common notebook fixes/mods

[ratdude747]

ah, the first thread...

this thread should be for problems found in specific notebooks.

Please post make/model and what problems you commonly see, or mods that are too obvious.

also, you could post common notebook problems seen in most notebooks and how to fix them.

let me start...

compaq armada 150: no bios

this happens because the bios is on a secondary partition. discussed here

since the links in their article do not work, i found the files on driverguide and put them in 2 .zip files, attached to post. instructions:

if using an os with no .zip support, install 7zip

extract the 2 .zip's

(rest of instructions from wireball.com)

Insert a floppy disk and run the Computer Setup for Portables SP8975.exe program - it will create one of the two floppies you need. Insert another blank floppy (or floppy you don't mind erasing) and run the Personal Computer Diagnostics SP12906.exe self-extractor to unpack files to a PDIAG folder. Inside the PDIAG folder, run MAKEDISK.BAT to create your floppy. Follow the onscreen prompts. Once you've created this floppy, you may reboot.

Insert the diagnostic floppy in the drive to boot off it as soon as you see the red Compaq logo (if Windows starts loading, you may hit F8 to bring up the boot menu, then ctrl-alt-delete to try again). (Re)create the diagnostic partition, by clicking the appropriate buttons and following the directions. This procedure seems to be non-destructive to data; at least it didn't destroy anything on my Windows 2000 system with a 376MB FAT swap partition and a 5GB+ NTFS partition. However, your mileage may vary (YMMV), so backup any data you want to save (bookmarks, documents, pictures, what have you), and don't blame me if you need to reinstall your OS.

Press F10 when you see the blinking cursor to access the BIOS.

other problem is there is no app for the hotkeys

solution: use the armada 4100 driver. download

*note* the hotkeys driver corrupts the acpi scripts in win 2k (maybe xp as well) and makes hibernate and sleep not work properly. keys detected in autohotkey, but i do not know how to program that.

if you have/know notebook issues like those, post 'em! somebody might need it...

[c_hegge]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

I had a problem with a compaq laptop (Presario V3000). The CPU fan would constantly labour and the compter would eventually shut down. Given that it was 2nd hand, I thought the heatsink was probably clogged with dust. I opened it up and, surprise surprise, it was perfectly clean.

I then un-mounted the heatsink from the CPU and found that there was no heatsink compound . I added some Arctic Silver 5, re-attached the heatsink and it's all fixed

I'd be curious as to whether any other similar latops have this problem, or if this was just a once-off, so if anyone else has found this, please post it.

[golemmaster]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

Regular stream of busted DC jacks...from them jamming, twisting, jacking-to-the-side the dc plug repeatedly into the broken socket. It may have been a simple cracked/broken solder joint but now it's destroyed.
Telling people to don't bag and transport the laptop with breakable things stuck in your orifices. er... the slots, plugs and jacks....of the laptop.
Determining LCD display failures. Most of them are failed inverters. Some are bad/burned CCFL. Some are bad panels. Few are bad/broken/fatigued cables.

Mods: Rare. a few times a long time ago I tapped some volts from somewhere to run the cpu fan all the time on a laptop that would overheat the cpu and lockup.
Swapping parts between models and sometimes other brands to make one better working franken-laptop.
As a fix and a mod, of sorts. back to the DC jack thing: Using a tougher metal panel-mount DC jack for laptops that have room internally for some wires (instead of rigid on the PCB) and that use common 5.5mm barrel X 2.5/2.1mm pin DC plug.

[NxB]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

I'd be curious as to whether any other similar latops have this problem, or if this was just a once-off, so if anyone else has found this, please post it.

Very common. Some came with pads and they crumbled away.

[c_hegge]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

It's terrible that reputable companies get away with things like not using heat compound. That's why I avoid compaq. The only brands I like are Toshibas and Lenovo thinkpads.

[kc8adu]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

lots of busted dc jacks,busted panels,malware,and spills.

[tonyynguyen]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

I would sometimes get Toshiba laptops with a mysterious BIOS password preventing the machine to boot up. Solution to this would be resetting the BIOS by shorting out JOPEN located by the ram area.

[golemmaster]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

"Incorrect power-on password prompt -- with older BIOS versions"
"Document ID:98082632"

Issue:

A "Password =" prompt may be displayed when the computer is turned on, even though no power-on password has been set. If this happens, there is no password that will satisfy the password request. The computer will be unusable until this problem is resolved.

