Skills Training in Computer Hardware For ICT Teachers of Secondary School of DepEd Division of Bataan 2

Introduction
C
omputer hardware Servicing NCII is a certification given by the
Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) which
certifies that a person is a qualified and competent service techni-
cian for troubleshooting PCs (personal computers). In this seminar-
workshop, we as teachers and ICT coordinators are given a chance to un-
dergo the training required to learn the different competencies in trouble-
shooting a computer.
By the end of the seminar-workshop, the participant is expected to:

 Assemble and disassemble computer system units
 Identify the different hardware inside the system unit
 Identify the back panel ports of a desktop computer unit and con-
nect proper peripherals to it
 Identify the use hand tools involved in troubleshooting the system
unit
 Test voltage, current, resistance and continuity of computer hard-
ware parts
 Identify common computer errors
 Identify and troubleshoot faulty computer hardware and replace
them accordingly
 Install software in a system; i.e. Operating System and Applications
 Install new hardware devices and install its driver
 Configure a Windows computer
 Connect a computer to a network and configure its sharing options
 Inspect and maintain computer systems and network
 Plan and prepare maintenance procedures
The training will be divided into two parts. The first 3 days will be devoted
to lecture-proper, question and answer, and hands-on exercises involving
assembly and disassembly of computers, installation of programs, finding
faults and configuring the system. The last two days will be devoted to the
assessment of skills and competencies learned by the participants through
a TESDA qualified skills assessor under supervision of the same office. Par-
ticipants who will undergo such assessment and pass will be awarded a Na-
tional Certificate (NCII) on Computer Hardware Servicing and will be recog-
nized as a certified computer technician.
Skills Training in Computer Hardware for ICT Teachers of Secondary School of DepEd Division of Bataan 1
What is a Computer?
A computer is an electronic device

that can accept information, turn them into
digital data that can be processed through
logical and arithmetic means, store these
operations and solutions in some form of
storage and produce output that can be used as information.
They are programmed to do repeated task and operations to pro-

duce various kinds of information.
Where can we use computers?
As of today, the use of computers is limited by the user’s imagina-

tion. There are different applications for different aspect of human life.
Some which are as follows:
 Scientific / Engineering computations

 Medical experimentation
 Keeping track of information – Banking, Railways or Airlines Reser-
vations
 Preparation of documents and mul-
timedia presentations
 Simulation of real or imaginary world
scenes – Virtual Reality, Computer Games
 Storing and sharing information –
World Wide Web
 Robotics
What are the kinds of computers?
There are different kinds and types of computers defined in a vari-

ety of way, some, according to their use, their capability and size, or their
function to a network or workgroup.
Mainframe Computers. These are powerful computers, the biggest ones

that supports time-sharing, use of many users at the same time via termi-
nals or other lower end computers. These systems are typically installed in
large organizations with centralized locations.
Minicomputers. These are smaller systems, in between the size of a main-
frame and a microcomputer that has all the features of a mainframe, but
using smaller capacity. This is typically used by smaller organizations.
Microcomputers. These are typically what you pictures when you hear the
word computer where there is a stand-alone terminal (1 set of input device,
output device, and processing unit) that can be used by a single user. It
comes in a variety of names. Some call it Desktop Computers because it is
typically found lying on top of tables. There are other variations to this,
such as the more portable Laptops which are mobile microcomputer that
can be used anywhere. Smaller versions are called Notebooks and Net-
books designed for more mobility. Those which use no keyboards or mouse
are called Tablet Computers such as the proprietary iPad and the Galaxy
Tab.
For the purpose of this workshop, we will limit our study with the Desktop
Computers.
What are the Components of a Computer System?
Computer systems are made of 3 components:
Hardware are the tangible mechanical or electronic parts that performs the
task of computing. These are the physical body of a system.
The hardware of a typical computer system, irrespective of its size, consists

of the following components:
 System Unit (Central Processing

Unit – CPU)
 Memory
 Storage Devices
 Input Devices
 Output Devices
Software are the program of instruction that tell the hardware what to do
and how. Generally, there are 2 kinds of software:
 Operating System – is the basic software needed

 Applications
Firmware are hard-wired instruction on the Read-Only Memory chips in the
Circuit board of a device.it is needed by the operating system so that the
hardware can understand how to accomplish a task given to it.
Computer Software / Program

A software / program is a sequence of commands written in
a computer programming language that specifies a task the comput-
er will perform.
Some of the computer programming languages are:
Visual Basic, C, C++, Java
Classification of Computer Software

Computer software can be classified into following categories:
Operating System
User Programs
Application Programs
Operating System (OS) is the basic software responsible for interact-

ing with the hardware.
It is the foundation on which user programs and application pro-

grams are built.
It helps the user to enter programs or data, store them in files and
execute programs.
Two popular operating systems in use today are:

Unix – for mainframes and minicomputers.
Windows and Linux – used for personal computers.
User Programs: Written by users or programmers for themselves or

for their organization.
Application Programs
Computers are increasingly being used in almost every
activity – business, industry, commerce, health, education, enter-
tainment, sports, etc.
Application programs is the catch-all name for all programs that

are used for carrying out specific tasks – office document creation,
pay roll processing, …
Word processing
Desktop Publishing
Spreadsheets
Firmware
Program that is embedded in a silicon chip rather than stored on a
floppy disk.
Example: BIOS chip or CMOS
The PC System Case
Your PC’s system case is probably high on the list of components you think
about the least. However, in spite of the fact that the system case has only
one or two components that are active, namely the power supply and the
front panel, the PC’s case plays a major role in the PC’s operation/
In spite of the fact that the PC’s case just seems to sit there, it does
perform a number of very valuable functions:
Provides the aesthetics of the system.

