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The laptop is warm or hot to the touch, and/or the surface it is sitting on is warm.

Dust can commonly accumulate on the fan causing a malfunction. The fan may start producing a loud noise and cause the lap top to increase in temperature. In this case, removing the bottom of the lap top and utilizing a can of compressed air to blow off any dust on the fan will help prevent issue. Removing the back will also prevent the dust from being blown back into the computer.

Set the fan from “passive” to “active” via left- clicking the battery icon in the lower right hand corner. Left click again to see More options. Click the Change Plan Settings button. Click on the Change Advanced Power Settings option. Hit the “+” plus sign next to the Processor Power Management button. Click on the “+” plus sign beside the System Cooling Policy button. Change the fan speed from “passive” to “active” for both the Battery On  and Plugged In options. Repeat this for any other modes, like Power Saving Mode, that you use. Restart your computer.

   It is recommended that you keep your laptop on a flat surface while in use to help the fans circulate air to keep your laptop cool. Check the fan for any dust as this may also hinder the fan’s ability to function properly. Simply unplug and turn off your computer. Flip it over and unscrew the bottom cover. Check the cooling fan for debris like dust and clear it out. Once clean, place the cover back on and screw it back into place just enough to not fall apart yet not too tight.

  As a last resort, you can update your BIOS (Basic Input/ Output System) program to the latest version. If your device shuts off during the BIOS update and installs, the laptop won’t turn on again.

Having too many applications open at once can cause the lap top to over heat due to the computer attempting to keep programs, web pages or any applications running all at the same time. A solution to this would be to close out of as many applications as possible in the event that the lap top over heats.

You hear a loud whirring or grinding sound emitting from the laptop.

Make sure your BIOS is up to date. Keep the device on a flat surface and out of hot environments. Make sure nothing is clogging the vents. Adjust the laptop’s Power Options to increase Battery Life and reduce performance; this will help keep the laptop cool.

You may need to replace the cooling fan. Cooling Fan Replacement:

  • Power off your device. Unplug your device if it is plugged in. Remove/disconnect any other cables or cords connected to your laptop.Open the laptop screen as far as it will go without force. Taking a flat head screwdriver, gently pry open the keyboard cover. Remove the cover and set it aside.Remove any screws holding the keyboard to the devices’ base. Lift the keyboard and gently bring it toward you until it is resting face-down on the wrist-rest and mouse area. Carefully disconnect the ribbon wires (attached to the keyboard) from the system board.Remove the screws securing the fan’s shield in place and set the shield aside.Remove the screws securing the fan to the system board. Lift the fan’s cooling can (a large piece of metal that sits atop the CPU)  from the laptop and unplug the fan’s cable from the system board. Set the fan’s cooling can aside.Install the new fan by repeating the steps above, in the reverse order.

The laptop fails to take any charge, turn on when plugged in, or stay on unless plugged into the power cord.

If the laptop fails to charge, first try plugging the charging cord into another outlet. If the laptop still fails to charge, attempt to charge a different laptop with the same charger. If another device with the same charging input is unavailable, you may need to purchase a new charging cord.

If the laptop still fails to charge with a working charging cord, the battery may be the issue. You may need to replace your battery.

The laptop fails to load any files or programs, and/or fails to save data.

If you are having trouble with your hard drive: check to make sure your USB port and other ports, in your computer are clean and debris free. Debris will cause overheating to occur, which could cause hard drive failure. When the ports are debris free, check to see if the problem is solved.

  • Click Start, select Run. Type in Computer Management and select “OK”. Then select “Disk Management”. Right click on any uninitialized disk and click “Initialize Disk”. Choose your Partition Style, either MBR or GPT, and click “OK”. Wait for the initialization to complete.

  • You can find Windows Troubleshooter by searching “troubleshooting” in your computers search bar, which appears after selecting the “Home” icon. Under Troubleshoot locate the “Hardware and Devices” tab. Under the “Find and Fix Other Problems” option, click “Run Troubleshooter”. It will start scanning your device to find any problems in the hardware and device.When finished, click “Next” in order to fix the problem that will show up when the program is done. Select the problem you want to fix among any that appear, and click it to solve the issue.

  • Select your Start/Home icon and type in your devices search bar “Device Manager”. Right click “External Hard Drive”. Under “Disk Drives”, click “Update Driver”. If any updates are available, they will be visible.  A wizard will pop up; follow the instructions provided by the wizard to update your Driver.If no updates are available, choose the “Uninstall Device” option. Remove the Driver from the system, wait a few minutes, then reconnect the Driver again.

  1. Go to your “Settings”. Select “Windows Update”. Check for an update; if one is available it will provide you a link to select and install the new update with. No link will appear if there are no updates available at the time. If there are updates to install, click “Download and Install” to install the updates. The updates will install automatically. Once they are installed, a “Restart” message may appear. “Restart” the device to complete and fully install the update.

The laptop will display is a blue screen with text on it randomly, often restarting beforehand.

Motherboards can fail due to electricity spikes, age, pressure, accidents resulting from a fall, smoke or dust, too much heat, and over heating due to fan failure, or a bloated capacitor.

  • Unplug the computer and shut it off.Flip laptop upside down on flat surface and unscrew the back panelCheck your laptop’s manual to find the devices’ memory access, then unscrew the memory access cover.Loosen the fasteners that hold the memory chips down and lift out the module.If there is an antenna lead, remove it from the wireless card. Lift the fasteners holding the card and remove it.If the devices’ processor is removable, remove it and set aside.Unscrew the screws that hold the case together. Open the case, being careful for any hidden clips. In some laptops, you may be able to remove or set aside the keyboard.Disconnect wires connected to the motherboard. Unscrew the mounting screws for the motherboard.Remove the old motherboard and put in new motherboard, following the steps backwards to reassemble your laptop.