i consider the best: Norton Internet Security, Avira Premium Security
and Avast Internet Security
September 2015 Update: Still using Avast. It got better, faster and works very well on
Windows 8.1 and 10!
UPDATE: September, the 7th, 2014. I have uninstalled Norton and am using Avast
Internet Security. Avast is much faster ans has the sandbox mode (you run your
browser completely secured...just read about it on their website.)
STEP 7. Check your hard drive for errors. Sometimes a faulty hard drive can trigger a
BSOD.
Use chkdsk to repair hard drive errors. Here is how you do it:
From recovery console:
1. Boot form your OS CD or DVD. Windows will begin setup process. Press R to get
into Recovery Console when you see the OS name Screen Setup.
2. Press 1 and Enter
3. Put in the admin password if existing or leave blank if none and Enter
4. Now type the following: chkdsk c: /r
5. The above command will repair disk C, where your windows is installed.
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From Windows:
1. You can open cmd.exe and type the chkdsk c: /r command.
2. You can open my computer > Right click Disk C > Properties > Tools > Error
Checking
STEP 8. Repair you Windows Installation.
Sometimes the 0x07b stop error or BSOD can be simply fixed by performing an easy
windows start-up repair. Here is how you do it:
If you have XP:
1. Boot form CD.
2. Press Enter at Setup Windows Screen, when asked.
3. Press R to repair Windows Installation.
4. Go through Normal Installation Procedures until you are done.
5. Install latest updates for Windows and other devices (update devices with - see the
link below)
Note: This procedure will not delete any user data and files. It only copies original
windows files over the bad or existing ones.
If you have Windows 7:
1. Boot form DVD
2. Click: Repair your Computer (DO NOT CLICK INSTALL NOW)
3. Choose windows 7 installations.
4. Choose Startup Repair
5. Click Finish
Note: Sometimes you have to perform the above step twice or at most three times.
Take the time and do it. If it does not work try using the System Restore, it is just below
Startup Repair.
Some basics steps
Basic common sense rules:
1. Make sure you hard drive has enough free space. Minimum 5% of the total space is
recommended.
2. Apply latest service pack for your Windows.
3. Check all the cables or loose hardware.
Nothing Works? Clean Windows Installation Will

Just in case you can not get rid of the blue screen of death and/or 0x0000007b stop
error after trying the steps above, i do not see other option other than reinstalling
windows form scratch.
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Painful but necessary.
Read below what to do to avoid getting BSOD and other stop errors in the future!
How to avoid BSOD and other stop errors | Tips & Tricks
Now after you have fixed the cause of your BSOD or stop error, you probably pray and
hope it won't happen again. Performing some simple steps will keep you from getting
the dreaded blue screen again. Here they are:
1. Always update your drivers. You can manually update and search regularly for
new updates. ALWAYS keep your computer UPDATED!
2. Always and regularly scan your entire system with a reliable anti-virus program. I
can recommend Norton Internet Security, Avast Internet Security.
3. Do not download or open web pages or emails that look suspicious. Actually the
above mentions programs have features where they tell you if a website is safe to
browse.
Computer Problems And Solutions
Updated on July 30, 2013
Common Computer Problems and Solutions

