Technical and Vocational Training Institute (TVTI)

Faculty of Electrical/Electronics & Information and Communication

Technology Department of Information Technology

Course Title: Computer Maintenance

Chapter – 3:
Computer Hardware
Maintenance
1 PC Technician Professional Best Practices
 Chapter 3 – Contents (Continued)
1. Identifying hardware components of Desktop PC (covered cha-
1)
2. Identifying hardware components of Laptop
3. BIOS and Beep Sounds
4. Troubleshooting Hardware components of
Desktop.
5. Troubleshooting Hardware components of Laptop
6. Troubleshooting hardware components of Mobile
devices

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3.2 Identifying hardware
components of Laptop
 Laptop (notebook): portable computer
 Variation of a laptop is a netbook
 Smaller and has less features than laptop
 Comparing laptops to desktop computers
 Use the same technology as desktops
 Smaller, portable, and use less power
 Replacement parts cost more than desktops
 Laptops offer a variety of ports and slots

3 Computer Hardware
Maintenance
First Look at Laptop Computers

4 Computer Hardware
Figure 1-23 Ports and slots on a laptop computer Maintenance
Laptop Computers Command Ports
 Ports common to laptops include:
 USB, FireWire, network, dial-up modem, audio, and
video ports
 Most laptops include slots for flash memory cards
 When a laptop is missing a port or slot, you can use a
USB dongle to provide the port or slot
 Examples:
 USB to RJ-45 dongle to connect to a wired network
 USB toWi-Fi dongle to connect to a wireless network

5 Computer Hardware
Maintenance
 First Look at Laptop Computers

Figure 1-26 This USB to Wi-Fi adapter plugs into a

Figure 1-25 USB to RJ-45 dongle provides a
USB port to connect to a local wireless network
network port to connect to a wired network

6 Computer Hardware
Maintenance
 Special Keys, Buttons, and Input
Devices on a Laptop
 Button or switches might be above the keyboard
 Most of the same settings that these buttons control may
also be changed using Windows tools
 Some settings might be:
 Volume
 Keyboard backlight
 Touch pad on or off
 Screen brightness and screen orientation
 Dual displays
 Bluetooth or Wi-Fi
 Media options
 GPS on or off

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Maintenance
ExpressCard Slots
 Most peripheral devices on today’s laptops use a USB
port to connect to a laptop
 Before USB, laptops offered ExpressCard slots
 Sometimes called PCMCIA cards
 ExpressCard matches PCI Express and USB 2.0
 Two sizes: ExpressCard/34 and ExpressCard/54
 Not backward compatible
 Hot-pluggable, hot-swappable, and supports
autoconfiguration

8 Computer Hardware
Maintenance
Express Card Slots
 Windows services for ExpressCard
 Socket service establishes communication between the
card and the laptop
 Card service provides the device driver to interface
with the card after the socket is created
 Removing card from ExpressCard slot
 Use the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the
notification area to stop one card before inserting
another
 Proceed to eject the card

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Maintenance
Docking Stations
 Some laptops have a connector called a docking port
 A docking station provides ports to allow a laptop to
easily connect to a full-sized monitor, keyboard, AC
power adapter, and other peripheral devices
 To use a docking station:
 Plug all peripherals into docking station
 Connect laptop to the station
 No software needed

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Maintenance
Laptop Internal Components

11 Figure 1-36 Bottom of a laptop with cover removed Computer Hardware

Maintenance
Laptop Internal Components
 List of important components:
 Battery pack
 Hard drive
 CPU, heat sink, and fan
 Memory
 Wireless card
 System board
 Optical drive

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Maintenance
What’s Inside an All-in-One Computer
 All-in-one computer: uses a mix of components sized
for a desktop and a laptop
 For some components, you’ll need to buy
replacements from the manufacturer because they are
most likely proprietary
 See the service manual for specific directions about
replacing parts

13 Computer Hardware
Maintenance
What’s Inside an All-in-One Computer

14 Computer Hardware
Figure 1-38 Components inside an all-in-one computer Maintenance
Maintaining Laptops and Mobile Devices
 General guidelines:
 Do not touch LCD panel with sharp objects
 Do not pick up or hold by the lid
 Use Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)
recommended battery packs
 Do not tightly pack in a suitcase – use carrying case
 Do not move while hard drive is being accessed
 Do not put close to appliances generating strong
magnetic field
 Always use passwords to protect your laptop when
connected to a public network or if device is stolen

