Lenovo ThinkPad T495 Troubleshooting

The laptop’s screen turns blue and you're met with an error code.  

The most common cause of the system is faulty memory, which means your RAM is either loose or broken. Firstly, you want to look up the error code the screen gives you to find out what kind of problem you’re dealing with. Next, replace the part the error code is based on. For example, if the error code has to do with faulty memory, replace the RAM in the device. If it is an issue of RAM, this can be replaced by following this guide.

The laptop is running slower than usually is by a noticeable margin.  

Filling the computers Solid State Drive is the most common symptom of slow speeds. To fix this type of storage issue, you can try clearing as much space as possible. This can be done by uninstalling unused applications, clearing your downloads folder, and clearing your temporary files folder. To uninstall unused applications, click on the start button, click on the settings button, and click on "Apps". This will give you a complete list of applications downloaded on your laptop. Click on the application you want to delete and click on the Uninstall button.

Your laptop dies much more quickly than it used to, or will no longer hold a charge while it is unplugged. 

A couple simple causes for a lack of battery charge are: an inadequate power source or a damaged cord. First check for a damaged cord, or inadequate power source. If both of those have no issues then your battery is the problem.

The most common cause of a lack of charge is a weak, faulty, or dead battery. If your have a weak, faulty, or dead battery it must be replaced.

The screen is frozen and the mouse cursor is a spinning wheel. 

Malware and viruses can can also cause a frozen screen as well as an outdated operating system, or power or charging issues. First make sure you have no malware or viruses on your laptop. This can be done using your internet security and running a scan on your computer.

The most common cause of this is having too many running files. If you have no malware or viruses on your laptop then you can fix the frozen screen by waiting for the screen to respond or by restarting the laptop. To restart your laptop, click on the start button, click on the power button, and click on "Shut Down".

The internet connection seems much more sluggish than what you're used to.

The most common cause of this is a loose Wi-Fi card, or not being close enough to the network modem. First double check with your Wi-Fi provider to make sure there are no technical issues. Try connecting to Wi-Fi from another device, like a smartphone, to see if the problem is with the network or your device.

If you can connect to the internet on other devices, and there are no issues with your internet provider, then try moving your device closer to the network modem.

To replace the Wi-Fi chip please follow this guide.

Other causes include interference from other devices sending radio waves, as well as issues with your wi-fi provider. Weak signals sent by older and inefficient wireless equipment can also be a cause of interference.

The laptop outputs either distorted sound or no sound at all.

If you're sure that your volume is on, the output is your laptop's internal speakers, and nothing is playing, it's likely that the speaker unit has a hardware issue; try replacing it with this handy guide.

The laptop is not able to cool itself down properly, causing a decrease in performance or random shutdowns.

The most common cause of this would be a dirty, damaged, or broken CPU fan, since this is the main mechanism responsible for cooling your device. Before outright replacement, make sure that the fan's blades are free of dirt and debris. If your fan needs to be outright replaced, follow this guide.