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Laptop PC Problems: Fixing Laptop/Notebook/Netbook Computer Problems - Page 2 |
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CONTENTS
Click the relevant link below to go to that Q&A topic. Use your browser's Back button to backtrack.
3. - I can't find a wireless PC card that fits my notebook computer's PCMCIA slot
4. - How do I disable my laptop's touchpad in order to have just a mouse pointer?
5. - Why won't my Dell XPS M1530 laptop/notebook PC/computer battery recharge?
6. - Can I upgrade the graphics processor of my Dell Inspiron 9000 laptop/notebook computer?
7. - Can I upgrade my notebook computer's processor?
11. - Is my notebook/laptop computer running too hot?
12. - Is it advisable to buy an expensive bag for a laptop computer?
13. - Can a foreign notebook computer with a foreign version of Windows work with English software?
14. - How can I connect my notebook PC through my mobile phone?
15. - Can I buy a cheap replacement for my laptop/notebook computer's power supply?
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This section of this website consists of three pages. Click here! to Page 3. |
Can I install a standard 2.5" laptop hard disk drive in my Dell Inspiron 6400 laptop/notebook computer?
Question
I'd like to upgrade the hard disk drive in my Dell Inspiron laptop computer, but Dell charges an arm and a leg for them. I've seen the 2.5" hard drives advertised for sale by many vendors for much less. Is there any reason why I couldn't buy one and install it, or do I have to fit a Dell drive in a Dell laptop? And, if this is possible, how do I transfer the contents of the old drive to the new drive? Because I don't think that it's possible to fit two hard drives into a laptop in order to clone the old drive's contents to the new drive?
Answer
Good news! You can install a standard 2.5" notebook IDE PATA or SATA hard disk drive in a laptop computer as long as it has the correct data and power cables for an IDE or an SATA drive. If the drive has a 2.5" IDE hard drive, it will have the cables that connect to any other 2.5" IDE hard drive, but won't have SATA data and power cables. In newer laptops, you just take the old drive out and plug the new one in, but in older laptops you may have to remove the cables from the old drive and attach them to the new drive.
In other words, you can only upgrade the type of hard drive (IDE PATA or SATA) that the laptop already supports. You can find out which type is supported. Just enter your laptop's model number in the relevant search box (probably under a support heading) on Dell's website (or the manufacturer's site) and you should be able to find out what the machine's specifications are. Or just use the make/model number of the drive as a search query in a web search engine.
As with all Dell laptops, you can choose your own specification - the processor, capacity of the hard drive, etc. All Inspiron 6400 laptops must have a Serial ATA (SATA) hard disk drive, so you would have to by a 2.5" SATA hard drive with a larger capacity as an upgrade.
The drive itself in this model is just removed, by removing the screws that hold in in place, its faceplate is removed and then fitted on to the new drive, which is the plugged into the drive socket. The following video shows the process. Other laptops might require removing the cables from the old drive and plugging them into the new drive. PATA IDE drives have a single connector, whereas SATA drives have two connectors.
Note that if your computer has a PATA IDE hard drive, which is outgoing technology, they are only available up to a maximum capacity of only 160GB. Therefore, there is no point in upgrading the drive for extra capacity if the existing drive already provides a similar capacity.
For SATA drives, there is no limit, but you should check the thickness of the existing drive, because laptop hard drives come in two main thicknesses - 9.5mm and 12.5mm. The new drive obviously can't be thicker than the old one, because its slot will only accommodate a drive of the same thickness or less. A standard 9.5mm hard drive fits into all laptops, but a 12.5mm drive can only be fitted in a limited range of laptops.
How To Install / change a hard drive on a dell Inspiron 6400 laptop - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gSrIO51voyU
Note that because you can't usually install a second hard drive in a laptop computer, as you can in a desktop computer, you have to find a way of transferring the data from the old drive to the new drive. You could make an image of the drive with drive-imaging software, such as Norton Ghost, and then restore the image on to the new drive via the DVD drive. You can also buy a data transfer kit. The following video show how to use such a kit.
Upgrading Laptop Hard Drive Using Data Transfer Kit - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ALCxCav15Lg&feature=related
Enter a search term such as laptop hard drive data transfer kit in a search engine to find links to other vendors of these kits.
However, note that Dell sells a module bay that can hold a second hard disk drive - the Inspiron 8x00 Module Bay 2nd Hard Drive Module (Dell part 29MFN) for 9.5mm drives. It is described as a "carrier with cable and connector". The fixing screws for it have part number 53965. The bay allows the new drive to be fitted in the module bay that accommodates the CD-ROM or the floppy disk drive so that software can be copied from the existing hard disk drive.
Note that it's also possible to buy external USB hard disk drive enclosures (not fitted internally) also known as USB drive caddys, that can house notebook/laptop hard disk drives. If the laptop's BIOS setup program supports booting from a USB device, which is almost certainly the case with fairly recent laptops, the new external drive can be made into the boot drive, and the old drive can be left where it is for use as a backup drive. You can find these enclosures and information about them by entering a search query such as enclosures for 2.5" laptop hard drives in a search engine.
To clone the data on the drive to the new drive installed in the enclosure/caddy, you can use free software, such as Clonezilla from clonezilla.org. When that is done, you can replace the old drive with the new drive. Information on how to use the software in a number of scenarios is provided on its website.