The features modern day computer is amazing, but still they aren't built perfect. All
computers suffers from errors that results to a very upsetting moment if you don't know
how to fix it.. Various computer hardware errors could pop-up once least expected.
Sometimes you will be shock after it will suddenly shuts down, crashed and accidentally
corrupt your system data.
Even though these errors are not usually avoided, yet it can be corrected. There are
some simple task that can be done to prevent these errors, and happen to know some
of computer hardware problems and their solutions.
Shutting Down By Itself
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Shutting Down
1. One culprit for this kind of problem is a virus or malware that was designed for turning
off your computer most especially when you are running a specific program. If you
suspect that a vicious malware / virus is causing this kind of problem, be sure to deep
scan your system with trusted anti-malware/virus to avoid a much higher problems later.
Also, just make sure that the software that you are using is up-to-date.
2. Another reason is the temperature issue with your motherboard which is caused by
fan failure. Almost all computers are built with automatic system shutdown/hibernate if
the processor or other parts get too hot to avoid damage. To solve this, it is
recommended that you check all cooling fans on your computer if they are running
smoothly, most especially the CPU fan. Thermal paste should be applied to the
processor's heat-sink as well as cleaning your cooling fans to avoid dust, hairs, dirt and
other residues may hinder the proper flow of air with compressed air.
Viewing Error Report on Windows
For XP: Click Start > run, in the message box type: 'msinfo32' and press Enter, expand
'Software Environment' and click "Windows Error Reporting".
For 7 & 8: Control Panel > Action Center > expand 'Maintenance' > View Reliability
History > View All Problem Reports
Blue Screen of Death
Imagine that you're sitting on your computer playing your favorite game or working on a
deadline project then suddenly, Windows freezes totally. Your OS is dead, my friend,
until you restart it. You have no choice but to groan loudly, clinch your fist at Bill and
furiously pushing the reset button. All your work is gone, disconnected from the digital
world, and finding a blue screen that has a message that you don't understand.
This familiar situation occurred when the ghost of Windows crash, the dreaded 'Blue
Screen of Death' visits you. If you are lucky, BSOD will just disappear after you reset
your PC. There are many reasons why this stop error appears, but the most common
reasons are software program errors, hardware errors during Windows operation,
installation errors, startup errors, or intermittent errors. To fix this problem, you have to
take note the actual name of the error in hexadecimal form. It is presented in all caps
with an underscore between each word.
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Laptop is dead. How to troubleshoot.
In this post ill explain how to troubleshoot a dead laptop and find the problem. The
following troubleshooting tips are not model and brand specific.
Lets take a look at different failure scenarios.
Example 1. The computer is absolutely dead.
When you plug in the AC adapter and press on the power button, there are no signs of
life at all. It appears to be dead.
What you can do?
1. Make sure the wall outlet is working and the AC adapter is getting power from the
outlet. Try another wall outlet.
2. Test the AC adapter, make sure the voltage output is correct. You can test the
adapter with a voltmeter.
3. If the adapter is good, try reconnecting the battery. Remove the battery, wait for 1-2
minutes, plug in the adapter and try turning it on again.
If the adapter doesnt pass the test with a voltmeter, replace it with a new one and test
the computer. I always recommend buying an original replacement adapter from the
manufacturer, not a generic one.
There could be more than one adapter available for your model.
The voltage output on your new adapter must be exactly the same as on the old
one. The amperage, on the other hand, can be the same or higher.
If previous troubleshooting steps didnt help, its possible your computer has a problem
with the motherboard or DC power jack. In this case its necessary to disassemble the
laptop and test the DC jack.
Example 2. The computer turns on and makes normal startup noises, the LED
lights turn on but noting appears on the screen.
First of all, take a closer look at the screen under bright light. Its possible the screen
shows the image but its very faint. In this case youll have to troubleshoot the backlight
failure.
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On the other hand, if the screen shows no image at all, test the laptop with an external
monitor (or TV) connected to the VGA port or DVI port or HDMI port.
You can toggle video output between internal and external modes by using Fn keys:
Fn and F4 keys simultaneously on HP laptops
Fn and F5 keys on Toshiba laptops
Fn and F7 keys on IBM laptops.
Other laptops may use different key combinations.
If the external monitor works fine but the internal screen has no image at all, the
problem can be related to:
Poor connection between the video cable and screen or motherboard. Try
reconnecting the video cable on both ends and check out if this helps.
The screen failed. Replace it with a new one.
The video cable failed. Replace it with a new one.
The motherboard failed.
If both, the internal and external monitors show no image, the problem can be related
to:
Failed memory (RAM).
Failed motherboard.
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Try reconnecting the memory module, maybe its not making good connection with the
slot.
Try cleaning contacts on the memory module.
Try moving the memory module into another slot.
Try replacing the memory module with another one.
If you have two modules installed you can try removing them one by one, its possible
that one of the modules failed. Try moving modules from one slot to another.
If changing or reseating memory doesnt help, you can try this:
Removing the battery, hard drive, DVD drive and other components you can easily
access. Try turning on the laptop without these components installed.
Its possible one of them failed and its preventing the entire computer from starting up
properly.
Also, try turning on the laptop with an external monitor while the video cable is
unplugged from the motherboard.
If external image appears after you disconnected the video cable, apparently there is
something wrong with the cable. Replace it with a new one.
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If the computer is still dead, try removing other internal components (wireless card,
modem, keyboard, etc) and test it with an external monitor after each removed part.
The last step is testing the laptop as a bare bone system.
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On this picture you see my final test. The motherboard has been removed from the
base and I assembled a basic bare bone system on my bench.
The bare bone system includes:
1. Motherboard (like in most cases it has onboard graphics chip).
2. CPU with the cooling module.
3. Known good memory module.
4. The power button board.
5. Known good AC adapter.
If the system still doesnt turn on, its either bad motherboard or failed CPU.
Toshiba suddenly shuts down by itself
My Toshiba laptop suddenly shuts down by itself without any warning. Sometimes it
works fine for hours, sometimes it shuts down in 10-15 minutes. This complaint we hear
from our customers over and over again. About 15-20% of all Toshiba laptops we get for repair,
suffer from an overheating problem. Yes, OVERHEATING!
This is one of the most common problems with Toshiba laptops we deal with.
Indications of laptop overheating problem:
1. The keyboard and the bottom of your laptop are very hot when the laptop is
working.
2. The CPU fans are working all the time at maximum rotation speed and operate
much louder than before.
3. The laptop suddenly shuts down by itself without warning. When it just started,
the laptop was shutting down after 1-2 hours and how it shuts down after 5-10
minutes of operation.
4. The laptop works fine when it runs idle, but shuts down as soon as you start
using any memory demanding applications (DVD player, image editing software,
video editing software, etc.).
Solution:
If the CPU heat sink is not clogged with dust and lint completely, you can use canned
air and just blow it inside the laptop through the openings on the bottom and on the
sides. Its nice as a precaution measure, but it might not work if your laptop already has
a problem and the heat sink is completely clogged.
1. Open the laptop case, so you can access the CPU fan and the heat sink. In
some cases you can access the heat sink through the latch on the bottom of the
laptop. Sometimes you have to open the laptop case all the way down.
2. Carefully disconnect the fan cables on the system board and remove the fan. If
the fan makes unusual sound when it spins (grinding sound), I would
recommend to replace the fan.
3. Clean the fan and the heat sink with compressed air.
4. I would also recommend removing old thermal grease from the CPU and
applying new grease for better heat conductivity.
UPDATE: I just received a nice tip from MC NColorado. I think it could be useful for all
of you with guys:
I decided to use a shop vac to suck the dust out and it worked. I tested it by letting the
machine run all night and it worked. Its been a couple of weeks now and Im glad I did
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it. I was ready to take the machine apart, now Im glad I didnt. Id suggest you use a
heavy duty shop vac to clean out the fan and heat sinks first.
I agree. Try to fix the problem without taking the laptop apart first but I would
recommend using a powerful air compressor instead of a vacuum cleaner.
If your laptop is still under warranty, you can take it to any Toshiba Authorize Service
Provider and fix the problem at no charge to you.
Toshiba Satellite A15 Clogged Heat sink
Toshiba Satellite A35 Clogged Heat sink
Toshiba Satellite P15 Clogged Heat sink. Absolute champion!

Why laptop turns off or freezes?
My computer runs very hot and eventually turns off or freezes this is one of the most
common complaints I have been receiving from my customer for many years.
Why its happening? Is there an easy fix for that?
Most likely this problem is heat related. Take a look at the following picture.
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Any laptop has a cooling module which includes two parts: the heat sink and cooling
fan. When it works, the processor (CPU) heats up and the heat sing heats up too. At
some temperature level, the fan kicks in and cools down the heatsink.
The problem starts when the cooling module collects too much dust inside. The dust
kills normal airflow inside the cooling module. Eventually, the processor overheats and
the laptop turns off unexpectedly or freezes.
This problem can be fixed by cleaning the cooling module.
Cleaning the cooling module.
Some laptops give you an easy access to the heat sink and fan. In laptops like that you
can access the cooling module through the bottom cover.
In my example I had to remove the cooling module. Otherwise, I wouldnt be able to

remove the fan and access the heat sink.
In some models you can remove the fan without separating the heatsink from the CPU.
After I removed the fan, I found a thick layer of dust inside. Cleaning it up will fix the
overheating problem.
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Apply thermal paste on the processor.

You should apply new thermal paste before installing the heat sink back in place.
Remove old thermal paste from the processor and heat sink using alcohol swab.
WARNING: In some models the heat sink also covers the graphics chip. The part of the
heatsink which covers the graphics chip might have thermal pad on it instead of regular
thermal paste.
Do not replace thermal pad with thermal paste! Do not apply thermal paste on the
thermal pad! Just leave thermal pad alone and apply thermal paste only on the
processor.
I usually use Shin-Etsu paste which is relatively cheap and performs well.
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After applying new paste, install the cooling module back in place. Do not forget to
connect the fan cable to the motherboard!
What if the cooling module cannot be removed easily?
In some laptops the cooling module is buried deep inside the case and cannot be easily
accessed and removed. In order to remove it youll have to disassemble the whole
laptop but its only for experienced users.
In this case you can use the following technique. Its not perfect but works very well.
Buy a can of compressed air or use a compressor.

