Laptops today are designed to sustain less damage, but even so you’ll need to repair at some point or another. While there are some things that you can do to troubleshoot and repair the laptop on your own, these should be limited to software issues.
If you’re not familiar with parts and repairs, some hardware upgrades must be left to the experts. To prevent minor issues from developing into more serious ones, take your computer for repair at the first sign of trouble. Here are five signs that your laptop is in need of repair.
1) Physical Damage
Major physical malfunctions such as a damaged processor or unexplainable noises coming from the laptop are an indication that you need to take your laptop to a professional for repairs. Any delays on your part could lead to further problems and costly repairs. Strange noises, especially upon startup, should never be ignored as these are early signs that something is wrong. Minor physical damage, such as chipped paint, does not affect the device’s functionality and can be ignored.
Read also: Top 5 Laptop Screen Issues
2) Software Malfunction
Your laptop might look fine physically, but there could be unseen problems that you need to be concerned about. These problems might be made known through minor signs like non-functional icons, constant changes to Windows, or slow processing. If your new laptop takes really long to boot, that might be a sign that something is wrong. Fortunately, most new laptops come with a warranty, so get it repaired or replaced within this window of opportunity.
You’ll have to pay for your own repairs if your laptop’s warranty has expired. Pay attention to and act on any small signs of software malfunction to save your laptop from further damage and costly repairs.
Read also: 4 Laptop Caring Tips to Keep Your Laptop Healthy
3) Virus
Many laptop owners are faced with computer viruses. Why is this? It could be that many of them fail to use the right antivirus protection. Some owners fail to update to their current protection while others mistakenly use none at all. Over 21% of attacks by a virus are due to Trojan infections and 57% of attacks are very dangerous ones leading to breach of security, or complete loss of the laptop’s functionality.
When your laptop is no longer functional, or your data is at risk, it’s time to call in the professionals.
4) Overheating
It’s extremely important to make sure your laptop always stays cool. The most obvious thing to do when your laptop starts overheating is to get a cooling pad. Laptops produce excessive heat because their components are packed into a tight space with little room for airflow. Check the laptop and remove anything that might be blocking the vents or fans. Get a professional to check the laptop if continues to overheat after using a cooling pad. It could be a sign that something is wrong internally.
Read also: How Long Do Laptops Last? Tips to Maximize Lifespan
5) Accessories Not Working
Sometimes problems with the laptop could be attributed to external accessories rather than the laptop itself. One common problem is the battery not charging due to a battery or adapter malfunction, hence it’s important to take good care of your laptop battery and its accessories from the very first day.
All 5 above are the most common signs that your laptop is trying to tell you it’s time to send it for a check up. Don’t take these signs for granted, else your laptop might ended up getting even more serious damages and caused you to spend even more money to get a new one.
Hey Peter, getting heated is becoming one of the most common problems with Dell laptops in particular. But their support is great and they are fast in getting the spares replaced.
Virus and malware can also cause serious issues beyond our thinking. Thanks for sharing!
Dell laptops are well known to have the tendency to overheat easily and faster than the rest. Must be due to the internal components that were placed closely together intentionally.
Yeah… viruses. It’s always an ugly scene. The best way to tackle this is to take precaution steps in avoiding an infection. Just like the old saying goes: Prevention is better than cure!
Useful post Peter! I have a question related to one of the points you raised. The cooling fan recently stopped working in my Toshiba laptop. I had it replaced, and it worked fine for awhile. It seems to not to be coming on as much anymore and I’m wondering if this is the first sign of a problem, or perhaps the cooling fans just don’t have a long life expectancy. The fan repair didn’t cost that much, but if there’s an underlying issue as to why this could be happening, I’d like to know what it is. Do you have any idea?
My nephew has just started college and he dropped his new laptop accidentally. As of right now, it’s running smoothly, but he’s someone that likes to keep his things nice so I’m sure it concerns him. It’s good to know that a computer repair service can evaluate everything from physical damage, like dropping it, but that they can also evaluate any side effects that may have caused internally. If you suspect your computer may not be functioning at max capacity it would be smart to have it looked at by a professional.