Repair the Lid Close Switch on a Toshiba Tecra A2 Laptop

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Farmville Tips and Tricks

Game developers Zynga bring you the most popular application on Facebook! Live the rural dream in FarmVille, where you grow delicious fruits and vegetables and raise adorable animals on your very own farm. Alongside your neighbors, plow, plant, and harvest fields with crops such as strawberries, eggplant and artichokes. Earn XP (experience points) and coins to expand your acreage or decorate your farm with trees, fences, ponds, or barns. Work faster...

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Laptop LCD Inverter

All laptops are comprised of numerous parts, but the LCD inverter plays an especially important role. The inverter is one of several key parts within a laptop's display; it helps to illuminate the screen. If an inverter wasn't installed in your laptop, you wouldn't be able to see anything on the display. PurposeNormally, a notebook's screen will display windows and other user-controlled elements. But without a backlight, the viewing experience...

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What Does the Inverter Do on Laptops?

Electricity is delivered to your home as alternating current, but laptops and many other electronics use the simpler direct current. The power inverter on your laptop cord is responsible for switching current from alternating to direct. Direct CurrentDirect current (DC) electricity can be envisioned as flowing through conductive material in much the same way water does. The current moves through a circuit in one direction and at a constant voltage....

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Signs of a Laptop Overheating

Overheating a laptop can cause serious problems. Look out for the warning signs and you may be able to head off the problem before it becomes an issue. Sometimes overheating is caused by insufficient ventilation below the computer; elevating it or adding a cooling station can fix the problem. Excess HeatThe first sign of a laptop overheating is an abnormal amount of heat coming from it, especially if it is in an area of poor ventilation, such as...

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The Best Ways to Save Laptop Batteries

 Modern laptop personal computers have processing technologies and powerful software applications that have become so advanced as to replicate the desktop PC experience. To maximize the mobile computing benefits that laptop PCs offer, users can keep in mind several measures to both conserve the capacity of their laptop battery, and extend the battery's life for as long as possible. BackgroundAccording to PC Magazine, a typical laptop battery...

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Turn on Number Lock on a Laptop

Eliminating the separate number pad is one of the changes most manufacturers make to save space in a laptop computer case. This allows the keys on the laptop keyboard to be large enough for most people to operate comfortably. The number pad didn't disappear completely though. It has been integrated with the standard keyboard with some of the keys doing double duty. 1). Locate the "FN" key on the keyboard. In most cases, it is between the "Ctrl"...

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Kensington Lock Instructions

The Kensington Security Slot is a small locking mechanism used on devices, such as laptops, computer monitors and video game consoles. The Kensington lock then connects to this slot to lock the device securely to a desk or other solid surface to prevent theft. The locks use either combinations or keys for a convenient way to protect your expensive equipment. While not unbreakable, securing your valuables with a Kensington lock can save it from...

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Restore Function on an HP Laptop not working

What Happens When You Lose the PC Restore Function on an HP Laptop? Hewlett Packard laptops come with several tools for backing up and restoring information, including the ability to completely restore the entire system to its factory settings. If these functions are lost, users must access the default Windows tools for restoration or use other third-party software. CauseThe primary "C" drive of an HP laptop comes with a built-in partition labeled...

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Repair an HP Laptop Power Jack

 The majority of problems with DC power jacks on HP laptop models stem directly from a crack forming between the power jack's positive pin and the motherboard. A good way to determine that this is the problem you are experiencing with your HP laptop is to see if it operates solely on the battery when you plug the AC power adapter into a working electrical outlet. This problem with the power jack eventually results in a dead battery that won't...

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Use a Laptop IR As a Remote Reader

 The IrDA protocol, created by the Infrared Data Association, specifies how two devices can communicate using a line-of-sight, infrared connection over short distances. Many laptops include an IrDA-capable hardware transceiver in their factory configurations. IrDA transceivers are typically located in the front edge of the laptop. You can configure the infrared (IR) port on your laptop so that it becomes capable of wireless communication...