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Maintenance
Maintaining Laptops and Mobile Devices
 General guidelines (cont’d):
 Keep notebook at room temperature
 Keep away from smoke, water, dust
 Do not power up and down unnecessarily
 Do not run it while it is in the case, resting on pillow
or covered by a blanket
 Protect notebook against ESD
 Remove CD/DVD or USB flash drives before traveling
 Take precautions if notebook gets wet
 Keep current backups of important data

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Maintenance
Maintaining Laptops and Mobile Devices

 Cleaning tips:
 Clean LCD panel with a soft dry cloth
 Use compressed air
 To clean keyboard, track ball, and touch pad
 To blow out air vents
 Remove keyboard if keys are sticking and
then blow air under keys
 Use contact cleaner
 Remove battery and clean battery
connections

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Maintenance
Mobile Device Hardware
 A smart phone is a cell phone with added
capabilities
 Ability to send/receive text messages with
photos, video, or other multimedia content
 Web browsing
 Manage email
 Play games
 Take photos and video
 Use a variety of apps

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Maintenance
Mobile Device Hardware
 Basic hardware
 Touch Screen
 Processing Units
 RAM, ROM, and Memory Card
 Connectivity
 Network
 Bluetooth
 USB
 Sensors
 Proximity Sensor
 Accelerometer
 Gyroscope

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Maintenance
Mobile Device Hardware
 Touch Screen, Types
1. Resistive Touch Screen
➢ Composed of two flexible sheets coated with a
resistive material.
➢ When contacts is made to the surface of the
touchscreen, the two sheets are pressed together.
➢ Two sheets there are horizontal and vertical lines that
when pushed together, register the precise location.
➢ Pros:
➢ The screens are usually inexpensive
➢ It can be easily operated with any pointing devices
➢ They are much more accurate than capacitive touch screens
➢ They are easy to use and are more reliable
➢ Cons:
➢ Multi touch support not available
➢ These are highly sensitive to scratches
➢ Poor visibility in sunlight

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Maintenance
Mobile Device Hardware
 Touch Screen, Types
2. Capacitive Touch Screen
➢ Consists of an insulator such as glass, coated
with a transparent conductor such as indium tin
oxide
➢ Human body is also an electrical conductor.
➢ Touching the surface of the screen result in a
distortion of the screen’s electrostatic field.
➢ Pros:
➢ Multi touch supports available
➢ Good visibility by dirt and moisture glossy looks
➢ Cons:
➢ Humidity must be at least 5% to achieve capacitive effect
➢ Expensive than resistive touch screen
➢ Doesn’t work with pointed objects

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Maintenance
Mobile Device Hardware
 Touch Screen, Resolution and size
 The size of the screen which is measured diagonally
across the face screen
 Measured by inches
 Most common resolution
 iPhone 3.5-inch
 HTC 4-inch
 Ranges from (3.0 to 4.5) inches
 It is the number of distinct pixels in each dimension
that can be displayed
 Represented by physical number of columns and rows
of pixels creating the display (e.g. 240X320)
 More Pixels == More Realistic Screen.
 DPI the number of ‘dots’ or pixels per each inch.
 Eye detects the up to 300 DPI.
 As programmer you concern about resolution NOT
Screen size.

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Maintenance
Mobile Device Hardware
 Microprocessor
 Mobile microprocessors must be small and
consume little power
 Size can be solved with System-on-a-Chip
configuration
 Sleep mode during longer pauses
(requires support from the OS and
possibly from the applications).
 System-on-a-chip is (CPU, GPU, ROM,
RAM, Radio, External interface)

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Maintenance
Mobile Device Hardware
 RAM, ROM, and Memory Card
 ROM: where the OS (Firm Ware) of the mobile
installed, it can be modified (system update), and
size range from (512MB to 1.5GB)
 RAM: read/write from/to any address, fast, looses
data when powered off, and size range from
(128MB to 1GB and more), important for Apps
programmers.
 Storage uses Flash Memory to store data
permanently into two types.
 On chip flash memory as (N8 16GB and iPhone
32GB).
 Extension by using SD cards(mini and micro SD).
 Notice on chip flash memory in NOT a RAM

