Guide to Laptop Repairs and Maintenance

Regular laptop maintenance can turn a sluggish device into a zippy, productivity-optimised machine. Taking care of your laptop will also prolong its lifespan, leading to years of trouble-free computing.

The best bit? You don’t have to be a tech guru. In this comprehensive laptop repair guide, we’ll show you how to maintain your device without any specialised skills. Whether you’re a student, home user, or office worker, these nifty tips will keep your PC performing at its peak.

Laptop Maintenance Tips

A little preventative maintenance goes a long way towards optimising performance and extending your laptop’s lifespan.  

Cleaning

Keeping your laptop clean improves aesthetics, makes reading the screen easier, and helps prevent overheating.

• Screen: Gently wipe the screen in a circular motion with a dry microfiber cloth to get rid of dust. Spray screen cleaner onto a clean part of the cloth and apply in an up-and-down and side-to-side motion.
• Keyboard: Use compressed air to remove debris then wipe it gently with a soft damp cloth. A cotton swab with isopropyl alcohol can remove stubborn stains.
• Ports: Slightly dampen a cotton bud with isopropyl alcohol and use it to gently clean inside the ports. Compressed air can help dislodge gunk.
• Fans: Blast compressed air into the fans to clean them from the outside. For better results, crack your laptop case open with a tiny screwdriver and gently wipe down the fans and vents with a dry microfiber cloth.  

Updating software

Keeping your software updated can improve performance and protect against malware.

The most crucial thing to update is your operating system (OS). Whether you run Windows, ChromeOS, or macOS, double-check you’ve got the latest version and set up automatic updates. The other critical program to update is your anti-virus software, as cybercriminals constantly develop new threats.

Next, update your web browser of choice to close any known vulnerabilities, then ensure your other commonly used apps (Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, etc.) remain up-to-date and enable auto-updates where possible.

Uninstalling programs

We’re all guilty of installing an app to use once and then letting it sit idle for eternity. But excess programs hog storage space, so it’s worth purging anything you never use.

Load your OS’s app manager and uninstall all unnecessary applications. Don’t delete any important in-built programs. A Google search will tell you exactly what each app does.   

Managing background apps

Aside from occupying storage space, an app running in the background can chew through resources, most notably CPU and RAM. Disabling any unneeded background apps could lead to a huge performance boost.

Use Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (macOS) to see what’s running and how it affects your resources. Either disable or uninstall any unnecessary background apps.   

Managing startup applications

If your PC takes forever to boot, it could be trying to load too many programs simultaneously. Most OS have a tool (Task Manager for Windows or Activity Monitor for macOS) that lets you review and disable startup programs.

Again, Google the app name to confirm what it does first. You don’t want to accidentally disable your anti-virus.

Disk defragmentation

Hard disk drives (HDD) can become fragmented as random file splices get scattered around the disk. A disk defragmentation will put all the pieces of the puzzle neatly back together to improve performance.

These days, however, most laptops come with speedier solid-state drives (SSD), which don’t fragment files nor require defragging. Only run your defragmentation tool if you have an old-school HDD.

Virus protection

A potent anti-virus program provides a first line of defence against malware, phishing attacks, and scams. Ensure yours is up-to-date and its firewall feature is switched on. Schedule a full system scan to run once per week, preferably during an off-peak time as it may affect performance.

Common Laptop Problems & How to Fix a Laptop

Laptops can succumb to an array of issues, especially as they age. Some you can fix yourself, while others require professional help.

Battery issues

Laptop batteries have a limited lifespan, typically between 2 and 5 years or 300 and 500 charge cycles. As a laptop battery degrades, it’ll start holding less charge until it stops working entirely. Extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, and poor charging patterns can hasten its demise.

Tell-tale signs of a declining battery include lower battery life, longer charging times, and excessive heat while recharging. Both Windows and macOS have built-in battery health monitoring tools.

Switching off resource-intensive apps and using a battery optimisation tool will help in the short term. For a permanent fix, you’ll need to swap out that ageing battery.

Confident DIY’ers can unscrew the laptop case, disconnect the old battery, and install a fresh new one. Every laptop is different, so look for an online tutorial specific to your make and model. As the procedure is pretty tricky, most folks get professional help.

Overheating

Overheating is a common laptop problem as manufacturers must cram stacks of high-performance hardware into a tiny case. It’s especially prevalent in laptops with a dedicated GPU, which generates a tremendous amount of heat.

Aside from warming your fingertips, an overheating laptop can cause slow performance and system crashes. In severe cases, excess heat may damage delicate internal components.

