NTL LC 200 User manual

LC 200:
LAPTOP COMPUTER HARDWARE
VERSION 5.1.7.20

LC 200: Laptop Computer Hardware
Page 2Laptop Software© 2020 National Technology Learning, LLC. All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2020 National Technology Learning, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this manual may
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trademarks of National Technology Learning, LLC
Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in this manual are trade names, service marks, or
registered trademarks of their respective owners. National Technology Learning, LLC is not associated
with any product or vendor mentioned in this manual.

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LESSON ONE: HARDWARE COMPONENTS........................................................................4
OBJECTIVES....................................................................................................................................................................4
LAPTOP COMPONENTS....................................................................................................................................................4
MOBILE COMPUTING COMPONENTS...............................................................................................................................5
PORTS.............................................................................................................................................................................8
SYSTEM DISASSEMBLY.................................................................................................................................................13
LAB ..............................................................................................................................................................................14
LESSON TWO: POWER AND STORAGE .............................................................................15
OBJECTIVES..................................................................................................................................................................15
LITHIUM ION BATTERIES..............................................................................................................................................15
LITHIUM POLYMER BATTERIES ....................................................................................................................................16
LITHIUM-ION VS LITHIUM-POLYMER:WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?................................................................................17
MAKING A CHARGE LAST LONGER ..............................................................................................................................18
POWER ADAPTERS........................................................................................................................................................26
LAPTOP HARD DRIVE GUIDE........................................................................................................................................28
REMOVABLE STORAGE.................................................................................................................................................30
LAB ..............................................................................................................................................................................33
LESSON THREE: NETWORKING AND COMMUNICATION..........................................34
OBJECTIVES..................................................................................................................................................................34
WHAT IS NETWORKING? ..............................................................................................................................................34
BLUETOOTH .................................................................................................................................................................35
WHAT USES BLUETOOTH?............................................................................................................................................36
BLUETOOTH VERSIONS.................................................................................................................................................36
WI-FI............................................................................................................................................................................37
IEEE 802.11 STANDARD...............................................................................................................................................37
WIRELESS SECURITY PROTOCOLS ................................................................................................................................39
TROUBLESHOOTING WIFI.............................................................................................................................................41
10 EASY WAYS TO SPEED UP YOUR WI-FI.....................................................................................................................43
LAB ..............................................................................................................................................................................45
LESSON FOUR: MAINTENANCE ..........................................................................................46
OBJECTIVES..................................................................................................................................................................46
HOW TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR LAPTOP COMPUTER...........................................................................................46
MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST ..........................................................................................................................................48
BACKING UP THE SYSTEM.............................................................................................................................................49
HOW TO RESTORE FILES FROM A BACKUP....................................................................................................................51
HOW TO CREATE A COMPLETE,FULL-SYSTEM BACKUP OF YOUR COMPUTER IN WINDOWS.......................................53
PHYSICALLY CLEANING A SYSTEM ..............................................................................................................................55
LESSON FIVE: TROUBLESHOOTING .................................................................................57
OBJECTIVES..................................................................................................................................................................57
FIXING COMMON LAPTOP PROBLEMS...........................................................................................................................57
TROUBLESHOOT PROBLEMS WITH AN APP.....................................................................................................................59
TROUBLESHOOT PROBLEMS IN WINDOWS ....................................................................................................................60
ACCESS BOOT OPTIONS MENU.....................................................................................................................................65
LAB ..............................................................................................................................................................................72
LESSON SIX: LAPTOP ACCESSORIES & UPGRADING ..................................................73
OBJECTIVES..................................................................................................................................................................73
ACCESSORIES ...............................................................................................................................................................73
UPGRADING..................................................................................................................................................................77
LAB ..............................................................................................................................................................................80

LC 200: Laptop Computer Hardware
Page 4Laptop Software© 2020 National Technology Learning, LLC. All Rights Reserved
Lesson One: Hardware components
Objectives
Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to:
•Recognize the different components of a Laptop computer
•Know how to disassemble and reassemble a laptop computer
•Know the different configurations of laptop motherboards
•Recognize different case designs of laptop computers
Laptop Components
What is Laptop Hardware and Software?
Your computing experience is made up of interactions with hardware and software. The hardware is all
the tangible computer equipment, such as the body of your laptop containing the hard drive, keyboard,
and touchpad for pointing at and clicking on items onscreen.
The software is what makes the hardware work or lets you get things done, such as writing documents
with Microsoft Word or playing a Solitaire game. Think of the hardware as being like your television set,
and think of the software as being like the shows that you watch on it.
The hardware on your laptop consists of
•A central processing unit (CPU), which is the very small, very high-tech semiconductor chip
(integrated circuit) that acts as the brains of your computer. The CPU is stored in your laptop
along with the other nuts and bolts of your computer.
•A monitor, which displays images on its screen similar to the way your TV screen displays
programs. Your computer monitor shows you, for example, the Microsoft Windows 8.1 Desktop, a
video you watch at an online entertainment site, or a document in a software program. Today,
some laptops sport touchscreen monitors, which allow you to use your finger on the screen to
provide input to the computer.
•A keyboard, which is like a typewriter keyboard. In addition to typing words and numbers, you
can use a keyboard to give the computer commands such as selecting text or objects, copying,
and pasting.
•A touchpad, which you also use to give your computer commands, but this little device offers a
more tactile way to provide input. You move your laptop cursor on the screen by using a built-in
pointing device, which might be in the form of a touchpad, or a small button.
Slide your fingertip around the touchpad. This moves a pointer around onscreen. You position this pointer
on an onscreen button or menu name, for example, and then click the left or side of your touchpad which
causes an action.
You can also tap and drag your fingertip to select text or an object to perform an action on it (such as
deleting a file or making a line of text bold). You also have the option of attaching a physical wireless
mouse to your laptop; a small transmitter which you place in a USB port on your laptop enables the
mouse input.
•A webcam and speakers, and probably a microphone, are likely to be built into your laptop. A
webcam allows you to produce video images you can share during video phone calls and instant
messaging sessions. Speakers play back sounds, and a built-in microphone allows you to record
audio files.
•Ports to attach peripherals, such as a printer or scanner. Your laptop comes with slots where
you plug in various peripherals (additional hardware). The type of port you will use most often is
called a USB port; it is a small slot useful for plugging in small sticks called flash drives on which
you can store data, or devices that typically sport a USB connector (such as digital cameras and
smartphones).