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Maintenance
Mobile Device Hardware
 Other mobile devices replaceable
 E-readers
 Smart cameras
 Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)
 Wearable technology devices
 Smart watches, wristbands, arm bands,
eyeglasses, headsets, and clothing

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Maintenance
Connection Types
 Some ways a mobile device connects to
outside world:
 Wi-Fi local wireless network and cellular
network
 Bluetooth and Infrared
 Near Field Communication (NFC)
 Wired connection
 Tethering and mobile hotspots

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Maintenance
Connection Types
 A mobile device can use the following to sense
its position:
 Gyroscope or accelerometer
 Motion and position sensing device
 Helps to adjust screen orientation
 Used by games to sense device movement
 GPS
 Mobile devices might contain a GPS receiver
 Routinely reports its position to the owner of the
OS
 Geo-tracking: possible for companies to track
device’s whereabouts

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Maintenance
Mobile Sensors
 Proximity Sensor
 A sensor able to detect the presence of nearby objects
 Emits an electromagnetic or electrostatic field and looks
for change in the field or return signal,
 Used for auto turn-off
 May used in further application
 Accelerometer
 Is use for measuring vibrations
 Sense movement in only one direction, so true 3D
position sensing must use three.
 Used in all smart phone and device like Wii Remote
 First introduced by Apple in iPhone
 Gyroscope
 It is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation.
 Three degrees of rotational freedom
 Introduced by Apple in iPhone is

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Maintenance
Mobile Device Accessories
 Examples of accessories:
 Wireless keyboards
 Speakers
 Ear buds
 Headsets
 Game pads
 Docking stations
 Printers
 USB adapters
 Credit card readers

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Maintenance
Field-Serviceable Parts for Mobile Devices

 There are few field-replaceable unit (FRU) in

mobile devices
 It is possible to replace screens in some
mobile devices
 A support technician is not generally
expected to do this
 SIM cards and batteries can be replaced

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Maintenance
Tools Used By a Computer Hardware
Technician
 Essential tools
 ESD strap (ground bracelet)
 Flat-head screwdriver
 Phillips-head or cross-head screwdriver
 Torx screwdriver set (size T15)
 Insulated tweezers
 Extractor
 OS recovery CD or DVD
 Many other non-essential tools exists
 Use a toolbox

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Maintenance
 Tools Used By a Computer Hardware Technician

Figure 1-52 Tools used by IT support technicians when maintaining, repairing, or upgrading computers

32 Computer Hardware
Maintenance
 Post Diagnostic Cards
 Post Diagnostic Cards
 Helps discover, report computer errors and conflicts
at power-on self test (POST)
 Tests performed by startup UEFI/BIOS

Figure 1-56 Post Code Master diagnostic card by Microsystems Developments, Inc. installs in a PCI slot

33 Computer Hardware
Maintenance
 Post Diagnostic Cards
 Firmware – programs and data stored on the motherboard
 Two types of firmware may be used:
 BIOS (basic input/output system) contains:
 System BIOS
 Startup BIOS
 BIOS setup
 UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface)
 More robust and secure than BIOS
 Can assure boot is secure and no rogue OS hijacks the system

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Maintenance
Power Supply Tester
 Power Supply Tester
 Measures output of each power supply connector

Figure 1-57 Use a power supply tester to test the output of each power connector on a power supply

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Maintenance
Multimeter
 Multimeter
 Measures several characteristics of electricity in a
variety of devices

Figure 1-58 This digital multimeter can be set to measure voltage, resistance, or continuity

36 Computer Hardware
Maintenance
Loopback Plugs
 Loopback plug
 Used to test a port in a computer or other device to
make sure the port is working
 May also test the throughput or speed of port

Figure 1-59 A loopback plug testing a network port and network cable

37 Computer Hardware
Maintenance
 3.3 BIOS and Beep Sounds
 Bios Beep Codes and Setup
 When the computer is booted, the basic input/output system
(BIOS) performs a basic hardware check.
 This check is called a power-on self-test (POST).
 The POST checks whether the computer hardware is
operating correctly.
 If a device is malfunctioning, an error or a beep code alerts the
technician of the problem.
 Typically, a single beep means that the computer is functioning
properly.
 If there is a hardware problem, a error m blank screen
might appear at bootup, and the computer emits a series
of beeps.
 Each BIOS manufacturer uses different codes to indicate
hardware problems.

