Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E520 Troubleshooting

Laptop fails to power up or does not respond to the power button

One likely reason the computer will not turn on is because the battery is dead.

Check this by plugging in the power adapter/charger for the laptop

Proceed by pressing the power button

If the battery remains off when testing, make sure that the power cord is plugged in and make sure that the computer knows it is in the computer. If it does not register, there are many places that you can take your laptop to test the power cord without purchasing a new one.

The laptop is on but the screen is off or flickers on and off rapidly when being used

There is a setting on the computer which may be activated that projects the screen as black.

Hold the “Fn” key followed by pressing “F2”.

If the screen remains black it is most likely a hardware issue

There could possibly be an issue with a loose wire that is used between the motherboard and the screen. Unfortunately, there is no easy way of checking this and the back of the computer must be opened to check for this issue

1. Press F6 to bring up the image.

2. If you are using the ac power adapter, or using the battery and the Power Manager Battery Gauge shows that the battery is not depleted, press F8 to make the screen brighter.

3. If your computer is in sleep (standby) mode, press Fn to resume from the sleep (standby) mode

4. If the problem persists, do the solution in the problem below.

Make sure that:

1. The display device driver is installed correctly.

2. The screen resolution and color quality are correctly set.

3. The monitor type is correct.

To check these settings, do the following: For Windows 7

Right-click on the desktop, and click Screen resolution.

Click Advanced Settings.

Click the Adapter tab.

Make sure that the correct device driver name is shown in the adapter information window

Note: The device driver name depends on the video chip that has been installed on your computer

Click the Properties button. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation. Check the “Device status” box and make sure the device is working properly. If not, click the Troubleshoot button. Close the Properties window.

Click the Monitor tab. Check whether the color quality is correctly set, make sure other information is also correct

Click the Properties button. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation. Check the “Device status” box and make sure the device is working properly. If not, click the Troubleshoot button

For Windows XP:

1. Right-click on the desktop, and click Properties to open the Display Properties window.

2. Click the Settings tab.

3. Check whether the screen resolution and color quality are correctly set.

4. Click Advanced.

5. Click the Adapter tab.

6. Make sure that the correct device driver name is shown in the adapter information window

Press and hold the power switch for 4 seconds or over to turn off your computer; then turn it on again.

During laptop operation, the computer heats up and then shuts down or freezes

If the CPU overheats, the computer will most likely shutdown. On Lenovo computers there is a “Fan Dust Removal” option in “Lenovo Settings”. Run this program and make sure the vent is clear from any objects blocking it to clean the fan. If there is a large collection of dust coming out of the vents, it may be a safe idea to run the “Fan Dust Removal” program again.

If you do not hear the fan running during computer operation, or if you do hear it but it continues to shutdown or freeze, it is safe to assume that it is not working and it is time for a replacement fan.

The USB device does not operate or appear when plugged into the laptop

There may be issues regarding the device being used. Try plugging another USB device into the same slot. If the device is recognized then there is an issue with the device you are trying to use and not the computer.

If your laptop is on, press the windows key and type in “Control Panel”. In the control panel, go to “Disk Drives”. Here you should update all of your drivers and then attempt to use the USB device again.

Attempt to use multiple different USB device on different USB ports. If one or multiple are dead, then the USB Drive is dead and needs to be replaced.

The keyboard is not working when trying to type on a document or in the URL bar

If the keyboard does not type or types the wrong characters the keyboard most likely failed and must be repaired or replaced. To repair your keyboard follow our repair guide (link provided).

If some keys on the keyboard seem to be stuck into place it is most likely a result of liquid or debris tampering with the key’s movement. To fix sticky keys you must clean out the area under the key itself. You can do this by,

1. Using forced air to attempt to dislodge the debris first as the least invasive way.

2. If this does not work then you can take a photo of your keyboard for reference and pry the stuck key off the board.

3. After the key is removed clean the area with rubbing alcohol and clean under the key itself and the hinge.

4.Wash the key if needed and make sure it is dry before attaching it back onto the keyboard.

Speakers do not play sound and when it does it is white noise

If a red cross appears on your speaker icon near the clock in the bottom right of your screen and audio is not working with or without headphones,

1.Try uninstalling the audio drivers and use the default one

2. Right click on my computer, select device manager

3. Look for sound section and find sound card

4. Right click on it and select “Uninstall”

5. Restart the Laptop and test the sound

Also try updating the drivers. This is done in the same steps before only this time instead of pressing “Uninstall” click on “Update”.

First make sure that the volume for the speakers is turned up. If you are not hearing any audio through the speakers then try using a pair of headphones that can plug into the audio jack and/or USB device. If audio can be heard through the two devices, then the speakers being blown are the issue and need to be replaced.

Make sure that the audio output device that you are currently using is the correct one. Often the default device that is set is switched and will not project sound out through the speakers or any other audio device that is being used. To fix this, press the Windows key then type in “Control Panel”. Once in control panel, go to “hardware and sound”. Under sound there sound be an option called “Manage audio devices”. Click this and all the audio devices should be listed. Right click on the device you want to use and click “Set as Default Device.” Then test the sound.

If only sound can be heard through the speakers and you are trying to get sound through the headphone jack, then first make sure that the correct devices is selected, the steps to fix this are mentioned above. If nothing changes then try and use a second set of headphones/earbuds. If not sound is still not produced, then there is most likely an issue with the audio jack/driver or hardware.

Fingerprint scanner does not read fingerprint when unlocking computer

Gently clean the surface of the reader with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth.

If the surface of the reader is dirty, stained, or wet, gently clean the surface of the reader with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth.

If your finger has any of the following conditions, you may not be able to register or authenticate it:

– Your finger is wrinkled.

– Your finger is rough, dry, or injured.

– Your finger is very dry.

– Your finger is stained with dirt, mud, or oil.

– The surface of your finger is very different from when you enrolled your fingerprint.

– Your finger is wet

– A finger is used that has not been enrolled. To improve the situation, try the following:

– Clean or wipe your hands to remove any excess dirt or moisture from the fingers

– Enroll and use a different finger for authentication.

– If your hands are too dry, apply lotion to them.