All main laptop and notebook parts explained
On this website you will find information about all main parts inside a typical laptop or notebook computer. You can identify parts by the description or image below. In order to get more information about a particular part, you can follow the link in the description or simply click on the image.
The system board is the main logic board in any laptop. All internal components are connected to the system board. This is one of the most expensive parts in a laptop.
More memory you have installed – better the performance of the laptop.
Learn about different types of memory, compatibility issues and how you can replace or upgrade memory yourself. The memory is a user replaceable part.
The hard drive is the main storage of information in a laptop. All system files, personal files are stored inside the hard drive. Find the difference between SATA and IDE hard drives. Faster hard drive you have installed – faster data access you get. You can upgrade the hard drive yourself.
The processor is the brain of your laptop. Faster CPU means faster data processing.
The keyboard is the main input device. Find out how the keyboard is connected to the motherboard and how it can be removed or replaced.
The CD/DVD drive allows you to read/write data from/to a CD or DVD disc. Lear about the difference between drives with regular and SATA connectors.
The cooling fan is a part of the cooling module in a laptop. The fan helps to cool down the processor when the laptop is turned on.
In most modern laptops the video card is integrated into the system board. If the video card fails you have to replace the whole motherboard.
In some laptops the video card is a discrete module and can be removed or replaced separately from the motherboard.
In most laptops the audio board is a part of the motherboard. If that’s the case, all audio board input/output components such as volume control, microphone jack and headphone jack are soldered directory to the motherboard.
The internal wireless card helps you to connect to the Internet without running a cable. Learn about different types of internal wireless cards and how they are connected to the motherboard.
The CMOS battery provides power to the CMOS chip when the laptop is turned off or disconnected form the wall outlet.
The LCD screen is one of the most expensive parts in a laptop computer. The LCD screen mounts inside the display panel.
If you accidentally cracked the screen, it has to be replaced. You cannot repair a cracked screen.
SCREEN INVERTER BOARD aka FL INVERTER
The inverter board is a power supply for the backlight lamp inside the LCD screen. When inverter fails, the LCD screen goes very very dark and you barely can see any image on the screen. In most laptops the inverter board is mounted inside the display panel below the LCD screen.
SCREEN BACKLIGHT LAMP aka CCFL TUBE
The backlight lamp is the main source of light in the LCD screen. The backlight lamp is mouted inside the screen. When the backlight lamp fails, you have to replace the whole LCD screen. It’s possible to replace just the lamp inside the screen but it’s very hard and has to be performed by an experienced technician.
The video cable connectes the Laptop screen to motherboard. The video cable carries data signal for the LCD screen and power for the ivnerter board.
Many modern laptops come with a web camera built into the display panel. The web camera is not a part of the LCD screen. The web camers is located on a separate board and can be replaced separately from the LCD.
DISPLAY HINGES aka SCREEN HINGES
The dispaly hinges connect two main parts of any laptop – the display panel and base assembly.
The AC/DC power adapter converts high voltage AC power from the mains to low voltage DC power required by the laptop.
The battery is a secondary source of power for a laptop. The battery gets charged while the laptop is plugged into the mains and keeps the laptop running when it’s unplugged from the mains.
July 21st, 2009 at 10:57 am
Hecktor Millan,
Here’s something I forgot to ask. You said the screen is very dim but how dim it is?
Does it look like the backlight is not working at all, or the backlight works but it’s not bright enough?
Did you check LCD brightness settings?
In some laptops you can adjust screen brightness in the BIOS setup menu, not sure about your laptop.
July 21st, 2009 at 10:52 am
Lester Ceruti,
1. Could be poor connection between the video cable and LCD screen. Try reconnecting the cable.
2. Could be bad LCD screen or motherboard problem. You cannot tell which one is bad until you test the laptop with another working LCD.
Try video output on the external monitor. Does it work properly. If video on the external screen works fine for a few seconds but after that goes bad, probably it’s related to the motherboard.
July 20th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Hi I have a ibm thinkpad t 41 that upon start up goes to bios for a second then the screen turns white. thanks
July 18th, 2009 at 6:26 am
No, I cannot return because I don’t have warranty on my country yet, I live in Puerto Rico, I need to send it to USA and them they send it back to a person hoos live there
July 16th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Ron,
Is it happening when you run the laptop on AC power? What if you start from the battery, will it fail the same way?
