Book Objectives

I wrote this book for people who want to upgrade, repair, maintain, and troubleshoot laptop computers, as well as for those enthusiasts who want to know more about laptops or portable PC hardware in general. This book covers the full gamut of laptop and portable PCs, from the oldest to the latest in high-end multi-gigahertz mobile workstations. If you need to know about everything from the original Compaq Portable PC to the latest in PC technology on the market today, this book and the accompanying information-packed CD-ROM are definitely for you.

This book covers state-of-the-art mobile hardware and accessories that make modern mobile computers easier, faster, and more productive to use. Inside these pages you will find in-depth coverage of every mobile processor, from the original 386SL to the latest Mobile Pentium 4, Pentium M, and Mobile Athlon XP-M.

Upgrading and Repairing Laptops also doesn't ignore the less glamorous PC components . Every part of your mobile system plays a critical role in its stability and performance. Over the course of these pages, you'll find out exactly why your motherboard's chipset might just be the most important part of your laptop as well as what can go wrong when your processor runs too hot. You'll also find in-depth coverage of technologies such as DDR SDRAM, graphics, audio, AGP, Mini PCI, LCD displays, recordable CD and DVD drives , USB 2.0, FireWire, and high-capacity external or removable storage ”it's all in here!

Chapter-by-Chapter Breakdown

This book is organized into chapters that cover the components of a portable or mobile PC, emphasizing modern laptop/notebook systems. A few chapters serve to introduce or expand in an area not specifically component related , but most parts in a laptop have a dedicated chapter or section, which will aid you in finding the information you want.

The first two chapters of this book serve primarily as an introduction. Chapter 1, "Portable Systems Background," begins with an introduction to the development of portable computers. This chapter incorporates some of the historical events that led to the development of modern portable PCs. Chapter 2, "Portable PC Overview: Types and Features," provides information about the various types of mobile or portable systems you will encounter and what separates one type of system from another.

Chapter 3, "System Maintenance and Assembly," is where I show you how to maintain and care for laptop systems. I provide a step-by-step process showing how to completely disassemble and reassemble a typical laptop. The drawings included in this chapter, as well as the video included on the CD-ROM, will greatly aid you in understanding these procedures.

Chapter 4, "Processors," includes detailed coverage of Intel's mobile Pentium M (part of Centrino mobile technology), mobile Pentium 4 and Pentium 4-M, mobile Pentium III, mobile Pentium II, mobile Celeron, and earlier central processing unit (CPU) chips. There's also detailed coverage of AMD's line of high-performance mobile Athlon XP-M processors as well as older mobile Athlon and mobile Duron processors. Because the processor is one of the most important parts of a laptop PC, this book features extensive mobile processor coverage, more than you'll find in any other book. All the unique form factors used in mobile processors are discussed, with diagrams, drawings, and examples. This information is invaluable in understanding how processors are implemented in portable systems and what upgrade options you may have at your disposal.

Chapter 5, "Motherboards," covers the motherboard, mobile chipsets, motherboard components, and primary system buses in detail. A chipset can either make a good processor better or choke the life out of an otherwise high-speed CPU. I cover the latest chipsets for current mobile processor families, including mobile chipsets from Intel, AMD, VIA, and more. This chapter also covers special bus architectures and devices, such as high-speed Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI), including Mini PCI and the upcoming PCI Express. Plug-and-Play configuration of resources and how to handle resource conflicts are also discussed.

Chapter 6, "Memory," provides a detailed discussion of laptop memory, including the latest memory specifications. After the processor and chipset, the system memory is one of the most important parts of a laptop or mobile computer. It's also one of the most difficult things to understand ”it is somewhat intangible, and how it works is not always obvious. If you're confused about the difference between system memory and cache memory; SO-DIMMs and Micro-DIMMs; SDRAM versus DDR SDRAM; EDO versus PC133 versus PC3200, this is the chapter that can answer your questions.

