Chapter: 7 Laptop

Chapter: 7 Laptop

1. 7.1 Laptop Components

   • 7.1.1.1 External Features Unique to Laptops
     • The placement of ports, connections, and drives is unique because of the compact design of a laptop. Ports, connections, and drives are located on the exterior of the laptop, in the front, back, and side panels. Laptops require a port for external power. Status indicators, ports, slots, connectors, bays, jacks, vents, and a keyhole are on the exterior of the laptop.A security keyhole enables a user to connect a laptop to a stationary location, such as a desk, by using a combination or keyed lock
   • 7.1.1.2 Common Input Devices and LEDs in Laptops
     • Laptops are designed to be compact and portable, while maintaining much of the functionality provided by desktop systems. When a laptop is open, the following input devices may be present:
       • Pointing stick
       • Touchpad
       • Keyboard
       • Fingerprint readers
       • Microphone
       • Web camera
   • 7.1.1.3 Internal Components
     • The size restrictions result in a variety of form factors for a number of laptop components,
       • Motherboards
         • Desktop motherboards have standard form factors. Laptop system boards and desktop motherboards are designed differently. Components designed for a laptop generally cannot be used in a desktop.
       • RAM
         • Laptops have space restrictions. Therefore, they use Small Outline Dual In-line Memory Modules (SODIMMs)
       • CPUs
         • Laptop processors are designed to use less power and create less heat than desktop processors. Laptop processors also use CPU throttling to modify the clock speed as needed to reduce power consumption and heat.
   • 7.1.1.4 Special Function Keys
     • The purpose of the Function (Fn) key is to activate a second function on a dual-purpose key. The feature that is accessed by pressing the Fn key in combination with another key is printed on the key in a smaller font or different color. Several functions can be accessed:
       • Display settings
       • Display brightness
       • Keyboard backlight brightness
       • Volume setting
       • Sleep states
       • Wireless functionality
       • Bluetooth functionality
       • Battery status
     • Do not confuse the Fn key with Function keys F1 through F12. These keys are typically located in a row across the top of the keyboard. Their function depends on the operating system (OS) and application that is running when they are pressed.
   • 7.1.1.5 Docking Station versus Port Replicator
     • There are two types of base stations that are used for the same purpose:docking stations and port replicators.Docking stations and port replicators use a variety of connection types:
       • Manufacturer- and model-specific
       • USB and FireWire
       • PC-Card or ExpressCard

2. 7.2 Laptop Display Components

   • 7.2.1 Comparing Display Types
     • 7.2.1.1 LCD, LED, OLED, and Plasma Monitors
       • Laptop monitors are built-in displays.You cannot adjust the laptop monitor for height and distance because it is integrated into the lid of the case.There are four types of laptop displays:
         • LCD
         • LED
           • LED monitors use less power and have a longer lifespan than LCD monitors.
         • OLED
         • Plasma
   • 7.2.2 Internal Components
     • 7.2.2.1 Backlights and Inverters
       • An inverter and backlight are two important display components. The inverter converts DC power to the higher voltage AC power that is required by the backlight. The backlight shines through the screen and illuminates the display. Two common types of backlights are cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) and LED. LCD monitors use CCFL technology for the backlight.
     • 7.2.2.2 Wi-Fi Antenna Connectors
       • Wi-Fi antennas transmit and receive data carried out over wireless signals. Wi-Fi antennas in laptops are typically located above the screen

3. 7.3 Laptop Power

   • 7.3.1 Power Settings
     • 7.3.1.1 Power Management
       • Power management controls the flow of electricity to the components of a computer. There are two methods of power management:
         • Advanced Power Management (APM)
           • APM is an earlier version of power management. With APM, the BIOS controls the settings for power management.
         • Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI)
           • ACPI has replaced APM. ACPI standards create a bridge between the hardware and OS and allow technicians to create power management schemes to get the best performance from a laptop.
     • 7.3.1.2 Managing ACPI Settings in the BIOS
       • Technicians frequently are required to configure power settings by changing the settings in the BIOS setup. Configuring the power settings in BIOS setup affects the following:
         • System states
         • Battery and AC modes
         • Thermal management
         • CPU PCI bus power management
         • Wake on LAN (WOL)
     • 7.3.1.4 Managing Laptop Power Options
       • The Power Options utility in Windows allows you to reduce the power consumption of specific devices or the entire system. You can manage power usage for the following:
         • Laptop
         • Hard drive
         • Display
         • Sleep timers
         • Low-battery warnings
       • Laptop Power Options
         • In Windows 7 and Windows Vista, the options are:
           • Do nothing
           • Sleep
           • Hibernate
         • In Windows XP, the options are:
           • Standby
           • Hibernate

4. 7.4 Laptop Wireless Communication Technologies

5. 7.5 Laptop Hardware and Component Installation and Configuration

6. 7.6 Preventive Maintenance Techniques for Laptops

7. 7.7 Basic Troubleshooting Process for Laptops