July 16th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Hector,
You will not know which one is causing the problem until you test the laptop with another known good backlight lamp or inverter board. Could be either one. Both have very similar failure symptoms.
Inverter failures are more common than backlight failures.
Can you take the laptop back to the store and exchange for a new one?
July 14th, 2009 at 7:32 am
I have a everex av250e . when you power up sometimes dark screen, but after you get screen,you will hear a arc and computer shuts off. you power back up and have to start in safe mode and this is all the time once you get it on. can you help me?
July 11th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
The asus G70 yes I see very dim if I connect a external monitor works great, Did you think if the lamp or the converter. The laptop only I use ten times it’s new.
July 1st, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Hector,
If it happens with both memory modules, most likely there is a problem with the motherboard.
Do you see any light on the laptop screen? Take a closer look, maybe the image is on thescreen but it’s very dim? Let me know.
If you changed the CPU and RAMs, the problem must be related to the motherboard. I don’t know what else can cause that.
June 29th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
so there is this plastic piece that fell out of my computer when I dropped it the other day.
I have an HP dv6000
the piece is located on the right side of the computer where all the usb ports are. There is a symbol above where the piece goes that looks like a square with wind behind it. The same symbol is on the piece. No idea what it is. It is really bugging me.
I thought it was the remote for my computer but it is hard plastic shaped like an L.
What is this?
June 23rd, 2009 at 1:53 pm
First nice to meet you.
I have tree laptop with a diferent problem.
1. Asus M50 only turns on when I putt off rams but no image. If i put back turn on and them turns off automatic.
2. Asus G70 when I turn on the image it’s very clear only see if you put a external monitor.
3. HP ZD7000 I turns on and atomatic turns off no fan moving nothing. I change cpu and memory but the same.
If you can help, yo lo aprecio gracias.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
hi thanks for making this site. it is very useful! i would def tell other people about this!
June 6th, 2009 at 11:20 am
tech tigger 2,
Are you trying to switch video from the laptop screen to the external monitor? Sometimes you have to press some keys on the keyboard in order to switch internal video output to external. For example on Toshiba laptops you have to use Fn key and F5, on IBM ThinkPad Fn key and F7.
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:23 pm
I have Samsung 2001:1 Dynamic contrast VDA monitor, when the monitor is switched on the screen remains completely dark
& displays a message “NO SIGNAL”.
Thanks
Rahul
June 1st, 2009 at 8:25 pm
tusar,
Yes, you can install 4GB RAM into this laptop. It will take up to 2GB module in each slot.
You should be able to install a 250GB PATA drive without any problem.
No, your laptop will not support SATA hard drive, it has a different connector.
June 1st, 2009 at 7:53 am
Hi man,
Do you konw that you have one of the best website/blog about laptops in the world? Yes, you have!
Thank you very much for these information and this great website…
Good luck.
May 29th, 2009 at 4:13 am
Hi All,
I have Acer Aspire 5100 laptop with (AMD Turion Processor-2GHz,60GB-PATA HDD, 1GB DDR2).I bought it 2 years back,now it’s working fine.
I want to upgrade the laptop. Please tell me upto how much RAM and HDD I can upgrade.
My expectation is HDD – 250GB and RAM – 4GB.
Is it suppot SATA HDD.
Please suggest
Cheers,
Gohappy
May 26th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
aqob,
Try to switch video from the internal to external mode using Fn+F5. Press and hold done the Fn key and at the same time press on F5. Can you?
Are you sure that there is no image on the screen at all? Take a closer look. Maybe the image is there but it’s very dim?
May 24th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
hi thx for the information. its really usefull as i am doin a project about computers. i rate this website 5/5
May 24th, 2009 at 8:15 am
hi,
I have Toshiba Satellite 1905 S301 laptop, when the laptop is switched on the screen remains completely dark. I connected it to an external moniter, the moniter displays a message “NO SIGNAL”. I can hear the hard disk working without any display. I would appreciate your suggestions for this problem.
Thanks