Provide the PC with its structure.
Provides protection and cooling for the electronics
and other devices mounted inside.
Computer case comes in all sizes, shapes, colors and faces. These
variations in size and shape are driven by the case’s form factor. The form
factor of the case is its shape, the way its components fit together and most
of all its size. Typically, the form factor of a PC includes its case, power sup-
ply and motherboard, because these components must fit together to sup-
ply protection, power and safety.
Chassis the skeletal framework that provides the structure, rigidity and
strength of the case.
Cover plays an important role in the cooling, protection and structure of
the PC.
Power Supply a very important component, not only to the case assembly,
but to the PC and its other compo-
nents.
Front Panel in addition to providing

the PC with its looks and color, the
front panel also provides information
on the PC’s status. Allows the user to
physically secure the PC and on some
case types, it is the starting point for
moving the case cover.
Power Switch
Reset Switch
Status LED
Power LED typically green in color and illuminated when the PC’s power is
on.
Hard Drive LED when the drive is seeking, reading or writing data, this red,
orange or amber LED is lit and flashes.
Turbo LED if present, this yellow LED indicates that the PC is in turbo mode.
Switches most new systems now have their two-main switches, the power
switch and the reset switch, on the front panel.
Power button, in older PCs, the power switch was a part of the power sup-
ply and located on the right rear corner of the PC.
Reset button performs a hardware reset when pressed. This provides the
user with a means of restarting the PC should it halt and not respond to
normal shutdown or restart command.
Turbo Button
Key Lock
Keyboard lockout
Front-panel door lock
Drive bays disk drives with removable media have been mounted in the
system case so that they can be accessed from the front panel. Typically,
the drive bays are used for 3.5-inch disk drives, CD ROMs, DVDs and re-
movable hard drives.
External drive bays these drive bays are actually internal to the case and
chassis, but they can be accessed externally.
Internal drive bays these drive bays are completely inside the system case
and are not accessible from the outside the chassis.
CASE STYLES
Desktop case – the flat, boxy one is the desktop case PC. It doubles as the
base for PC’s monitor.
Tower cases – the tall, thin case are the tower style. Below are the popular
variations of tower case.
Full tower are the largest standard PC cases available. They offer
the most of any case styles in the way of expandability, typically
having three to five external drive bays and a few internal drive
bays as well.
Mid-tower is a slightly shorter version of the full tower.
Midi-tower exist somewhere between the mid-tower and the mini-

tower. By definition, a midi-tower is smaller than a mid-tower and
larger than a mini-tower.
Mini-tower this is the most popular case today. It provides slightly

more expansion capacity than desktop cases.
System Case Form Factors
The three most popular types of case form factors are:
Baby AT – though virtually obsolete by today’s standards, the Baby

AT form factor is still considered popular because of its very large
installed base stemming from its popularity in past years. The Baby
AT is a smaller version of the AT from factor that is narrower in
width, but otherwise shares the AT form factor’s dimensions.
ATX – Intel developed this from factor in the mid-1990s and it has
Become the form factor for motherboards and system cases. All
Pentium-based systems require motherboards and chipsets that
use the ATX form factor specification.
NLX – also called Slim-line form factor, is quickly becoming the new
standard for mass-produced desktop system because it offers
manufacturers more flexibility and room for future advancement.
Three different sizes of cases are available in the tower model:
What is a power supply and what does it do?

The power supply unit (PSU) in a PC regulates and delivers the
power to the components in the case.
Power Supplies contain dangerous voltages and should only be opened by
experienced no user serviceable parts inside.
Always disconnect the PSU from the main supply before removing the cov-
er of the PC.
Standard power supplies turn

the incoming AC (Alternating
Current) into various DC (Direct
Current) computer’s compo-
nents.
Power supplies are quoted as

having a …… Watts, a standard
power supply …. 350 Watts.
The more components (hard

drives, …, fans, etc) you have in
your PC the … supply.
By using a PSU that delivers

more power than required means it won’t be running at full capacity, which
can prolong life by reducing heat damage to the PSU internal components
during long periods of use.
Always replace a power supply with an equivalent or superior power output

(Wattage).
There are 3 types of power supply in common use:

 AT Power Supply – still in use in older PCs
 ATX Power Supply – commonly in use today
 ATX-2 Power Supply – recently new standard
The voltages produced by AT/ATX/ATX-2 power supplies are:

 +3.3 Volts DC (ATX/ATX-2)
 +5 Volts DC (AT/ATX/ATX-2)
 -5 Volts DC (AT/ATX/ATX-2)
 +5 Volts DC Standby (ATX/ATX-2)
 +12 Volts DC (AT/ATX/ATX-2)
 -12 Volts DC (AT/ATX/ATX-2)
A power supply can be easily changed and are generally not expensive, so if
one falls (which is far from uncommon) then replacement is usually the
most economic solution.
The power supply connectors
ATX Power Supply Pin outs
Below are pin outs digrams of the common connectors in ATX

power supplies.
The Motherboard
The motherboard is easily the most important part of the comput-
er. Although there are a number of components that a PC cannot function
without, it’s the motherboard that ties them all together and turns them
into a personal computer.
The motherboard, or mainboard, of a PC is a large printed circuit

board that is home to many of the most essential parts of the computer,
including the microprocessor, chipset, cache, memory sockets, expansion
bus, parallel and serial ports, mouse and keyboard connectors and IDE, EI-
DE or SCSI controllers. The motherboard binds the PC’s operational compo-
nents together.
Motherboard Designs
Not all motherboards are created equal. Two different design ap-
proaches are used for PC mainboards: the motherboard style and the back-
plane style.
Motherboard Style – also known as mainboard, system board or
planar. It aggregates all the PC’s primary system components on a
single printed circuit board. In the motherboard’s single board de-
sign, all of the PC’s electronic circuitry that provides the conduit
through which all operations flow is located on the motherboard.
Backplanes – are common in large PC network servers and on oth-

er computers on which the processor is upgraded frequently. In its
basic form, a backplane mainboard contains very little in the way
of intelligence and storage capabilities. It is merely a receptacle
board into which processor cards, memory cards and other com-
ponent boards are inserted to add capability to a PC.
Motherboard Form Factors

