Portable computers Unit objectives: Identify and install notebook components Configure your mobile computer Replace components in notebook computers and.

Portable computers

Unit objectives: Identify and install notebook

components Configure your mobile computer Replace components in notebook

computers and handheld devices Troubleshoot and maintain notebook

components

Topic A

Topic A: Notebook computers Topic B: Configuration Topic C: Component replacement Topic D: Notebook issues

Notebook computer

Small size Light weight Standard client operation system Components modified from desktop

Touchpad

Keyboard

Monitor

Typical notebook components

CPU Memory Hard drive CD or DVD drive Monitor Keyboard Pointing device Network adapter Modem Peripheral ports One or more slots for expansion cards

Notebooks

Not as easy to upgrade as desktops Little compatibility between

manufacturers or within a manufacturer’s own lines

Typically more expensive than desktops

Designed to be small, lightweight, and portable

Secure with a cable lock

Netbooks

Subcompact notebooks Smaller than regular notebooks Designed for wireless Internet use Lower processing power and storage

capacity Easy to travel with Run variety of

operating systems

Notebook batteries

Vary in size and shape Provide 30 minutes to 8 hours of

power

Battery types

Nickel cadmium (NiCad) Nickel metal-hydride (NiMH) Lithium-ion (Li-Ion) Zinc air Fuel cell

Power adapters

External power cord and transformer Automatically switches power Power cord recharges the battery 12-volt power adapters available

Computer plug TransformerOutlet plug

Power indicator lights

Solid light Solid alternate-color light Blinking light

Auto-switching

Automatically switch between battery and AC power

AC power supply connected, notebook runs on external power

No AC power supply connected, notebook runs on battery– Runs on battery until fully discharged or

connected to AC power supply

OS monitors battery power and displays low-battery warnings

Notebook processors

Engineered to:– Use less power– Generate less heat

For up-to-date specs refer to manufacturers’ Web sites:– http://www.amd.com/us/products/notebook/

processors/Pages/notebook-processors.aspx – http://www.intel.com/products/laptop/

processors/index.htm NOTEBOOKCHECK Web site

maintains CPU benchmarks for mobile processors

continued

Notebook processors, continued

Heat dissipation Power management

– ACPI Sleep Hibernate Standby

– Wireless network connectivity

Notebook memory

SODIMM– Approx. half size of regular DIMM– 6.76 cm x 3.015 cm– 72, 100, 144, 200 or 204 pins

MicroDIMM– Smaller than SODIMM– 4.25 cm x 2.5 cm– 5.4 cm x 3.0 cm– 144, 172, 214 pins

Notebook drives

Hard drive DVD or CD drive Typically no floppy DVD/CD drive might be RW Hard drive

– Size: typically smaller than desktop– Small form factor: 2.5" drive– Uses less power than desktop drive– Often slower than desktop drive

Notebook keyboard

Numeric keypadshares the letter keys

Function keys havespecial functions, accessed with Fn key

LCD monitors

LCD technology– Uses less power – Generates less heat – Takes up less space– Produces less glare

Three types of LCD technology– Transmissive – Reflective – Transflective

Native resolutions

XGA SXGA UXGA WXGA+ WSXGA+ WUXGA Active matrix technology used to

provide highest resolution available

Notebook pointing devices

Integrated pointing devices– Middle of keyboard– Below keys

Types– Small pointer (like a joystick) with

separate buttons; below Spacebar– Trackball– Touchpad

Touchpad

Glide surface

Left button

Right button

Handwriting technology

Write letters and numbers on the monitor screen

Use a stylus Program interprets characters for use

in applications Used on tablet PCs

Notebook peripheral ports

USB and IEEE 1394 ports VGA, DVI, HDMI ports Memory card readers PS/2 ports and S-Video