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Software (also known as programs or applications) is installed on your laptop hard drive, which resides in
the laptop casing. Here are a few basics about software:
•You use software to get your work done, run entertainment programs, and browse the
Internet. For example, Quicken is a financial-management program you can use to balance your
checkbook or keep track of your home inventory for insurance purposes.
•Some programs come preinstalled on your laptop; you can buy and install other programs
as you need them. Computers have to have an operating system installed to be of any use at all
because an operating system runs all the other programs. Also, some programs are included with
your operating system —such as WordPad, a simple word processing program. But you are not
limited to pre-installed software.
You can purchase other software or download free software programs from the Internet. For example,
you can find Skype (a free program that enables you to make online phone calls using your laptop) in the
Windows Store or on the Internet and install it on your laptop yourself.
•You can uninstall programs you no longer need. Uninstalling unwanted programs helps to
free up some space on your laptop, which helps it perform better.
•Software programs called utilities exist to keep your laptop in shape. An antivirus program is
an example of a utility used to spot and erase computer viruses from your system. Your operating
system also includes some utilities, such as Disk Cleanup to free up wasted space on your hard
drive or the Windows Defender program.
Mobile Computing Components
The rapid growth in the PC industry in the 1980s soon led to a demand for portability, and by the middle
of the decade PC manufacturers had begun releasing products to meet this demand. Since then, the
mobile PC market has been a key driver for continuous innovation, miniaturization and technological
advancement.
This has largely been in a number of technological areas of particular relevance to the mobile arena:
•In screen technology, the dramatic weight, size and power consumption benefits of flat panels
has, for several years, outweighed their relative high cost and long been a driver for
developments in LCD technology and, for several years, outweighed their relative high cost.
•In battery technology, the ever increasing consumption of more powerful mobile CPUs has
required continuous improvements simply to enable average battery life to remain fairly constant.
•In storage technology, the innovation of PC Card technology has met the demand for smaller,
lighter and more portable tools for information processing.
The basic components of laptops function similarly to their desktop counterparts, but are miniaturized,
adapted to mobile use. The design bounds on power,
size, and cooling of laptops limit the maximum
performance of laptop parts compared to that of
desktop components.
The following list summarizes the differences and
distinguishing features of laptop components in
comparison to desktop personal computer parts:
Motherboard: A motherboard, also known as a
mainboard, system board, or logic boards on Apple
Computers, and sometimes abbreviated as mobo is the
central or primary circuit board making up a complex
electronic system, such as a modern computer.
Laptop motherboards are highly make and model
specific, and do not conform to a desktop form factor.

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Unlike a desktop board that usually has several slots for expansion cards (3 to 7 are common), a board
for a small, highly integrated laptop may have no expansion slots at all, with all the functionality
implemented on the motherboard itself; the only expansion possible in this case is via an external port
such as USB. Other boards may have one or more standard, such as ExpressCard, or proprietary
expansion slots. Several other functions (storage controllers, networking, sound card and external ports)
are implemented on the motherboard.
While most desktop computers use one of these motherboard form factors, laptop (notebook) computers
generally use highly integrated, customized and miniaturized motherboards designed by the
manufacturers. This is one of the reasons that notebook computers are difficult to upgrade and expensive
to repair - often the failure of one integrated component requires the replacement of the entire
motherboard, which is also more expensive than a regular motherboard due to the large number of
integrated components in it.
Central processing unit (CPU): The heart of any computer is the
processor or CPU for short (central processing unit). A notebook
processor is a CPU optimized for notebook computers. Laptop CPUs
have advanced power-saving features and produce less heat than
desktop processors, but are not as powerful. There is a wide range of
CPUs designed for laptops available from Intel (Pentium M, Celeron M,
Intel Core, Core 2 Duo, solo, and quad) and Intel Atom; AMD (Athlon,
Turion 64, and Sempron); VIA Technologies, Transmeta and others.
On non-x86 architectures, Motorola and IBM produced the chips for
the former PowerPC-based Apple laptops (iBook and PowerBook).
Most laptops have removable CPUs, although the motherboard may
restrict the processor to the specific models, limiting the processors
that are compatible. Some laptops use a desktop processor instead of the laptop version and have high
performance gains at the cost of the potential for overheating problems, and less battery life. In other
laptops the CPU is soldered on the motherboard and is non-replaceable.
Cooling: Despite laptop processors giving off less heat than their desktop counterparts, they still need
cooling. Waste heat from operation is difficult to remove in the
compact internal space of a laptop. Early laptops used heat
sinks placed directly on the components to be cooled, but when
these hot components are deep inside the device, a large
space-wasting air duct is needed to exhaust the heat. Modern
laptops instead rely on heat pipes to rapidly move waste heat
towards the edges of the device, to allow for a much smaller
and compact fan and heat sink cooling system. Waste heat is
usually exhausted away from the device operator, towards the
rear or sides of the device. Multiple air intake paths are used
since some intakes can be blocked, such as when the device is
placed on a soft conforming surface like a chair cushion. It is
believed that some designs with metal cases, like Apple's
aluminum MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, also employ the case of the machine as a "gigantic" heat sink,
allowing it to supplement cooling by dissipating heat out of the device core. Secondary device
temperature monitoring may reduce performance or trigger an emergency shutdown if it is unable to
dissipate heat, such as if the laptop were to be left running and placed inside a carrying case. Such a
condition has the potential to melt plastics or ignite a fire.