Download the latest .iso version for your computer. All computers made since 2005 have 64-bit processors, so you can use the AMD64 versions. The ISO file has to be burned to a recordable CD or DVD disc by using suitable software, which is provided by Windows 7, but you can also use free third-party software, such as CDBurnerXP from www.cdburnerxp.se/. You have to boot from the disc, which can only be done if the computer's BIOS has been set to make the CD/DVD drive the first boot device, otherwise it boots automatically from the device set as the first boot device, which is usually the hard drive. You could also install the old drive in the caddy and the new drive in the laptop, because the boot disc does the work without running Windows, so it doesn't matter which way round the drives are installed as long as you know which drive is which. A wizard guides you through the process.
If you want to view some large images of laptop/notebook hard disk drives and find out what they cost in the UK, visit this site: http://www.laptopshop.co.uk/.
You can locate many local vendors for a particular type of product by using a suitable search query in a search engine.
I have to buy my son a laptop computer to help him with his studies at university, and I need to know how best to protect it from being stolen
Problem
I want to buy my undergraduate son an entry-level laptop computer that he can use at university to produce MS Word documents and MS Excel spreadsheets, and access the web, etc. Finding one is easy, but the chances of it being stolen are obviously very high given the accommodation in which students live, and I have no idea how best to protect it from being stolen.
Answer
Most of the laptop cable locks you can buy aren't worth the metal they're made of, because a pair or wire cutters is all that is required to slice through the cable. Moreover, the locks are easily picked, and most laptop lock manufacturer's insurance schemes don't provide cover if the lock is picked, only if the lock is broken.
Software can be purchased that detects when a laptop PC is online. It sends information to a tracer service, but most thieves are very well aware of that and will format the hard drive before reinstalling Windows.
Laptops with fingerprint readers / sensors are available that won't allow access to the computer unless the reader recognises the fingerprint of a valid user, but they are expensive machines, and, since the fingerprint information isn't hard-coded into the computer in the same way in which the default BIOS information is, removing it would just be a matter of knowing how to turn off the power source that is keeping the information recorded in the machine.
For example, the IBM/Lenovo laptop PCs that provide them, link the fingerprint security sensor to an embedded security chip. The encrypted fingerprint image is sent directly to and compared with the stored image in the security chip, instead of being transmitted over the general PCI system bus. A fingerprint swipe can be used to unlock a hard disk drive as well as the general Windows logon. The sensor is not entirely perfect, so the device provides a back door method of entry - an administrator password that can bypass the fingerprint sensor and unlock the system. Naturally, IBM recommends the use of a strong password.
Just as entry-level desktop and laptop PCs contain technology that was previously only available on expensive models, fingerprint-sensors will probably be available on entry-level laptop PCs before too long.
However, a knowledgeable or resourceful thief will always be able to overcome it, either by cutting off its source of power, or by removing the chip, erasing the fingerprint image and then replacing it.
Marking the computer with a UV pen and concealing a microscopic data tag somewhere in or on it will enable the police to identify the machine, but the chances are remote that the police will recover it if it's stolen.
I would buy your son a second-hand laptop and cover it with stickers stuck on with superglue, and paint your post code all over it. The thief is likely to sell it to a fence for a fraction of its resale worth, and is unlikely to steal a machine that is marked in that way, because a fence is unlikely to accept it.
After you've done that, the real worry is losing the data, which is likely to be very difficult and time-consuming to replace. You son must make sure that he backs up his data files to an external medium regularly. It's a good idea to back up the data files to a USB flash drive and to an online storage service. There are several such services that provide free storage up to a point and then charge for additional storage space. I use the free 2GB of storage space supplied by ZoneAlarm Backup. The initial online backup is a full backup that takes a long time (best to do it overnight), but the subsequent backups are incremental - only changed files are backed up. It can be set to send an email to confirm that a backup has taken place as scheduled or failed.
If your son makes use of an ISP from his accommodation, it is likely to offer free space in which to create a website that is usually not less than 30MBs - more than enough to store plenty of data. Instead of creating a website, he can use an FTP program, such as WS-FTP, to upload his files in the form of zip files to his web space. There are also websites that provide free web space, which can be found by using those words as the search query in a search engine.
You can also use Google's GMail. It provides 8GB of storage space. The size of the files you can store is limited to a maximum of 10MB per file, which is more than enough for your son's requirements. The files appear as attachments to messages. You create a filter that archives messages that have GMAILFS in the subject heading in order to prevent them in the inbox.
Click here! to got to the page on this site that deals with creating backups.
I can't find a wireless PC card that fits my notebook computer's PCMCIA slot
Problem
I have two desktop PCs and a laptop PC. One of the desktop PCs is connected to a broadband ADSL connection. I want all three computers to share the connection via a wireless Ad Hoc network that is connected to a wireless 802.11g router. I installed an MSI PC54G2 wireless adapter in each of the desktop PCs. Unfortunately, I purchased an MSI CB54G2 CardBus card for the elderly Toshiba Satellite Pro 420CTD laptop that is running Windows 98 SE, but it doesn't fit into its PCMCIA slot. I therefore need some advice on how best to connect the laptop to a wireless router.
