For instance, Lenovo goes the extra mile with videos showing the replacement process type "replacement movie" on (opens in new tab) to check it out. You can find step-by-step directions for the replacement procedure on most manufacturers' support sites. Hitachi offers some in the support section of its website ( If hard drive replacement becomes necessary, be sure to back up as much data as possible and then switch out the hard drive. Fortunately, a number of tools can test your drive for problems. If you're going to back up your data online, go with (free for 2GB, and $4.95 per month unlimited), which backs up your system automatically and tracks changes in the background without hogging precious system resources.Įven if you go the online route, a hard drive failure will bring your notebook to its knees. These days, plenty of options abound, but among software solutions, we like Norton Save & Restore 2.0 ( $49) for its ease of use. Obviously, the best defense against a hard drive crash is a good backup solution. Solution: Online backup sites, replace hard drive Symptom: Loud clicking sounds whenever the computer accesses data from the hard drive These devices can improve some programs' startup times by using free space on the USB drive as a temporary memory cache. Vista users might also want to pick up a ReadyBoost-enabled USB drive from the likes of Corsair, Kingston, Lexar, or SanDisk. You can also try Vista users can use the new Memory Diagnostics tool in Windows Vista just type "memory" into the search bar, and the OS will scan your physical memory for problems and advise replacement, if necessary. Should you need to purchase a new memory chip, Kingston ( and Crucial ( offer tools on their Web sites for determining which products are compatible with your notebook. To take more control over what programs load when you boot up, download System Suite 7 Professional ( $59.95), which includes, among 60 powerful tools, a startup manager and optimizer. If you rarely use any of these programs, right-click and disable them. To do this, place your cursor over the icons in the taskbar at the bottom right of the screen. If your laptop takes a long time to boot up, you may want to conduct an audit of your startup programs. Solution:Upgrade your RAM, try a ReadyBoost-enabled USB drive Symptom: Sluggish performance when using multiple applications, hangups, excessive bootup time (The company even offers a two-year warranty and 45-day money-back guarantee on all laptop-battery orders.) 4. For example, a Dell Latitude D620 Li-ion battery costs $139 on Dell's Web site and $83.99 on, as of press time. Sites like specialize in discount laptop batteries and can save you money on a brand new battery for your laptop. Many retailers, however, charge hundreds of dollars for a new battery. Replacing a battery is relatively simple most pop out from the bottom or back of the laptop. After a few years, some batteries will last only a fraction of the rated runtime. Over their lifespans, lithium-ion batteries can lose the ability to hold a charge. Symptom: Your notebook runs only a few minutes when unplugged Other options include the free Power Defragmenter, and Diskeeper 2007 ( $29.95 Home edition, $49.95 Pro, $99.95 Pro Premier), which offers more features like complete automation, real-time defragmenting, and InvisiTasking technology, which allows Diskeeper to run in the background without draining resources. Simply click the Analyze button to see if your disk drive requires defragmenting, and then click Defragment to begin. You can access this program through the Programs menu in the Accessories or System Tools folder. This problem can be cleared up easily (but not especially quickly defragging can sometimes take hours) using the built-in Windows tool called Disk Defragmenter. Symptom: Excessive program load times, slow file transfersĭisorganized information on your hard drive can sap performance because the computer requires more time to sift through data fragments and bad sectors on the drive. Just make sure that your notebook is connected to the power supply when updating the BIOS. Most manufacturers offer an installation file that updates BIOS files automatically, which often address heat management. If the cloth doesn't work, you may want to update your system's BIOS, which controls the laptop's hardware. Don't place one over the exhaust vent, as that's where hot air is supposed to flow out of the system quickly. To prevent further dust buildup, place a piece of filtered cloth, say from a Swiffer, over the inhalation vent.
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