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SODIMM memory module (RAM): SO-DIMM memory modules
that are usually found in laptops are about half the size of
desktop DIMMs. They may be accessible from the bottom of the
laptop for ease of upgrading, or placed in locations not intended
for user replacement such as between the keyboard and the
motherboard. Currently, most mid-range laptops are factory
equipped with 3–4 GB of DDR2 RAM, while some higher end
notebooks (usually mobile engineering workstations) feature up
to 32 GB of DDR3 memory. Netbooks are commonly equipped
with only 1 GB of RAM and generally only expandable to 2 GB,
if at all, to keep manufacturing costs low.
Always check to make sure upgrading the memory yourself will not
void any warranty, get the right type, and check the manual or
manufacturers website for proper upgrade instructions.
The different types of SO-DIMMs can be recognized at a glance
by the distinctive notches used to "key" them for different
applications: 100-pin SO-DIMMs have two notches, 144-pin SO-
DIMMs have a single notch near (but not at) the center, and 200-
pin SO-DIMMs have a single notch nearer to one side.
SO-DIMMs are more or less equal in power and voltage to DIMMs,
and as memory technology moves forward, both SO-DIMMs and
DIMMs are available in equal speed (PC3200, for example, and
clock speeds such as 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 CAS latency) and capacity (512MB, 1GB, etc.).
Expansion cards: A PC Card (formerly PCMCIA) or ExpressCard bay for expansion cards is often
present on laptops to allow adding and removing functionality, even when the laptop is powered on.
Some internal subsystems such as: Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or a Wireless cellular modem can be implemented as
replaceable internal expansion cards, usually accessible under an access cover on the bottom of the
laptop. Two popular standards for such cards are MiniPCI and its successor, the PCI Express Mini. In
newer laptops it is not uncommon to also see a Mini SATA (mSATA) connection in addition to MiniPCI
and PCI Express Mini.
Power supply: Laptops are typically powered by an internal rechargeable battery that is charged using
an external power supply, which outputs a DC voltage typically in the range of 7.2–24 volts. The power
supply is connected to the laptop through an AC connector cable. It can charge the battery and power the
laptop simultaneously; when the battery is fully charged, the laptop continues to run on power supplied by
the external power supply. The charger adds about 400 grams (1 lb) to the overall "transport weight" of
the notebook.
The complete range of power supplies is very broad,
and could be considered to include all forms of energy
conversion from one form into another. Conventionally
though, the term is usually confined to electrical or
mechanical energy supplies. Constraints that
commonly affect power supplies are the amount of
power they can supply, how long they can supply it for
without needing some kind of refueling or recharging,
how stable their output voltage or current is under
varying load conditions, and whether they provide
continuous power or pulses.
The voltage regulation of power supplies is done by
incorporating circuitry to tightly control the output voltage and/or current of the power supply to a specific
value. The specific value is closely maintained despite variations in the load presented to the power
supply's output, or any reasonable voltage variation at the power supply's input.
Installing RAM
SO-DIMM
Power Supply