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 3.3 BIOS and Beep Sounds
 The beep sound comes out of a small speaker on
the motherboard.

 When your computer beeps, it means that an error

has occurred in the hardware.
 BIOS recognizes internal errors and sends signals
in the form of beep sounds, indicating the location
of the problem in the hardware.
 Every BIOS has a different beep sound codes.
BIOS Manufacturer AMI (American Megatrends)
developed for Personal Computer BIOS and
award signal different codes for similar errors

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 3.3 BIOS and Beep Sounds
 The Table below shows a AMI Bios chart of beep codes. The beep codes for your
computer might be different, & motherboard documentation to get the beep codes for
your computer.
Beep Code Meaning Cause
1 Beeps (No Video) Memory Refresh Failure Bad Memory
2 Beeps Memory Parity failure Bad Memory
3 Beeps Base 64 mem failure Bad Memory
4 Beeps Timer not operational Bad motherboard
5 Beeps Processor error Bad processor
6 Beeps Keyboard Controller A20 failure/error Bad CPU or Motherboard
7 Beeps Processor Exception Bad processor
8 Beeps Video Memory error Bad Video card or memory
9 Beeps ROM checksum error Bad BIOS
10 Beeps CMOS checksum error Bad Motherboard
11 Beeps Cache memory bad Bad CPU or motherboard
1 Long, 3 short beeps Conventional/Extended memory failure Bad Graphic card/Memory
1 long 8 short beeps Display/Retrace failure Bad Video card
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 3.3 BIOS and Beep Sounds
 The Table below shows a IBM Bios chart of beep codes.
Beep Code Meaning

No beeps No Power, Loose Card, or short

1 Short Beeps Normal POST, Computer is OK
2 short Beeps POST error, review screen for error code
Continuous Beep No Power, Loose Card, or short
Repeating Short Beep No Power, Loose Card, or short
1 Long and 1 Short Beep Motherboard issue
1 Long and 2 Short Beep Video(Mono/CGA Display Circuitry) issue
1 Long and 3 Short Beep Video (EGA) Display circuitry
3 Long Beeps Keyboard or Keyboard card error
1 beep, Black or Incorrect Video Display Circuit
Display
11 Beeps Cache memory bad
1 Long, 3 short beeps Conventional/Extended memory failure
41 1 PC
long 8 short
Technician beeps
Professional Best Practices Display/Retrace failure
 3.3 POST, BIOS and Beep Sounds
 POST Card
 When troubleshooting a computer problem when no video is available, you can
use a POST card.
 A POST card is installed in a port on the motherboard, such as PCI or PCIe.
When the computer is started, and errors are encountered, the computer issues
a code that is displayed on the POST card.
• This code is used to diagnose the cause of the problem through the
motherboard, BIOS, or POST card manufacturer.

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 3.3 POST, BIOS and Beep Sounds
 POST Error Message Code:
 POST is the Power-On Self Test which your computer performs when
you turn it on and/or re-boot. Below is listed what POST checks:
 100 Series: Motherboard checks
 200 Series: Memory chip checks
 300 Series: Keyboard checks
 400 Series: Monochrome monitor checks
 500 Series: Color monitor (CGA) checks
 600 Series: Floppy Disk Drive checks
 700 Series: Math Co-processor checks
 900-1000 Series: Parallel Port Adapter Checks
 1100-1200 Series: Serial Port Adapter Checks
 1300 Series: Game Port Adapter Checks
 1400 Series: Printer Checks
 1700 Series: Hard Disk/Disk Controller Checks

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 3.3 POST, BIOS and Beep Sounds
 BIOS Setup
 The BIOS contains a setup program
to configure settings for the hardware
devices.
 The configuration data is saved to a
memory chip called a
Complementary Metal Oxide
Semiconductor (CMOS).
 CMOS is maintained by the battery in
the computer.
 If the battery dies, the BIOS setup
configuration data is lost.
 If this occurs, replace the
battery and reconfigure the BIOS
settings that do not use the default
settings.