Answer
The credit-card-sized cards for notebook PCs are called PCMCIA cards. CardBus cards are the 32-bit versions of PCMCIA cards, which are now the prevalent kind found in computer stores. The older 16-bit PCMCIA cards that are also known as PC Cards, fit and can function from a 32-bit CardBus slot, but a 32-bit CardBus card won't work from or fit properly into a 16-bit PCMCIA slot. This has been made so because a 32-bit card won't work on a 16-bit bus, but a 16-bit card will work on a 32-bit bus.
Add-on USB cards for laptops/notebooks have required a CardBus slot since they were introduced in 1996 - at about the time when the USB standard first became available. At that time, Pentium II processors were replacing the original Pentium processors. Your laptop's user manual should tell you if it supports 16-bit PCMCIA or CardBus cards. Alternatively, start up your laptop. On the Windows 98 desktop, right-click on My Computer, click Properties and open the Device Manager. If there is a heading called PCMCIA adapters, you should see devices listed that mention PC Card or CardBus. If CardBus isn't mentioned, your laptop doesn't support it.
A CardBus network card has a much higher data transfer rate than PC Card network card, which is essential if the wireless network uses 802.11a or 802.11g wireless equipment, because the whole network will work at the data transfer speed of its slowest member. A PC Card only has a theoretical maximum data transfer rate of 20Mbit/s (megabits per second), which is much slower than the theoretical maximum data transfer rate of 54Mbit/s of the 802.11g wireless standard. If you use PC Card on the laptop, the whole network will work at its slower speed. CardBus also supports direct memory access - DMA - and bus-mastering, which greatly reduce the load placed on the processor as it transfers data.
Your laptop could be one of the few that has one or more USB 1.1 ports, but doesn't support CardBus. If it is, then you can use a standard wireless USB network adapter, which are easy to find. But if it doesn't have a USB port and doesn't support CardBus, you'll have to use a 16-bit PCMCIA wireless card. One of these might be difficult to find. If you can't find a new card, you should be able to find a used one on eBay.
The Orinoco Gold Classic is an excellent 16-bit wireless card. Many wireless card manufacturers only provide drivers for Windows 98 SE and higher versions of Windows, but the manufacturer of Orinoco cards provides drivers for a very wide range of operating systems, including Windows 95 and the original version of Windows 98. The Orinoco Gold Classic wireless card supports an external antenna and works with many third-party networking utilities.
You are advised to take care when making a purchase, because many reputable vendors incorrectly describe CardBus cards as PCMCIA cards. They also don't tend to specify if the adapter is a 16-bit or a 32-bit card. However, note that if the card supports the 802.11g wireless standard, it must be a CardBus adapter, because a 16-bit card cannot support the 802.11g wireless standard, it can only support the slower 802.11b standard.
You must make sure that you buy an 802.11b 16-bit card, which will work with an 802.11g router, because the two standards are backward compatible.
Linksys made the following 802.11b 16-bit wireless cards: WPC11, WPC11 2.5, WPC11 2.7, WPC11 3, and WPC11 3.1.
These are the CardBus cards made by Linksys: WPC11 4, WPC54G, WPC54GS, WPC54GX, WPC51AB, and WPC55AG.
You can locate other manufacturer's products, such as those made by Netgear, by entering a suitable search query in a search engine.
How do I disable my laptop touchpad in order to have just a mouse pointer?
Question
I own a Dell Inspiron 8100 running Windows XP Professional Edition that has both a touchpad and the little eraser looking thingy [a touch pad or trackstick]. Can you please tell me how to disable the touchpad and the eraser thingy so that the external mouse, attached a USB port, is the only device driving a cursor?
Answer
There is a simple way to disable the touchpad on your laptop. First, turn on or restart your computer. When the Dell logo comes up press F2 to open the BIOS setup program. Press the Alt + p keys three times to get to page. Near the middle of the screen you should see an option called Pointing Device. Change it from Touch Pad - PS/2 Mouse to just PS/2 Mouse. That setting should work fine for your USB mouse. Then save the changes, and exit the BIOS. The computer should reboot automatically.
The settings for the Pointing Device depends on the make of BIOS being used, so it will vary from laptop to laptop. Consult the user manual that came with the laptop for information on how to enter the BIOS for a particular laptop, and for information on the BIOS settings. If you don't possess a manual, you should be able to download a copy in the PDF format that requires the Acrobat Reader.
Why won't my Dell XPS M1530 laptop/notebook PC/computer battery recharge?
Problem
I have a DELL XPS M1530 laptop PC with Vista Home Premium SP1, and according to the desktop icon of a battery in the left hand corner of the screen there is only 4% of battery charge left. I can use the computer when I have the AC adapter connected, but the battery doesn't recharge, and then I have to use my laptop as a desktop. The battery is only about 8 months old. Yesterday both the battery and the AC adapter were working well. I have rebooted, and same problem appears.
Answer
Try running the laptop on battery power until its battery power runs out and then connect it to the AC adapter. You should find that it begins to recharge. This situation has happened to me a few times and that course of action has sorted the problem out every time.
In the unlikely scenario that doing that doesn't work, either the battery is dead or the system's charging unit has failed. Since the computer is under a year old it's still under warranty and you should contact Dell for warranty support because the faulty component has to be replaced.
