User:Scellef/Laptop Hardware ID Instructor Guide

This document is intended to serve as a guide for instructors in leading the Laptop Hardware ID course. Each section contains an Abstract, with the core concepts bulleted, and a Lecture, which contains more exposition and detail. Exercises relating to the material presented are included at the end of each section.

Introduction
Laptop Hardware ID starts with a general overview of notebook computers, their qualities as compared to desktop computers, and a glimpse of how Free Geek handles processing and refurbishment.

Abstract

 * Laptops are a complete system (Monitor, Keyboard, "Mouse", Power Supply) in a small package
 * Laptops are over-engineered (proprietary pieces, components, etc.)
 * Laptops have very few modular components
 * Laptop Repair largely consists of cannibalizing one system to make another work
 * Different laptop manufacturers do things differently (over-engineered, same problem multiple solutions)
 * Common Brands: HP, Dell, IBM/Lenovo, Toshiba, Gateway, Sony
 * Our inventory is organized by brand

On the Outside
This section deals with the exteriors of notebook computers.

Abstract

 * External anatomy of a laptop (chassis, palm rests, LCD panel assembly, access panels, ports & interfaces)
 * Input devices (keyboard, touch pad, track point)
 * Access panels and interfaces (USB, PCMCIA, card readers, audio ports,
 * Power (battery, power adapters, power supply cables [Figure 8, Mickey Mouse, Dell], power switches)
 * Power adapter ratings (wattage = voltage * amperage) and barrels **MOST IMPORTANT**
 * Where to find power ratings (underneath the system, underneath the battery, *never* on the battery)

Exercises

 * Finding Power Adapters (10 - 15 minutes)
 * Layout a broad range of laptops with their power supplies in a separate container. Have volunteers read the power ratings and brands and try to find the appropriate adapters.


 * Each volunteer should work on at least three different systems
 * Make sure the volunteers connect the power adapters to the systems
 * Some of the systems won't have amperage printed; advise volunteers to look at brand, voltage, and barrel.
 * Some of the systems won't have an exact match for the rating; advise volunteers to look for higher amperage adapters with matching barrels.
 * With some laptops, you can use power adapters with voltages different from the ratings on the system (e.g., 18.5V will work on 19V systems)
 * "It's the amperage that'll kill you."

Drives and Components
This section introduces various storage devices and components, their interfaces, and their qualities.

Abstract

 * Storage Devices (hard drives, optical drives, memory cards)
 * Hard drives in detail (SATA vs. IDE, 2.5" vs. 1.8", SSDs, adapters) **MOST IMPORANT**
 * Optical drives (CD/DVD-ROM vs. CD/DVD-RW, SATA vs. IDE, proprietary face plates, adapters)
 * Memory card (SD, compact flash, Sony memory sticks)
 * RAM (types, speeds, sizes)
 * Peripheral Cards (Mini PCI, mini PCIe, PCMCIA, Bluetooth and modem cards)
 * What distinguishes wireless cards (antennae sockets)

Exercises

 * RAM Sorting (10 - 15 minutes)
 * Hand each volunteer a broad range of different RAM sticks, and a printed RAM chart. Have the volunteers arrange the stacks from left to right by type (SDRAM -> DDR3), and from top to bottom by speed.


 * Emphasize the two different ways to refer to RAM (e.g., PC2-3200 vs. DDR2-400)

On the Inside
This section deals with the interior makeup of notebook computers. Lectures should be given with systems prepped for hand disassembly.

Abstract

 * Motherboards, daughterboards, processors, fan and heatsink asssemblies
 * Anatomy of screen assemblies (LCD panel, inverters, bezels, hinges, cables & antennae)
 * Splitting the chassis (removing keyboards, how a motherboard fits into a chassis)