Volume controls

Line outMicrophone port

Mute button

Microphone port

Mute button

Volume controls

Mute button

Volume controls

Mute button

Line out

Volume controls

Mute button

Line out

Volume controls

Mute button

Activity A-1

Identifying the components and integrated peripherals in a notebook

Wireless communication

Use to link devices:– PCs– Handheld computers– Music players

Methods:– Infrared light– Radio waves– Bluetooth

Infrared

Pulses of infrared light Up to 16 Mbps 1 meter range Direct line of sight No more than a 30-degree angle

IrDA port

Radio

Modulated signals sent over radio waves

Not line-of-sight Technologies with varying features

– 802.11n — Theoretical max. 300 Mbps; real-world speeds 100-140 Mbps

– 802.11g — Theoretical max. 54 Mbps; real-world speeds 22-24 Mbps

RF = radio frequency– Uses antenna; sometimes hidden in case

802.11n wireless router

Bluetooth

Short-range radio (10 meters) Auto-discovery Self-configuring devices Includes an antenna, often hidden

inside device Cell phones, PDAs, music players,

etc.

Network connections

Ethernet– Most popular form of LAN – Good balance between ease of setup

and use, speed, and cost

Wireless– Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) – WiMAX (IEEE 802.16 Air Interface

Standard) – Cellular WAN– Bluetooth– 802.11a

Switches for wireless antenna

Electrical switch

Mechanical switch

Activity A-2

Comparing wireless networking standards

Topic B


Windows Mobility Center

Windows 7 and Windows Vista Contains tiles that link to different

utilities Provides a central location for

configuration Available on mobile PCs (including

tablet PCs) Tiles vary by manufacturer



Display brightness Volume Battery status Wireless networking status Screen orientation (important for tablet

PCs) External display Sync Center Presentation settings

Activity B-1

Using the Windows Mobility Center

Power-saving modes

Standby Sleep Hibernation

Sleeping and hibernating notebooks

1. Open the Control Panel

2. Click Hardware and Sound

3. Under Power Options, click “Change what the power buttons do”

4. Select the actions you want taken when you close the lid or press the power button

5. Click “Save changes”

Selecting a power plan

Power plans

Predefined:– Balanced– Power saver– High performance

Customize– Predefined plan– Unique custom plan

Activity B-2

Putting a notebook into hibernate and sleep modes

Topic C


Replacing components

Refer to manufacturer’s documentation to find panels or slots

Document and label screw locations Organize parts Use appropriate hand tools

Hot-swappable components

Can be added or removed without turning the computer off

Technologies include:– PCMCIA– USB– IEEE 1394– Fibre Channel – Serial ATA

Supported in Windows and Linux

PC Card types

Type I — 3.3 mm thick Type II — 5 mm thick Type III — 10.5 mm thick Type IV — 16 mm thick; not part of the

PCMCIA standards

Type II PC Card

Bus connections

CardBus Zoomed Video eXecute In Place ExpressCard

Inserting and removing PC cards

Inserting– Insert straight into slot– Pins connect in back of slot

Removing– Stop services by using Safely Remove

Hardware icon– Press Eject button– Card pops out of slot

Card and socket services

Metaformat or Card Information Structure

Card Services Socket Services

Safely Remove Hardware

Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media

Activity C-1

Adding and removing hot-swappable components

Non-hot-swappable components

Require computer to be shut down Referred to as “coldplug” Often internal components

– Memory– Hard disk

Unplug the system and remove the battery

Always follow ESD precautions

Mini PCI card

Same functionality as PCI card, but smaller format

Installed inside notebook

Mini PCI card

Mini PCIe cards

Replacing the mini PCI card on mini-ITX system boards

Smaller than mini PCI card by approximately half– 30 mm x 51 mm

52-pin edge connector System board mini PCIe slot must

support both ExpressCard and USB 2.0

Mini PCIe card

Upgrading memory

Location in notebook varies by model and manufacturer

Most modern notebooks use standard memory modules

Some notebooks use proprietary memory

When upgrading, consider shared video memory

Configure shared memory in BIOS

Removing the hard drive

Screws

Text

Hard drive

Swapping a removable drive

Some notebooks allow user to exchange CD or DVD drive with floppy or other drive

Press release lever or button to eject drive

Might be able to connect floppy drive externally through USB port

Keyboard1. Remove any screws holding bottom cover in

place.2. Remove cover.3. Disconnect connectors that connect the

keyboard cables to system board.4. If keyboard held in by screws, remove the

screws.If held in by plastic snaps, gently pry up the edge of the keyboard using a flat-head screwdriver. Lift the keyboard up and out.