1. Blow air into the fan grill on the bottom.
2. Blow air into the fan grill on the side.
Switch direction a few times until all dust is gone. Most likely this quick cleaning will fix
your problem too.
Screen shows strange colors
The screen started showing strange or wrong colors. What could be wrong? Ive
been asked this question many times and today Im addressing the issue.
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In this post I explain some basic troubleshooting techniques in case if your screen
started showing strange or incorrect colors.
You have to know how to disassemble your computer in order to use following
troubleshooting techniques.
TEST WITH EXTERNAL MONITOR
The main troubleshooting step is testing the video output on an external monitor (or
TV). You can connect your laptop to an external monitor using VGA cable, DVI cable,
HDMI cable or S-Video cable, it depends on a type of connector you have.
Most models have a VGA connector, so it would be the most common way to connect.
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Some laptops detect external monitor automatically and start showing image on both
screens right from startup.
Other models can detect the monitor but display image only on one screen (internal or
external). In this case youll have to switch video between internal and external using
the Fn key and one of the F* keys in the top row of the keyboard. This combination
varies for different brands, for example its Fn+F5 for Toshiba, Fn+F4 for HP, Fn+F8 for
Dell, Fn+F7 Lenovo etc
WHAT VIDEO ON EXTERNAL MONITOR CAN TELL?
If both, the internal screen and external monitor (or TV) show strange or incorrect colors
or any other image distortion, this is the graphics card failure.
If only the internal screen shows bad video but external image appears to be normal (as
in my example), the problem is somewhere inside the laptop display. This could be bad
connection, bad LCD cable or bad LCD screen.
Lets narrow down the problem one by one.
TRY RESEATING LCD CABLE CONNECTOR ON MOTHERBOARD
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The screen receives data signal from the motherboard via LCD cable. If the LCD cable
not making good connection with the motherboard, it might cause image or color
distortion on the screen. Try reseating the LCD cable connector and see if it fixes the
problem. Make sure the LCD cable connector plugged correctly.
In most laptops the LCD cable connector located under the keyboard bezel (aka
keyboard cover). If its not there, most likely youll find it somewhere under the
keyboard.
WIGGLE THE LCD CABLE
The LCD cable runs inside the display panel, under the screen. For this test its
necessary to disassemble the display, so you can access the cable.
A pinched or damaged wire inside the cable also can cause color distortion.
Wiggle the cable while the laptop is running. If moving the cable affects image on the
screen in any way (it starts shown different colors, lines, or image clears to normal,
etc) most likely the cable is defective and has to be replaced. Try replacing the
cable.
On the other hand, if moving the cable doesnt affect image at all, most likely the cable
is good and you have a failed screen. In this case youll have to it with a new one.
APPLY SOME PRESSURE TO THE DISPLAY
Try applying some reasonable pressure to the top part of the display assembly.
Squeeze it with your fingers.
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If the screen starts showing different colors, lines, or clears to normal when you
squeeze the top part of the display panel, most likely this is screen failure. In this case
youll have to replace the screen.
How to fix motherboard with failed NVIDIA chip
In this post I explain how you can fix a motherboard with failed NVIDIA graphics chip.
This repair might apply to some HP/Compaq laptops and probably some other brands. If
this repair works for you, please mention the brand and model number in comments
after the post. This will help other readers.
This method should work for the following models: HP Pavilion dv2000, Pavilion
dv6000, Pavilion dv9000, Compaq Presario v3000, Presario v6000, HP Pavilion tx1000,
Pavilion tx2000.
By the way, I just fixed my sons Xbox 360 with red ring of death (error 74) using exactly
same technique.
MOST COMMON PROBLEM SYMPTOMS
1. Laptop turns on with garbled video on the internal screen and external monitor.
2. Laptop turns on but there is no video on the screen or external monitor.
MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEM
The graphics chip soldered to the motherboard. When the laptop runs hot for a long
time, the graphics chip separates from the motherboard and video fails.
HOW TO FIX FAILED CHIP
Before I tried baking the motherboard in an oven or use bubble-wrap. But today Im
going to fix it using a heat gun.
Basically, Im going to heat up the graphics chip with a heat gun to solder it back to the
motherboard (reflow). I think this method is more reliable and the repair should last for a
while.
WARNING!
There is no guaranty this method works all the time. While doing this repair you may
damage the motherboard and make it unrepeatable.
Proceed at your own risk and dont blame me if after this repair youll get a very
expensive door stop.
If you dont feel comfortable doing this repair, take your laptop to the repair shop.
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HOW I FIXED THE MOTHERBOARD
First of all, youll have to disassemble the laptop and remove the motherboard.
In my example Im using a motherboard removed from HP Pavilion tx2000.
In most laptops the graphics chip located under the CPU heatsink (and it has NVIDIA
logo on it), so there shouldnt be a problem locating the chip.
Ill be using an Ecoheat heat gun EC-100.
In order to figure out how to position the heat gun and for how long, I tested it on a
penny with a small piece of solder on the top.
The heat gun has a switch on the handle. There are two positions for the switch.
Position 1 slow. Position 2 fast.
I used position 1 slow.
I positioned the heat gun about 1 inch away from the penny and turned it on.
After about 40-45 second the solder started melting. After 50 seconds the solder melted
completely.
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To protect the motherboard from the heat I used a regular cooking aluminum foil. I cut
off a piece of aluminum foil and folded it a few times to make my protection shield
thicker. After that I cut off a square opening right in the middle, same size as the NVIDIA
chip.
If there is thermal grease on the chip it has to be removed. You can remove thermal
grease using alcohol swabs.
Its not necessary to make it perfectly clean. Just make sure there are no large chunks
