1. Static Electricity

When repairing any laptop it is a good idea to ground yourself properly or wear an anti-static wristband to avoid static electricity. Static electricity can often be a cause of systemboard failures.

2. Overcurrent or Undercurrent

Overcurrent or undercurrent can often cause a systemboard to fail, especially when a brownout causes the machine to run at lower power than is typical, then spikes up quickly. Turn off your laptop or disconnect it from power sources during thunderstorms, and run solely from battery power. You can also use an uninterruptible power supply with line conditioning to prevent overcurrent and undercurrent from getting to your devices.

3. Power Surges

Power surges are another major cause of systemboard failure. Unplug your laptop during thunderstorms and use a surge protector to prevent power spikes from damaging your systemboard or other components.

4. Faulty or Improperly Installed Memory

Memory that is not functioning properly can sometimes cause the systemboard to fail as well. Also, if memory is not installed properly it can cause damage to the systemboard. Always make sure the pins and notches are lined up correctly when installing memory to avoid damage.

5. Liquid Damage

Because of their portability, laptops are more susceptible than other computers to spilled drinks and other liquid damage. When liquid gets into the laptop, it can cause a short in the systemboard that causes it to fail. If liquid is spilled on your laptop, shut down or disconnect the power and remove the battery quickly to avoid damage, and then wait many hours for liquid to dry before restoring power or turning on the machine.

With a little extra precaution, you can avoid many of the major causes of systemboard or motherboard failure, saving yourself the time, money, and hassle of needing to replace the systemboard.

Unfortunately, this can be a difficult thing to diagnose, as problems with the CPU often share the same symptoms as other faulty components, making it very tough to differentiate a bad CPU from other bad components. When you suspect you have a bad CPU, it is often best to eliminate as many other components as possible to narrow it down to an issue with the CPU.

Here are a few common symptoms of a bad CPU:

1. Laptop Doesn’t Boot

If the laptop boots through the BIOS screen and hangs when trying to load the operating system, this is not likely a problem with the CPU. But when the laptop doesn’t even get to the BIOS screen or hangs during the BIOS sequence, this can be a sign of a bad CPU, faulty RAM, or a faulty motherboard. Replacing the RAM and even the motherboard can help eliminate these possibilities, though this is an expensive fix.

2. Laptop Hangs or Freezes

Freezing and hanging can be signs of a bad CPU, but are also symptoms of other faulty components, such as a hard drive, RAM, or a motherboard. Sudden freezes that happen at different times and during different processes are more likely to be caused by a bad CPU, as freezes caused by other components are often more consistent and repeatable.

3. Overheating

If your laptop is overheating often, the most likely cause is dust that is impeding airflow in the laptop, or a problem with a fan or other cooling component. This can also be a symptom of a bad CPU, however, as the CPU creates more heat. Open up the laptop and clean out as much dust as possible, checking fans and cooling components before replacing the CPU.

Intel and AMD processors are really very similar. They’re both reliable, effective, and have great reputations for introducing new and exciting technologies to the market. However, there are a few things which set them apart.

Intel processors are also generally held to be better for people who are into gaming, as their performance is best to get the most out of demanding processing tasks like those you’ll find in many high end games. Part of this is due to the fact that most Intel processors have a higher L2 cache than most AMD processors. Cache memory is located in the CPU itself, and is the fastest accessible memory in your entire system. So for Intel, having the edge on more of the fastest memory gives them that slight boost in speed to edge out over AMD. Intel also has another edge that they also manufacture their own brand of Systemboard to support their processors, whereas AMD relies on 3rd party manufacturers to product boards to support their CPU’s. AMD has over the years gained more and more of the CPU market share by providing a quality CPU that is substantially less expensive than a comparable CPU from Intel.

One advantage AMD processors have is higher L3 cache than Intel chips, though this is house outside the CPU core and thus does not bear the speed that L2 cache can boast. To make up for this though, AMD processor clock speeds actually underestimate the actual speed of the processor. A 2.4 GHz AMD processor for example will run at 2.66 GHz. This allows the user to adjust the speed of the processor via settings in the BIOS to squeeze a bit more performance out of the CPU. Overall CPUs from both manufacturers perform well and have a rich following in the CPU industry, both with years of history producing quality processors. So the choice is mostly a matter of preference rather than a clear answer by comparing two processors.

The Atom D525 is a dual core, four thread 1.8 GHz 1 MB L2 cache processor that can support up to 4 GB DDR3 or DDR2 RAM. This is a welcome update to its predecessor, the Atom D510, which could only support DDR2 RAM. This processor also boasts a 12% increase in processing power over the D510, with no change in power consumption. The upgrade to DDR3 RAM support that this particular processor boasts also increases its maximum memory bandwidth up to 6.4 GB/s. The upgrades to this particular processor however do not interfere with the Atom’s history of low power consuming processors, maintaining the 13W TDP rating of earlier processors.