5. Gently lift keyboard out.6. Gently place new keyboard in place of old one.7. Connect keyboard cables to system board.8. Replace bottom cover and reinsert any screws.9. Replace battery and, if desired, reconnect

notebook to external power source.

LCD panel and video inverter card

Video inverter card – interface between LCD panel and system board

If LCD monitor is dim – replace video inverter card

If LCD is black – connect external monitor to notebook– External display works, LCD does not –

replace LCD panel assembly– External display doesn’t work – replace

video adapter card

Disassembling an LCD panel

1. Disconnect the notebook from any external power source and remove the battery.

2. If necessary for your notebook, remove the keyboard.

3. If necessary for your notebook, remove screws in the back of the notebook to release the hinge assembly.

4. Remove the hinge covers. These are typically plastic, so be careful not to snap them.

5. Lift the cover off the notebook. As you do so, disconnect any wires or cables that connect the LCD panel to the system board.

continued

Disassembling an LCD panel, continued

6. Remove the screws that hold the LCD panel in the notebook’s top cover.

7. Remove the front bezel and rear cover from the LCD panel.

8. Remove the video inverter card.

9. Reverse the steps to reassemble and reattach the top with a new LCD panel, video inverter card, or both.

10. Replace the battery and, if desired, reconnect the notebook to an external power source.

Other components

Processor Heat sink Fan System board CMOS battery Touchpad or other pointing device Speakers Web camera Plastics

Processor, heat sink, fan

1. If replacing the processor, update the BIOS. Manufacturers often update their firmware to support newer processors.


3. Follow the manufacturer’s directions to remove the hinges, bottom cover plate, and keyboard.

4. Detach the LCD assembly from the bottom.5. Remove the plate or shell covering the

internal components. This is also referred to as the motherboard cover.

continued

Processor, heat sink, fan, continued

6. In some notebook computers, you might need to remove another component, such as the graphics card assembly, to gain access to the processor underneath.

7. Remove the heat sink. (Sometimes the fan and the heat sink will be part of the same cooling assembly.)

8. Unplug and detach the fan. 9. Following the manufacturer’s directions,

remove the processor. Some processors have a locking screw, some a locking bar.

10.Remove any thermal compound residue from the bottom of the heat sink and processor (if not replacing the processor).

continued

Processor, heat sink, fan, continued

11.Apply a thin layer of thermal compound and insert the new processor.

12.Reattach and plug in the original or a new system fan.

13.Reattach the original or a new heat sink (if not part of the same cooling assembly as the fan.)

14.Reassemble the notebook reversing the steps you took to disassemble it to this point.

15.Replace the battery and if desired, reconnect the notebook to an external power source.

System board


2. Remove the hard drive, optical drive, and memory.

3. Follow the manufacturer’s directions to remove the hinges, bottom cover plate, and keyboard.

4. Detach the LCD display assembly from the bottom.

5. Remove the plate or shell covering the internal components.

continued

System board, continued

6. Carefully remove the internal components attached to the system board. Components to remove might include the heat sink, fan, wireless networking adapter, modem, touchpad or other pointing device, and processor.

7. Carefully remove the system board from the notebook. It might be held in place by plastic clips or screws.

8. Place the new system board in the computer, carefully lining up the cutouts for side ports, such as USB.

9. Replace the processor, remembering to remove any old thermal compound and to add new.

continued

System board, continued

10.Replace the internal components that were attached to the system board.

11.Reassemble the notebook, reversing the steps you took to disassemble it to this point.

12.Replace the battery and, if desired, reconnect the notebook to an external power source.

CMOS battery1. Disconnect the notebook from any external

power source and remove the battery.

