1.1 Given a scenario, install and configure laptop hardware and components

Question 1

To replace a keyboard (with or without a pointing stick), follow this basic procedure (9 steps):

Answer 1

1. Disconnect the laptop from AC power and remove the battery
2. Remove the screws that hold the keyboard in place
3. Turn the laptop upright
4. Open the screen so that the keyboard is visible
5. If necessary, remove the bezel that holds the keyboard in place
6. Lift up the keyboard to expose the keyboard cable
7. Remove any hold-down devices used to hold the keyboard cable in place
8. Disconnect the keyboard cable from the system board
9. Remove the keyboard

To install a replacement, reverse these steps

Question 2

What are some of the best practices you should use to make the laptop reassembly process as easy as possible:

Answer 2

Refer to manufacturer documentation

Use appropriate hand tools for case disassembly and component removal

Document and label cable and screw locations

Organize parts

Question 3

Replacement components available only from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) are components such as:

Answer 3

display

keyboard

wireless network card

system board

Question 4

Replacement components that can be purchased from third-party sources are components such as:

Answer 4

Optical drives

Hard drives

Memory

CPU

Question 5

What is a Hard disk drive (HDD):

Answer 5

These magnetic disks have been a standard option for years and combine low cost with large capacity

They are slower and less reliable than the other options

Question 6

What is a Solid-state drive (SSD)?

Answer 6

a flash memory drive with no moving parts

It is much faster than an HDD when booting and storing or retrieving data

Question 7

What is a Solid-state hybrid drive (SSHD)?

Answer 7

a combination of a solid-state cache with magnetic capacity

it uses a memory manager to choose the most common files for the fast cache

Question 8

Comparison of HDD, SSD, and SSHD

Cost; Capacity; Speed; Reliability

HDD

Answer 8

Least expensive and readily available; Highest capacity; Slowest due to moving parts and magnetic disks; Has moving parts that can wear over time

Question 9

Comparison of HDD, SSD, and SSHD

Cost; Capacity; Speed; Reliability

SSD

Answer 9

Most expensive but price is dropping; Lowest capacity but improving; Fastest; Has no moving parts

Question 10

Comparison of HDD, SSD, and SSHD

Cost; Capacity; Speed; Reliability

SSHD

Answer 10

Midrange cost; Blends high HDD capacity with fast solid-state cache for most used files; Blends fast solid-state cache with slower magnetic storage; Has moving parts that can wear out but spins less than HDD

Question 11

Follow this procedure to remove and replace a storage device (HDD, SSD, SSHD) accessible from the bottom (9 steps):

Answer 11

1. Disconnect the laptop from AC power and remove the battery
2. Loosen or remove the screw or screws used to hold the drive cover in place
3. Slide the cover away from the retaining lug or clips and remove it
4. Remove the screws holding the drive to the chassis
5. Slide the drive away from the retaining screw holes and lift out of the chassis
6. If the computer uses an interposer- that is, a proprietary connector linking the drive’s SATA connector and the drive bay- remove it and save it for reuse
7. Remove the screws fastening the drive to the drive frame
8. Remove the drive from the drive frame
9. Insert the new hard drive into the drive frame

Reverse these steps to install a new hard drive

Question 12

When you install a new hard drive what must you do once the system is restarted?

Answer 12

Start the computer

Enter the BIOS or UEFI setup program to verify that the new hard drive has been properly recognized by the system

Question 13

Type of RAM Description:

RAM (random access memory)

Answer 13

Volatile memory not for storage

Question 14

Type of RAM Description:

SDRAM (synchronous dynamic RAM)

Answer 14

Combines static RAM and dynamic RAM

Question 15

Type of RAM Description:

SDR SDRAM (single data rate SDRAM)

Answer 15

Single data rate means internal clock rate and input/output are the same

Question 16

You need to note the following before you can select the right memory upgrade for a laptop:

Answer 16

Form factor

Memory speed

Memory timing

Question 17

Number of Pins; Notch Location; Notes

DDR

Answer 17

200; After pin 20; 67.6mm long and 30mm high; Notch closer to short end* than with DDR2