of the grease on the chip.
UPDATE: Some people mentioned that I should have applied some liquid flux
underneath the chip for better results. Ill definitely do it next time when I have to fix
another motherboard.
I found this video explaining how to apply liquid flux under the chip. This video was
made for Xbox 360 motherboard but should apply to any laptop motherboard too.
Finally, I positioned the heat gun above the NVIDIA chip about 1 inch away and turned
the heat gun into the position 1.
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After 50 seconds I turned it off and let the motherboard cool down for about 20 minutes.
Dont forget to apply new thermal grease on the graphics chip when you install the heat
sink.
Some laptops use thermal pads instead of grease. If thats the case with your laptop,
make sure the thermal pad positioned correctly.
After I assembled the laptop back together, the video started properly!
The NVIDIA graphics chip problem fixed!
Will it last for a long time? I dont know. Still testing.
Most common hardware problems
In this post I will summarize most common laptop hardware related problems and give
some suggestions how to troubleshoot or repair them.
Problem 1. Computer doesnt turn on at all.
When you plug the AC adapter into the laptop, there are no lights turning on at all.
When you push on the power button, nothing happens. The laptop appears to be
completely dead, makes no sounds, no indications of life.
Possible problem:
The AC adapter failed and the battery has no charge left. In this case test the AC
adapter with a voltmeter. If its dead, replace it with a new one.
DC jack failed and the motherboard doesnt receive any power from the adapter. In
this case the DC jack has to be replaced.
Motherboard failed. The motherboard has to be replaced, if its not too expensive.
Otherwise get ready to buy a new computer.
Here are some tips for testing AC adapter and DC jack.
Also, make sure to read step-by-step instructions for troubleshooting dead laptops.
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Problem 2.Screen is blank.
The laptop turns on, power LED lights up, cooling fan works but nothing appears on the
screen. The screen is completely black and blank. There is no image on the screen at
all.
Possible problem:
This can be memory failure. Its possible one of the memory modules failed. In this
case you can try reseating memory modules to make sure they are making good
contact with the slot. You can try removing memory modules one by one and test the
laptop with only one module installed. You can try replacing memory modules.
If reseating/replacing memory doesnt help, try removing the hard drive, DVD drive,
modem, wireless card, keyboard, etc In other words, disassemble the laptop to bare
minimum and test again. If the laptop still doesnt turn on, most likely you have failed
motherboard or processor.
Read this guide for bare bone system troubleshooting.
Problem 3. Laptop turns on and off repeatedly.
The laptop turn on without showing any image on the screen. After a few seconds it
turns off by itself. Then it turns on and off again.
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Possible problem:
Most likely this is motherboard failure. You can try reseating/replacing memory as I
described in the Problem 2. If it doesnt help, probably the motherboard failed.
Problem 4.Laptop makes noise while running.
The laptop turns on and everything works fine, except it makes some constant weird
grinding or rattling noise.
Possible problem:
In most cases this noise is coming from the cooling fan or hard drive. Take a closer look
at the cooling fan.
If the fan doesnt spin but the the laptop makes noise, probably its coming from the
hard drive. Back up all personal data as soon as possible and replace the hard drive.
Also, you can remove the hard drive and stat the laptop. If the laptop still makes noise,
most likely its bad fan.
Problem 5. Laptop shuts down or freezes.
The laptop runs properly but after a while it freezes or shuts down without any warning.
When it happens, the bottom feels hot. Also, the cooling fan runs louder than usual.
Possible problem:
Most likely this is heat related issue. It happens because the fan heat sink is clogged
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with dust and the processor not cooling down properly. Cleaning the fan and heat sink
from dust should fix it.
Heres how you fix heat related problems.
Problem 6. Battery not charging properly.
The battery stopped charging properly. It doesnt charge at all or charges only after you
adjust the position of AC adapter plug inside the power connector.
Possible problem: Failed battery. If it doesnt charge completely try reconnecting the
battery first. Also, try running the laptop just from AC adapter with battery removed. If it
runs fine from AC adapter, most likely its either bad battery or failed motherboard. Try
replacing the battery first.
Failed DC power connector. If the battery charges only after you adjust the position of
AC adapter tip inside the connector, most likely this the DC jack failed.
.
Problem 7. Screen light fails
.
The laptop starts properly but after a while the screen light turns off. The image still
appears on the screen but its very dark.
In some cases the screen light never starts and all you can see is a very faint image.
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Possible problem:
Most likely its either failed screen inverter or backlight lamp (CCFL) failure. When
either one fail, the backlight stops working.
In order to troubleshoot this, youll need some spare parts: either new working inverter
or known good backlight lamp.
Read how to troubleshoot backlight failure.
Problem 8. Strange or garbled image on the screen.
The laptop turns on properly but has a distorted or garbled image on the screen.
Possible problem:
The graphics card failed. First of all, test your laptop with an external monitor or TV. If
you see the same garbled image on the external screen, most likely the graphics card
failed.
If the problem appears only on the laptop screen, this can be related to one of the
following: poor connection between the video cable and motherboard or screen. Also
can be failed video cable or screen.
Here are examples of failed video and explanations how to narrow down the problem.
Also read why display shows strange colors.
Problem 9. Some keyboard keys stopped working.
Some keyboard keys do not work at all or type wrong characters.
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Possible problem:
Most likely the keyboard failed and they are not repairable. Read how to replace the
keyboard.
Problem 10. Keyboard has missing or broken keys.
A key got separated from the laptop keyboard.

