Whether for business or leisure, laptops are up near the top of people's favourite electronic devices, and just like other appliances, they can develop several common laptop problems over time. Constant use and increasing age will manifest themselves in a slower machine and various glitches.
In this blog, we've included several possible problems and highlighted 5 of the most common laptop issues and what you can do to rectify them.
1. LAPTOP OVERHEATING
Built to be compact and light, one of the biggest problems is lack of air circulation to keep the electronics cool. That's why operating your laptop on your knees, where skirts or trousers can block most of the air from entering via the vents, is never a good idea.
Dust is also a major contributor to various laptop issues. Slowly blocking the vents and causing the main processor to overheat.
Solution – Close and unplug your machine, turn it upside down and use the flexible pipe on a domestic vacuum to suck out the dust from the vents. If you choose to use a cloth, ensure it is damp, so the dust sticks to the cloth and doesn't get pushed into the machine.
You can also use small blocks to raise your laptop an inch or so above the worktop, to make sure the maximum amount of air gets drawn into the vents in the base.
2. SLOW LOADING AND OPERATION
Windows is a big memory user. If your hard drive or SSD is short on capacity, common laptop problems can show themselves sooner rather than later in reduced loading and operating speeds.
Solution – Run Windows Disc Clean Up to remove unwanted files, followed by Disc Defrag to re-compact your files. If the problem is a regular occurrence, consider purchasing a refurbished external hard drive or memory stick and transferring the system's operating files to those.
3. BATTERY FAILURE
A common laptop issue even with lithium-ion batteries. To get maximum use from the battery, even if you use your laptop as a home workstation constantly running off mains power, pick one day a week/month to run off battery power until it requires charging.
Flick the power back on and let the battery recharge while you're working. When it comes to buying a new battery, you'll find the best deals for refurbished laptops and refurbished MacBooks from a fully accredited ITAD company such as Wisetek rather than your laptop's manufacturer.
4. KEYBOARD GLITCHES AND FAILURE
Even if you've avoided spilling that cup of coffee over your keyboard, constant use can take its toll.
Solution – Firstly, physically check the keyboard for loose or dislodged keys. Secondly, shut down your laptop and use your vacuum's flexi-pipe to gently suck up any accumulated dust and debris from between the keys.
If all else fails, consider adding a radio keyboard so you can continue to access all the files on your laptop.
5. THE LAPTOP SCREEN STAYS BLACK
Not one of the most common laptop problems, but frustrating when everything else appears to be working.
Disconnect from the mains, remove the battery and keep your finger on the power button for around a minute. Then, replace the battery and power up from the mains.
If that doesn't work, connect an external monitor using a USB or HD1 cable from your laptop. If that works, it's probably your laptop's backlight turned down or failing. If the problem continues on the external monitor, it's likely to be a corrupted graphics driver or faulty motherboard, which will require a bit of tech-savvy to remedy.
Other fixable issues include wireless connection issues, especially when on the move. Virus or malware infestation, be sure to run a good quality anti-virus/spyware programme. Drivers out of date, manually run your system's driver update programme from the Device Manager.
WHEN YOUR LAPTOP FINALLY DIES
In a time of environmental awareness and the emphasis on recycling, when the time comes to replace your machine, buying refurbished laptops or refurbished MacBooks from a bona fide company like Wisetek Store is the way to go.
Wisetek Store not only supplies refurbished MacBooks and laptops but is a fully accredited, global ITAD company. As an IT asset disposition business, Wisetek has a zero-to-landfill policy. Instead, we reuse, recycle, repair, or safely dispose of unusable IT equipment, including stripping and shredding hard drives.
Whether you need to replace your ageing laptop or upgrade the motherboard, graphics card or hard drive, using a fully accredited IT asset disposition company like Wisetek Store ensures you can do your bit to slow global pollution, reduce your personal carbon footprint and save yourself a pocket-full of money in the process.