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 3.3 POST, BIOS and Beep Sounds
 BIOS Setup
 The modern motherboards use nonvolatile memory to
store BIOS configuration settings, and this is no need
electric power, it uses a CMOS battery to keep the correct
time and date in the clock
 To enter the BIOS setup program, you press the proper
key or key sequence during POST (commonly F2)
 These are some common BIOS setup menu options:
 Main - Basic system configuration
 Boot - Boot device options and boot order
 Security – Security settings
 Power – Advanced power management configurations
 JUSTw00t! - Advanced voltage and clock settings
 Exit - BIOS exit
 options and loading default settings

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 3.3 POST, BIOS and Beep Sounds
 BIOS Components
 Common component information items that are displayed in the BIOS:
 CPU - Displays the CPU manufacturer and speed. The umber of installed
processors is also displayed.
 RAM - Displays the RAM manufacturer and speed. The number of slots and
which slots the RAM modules are installed in might also be displayed.
 Hard Drive - Displays the manufacturer, size, and type of the hard drives. The
type and number of hard disk controllers might also be displayed.
 Optical Drive - Displays the manufacturer and type of optical drives.

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 3.3 POST, BIOS and Beep Sounds
 BIOS Configuration
 Another function of the BIOS setup program is to customize specific
aspects of the computer hardware to fit individual needs.
 The features that can be customized are determined by the BIOS
manufacturer and version. Before making changes to the BIOS, it is
important to have a clear understanding of how the changes can affect
the computer. Incorrect settings can have an adverse effect.
 Time and Date- BIOS has a System Time field and a System Date
field to set the system clock.
 Clock Speed- Some BIOS setup programs allow you to change the
CPU clock speed. Reducing the CPU clock speed makes the
computer run slower and cooler
 Disabling Devices- BIOS settings to disable devices that are not
needed
 Boot Order – an order list of device, that PC is allowed to boot
 Virtualization – allow computer run multiple OS

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 3.3 POST, BIOS and Beep Sounds
 BIOS Security Configuration
 It supports many different security features to protect BIOS settings
and data on the hard drive, and also help recover the computer if it
is stolen.
 There are several common security features found in the BIOS.
 BIOS passwords – Passwords allow different levels of access to
the BIOS settings, as shown in the figure.
 Supervisor Password - This password can access all user-
access passwords and all BIOS screens and settings.
 User Password – This password becomes available after the
Supervisor Password is enabled. Use this password to define the
level of access to users.
 These are some common levels of user access:
 Full Access - All screens and settings are available, except the supervisor
password setting.
 Limited - Changes can be made to certain settings only, for example, the
time and date.
 View Only - All screens are available, but no settings can be changed.
 No Access - No access is provided to the BIOS setup utility.

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 3.3 POST, BIOS and Beep Sounds
 BIOS Hardware Diagnostics and Monitoring
 The BIOS built-in hardware monitoring features are useful for
collecting information and monitoring the activity of the hardware
connected to the motherboard.
 The type and number of monitoring features varies by
motherboard model.
 Use the hardware monitoring page to view temperatures, fan
speeds, voltages, and other items.
 The type and number of monitoring features varies by
motherboard model. Use the hardware monitoring page to view
the
 Temperatures,
 Fan speeds,
 voltages, and other items.

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 3.3 POST, BIOS and Beep Sounds
 Temperature
 Motherboards have heat sensors under the CPU to monitor heat sensitive
hardware.
 This sensor monitors the temperature of the CPU and might increase the speed of
the CPU fan to cool the CPU if it becomes too hot.
 Fan Speed
 Fan speeds are monitored by the BIOS.
 These are some common CPU fan speed profiles:
 Standard - The fan automatically adjusts depending on the temperature of the CPU, case,
power supply, or other hardware.
 Turbo - Maximum fan speed.
 Silent - Minimizes the fan speed to decrease fan noise.
 Manual - The user can assign fan speed control settings.