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Battery: Current laptops utilize lithium ion batteries, with more recent models using the new lithium
polymer technology. These two technologies have largely replaced the older nickel metal-hydride
batteries. Typical battery life for standard laptops is two to five hours of light-duty use, but may drop to as
little as one hour or less when doing power-intensive tasks. A battery's performance gradually decreases
with time, leading to an eventual replacement in one to three years, depending on the charging and
discharging pattern. This large-capacity main battery should not be confused with the much smaller
battery nearly all computers use to run the real-time clock and to store the BIOS configuration in CMOS
when the computer is off. Lithium-ion batteries do not have a memory effect as older batteries may have.
The memory effect happens when one does not use a battery to its fullest extent, then recharges the
battery. Innovations in laptops and batteries have seen situations which the battery can provide up to 24
hours of continued operation, assuming average power consumption levels. An example is the HP
EliteBook 6930p when used with its ultra-capacity battery.
Video display controller: A Graphics Processing Unit or GPU (also occasionally called Visual
Processing Unit or VPU) is a dedicated graphics rendering device for a personal computer, workstation,
or game console. On standard laptops the video controller is usually integrated into the chipset to
conserve power. This tends to limit the use of laptops for gaming and entertainment. These two fields
have constantly escalated hardware demands, and because the integrated chipset is very difficult to
upgrade for a standard user, laptops may grow obsolete quickly for use in gaming and entertainment.
Higher-end laptops and desktop replacements in particular often come with dedicated graphics
processors on the motherboard or as an internal expansion card. These mobile graphics processors are
comparable in performance to low-end mainstream desktop graphic accelerator boards. A few notebooks
have switchable graphics with both an integrated and discrete card installed. The user can choose
between using integrated graphics when battery life is important and dedicated graphics when demanding
applications call for it. This allows for greater flexibility and also conserves power when not required.
Display: Most modern laptops feature 13 inches (33 cm) or larger color active matrix displays based on
CCFL or LED lighting with resolutions of 1280×800 (16:10) or 1366 × 768 (16:9) pixels and above. Some
models use screens with resolutions common in desktop PCs (for example, 1440×900, 1600×900 and
1680×1050.) Models with LED-based lighting offer lesser power consumption, and often higher
brightness. Netbooks with a 10 inches (25 cm) or smaller screen typically use a resolution of 1024×600,
while netbooks and subnotebooks with a 11.6 inches (29 cm) or 12 inches (30 cm) screen use standard
notebook resolutions. Having a higher resolution display will allow more items to fit onscreen at a time,
improving the user's ability to multitask.
Storage: Laptops commonly use 2.5" hard disk drives, which are much smaller than desktop hard drives.
Removable media drives: A DVD/CD reader/writer drive is nearly universal on full-sized models, and is
common on thin-and-light models; it is uncommon on subnotebooks and unknown on netbooks. CD
drives are becoming rare, while Blu-ray is becoming more common on notebooks.
Internal storage: Laptop hard disks are physically smaller—2.5 inches (64 mm) or 1.8 inches (46 mm) —
compared to desktop 3.5 inches (89 mm) drives. Some newer laptops (usually ultraportables) employ
more expensive, but faster, lighter and power-efficient flash memory-based SSDs instead. Currently, 250
to 500 GB sizes are common for laptop hard disks (64 to 512 GB for SSDs).
Input: A pointing stick, touchpad or both are used to control the position of the cursor on the screen, and
an integrated keyboard is used for typing. An external keyboard and/or mouse may be connected using
USB or PS/2 port, or Bluetooth (if present).
Ports
Today's computers and mobile devices are available with a wide array of ports, from traditional USB to
newfangled USB Type-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports. Even if you are familiar with the most common
connectors, it can still be a challenge to figure out what wires or adapters you need in order to plug your
device into a monitor, TV, network or peripheral.
When you are shopping for a new laptop, a 2-in-1 or a hulking desktop PC, you will also want to keep
ports in mind. If you need to attach to a particular type of device on the go, you will benefit from having
that connector built-in or, at least, knowing what kind of adapter to pair with your new system. That's why

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we've assembled a comprehensive list of ports, along with the type and cost of adapters you will need to
use if you do not have the right connectors on built-in.
3.5mm Audio Jack
Also Known As: Headphone jackDescription: The most common audio jack in the world, the 3.5mm
audio jack appears on most computers, tablets and phones, and connects to the majority of the world's
wired headphones and speakers. While some older devices have two audio jacks for mic and headphone,
most current models incorporate both into the same port. A handful of current phones, including the
iPhone 7, omit this jack.Adapters Needed: If your device does not have a 3.5mm jack, you can buy a
wired USB headset, attach a wireless Bluetooth audio device or get an adapter. If you have an iPhone,
get a Lightning to 3.5mm cable or Lightning headset. If you have a USB Type-C-powered device, get a
Type-C to 3.5mm adapter or Type-C headphones.
Ethernet
Also Known As: RJ-45, Gigabit Ethernet, 10/100 Ethernet
Description: Found primarily on business laptops and on desktops, this port allows you to connect directly
to wired networks. While Wi-Fi continues to improve, having the option to plug in via Ethernet is really
valuable, particularly when you are in a hotel or other location where the wireless signal is poor. Some
spec sheets refer to this port as "Gigabit Ethernet" or "10/100 Ethernet," but all modern laptops and
desktops with this port operate at up to 1 Gbps, no matter how they are marketed.
Adapters Needed: If you do not have an Ethernet port built-in, you can purchase a USB-to-Ethernet
adapter for $15 to $30, depending on whether you are connecting to a USB Type-C or traditional, USB
Type-A port. You can also get Ethernet by connecting to a docking station.
HDMI
Description: This popular port is the most common one for connecting to TVs and also appears on many
external monitors and projectors. Depending on your laptop's or desktop's graphics card, the machine's
HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) port may be able to output at up to 4K resolution. However,

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you cannot output to dual displays from a single port. HDMI sends audio along with its video, so if your
monitor or TV has speakers, you will get sound.
If your computer has HDMI-out and your external display has DVI, you can convert from one to the other
with an adapter that costs less than $10. While most laptops that have HDMI use the full-size port, there
are a few super slim devices that employ mini HDMI connectors. These are a bit smaller, and it is more
difficult to find adapters for them.
Adapters Needed: If you need to connect to DVI, an HDMI-to-DVI plug costs under $10. For around $25,
you can get an adapter that goes from USB Type-C to HDMI, provided that your Type-C supports video.
If you want to go from an HDMI port on your computer to a DisplayPort on your monitor, you will need a
rather-pricey active converter that requires its own power connection and that costs over $30. Unpowered
DisplayPort-to-HDMI cables won't work.
DisplayPort/mini DisplayPort
Description: DisplayPort is the most advanced display-connection standard today, with the ability to
output to a single monitor at 4K resolution and 60 Hz, or up to three monitors at full HD (using a hub or
dock). Most laptops that have DisplayPort either use the smaller, mini DisplayPort connector or send their
DisplayPort signals out of a USB Type-C port.
A lot of monitors and most TVs do not have DisplayPort connectors, but you can output to an HDMI-
capable screen with a wire or adapter that costs under $10. Like HDMI, DisplayPort can output audio on
the same cable as video.
Adapters Needed: If you want to output to more than one DisplayPort monitor from a single mini
DisplayPort on a laptop, you will need a multi-stream transport (MST) hub, which costs between $70 and
$100 and needs power. A single USB Type-C-to-DisplayPort or micro DisplayPort-to-full DisplayPort
microSD card reader
Also Known As: microSD card slot, microSDHC reader, microSDXC
Description: This slot reads tiny microSD memory cards, the kind that smartphones use for external
storage. If your laptop or tablet has very limited internal storage and you have the reader, getting one of
these inexpensive cards (under $20 for 64GB) could really help you out. You can even install Windows 10
apps on a microSD card.
Adapters Needed: If you do not have a built-in slot, you can get a USB-based external microSD reader for
under $10.
SD Card Reader

