Friday, March 22, 2013

How to Adjust Laptop Keyboard Sensitivity

How can you adjust the sensitivity of the keys on a laptop keyboard? Or you're really frustrated by your new laptop like an old typewriter. Is there any way to adjust keyboard sensitivity, or what? Don't worry, this guide will help you on the go.
Windows controls how long you must hold down a key before it repeats, along with the key repeat speed. If characters repeat too quickly or slowly when you hold down a key, open the Control Panel and then open the Keyboard entry. Choose the Speed tab and move the sliders for Repeat Delay and Repeat Rate until you've adjusted them to your style. The Repeat Delay slider determines how long you must hold down a key before it begins repeating, and the Repeat Rate determines how quickly repeated characters appear on-screen. Click Apply when you're finished.
Besides, the design of some 
notebooks allows your hand to graze over the touchpad for the mouse, causing it to pick up the mouse movement and sometimes sacrifice the key stroke.
The other possibility is that either something is under the keys, causing them to not to make the proper contact when pressed. Get a can of compressed air (Wal-mart sells these in the computer section) and blow it in short bursts along each row of keys.
Then, there could be something corrupted in the keyboard driver. This part assumes you are using Windows XP. Click on start and then right-click on My Computer. Select properties. Then select the Hardware tab and select Device Manager. Once in Device Manager, click on the + next to keyboards. Likely there will be only one option, but if there is more than one, select the one for you keyboard and right-click on it. Click on Uninstall. Then reboot your computer. As the computer restarts, it will recognize the keyboard and reinstall the driver, but hopefully this time it won't be corrupted.
Finally, sometimes your laptop keyboard could be more sensitive. Most keyboards these days, especially on laptops use flexible membranes as their contacts.  There are two primary methods of manufacture, one utilizes a standard PC board and a rubber mat with carbon pads in the rubber.  The other utilizes a flexible plastic (like DuPonts Kapton) with a layer of contacts, a spacer, and another layer of contacts.  Both then put the plastic frame for the keys on top.  The keys have small springs which just keep the key up, not affecting sensitivity and a shaft down the middle.  The shaft then presses on the rubber pad or flexible film beneath.  The actual sensitivity is based on the durometer (hardness) of the rubber or the thickness of the Kapton.

The only practical solutions would be:
1. Replace the keyboard.  A new keyboard is usualy less sensitive though. 
2. Tighten the fasteners inside. If the laptop is an older one you may try opening the unit up and tightening the screws that hold the keyboard up to the key frame.
Other than that you are looking at a custom designed short run membrane.  It is cheaper to get a new laptop keyboard in that case. Papatek.com compatible laptop keyboard is your good choice.

How to Replace Your Laptop Keyboard

If your laptop keys are sticky, or some of them are missing, or the keyboard isn't working at all, you can usually replace the entire keyboard yourself for between $20 and $60. The operation isn't as hard as you might think, and performing it has the advantage that you don't have to remove and replace each key individually. Though every laptop is different, removing your laptop's keyboard usually involves simply unsnapping a cover, removing a few screws, and disconnecting a cable.
If you're up to the challenge, you can tackle this project in the comfort of your own home. Take care, though: A working laptop is a terrible thing to waste, and PCWorld accepts no responsibility for any damage to your machine that might occur if you try to take it apart. Furthermore, if duplicating our process requires actually opening your entire laptop--if, say, you have to remove anything more than a handful of screws--you should call a professional. And finally, before you do anything else, check to see whether the laptop is still under warranty. If it is, you may be able to get it replaced for free.

Find a Replacement Keyboard

The first step of the replacement process is to obtain the right keyboard for your laptop. Compare prices by checking eBay, Google, and online stores that specialize in replacement hardware, such as LaptopKeyboard.com, Spare Parts Warehouse, andLaptopsKeyboard.com. Make sure that the keyboard you buy is for your laptop's exact model number, which you may find printed on your screen bezel or on a label attached to the underside of the laptop. You can simplify your search further by specifying the keyboard's part number, which you may be able to find on the laptop manufacturer's website or by calling their support/service department.

