Support FAQ/Hardware Repairs, Returns

Hardware Repairs, Returns

My XO laptop won't play sound

Go to our wiki page about troubleshooting any Sound issues you are experiencing with your XO unit.

Why does my screen not turn on?

Certain laptops from 2007 may become "bricked" in isolated circumstances. Please contact a mail-order community repair center and/or try to fix it yourself if you have "garage electronics" skills, using the correct serial adapter. Clean-installing all new software is a very good idea once debricking is complete.

Another possible reason your screen does not turn on: the video cable to your screen might have become loose or out-of-alignment: disassembly instructions may be useful if so.

IN GENERAL, those acquiring old XO laptops should work through this most comprehensive refurbishing & reuse checklist.

My screen has a couple discolored pixels

We regret that our warranty does not provide for replacement laptops in this case, where just a few pixels are imperfect, in keeping with One Laptop per Child's mission to build the best all-around low-cost laptop for the Developing World.

How do I test my keyboard for sticky/broken keys?

Test your keyboard by running the firmware diagnostics. See Cheat codes. Holding the rocker (button below the speaker) to the left, while powering on, will get you into these diagnostics. The keyboard diagnostic will come up pretty soon, if you exit various earlier diagnostics by hitting the Escape key (this requires you download a Developer Key if your XO is running recent software). This lets you see very easily what the computer is seeing as you press or release each key. Any "sticky" key would be visible in light blue on the screen as if a finger was still pressing it.

The touchpad and stylus area can also be tested in the same diagnostic.

Finally, if you've genuinely confirmed your keyboard is damaged, after multiple reboots -- check your warranty if you need to apply for a possible return.

You may also want to check out this interim workaround: Stuck keys.

Problems with sticky keys may also be a software problem. If you have recently upgraded your firmware, which may have happened automatically as part of an upgrade to a newer release, you may also have run into a known bug in firmware q2d09 that can be fixed by downgrading or upgrading the firmware.

What is the warranty?

The 2008 Give1Get1 program that ran from November 17 to December 31 required you to contact Amazon.com for all returns. Visit Amazon.com's Returns Center, where a restocking fee applied in certain situations -- see Amazon.com's Returns Policy for detail.

The earlier Give1Get1 program's 30-day Warranty from 2007 was described in its Terms & Conditions. To exchange your hardware, it required that you apply for a Return Merchandise Authorization, by following 2007's RMA process.

In either case: separate post-warranty parts & repair are available from several entrepreneurial community startups who are good friends of OLPC.

Does opening my laptop void the warranty?

Yes, but your warranty expires after 30 days anyway. In fact you may want to disassemble your own XO laptop to explore its components, AT YOUR OWN RISK—for example, the screen connector and keyboard internals are very easy to break!

Do NOT remove the watch battery on the motherboard if you disassemble your machine—prior to the Q2D07 version of firmware, this can result in the computer becoming "bricked" or unusable!

How do I obtain replacement parts, e.g. batteries and chargers? Repair?

Spare parts like replacement batteries, power cords (chargers), screens, touchpads and keyboards are available from this list of spare parts vendors.

Check our Maintenance/Repair pages for other post-Warranty options, most of which are run by volunteers.

If you have a torn or ripped keyboard and do not wish to replace it with a new one, you may want to try these simple instructions for an inexpensive do-it-yourself repair.

Note Give1Get1 systems do not have the anti-theft system fully enabled.