Dell Inspiron 11z-1121 Troubleshooting

The laptop shuts off when disconnected from power adapter.

The laptop may still work, but only when plugged in and usually it will display that the laptop is not charging. In this case, the battery is faulty and the charge is not being stored in the battery. You can remove the battery by following these instructions.

The keys of the laptop are not responding to being pressed or incapable of being pressed.

If keys are not responding when pressed then the keyboard cable might be unlocked from its connector. This can be fixed using this guide.

If keys cannot be pressed down then there might something blocking the key. Removing the key and checking if anything is stuck below will fix this problem. Make sure to clean the area before reattaching the key.

If keys are missing from the keyboard, then replacement keys need to be purchased. After buying replacement keys, you can snap the keys back on by matching the latches on the back part of the key to the metal brackets on the laptop's keyboard.

The laptop is not responding to commands or actions as quickly as it used to.

Everything on the computer uses RAM. This is a more severe case of an unresponsive screen. If the screen is unresponsive consistently, too many programs may be opened. If the laptop still does not respond when hardly anything is opened, then replacing the RAM will help. A guide to replace the RAM can be found here.

The hard drive is the backbone of any computer or laptop. As the hard drive reaches max capacity, the computer starts to run slower. Laptops constantly update and download new content which can lead to the hard drive filling up quicker than anticipated. You can check to see the capacity of your hard drive by clicking Home->Computer->Local Disk (C:). If the hard drive is at capacity then replacing it will allow the laptop to run quicker. A guide to replacing the hard drive can be found here.

The laptop gets overly hot, affecting the way it functions.

If you do not feel comfortable opening the laptop then you can get a can of compressed air and spray it in the laptop's cooling vents. The cooling vents are located at the bottom of the laptop. Spray the air in short bursts to ensure that the fan is not spinning too quickly. If you can open the laptop then do so by unscrewing the bottom panels to access the inside. Then spray compressed air on them. Try to spray the air towards the vents so that the dust can leave through the vents.

The fan in the laptop is suppose to make a sound, it generally means it is working harder to cool the laptop down. It makes a deeper sound if it is not spinning properly. If this is the case, the laptop can be opened up by following these instructions (link). Then check if any screws are loose or if anything is obstructing the fan. If neither of those are the problem then the fan can be replaced.

The laptop will not charge when not plugged into a power adapter.

If the laptop does not charge but works with a charged battery, then one of the issues might be the power adapter. To fix the problem you can replace the power adapter. Make sure that the adapter is compatible with the computer.