Replacing the Keyboard

For more-precise instructions on how to replace your particular laptop keyboard than the general steps provided here, check online. There's a small chance that your laptop is unique and has a very different replacement process from the standard one outlined here. Check with your laptop manufacturer and with the site where you bought the replacement keyboard to see whether they offer specific instructions for DIY repair. Some manufacturers provide service manuals with detailed instructions on a variety of servicing tasks; if not, try searching the Web for "how to replace keyboard" with your laptop's model number.
Now let's get started! Confirm that you purchased the appropriate replacement, by placing the new one on the laptop, and seeing if it appears to be the right shape and size. Next, gather your tools: a small Phillips screwdriver for removing the small screws, and a butter knife or other small, thin, flat tool for prying off any covers.
Make sure that the laptop is powered completely off: Unplug the power cord and take the battery out.
Examine the cover/trim piece that sits between the keyboard and the screen; it usually affords access to the keyboard. Check for and remove any screws that appear to be helping hold the cover piece on. Some pieces also cover the screen hinges, which may have small screws on their backs.
Before removing the cover, be aware that it may have a data cable on the back that's connected to the laptop. This cable is important and usually doesn't have much slack, so be very cautious when removing the trim piece that holds your laptop's keyboard in place. You don't want to rip the cable from the laptop and ruin the connector or the cable.
When the cover is loose, gently remove the cover/trim piece with your bare hands; if necessary, carefully use a butter knife or other thin flat tool to pry it up. The cover should snap off fairly easily with a small amount of force--don't use extreme force or you may break it. If it doesn't seem to be coming off, recheck for any remaining screws that may be holding it on--even underneath the laptop--and remove them.
Once you've removed the cover/trim piece, set it aside. If it's attached to the laptop via a data cable, carefully try to move it out of the way without damaging the cable. Then find and remove the screws holding the keyboard in place; there are usually two to five such screws, located along the top of the keyboard.
Before pulling the keyboard up, note that the back of the keyboard attaches to a data cable that in turn is connected to the laptop. This cable usually doesn't have much slack either, so be very careful when pulling it up. It is crucial to avoid ripping the cable from the laptop and ruining the connector.

Carefully pull the keyboard up (without ripping the data cable from the laptop) and unlatch the data cable connector, usually by flipping up the small latch on the connector. Next, remove the data cable and set the old keyboard aside.
Pick up your new keyboard, align it (without setting it down), and attach the data cable to the connector on the laptop, usually by inserting the flat cable as far as it will go and then flipping the small latch on the connector back down to grasp it. With the data cable connected, set the keyboard in place, being careful not to pull at or damage the cable in any way. Reinsert the screws to hold the keyboard down and reattach the cover/trim piece, which usually requires a little force to snap back into place. If you removed any screws from the cover earlier, reinsert those as well.
Once you're done with these steps, you can reinstall your battery and boot up the laptop. If everything went smoothly, you should have a perfectly working keyboard at a fraction of the cost of having a professional repair service do the work!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Prolong Our Acer Laptop Battery's Life


All of us want to prolong our acer laptop battery's life. What should we do to prolong the battery's life? here is some brief guide to extend your li-ion acer aspire 4310 battery battery's life..
* You must initially give theacer aspire battery a 12-14 hour charge on the proper charger.Try to use the home charger more often than the cigarette lighter charger.
* Not in the high temperature environment for charging acer aspire 4310 laptop battery ,make sure the environment temperature is suitable temperature.
* Lithium-ion Battery prefers a partial rather than a full discharge,frequent full discharges should be avoided when possible.
* Do not use higher than its threshold voltage to charge the acer aspire 4310 battery ,as it would become unsafe.
* purchase spare lithium-ion batteries for later use if your battery series get weak over times.
* Keep the rechareable hp Li-ion battery cool. Avoid a hot situation. For prolonged storage, keep the acer aspire 4310 battery at a 40% charge level.
* Do not short-circuit. A short-circuit may cause severe damage to the battery.
* Through the above Suggestions, you can take better care of your aspire 4310 battery. You need them for your daily life.
* Quality: We believe that our customers should receive the highest quality acer aspire 4310 battery at the lowest prices. We stand by and guarantee the quality of our laptop batteries.
* Price: At baterylaptoppower.com, you always pay the lowest price. We make this sure by offering our Best Price Guarantee on all our acer aspire 4310 battery.
* Service: We have a dedicated team of customer service executives who are eager to help you save time and money by sharing their knowledge and expertise on acer aspire 4310 battery and related products.
* Satisfaction: Your absolute satisfaction is our top objective. We stand by the quality of our acer aspire 4310 battery and offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on all our products, no questions asked. Our products also carry a 12-month full repair or replacement warranty for any form of manufacturing defects.

The Different Types of Laptop Batteries

Laptops are powered by several different types of batteries. These batteries provide direct-current power to your laptop.
Lithium-ion: This is the type of battery you want to have in your laptop. This type is lightweight and performs better than the other types of batteries. Unlike NiCad or NiMH batteries, lithium-ion batteries don’t have the dreaded “memory effect.” The memory effect is the property of nickel-cadmium batteries that causes them to lose their capacity for full recharging if they are discharged repeatedly the same amount and then recharged without overcharge before they have fully drained. There’s usually a rapid-charging option with lithium-ion batteries, which is good when you’re in a time crunch. Finally, this type of battery is more environmentally friendly than the other types.
Two older types of batteries, once popular in portable computers, are nickel-cadmium (NiCad) and nickel-metal hydride (NiMH). The NiCad isn’t often considered for laptops these days because it suffered unpleasantly from The Dreaded Memory Effect. A NiMH battery is longer lasting than a NiCad, but it too woefully suffers from The Dreaded Memory Effect.
  • You can confirm which type of battery your laptop has by looking at its label. See the next section.
  • A few laptop computers out there are still using NiMH batteries. This is fine, of course, but you might want to check to see whether you can find a battery upgrade to the Li-ion type.
  • To prolong the life of a NiMH battery, I recommend fully discharging it every so often. For example, after you use, drain, and recharge the NiMH battery about four times (or so), do a complete drain and then recharge it again. That should help the battery last a bit longer.
  • Your laptop might have two additional batteries inside. A secondary, alkaline battery inside is used to power the laptop's internal clock. An optional third battery keeps things powered for the minute or so that it takes you to swap out a spent main battery with a fresh one. See the section "Love that spare battery," later in this chapter.
Using unapproved batteries in your laptop may lead to bad situations, such as, oh, the laptop catching fire and exploding. If you doubt me, look up exploding laptop on YouTube.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