Question 18

Number of Pins; Notch Location; Notes

DDR2

Answer 18

200; After pin 20; Notch closer to long end* than with DDR

Question 19

Number of Pins; Notch Location; Notes

DDR3

Answer 19

204; After pin 36; Same dimensions as DDR

Question 20

Number of Pins; Notch Location; Notes

DDR4

Answer 20

260; After pin 144; 69.7mm long and 30mm high

Question 21

Follow these steps to perform a typical memory upgrade (8 steps):

Answer 21

1. Disconnect the laptop from AC power and remove the battery
2. Remove any screws or hold-down devices
3. Remove the old memory module(s), if necessary. To remove a memory module, pull back the clips on both sides and swing the memory up and out
4. Insert the new memory upgrade, making sure the contacts on the edge of the module make a firm connection with the connector
5. Push the top of the module down until the latches lock into place
6. If the memory socket requires screws to secure the memory in place, install them
7. Close the cover and secure it to complete the upgrade
8. Test the upgrade by starting the system and running a memory diagnostic tool

Question 22

To remove a smart card reader follow this procedure (6 steps):

Answer 22

1. Disconnect the laptop from AC power and remove the battery
2. Remove the bottom cover
3. Locate the ribbon cable connecting the reader to the motherboard
4. Disconnect the ribbon cable
5. Remove the screws holding the reader in place
6. Remove the reader from the system

To replace the smart card reader, reverse these steps

Question 23

An optical drive that is not designed for being swapped, follow this procedure to remove it:

Answer 23

1. Disconnect the laptop from AC power and remove the battery
2. Locate the latch or mounting screw that holds the drive in place. It might be located inside the access panel for another component. Slide open the latch or remove the mounting screw
3. Slide the drive out of the system

Question 24

To remove a wireless card, follow this basic procedure (6 steps):

Answer 24

1. Verify the location of the card. Some laptops have the card under the keyboard, whereas others have the card under a removable cover on the bottom of the computer
2. Disconnect the laptop from AC power and remove the battery
   a. If the card is located under the keyboard, remove the keyboard
   b. If the card is located under an access panel, remove the screws holding the access panel in place
3. Disconnect any wires connected to the adapter. They might be screwed into place or snapped into place. Note their positions
4. Unscrew any bolts holding the card in place. A miniPCIe card uses two mounting bolts, while an M.2 card uses a single mounting bolt
5. Rotate the card upward at a slight angle and remove it from the slot
6. If the card is attached to a bracket, remove the card from the bracket

To reinstall the card or replace it with a different card, reverse these steps

Question 25

To enable cellular on a laptop, it is best to start by consulting the manufacturer’s documentation for the location of the slot for the SIM card. Then follow these steps:

Answer 25

1. Activate the SIM card 2. Insert the SIM card into the laptop, making sure the gold contacts connect 3. If the SIM card does not auto-configure, access the settings by selecting the Cellular option from the Network Connections area in the system tray 4. Select the Cellular tab and choose Add an APN (access point name) 5. Enable a PIN if you want to specify what users have access to the cellular connection

Question 26

To install a GPU, follow these steps:

Answer 26

1. Disconnect cables and remove the old graphics card. Remove the card drivers, if necessary: 2. Align the new GPU to the slots in the PCIe card and insert carefully 3. Connect cables and place them away from the fan 4. Reconnect any other cables and close the case 5. Boot the computer. When online, check for driver updates and install them

Question 27

A computer display screen typically consists of:

Answer 27

either a Liquid crystal display (LCD) or Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display Any communication peripherals are added separately

Question 28

How does the LCD screen work?

