Mastering Personal Computer Support: Advanced Repair Techniques

1. PC Support & Repair Chapter 11 Advanced Personal Computers

2. Objectives • After completing this chapter, you will meet these objectives: • Give an overview of field, remote, and bench technician jobs. • Explain safe lab procedures and tool use. • Describe situations requiring replacement of computer components. • Upgrade and configure personal computer components and peripherals. • Identify and apply common preventive maintenance techniques for personal computer components. • Troubleshoot computer components and peripherals.

3. Project • Using the curriculum & Internet, research the three jobs: • Field technician • Remote technician • Bench technician • Briefly describe each • Find any local job opportunities (within an hour of travel) • Describe which you would like

4. Safety Rules • Review safe working environments and procedures. • Review names, purposes, characteristics, and safe and appropriate use of tools. • Identify potential safety hazards and implement proper safety procedures for computer components. • Describe environmental issues.

5. List some safety procedures

6. Tool Use • Avoid magnetized tools • May cause loss of data • Can induce current (damage the parts)

7. Testers • Multimeter • Power Supply Tester • Cable Tester • Loopback Plug

8. Antistatic Devices • Prevents damage to components • Ground yourself • Touch chassis or mat first • Antistatic wrist strap • Antistatic mat • Antistatic bag • Cleaning products • DO NOT wear antistatic wrist strap when working with monitor or printer! HIGH VOLTAGE!!!

9. DANGER! • Monitors • Power Supplies • Laser Printers • Also HOT inside • HIGH VOLTAGE!!

10. Review • Why do you use an antistatic wrist strap or met? • So computer components won’t be damaged by ESD • What component should not be opened/worked on? • Power supply • What device can burn you if you touch it? • Laser printer (fuser) • When should you not wear a wrist strap? • Working on monitors/printers (high voltage) • What tool can induce a current that can damage parts? • Magnetized tool

11. Replacement of Components • Select a case and power supply. • Select a motherboard. • Select a CPU and cooling system. • Select RAM. • Select adapter cards. • Select storage devices and hard drives. • Select input and output devices.

12. Case & Power Supply • A power supply converts _____ to _____. • Before buying one: • Check all component wattage • Add 25% • Watts is volts x amps • Make sure PS has correct connectors • Case • Make sure it can fit all components

13. Choose a Power Supply • http://www.antec.outervision.com/ • http://educations.newegg.com/tool/psucalc/index.html

14. Selecting a Motherboard • If replacing, what must you consider? • What’s the bus? • What are the two bus sizes? • What is the speed of it measured in?

15. Selecting a CPU • Must fit • BIOS must support it • Multi-core processors • 2 or more on the same IC • Less heat than multiple single cores • Cache (memory to increase speed) • L1 & L2 is on CPU • L3 on the mobo

16. Selecting RAM • Locking up may require more RAM • Ctrl + Alt + Del to end task in Task Manager • Get same type • Speed same or faster • DIMM: DDR (184-pin), DDR2/3 (240-pin), Non-ECC • DDR3 PC3-10600 • DDR2 PC5400 667MHz

17. Selecting Adapter Cards • Get the correct slot • Meet requirements • Graphics, Sound • Storage Controller (RAID) • I/O (FireWire or USB) • NIC, Capture Card

18. Selecting Storage Devices • Noises or vibrations= failing hard drive • FDD (replace with newer drive technology) • Media Reader • Hard Drive (HDD) • PATA (40/80-pin) • SATA/eSATA (7-pin) • SCSI (for daisy chaining) • SSD • Optical

19. Input/Output

20. Review • Which type of hard drive would be daisy-chained? • SCSI • Which type of hard drive has a 7-pin data connector? • SATA • If your computer doesn’t have USB ports, what type of adapter card can you add? • I/O • How is a multi-core CPU different than multiple single core CPU’s? • Many CPU’s on one IC

21. Upgrading Components • Upgrade and configure BIOS. • Upgrade and configure storage devices and hard drives. • Upgrade and configure input and output devices.

22. Flash BIOS • Usually F2 to get in BIOS (Setup) • Download from Manufacturer's site • Follow installation prompts • CAUTION: An improperly installed or aborted BIOS update can cause the computer to become unusable. • Flash the BIOS on your lab computers.

23. Adding another Hard Drive • If you connect two to a single IDE cable, must have master and slave • Jumper • Each SATA drive has own cables • Add 2nd HD to lab computers

24. Installing New Devices • Install driver • A signed driver is a driver that has passed the Windows quality tests and has been given a driver signature by Microsoft • Installing an unsigned driver can cause problems • If an unsigned driver is detected, you will be asked to stop or continue installation of this driver.

25. Review

26. Preventive Maintenance • Clean internal components. • Clean the case. • Inspect computer components.

27. Cleaning • Compressed Air • NOT vacuum • Cloth or lint-free swabs • DO NOT spray on component • Drive cleaning kit • Keep expansion slots covered

28. Inspection • Check CPU fan • RAM seated & clips closed • Storage device cables connected • Jumpers in correctly • Optical drive cleaner • Adapter cards seated • Loose screws • Cable inspection

29. Review

30. Troubleshooting • Identify common problems and solutions. • Apply troubleshooting skills.

31. Common Problems • Clock is not keeping time. • Replace CMOS battery • After updating BIOS, computer doesn’t start. • Update didn’t install correctly • Computer is overheating & reboots. • Add case fans or better one • DVD drive tray won’t open. • Use paper clip into hole to manually eject • Hard drive not recognized. • Power cable/data cable loose or unplugged

32. Review- 10 Questions

33. PC Support & Repair Chapter 11 Advanced Personal Computers