Chapter 7, "Power," is a detailed investigation of laptop battery technology, as well as AC adapters and power-management schemes.

Chapter 8, "Expansion Buses," covers the PC Card and CardBus interfaces, otherwise sometimes called PCMCIA slots . Also covered are newer technologies such as USB 2.0 and FireWire (IEEE 1394/i.LINK), as well as older legacy serial and parallel ports. Due to the limited space in laptop computers, external USB 2.0 and FireWire devices offer a wide range of expansion capability.

Chapter 9, "Hard Disk Storage," covers the smaller 2.5-inch form factor drives used in laptop computers, and it even breaks down how data is stored to your drives and how it is retrieved when you double-click a file in Windows. Also covered is the ATA/IDE interface, including types and specifications, even for the new Serial ATA coming to future laptops.

Chapter 10, "Removable Storage," covers optical storage using CD and DVD technology, including CD recorders , rewritable CDs, and other optical technologies. There's even extensive coverage of DVD, with everything you need to know to understand the difference between the new recordable DVD drives now available in laptops. Also covered are all the digital memory-storage devices (often called digital film , because many are used in digital cameras as well as laptop computers), such as CompactFlash, SmartMedia, MultiMediaCard, SecureDigital, Memory Stick, xD-Picture Card, and USB "keychain" drives. Finally, this chapter covers magnetic removable storage, such as standard floppy drives, SuperDisk (LS-120) drives, and Iomega Zip drives, and discusses magnetic tape drives.

Chapter 11, "Graphics and Sound," covers everything there is to know about video chipsets and display technology, as well as the various interface standards for external displays. This chapter also covers sound and sound-related devices, including internal and external sound " boards " and speaker systems.

Chapter 12, "Communications," covers all aspects of connectivity, including everything from dial-up using modems, to both wired and wireless networking. An emphasis on wireless standards is designed to feature one of the best new technologies coming to mobile systems: 802.11a/b/g networking (otherwise known as Wi-Fi).

Chapter 13, "Keyboards and Pointing Devices," covers keyboards, pointing devices, and other input devices used to communicate with a laptop, including wireless mice and keyboards.

Chapter 14, "Portable System Accessories," covers all the various accessories, gadgets, and gizmos that make using mobile computers easier and more productive.

Chapter 15, "Software/Operating Systems," covers the Windows versions used on laptops, including detail on the boot sequence, configuration options, as well as installation and configuration procedures.

Chapter 16, "Problem Solving and Troubleshooting," covers diagnostic and testing tools and procedures. This chapter includes information on general troubleshooting and problem determination. Here, I show you what the prepared laptop technician has in his toolkit, including a few tools you might have never seen or used before.

Finally, Chapter 17, "Portable Resource Guide," covers manufacturer, vendor, and alternative resources that are useful for upgrading, repairing, maintaining, and troubleshooting laptops. This information can be especially useful if you have a problem while on the road.

The Upgrading and Repairing Laptops CD-ROM

I've included a CD-ROM with the book that contains an hour -long video, showing laptop construction, components, and disassembly! Also, on the disc you'll find a detailed vendor database. This custom database contains hundreds of entries of contact information for the industry's leading manufacturers and vendors . It's like having my Rolodex on your computer. This database is fully searchable and printable.

Scott's Web Site

Don't miss my book Web site at www.upgradingandrepairingpcs.com! Here, you'll find lots of helpful material to go along with the book you're holding. I've loaded this site with tons of material, from video clips to monthly book updates. I use this spot to keep you updated throughout the year on major changes in the PC hardware industry. Each month, I write new articles covering new technologies released after this book was printed. These articles are archived so you can refer to them anytime .

I also use this site to post your questions and my answers. The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section is a tremendous resource because you benefit from the hundreds of reader emails I answer each month. Log on and post a question. I endeavor to answer each and every email personally .

You'll also find exclusive video clips available nowhere else!

I also use this site to tell you about some of the other fantastic Upgrading and Repairing products I've work on, including these: