subject: A+ Training: Troubleshooting Issues With Laptops Part 1 [print this page] A+ Training: Troubleshooting Issues With Laptops Part 1
Laptop Power Failure
One of the most common occurrences in laptops is power failure. Whether it be due to high usage, battery failure or an error, it still can be hard to fix. Locating the problem can be a difficult task, but troubleshooting should help you detect the problem within a reasonable amount of time.
The first trick to troubleshooting accurately is to find out what is not wrong. It is a process of elimination. First of all check out the power points used by completing a lamp test to make sure they are not the problem, and then check that the transformer is working. If your laptop is a newer model, it should have an LED on the transformer to show that it is on or off, as well as a LED on the laptop, which shows that there is a power supply going through. If power is still reaching your laptop, but still it won't turn on, it may be the battery.
A frazzled or problematic battery isn't necessarily a major disaster, as most modern laptops can run off the mains without the use of the battery. Make sure the laptop can run without a battery, and then you can remove it and power up your laptop as normal. If you are still experiencing power failure, it may be a problem with power regulation, the main switch board or the on' button is simply damaged. To test for these you will need to use specialist equipment.
Bear that in mind, with the lower end of the laptop market badly manufactured batteries are used, so it may be simply that this battery has had its life and is now ready to be replaced. There are also a few of measures you can take to prevent battery failure, including regularly discharging the power in the battery. The amount the laptops needs charging and to discharge will depend upon the model, so search online for the requirements for the model. Some models need to be charged for a few hours then discharged, whilst others only need discharging once a week. Taking preventative action is often the best way to save a battery and prolong its life.
Troubleshooting is one of the main roles of an I.T technician, thus if you intend to start a career as an I.T technician by starting your A+ training, it's vital that you fully understand how to and that you continue to gather information on troubleshooting as technology changes.
If interested in a+ training, take a look at www.cvision.co.uk who provide computer based training for the a+ certification, plus many more.
