Support FAQ/Hardware Repairs, Returns
Contents
Hardware Repairs, Returns
My XO laptop won't play sound
Walk through the following step to figure out the reason for the XO not playing sound:
- Has your XO always been this way? (Did the sound suddenly stop working, or has it never worked at all?)
- Does your laptop play music on startup? Is this the startup sound you're hearing? (Does it sound different, distorted... strange in any way?) http://preview.tinyurl.com/2codr5
- Turn off your XO, then boot it while holding down the left rocker key (the round pad on the left side of the screen - hold the left side of that pad). It should run through a number of diagnostic tests, including a speaker test. You should hear a note sweeping low-to-high, linearly and continuously, from both speakers. Does this happen? Is there any interruption or volume change in the sound?
- Try several different applications - good ones for testing sound output are TamTam and the Audio record/playback section in the Record activity.
- Make sure alsamixer is working. In the Terminal activity, type "alsamixer" (no quotes) then hit enter. You should get a screen with "volume bars" labeled things like "Master," "PCM," "Headphones," and so on. Use the right and left arrow keys to move between the bars, and the up and down arrow keys to raise and lower the bars (in this case, raise them to 100 - as high as you can). You can also press Tab to cycle between screens. Turn everything up as high as it will go. Hit escape to exit. Then try TamTam/Record again
- If that didn't do the trick, try upgrading or reflashing your software with olpc-update (http://wiki.laptop.org/go/olpc-update) to the latest version and see if that changes any of the above test results.
That should start helping us figure out where the problem lies.
If there is no sound when you boot the XO laptop; or you are unable to record voice from the Record activity, you may have a broken component—like the speaker. If you confirm sound is completely broken, contact: HELP @ LAPTOP.ORG
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 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 info? RMA process?
The new Give1Get1 program beginning November 17, 2008 requires you to contact Amazon.com for all returns. Visit Amazon.com's Returns Center, where a restocking fee may apply 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 http://xoexplosion.com and http://ilovemyxo.com.
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.
