Lenovo ThinkPad W540 Troubleshooting

Computer programs are slow to load and multitasking is near impossible.

If you have too many programs open in the background or tabbed out, this may be the issue. Open up Task Manager in Windows and check to see if your memory is at a high percentage. If so, end any unused tasks that you recognize and disable any startup apps you don’t want running on boot up.

Double check if your RAM is seated correctly, as improper placement may result in either errors, or the RAM stick not being used entirely. To do this you will need to open the backplate of the laptop and press down on the RAM sticks to insure that they are seat correctly

Refer to this guide if your programs continue to hang.

Computer cannot connect, or constantly disconnect from the internet.

Your Computer may have accidently disabled the Wi-Fi option in settings. Insure that the Wi-Fi option is turned on by opening Settings from Windows Menu, navigate to “Network & Internet”, and toggle the Wi-Fi from off to on.

This may not be an issue surrounding the device itself, but double check if your router or modem is working properly. If not, turn off both your router/modem and computer for 30 seconds, after that reboot both devices and check if you can connect to Wi-Fi. If it still does not work, you may need to contact your Internet provider.

This card makes it possible to connect via Wi-Fi, consider this guide to replace it.

Computer often feels hot, or randomly shuts down

This may seem obvious, but dust can have a major impact within your laptop’s fans. To clean this, use a compressed air duster to clean out the vents beneath the laptop.

If your device is clean on the outside, but there are still overheating issues, your thermal paste may be worn or dried out. You will need to disassemble the computer, the heat sink inside, and clean off the old thermal paste, and apply a bead or thin line of thermal paste on top of your CPU. Once done, reapply the heat sink tightly.

Computer cannot or inconsistently register certain keystrokes.

Check if there is any dirt buildup in between or under the keys, if there is any buildup use a compressed air duster to remove any buildup. If you’re unable to remove any dirt, you have to take out the keycaps for the keys affected, and snap back the key once cleaned.

Double check and reinstall your keyboard drivers in Windows to see if this fixes the issue. If there are no drivers presented, you may have to download drivers from the official Lenovo website.

If all else fails, then your entire keyboard is broken, or certain keys aren't able to register entirely. From here, you may need to consider a keyboard replacement.

Computer doesn’t show anything, or the display is very dim.

Double check if your display is dim by turning up your brightness from either Windows settings, or pressing Shift+F6. If pressing Shift+F6 doesn’t work, you may need to press Shift+Fn+F6 instead.

Double check if your computer is connected to a projector either via cable or Bluetooth. If it is, you may need to disconnect the cable, via Bluetooth settings. However, if you intend to use the projector, hit Windows+P to change your projector settings to anything except "Second screen only."

Double check if Windows has a display driver within the Device Manager, from here you may want to either reinstall the display or processor drivers, or refer to the official Lenovo website for drivers.

If all else fails, consider replacing the screen itself.