Problem solution:
If a key separated from the keyboard, its still possible to fix it.
If you have many keys missing, probably it makes sense to replace the whole keyboard.
Read how to attach a key back .
Problem 11. Repetitive beep sound on startup.
You turn on the laptop but there is no video on the screen. Instead, it starts making
repetitive beeping sound. In some cases you can fix the problem temporarily if you
press on the keyboard keys.
Problem solution:
Most likely you have stuck keys. In this case youll have to replace the keyboard.
Problem 12. Liquid spill.
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You spilled something on the laptop and its stopped working.

Problem solution:
Liquid spills are very dangerous and unpredictable. If it happened, turn off the laptop
ASAP, remove the battery and do not use it until all internal parts are inspected for
liquid damage.
Its sill possible to make it work again.
Fixing bad video on LCD screen
Here Im going to post some laptop screen photos showing bad video output. Ill 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 ill post
it too.
Heres 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.
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As soon as I applied some tension to the screen it changed the pattern. Some
horizontal lines appeared in the middle of the LCD.
Heres the difference. When I torque the screen, the image appears but its distorted
with some horizontal lines running across the screen.
Reseating the video cable didnt 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.
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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. Ive 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 its a separate module.
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In this example, the vertical lines were caused by a failed video memory on the system
board. Ive 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, ill have to replace the board. (We do not have equipment to replace the
memory module itself).
Example 4. Heres another example of a bad LCD screen. My bad! It wasnt 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 didnt
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help. The problem disappeared when I installed my test LCD screen. Yes, for some
reason I wasnt 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. Heres 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.Heres another laptop with a bad LCD screen. This time its a tablet PC.
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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.
Heres the difference. When I torque the screen, the image appears but its distorted
with some horizontal lines running across the screen.
After a few seconds the image washes away.
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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. Youll 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.
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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.
Other post related to troubleshooting laptop video problems:
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Troubleshooting backlight failure
Posted in: Screen, Troubleshooting | 227
This laptop came for repair because of the LCD screen backlight failure. My customer
complained that the laptop LCD screen is black but the laptop works with an external
monitor.
Here are my steps for troubleshooting this laptop with the backlight failure.
First of all, I tested this laptop with an external monitor connected to the VGA port and
the external monitor worked absolutely fine. I was able to get crystal clear image on the
external screen even though the internal screen didnt light up. If the external screen
works fine, then most likely there is nothing wrong with the video card.
After that I took a closer look at the laptop LCD and noticed that the screen is not
completely black. The laptop screen still works but the image is very very dull, you
barely can see it. It means that the screen still gets data signal from the video card, but
for some reason the backlight lamp doesnt work.
From my experience I know that this problem can be related the lid close switch, faulty
inverter board or bad backlight lamp. I checked them one by one.
If you have a similar problem, make sure the lid close witch moves freely. The lid switch
is a small button located close to the LCD screen. This button triggers the hibernation or
sleep mode when the screen is closed. If the lid close switch is dirty, it might get stuck
inside the laptop case and cut off the power from the inverter board. The inverter board
works as a power supply for the backlight lamp and if there is no power coming to the
inverter board, the backlight lamp will not light up either.
In my case the lid button worked properly, it didnt stuck inside the case. When I was
pressing on the button very fast, I was able to light up the screen but only for a fraction
of a second. The image wasnt bright and it had a pinkish tone. A pinkish tone usually
indicates a problem with the backlight lamp, not the inverter board.
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Even though I suspected the backlight failure, I decided to test this laptop with a new
inverter board just in case. But it didnt help. The screen didnt light up even after I
replace the inverter board. So, I was right, this problem is not related to the inverter
board.
Finally, I disconnected the screen backlight lamp connector from the inverter board and
connected my test backlight lamp (I removed it from another cracked screen). You can
find a new backlight lamp on ebay. Try to find a backlight with the connector already
attached to it, so you can plug it into the inverter board. Make sure the connector on the
backlight lamp is similar to the connector on your LCD screen.
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As soon as I turned on the laptop, my backlight lamp lighted up. Yep, thats the problem.
The laptop screen has a faulty backlight lamp.
Heres another laptop with backlight failure
This laptop video fails in a little bit different way. In this case the backlight lamp hasnt
failed completely.
The laptop starts with video on the screen but the background has reddish tone, the
screen flickers and it makes noticeable buzzing noise coming from the backlight and
inverter area. After a few minutes the backlight turns off by itself and the buzzing noise
stops. When the backlight is off, the image on the screen is still visible but its very dark.
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I removed the screen bezel and connected my test backlight lamp.
My test backlight works absolutely fine. The lamp doesnt flicker and there is no buzzing
noise. So, this laptop needs a new backlight lamp.
How to replace backlight lamp (CCFL)

In this guide I will disassemble a laptop LCD screen in order to remove and replace the
backlight lamp (CCFL).
Replacing the backlight lamp is not an easy task even for experienced
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technicians. If you do something wrong you will permanently damage the LCD
screen and have to buy a new one. Proceed on your own risk and do not blame
me.
Some recommendations before you start:
1. Work in a clean room. You dont want dust and lint inside your LCD screen.
2. Make notes, so you know how to assemble your screen back.
3. Take pictures.
4. Before you remove something, take a closer look at the part and memorize how it is
assembled.
5. When you are assembling the screen, remove dust and lint with compressed air. Do
not use cloth.
The backlight lamp (CCFL) is located inside the LCD screen, so we are going to take it
apart. In this article Im not going to explain how to remove LCD from a laptop, its been
covered before.
Remove sticky tape and foil from the back of the screen and glue it somewhere so you
can reuse it later, when you assemble the screen.
Removing tape from the backlight cables.
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On my screen the green circuit board was glued to the plastic frame with a double sided
tape. Carefully unglue the circuit board. Be very careful, do not flex or bend the circuit
board.
The circuit board has been unglued.
Place the LCD screen on the side and start removing the metal frame witch secures the
LCD to the plastic frame. There will be many latches on all sides of the frame, you can
unlock them with a small screwdriver.
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Continue separating the metal frame from the plastic base.
On the following picture you can see that frame, LCD with the circuit board and screen
base have been separated. Be careful, do not touch internal components with your
fingers. Handle all internal components by the sides.
Place the metal frame and LCD with the circuit board aside. Youll need them only when
you assemble everything back together.
There will be a few transparent layers inside. Carefully remove them from the screen
base. Do not separate the layers, just put them aside together.
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Keep everything organized, so you have no trouble assembling the screen.
Start removing the metal cover from the backlight lamp (CCFL).
The backlight cover has been removed.
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The backlight lamp (CCFL) cables are routed through small plastic hooks.
Unroute the backlight lamp cables.
Now probably the hardest part in this disassembly process removing the backlight
lamp and reflector. The backlight lamp is secured inside the reflector so you have to
remove both and then separate them.
Before you remove the backlight lamp and reflector take a closer look how its
assembled and mounted to the screen base. Fitting the backlight and reflector back in
place could be a very challenging task.
The reflector is glued to the screen base with a double sided tape.
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After the reflector has been unattached from the screen base, you can start removing
the backlight lamp. As you see on the picture, I marked the left side of the reflector with
a red dot so I know where the red cable goes when I assemble everything back
together.
The backlight lamp (CCFL) has been removed from the reflector.
In order to access the backlight lamp leads youll have to remove the rubber caps from
both side of the lamp. Im not sure if you can touch the backlight lamp with your fingers,
so I would use rubber gloves.
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Cabled on both sides of the backlight lamp are soldered to the backlight leads. In order
to access the leads youll have to remove the black insulator on both side of the lamp.
Unsolder both cables from the old backlight lamp and solder them to a new one.
You can test the new backlight lamp (CCFL) before you install it back into the screen.
Connect the backlight lamp into the inverter board and turn on the laptop. The backlight
lamp should light up.
From my experience, on some laptops the backlight lamp will not light up until the video
cable is connected to the LCD screen. In this case youll have to assemble the LCD
screen and then test it.
Repair LCD screen with water damage