For your information, unlike NiCd and NiMH batteries, which are no longer used in laptops or mobile phones, the Lithium Ion (Li-ion) batteries that have been used in all laptops for many years do not develop a memory effect. In other words, you don't have to fully discharge Li-ion batteries before you recharge them in order not to have the amount of charge the battery will take reduced continuously. All mobile phones use Li-ion batteries. My mobile is put on its charger every night regardless of the amount of charge it is carrying and has been for over 3 years and it works fine.
Can I upgrade the graphics processor of my Dell Inspiron 9000 laptop/notebook computer?
Question
I have a Dell Inspiron 9000 laptop PC that has an integrated Intel 915GM graphics processor. My question is, can I upgrade the graphics processor to a more powerful one? I understand from reading that I've done on the subject that, if it is possible with this model, I would have to disassemble the laptop to remove the graphics chip and then install the new chip, or add a graphics card if the laptop has a slot for one.
Answer
The current position in August 2007 is that you can only upgrade the graphics capability of a laptop/notebook computer under very limited circumstances. The graphics chip has to be on a separate, replacable graphics card, not integrated into the motherboard.
Most laptop computers use an integrated graphics controller that uses system RAM memory, but some have the provision for a graphics card that has its own dedicated video memory. Many recent integrated graphics controllers used in laptops use PCI Express technology, which means that the signals sent from the processor to the graphics processor are compatible with PCI Express standards. However that doesn't necessarily mean that they also have a PCI Express slot.
Both desktop and laptop PC's can have integrated graphics (the graphics chip is integrated into the motherboard) and also provide a slot for a video/graphics card.
Dell graphics cards are proprietory, which means that they can usually only be upgraded if Dell supplies a choice of graphics options for that particular model. When you buy a Dell PC online you can often choose from a range of graphics cards. Note, however, that Dell can use several makes of LCD screens on the same model and high-end graphics cards may only work with certain makes of LCD screens. The following webpage list the graphics options of each Dell laptop: http://www.bay-wolf.com/videoupgrade.htm.
You should also note that the laptop's BIOS has to be compatible with the new graphics card. A particular laptop could use an MXM-compatible or AXIOM-compatible card (more information on that compatibility is provided below), but its BIOS could be hard-coded with the configuration details of the card that was originally installed. If that is the case, a BIOS update that supplies the configuration details of the new card would have to be installed.
In most cases when you purchase a laptop computer, you cannot upgrade the graphics. Fortunately, you are in luck, because the Dell Inspiron 9000 has integrated Intel 915GM graphics and can also be fitted with an ATI Radeon graphics card. Having first checked the position with Dell, you should be able to purchase one from Dell and fit it yourself, or, if you don't trust yourself to do the job, send the laptop in to Dell for the fitting. Remember that even opening a laptop computer can be difficult. If you don't know exactly how to do it, you can break plastic tabs, etc.
Desktop PCs have just one PCI Express standard for graphics card slots, but there are two 'standards' for laptop/notebook computers. nVidia calls its version MXM, which stands for Mobile PCI Express Module, and ATI/AMD calls its version AXIOM. Apparently, each version has several types with different size and heat dissipation requirements. Some laptop manufacturers have customised the BIOS in their systems so that only the MXM cards that they supply can be used. Some laptop manufacturers, such as Toshiba, have their own non-standard slots for graphics processors.
Unfortunately, most of the laptop computer manufacturers will only guarantee compatibility with their own graphics cards. Moreover, most of them don't even provide the information that their laptops have an MXM or an AXIOM slot.
Here is the information I have found on MXM:
MXM -
"As early as 2004, NVIDIA introduced a standard for mobile modular graphics cards. MXM, which stands for Mobile PCI EXpress Module, aims to allow notebook manufacturers to bring their product faster to market and to design a single platform which suits a manifold of graphics modules. On top of that, the standard is open, which means that an ATI MXM card is possible, allowing manufacturers an even greater flexibility. Based on 16 lanes of PCI-Express (the same as its desktop brethren), MXM is here to stay for the long run. Now that most new laptops are based on new chipsets, which feature PCI-Express technology, more and more MXM powered laptops are arriving on the market. MXM's history looks bright indeed!" -
"If your laptop is not in the list of MXM powered parts that can be found here, there's still a chance that there's an MXM under the hood. This page contains tips and tricks. But before you proceed, you should understand that opening up your laptop will void your warranty. Furthermore, it is quite a bit more complex then opening up a desktop PC. Laptops are not really made to be taken apart, especially not by inexperienced hands. If you don't know exactly what you are doing, chances are you're going to break some tabs, damage the interior of you're going to find yourself being generally unable to assemble all the parts together again. So, leave your laptop alone if you're not exactly sure what you're doing!" -
http://www.mxm-upgrade.com/Notinthelist.html
A search engine can be used to locate information on ATI's AXIOM.
Can I upgrade my notebook computer's processor?
Question
My Mitac Iqon 8089P notebook computer is running an Intel Celeron M 1.5GHz processor and 256MB of RAM memory. Some time in the future I would like to be able to add additional RAM and upgrade the processor. I know that the notebook has a spare memory slot, because it says so in its user manual, but I can you tell me if I can change the processor to an Intel Pentium M model?