Form Factors define a motherboard’s size, shape and how it is
mounted to the case. However, form factors now include the size, shape
and function of the system case; the type, placement and size of the power
supply; the system’s power requirements; the location and type of the ex-
ternal connectors, and the case’s airflow and cooling system.
Micro-AT Form Factor

This is nearly half the size of the Baby AT main board.
LPX and Mini-LPX
These are not actually form factor because they lack a specific
motherboard standard; they are more of a general motherboard design.
ATX Form Factor
It was released by Intel

in 1995 and was an improve-
ment over the LPX form factor.
i ATX
This is slightly smaller

than ATX but all the specifica-
tions of the ATX are included.
NLX Form Factor
A new standardized form factor. The three primary focuses of the

NLX are the processor and system cooling, the number of connections for
multimedia hardware and reducing the clutter of interior cables.
The Components of the Motherboard
Upgrading a Motherboard
Here is a list of criteria you should consider when evaluating your

PC and deciding how to upgrade it.
CPU Socket and Slots

Bus Speed Cache Memory
Memory Modules Expansion Bus
BIOS Chipset
Form Factor Built-in Controllers and Interfaces
Documentation
What is CPU?
CPU stands for Central Processing Unit. There can be several pro-
cessors in a computer, but one of them is the central one – the CPU.
The reason the CPU is called a processor is because it can work

with data. And it has two important jobs:
It can do calculations.
It can move data.
The CPU is very fast at doing jobs. The faster the CPU can do calcu-
lations and move data, the faster we say the PC is. What follows is a short
description of how to achieve faster data processing. Read it, and see of
you understand all the concepts. There are three ways to improve a PC’s
performance.
AMD Processor Intel Processor
The Evolution of the PC Microprocessors
Other manufacturers such as AMD, VIA Cyrix and others make ex-
cellent processors, but Intel is by far the leading manufacturer of PC micro-
processors. So let us first look at
the Intel CPU Family Tree.
First Generation: 8088, 8086,

80188, 80186 and 8087 – these
were introduced in 1978 and had a
clock speed of 4.77 MHz. These
were packaged in a 40-pin dual line
integrated circuit.
Second Generation: 80286 and 80287 – it has a clock speed of 6 to 8 MHz

and uses 16 bit data bus.
Third Generation: 80386, 80386 DX, 80386SX, 80387, 80387SX – this was a
full 32 bit processor and has a clock speed of 16MHz.
The Fourth Generation: 486DX, 486SX, 486DX2, 486SX2 and 486DX4 – this
CPU incorporates a cache memory and an integrated math coprocessors.
This was the first to use Intel’s new socket numbering system, the Socket 1.
The Fifth Generation: Intel “P5” Pentium and Pentium MMX

“P5” was originally known as 80586, but Intel found out that model
numbers could not be copyrighted. So, instead of numbers, they used a
trademark name, Pentium.
MMX (Multimedia Extension or Math Matrix) improves internal

speed and support graphic compression and decompression.
The Sixth Generation, Part1: “P6” Pentium Pro, Pentium II, Celeron and
Pentium II Xeon
Pentium Pro was developed as a network server processor.
Pentium II is the Intel Pentium Pro with MMX Technology.

This is the first Pentium to use the Slot 1.
Celeron is used in desktop and portable computers and it

is the low cost model of the Pentium II. It is initially released as Slot
1 CPU, but it is the first Pentium to use the Socket 370.
Pentium II Xeon is the successor to Pentium Pro but with

enhance capability.
CPU Accessories
CPU Heat Sink – it is use to cool down the
processor.
Computer Ports and Connectors (External)

The first input and output devices you encounter are the external devices,
such as keyboard, video monitor, printer and so forth. Some of these devic-
es have connectors that are the same as. Or very similar to, the connectors
used for other devices. In most cases, plugging a new device into the wrong
connector can damage the device or the system, so you need to know all
the different connectors and which devices use them.
Baby-AT system – connectors are found on the adapter cards in their slots
with only the keyboard connector coming directly off of the motherboard.
AXT System – the keyboard, mouse, serial and parallel ports almost always
are mounted directly on the chassis and, at the same time, soldered direct-
ly to the motherboard without any cabling. These are called integrated or
embedded ports or controller.
NLX system – New Low Profile Extension, the adapter cards do not plug
directly into the motherboard slots. Instead, there is usually one vertically
mounted riser card that “rises up” from the motherboard and holds the
system I/O bus slots that the adapter cards then plug into.
Keyboard
This is the most common input device. The keyboard allows the user to
communicate with the PC through keystrokes the represent character data
and commands.
Keyboard Layout Design
83-keys PC/XT Keyboard – the keyboard included in the original