Yesterday took apart and repaired my notebook LCD screen with water damage. The
screen itself was working just fine but it had two different problems.
previous owner spilled water on the laptop. Somehow the water got inside the LCD
screen and left stains inside the screen. The water marks were very noticeable on a
white background and it was very irritating.
the screen also had dust and lint inside also very noticeable on a white background. I
have no idea how it got in there but I decided to clean it up too.
To fix both problems I had to open up the LCD screen. This was my first experience on
opening a notebook screen. I was pretty confident because I didnt really care if I break
the screen, I just wanted to know if its possible to fix it.
Warning: the LCD screen can be easily damaged if you open it up. If you do something
wrong the screen might become completely unusable and youll have to buy a new
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screen. Its very expensive. Think twice before you decide opening the screen. Continue
at your own risk.
Heres my Dell Latitude D610 notebook with water damaged screen Im going to take
apart.
First of all remove the battery from the notebook.
Lift up rubber screw seals and remove all screws.
Carefully separate the screen bezel from the LCD cover and remove the bezel
.
Remove two screws from the front and two screws from both sides.
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Carefully remove the LCD screen from the cover and place it on the notebook base.
Disconnect the video cable and the inverter board cable.
On this model the inverter board is attached to the screen with two screws. Remove
both screws, disconnect the screen cable and remove the inverter board.
Carefully peel off sticky tape and foil and put it aside. Youll have to put it back in place
during the screen reassembly.
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Remove two screws from both sides of the screen.
Carefully place the screen upside down on a flat surface. Carefully unglue the film that
covers the circuit board and remove two screws from the board (top circles). I wasnt
really sure if I have to remove screws on the bottom, so I removed them just in case. Do
not touch the circuit board with fingers.
After both screws are removed you should be able to lift up the circuit board. Be careful,
its still attached to the LCD.
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Start unsnapping the metal frame from the screen. There are a lot of latches on all sides
of the screen. You can unlock them with nails or a small flat head screwdriver.
After all latches are opened you should be able to separate the screen into three pieces:
metal frame, LCD and background (not sure about correct technical name).
If you have lint or dust inside the screen, probably youll find it between the LCD and the
background. Do not touch LCD or background with your fingers. I was able to remove
dust and lint up with a very soft cloth, barely touching the LCD and background
surfaces.
After I split the screen I found that the background has a few some kind of optical layers
(three transparent sheets) and in my case they were damaged by water. The water
dried out and left stains between these optical layers.
In my case removing dust and lint wasnt enough and I had to go further.
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Very carefully separate the LCD with attached circuit board from the background.
To remove damaged optical layers its necessary to remove metal locks on both sides
of the screen. Its like a small clip that keeps layers in place.
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After I removed both clips, I was able to look between the layers. At first I tried to clean
up the dried water marks with a soft cloth but it didnt help. The stains were still visible
and didnt want to go away.
Fortunately I had another similar screen laying around, it had a cracked LCD. I decided
to borrow the optical layers from the cracked screen and transfer them to my screen. I
wasnt sure if its going to work, but as I mentioned before I didnt really care if I break
the screen. It was just an experiment.
So I disassembled the cracked screen and carefully transferred the white background
and all transparent layers to my screen.
After that I assembled my screen back removing dust and lint with a very soft cloth.
Breathlessly connected my new screen to the notebook. Turned it on and
Thats a miracle, it works!
No dust, no lint, no water mars inside the screen! Its clear and the background is
absolutely clean!
My donor screen had a cracked LCD but it had a good working backlight tube. The
backlght tube is very fragile and its located inside a metal casing. I didnt remove the
backlight tube, I just broke off the entire metal casing from the plastic frame. Im going to
use this backlight tube for testing purposes.
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Very strange hard drive failure symptoms

A few days ago I had to repair a notebook with symptoms that didnt look like a hard
drive failure at all. But the problem was fixed after I replace the hard drive.
It was Toshiba Satellite A70-S249 notebook with the following problem.

When I press on the power button, the laptop starts up as usual and a red Toshiba logo
appears on the screen. After a moment the logo disappears and the screen turns black
without any faint image and flashing cursor. The blue light around the power button
stays on and fans continue to spin normal but nothing appears on the screen. I noticed
that the hard drive LED blinks green on the startup and after that shows no activity at
all. After a closer inspection I noticed that the screen is not completely black (like dead
black), it didnt have any image on it but it had a very faint backlight (I would say about
3-5% of normal brightness). I was able to see that there is some backlight after I
pressed on the lid close switch and the screen turned to completely black.
Here are my troubleshooting steps that I went through to find the problem.
First of all, I replaced the memory module and didnt get any changes. Removed the
wireless card, still had the same problem.
After that I removed the hard drive and started the computer. This time I got something.
The notebook successfully passed the Toshiba screen and started looking for a boot
device. I got some activity on the screen. To make sure that the notebook itself works
fine, I booted it from Knoppix (live Linux CD) and successfully loaded the Linux
operating system to the desktop. So, thats the hard drive problem!
I installed the hard drive back in the laptop and tried to boot it again. The same failure
occurred again; I got a black screen with a very faint backlight and no hard drive activity
at all. I tested the hard drive with Hitachi DFT test and failed an advanced test. The
problem is detected!
Finally I installed a new hard drive, reimaged the drive with a recovery DVD and got the
laptop back up and running.
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By the way, even though the customers hard drive failed the DFT test, I still was able to
access it from another computer. The customer had important personal files on the
failed drive. I connected it to our recovery desktop computer using IDE adapter. The
failed hard drive was detected without any problem and I was able to recover the data.
How to test screen inverter
In this post I explain how I test the inverter board in a laptop.
The inverter failure is very similar to the backlight lamp failure. In both cases the screen
gets very dark and the image becomes very faint, barely visible under a bright light.
There is only one reliable way to test the inverter replacing it with another one and see
if the screen lights up after that.
Alternatively, you can connect a new backlight lamp and see if your presumably bad
inverter lights it up.
In most cases I go with the second method using my test backlight lamp. Why?
Because the same backlight lamp will work with many different inverters as long as they
have matching connectors.
Usually the inverter is mounted inside the display panel below the screen. In most cases
you can access it after you remove the display bezel. The inverter has connectors on
both ends. The left side connects to the LCD cable. The right side connects to the
backlight lamp which is mounted inside the screen. Check out this display diagram.
To make sure that inverter gets power from the motherboard (via the LCD cable), you
can test it with a voltmeter. In my case I connected the + lead of the voltmeter to the
pin 1 and the - lead to the ground trace around the screw hole. I got about 19.4V DC
on that side of the board, so its getting power from the motherboard.
WARNING! If you accidentally short something on the inverter while testing, you can
damage it. Proceed on your own risk! Not sure? Dont do that!
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So far we know the inverter is getting power from the motherboard, but the screen still
has no light. Apparently, its either bad inverter or failed backlight lamp.
Now lets test it with a known good backlight lamp.
1. Unplug the screen backlight cable from the right side of the inverter.
2. Connect a known good backlight lamp.
Turn on the laptop.
1. If the test backlight turns on, the lamp inside the screen is bad. In this case youll
have to replace the screen. Also, you can replace the backligth lamp which is not easy
and not recommended.
2. If the test backlight doesnt turn on, most likely we have inverter failure. Replace it
and test the laptop again.
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There are two different types of backlight connector, you can see them on the picture
below. The top one (big) is not as common as the bottom one (small). I mostly use
lamps with a small connector.
IMPORTANT! When you buy a new lamp for test, make sure the connector fits your
inverter.
On the following picture you see how Im testing the laptop with a new lamp.
Laptop does not start. Fixing the problem.