 Voltages
 You can monitor the voltage of the CPU or the voltage regulators on the
motherboard.
 If you find that voltages are not at or near the correct amount, make sure that the
power supply is operating properly.
 Clock and Bus Speeds
 Intrusion Detection

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 3.3 POST, BIOS and Beep Sounds
 Clock and Bus Speeds
 In some BIOS setups, you can monitor the speed of the CPU&bus.
can cause increased heat within the CPU and
 Incorrect bus speeds
connected hardware, or cause adapter cards and RAM to malfunction.
 Intrusion Detection
 Some computer cases have a switch that triggers when a computer case is
opened.
 You can set the BIOS to record when the switch is triggered so that the owner
can tell if the case has been tampered with.
 Built-in Diagnostics
 If you notice a problem with a device connected to the system or a basic
function, such as a fan or temperature and voltage control, you might be able
to use built-in system diagnostics to determine where the problem is.
 These are some common built-in diagnostics:
 Start test - Checks the main components
 Hard drive test - Checks the hard drive for damaged areas.
 Memory test - Checks the memory modules to make sure that they are
working properly.
 Battery test - Checks that the battery is functioning properly.

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 3.4. Troubleshooting Hardware components of
Desktop.
 Troubleshooting is
 The process of figuring out how to solve a computer problem.
 Even with the most updated software and hardware, occasionally
computers can malfunction.
 In order to solve a problem, you must figure out which part of the system
is malfunctioning.
 You will need to check each component of the computer, unless it is
obvious where the problem is coming from.
 Isolating the problem will help you solve the problem quickly.
 Knowing how to solve these problems with a shortcut perhaps using only
a few keys on the keyboard can save time and effort.
 Backing up your important computer files to another source will ensure
that if your problem cannot be corrected, you will still have a safe copy of
your information.

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 3.4. Troubleshooting Hardware components of
Desktop.
 Basic Troubleshooting Steps
1. Close open programs and windows you are not currently using.
2. Make sure all of your cords are connected properly.
3. Try to repeat the sequence of commands you performed before the
problem occurred. See if this causes the same response by your
computer.
4. Press the F1 key to access the Help window. You can search for a
solution to your problem once the Help window appears.
5. If there is an error message, record the full message for future
reference.
6. Restart your computer to see if it clears the problem. To restart your
computer, open the start window and select the Restart button
instead of the Log Off button.
7. If restarting the computer does not clear the problem, shut down the
computer and then start it back up again.
8. If the issue is still not resolved, check the common technology issues
below or call your system administrator.

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 3.4. Troubleshooting Hardware components of
Desktop.
 Common Technology Issues
 some of the most commonly encountered technology
issues
 The printer is not working.
 The computer is frozen. A program is not responding.
 The keyboard is not working.
 New hardware or software is working incorrectly.
 The mouse is not working.

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 3.4. Troubleshooting Hardware components

 Common Solutions for Technology Issues

 Issue: The printer is not working.
 Check if the printer is turned on. If not, turn it on and try again.
 Check if the printer has paper. If not, put paper in the paper tray
and try printing again.
 Check if the printer has a paper jam. If so, remove the paper,
close the printer, and try printing again.
 Ensure that all printer cables are properly connected.
 Turn off the printer and turn on again.
 Check to see if a new printer driver is needed. Do this by going to
the manufacturer’s website to search for your printer model and
checking for any updated driver
 other errors are regarding replacements of Tonner, Rollers, RAM,
USB card and others.
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 3.4. Troubleshooting Hardware components
 Common Solutions for Technology Issues
 Issue: The computer is frozen. A program is not responding.
 Push the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys at the same time. Then, start the Task
Manager, highlight the program’s name, and hit the End Task button
 Perform a hard reboot by simply pressing the on/off button to turn off the
computer manually. This action should only be done as a last resort if you
have an unresponsive program or critical error. This process could cause
data loss or corruption.
 Once the computer is responding again, run a virus check.
 Issue: The keyboard is not working.
 Make sure the keyboard is connected to the computer. If not, connect
it to the computer.
 If you are using a wireless keyboard, try changing the batteries.
 If one of the keys on your keyboard gets stuck, turn the computer off and
clean with a damp cloth
 Use the mouse to restart the computer.