Answer
Adding a second 256MB module of RAM would provide a significant boost in performance because the recommended minimum amount to run Windows XP on is 256MB, and some of that is used by the graphics engine, so it is not available for Windows to use. (Windows XP runs much more comfortably on 512MB, with 1GB (1024MB) regarded as being its 'sweet spot'.) The amount of RAM reserved for use by the graphics engine can be between 32MB and 128MB. Your user manual should be able to tell you how to set the amount of system RAM used by the graphics engine. Therefore, Windows XP is running on less than 256MB. You can make use of the UK and US Crucial Memory Selectors at the top of the page to find the right RAM for that notebook, which is guaranteed by Crucial to work or your money back.
However, it is not a good idea to upgrade the processor. For a start, you'll probably have to pay a suitable PC technician that specialises in notebook PCs to change it, because the processor in a notebook is usually hidden within the body of the computer's components, which are installed like the parts in a mechanical watch. You have to know how to remove them and how they go back together. The components are delicate, and, if you aren't experienced, you can damage them so that they no longer function. Upgrading a desktop PC is relatively easy because of the modular nature of the components, but the highly integrated nature of the components in a notebook makes it very difficult to work with them.
Moreover, the manufacturers of notebooks don't expect that the processor will be changed, so the computer's BIOS setup program might not support a different processor. But even if it does, or you can download a BIOS update that supports a faster or superior processor from the PC manufacturer's site in order to reflash the BIOS, the computer's cooling system, designed for the installed processor, might not be able to cope with the upgrade and overheat, which can cause the components permanent or even fatal damage, so do yourself a favour and forget about upgrading the processor.
Is it possible to buy a small set of stereo speakers for use with my notebook computer that provide good sound?
Question
I use my IBM R50e notebook computer to play DVDs on the road. The picture quality is good, but the quality of the sound delivered by the single speaker is very poor. Is it possible to buy a decent set of speakers that can be powered from the computer? I don't need surround sound, just one or two speakers that provide a decent level of volume.
Answer
It is possible to buy a set of speakers designed for mobile use. They can usually be connected and powered via a USB connection, internal batteries, or an external mains adapter. The Philips DGX320 set of speakers draw power through a USB connection. However, the On Tour speakers made by JBL, priced at around £60 in January 2006, provide superb sound quality. The set of two speakers are housed in a single unit that has a sliding cover that protects them. It can be powered by batteries or from a mains adapter. You can find information and vendors on and for these by entering the following search terms, as is, in a search engine: "philips dgx320" and jbl + on tour. Aternatively, conduct a web search for laptop speakers to find the latest products.
What do I need in a laptop/notebook computer to be able to have a wireless connection to the Internet?
Question
I want to buy a laptop computer that allows me to be able to connect to the web wirelessly or to which a wireless connection can be added. But I am confused by what I have read on the subject. What I've 'understood' so far is that some laptops come with a specification called HSDPA, a faster version of 3G that 3G mobile phones use to access the web. I take it that I don't have to add anything to a laptop with HSDPA. I know that you can insert a data card into a laptop that has the correct slot that provides wireless web access. Is that an HSDPA data card?
I have also noticed from reading the specifications of different laptops that some of them have a PCMCIA adapter card slot, others have an ExpressCard adapter slot, and some laptops have both types of slot. Apparently, the ExpressCard cards are smaller than the PCMCIA cards, so can an ExpressCard adapter fit into the slot for a PCMCIA card, or must you only buy specific cards for specific slots?
Answer
HSDPA stands for High-Speed Downlink Packet Access. It is one of several technologies that are collectively referred to as 3G. Another is called Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS).
3G - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3G
High-Speed Downlink Packet Access - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSDPA
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Mobile_Telecommunications_System
If a particular area is covered by a 3G network, with a 3G mobile phone or a suitably equipped computer, you can access the Internet at broadband speeds. However, you must check the 3G reception in your area, because within a relatively small area, at different points, or at different times of the day, you can have no reception to excellent reception. If the reception is weak, the equipment will probably fall back to using a relatively slow GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)connection, which is about as fast as a dial-up connection.
General Packet Radio Service [GPRS] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Packet_Radio_Service
The mobile phone service provider you intend to use should provide a service on its website that provides reception strengths for 2G and 3G reception on a post/zip-code basis. You enter your post/zip code and a map is delivered showing the reception in that area. In my experience, some areas have a constantly strong 3G reception, while other areas nearby can have variable reception that wavers from strong to weak. There are also areas that don't have any reception, which is why you must check the reception at your post/zip code. T-Mobile's site in the UK provides you with the reception at home and at work.
A 3G data adapter card can be added to almost any notebook that doesn't come with built-in 3G support, but it will make use of an adapter card slot or a USB port.
Most of the HSDPA data cards have an aerial that protrudes from the computer, but some data cards use UMTS, which doesn't use an aerial. An example in the UK is the data card that T-Mobile provides for its Web 'n' Walk service. The data card requires a PCMCIA CardBus card slot in a laptop. Use in a desktop PC using a PCMCIA adapter is not supported because of the variation in reception from even different areas in the same house or building. Another service is provided via a Vodaphone3G Datacard, which also uses a PCMCIA CardBus slot.