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Also Known As: 3-in-1 card reader, 4-in-1 card reader, 5-in-1 card reader, SDHC card reader
Description: This is a slot that you can use to read the memory cards from a digital camera. If you
frequently transfer pictures from a DSLR or mirrorless camera to your laptop or desktop, having a built-in
reader is a huge convenience.
Adapters Needed: If you do not have a built-in SD card reader, you can buy one that connects via USB
for under $10.
USB/USB Type-A
Also Known As: USB Type-A, Regular USB
Description: USB (universal serial bus) is the most common laptop and desktop connector by far. The
typical USB port is known as USB Type-A and has a simple, rectangular shape. Depending on the
hardware, it can be capable of either USB-2.0 or USB-3.0 speeds. We list more types of USB below.
You can connect a nearly infinite universe of peripherals to a USB port, from keyboards and mice to
printers and Ethernet adapters. Regular USB does not have its own video standard, but you can connect
to monitors using a universal docking station or adapter with DisplayLink technology inside.
USB Type-B
Description: You won't find this square connector on any computer, but many hubs, docking stations and
printers use it as an input port. For these devices, you will need a USB Type-A–to–Type-B wire, which
typically comes with the peripheral.

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USB Type-C
Also Known As: USB-C
Description: This slim USB port is the connector of the future, already available on a number of devices
and likely to replace USB Type-A, USB Type-B and microUSB on all new systems in the near future.
Because it is much thinner than its predecessors, Type-C can fit on extremely svelte laptops like the
MacBook 12-inch and Asus ZenBook 3. It is also reversible, so you never have to worry about putting
your plug in upside down.
For better or worse, USB Type-C ports can support a number of different standards, but not all of them
offer the same functionality. Type-C can transfer files at either USB 3.1 gen 1 (5 Gbps) or USB 3.1 gen 2
(10 Gbps) speeds. It can accept USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) so you can charge your laptop with it. It
also sends DisplayPort signals out via its "alt mode," and it can even operate as a Thunderbolt port.
Manufacturers can indicate compatibility with USB 3.1 gen 2 with an "SS 10" logo or power delivery with a
battery logo, but we do not see these marks often. We do frequently see a lightning bolt next to the port,
which indicates that it doubles as a Thunderbolt 3 port and can support the highest transfer rates and
video out.
Adapters Needed: If you have a rectangular USB Type-A port and need to go to a USB Type-C dock or
device, you can get a A to C wire for under $10.
Thunderbolt 3
Also Known As: Thunderbolt
Description: The fastest common connection on the market today, Thunderbolt 3 can transfer data at up
to 40 Gbps, four times faster than the fastest USB connection (USB 3.1 gen 2). This high-speed standard
can also output to up to two 4K monitors at once, because a single port carries dual DisplayPort signals.
On several new devices you can use Thunderbolt 3 to connect to an external graphics card, which allows
you to play high-end games on an otherwise slim laptop.
All Thunderbolt 3 ports use USB Type-C connections and double as USB Type-C ports, allowing them to
connect to an entire universe of USB peripherals and, in most cases, to charge a laptop or tablet.
Before Thunderbolt 3, which started appearing in laptops at the end of 2015, there was a Thunderbolt 2
and original Thunderbolt standard, but very few systems used them. With an adapter cable, you can
connect your Thunderbolt 3 computer to older Thunderbolt devices.
Adapters Needed: You can get a Thunderbolt 3 cable for under $25, but be sure to read the specs before
you buy; not all Thunderbolt cables can handle the full 40 Gbps, with some topping out at 20 Gbps.
Thunderbolt 3 docking stations, which let you plug into a variety of monitors and peripherals, go for
around $200. You can also use any USB Type-C cable, dock or device with a Thunderbolt 3 port. A

