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The battery loses its charge quickly when not plugged into an outlet.

If the battery loses its charge quickly when not plugged into a power source, take the battery out and make sure connections are clean by rubbing an eraser on the metal connections. If this does not help, you may need to purchase a new battery and replace the old one. The guide for replacing the battery can be found here.

The screen does not appear to work even though computer is running.

Unplug the laptop from the charger and turn the computer off and on to restart the laptop. If this does nothing, remove the battery and wait 60 seconds before placing it back in then turn it on.

If possible, use an external monitor to determine if there is an issue with the motherboard or LCD screen. If the screen displays on the external monitor then the CMOS battery should be replaced. The guide for replacing the CMOS battery can be found here.

The computer crashes while processing labor-intensive tasks.

The RAM may be bad, failing or insufficient for the task. You will need to upgrade the RAM. Check the amount of RAM in use. If, under normal use, and the available RAM is less than 25 percent, it may be necessary to install more RAM. The guide for replacing the RAM can be found here.

The laptop shuts down in the middle of use.

The fan may be failing or broken. The fan could have debris preventing it from functioning properly. Clean the fan by removing the cover and gently blowing away any dust and debris. The fan may be old and may not be working, this will require a new fan. The guide for replacing a fan can be found here.

The computer no longer responds when you type.

First, try turning the laptop upside down and gently shaking it from side-to-side to see if anything is obstructing the keys. If the issue persists, dust the keyboard using compressed air to dislodge any debris. If the keys are still not responding to touch, it is time to replace the keyboard. The guide for replacing the keyboard can be found here.

The optical disk drive is not responding when a disk is inserted.

The optical disk drive has become disconnected from the motherboard. Check the connection on the motherboard and make sure the connection is secure. The optical disk drive is broken and should be replaced. The guide for replacing the optical disk drive can be found here.

The laptop turns on but the display does not work or is unresponsive.

Check the motherboard by opening the laptop, an LED light should be on indicating a functioning motherboard. If no motherboard light is on, the motherboard is bad and you need to replace the motherboard. The guide for replacing the motherboard can be found here.

If you have eliminated the RAM and the CMOS battery, the motherboard is probably bad. The guide for replacing the motherboard can be found here.