Troubleshooting Laptop Issues

This section reviews common causes and typical solutions for issues with laptops. Use Table 9-12 to look up typical laptop symptoms, problems, and solutions.

			Chapter 9: Troubleshooting 197
Table 9-12 Laptop Symptoms, Problems, and Solutions
Symptom	Possible Cause	Items to Check	Typical Solution
No display	System set to use	Fn key setting for	Press Fn key combination
	external display	display switching.	to switch back to internal
	only	Display properties.	display.
	Inverter or back-	Use a flashlight to	If the display is visible
	light failure	see if the desktop is	with flashlight, check the
		visible.	inverter; replace if defec-
			tive.
			If the inverter is okay,
			replace or repair the back-
			light or LCD assembly if
			cost-effective.
	LCD subsystem	Use a flashlight to	If the display is not visible
	failure	see if the desktop is	with a flashlight, plug in
		visible.	an external display.
			If the external display
			works, the LCD display
			panel should be replaced
			or repaired.
			If the external display
			doesn’t work, replace
			the video module on the
			motherboard or the moth-
			erboard.
Dim display	Inverter or back-	Use a flashlight to	If the display is visible
	light failure	see if the desktop is	with flashlight, check the
		visible.	inverter; replace if defec-
			tive.

If the inverter is okay, replace or repair the back-light or LCD assembly if cost-effective.

198 CompTIA A+ Quick Reference

Table 9-12 Continued

Symptom	Possible Cause	Items to Check	Typical Solution
Flickering dis-	Bad display driv-	Check the display	Update to latest display
play	ers	driver version.	driver for laptop.
	Screen refresh rate	Check the rate	Most laptops use non-
		selected.	interlaced 60Hz.
			Interlaced settings cause
			flicker.
	Loose connections	Check the connec-	Disassemble the laptop to
	between display	tions.	get access to the data and
	and motherboard		power cables.
Sticking keys	Keyboard might	Clean keyboard tops.	If cleaning the keyboard
	be dirty or have		with a data-rated vacuum
	debris on under-		cleaner or an antistatic
	side of keys		cleaner doesn’t solve the
			problem, replace the stick-
			ing keys or replace the
			keyboard.
Intermittent	Laptop not pick-	Reorient the laptop	If moving the laptop
wireless	ing up a strong	display screen or the	around at the current loca-
	enough signal	laptop.	tion does not improve sig-
			nal strength, try a different
			channel on the router.

Battery not Battery worn out Try running the sys-

charging tem on AC power

only.

If the system will run on AC power, replace the battery.

If system will not run on AC power, test the AC adapter and replace if defective.

Ghost cursor	Laptop screen	Adjust the mouse	Use mouse pointer options
	refreshes too	pointer visibility.	such as Display Pointer
	slowly		Trails And Show Location
			of Pointer When I Press
			the Ctrl key.

No power Battery worn out Try running the sys-

tem on AC power

only.

If the system will run on AC power, replace the battery.

If the system will not run on AC power, test the AC adapter and replace if defective.

AC adapter failure Test the AC adapter. Replace if defective.

			Chapter 9: Troubleshooting 199
Symptom	Possible Cause	Items to Check	Typical Solution
Num lock indi-	Typing with letters	Use the Fn key to	If the keyboard won’t switch
cator lights	on right side of	switch the keyboard	back to normal mode or if
	keyboard displays	back to normal	Num lock lights don’t work,
	numbers instead	mode.	replace the keyboard.
No wireless	Wireless adapter	Turn wireless adapt-	Look for push button or
connectivity	turned off	er back on.	pressure-sensitive button
			on front or top of laptop or
			as Fn key on keyboard.
No Bluetooth	Bluetooth adapter	Turn on Bluetooth	Use the Bluetooth Settings
connectivity	turned off	adapter.	in the Control Panel (see
			Figure 9-9).
	Bluetooth discov-	Enable Bluetooth	Use the Bluetooth Settings
	ery disabled	discovery.	in the Control Panel.
	Bluetooth device	Enable connections	Use the Bluetooth Settings
	connections not	from Bluetooth	in the Control Panel.
	allowed	devices.
Cannot display	External display	Detect external dis-	XP: Display properties.
to external	not detected	play.	Vista: Personalization menu.
monitor
			7: Screen Resolution menu.

Figure 9-9The Bluetooth Settings dialog on a system with discovery, connections, and the adapt-er turned off.

200 CompTIA A+ Quick Reference