This processor, like the rest of the Atom line, is built for netbook machines and bare bone desktop machines. Typically, these machines are built not for high end gaming or immersive multimedia performance, but for everyday usability. They are great machines for word processing, web browsing, and other work horse type functions, however if you’re looking to do any kind of demanding graphics or web design, or viewing a lot of high quality video, these processors may have difficulty keeping up. For family, student, or work machines however these machines handle everyday tasks wonderfully, and will save you a ton over higher end more powerful processors.

If this processor is in line with what you’re looking for, you can find it multiple models of ASUS netbooks, MSI all-in-one desktops, and Toshiba netbooks, just to name a few. These machines are all generally built around being inexpensive machines built for lighter everyday use, perfect for what this processor is capable of.

The AMD Phenom II Black Edition processors are 2.3 GHz quad core processors built for the most demanding work. Designed for speed and energy efficiency, these processors are made to conserve energy while at the same time reducing heat, noise, power consumption, and processor activity with innovations like Cool’n'Quiet and AMD CoolCore.

As a quad-core processor, this processor can handle multi-tasking like no other, enhancing business productivity, performance, and offering incredible ability to render graphics and video. Integrated with both DDR2 and DDR3 DRAM memory controllers this processor also boasts increased bandwidth of up to 16 GB/s, reduced memory latency, and enhanced overall performance. In addition, this processor has HyperTransport Technology, which is a high speed, low latency, point-to-point link designed to increase communication speed between integrated circuits, allowing up to 3600 MHz system bus speeds.

With AMD virtualization, this component also allows your single PC to act as multiple virtual machines, allowing your system to operate multiple operating systems and support any technology you need it to, as well as making your machine easier to upgrade and maintain. Not only that, but if you are operating Windows Vista or Windows 7,this processor can support multiple outputs of up to six monitors, really allowing you to get the absolute most out of your hardware.

AMD’s Phenom II Black Edition quad-core mobile processors are on the cutting edge of processor technology today. You can try all you want, but you will not be able to find software out there right now that this bad boy can’t handle. Made for high end gamers, visual artists, and business professionals, this processor is tailored to handle whatever you may throw at it with speed and efficiency, all while reducing your energy consumption and keeping your machine as cost effective as possible.

While processor speeds in the past were based mainly on MHz, this is becoming less of an issue with the introduction of multi-core processors. Now, multi-core processors provide the equivalent of 2 or more CPUs in a single chip, making the MHz rating less relevant and boosting performance at the same time. While the Core i7 Mobile processor is faster than previous chips, its speed is only one of its many improvements.

The Intel Turbo Boost Technology included in the chip essentially allows the cores to run faster than their base frequency, provided it can do so within power, current, and temperature limits. In many ways, this is equivalent to overclocking, but the chip will not do so in a situation that could potentially cause overheating or overvoltage, reducing the risk of damage.

The Core i7 also has video encoding speed boosts built in, and Intel claims it is up to 81% faster at encoding video. The chip can also improve artificial intelligence in games by up to 31%, according to Intel, for more realistic games.

The Core i7 can support up to four cores and also supports Intel’s Hyper-Threading Technology, allowing it to better utilize multiple cores and even process two threads per core. This simulates the equivalent of 8 cores of processing power in some situations. The chip can support up to 8 MB of cache for faster processing of data, and it supports two-channel DDR3 1333 MHz memory.

There is no doubt that laptops and notebooks are beginning to replace desktops as most user’s primary computer. The Intel Core i7 Mobile processor provides the power and benefits of Intel’s latest chip to these mobile platforms, making this an even easier transition for many users.

All of the internal components will be accessed through the back of the laptop although in some cases the front side of the laptop will need to be removed as well. Remove the screws on every panel on the back of the laptop exposing the internal components. Start with the PCI cards and hard drive, remove them and set to one side for reinstallation later. A small container should be used to keep all of the crews in for later use. Next remove the memory modules, consult your owner’s manual for the exact location. Next open the processor access door if one exists and remove the heat sink and fans located on top of the processor. Remove the processor only if you need to place it on the new motherboard.

At this point you may start removing all of the screws holding the case into place. These are typically extremely small and the correct sized screwdriver should be used to reduce the propensity of stripping. Do not remove any of the LCD screen screws unless absolutely needed. Next slowly pry the casing off of the laptop and look for any clips that may be keeping the case in place. Remove the keyboard, if necessary by removing the screws and clips. If you need to draw a picture of all of the placements of the components for reassembly. Unplug any cards that may be attached to the motherboard and remove the screws. Take out the motherboard and replace it with the new. Repeat these steps in reverse order for installation.