If your laptop does not start at all or it starts but will not boot properly, its possible that you can
fix the laptop at home without taking it to a repair center. Here are some troubleshooting tips for
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you. Im 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 its 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
youll 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
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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 Hitachis 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 its 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 6
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. Heres my previous post witch covers troubleshooting bad images on the
screen in more details.
How to troubleshoot and fix video problems
Here are some tips and tricks for troubleshooting and fixing laptop video problems.
Video issues are very common within portable computers and with the following tips you
should be able to detect and eliminate basic laptop video problems.
Laptop LCD screen has a faint image.
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Look at the LCD screen very closely and check if you can see a faint image on the
screen. Its possible that the LCD lid close switch stuck in the closed position and the
backlight stays off even when you open the LCD screen or turn on the laptop. The
switch turns off the backlight when you close the LCD display to save the laptop battery
power. Check the LCD lid close switch. Usually it is a small plastic pin located close to
the LCD hinges. Try to tap on the switch a few times to turn on the backlight. If after
tapping on the LCD lid close switch the backlight stays on, you fixed the problem.
It is also possible that after tapping on the LCD lid close switch the backlight works fine,
you see a normal video on the screen for some time and then the backlight turns itself
off again. In this case I would blame the FL inverter board. Try to reseat cables on both
end of the FL inverter to make a better contact between the cables and the FL inverter
board. If it doesnt help I would try to replace the FL inverter board.
Laptop LCD screen is solid white color.
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Most likely it is just a bad connection between the LCD display and the system board. I
would try reseating the video cable connector on the back of the LCD screen first and
check if it fixes the problem. After that I would try reseating the video cable connector on
the system board. I would also try reseating cables if there is no video on the LCD
screen at all.
The video on the LCD screen is garbled.
Try to connect the LCD screen to an external monitor. If the external video is fine, you
have a problem with the LCD screen or the LCD video cable. You can try to fix the
problem by reseating the video cable on the back of the LCD and on the system board.
If you see the same garbled video output on the external monitor most likely it is not the
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LCD screen problem. In this case the system board (with onboard video) is bad or the
video card is bad.
I understand that these tips will not cover all video problems with portable computers. If
you have a different problem, you are welcome to leave a comment and I will try to help
you if I can.
Display assembly diagram
Here is a simple diagram that will help you to understand how a notebook display
assembly works and how an image appears on the screen, if you cannot see a laptop in
this picture, dont be mad.
A generic display assembly includes a very few parts and knowing them will help you to
understand witch part can cause a problem if you laptop video not working properly.
Video cable. A video signal from the motherboard goes to the LCD screen through the
video cable. The video cable connects to the motherboard (or video card) through the
connector 1. The video cable connects to the LCD screen through the connector 2. The
video cable (in most cases) is also responsible for supplying a necessary voltage for the
FL inverter board. The video cable connects to the FL inverter board at the point 3.
FL inverter board. This board is responsible for converting low voltage DC power
(point 3) to high voltage AC (point 4), necessary to light up the backlight bulb. If the FL
inverter board is bad, the LCD screen (backlight bulb) will not light up when you turn on
the laptop, but you still should be able to see a very dim image on the screen.
CCFL (backlight bulb). When the backlight bulb lights up, you can see an images on
the LCD screen. In most cases the backlight bulb is a part of the LCD screen and if its
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bad, the entire screen has to be replaced. By the way, some specialized repair shops
can replace the backlight bulb itself.
Lid close switch. The lid close switch is a small button that locates close to the display
hinges. On some newer models there is no button, because the switch is magnetic. You
can set up your laptop to go to a hibernation mode or to a standby mode when the LCD
is closed. Its done through power management software. These modes are triggered
when the display is closed and the lid close switch is pressed down. If the LCD screen
on your laptop will not light up when you open the display assembly, check the lid close
switch is stuck inside (it might happen because the switch is dirty).
CD-ROM drive disappeared from My Computer
One day you turn on your computer and cannot see the CD-ROM or the DVD-ROM
drive in the My Computer window anymore. This problem is very common for laptop and
notebook computers and might be caused by a failed drive or by corrupted software.
You can try the following repair steps before you decide that your drive is bad.
I found this solution on Microsoft website and it helped me many times to fix the
problem with a missing DVD/CD-ROM drive. I always try removing the CD/DVD
drive from the device manager first and if it doesnt fix the problem I go with
removing the registry entry. Method 1 worked very well for me.
If the above mentioned methods didnt work for you, you can try to reseat the
optical drive. Overtime the CD-ROM drive connector might get oxidized and a
simple drive reseating can fix the problem. Try to remove the drive from the
laptop and put it back. See if it will fix the problem.
You can also try to boot from any bootable CD to see if you laptop recognize the
CD-ROM drive on BIOS level. Put any bootable CD (Live Linux CD, Windows XP
CD, Windows 2000 CD, etc) into the CD-ROM drive and change the boot order
to start from the CD-ROM drive. If you laptop starts to boot from the CD, then the
drive is recognized in BIOS and most likely it operates properly. In this case look
for a software problem. It might be necessary to reload the operating system to
fix the software problem. If you cannot boot your laptop from a bootalbe CD, then
the drive might be bad itself.
Fixing Compaq motherboard video

Also, this fix might work for the following HP/Compaq motherboards: HP Pavilion
dv2000/dv6000/dv9000, Compaq Presario V3000 and probably some other
models.
WARNING!
This repair might be harmful for your health and baking motherboard in an oven
probably is a bad idea. It could be toxic. I did this repair for myself, at my own risk. If you
decide to use these instructions, please do it at your own risk.
FIXING NO VIDEO ISSUE BY BAKING THE MOTHERBOARD.
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Problem description: I had an abandoned Compaq Presario V6000 computer. It was

turning on when but after a few seconds turning off by itself. There was no video on
internal screen or external monitor. I tried another AC adapter, new memory modules
but it didnt help. I was pretty sure the motherboard failed.
Research: After I did some research on the Internet, I found that this is a known
problem with Pavilion dv2000/dv6000/dv9000 and Presario V3000/V6000 motherboards
and most likely related to the graphics chip failure. The graphics chip is soldered to the
motherboard. Apparently, there are bad solder joints between the chip and
motherboard. Overtime the chip separates from the motherboard causing all kind of
video problems.
Possible solution: One guy suggested baking the failed motherboard in a conventional
oven preheated to 385 degrees Fahrenheit for exactly 8 minutes. This process should
reflow the chip solder joints and give the motherboard a second life.
I had nothing to lose and decided to give it a try. Heres how I did it step by step.
First of all, youll have to disassemble the laptop and remove the motherboard.
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Remove all peripheral components installed on the motherboard (memory, cooling

module, CPU, etc). Remove all protective mylar tape. The motherboard will be baking
at a very high temperature and all that can burn has to be removed.
STEP 2Take pictures while stripping down the motherboard. They will help you to put
all removed protective films back in proper locations.
This side of the board has been stripped down.