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 3.4. Troubleshooting Hardware components
 Common Solutions for Technology
Issues
 Issue: New hardware or software is working
incorrectly.
 Verify your computer meets the requirements of the program or utility.
 Uninstall and install the program
 There could be a conflict with another installed program and
you should contact your system administrator.
 Issue: The mouse is not working correctly.
 Check if the mouse is securely plugged into the computer. If not,
plug it in completely.
 Check to see if the cord has been damaged. If so, the mouse
may need replacing.
 If you are using a cordless mouse, try pushing the connection
button on the underside of the mouse to reestablish a
connection.
57  Clean
PC Technician the mouse.
Professional Best Practices
 3.4. Troubleshooting Hardware components

 Common Solutions for Technology Issues

 Issue: The computer is slow.
 Restart your computer
 Empty your recycle bin.
 Check your mail files. Remove any large
attachments and delete unused mail mssages and
videos take up a lot of space, so consider moving
those to an external drive.
 Remove temporary files from the Internet.
 Perform a disk cleanup.
 Run defrag.
 Run a virus scan to remove potential viruses that can
slow down your computer.
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 3.5 Troubleshooting Hardware components
of Laptop
 Issues-1: Computer doesn’t turn on at
all.
 When you plug the AC adapter into the laptop,
there are no lights turning on at all.
 The laptop appears to be completely dead,
makes no sounds, no indications of life.
 Possible problem:
1. The AC adapter failed and the battery has
no charge left.
2. In this case test the AC adapter with a
voltmeter. If it’s dead, replace it with a new
one.
3. DC jack failed and the motherboard doesn’t
receive any power from the adapter & replace
it.
4. Motherboard failed.

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 3.5 Troubleshooting Hardware components
of Laptop
 Issues-2: Screen is blank.
 The laptop turns on, power LED lights up,
cooling fan works but nothing appears on
the screen.
 The screen is completely black and blank.
 There is no image on the screen at all.
 Possible problem:
 This can be memory failure:- It’s possible
one of the memory modules failed.
 try reseating memory modules to make
sure they are making good contact with the
slot.
 If reseating/replacing memory doesn’t
help, try removing the hard drive, DVD
drive, modem, wireless card, keyboard,
etc…

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 3.5 Troubleshooting Hardware components
of Laptop
 Issues-3: Laptop turns on and off
repeatedly.
 The laptop turn-on without showing any
image on the screen, and
 After a few seconds it turns off by
itself. Then it turns on and off again.
 Possible problem:
 Most likely this is motherboard failure.
 You can try reseating/replacing memory
as described in the Issue-2.
 If it doesn’t help, probably the
motherboard failed.

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 3.5 Troubleshooting Hardware components
of Laptop
 Issues-4: Laptop makes noise while
running.
 The laptop turns on and everything works fine,
except it makes some constant weird grinding or
rattling noise.

 Possible problem:
 In most cases this noise is coming from the
cooling fan or hard drive. Take a closer look at
the cooling fan.
 If the fan doesn’t spin but the laptop makes noise,
probably it’s coming from the hard drive.
 Back up all personal data as soon as possible
and replace the hard drive.
 you can also, remove the hard drive and stat the
laptop. If the laptop still makes noise, most likely it’s
bad fan.
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 3.5 Troubleshooting Hardware components
of Laptop
 Issues-5: Laptop shuts down or
freezes
 The laptop runs properly but after a while it
freezes or shuts down without any
warning.
 When it happens, the bottom feels hot.
Also, the cooling fan runs louder than
usual.

 Possible problem:
 Most likely this is heat related issue.
 It happens because the fan heat sink is
clogged with dust and the processor not
cooling down properly.
 Cleaning the fan and heat sink from dust
should fix it.

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 3.5 Troubleshooting Hardware components
of Laptop
 Issues-6: Battery not charging
properly
 The battery stopped charging properly.
 It doesn’t charge at all or charges only after you adjust
the position of AC adapter plug inside the power
connector.

 Possible problem:
1. Failed battery. If it doesn’t charge completely try
reconnecting the battery first.
 Also, try running the laptop just from AC adapter
with battery removed.
 If it runs fine from AC adapter, most likely it’s
either bad battery or failed motherboard. --
→Try replacing the battery first.
2. Failed DC power connector. If the battery
charges only after you adjust the position of AC
adapter tip inside the connector, most likely this the
DC jack failed
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 3.5 Troubleshooting Hardware components
of Laptop
 Issues-7: Screen light fails
 The laptop starts properly but after a while
the screen light turns off. The image still
appears on the screen but it’s very dark.
 In some cases, the screen light never
starts and all you can see is a very faint
image.