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Thunderbolt 3-to-Thunderbolt adapter for attaching to legacy Thunderbolt devices is pricey, going for over
$100.
VGA
Description: The great granddad of video outputs, VGA (video graphics array) dates all the way back to
1987 but is still commonplace on many monitors and projectors today. However, because the 15-pin
connector is rather chunky, you won't find too many current-gen laptops or desktops that have VGA-out. It
is an analog connection, which could lead to signal degradation over longer cables, and it outputs at only
up to 1920 x 1200, so it is the least desirable port.
Adapters Needed: You cannot convert VGA to any other display standard (DVI, DisplayPort, HDMI), but
you can plug any other connector into a VGA monitor with an inexpensive wire or adapter. You can get
DVI-to-VGA, HDMI-to-VGA or DisplayPort-to-VGA converters for under $10.
System Disassembly
Although laptop systems are not as standardized as most desktop systems with respect to motherboard
form factors and such, there is still a lot of commonality among modern laptop systems. They are a bit
trickier to disassemble, upgrade or repair, and then reassemble, but it is nothing you cannot handle if you
use some common sense, experience, and a little care. Of course, it helps to have a service or
maintenance manual with detailed step-by-step procedures, but unfortunately, that type of documentation
is normally not available.
The following generic steps can help you to dismantle your laptop.
•Remove the battery.
•Remove all cards on the bottom (memory module, wireless card, modem card, etc.) Be careful
with cables and connectors, it is very easy to damage and very time consuming to replace.
•Remove all drives (hard drive, CD-ROM drive, DVD drive, etc.) If you cannot find the hard drive, it
most likely is hidden under the keyboard or under the top cover assembly. If you cannot find
securing screws for the optical drive on the bottom, they are most likely under the keyboard.
•Remove all screws on the bottom of the laptop.
•Remove the keyboard securing strip. Be careful, sometimes it might be very tight.
•Remove the keyboard.
•Remove all screws under the keyboard and disconnect all cables.
•Remove all screws securing the display assembly. Lift the LCD screen / display off the base.
•Lift the top cover assembly off the base.
•Remove all screws securing the system board, the power board, the video board, etc. Disconnect
all cables, connecting the boards.
•Remove all boards and remove the CPU.

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Lab
Check out the following websites:
http://www.motherboards.org/
http://www.howstuffworks.com/motherboard.htm
http://www.laptopuniverse.com/products/motherboards.shtml
http://www.excelcomputerinc.com/html/xlsearchmainboards.asp
http://www.irisvista.com/tech/index.htm
Questions:
1. True or False –Laptop computers use the same exact components as Desktop computers.
2. True or False –All laptops will disassemble in the same way.
3. True or False –Components for laptops are easily replaceable.
4. True or False –The motherboards are highly integrated in laptop computers.
5. True or False –Motherboards on laptops are easily replaceable.
6. True or False –All motherboards for laptops are the same.
7. True or False –There is a standard form factor used to create motherboards for laptops.
8. True or False –Processors used in laptops are identical in every way to those used in desktop
computers.
9. True or False –There is no difference between processors –they all work the same way.
10. True or False –Processor speeds available for laptops are the same as for desktops.
11. What are 2 primary factors when manufacturers make processors for laptops?
12. How are motherboards for laptops different from motherboards used in desktops?

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Lesson Two: Power and Storage
Objectives
Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to:
•Recognize different battery designs of Laptop computers
•Recognize different AC Power designs of Laptop computers
•Know how to repair or replace batteries or AC Power adapters
Lithium Ion Batteries
What is a lithium-ion battery and how does it work?
A lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery is an advanced battery technology that uses lithium ions as a key
component of its electrochemistry. During a discharge cycle, lithium atoms in the anode are ionized and
separated from their electrons. The lithium ions move from the anode and pass through the electrolyte
until they reach the cathode, where they recombine with their electrons and electrically neutralize. The
lithium ions are small enough to be able to move through a micro-permeable separator between the
anode and cathode. In part because of lithium’s small size (third only to hydrogen and helium), Li-ion
batteries can have an extremely high voltage and charge storage per unit mass and unit volume.
Li-ion batteries can use several different materials as electrodes. The most common combination is that
of lithium cobalt oxide (cathode) and graphite (anode), which is most found in portable electronic
devices such as cellphones and laptops. Other cathode materials include lithium manganese oxide
(used in hybrid electric and electric automobiles) and lithium iron phosphate. Li-ion batteries typically
use ether (a class of organic compounds) as an electrolyte.
What are some advantages to Li-ion batteries?
A diagram of the specific energy density and volumetric energy density of various battery types. Li-ion
batteries are ahead of most other battery types in these respects
A diagram of the specific energy density and volumetric energy density of various battery types. Li-ion
batteries are ahead of most other battery types in these respects
Compared to the other high-quality rechargeable battery technologies (nickel-cadmium or nickel-metal-
hydride), Li-ion batteries have several advantages. They have one of the highest energy densities of
any battery technology today (100-265 Wh/kg or 250-670 Wh/L). In addition, Li-ion battery cells can
deliver up to 3.6 Volts, 3 times higher than technologies such as Ni-Cd or Ni-MH. This means that they
can deliver large amounts of current for high-power applications, which has Li-ion batteries are also
comparatively low maintenance, and do not require scheduled cycling to maintain their battery life. Li-
ion batteries have no memory effect, a detrimental process where repeated partial discharge/charge
cycles can cause a battery to ‘remember’ a lower capacity. This is an advantage over both Ni-Cd and
Ni-MH, which display this effect. Li-ion batteries also have low self-discharge rate of around 1.5-2% per
month. They do not contain toxic cadmium, which makes them easier to dispose of than Ni-Cd
batteries.
Due to these advantages, Li-ion batteries have displaced Ni-Cd batteries as the market leader in
portable electronic devices (such as smartphones and laptops). Li-ion batteries are also used to power
electrical systems for some aerospace applications, notable in the new and more environmentally
friendly Boeing 787, where weight is a significant cost factor. From a clean energy perspective, much of
the promise of Li-ion technology comes from their potential applications in battery-powered cars.
Currently, the bestselling electric cars, the Nissan Leaf and the Tesla Model S, both use Li-ion batteries
as their primary fuel source.
What are some disadvantages of Li-ion batteries?
Despite their technological promise, Li-ion batteries still have several shortcomings, particularly with
regards to safety. Li-ion batteries have a tendency to overheat and can be damaged at high voltages.
In some cases, this can lead to thermal runaway and combustion. This has caused significant