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Sapphire Radeon HD 6870 Vapor

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Use a Keyboard to Wake a Computer From Hibernation

Laptop hibernation helps conserve energy when you'll be away from your computer for some time. In Hibernate mode, your computer writes an image of whatever you're doing onto a file on the hard drive before shutting down almost completely. While it may take longer to boot up than when your computer is in Standby mode, Hibernate is ideal for when you'll be away from your machine for long periods of time but want to save your settings. Follow the below...

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Upgrade a Dell Inspiron From WEP to WPA

WEP and WPA are forms of security passwords for a wireless Internet connection used to prevent other people from detecting and connecting to your personal home router. WEP is an older form of security that is not as secure as the newer WPA form. If your Dell Inspiron computer is connected to a wireless router that currently uses WEP, you can connect into that router and change the security form to WPA for stronger encryption. 1). Launch your Internet...

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How to Find a Wireless Wep Password

Each laptop and wireless device that you own must use the WEP password in order to connect to the wireless router. To find the security key, you will need to log into your router's administrator dashboard from a computer that is currently connected to the router. 1). Open your Internet browser on a computer that is connected to the wireless router. 2). Type the IP address for your router in the address bar of your browser. The IP address may...

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USB Portable Diskette Drives

 The IBM ThinkPad USB Portable Diskette Drive, manufactured by Lenovo, is similar to an external hard drive or other external device. It connects to a USB port on the IBM ThinkPad laptop and upgrades a floppy drive to a USB drive for computer readability. The USB Portable Diskette Drive can be used with Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows Millennium Edition (Me) and Windows 98. The USB Portable Diskette Drive comes bundled with a CD-Rom containing...

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Return Toshiba Laptop to Original Settings

Most performance issues with a laptop are not with the hardware but with the software installed on the computer. Viruses, malware, poorly written programs and poor maintenance practices are just a few things that cause Windows to slow down or even become unresponsive sometimes. When virus scans or registry cleaners cannot help, it is time to start over and restore the laptop to its factory default settings. 1). Connect an external hard drive or...

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Erase the Password Protection on a ThinkPad Hard Drive

IBM ThinkPad hard drives have the ability to by secured by setting a supervisor password. The hard drive cannot be used and none of the data on it can be accessed without first entering the supervisor password. If it is no longer necessary to password-protect your hard drive, removing the password allows the hard drive to be accessed more quickly by bypassing the password input steps. Once a password has been set, it can be changed or removed...

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How Do I Know in What Port My USB Cable Goes

 In the early days of home computers, any external gadgets, such as speakers or monitors, had to be connected to a specific port. Not only did this limit the amount of hardware you could hook up, but it also meant that many products could be connected only to compatible machines. The Universal Serial Bus was released in 1995 to make things easier for both consumers and manufacturers. Regardless of whether you're plugging in a keyboard, a monitor...

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Fix USB Ports That Aren't Working

 Over the last decade, the Universal Serial Bus replaced all other add-on ports to become the primary method for attaching devices to computers. All computers now come with several open USB ports on the rear of the case and often some on the front for convenience. If one or several of these ports won't work, reinstalling the USB drivers or reconnecting the internal wiring usually solves the problem. 1). Attach a different device to the...

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Definition of USB Port

Universal Serial Bus ports allow you to connect your digital or Web camera to your computer to take and transfer pictures. The same ports offer the ability to hook up your printer to make hard copies of text documents or even to print photos from your digital camera. Cell phones, MP3 players, speakers and other devices can also be attached via USB ports, making them some of the most commonly used on a computer. FunctionUSB is a technology that...

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BIOS Tips

The BIOS, or the Basic Input/Output System, is software that is separate from the operating system. It is responsible for facilitating important hardware activities, such as hard disk, RAM and processor performance. Understanding its importance and knowing how to load your BIOS page and other BIOS-related tasks can be helpful. Loading the BIOS SetupBoot the computer. While in the POST (Power On Self Test), wait for the computer to show a message...