Most computers purchased within the last five years have a 32-bit PCMCIA CardBus slot, but new computers often only come with an ExpressCard slot, which is not compatible with the PCMCIA standard. As you said, some laptops have both types of slot. You wouldn't be able to use T-Mobile's or Vodaphone's 3G data cards in a ExpressCard slot.
Laptops that have built-in HSDPA, will just have a slot for a SIM card. You will have to subscribe to a mobile phone provider that will provide you with a SIM card that you could also use in a mobile phone. In fact, you might find that you have to install the SIM card in a mobile phone to get it registered with the network the first time that you use it.
I use my laptop in the office and on the road, but it doesn't support a docking station, so what is the best way to connect it up to many desktop peripheral devices?
Question
I use my laptop PC at my desk and on the road. When I get back to my desk, I have to reconnect the external keyboard, mouse, and DVD writer. The laptop doesn't support a docking station, so can you tell me if there is a simple way to make reconnecting it as easy as possible?
Answer
Almost all of the peripheral devices you can buy today can connect via a computer's USB ports, which all current desktop and laptop/notebook computers provide. If you are using a keyboard or mouse that connects via a parallel or serial port, change them to USB devices. Your external DVD writer must already connect to the laptop via its USB port. Then buy a self-powered USB hub that connects to the mains. You would connect the devices to the hub and then connect the hub to the laptop via its single USB cable. An recommended example is the Trust 7 Port USB2 Powered Hub. Locate information on it and vendors by entering trust 7 port usb2 powered hub, as is, in a search engine.
However, if you use an external PC monitor, you will have to connect it as you normally do, because PC monitors can't use a USB connection. Note that you can buy a special stand that you attach a notebook to so that its screen is held at the best viewing angle. An example is the Ergo Station from Port that costs £47.
Is my notebook/laptop computer running too hot?
Question
My new notebook computer feels much hotter than I think it should be on the left side, which is not around the battery. It also smells a bit of burning electronics, which was more noticeable when I first got it, so perhaps it is now "burnt in", so to speak.
These are the temperature results that SpeedFan produced:
HDD = stands for the hard drive temperature, and CPU = stands for the processor's temperature, in degrees Celsius.
At startup, HDD = 22, CPU = 28. After 30 minutes of doing nothing but log in, HDD = 43, CPU = 56. After 10 minutes of a virus scan, HDD = 47, CPU = 67. After about 20 more minutes of the virus scan when it is complete, HDD = 53, CPU = 56. After 40 minutes being idle, HDD = 53, CPU = 58. The machine is only a month old. I'd like to know what the normal operating temperature is for a notebook computer. My desktop PC, which has two case fans that pull air in and push it out, never goes above 45 degrees.
Answer
The most common components in a notebook that produce a lot of heat are the battery, the hard drive, and the processor. Being the key component, the processor is usually the best cooled. From your description, I would say that the hard drive is producing the heat that you feel through the case.
Each manufacturer sets the acceptable maximum temperatures for a PC's or a laptop's components. Usually, hard-drive vendors warn against temperatures over about 50 degrees C, so your readings in the low 50's suggest overheating. The only way to know for sure is to check either the vendor's or the hard drive manufacturer's technical specifications.
You can find out the make and model of the hard drive (or any of the other components) by using a utility such as the Belarc Advisor. It creates an analysis of the hardware and software on a personal computer. Look for it under FREE DOWNLOAD - http://www.belarc.com/. Alternatively, you can examine the hard drive itself, which will be labelled. You can usually access the hard drive in a notebook by opening a covered compartment on the bottom or the side of the case. You may have to remove a couple of screws to get to it, but you almost certainly won't have to take the whole computer apart, because notebook hard drives are one of the few components that can be upgraded, and so access is made a simple matter.
Alternatively, the notebook's manufacturer or the the processor's manufacturer should be able to provide you with the correct operating temperatures. Intel and AMD usually specify maximum temperatures of around 70 degrees C. Therefore, your temperatures are probably close to the maximum, but nevertheless may still be below being dangerously high.
Note that the maximum temperature that a component can run at is not the same as the recommended temperature, which is much lower. Anyhow, with electronic components, the cooler, the better. A component may not fail immediately running at a high temperature, but sustained use at high temperatures will almost certainly shorten the component's lifespan
Using a LapDesk ensures a good flow of air all around the machine.
Targus Notebook Portable LapDesk™ -
http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=PA243U
On a new notebook that is properly cooled, the processor should run at a maximum temperature of about 45 to 47 degrees C when running its most demanding tasks, with the hard drive running at about 35 degrees C.
There is information on Page 2 on overheating in laptops.
Is it advisable to buy an expensive bag for a laptop computer?
Question
I need to to buy a carrier bag for my laptop computer. I want it to look like a normal bag. Should I just buy an ordinary bag, or should I pay a lot for one that is especially designed for a laptop?
Answer
You should buy a bag specially designed for a laptop. Such a bag has padding on the sides and air-filled cushions on the bottom to prevent damage. If you should drop an unprotected laptop, the hard drive, the optical CD/DVD drive, and the screen could be damaged, necessitating costly repairs. Some laptops are themselves specially designed in order to be able to absorb shock and rough use, but even they can be damaged by a serious fall.