IBM PC and the XT
84-keys AT Keyboard – it is a step closer to the standard keyboard
layout today
Enhanced 101-keys keyboard – it is one of the most familiar to

computer users today. Later models are really just enhancementof
the design. This is the industry standard today.
Windows 104-keys keyboard – this is identical to 101-keys key-

board layout except for the addition of three new keys; two Win-
dows keys, located between the CTRL and ALT keys on both sides
and an Application key on the right side, next to the Windows key.
Natural and Ergonomic Keyboard – this keyboard help relieve the

stress caused by the position of the user’s hands and wrist and
prevent repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
The keyboard’s central bank of keys is split in half and each half ro-
tated outward, to provide the user a more natural hand position.
Laptop/Portable PC Keyboard– this is smaller than normal key-
boards. Adjustments are made in terms of key arrangements. Lay-
out and even functions to fit all the keys users requires.
Miscellaneous Keyboard Layouts – this are special keyboards to

perform a variety of functions, such as; Internet Keyboard – in-
cludes button to connect to the internet, open browser or check e-
mails. Multimedia Keyboard – includes audio controls such as vol-
ume and CD controls.
Keyboard Elements
Alphanumeric Keys- the alphabet keys along with row numbers
and special characters. These keys match those on a typewriter.
Alphabet keys
Punctuation and Special keys
Actions keys
Character Selection keys
Command control keys
Enter Key
White space keys
Number/Special character keys
Cursor control key – located on the right side of the alphanumeric
keys, this group of keys has two smaller group of keys: the cursor
function keys and cursor arrow keys.
Function Keys – located across the top of a keyboard.
Numeric Keypad – the number pad, which is located on the ex-

treme right side of nearly all modern keyboards, contains keys for
ten numbers, as well as the four arithmetic functions. This can also
be used as a cursor control pad by toggling the NUM LOCK key.
Toggle and Lock Keys
Special Purpose Keys

ESC key
Print Screen Key
Pause/Break Key
Window Keys
Windows key
Application/Context key
Keyboard Switch Types

Pure mechanical switches – a very simple switch in which two
metal contacts are brought into contact or metal plunger is pressed
against contacts on a circuit board when the switch is pressed.
Foam element switches – it is made up of a plunger that is con-

nected to a foam pad that has a piece of foil on its underside. A cir-
cuit board with a pair of copper contacts for each key switch sits
underneath the key switches.
Rubber dome key switch – also known as carbon-contact key

switch, this design is very much like the foam and foil contact
switch. In each rubber dome switch is a small rounded dome of
rubber that has a pad of carbon material on its underside.
Membrane Switches – similar to rubber-dome switches, except

that the key tops are all joined into a solid sheet that rest on top of
the rubber-domes.
Keyboard Connectors
The 5-pin DIN connector – this is the oldest of the keyboard con-
nectors, also known as the AT form factor.
The 6-pin Mini DIN Connector – it is designed to used six pins ar-
ranged in a circular pattern around a plastic case, also known as
PS/2 connector.
The USB Connector – the universal serial bus is a multifunction pe-

ripheral but that is growing rapidly in popularity, and the keyboard
is one of many devices that can use it.
IrDA (infrared) connector – it is a wireless keyboard.
Pointing Devices
Traditional Mice/Mouse – a palm-sized plastic housing with a rub-
ber ball protruding from the bottom and a cord coming out the
back.
Ergonomic Mice Optomechanical Mice

Optical Mouse Intellimouse
Trackballs – it is an upside-down mouse
with a larger than normal ball. Instead of
rolling the ball by moving the whole
mouse across a surface, you move the ball
directly while the device itself remains sta-
tionary.
IBM / Track Point – also known as

Glidepoint mouse. It is created by
IBM for its ThinkPad line of note-
book computer to solve the point-
ing device problems.
Touch Pads – it is a rectangular

pad located below the spacebar
on a laptop keyboard/ the pad
senses the capacitance of your
finger as you move it across the
surface.
Joystick – a type of pointing device that is used

primarily with game software on a PC.
Graphic Tablets – similar in a conception with the

touch pad, but it is larger and used with a stylus
instead of your finger.
Pointing Device Interface Types
 Serial Port Connections
 PS2
 USB Connections
 Wireless
Mice first broke onto the public stage with the introduction of the
Apple Macintosh in 1984, and since then they have helped to completely
redefine the way we use computers.
Optical Mice
Developed by Agilent Technologies and introduced to the world on

late 1999, the optical mouse actually uses a tiny camera to take thousands
of pictures every second.
Able to work on almost any surface without a mouse pad, most

optical mice use a small, red light-emitting diode (LED) that bounces light
off that surface onto a complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS)
sensor. In addition to LEDs, a recent innovation are laser-based optical mice
that detect more surfaces details compared to LED technology. This results
in the ability to use a laser-based optical mouse on even more surfaces
than a LED mouse.
Optical mice have several benefits over track-ball mice:

 No moving parts, means less wear and a lower chance of failure.
 There’s no way for dirt to get inside the mouse and interfere with
the tracking sensors.
 Increased tracking resolution means a smoother response.
 They don’t require a special surface, such as a mouse pad.
Hard Disk Basics
Hard disks were invented in the

1950s. they started as large disks up to 20
inches in diameter holding just a few mega-
bytes. They were originally called “fixed
disks” or “Winchesters” (a code name used
for a popular IBM product). They later be-
came known as “hard disks”. Hard disks
have a hard platter that holds the magnetic
medium, as opposed to the flexible plastic
film found in tapes and floppies.
At the simplest level, a hard disk is not that different from a cas-
sette tape. Both hard disks and cassette tapes use the same magnetic re-
cording techniques described in How Tape Recorders Work. Hard disks and
cassette tapes also share the major benefits of magnetic storage – the
magnetic medium can be easily erased and rewritten and it will “remem-
ber” the magnetic flux patterns stored onto the medium for many years.
Here is a typical hard disk drive:
The platters– these typically spin at 3,600 or 7,200 rpm when the drive is
operating. These platters are manufactured to amazing tolerances and are
mirror-smooth.
The arm– this holds the read/write heads and is controlled by the mecha-
nism, in the upper-left corner. The arm is able to move the heads from the
hub to the edge of the drive. The arm and its movement mechanism are
extremely light and fast. The arm on a typical hard disk drive can move
from the hub to edge and back up to 50 times per second.
The Floppy Disk
The floppy disk drive

