Summary

20 IT Essentials: PC Harware and Software Companion Guideget the maximum performance from a laptop, such as increasing the length of time the laptopcan be used on battery power.With laptops, you might need to exchange components occasionally to accomplish differenttasks and respond to changing situations. You can customize a laptop for specific purposesby adding external components. For example, you can install a second hard drive in a laptopto provide additional storage capacity. Components need to be carefully inserted or connectedto bays, connectors, and proprietary expansion areas to avoid damage to the equipment.It is important to follow safe removal procedures when disconnecting hot-swappable andnon-hot-swappable devices.After completing the following sections, you will meet these objectives:■■Describe how to configure power settingsDescribe the safe installation and removal of laptop componentsDescribe How to Configure Power SettingsOne of the most popular features of a laptop is the ability to operate using batteries. Thisfeature allows laptops to operate in locations where AC power is not available or is inconvenient.Advances in power management and battery technology are increasing the timelaptop users can remain disconnected from AC power. Current batteries can last from 2 to10 hours without recharging. Managing the power by configuring the power settings on alaptop is important to ensure that the battery charge is used efficiently.The Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) standards create a bridge betweenthe hardware and OS and allow technicians to create power management schemes to get thebest performance from the computer. The ACPI standards can be applicable to most computers,but they are particularly important when managing power in laptops. Table 6-5shows information about each power state.Table 6-5Power Management StatesACPI StandardS0S1S2S3Power Management StateThe computer is on and the CPU is running.The CPU is not running. However, the CPU and RAM are still receivingpower.The CPU is off, but the RAM is refreshed. The system is in a lowerpower mode than S1.The CPU is off, and the RAM is set to slow refresh rate. This mode isoften called “Save to RAM.” In Windows XP, this state is known as theStandby mode.