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How to Find a Lost File by Text it Contains on a PC

When you have had your computer for a while, chances are you may have misplaced a file or two. Even with your best attempts to stay organized, it can be difficult to remember the name of a specific file or which folder you put it into. When this happens, don't spend hours digging through various folders in hunt of an elusive file. Instead, take advantage of Windows' ability to search through your files for the one you want. 1). Click the "Start"...

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Advantages & Disadvantages of an Optical Mouse

An optimal mouse can either can an attached or wireless device used to move the cursor around and select objects on a computer screen. An optical mouse works by taking repeated images of its location and adjusts the cursor on the computer screen when the images it takes shifts direction. Optical mouse technology has improved greatly since the beginning of the computer age, but it does have its pros and cons. A mouse is typically graded on cursor...

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Uninstall a Synaptics Pointing Device

Windows 7 computers are pre-installed with touchpads that act as mice. The Synaptics Pointing Device driver becomes corrupt or interferes with another mouse that you are using. If this occurs, one option is to uninstall the Synaptics Pointing Device driver. Be warned that this will render the touchpad unusable, but you can always reinstall the driver later if you decide you need it. 1). Go to "Start" and type the command "devmgmt.msc" in the blank...

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Change Batteries on a Wireless Optical Mouse

 Most wireless mice run on AA batteries. Since your mouse's batteries will need to be changed from time to time, the battery compartment on your mouse will be easily accessible. No tools are needed for this task. 1). Turn your mouse upside down. If your mouse has a power switch, turn your mouse off at this time. You will see a rectangular hatch in the base of the mouse. This is the battery cover. Press the cover down slightly and slide it off....

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Scan Two-Sided Documents

When you scan a document, you are actually converting it into an image. After the document is converted, you can leave it as an image or copy it to an electronic document on your computer. If you need to scan both sides of a document, you can do that without purchasing a special scanner. Windows comes with a free program that allows you to combine scanned images into a single file. Scan Document1). Turn on the scanner. Place your document face...

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Reset a Laptop

You're working on an important document, making great progress -- when suddenly your laptop freezes. The mouse won't move, pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete does nothing, and all the hard work you've done is lost. For some reason, this keeps happening. Virus scanners detect nothing, disk defragmenting didn't work -- your laptop still freezes. The last resort, short of wiping the hard drive clean, is a hard reset. A hard reset will restore certain settings...

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The Cursor on an IBM Laptop Is Stuck

IBM, now Lenovo, laptops come with an additional piece of software that allows you to control aspects of the ThinkPad laptop interface. This software overrides the settings in Microsoft Windows and can be used to administer and disable the laptop's pointing devices. Often times, the cursor will be unable to move because this software has disabled it. Additionally, you can turn the pointing devices on and off either through other software or hardware...

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Dell Inspiron Recovery

The Dell DataSafe Local Backup recovery program pre-installed on Dell Inspiron computers gives you a lot of recovery options. The programs let you create recovery discs, backups, or restore the machine to its original factory settings. The recovery program is set up on a small partition on the computer's hard drive and can be accessed from the "Start" menu. Create BackupClick the "Start" icon in the lower-left corner of the Windows 7 home screen....

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How to Clean a Trackpad

 If you have purchased a second-hand laptop, or you simply like to keep your current laptop as clean as possible, then you'll probably want to clean the trackpad. Because this part of the computer is constantly being touched by fingers, it's a good idea to disinfect it first. The good news is that cleaning the trackpad can be completed in a minute or two. 1). Wipe the trackpad gently with a disinfectant wipe. Make sure you cover all exposed...

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Replace a Laptop Keyboard

There are many reasons a laptop keyboard might become defective and require replacement. Whether it is from spilling a cup of coffee or overuse from writing a long novel or two, laptop keyboards usually do not last forever. If you take your laptop to a repair shop for a keyboard replacement, you should expect to pay a hefty premium to have the work done. On the other hand, if you are handy with a few basic hand tools, you can replace your laptop's...

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Remove a Drive From a RAID-5 Volume

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