(FDD) was the primary means of
adding data to a computer until
the CD-ROM drive became popu-
lar. In fact, FDDs have been a key
component of most personal
computers for more than 20
years.
Basically, a floppy disk

drive reads and writes data to a
small, circular piece of metal-
coated plastic similar to audio
cassette tape/ in this article, you will learn more about what is inside a
floppy disk drive and how it works. You will also find out some cool facts
about FDDs.
History of the Floppy Disk Drive

The floppy disk drive (FDD) was invented at IBM by Alan Shugart in
1967. The first floppy disk drives used an 8-inch disk (later called a “disk-
ette” as it got smaller), which evolved into the 5.25-inch disk that was used
on the first IBM Personal Computer in August 1981. The 5.25-inch disk held
360 kilobytes compared to the 1.44 megabyte capacity of today’s 3.5-inch
diskettes.
The 5.25-inch disks were dubbed “floppy” because the diskette

packaging was a very flexible plastic envelope, unlike the rigid case used to
hold today’s 3.5-inch diskettes.
By the mid-1980s, the improved designs of the read/write heads,

along with improvements in the magnetic recording media, led to the less-
flexible, 3.5-inch, 1.44 megabyte (MB) capacity FDD in use today. For a few
years, computers had both FDD sizes (3.5-inch and 5.25-inch), but by the
mid-1990s, the 5.52-inch version had fallen out of popularity, partly be-
cause the diskette’s recording surface could easily become contaminated
by fingerprints through the open access area.
Optical Drives
An optical drive is a storage device that reads and writes information to CDs
and DVDs. A Molex power connector provides the optical drive with power
from the power supply. A PATA cable connects the optical drive to the
motherboard.
General Safety Guidelines
Follow the basic safety guidelines to prevent cuts, burns, electrical shocks,
and damage to eyesight. As is best practice, make sure that a fire extin-
guisher and first aid kit are available in case of fire or injury.
Fire Safety Guidelines

Follow fire safety guidelines to protect lives, structures, and equipment. To
avoid an electrical shocks, and to prevent damage to the computer, turn off
and unplug the computer before beginning a repair.
Fire can spread rapidly and be very costly. Proper use of a fire extinguisher
can prevent a small fire from getting out of control. When working with
computer components, always consider the possibility of an accident fire
and know how to react. If there is a fire, you should follow these safety
procedures:
 Never fight a fire that is out of control or not contained.
 Always have a planned fire escape route before beginning any work.
 Get out of the building quickly.

Contact emergency services for help.
Be sure to locate and read the instructions on the fire extinguishers in your
workplace before you have to use them. Safely training may be available in
your organization.
It is important to know how to use a fire extinguisher. Use the memory and
P-A-S-S to help you remember the basic rules of fire extinguisher operation:
P – Pull the pin.

A – Aim at the base of the fire, not at the flames.
S – Squeeze the lever.
S – Sweep the nozzle from side to side.
Personal Safety Guidelines

These are general guidelines of troubleshooting, installation, and
maintenance tasks. Take them seriously; they may keep you out of a dan-
gerous situation.
Never work alone (in the computer lab). Always have someone to keep an
eye out of any potential problem.
SAMPLE MAINTENANCE PLAN:
MONTHLY COMPUTER MAINTENANCE PLAN
JUNE JULY AUG AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
Anti virus soft-

ware checkups
Disk space utili-

zation
Defragmentation
of hard drives
Troubleshoot
hardware and
software issues
Personal Protective Device
There are tools and equipments used to protect the user and the computer
system.
Types of personal protective devices
Anti-static devices
Power surge protectors
Personal equipment
ESD (Electro Static Discharge)
A small amount of static electrically that can destroy small parts of your
computer
Anti-static Devices
Devices designed to protect the computer from static electricity
Examples:
Planning and preparing systematic maintenance procedure save time,
money and frustration. It is a good idea and opportunity to learn the proper
care and maintenance of your computer.
PC maintenance is an important topic for anyone who owns a PC.

Looking after your PC properly ensures you of trouble free use. Regular PC
maintenance also keeps the machine’s performance optimal.
TYPES OF MAINTENANCE PROCEDURE
Hardware maintenance is the testing and cleaning of equipment.
Information system maintenance if the routine updating of master files,

such as adding and deleting employees and customers and chang-
ing credit limits and product prices.
Software or program maintenance is the updating of application programs

in order to meet changing information requirements, such as adding new
functions and changing data formats. It also includes fixing bugs and adapt-
ing the software to new hardware devices.
Disk or file maintenance is the periodic reorganizing of disk files that have
become fragmented due to continuous updating.
Workplace procedures
Identify hazards and assess risk.

Execution of OHS politics are carried out with the task.
Following certain procedure is very important to perform a given
operation of evolution or in reaction to a given event. The table below
shows different elements and their corresponding performance criteria to
be able to identify occupational health and safety hazards, and assess risk,
as well as follow instructions and procedure in the workplace with minimal
supervision. The students will also be capable of participating and contrib-
uting to OHS management issues.
Planning and preparing systematic maintenance procedure save time,

money and frustration. It is good idea and opportunity to learn the proper
care and maintenance of your computer.
PC maintenance is an important topic for anyone who owns a PC.
Looking after your PC properly ensures you if trouble-free use. Regular PC
maintenance also keeps the machine’s performance optimal.
SAMPLE MAINTENANCE PLAN:
MONTHLY COMPUTER MAINTENANCE PLAN

JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
Antivirus
software
checkups
Disk
space
utilization
Defragme
ntation of
hard
drives
Trouble-
shoot
hardware
and soft-
ware issues
Personal Protective Device
There are tools and equipments used to protect the user and the computer
system.
Types of personal protective devices
Anti-static devices
Personal equipment
-A small amount of static electricity that
can destroy small parts of your computer
Anti-static devices
Devices designed to protect the computer from static electricity.
Examples:
Anti-static wrist strap
Anti-static mat
Anti-static bag
Anti-static spray

Devices designed to protect the computer from sudden power
surges from intermittent power sources.
Examples:
AVR (Automatic Voltage Supply)
UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply)
Personal Equipment in Maintaining a Computer

Small paint brush Screw drivers
Pliers and tweezers Compressed air
Handheld vacuum
Planning and Prepare Task to be Undertaken

Planning, as defined in the dictionary, is an act of formulating a specific
system for a definite course of action. It is very essential part of whatever
task there is that to be undertaken as it aids one in preparing for the tool/
materials to be used, lets one project the possible scenarios that may arise
(such as loose or damage to the tools).
This lesson aims to discuss the proper steps in planning and preparing
for the specific tasks to be undertaken.
Planning is a process of preparing for change and development and for
deciding how to best manage or influence those changes. Planning is also
directed at resolving specific problem issues or conflicts.
A Guide to Plan Preparation
The Policy background to Plan Preparation

Assessment – Technicians need to be aware of internal and external risk
factors and the consequences of any damage/ failure on their hand tools.
Prevention - The Technician should identify which hand tools is damaged.
Preparation of Plans- A plan will be required to be realistic, flexible and
Meet all the assessed need of a student at the same time the hand tools
itself and the likely needs of recipients of the emergency response.
Education – Anyone involved to any extent in an emergency plan should be

aware of his role and be given the opportunity practice actually doing it.
Testing / Exercising – Any plan must be tested to ensure that it encom-

passes all the outcomes of known or reasonably foreseeable risks and that
it5 would be effective in providing a sufficient and timely response.
Review – There are a number of circumstances in which a plan may need to

be reviewed. Following any test of a plan, or its use in an emergency situa-
tion. It is important to analyze whether the planned response was fully ef-
fective.
Response – The student should respond to incidents as part of their core

activities. Others may only very occasionally be asked to provide an emer-
gency response.
Safety and Risk

An emergency situation does absolve teachers and students from
their responsibilities, for their health and safety. All emergency plans
should therefore tack account of the need to maintain the highest possible
standards of safety.
Most efforts to develop identification aid start and end with the
recognition key and its computer spin-offs there are many other identifica-
tion task, starting with the most commonly used: instant recognition. Here
is preliminary list of identification tasks:
Each is briefly described below, including a definition taken from Webster’s

Unabridged Dictionary.
Recognition “The identification of something as being of a certain

kind”
Elimination “To leave out of consideration”
Comparison “The act of considering the relation between things in
order to estimate their similarities or differences”
Selection “To choose I preference of others” Selection is the oppo-
site site if elimination.
Time Scheduling Suggestions

Time scheduling will not make you a perfectly efficient person. Very few
people can rigorously keep a detailed schedule day after day over a long
period of time. In fact, many students who draw up a study schedule and
find themselves unable to stick to it become impatient and often give up
scheduling idea completely.
The following method of organizing time has been helpful to many
students and does not take such time. It is more flexible than many meth-
ods and helps the student to establish long term, intermediate and short
term time goals.
Intermediate Schedule – One per week
CARRY THIS CARD WITH YOU and cross out each item as you ac-
complish it. Writing down things in this manner not only forces you to plan
your time but in effect causes you to make a promise to yourself to do what
you have written down
Before you do any repairs work on your PC – in fact, before you even
think about taking off the cover of your computer we recommend that you
furnish yourself with a computer tool kit. In computer application, the usage
of proper hand tools and equipment is very essential. A good troubleshooter
must be knowledgeable in the tools and equipment.
HARDWARE TOOLS
To complete hardware repairs, it is important to have a toolkit that should
contain all of the necessary tools. As you gain experience, you will learn
which tools to have available for different types of jobs. Hardware tools are
grouped into these four categories:
 Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) tools
 Hand tools
 Cleaning tools
 Diagnostic tools
Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) Tools
Static electricity is easily generated by friction on carpets, tile flooring,
clothing, hair, fabric, and etc. The friction of moving air alone will charge
suspended particles and cause the buildup of static electrical charges on
people and objects in the environment. Grounded antistatic work mats
used with antistatic wrist straps provide the most basic means for the con-
trolled discharge of electrostatic electricity.
Examples of ESD Tools:
Anti-static wrist strap – used to prevent ESD
damage to computer equipment.
Anti-static mat – used to stand on or place

hardware on to prevent static electricity from
building up.
Hand Tools
A hand tool is a device for performing work on a material or a physical sys-
tem using only hands. The hand tools can be manually used employing
force, or electrically powered, using electrical current.
Examples of Hand Tools:
Flat head screwdriver – used to loosen or

tighten slotted screws.
Philips head screwdriver – used to loosen or

tighten crosshead screws.
Torx screwdriver - used to loosen or tighten

screws that have a star-like depression on the
top, a feature that is mainly found on laptop.
Hex driver – sometimes called a nut driver, is

used to tighten nuts in the same way that a
screwdriver tightens screws.
Needle-nose plier – used to hold small parts.
Wire cutter – used to strip and cut wires.
Tweezers – used to manipulate small parts.
Part retriever – used to retrieve parts from

location that are to small for your hand to fit.
Flashlight – used to light up areas that you

cannot see well.
Cleaning Tools
Having the appropriate cleaning tools is essential when maintaining or re-
pairing computers. Using these tools ensures that computer components
are not damaged during cleaning.
Examples:
Lint-free cloth – used to clean different comput-

er components without scratching or leaving
debris.
Compressed air – used to blow away dust and

debris from different computer parts without
touching the components.
Cable ties – used to bundle cables neatly inside

and outside of a computer.
Parts organizer – used to hold screw, jumpers,

fasteners and other small parts and prevents
them from getting mixed together.
Diagnostic Tools
Computers are easier to use and more dependable with each new genera-
tion of hardware and operating system update, but that doesn't mean
they're problem-free. Here are the most popular tools for diagnosing your
computer problems:
Multimeter – used to test the integrity of cir-
cuits and the quality of electricity in computer
components.
Loopback Adapter – used to test the functional-

ity of computer ports.
General Hazards
The two most common hazards associated with the use of hand tools are:
Misuse. It occurs when a hand tool is used for something other than its in-
tended purpose.
Improper maintenance. It allows hand tools to deteriorate into an unsafe
condition.
PROPER USE OF TOOLS
Proper Use of ESD Tools
The purpose of an antistatic wrist strap
is to equalize the electrical charge be-
tween you and the equipment. The anti-
static wrist strap is a conductor that
connects your body to the equipment
that you are working on. When static
electricity builds up in your body, the
connection made by the wrist strap to
the equipment, or ground, channels the electricity through the wire that
connects the strap.
The wrist strap has two parts and is easy to wear:

1. Wrap the strap around your wrist and secure it using the snap or Vel-
cro. The metal on the back of the wrist strap must remain in contact
with your skin at all times.
2. Snap the connector at the end of the wire to the wrist strap, and con-
nect the other end either to the equipment or to the same grounding
point that the antistatic mat is connected to. The metal skeleton of
the case is a good place to connect the wire. When connecting the
wire to equipment that you are working on, choose an unpainted
metal surface. A painted surface does not conduct the electricity as
well as unpainted metal.
An antistatic mat is slightly conductive. It works by drawing static electricity
away from a component and transferring it safely from equipment to a
grounding point:
1. Lay the mat on the workspace next to or under the computer case.
2. Clip the mat to the case to provide a grounded surface on which you
can place parts as you remove them from the system.
Reducing the potential for ESD reduces the likelihood of damage to delicate
circuits or components.
Proper Use of Hand Tools
A technician needs to be able to properly use each tool in the toolkit. This
topic covers many of the various hand tools used when repairing comput-
ers.
Screws
Match each screw with the proper screwdriver. Place the tip of the screw-
driver on the head of the screw. Turn the screwdriver clockwise to tighten
the screw and counterclockwise to loosen the screw.
Screws can become stripped if you over-tighten them with a screwdriver. A
stripped screw may get stuck in the screw hole, or it may not tighten firmly.
Discard stripped screws.
Flat head screwdriver
Use a flat head screwdriver when you are working with a slotted screw. Do
not use a flat head screwdriver to remove a Phillips head screw. Never use
a screwdriver as a pry bar. If you cannot remove a component, check to see
if there is a clip or latch that is securing the component in place.
CAUTION: If excessive force is needed to remove or add a component,

something is probably wrong. Take a second look to make sure that you
have not missed a screw or a locking clip that is holding the component in
place. Refer to the device manual or diagram for additional information.
Phillips head screwdriver

Use a Phillips head screwdriver with crosshead screws. Do not use this type
of screwdriver to puncture anything. This will damage the head of the
screwdriver.
Hex driver
Use a hex driver to loosen and tighten bolts that have a hexagonal (six-
sided) head. Hex bolts should not be over-tightened because the threads of
the bolts can be stripped. Do not use a hex driver that is too large for the
bolt that you are using.
CAUTION: Some tools are magnetized. When working around electronic

devices, be sure that the tools you are using have not been magnetized.
Magnetic fields can be harmful to data stored on magnetic media. Test
your tool by touching the tool with a screw. If the screw is attracted to
the tool, do not use the tool.
Part retriever, Needle-nose pliers, or tweezers

The part retriever, needle-nose pliers, and tweezers can be used to place
and retrieve parts that may be hard to reach with your fingers. Do not
scratch or hit any components when using these tools.
CAUTION: Pencils should not be used inside the computer to change the
setting of switches or to pry off jumpers. The pencil lead can act as con-
ductor and may damage the computer components.
Proper Use of Cleaning Materials
Keeping computers clean inside and out is a vital part of a maintenance
program. Dirt can cause problems with the physical operation of fans, but-
tons, and other mechanical components. On electrical components, an ex-
cessive buildup of dust will act like an insulator and trap the heat. This insu-
lation will impair the ability of heat sinks and cooling fans to keep compo-
nents cool, causing chips and circuits to overheat and fail.
CAUTION: When compressed air is used to clean inside the computer, the
air should be blown around the components with a minimum distance of
four inches from the nozzle. The power supply and the fan should be
cleaned from the back of the case.
CAUTION: Before cleaning any device, turn it off and unplug the device
from the power source.
Computer Cases and Monitors