Loud fans, frequent system crashes, sluggish performance, and a physically hot laptop indicate overheating. For more precise diagnostics, Windows and macOS have built-in and third-party temperature monitoring tools.

To keep your laptop cool, clean out the vents and ensure it sits on a hard flat surface with nothing obstructing the fans. Close unnecessary programs and restrict resource-hungry apps, especially any that stretch the GPU (i.e., games). Upgrading a laptop fan is technically possible but far from easy. Try an external laptop cooling pad instead. 

Slow performance

Lacklustre performance is among the most common laptop issues. A sluggish system could be due to numerous things:

• Excessive background apps
• Malware or viruses
• A fragmented hard disk drive
• Out-of-date applications or OS
• Too many startup programs

The Laptop Maintenance Tips section (above) provides helpful pointers on how to combat all these problems and more. 

Another common issue is insufficient resources. An older or low-budget laptop may lack the RAM or processing power to run the apps you need. While RAM is relatively easy to upgrade (even for DIY laptop repairs), other components like the CPU and GPU are not as they come soldered onto the motherboard. Replacing these usually entails purchasing a whole new laptop.

Don’t forget to restart your PC to apply updates and free up memory. Improving laptop performance can be as simple as a quick reboot.

Display issues

Laptop display issues can range from blank screens to flickers and multi-coloured vertical lines. While a damaged screen is the most common culprit, there’s a myriad of other causes, including faulty power supplies, motherboards, and graphics cards.

Insufficient power may cause a dull display. Check your power supply and battery level to ensure the laptop is adequately juiced.

Sometimes settings such as the resolution, refresh rate, contrast or brightness can create display issues. Open your OS display settings and tweak these to see if there’s any improvement.

A flickering display could indicate faulty display drivers. Reboot your laptop in safe mode and see if you can find and install updated drivers.

Connecting an external monitor determines whether the laptop display is at fault. If the problem only occurs on the laptop screen, it’s damaged and requires replacement. Installing a new screen is a complex process that requires professional expertise.

Should neither screen display correctly, you’re likely looking at a hardware issue such as a busted motherboard. Weigh up the cost of a professional laptop repair versus a replacement.

Wi-Fi and connectivity issues

A slow or inexistent internet connection could be due to a network issue, incorrect configurations, or a malfunctioning wireless card. The following steps may help resolve the issue:

• Check the cables in your router haven’t become loose or unplugged
• Ensure airplane mode is off and you’re connected to your Wi-Fi network
• Test the connection with a separate device (or test your device on a different connection) to determine if the problem lies in your laptop or the network
• Restart your router by switching it off and then on and waiting a couple of minutes
• Forget your Wi-Fi network and try reconnecting again
• Ensure you’re not running two firewalls or anti-virus programs simultaneously
• Check your ISP hasn’t blocked access due to failed payments or excessive bandwidth consumption
• Run your OS network diagnostic tool to look for issues
• Review the settings in your Wi-Fi adapter
• Reset network settings if you recently updated your OS or may have accidentally changed somethingYour ISP can only help with issues on their end. For in-depth network support, it’s best to contract a third-party networking services expert.

Extending Your Laptop’s Lifespan

A typical laptop lifespan is between two and five years. Towards the end of that timeframe, components begin to degrade and will eventually fail. You can prolong your laptop’s lifespan with the following tips:

• Take measures to reduce overheating
• Don’t overload your laptop by running intensive or unnecessary apps
• Use a reputable anti-virus suite and keep it updated
• Carry your laptop in a protective case and treat it with care
• Avoid excessively hot, cold or humid environments
• Leave your laptop between 40-80% charged as often as possible

How to Maintain Your Laptop: A Go-To Guide

We’ve provided heaps of helpful advice on how to maintain a laptop, fix common problems, and extend its lifespan. With this info, you can keep your laptop in tip-top shape for years to come. Should you need professional help with complex repairs, contact Geeks2U. We deliver fast and reliable laptop repair services directly to your door.

FAQ

• What should I do if my laptop has a cracked screen?

  A cracked screen usually requires a replacement, which should be carried out by a professional technician to avoid further damage.

• How can I troubleshoot Wi-Fi and connectivity issues?

  Start by restarting your router and modem, ensuring your device is within range, and checking that your Wi-Fi settings are correct.

• How can I tell I need a laptop battery replacement?

  Poor battery life and slow charging indicate your laptop battery needs replacing

• What should I do if my laptop is overheating?

  Close resource-intensive programs, clean congested vents, and purchase a laptop cooling pad