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problems, notably the grounding of the Boeing 787 fleet after onboard battery fires were reported.
Because of the risks associated with these batteries, several shipping companies refuse to perform
bulk shipments of batteries by plane. Li-ion batteries require safety mechanisms to limit voltage and
internal pressures, which can increase weight and limit performance in some cases. Li-ion batteries are
also subject to aging, meaning that they can lose capacity and frequently fail after several years.
Another factor limiting their widespread adoption is their cost, which is around 40% higher than Ni-Cd.
Addressing these issues is a key component for current research into the technology. Finally, despite
the high energy density of Li-ion compared to other kinds of batteries, they are still around a hundred
times less energy dense than gasoline (which contains 12,700 Wh/kg by mass or 8760 Wh/L by
volume).
Lithium-ion Battery Life and Death
Lithium-ion battery packs are expensive, so if you want to make
yours to last longer, here are some things to keep in mind:
Lithium ion chemistry prefers partial discharge to deep discharge, so
it is best to avoid taking the battery all the way down to zero. Since
lithium-ion chemistry does not have a "memory", you do not harm the
battery pack with a partial discharge. If the voltage of a lithium-ion
cell drops below a certain level, it is ruined.
Lithium-ion batteries age. They only last two to three years, even if
they are sitting on a shelf unused. So, do not "avoid using" the
battery with the thought that the battery pack will last five years. It will
not. Also, if you are buying a new battery pack, you want to make
sure it really is new. If it has been sitting on a shelf in the store for a year, it will not last exceptionally
long. Manufacturing dates are important.
Avoid heat, which degrades the batteries.
Exploding Batteries
Now that we know how to keep lithium-ion batteries working longer, let us look at why they can
explode.
If the battery gets hot enough to ignite the electrolyte, you are going to get a fire. There are video clips
and photos on the Web that show just how serious these fires can be. The article, “Summer of the
Exploding Laptop," rounds up several of these incidents.
When a fire like this happens, it is usually caused by an internal short in the battery. Recall from the
previous section that lithium-ion cells contain a separator sheet that keeps the positive and negative
electrodes apart. If that sheet gets punctured and the electrodes touch, the battery heats up very
quickly. You may have experienced the kind of heat a battery can produce if you have ever put a
normal 9-volt battery in your pocket. If a coin shorts across the two terminals, the battery gets quite hot.
In a separator failure, that same kind of short happens inside the lithium-ion battery. Since lithium-ion
batteries are so energetic, they get extremely hot. The heat causes the battery to vent the organic
solvent used as an electrolyte, and the heat (or a nearby spark) can light it. Once that happens inside
one of the cells, the heat of the fire cascades to the other cells and the whole pack goes up in flames.
It is important to note that fires are exceedingly rare. Still, it only takes a couple of fires and a little
media coverage to prompt a recall.
Lithium Polymer Batteries
A lithium polymer battery, or more correctly lithium-ion polymer battery (abbreviated as LiPo), is a
rechargeable battery of lithium-ion technology using a polymer electrolyte instead of a liquid electrolyte.
High conductivity semisolid (gel) polymers form this electrolyte. These batteries provide higher specific
energy than other lithium battery types and are used in applications where weight is a critical feature,
like mobile devices and radio-controlled aircraft.

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LiPo cells are affected by the same problems as other lithium-ion cells. This means that overcharge,
over-discharge, over-temperature, short circuit, crush and nail penetration may all result in a
catastrophic failure, including the pouch rupturing, the
electrolyte leaking, and fire.
All Li-ion cells expand at high levels of state of charge
(SOC) or over-charge, due to slight vaporization of
the electrolyte. This may result in delamination, and
thus bad contact of the internal layers of the cell,
which in turn brings diminished reliability and overall
cycle life of the cell. This is very noticeable for LiPos,
which can visibly inflate due to lack of a hard case to
contain their expansion.
Lithium-ion vs lithium-polymer: What is the difference?
Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery technology has historically been the power cell of choice for smartphones
and a wide range of other portable gadgets too. However, modern smartphones now commonly feature
lithium-polymer (Li-poly) batteries, a suitable alternative for a wide variety of consumer electronic
gadgets. This certainly is not a fact to overlook, given lithium-ion’s occasional run-in with overheating
problems.
With battery safety and longevity high on some customers’ priority list, it’s good to know the pros and
cons of these two battery technologies. Here’s everything you need to know about lithium-ion vs.
lithium-polymer batteries.
How do lithium-ion batteries work?
The trusty lithium-ion battery is the old industry workhorse. Development of the technology began all
the way back in 1912 but it did not gain popularity until adoption by Sony in 1991. Since then, lithium-
ion batteries have powered a wide range of gadgets, from portable cameras to music players and
smartphones.
Lithium-ion has proven so successful due, in part, to its very high energy density, lack of the “memory
effect” (where cells become more difficult to charge over time) unlike previous battery tech, and its
comparably cheap cost of production.
These batteries are constructed from two positive and negative electrodes separated by a liquid
chemical electrolyte, such as ethylene carbonate or diethyl carbonate. The chemical composition of this
battery limits it to a mostly rectangular shape. Lithium-ion battery capacity decreases over charge
cycles and even discharges when not in use, which is not ideal. Worse though, the chemical electrolyte
can become unstable at extreme temperatures or if punctured, leading to “thermal runaway” and fires.

