Toshiba Laptop CD/DVD Drive Replacement

July 30, 2010 by techie03 · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Laptop Repair Tips 

LaptopParts300x300 AtoZ Toshiba Laptop CD/DVD Drive Replacement

Laptop CD/DVD drives has many moving parts and gets a lot of use during the life of a notebook computer. Unlike most laptop components, laptop CD/DVD drives have parts that are prone to user damages, like the drive tray. This makes them more prone to failure. If your Toshiba laptop CD/DVD drive has begun to exhibit problems or has become damaged, it may be time to replace it. Luckily, replacing an optical drive is one of the more simple tasks to perform, and should be quite manageable for most users.

Since every model is different, it is difficult to give detailed instructions that will cover every situation. The basics are similar for each model, however. For more detailed instructions, you may want to consult a service manual for your Toshiba laptop, which will give instructions specific to your model.

The basic procedure for a Toshiba laptop CD/DVD drive replacement is as follows:

1. Remove the battery and disconnect AC power to avoid the risk of electric shock. It is also recommended that you use an anti-static wrist band when repairing any computer to avoid damaging sensitive components with static electricity. You will also want to remove the battery pack.

2. Some models require you to remove one or two screws securing the optical drive in place. These should be located directly below the drive on the bottom of the laptop. Once these are removed, the optical drive can be slid out.

3. For other models, you must gently pry the plastic strip above the keyboard to remove it. You then need to remove one or two screws securing the keyboard. Gently remove the keyboard and disconnect its cable.

LaptopParts580x100 All Toshiba Laptop CD/DVD Drive Replacement

4. At this point, you will have access to the screws holding the CD/DVD drive in place. These screws can be accessed from the top once the keyboard has been removed. Remove these screws and slide the drive out.

5. Slide the replacement drive into place and replace the screws to secure it in place. Be sure to properly engage the drive connector into the mainboard connector for the drive.

6. Reverse the disassembly instructions to reassemble the laptop and test the drive to ensure it is working properly.

You will most likely want to test the different read and write functions of the drive to confirm your success. If all is working well you can now enjoy your new CD/DVD drive.

Changing the PCI Wireless Card in an Apple Laptop

February 18, 2009 by techie03 · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Laptop Repair Tips 
apple pci wireless card Changing the PCI Wireless Card in an Apple Laptop

With older models of Apple laptops, in this case the Pro Core Duo, have a disadvantage as they have an 802.11g laptop wireless card. To get the best performance in both g and n wireless environments an upgrade to the 802.11n card is almost a necessity. First, as always, disconnect the laptop from the power for safety concerns. There are 8 screws to be removed around the device, remove them and be sure to keep the different lengths in separate piles as they are specific to their locations on the laptop. A misplaced screw may damage the internal components if not put back into its designated spot.

It is recommended that the laptop be worked on while open; this will alleviate undue pressure on the screen. Place a soft cloth on a table and turn the device over, and remove the three screws from the back cover to reveal the hard drive and memory access. Then remove the next three screws located just above the components; they will be close to the plastic outer cover. At the opposite end of the laptop there will be 9 screws; from left to right remove the 2nd, 4th, 7th and 9th screws. Two more remain keeping the battery in place, remove these as well; they will be to the left of the previously removed screws. Next, remove the last three screws from the back cover. Be sure not to mix up the middle and shortest screw as the longer screws will hit the motherboard if used in its place.

Now you can lift up the cover and keyboard, be careful as the keyboard is still attached, then remove the clip on the connector to the keyboard. In the upper left hand corner you will find 2 antennas remove them and the 2 screws. Now the old wireless card can be removed and replaced with the new. All that is left is to replace all of the screws and you are finished. Be sure to take your time as rushing can result in faulty screw placement and damage.

How to Disassemble a Dell Laptop

December 19, 2008 by techie03 · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Laptop Repair Tips 

It is necessary to remove the casing of a Dell laptop when a repair or upgrade is needed to the memory, CPU or hard drive as well as other peripherals. This instruction will apply to most Dell laptops. First turn off the laptop, disconnect the AC adapter and remove the battery. On the underside of the laptop you will find three removable covers for the Wi-Fi, if installed, memory and hard drive. These must be removed before the casing; using a small Phillips head screw driver remove the screws and then the plate. Next, disconnect the cables, there should be two, from the wireless card, and remove the card itself.

Under the memory plate, typically in the center of the laptop, slowly and with as little force as possible remove the RAM card from the slot. There will be latches that need to be spread apart to release the RAM module or modules depending upon the model. Move to the hard drive next, usually the largest of the plates, and remove the screws and hard drive. Some Dell laptops have an additional hard drive installed. Now locate the CD/DVD drive and find a single screw holding it in place, some models may have more than one screw holding this in place.

The screw will be located at the center of the drive set back close to the center of the laptop. The drive should slide out of the side of the laptop with ease; if any resistance is met, there is another screw that will need to be released. There are now a multitude of screws that will need to be loosened and removed before the casing can be taken off. The number and location of screws will vary slightly but most will be located at the edge of the laptop. Lastly, remove the screws holding the display hinges in place and you are now ready to repair, replace and upgrade.

Samsung Toner – Samsung Toner Cartridges – Toner for Samsung

November 16, 2008 by techie03 · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Lead Stories 

samsung color laser toner cartridges Samsung Toner   Samsung Toner Cartridges   Toner for SamsungSamsung Electronics Corporation is the world’s second-largest manufacturer of high quality color and monochrome laser printers and toner cartridges, as well as multifunction machines. Samsung is second only to HP, which has long been the #1 provider of HP brand printers and HP toner products. However, other competitors, like Xerox, provide alternative products to traditional toner technology, like Xerox ink.

Since they own the entire printer and toner cartridge manufacturing process, Samsung has a significant competitive advantage over companies who are dependent upon other vendors for core hardware and software components. For example, Samsung toner cartridges can be developed so that the same cartridge profile can fit into many different printer configurations, thus lowering the cost of development.

Samsung also offers color laser printer customers a free one-year on-site service program in the sub-$700 color laser printer category, a service that must be purchased separately for most competitors’ products. However, the warranty may not cover some consumable components, like Samsung’s toner cartridges. Both brand name and compatible or remanufactured cartridges can easily be found at online stores.

Samsung’s color laser and monochrome laser printers have established a reputation for providing a lot of bang for the buck. These printers are reliable, produce acceptable text and graphics quality, are easy to use, and have solid performance within their respective printer class category. For example, the Samsung CLP-300n is a work group class printer with a very affordable price, but with big features, including fast printing speeds and network-ready capability. The Samsung color toner cartridges can be quickly installed directly into the back plane of the printer.

Brand name Samsung toner cartridges are available from virtually any retailer of Samsung products. However, less expensive versions are available which can reduce the cost of ownership by as much as 60%. Due to inconsistency in quality, consumers must be careful to purchase non-brand laser toner cartridges from reputable companies like Ink Technologies.