 Possible problem:
 Most likely it’s either failed screen inverter
or backlight lamp (CCFL) failure.
 When either one fail, the backlight stops
working.
 In order to troubleshoot this, you’ll need
some spare parts: either new working
inverter or known good backlight lamp.

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 3.5 Troubleshooting Hardware components
of Laptop
 Issues-8: Strange or garbled image
on the screen
 The laptop turns on properly but has a distorted or
garbled image on the screen.

 Possible problem:
 The graphics card failed.
 First of all, test your laptop with an external
monitor or TV.
 If you see the same garbled image on the external
screen, most likely the graphics card failed.
 If the problem appears only on the laptop
screen, this can be related to one of the
following:
 poor connection between the video cable and
motherboard or screen.
 Also can be failed video cable or screen.
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 3.5 Troubleshooting Hardware components
of Laptop
 Issues-9: Some keyboard keys
stopped working
 Some keyboard keys do not work at all or type
wrong characters.
 Possible problem:
 Most likely the keyboard failed and they are not
repairable. You have to replace the keyboard.

 Issues-10: Keyboard has missing

or broken keys
 A key got separated from the laptop keyboard.

 Possible problem:
 If a key separated from the keyboard, it’s still
possible to fix it.
 If you have many keys missing, probably it
makes sense to replace the whole keyboard.
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 3.5 Troubleshooting Hardware components
of Laptop
 Issues-11: Repetitive beep sound on
startup
 You turn on the laptop but there is no video on the
screen, & it starts making repetitive beeping sound.
 In some cases you can “fix” the problem temporarily if
you press on the keyboard keys.

 Possible problem Solution:

 Most likely you have stuck keys. In this case you’ll
have to replace the keyboard.

 Issues-12: Liquid spill

 You spilled something on the laptop and it’s stopped
working.

 Possible problem Solution:

 Liquid spills are very dangerous and unpredictable.

 If it happened, turn off the laptop,→ remove the battery

and → do not use it until all internal parts are inspected
for liquid damage.
 It’s sill possible to make it work again.

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 3.6 Computer Virus and Anti - Malware
 Viruses will affect your PC in 4 different ways
1. The Boot Sector:
 The boot sector is where your operating system files reside on your
floppy or hard disk.
 A virus will go to that location on your disk and corrupt these files
(IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS, and COMMAND.COM) so that your PC will
NOT boot up as expected.
 EXAMPLE: the STONED virus.

2.The File Allocation Table:

 The File Allocation Table (FAT) is a list of all the files on your hard disk,
and where the files are physically located on the disk.
 A virus will corrupt the FAT so that you cannot locate or access your
files.
 EXAMPLE: the CASCADE virus.

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 3.6 Computer Virus and Anti - Malware
 Viruses will affect your PC in 4 different ways
1. The Boot Sector:
2.The File Allocation Table:
3.The Partition Table:
 The partition table on your HARD DISK tells MS-DOS how big your
hard disk is, and what percentage of it is used by MS-DOS.
 A virus can corrupt your partition table, which wipes out ALL of your
files in an instant.
 EXAMPLE: the MICHELANGELO virus.

4..COM and .EXE Files:

 Files with these extensions are EXECUTABLE files, which perform a
specific action.
 A virus can attach itself to one of these kinds of files and corrupt the
way it operates.
 EXAMPLE: the 4096 virus.
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 3.6 Computer Virus and Anti - Malware
 VIRUS PROTECTION PROGRAM
1. Scan for viruses: :
 A good program should be able to check your hard disks and
removable medias for viruses, as well as the RAM of your
computer, and detect the presence of a virus in the locations
mentioned above.
2. Clean up the virus: :
 A good program must be able to get rid/ free of the virus it finds
in any of the places mentioned above; otherwise, it's useless.
3.. Protect You From Viruses:
 A good program must have the ability to load a piece of the
program into memory at boot-up time, to protect you from
getting a virus in the first place.
 This type of program is called a "Terminate-and-Stay-Resident"
(TSR) program.
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 End of Chapter-3

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