Port Designs make a good product. It's Seattle bag that costs around £29 would be a good investment. To locate vendors, enter a search such as "port designs" + seattle (as is) in a search engine.
Can a foreign notebook computer with a foreign version of Windows work with English software?
Question
My daughter is living in France with her husband. She doesn't speak much French, but her French husband speaks English fluently. They want to buy a notebook computer, but don't know if a French notebook running the French version of Windows will work with English software. Can a Windows computer be set up so that it works in English for my daughter and in French for her husband?
Answer
French keyboards use the same standard QWERTY layout as UK keyboards. You can change a UK keyboard's layout so that it uses the French layout and regional settings, and vice versa, under Regional and Language Options in the Control Panel in Windows XP, but you have to find out which keys are changed. For example, changing a UK keyboard to a French keyboard will make the colon and @ keys into accent keys, etc. Some notebooks provide replacement keys for different languages. If so, you would change the keyboard in Windows and then change the keys to reflect the change. If you don't have replacement keys, you'll just have to remember where the changes are or put stickers on the keys.
However, you can't change the language that Windows uses for its menus and help files, etc., unless you are using the corporate version of Windows for business use.
Since your daughter and her husband can both speak English, buying a notebook in the UK is probably the best option. You should make sure that it has a European warranty to cover them if it develops a fault that requires repairing.
If the English version of MS Office is being used, you can set its dictionary to the language of the person who is using the notebook. Moreover, Windows XP provides multi-user support. It would allow your daughter to set up a user account (under User Accounts in the Control Panel) that makes use of the British English dictionaries and regional settings, and her husband can set up a user account with the French options.
Alternatively, you can install an English version of Windows XP on a French computer, or run a dual-boot system with both the English and the French versions installed. In a dual-boot system, a boot menu would present itself at startup and allow the user to choose which version to boot.
How can I connect my notebook PC through my mobile phone?
Question
I would like to connect my laptop computer through my mobile phone. Can you advise me on the best way to do that?
Answer
Note that since this Q&A was written, data cards have been replaced by USB wireless dongles by most mobile Internet providers. Instead of inserting a card in a card slot, you just insert the dongle in a USB port.
The Vodaphone 3G Data Card allows you to connect to the Internet without a mobile phone.
The Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G/GPRS data card can be used with almost any laptop to provide high-speed Internet services and e-mail access, allowing you to work wherever you are.
Enter vodaphone + 3g + data + card (as is) in a search engine to located vendors.
No need to use a separate mobile phone and no complicated setup process. Simply install the Vodafone Mobile Connect dashboard software and then insert the data card into your laptop.
Mobile Connect takes advantage of Vodafone's 3G network, offering connection speeds that are up to seven times faster than a 56k PSTN dial-up modem connection. If you find yourself in an area without 3G coverage, it will keep you connected by switching automatically to the well-established GPRS data service. You can also use a wireless LAN enabled laptop to access the Vodafone WLAN service through the dashboard software in any of Vodaphone's partners' hotspot locations. The on-screen Dashboard for Mac (v1.0 or later) or Windows (v3.0 or later) allows you to access internet-based e-mail accounts, browse any webpage, send and receive text messages, chat using instant messages, monitor your usage (for 3G and GRPS), and connect to your company network using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
If you want to connect via a mobile phone, choose a phone contract that provides GPRS or 3G data access. GPRS is the slower of the two, but offers more coverage.
You should look for a phone that supports Bluetooth, because it is the easiest way of connecting a notebook to a phone. You may have to purchase a Bluetooth adapter for the notebook, such as the USB Bluetooth Adaptor made by My Memory and priced at £9. Making a connection can be tricky, but there is plenty of advice that you could locate by using a suitable search term in the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled). Try using a query such as: connect + "mobile phone" + bluetooth + adapter (as is).
You can keep any existing phone number if you have to change your service provider. When you disconnect your current phone, ask your provider for your Porting Authorisation Code (PAC). There may be a small charge for the code. Telephone to provide the new service provider with the PAC. It takes between five and seven days to complete the transfer.
Can I buy a cheap replacement for my laptop/notebook computer's power supply?
Problem
The power supply for my laptop computer has died. Its manufacturer wants to charge me nearly £100 for a replacement. I've searched the web for a cheaper alternative replacement without success. Is is possible to buy a cheaper replacement?
Answer
Universal notebook power supplies
All of the notebook computer manufacturers charge a small fortune for replacement power supplies. However, you don't have to buy a replacement made by a particular notebook manufacturer, because you can buy a universal power supply.
Here is an example - Kensington High Power Universal AC Adapter. You could make use of a search engine to search for alternative suppliers and reviews. Use a search query such as: notebook universal ac/dc power adapter.
That particular power supply comes with all of the adapters required to connect it to many different types of notebook/laptop computers.
Batteries and Chargers - "Your laptop is indispensable, but have you ever thought about what would happen if you were to lose its power supply or damage the battery? Official replacement parts can be hard to find and even then they can cost hundreds of pounds – so what solution is there? At Laptops Direct we offer a comprehensive and easy to use method to find the right accessory for your laptop at a price that can’t be beaten. It’s called the 'Power Product Configuration Wizard' and as long as you know the brand name of your laptop then you’ll be able to find what you need. There’s no fiddling around with serial numbers or part numbers - just let us know what you have, what you need and we’ll do the rest, even if you didn’t buy your laptop from us in the first place!" - http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk
As well as being cheaper than power supplies supplied by the notebook manufacturers, you could use such a universal power supply with other notebooks.