2. Follow the steps to remove the keyboard.

3. Remove the plate or shell covering the internal components.

4. Locate the CMOS battery on the system board.

5. Remove the battery. In some notebook computers, it is held in place with clips. In others, the battery is encased in plastic, connected to wires and a connector, and then plugged into the motherboard.

continued

CMOS battery, continued6. Reassemble the notebook.


8. Turn on the computer and enter the CMOS utility.

9. Enter the BIOS settings.

10.Save settings and restart.

Pointing device


2. Follow the steps to disassemble the bottom of the notebook where the system board is located.

3. Disconnect the pointing device’s cables. Make sure to label the cables, so you know where to reattach cables for the right and left mouse buttons.

4. Carefully remove the old pointing device.

5. Insert a new pointing device in its place.

continued

Pointing device, continued

6. Reattach the cables.

7. Reassemble the notebook, reversing the steps you took to disassemble it to this point.


Speakers


2. Follow the steps to disassemble either the top cover of the noteboo,k where the LCD screen is located, or the bottom of the notebook, where the system board is located.

3. Locate the speakers (in newer laptops that play stereo sound, there is typically a right and a left speaker) and gently lift them out, disconnecting the cables.

continued

Speakers, continued

4. Connect the cables for the new speakers and place the speakers in their proper location.

5. Reassemble the notebook, reversing the steps you took to disassemble it to this point.


Web camera


2. Remove the front bezel from the display panel. Refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for the exact steps to do this.

3. Carefully remove the Web camera, disconnecting its cable.

continued

Web camera, continued

4. Insert a new camera and connect its cable.

5. Replace the front bezel.


Activity C-2

Replacing an internal component in a notebook

Peripherals

USB ports Parallel port VGA port PS/2 ports S-Video port

Activity C-3

Adding peripherals

Desktop features

Peripheral ports on notebook Port replicator

– Ports only, no slots, no drives

Docking station– Ports– Slots for desktop cards– Bays for drives

Port replicator

Front view: Notebook connector

Rear view: Peripheral ports

Activity C-4

Docking and undocking a notebook

Topic D


Notebook computer issues

Inadvertent physical damage and spills Keyboards Pointing devices Stylus External peripherals aren’t working Overheating Added components not recognized Display Wireless antenna Wireless device not responding

Activity D-1

Troubleshooting notebook problems

Power issues

Rechargeable batteries wear out– Verify replacement battery is compatible

Battery indicator– Use software

to configure power options

Power-related measurements

Voltage Amperage Polarity Volts Amps = Watts

Replacing the battery

Necessary if – Mobile for long periods of time– Battery is no longer good

Battery compartment typically on bottom of notebook– Has slider or button to “pop out” battery– Not held in with screws or other holders

that require tools

Troubleshooting power problems

Check the notebook’s power status lights

Use a multimeter Swap the AC adapter Replace the battery

Power issues with handhelds

Replace or recharge batteries Back up data onto PC Can lose device settings

– Reset calibration and customized settings

Activity D-2

Identifying power problems

Maintenance

1. Clean the exterior case

2. Clean the touchpad

3. Keep the fan openings and ventilation holes clear

4. Blow out dust and other materials from sensitive components

5. Clean the monitor

6. Remove dust, crumbs, and dirt from between keyboard keys

7. Clean the CD or DVD-ROM drive

Activity D-3

Maintaining a notebook

Operating environment

50% humidity Temperature to keep components cool Low dust

Transporting a notebook

Specially designed padded case Properly pack to ship

1. Place bubble wrap around the laptop

2. Choose a box that allows at least 2" air gap between laptop and box top, bottom, and sides

3. Fill air gap with packing popcorn, bubble wrap, or other protective material

4. Use strapping tape to secure box flaps closed

5. Ship through a carrier that offers insurance and delivery confirmation

Unit summary

Identified and installed notebook components

Configured your mobile computer Replaced components in notebook

computers and handheld devices Resolved issues with, and maintained,

notebook components

Portable computers Unit objectives: Identify and install notebook components Configure your mobile computer Replace components in notebook computers and.

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