If the problem has not happened yet, verify that your computer has the BIOS currently available from the Toshiba Support website. See detailed instructions below.

Your computer's BIOS may already include the fix for this problem, depending upon the model, and when it was manufactured.

This Support Bulletin is not a notice of a new BIOS for your computer; it's a notice that the password prompt problem has been fixed in relatively new BIOS releases.

The occurrence of this problem on any particular computer is unpredictable -- it may never happen, but it could happen any time that the computer is turned on. If this problem does occur, it will be necessary to send the computer to a Toshiba Authorized Service Provider.

------------
If this problem has not yet occurred, then check your computer's BIOS version, and update it, if a newer BIOS is available.

------------
If the problem has already occurred on your computer, then please make arrangements with a Toshiba Authorized Service Provider to have this problem resolved. Toshiba will cover the cost of this repair under warranty until Dec 31, 2010.

[Player2]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

Toshiba- CPU speed stuck at 598 MHz after upgrading / replacing CPU or motherboard.

Need to update the CPU microcode in the BIOS. Google will yield many links to the necessary Toshiba utility and the file for your model, but here is a page for reference (Portege M200 tablet):

http://www.tabletpcbuzz.com/showthread.php?t=31

[PCBONEZ]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

When you pull them apart and they used that stupid pad between the heatsink and CPU that is too thick to use thermal paste [layer would be too thick] in place of, then -leave the pad there- and just skim-coat [thin] the side the old pad did -not- stick to [usually the CPU] with some artic silver.
Not approved by anyone, but works.

[stevo1210]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

Broken hinges I see all too often. Then broken DC jacks.

[Junk Parts]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

Well the shop I was at did mostly desktops but some Lappy's found their way there too. Most of the time it was Gateways with busted DC jacks. We just sent them to another guy that we knew that did Lappy repairs. He fixed them for $25, and the owner got it back for $40 from us. They are happy. We are Happy.

[gdement]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

IBM Thinkpad A20/A21/A22m:

Swapped motherboard FRU 12P3156 into an A21m. This is originally an A20m motherboard, but available NOS for cheap at the time.

This board won't run an SL53T 900MHz coppermine CPU at full speed. It runs only at 700MHz (it's stuck in speed step mode). This is a PD0 stepping chip (late coppermine).

Solution:
Flash an updated BIOS for the A20m (which this board belongs to). BIOS readme indicates they added support for PC0 at v1.05, but doesn't mention adding the PD0 at all. However, they did add support, it's just not documented.
After this flash, CPU is properly supported and runs full speed.

[Davi.p]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

We just sent them to another guy that did Lappy repairs.

He isn't happy like you..

[NxB]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

DC jacks are a PITA and boring.

[ratdude747]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

PITA? maybe for an easy one..

the rest:

PITFA (pain in the ****ing ***)

[dood]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

I do DC jacks all the time. Sometimes they can just be resoldered... other times they require extensive modifications or replacement.

Most common "mod" i suggest to people is a new HD, even if their old one isn't dead. memory upgrades will only take a laptop so far. Most of the time with an old lappy, the most you should go is 512 until you upgrade to a larger, 5400rpm drive. The old 4200's choke the system so badly, you don't notice a difference from 512 to 1gb!

[NxB]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

With DC jacks, you have to take the whole laptop apart either way, hence it sucks. I can second the slow old hard drive problem. You will notice the 512 to a gig but your system will still be sticking when it has to access the HDD. Lots of people still have 30-40g drives and they tend to be slow.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

Get drives that do at least 5400 RPM.
They are noticeably faster and are available down to about 10GB. [Maybe less.]
Not really much [if any] of a price difference for a 5400 RPM over a slower drive.
.
The do make 7200 for laptops too but usually bigger capacity and more $$.
.

[dood]

Re: common notebook fixes/mods

My d620 with a 2.5" WD1600BEKT (160gb, 7200rpm, SATA2, 16mb cache) scores a 5.9 in the Windows 7 disk benchmark. HD Tune says it tops at 85.6mb/sec read speed. Average is 66.8, access time is 14.7ms

I also have a d420 with a 1.8" Toshiba MK1011GAH (100gb, 4200rpm, LIF ATA-7 interface, 8mb cache). HD Tune tops out at 28.8mb/sec read speed. Average is 21, access time is 21.2ms.

Huge difference in speed from those two!