Answer 28

An electric current passes through the crystals and arrange into patterns that become the image on the screen

Question 29

To replace the DC jack on a typical laptop, follow this procedure (5 steps):

Answer 29

1. Remove power from the laptop and then remove any components that block access to the DC jack and cable 2. Unplug the DC jack power cord from the system board 3. Remove the DC jack power cord from the guides holding it in place on the system board 4. Remove the screw or clip that holds the DC jack in place 5. Lift out the DC jack To replace the DC jack, reverse these steps

Question 30

Before performing any replacement of internal components, the system must be removed from all power sources. Follow this procedure (7 steps)

Answer 30

1. Turn off the computer 2. Disconnect the AC adapter from the computer 3. Open the battery compartment in the unit; it might be secured by a sliding lock or by screws 4. If the battery is under a removable cover, remove the battery compartment cover 5. Open the lock that holds the battery in place 6. Slide out or lift out the battery. If the battery is a flat assembly, it might be held in place by a clip; if so, push the clip to one side to release the battery 7. Examine the battery contacts inside the computer for dirt or corrosion and clean dirty contacts with a soft cloth

Question 31

To replace a laptop's battery, follow these steps (4 steps):

Answer 31

1. Line up the replacement battery with the contacts inside the battery compartment. Make sure you insert the battery so that the positive and negative terminals are in the right directions 2. Slide in clip the battery into place 3. Replace any cover over the battery compartment 4. If the battery must be charged before use, plug in the AC adapter to both the computer and wall outlet. Check the computer's manual for the proper charge time for a new battery

Question 32

To remove the touchpad, follow these steps (7 steps):

Answer 32

1. Check service documents to determine whether the touchpad is a separate component or is built into the top cover 2. Remove all power from the laptop 3. Remove all power from the laptop 4. Place the system so it is bottom side up 5. Disconnect the cable from the pointing devices to the motherboard 6 Remove the clips or screws holding the touchpad in 7. Remove the touchpad assembly To replace the touchpad, reverse these steps

Question 33

To replace a service cover on the bottom of a laptop, such as the access cover to storage RAM, or the wireless adapter follow this procedure (5 steps):

Answer 33

1. Loosen the screws that hold the cover in place or use the unlocking latch 2. Lift the cover by the edge(s) recommended in the service manual. It might need to be unsnapped from the base enclosure through careful use of a straight-blade screwdriver or pry tool. YouTube can be a big help at this point 3. When the cover comes off, set it aside 4. Place the new service cover in place of the old one. Snap it down or swing it into position 5. Tighten the screws that hold the cover in place

Question 34

To remove the base enclosure (5 steps):

Answer 34

1. Remove the service cover 2. Remove any components that cover up screws that must be removed to enable the base enclosure to be removed 3. Remove the rubber feet if they are used to conceal mounting screws 4. Remove the screws holding the base enclosure in position 5. Lift the base enclosure from the computer frame Reverse these steps to install a replacement base enclosure

Question 35

To remove the display bezel, follow this procedure (3 steps):

Answer 35

1. Remove the display assembly from the computer 2. The display bezel might be held in place by screws or might be snapped into place 3. Lift the display bezel away from the display assembly Reverse these steps to install a replacement display bezel

Question 36

If speakers are broken or worn out and need to be replaced, follow these procedures (5 steps):

Answer 36

1. Disconnect power to the laptop and remove any components that block access to the speakers 2. If necessary, turn the laptop so it's bottom side up 3. Disconnect cables, as indicated in the manufacturer's directions 4. Remove the screws holding the speakers in place 5. Lift out the speakers To replace the speakers, reverse these steps

Question 37

To remove a typical system board (motherboard), follow these basic instructions (7 steps):

Answer 37

1. Remove all mass storage devices 2. Remove the base enclosure. Disconnect the fan from the motherboard if it is part of the base assembly 3. Remove the display assembly 4. Disconnect all cables from the system board 5. Remove all screws holding the top cover in place. Remove the top cover and turn it upside down so the motherboard is visible 6. Remove any additional screws holding the motherboard to the top cover 7. Remove the system board from the bottom plate. This might require lifting one end of the board at an angle and sliding it out

Question 38

To remove the heat sink, follow these steps (3 steps):

Answer 38

1. Remove the screws holding the heat sink in place 2. If the heat sink incorporates a fan, disconnect the fan power lead from the motherboard 3. Lift up on the heat sink to remove it. Set aside the heat sink

Question 39

To remove the CPU, follow these steps (2 steps):

Answer 39

1. Loosen the processor locking screw. The CPU must be aligned in the same position when installed 2. Remove the CPU from the socket. Retain it for possible reuse