How to unlock your laptop keyboard

Did you ever run into a situation where your laptop keyboard got locked suddenly? You pressed a few keys but only got back some noise and typing did not work. If you were in the middle of something, you would think that you may lose your work. But don't worry, here are a few things that may fix the issues for you:
Steps
1.  Check to make sure your "Num Lock" or "Function Lock" keys aren't lit. Press to unlock them if they are.
 2.  Use your mouse to save all your work to avoid losing any valuable information and close out all open programs.
 3.  Restart your pc using your mouse. If your mouse does not move, then press the power button on your laptop until the computer turns off. Press it again to restart. Then check to see whether it works or not.
 4.  Go to next step if the above steps are not working.
 5.  Shut down your computer and disconnect the power adapter from your pc.
 6.  Remove the battery from your ldaptop by turning the laptop over, sliding the battery release latch, Sliding the battery out and replacing after one or two minutes.
 7.  Reconnect the power adapter and laptop keyboard to your pc, then start your ldaptop.

How to Remove the Laptop Keyboard

Removing the laotopkeyboard of a laptop is necessary if it is old or broken. The removal of the keyboard is also done for other fixture purposes. There are essential procedures to follow in the removal of the laptop’s keyboard. These procedures are necessary to avoid damaging the laptop during the process. There are also different kinds and models of laptops. Different laptop manufacturers have different ways of placing the keyboard on the system board. These methods of removing the keyboard may not be applicable or somehow different to other brands of laptops.
Materials Needed:
- Laptop
- flat head screwdriver
- Phillips head screwdriver
Step 1
Turn off the laptop if it is running. Removing the keyboard while the laptop is running may cause accidents.
Step 2
Determine the location of the keyboard cover. This is a plate for covering the screws of the keyboard. The keyboard cover usually contains LED lights indicating if the laptop is running or charging. It is commonly located on the top of the keyboard and just below the monitor.
Step 3
You can remove the cover by using a flathead screwdriver. Place the screwdriver in the right slot. Use the screwdriver as a lever to pull up the keyboard cover. There may be cases when the cover is attached to the hinge cover. There are screws attaching the keyboard cover to the hinge cover. Unfasten each screw at the back of the computer. Do this before pulling up the cover with the use of flathead screwdriver.
Step 4
The screws holding the keyboard on the holding board will be visible after removing the cover. There may be 3 to 4 screws holding the keyboard in place. Carefully remove each screw using the screwdriver. Place these screws into different containers assigned for each of the screw slot. This is because sometimes, the screws are different in size from one another.
Step 5
Gently lift the keyboard in the direction of the laptop screen. This is to view all the wires and cable connected to the keyboard and the system board.
Step 6
Properly remove the data cable from the motherboard. Do this by gently pulling on the cable plug in a vertical direction.
Step 7
Look for other wires attaching the keyboard to the laptop after removing the data cable. Remove these other wires properly from the system board.
Step 8
Lift the laptopkeyboard from the laptop completely. Make sure there are no wires connecting the keyboard and the system board before completely removing the keyboard.

How to clean your laptop keyboard

A laptop is extremely delicate equipment and it needs to be handled with lot of care. The various accessories of this device require an individual to be more careful while working. One of the most fragile components of a laptop is its keyboard. Without it, the laptop is useless as there is no other accessory as important as a laptop keyboard. Keeping the laptop in good condition is one of the most typical task that users may find, however it is a fact that only a well managed device will work efficiently and last longer.
Materials Needed:
- Careful handling of the laptop and use of dry lint free cloth
Step 1
Before cleaning, the laptop must be switched off. A switched on mode is risk to clean.
Step 2
Dust and similar environmental factors make the keyboard dirty and messy, so one must regularly clean the keyboard with soft cloth before and even after working. This post cleaning is usually suggested due to the fact that while working one might be eating and this can make the key board sticky.
Step 3
Using a muslin or lint free cloth is recommended.
Step 4
One should never ever blow compressed air on to a laptop keyboard. It affects the functionality adversely.
Step 5
One can lay the laptop upside down and this would take off the dust and food particles that are inside the key board. It can be done once a week and to save time it can be done when laptop is not in use like during the night time.
Step 6
In case the laptop keys are getting sticky due to excessive usage and multiple users handling it then an individual can choose to clean them with a wet cloth. While working the cloth should never be drenching with water. An appropriate balance between dry and wet form of the cloth has to be maintained.
Step 7
Whenever wet cleaning is done it is never recommended to use fluids and solutions that are soapy as they are hard to clean and may even enter the keyboard.
Step 8
In case one has spilled coffee or any drink then one can dismantle the laptopkeyboard by removing the keys and all buttons, soak in water, dry them in sun and then clean with lint free cloth and place them back carefully on the board.