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Although I should stress this is exceedingly rare. Electronic controllers are often used to regulate
charging and discharge power to prevent overheating.
How do lithium-polymer batteries work?
Lithium-polymer battery technology is newer than lithium-ion. It did not appear on the scene until the
1970s and has only made its way into smartphones much more recently. For example, Samsung only
made the switch to lithium-polymer with the Galaxy S20 series. Although others have been using the
technology for a little longer.
Lithium-polymer technology again uses a positive and negative electrode, but with a dry solid, porous
chemical, or gel-like electrolyte, rather than a liquid. As a result, polymer batteries can offer a lower
profile, flexible and more-robust designs, and have a lower chance of leaking electrolytes resulting in
thermal run away. In a nutshell, they are a fair bit safer.
A major drawback of this technology is a notably higher manufacturing cost. The lithium-polymer life
cycle is also shorter, and the batteries store less energy than the same sized Li-ion. These cells also
still use protection circuits to keep voltages operating within safe limits too.
Lithium-ion vs lithium-polymer: Key differences
Both battery types have their pros and cons. Lithium-ion batteries offer the highest capacities at the
lowest prices. Handy if you want an inexpensive phone that lasts more than a single day between
charges. Li-ion’s drawbacks are a gradual self-discharge, not that this matters too much for phones that
are always-on, and the tiny, but not zero potential for safety issues.
Li-poly is safer, by comparison, which is particularly important in these days of super-fast charging
technology. These batteries also have an exceptionally low self-discharge level, so will not go flat when
you’re not using them. However, this comes with a higher price tag, a shorter lifespan, and a lower
capacity density. Although, the lightweight nature of lithium-polymer batteries results in an overall better
energy density per kg.
Overall, lithium-polymer is replacing lithium-ion in the smartphone industry due to its superior safety,
form factor versatility, and weight attributes in high-end and mid-tier devices. Although more affordable
designs will likely stick with lithium-ion battery technology for a while longer.
Making a Charge Last Longer
We often fixate on smartphone battery life, but most laptops still do not have all-day battery life. Rather
than tethering your laptop to an outlet, here are some ways to squeeze more life from your laptop’s
battery.
None of these tricks will turn a laptop without much stamina into an all-day workhorse, but they’ll help
you go without an outlet for a while longer. Pay attention to your laptop’s display—that’s a big battery
sucker.
Use Windows 10’s Battery Saver Mode
If you want to extend your battery life without thinking too much about it, enable Windows 10’s Battery
Saver mode. Windows automatically enables this feature when you are down to 20% battery by default,
but you can manually enable it whenever you like. So, if you know you will be away from an outlet for a
while, you might enable it at the start of a long day.
Battery saver performs a few tweaks automatically, like limiting background activity and lowering
screen brightness to achieve longer battery life.
To enable Battery Saver mode, click the battery icon in your notification area and drag the Power mode
slider to the “Best battery life” point on the left.

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You can customize when Windows automatically enables battery saver from Settings > System >
Battery.
Reduce Your Display’s Brightness
The biggest battery drain on any modern portable electronic device—whether it is a laptop,
smartphone, or tablet—is the display. Reducing your screen’s brightness is a simple way to squeeze
significantly more time from your laptop’s battery.
On a typical laptop, you will just need to press the brightness buttons on your laptop keyboard (on
some laptops, you may need to hold the Function (Fn) key while pressing the brightness buttons). The
lower the brightness level, the longer you can use your laptop on battery power.
On Windows 10, you can also open the Action Center by clicking the notification icon on your taskbar
and click the brightness icon to adjust brightness (click “Expand” if you cannot see it). You can also
head to Settings > System > Display and adjust the slider here.

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On Windows 7, you can launch the Windows Mobility Center by pressing Windows + X and use it to
quickly adjust brightness.
Check Which Applications Are Using the Most Battery on Windows 10
Windows 10 allows you to see which applications are draining your battery the most. It does this by
tracking CPU usage over time, then listing which programs are using the most power. This feature is
not available in Windows 7.
To access this list, head to Settings > System > Battery > Battery Usage By App. This screen will show
you which applications are using the most battery. This does not necessarily mean the application is
bad—the applications you use the most will probably have used the most battery power, of course. But
you may want to consider switching to more power-friendly applications if something is unusually
heavy, or close background applications that seem to use a lot of power even when you are not actively
using them.
Microsoft Edge is lighter on battery life than Chrome or Firefox, so you may want to give Edge a try if
Chrome or Firefox are using a lot of power. But, if you spend a lot of time in your browser, whatever
browser you choose will probably use a lot of power. It is just a matter of how much.
Turn Off Your Screen and Go to Sleep Sooner
Since the display uses so much power, it is important not to have it on longer than necessary. You can
configure your laptop to automatically go to sleep sooner when you are not actively using it—or at least
turn off its display to save power.
This won’t help your battery life if you are actively using the laptop the whole time, or always put it to
sleep immediately when you are done, but it can ensure your laptop does not waste power by running
for too long when you step away.
To change these settings on Windows 10, head to Settings > System > Power & sleep. Tell Windows
when you want your screen to turn off and when you want your PC to go to sleep.