STEP 3 You can see the graphics chip on the right side from the CPU socket.
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STEP 4.Remove all mylar from the other side of the motherboard. Disconnect the audio
cable.
STEP 5.The motherboard will be seating in the oven on the baking pan. In order to
elevate the motherboard above the baking pan ill use a few screws.
STEP 6. I installed screws in four corners of the motherboard. There are plenty holes for
screws.
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STEP 7. You can see there is a 3/4 inch gap between the board and desk surface. The
graphics chip is facing up.
Place the motherboard on the baking pan. Make sure its not touching anything.
Preheat the conventional gas oven to 385 degrees Fahrenheit and place the board in
the middle of the oven for 8 minutes. Youll smell some burning plastic in about 6
minutes.
After that remove the baking pan with motherboard and let it cool down for about 30-40
minutes.
Assemble the laptop back together and see if it works
.
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This fix worked for me! After I assembled everything back together, it started properly
right away. The video had no glitches.
How to fix HP video problem
Today I show how to fix a known video problem on some HP laptops using bubble wrap.
Most likely the fix is not permanent but this will buy you some time, enough to backup
personal files or even use the laptop until you get a new one. There is no guaranty this
fix work 100%.
Here are some HP models affected by this known video failure problem: HP
Pavilion dv2000, dv6000, dv9000, tx1000 tablet PC, Compaq 700, v3000, v6000 and
probably some others.
If you know more models, please mention them in comments after this post.
CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM:

As I know, the video problem somehow related to NVIDIA graphics chip located on the
motherboard. Overtime the graphics chip separates from the motherboard and the video
fails.
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SYMPTOMS OF THE PROBLEM:
The computer turns on and all leds light up but there is no video on the screen or
external monitor. The internal screen remains completely black and blank.
HOW TO FIX:
1. Remove the battery and hard drive.
2. Plug the AC adapter and turn on the laptop. Make sure its is actually on, all leds
should work.
3. Wrap it up with towels so all air intakes are closed.
4. Keeps the laptop wrapped in the towel for about one hours.
5. Unplug the AC adapter from the wall the let it cool down (do not move it for a while).
6. Unwrap the laptop and try tuning it on.
I didnt really believe that this trick might work and tried it just because of curiosity but
IT WORKED!!!!
#1. HP tx1000 Tablet PC repair.
First, I tried this fix on a failed HP tx1000 Tablet PC.

I didnt have paper towels at work but I had plenty of bubble wrap.
I closed it in a tablet mode (with hard drive and battery removed), plugged the AC
adapter and wrapped the laptop properly in bubble wrap.
After that I just waited for about two hours and unplugged AC adapter from the
wall. Waited for about 30 minutes and tried turning it on.
Success!!! It starts with with video.
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I just couldnt stop and tried the fix on another one.

#2. HP Pavilion dv6000.
This is a different model with very similar failure symptoms. It failed exactly the same
way as the first one.
This time I did something extra. To make sure there is no cool air coming into the case
through the bubble wrap, I closed all air vents with sticky tape.
After that I turned it on from AC adapter (again with hard drive and battery removed)
and wrapped the base.
It was running like that for about 60-70 minutes but then I noticed that all LED lights
went off.
Not sure what happened. Maybe the motherboard overheated too much and shut down
on its own. Anyway, I didnt touch it for about 30 minutes and let it cool down.
My fix was successful again! The laptop turned on with video and booted to the desktop.
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HOW THIS FIX WORKS:

Heres my understanding of how this fix works.
When you run a laptop wrapped in towels (bubble wrap in my case), it gets very hot
because there is no air circulation inside the heat sink.
The heat sink gets so hot that it melt solder between the chip and motherboard and the
video chip gets reordered to the motherboard.
.

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Computer Fundamental

COMPUTER FUNDAMENTAL TUTORIAL

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Computer Fundamentals Tutorial

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Fifth Generation ....................................................................................... 27

CPU Central Processing Unit .............................................. 35

Input Devices ......................................................................... 38

Output Devices ...................................................................... 46

Random Access Memory ....................................................... 59

Read Only Memory ................................................................ 61

Memory Units ......................................................................... 65

Number System ..................................................................... 76

Number Conversion ............................................................... 79

Shortcut method - Octal to Binary ............................................................ 81

Data and Information ............................................................. 84

Networking ................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

Operating System ..................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Internet and Intranet .................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

How to Buy? ............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

Available Courses ..................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Takes data as input.

Processes the data and converts it into useful information.

Generates the output

Controls all the above four steps.

accepts and stores data input,

processes the data input, and

generates the output in a required format.

Computer is a very fast device.

It is capable of performing calculation of very large amount of data.

In addition to being very fast, computers are very accurate.

The calculations are 100% error free.

Memory is a very important characteristic of computers.

A computer has much more storage capacity than human beings.

It can store large amount of data.

It can work continuously without any error and boredom.

It can do repeated work with same speed and accuracy.

A computer is a very versatile machine.

A computer is very flexible in performing the jobs to be done.

A computer is a reliable machine.

Modern electronic components have long lives.

Computers are designed to make maintenance easy.

Computer is an automatic machine.

Automation means ability to perform the given task automatically.

Reduction in Paper Work

A computer is a machine that has no intelligence to perform any task.

Each instruction has to be given to computer.

A computer cannot take any decision on its own.

It functions as per a users instruction, so it is fully dependent on human being.

The operating environment of computer should be dust free and suitable.

Computers have no feelings or emotions.

ollowing list demonstrates various applications of computers in today's arena.

Managing employees database

Maintenance of stocks etc.

procedure to continue with policies

starting date of the policies

next due installment of a policy

CBE involves control, delivery, and evaluation of learning.

Surgery: Nowadays, computers are also used in performing surgery.

Military Operation and Planning

Sales tax department

Income tax department

Computerization of voters lists