If you use a notebook computer at home and at work, using a universal power supply is a good way of providing mains power in both locations without having to carry an adapter with you.
Here is information that is US-specific that I found on a newsgroup:
"While a little more expensive you can buy a "Universal" Notebook AC-to-DC adapter at Radio Shack. I use one for notebook repair where the power brick is missing or defective. The output voltage is selectable and comes with an assortment of plugs. It is important that you orient the +/- terminals correctly. Usually, a notebook will have a label on the bottom that has power information. Also if you have a Batteries+ store in your area they usually have a large choice of AC power units for notebooks. The Radio Shack unit is a lot more expensive than a OEM replacement - running around $90."
Which cables do I need to connect my laptop PC to my LCD TV in order to play high-definition movies using its Blu-ray/HD DVD drive?
Problem
I have a laptop PC that has a Blu-ray/HD DVD optical drive. The computer has both standard analog VGA and digital DVI video output ports. I want to know which cable or cables are required to connect the laptop to my LCD TV in order to be able to watch high-definition movies. The back of the TV has SCART, component, S-video, HDMI and VGA input ports. The laptop has a 3.5mm jack plug audio output.
Answer
You can't use an HDMI high-definition cable that supports both video and sound because the laptop doesn't have an HDMI output port. Since the laptop has both VGA and DVI outputs, there are two ways to connect it to the LCD TV: a VGA cable connected to the laptop's VGA port and the TV's VGA input port and a DVI-to-HDMI cable from the laptop's DVI output to the TV's HDMI input port. Both methods have pros and cons.
Being wholly digital, the DVI option should provide superior image quality to analog VGA, because there is no analog-to-digital conversion involved. However, many LCD TVs don't display their native screen resolution when plugged into a laptop via HDMI; they scale the image to standard HD resolutions such as 720p or 1080i. The video should display acceptably, but text looks terrible and is difficult to read.
Whichever of the two available options (VGA or DVI) you choose, you will have to use a second cable to carry sound, because only HDMI can carry both video and sound. The cable you use depends on the TV. Most TVs have a 3.5mm jack plug audio input and twin phono inputs next to the HDMI video input. Depending which video input is being used, the TV will choose which audio input to use. The laptop has a 3.5mm jack plug audio output, so you need either a 3.5mm-to-3.5mm cable (for a VGA connection) or a 3.5mm-to-twin-phono cable (for the DVI connection). In the UK, both cables are available from maplin.co.uk. If you live in the USA or Europe, you can make use of a suitable search query in a search to find a local vendor.
Playing normal DVDs or downloaded video should work fine, but it won't work for playing high-definition Blu-ray or HD DVD discs, because they are protected with High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), which prevents the copying of high-definition discs by making them playable only on HDCP-compliant monitors/screens through an HDCP-compliant digital video and audio (HDMI) connection, which the laptop doesn't have.
Because of these limitations, it would probably be a better option to buy a standalone HD DVD or Blu-ray player instead. Bear in mind that Toshiba has stopped developing its HD DVD standard because most of the movie studios have abandoned it. Sony's Blu-ray has won the high-definition standards competition. Therefore, in future only new Blu-ray high-definition movies will be in the stores.
When I connect my laptop/notebook PC/computer to my HD TV via an HDMI connection. only part of the Windows XP/Vista Start menu is visible
Answer
HDMI is a digital (as opposed to an analog) connection, but many HD TVs are to able to or won't display the graphics signal coming from the computer pixel for pixel, which is required to display the laptop's screen as is on the TV screen; they use an overscan system that zooms in on the image slightly. Overscan is employed because the images of a television broadcast are slightly larger than required in order to make sure that there are no black areas if an old-style CRT TV places the picture incorrectly.
A high-definition HD TV can have an inbuilt video scaler that provides one-to-one pixel mapping and which prevents overscanning, but not all HD TVs have one.
If your HD TV cannot map pixels one-to-one, you could try changing the screen resolution of the laptop PC to find out if doing so makes the HD TV display other screen resolutions correctly. In both Windows XP and Windows Vista, you can do that by right-clicking an empty space on the Windows Desktop and then choosing the Properties option. Look under the Settings tab for the Screen resolution slider that allows you to choose an alternative screen resolution. Note that the best resolution is the native screen resolution for an LCD display, which is the type that all laptops have.
You can also have a look at the laptop computer's graphic-card driver's user interface to find out if it provides HD TV modes. You do that by opening Display Properties as instructed above. You then click in the Settings tab followed by the Advanced button. Look for a tab in the window that comes up the describes the graphics' driver. In my laptop that has an integrated graphics chip instead of a dedicated graphics card the top tab says: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator Driver for Mobile. HD TV modes are only likely to be provided if the laptop has a dedicated video/graphics card instead of what many laptops have - a graphics chip integrated on the computer's motherboard. There might also be an option for overscan and underscan, which is often called image resizing. Both Nvidia and ATI graphics-card drivers provide this option, but image quality will be sacrificed when scaling the screen to fit the image-size.
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