Welcome To Laptop Hacks. Com - Laptop Maintenance
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| 6 easy laptop repairs: Your step-by-step guide |
Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Five ways to put your netbook to good use around the house |
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| 10 Step Guide to Buying a Used Laptop That Works |
Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Cleaning Your Laptops Touchpad |
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| Cleaning Your Notebook Guide Part 4: Preventative Maintenance |
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| Cleaning Your Notebook Guide Part 3: Cleaning the Screen |
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| Cleaning Your Notebook Guide Part 2: Cleaning the Keyboard and Case |
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| Cleaning Your Notebook Guide Part 1: Cleaning the Air Vents |
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| 20 tips to get more juice from your laptop battery |
Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Dealing with a Dead Laptop Keyboard |
Every once in a while, a computer user ends up with a dead keyboard. You usually have an electrical or electronic culprit in a keyboard demise. An electrical breakdown may involve a frayed or broken connecting cable; failure of the keyboard's processor, which translates key strokes into scan codes that the CPUS recognizes and acts upon, may cause an electronic problem.Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Going for the Right Amount of Laptop Power |
You have a lot of choices to make when it comes to getting a laptop. What do you need to consider when deciding how powerful your laptop should be? You want to mull over three basic items when matching your laptop's hardware to the software that you need:* The microprocessor
* Memory or RAM
* Hard drive storage
Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| 10 Ways to Extend Laptop Battery Life |
We've all been there. You're an hour into the flight and Ross Geller is about to say the wrong name at his wedding, Bruce Willis is about to find that his shirt is blood stained, or the guy in the black cape is about to bypass the need for a Skywalker family DNA test. But you don't know any of these things yet, and, because your laptop just died and became little more than an expensive TV dinner tray, you're going to have to wait until you get to a power socket to see just how Rachel will react to this startling development in her love life.Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Identifying Power Adapter Problems in Your Laptop |
Say that you plug your laptop into a wall socket you press the On button, but the lights don't flash, the screen doesn't change colors, and the earth doesn't move. The power doesn't be. To identify the problem, you need to understand the nitty gritty of the electrical system. Nearly every laptop uses DC (direct current) voltage, usually in the range of 5 to 20 volts; almost nowhere in the world, outside of a laboratory, does that type and level of power come out of a wall outlet.Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| HP Laptop Keyboard Problems |
While HP has done a nice job taking laptop market share from Dell and launching a slick marketing campaign using the slogan "the computer is personal again", we wonder why their quality control, tech support and respect for customers isn't following suit with this campaign. We present the woeful and now epic tale of the HP Pavilion dv8000 and other dv series laptops that have keyboards with a mind of their own.Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| How to Save Your Tablet PC After a Spill |
It's a common tradition. We are all guilty at some time or another of having liquids or drinks next to our mobile computers. Although the unique marriage of coffee and a portable computer seem to be an inseparable pair (been to Starbucks recently?), there is some risk involved. Accidents certainly happen, and the results of a liquid meeting with the insides of a notebook or Tablet PC can be ugly!Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Backup Your Windows Notebook Now |
Nowadays you'll find many backup methods, options, and features in the wide range of backup software products available in the marketplace. These products let you choose from among simple to complex backup options. To make the most of your backups and to choose the solution that's right for you, you need a working knowledge of applicable terminology. So, that's where we'll start.Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| The Easy Way to Replace a Dying Notebook Hard Drive |
Maybe it's talent, maybe it's just luck, but it's a basic fact of the universe that I'm pretty good at breaking electronics especially hard disks. My track record is one or more dead hard drives per year. So, I've been thinking a lot lately about the rise of redundant disk drives in notebook computers, especially those in Alienware notebooks. RAID 0 buys no redundancy, but can drastically increase performance because data are placed on the disks to optimize access.Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| How Notebook Batteries Work and Why They Explode |
It seems like whenever I hit my favorite news sites lately, there's yet another report of an exploding mobile toy specifically the battery. Even as early as a few years ago, there were sporadic reports of cellular phones exploding in pants pockets, and maybe the occasional mobile phone setting the interior of a car on fire when left on the dashboard. All this, and more, has been quietly swept under the covers, settled mostly out of court by companies with deep pockets.Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Toshiba offers to exchange 340,000 batteries |
Toshiba Corp. has offered to exchange 340,000 notebook computer batteries, but said they do not pose a fire hazard. Instead, defective batteries could unexpectedly cut power to the notebooks, causing users to lose unsaved work.The batteries, made by Sony Corp., may fail to charge correctly, causing the power to cut off suddenly if the notebook is not connected to a main outlet, said Toshiba spokesman Keisuke Ohmori.
Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Testing your MacBook for Random Shut Downs |
Following the frustrating experience of having my MacBook shutting down without warning, I came across a terminal command that "tests" if your MacBook suffers from the issue. I thought I'd share this with everyone considering that many MacBook owners may not even be aware that their MacBook is faulty until it shuts down on them.Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| About Batteries: Tips on Longevity and Reviving the Dead |
Rechargeable batteries are the brawn behind the brains of today's portable electronic devices. But unless a cellphone dies in the middle of a call, or you are trying to determine which of your six charging devices to stuff into a suitcase before a flight, you might not give batteries much thought.Dell's recall of batteries for more than four million laptop computers, though, has brought renewed attention to the temperamental nature of a crucial power source.
Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Laptop care and repair |
Laptops are fragile machines and when something goes wrong they can be expensive to fix, so what can you do to lower your overall repair costs? First and foremost is educating your workforce on care and transport. When handing a machine to a new employee, affix a sticker to the shell with safety tips. Such a list can serve as a constant reminder of steps they can take to keep their laptop safe.Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| 10 Tips on Maximizing Laptop Battery Performance |
...I've gone and done a lot of experimenting and have a list of my tips to really maximize battery life for my laptop....And now, with no more delay, here's Jeremy's Tips for Maximizing Your Battery, or How to Fly From San Francisco to New York City With an Average Battery and Not Have to Watch an Ernest Goes to Anywhere Movie):
Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| How To Save Your Laptop From A Glass Full Of Water |
I spilled an entire glass of water onto my laptop. This is my "text only" laptop, a Gateway 3018GZ. I've had it for 2 years. It has worked quite well for the purposes that I intended it to serve. I did try installing Pirates! on it once but the Intel graphics chipset couldn't handle it. But that's ok....The bottom third of the screen got some. The entire keyboard got a lot. Spilling liquid on a notebook has been known to result in critical failure (motherboard and other circuitry).Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| DIY laptop case: a 12 step program |
I've never bought a carrying case for any of my laptops, but the new MacBook Pro is so sleek and lovely that I decided I would spring for a genu wine store bought case this time. A little research has deterred me, however. Word on the street is that the case making sector hasn't really caught up with the new Mac laptops' dimensions yet and various vendors are claiming that old stock designed for iBooks and PowerBooks will accommodate the MacBook and MB Pro, with mixed reviews from users.Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| A Note on Anti Reflective Screens |
Laptop manufacturers these days are popularizing LCD monitors with ClearView technology or other similarly branded screens. This basically means that the screens are coated with shiny or glossy anti reflective material instead of the usual matte anti glare finish common among LCD monitors until recently.Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Resetting PowerBook and iBook Power Management Unit (PMU) |
Learn about the PowerBook and iBook Power Manager and how to reset it. Resetting the power manager also resets date and time settings. After the reset, on some iBooks and PowerBooks, the system clock is set to 00:00 (GMT), 01 Jan 1970 for computers with Mac OS X or 00:00, 01 Jan 1904 for computers with Mac OS 9. The Power Manager is an integrated circuit (computer chip) that is usually on the logic board of the PowerBook and iBook.
Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Guide to Cooling Down Your Notebook Computer |
Does your notebook run hot or overheat? If it does, you are not alone. This guide is designed to help you reduce the temperature of your notebook considerably, all for little or no money and a few tweaks.Maintaining your notebook is important. The occasional wipe down is good, but that doesn't take care of the inside. Dust accumulates inside the notebook's cooling system after a while. It prevents air from flowing freely and traps heat.
Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Dell laptop explodes at Japanese conference |
AN INQUIRER READER attending a conference in Japan was sat just feet away from a laptop computer that suddenly exploded into flames, in what could have been a deadly accident. Guilhem, our astonished reader reports: "The damn thing was on fire and produced several explosions for more than five minutes".Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| ColorWare ships glossy MacBooks in 23 mouth watering hues |
ColorWare, a company known to many Mac users as a haven for getting your multi-colored Apple product fix and making sure it looks hot (instead of that janky paint job you would've done yourself in your garage) has begun shipping glossy, colored MacBooks in 23 different, delicious looking flavors that span the rainbow so nearly anyone can find something they like...Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| White MacBooks Turning Yellow |
When TUAW reader Rich sent us this link pointing to an Apple Discussions page discussing the tendency for some of the plastics on the new white MacBooks to turn yellowish after just a few weeks, I initially dismissed it as one or two overly sensitive Mac users complaining about the inevitable hand grease, dirt, and muck that all of our laptops experience during their average use. At least that's what I thought until I saw the pictures and started reading the many posts from many users experiencing the same problem.Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Quick and Easy Laptop and Notebook Diagnostics |
Whether your PC refuses to boot at all or only crashes sporadically, determining the cause of the error is generally a time consuming affair and it can turn out to be an expensive one, too, if users have to pay someone to do it for them. In the enterprise world, not every PC service department has a professional hardware diagnostic kit like the one marketed by UltraX. Thus, many service technicians end up having to hunt for the culprit practically "by hand," when in fact hardware defects can be detected and/or pinpointed faster with the help of diagnostic cards. That not only spares the technician a whole lot of headache, but it also eases the burden on the customer's wallet as well. Needless to say, using such a device to diagnose laptop hardware glitches would save both time and money.
Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Your Laptop Computer May Carry Hidden Fire Dangers |
CBS has uncovered a danger with laptop computers that the manufacturers may not want you to know. There are dozens of reports nationwide of laptops erupting into flames. We have the pictures, research and recalls to prove it. And despite all that, the major computer manufacturers would not comment.Nick Brown is an 11 year old who was playing on his Apple iBook in April when, like most children, he got distracted and left the room....
Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Quick and Easy Laptop and Notebook Diagnostics |
Whether your PC refuses to boot at all or only crashes sporadically, determining the cause of the error is generally a time consuming affair and it can turn out to be an expensive one, too, if users have to pay someone to do it for them. In the enterprise world, not every PC service department has a professional hardware diagnostic kit like the one marketed by Ultra X. Thus, many service technicians end up having to hunt for the culprit practically "by hand," when in fact hardware defects can be detected and/or pinpointed faster with the help of diagnostic cards. That not only spares the technician a whole lot of headache, but it also eases the burden on the customer's wallet as well. Needless to say, using such a device to diagnose laptop hardware glitches would save both time and money.
Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Replacing your laptop parts begins with a plan of attack |
There are plenty of Web sites that can help you find the right replacement parts for your laptop, as well as any other hardware you may need to make sure the new drive fits properly. How simple it is to swap in the new drive, however, can depend on the laptop's design and where the drive is located inside the machine.Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Improving Your Laptop's Battery Life |
Today's newest laptops can last for hours and hours. Like true work horses, they power for entire trans Atlantic flights. But these laptops don't come cheap. As if they have their hands on the next digital computing Wilt Chamberlain, manufacturers like IBM and Sony know the value of extending laptop battery life. Indeed, battery longevity is possibly one of the most important aspects of mobile computing.Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Calibrating Your Laptop Battery |
When you buy a brand new PowerBook, iBook, or MacBook Pro, it comes with a fresh battery ready to be charged. If you don't properly calibrate your battery, however, you won't get the maximum run time that it offers. Apple and many third party batteries include a built-in microprocessor that tracks the battery charge. Until you run your new battery through the calibration process, the microprocessor has to guess how much of a charge it can actually hold.Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Mobile ATA hard drives compared |
SERIAL ATA MAY HAVE all but taken over on the desktop, but plain old ATA is still going strong in the mobile space. Only recently did Serial ATA support make its way into mobile core logic chipsets, and not all laptop manufacturers took advantage of that capability when it first became available. Many waited until second-generation Serial ATA chipsets, such as those in Intel's latest "Napa" Centrino platform, to transition laptop designs to SATA.Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| Cleaning Laptop Keyboard |
After having searched the web for advise about fixing a sticky keyboard on my laptop, and finding nothing very helpful, I put together this HOWTO based on my own successful method. This will restore the keyboard to new, or better, performance. Laptop keyboards don't wear out, they foul out. Proper cleaning and lubrication as described here will restore your laptop keyboard to the snappy and smooth performance it had when new. There are several reasons why the keys will start to stick, spilled drinks, normal wearing off of the factory lubrication, weakening of the rubber pieces which give each key its snap action, and contamination by dust and hair. The following will completely solve these problems and return the keyboard to perfect operation.
Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
| How Much Power Does My Laptop Really Use? |
I've determined power usage on my desktop and on my server, but I hadn't gotten around to testing the power usage of my laptop. As battery life is always a concern with a laptop, I was particularly curious to see which parts of the laptop draw the most power. So I ran a few tests with my trusty kill a watt on my Dell Inspiron 300m. It's an ultaportable 2 pound laptop of late 2003 vintage with the following specs:...Linked by LT Hacker (...Click here to Read more)