Clean computer cases and the outside of moni-
tors with a mild cleaning solution on a damp,
lint-free cloth. Mix one drop of dishwashing
liquid with four ounces of water to create the
cleaning solution. If any water drips inside the
case, allow enough time for the liquid to dry before powering on the com-
puter.
LCD Screens
Do not use ammoniated glass cleaners or any other solution on an LCD
screen, unless the cleaner is specifically designed for the purpose. Harsh
chemicals will damage the coating on the screen. There is no glass protect-
ing these screens, so be gentle when cleaning them and do not press firmly
on the screen.
CRT Screens
To clean the screens of CRT monitors, dampen a soft, clean, lint-free cloth
with distilled water and wipe the screen from top to bottom. Then use a
soft, dry cloth to wipe the screen and remove any streaking after you have
cleaned the monitor.
Clean dusty components with a can of compressed air. Compressed air
does not cause electrostatic buildup on components. Make sure that you
are in a well-ventilated area before blowing the dust out of the computer. A
best practice is to wear a dust mask to make sure that you do not breathe
in the dust particles.
Blow out the dust using short bursts from the can. Never tip the can or use
the compressed air can upside down. Do not allow the fan blades to spin
from the force of the compressed air. Hold the fan in place. Fan motors can
be ruined from spinning when the motor is not turned on.
Component Contacts
Clean the contacts on components with isopropyl alcohol. Do not use rub-
bing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol contains impurities that can damage contacts.
Make sure that the contacts do not collect any lint from the cloth or cotton
swab. Blow any lint off the contacts with compressed air before reinstalla-
tion.
Keyboard
Clean a desktop keyboard with compressed air or a small, hand-held vacu-
um cleaner with a brush attachment.
CAUTION: Never use a standard vacuum cleaner inside a computer case.

The plastic parts of the vacuum cleaner can build up static electricity and
discharge to the components. Use only a vacuum approved for electronic
components.
Mouse
Use glass cleaner and a soft cloth to clean the outside of the mouse. Do not
spray glass cleaner directly on the mouse. If cleaning a ball mouse, you can
remove the ball and clean it with glass cleaner and a soft cloth. Wipe the
rollers clean inside the mouse with the same cloth. Do not spray any liquids
inside the mouse.
Personal Protective Equipment

You must wear/use something in order to protect yourself against unex-
pected harm that may arise while performing certain tasks. Different jobs
used different gadgets or suits to prevent unexpected harmful events that
may hurt us. The equipment below may be used as PPE:
 Goggles– is used to prevent tiny particles from entering our eyes.
 Coverall/apron- is worn by a person to prevent his body or clothes
from any types of dirt.
 Gloves– are used in handling object without hurting your hands.
 Dust mask– is used to cover the mouth and nose from tiny particles
when cleaning computer peripherals.
 Shoes with rubber sole and rubber mat– are used to avoid us from
slippery.
 Anti-static wrist strap - It absorbs the static electricity of the material
when being hold by the hands.
Safety Precautions
To protect both yourself and the equipment, observe the safety precau-
tions
DO’S AND DON’TS IN
TOOLS UNSAFE EXPEREIENCE
USING TOOL
Unplug the AC cord
from the EC wall socket
AC power cord electric Grounding
before working on the
power supply
Wrist strap electrostat- Wear a wrist strap
Discharge (ESD)
ic when handling printed
Illustrated parts break- Handle a printed circuit
Printed circuit boards
down board by the edges
Replace the cover after
Covers system Overheating performing service on
the system
Maintain Hand Tools
To avoid accidents in the work place resulting from the incorrect use of
hand tools, it will be important that you understand the proper use of your
item. Have your group discuss your concerns about the dangers involved in
using hand tools. During the discussion, each member is reminded of cor-
rect methods in manipulating hand tools. During the session, every mem-
ber practices the correct method in manipulating hand tools. It is important
that everyone has an opportunity to use tools in the practice session.
Tool and Equipment Maintenance
All tools and equipment must be properly maintained so that workers are
not endangered. Regulations require inspections of tools, machines and
equipment before use.
Preventive maintenance is the systematic care and protection of tools,
equipment and machines in order to keep them in a safe, usable condition
limit downtime and extend productivity. We must always be aware that
maintenance tasks themselves are potentially hazardous and can result in
injury. The successful maintenance program is:
 well organized and scheduled,
 controls hazards,
 defines operational procedures, and
 trains key personnel.
The degree of detail to include regarding tools and
equipment maintenance will depend on the kinds
of tools/equipment used. Some construction
equipment may have very specific inspection and
maintenance requirements. Electronic equipment
may have different maintenance requirements.
Hand tools may require only basic maintenance.
Power tools should be maintained in good working order. This may be lim-
ited to ensuring that blades/bits are replaced when needed and those
guards or other safety devices are operable and any damaged electrical
cords/plugs are repaired or replaced. Damaged or defective equip-
ment/tools should be tagged and removed from service.
Most manufacturers can provide maintenance schedules for their equip-
ment. Large companies typically have a comprehensive maintenance pro-
gram due to the capital investment and/or leasing agreements. Smaller
companies may lease equipment and maintenance services may be includ-
ed in the leasing agreement.
General requirements for tools and equipment maintenance include:
 Obtaining a copy of the maintenance schedule recommended by the
manufacturer
 Ensuring that maintenance is performed as required
 Ensuring that the person(s) performing the maintenance are compe-
tent (e.g. licensed mechanic)
 Retaining records of maintenance/service conducted
 Specifying who is responsible for overseeing equipment maintenance
and where the records are kept
 Set up a system for removal and tagging of damaged or defective tools
and equipment
Proper Storage of Tools, Parts, and Equipment

To ensure that tools and equipment remain in good condition and last for a
long time, store them properly. Properly stored tools and equipment will be
easy to find when needed and are less likely to be lost.
Good practices include:
 Parts should be properly stored and labeled (Figure 1).
 Tools should be properly placed on the board, and labeled (Figure 2).
Consider drawing the shapes of the tools on the board so that they
always get put back in the same position.
 Use bins for storing small parts (Figure 3).
 Consider making an individual (or individuals) responsible for the good
maintenance of tools and parts.
Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3
Benefits:
 Tools and parts are kept in good condition and are easy to find
 Costs are reduced.
 Productivity is increased because time is not wasted looking for tools,
parts and equipment.
 Workshop staff develops a sense of responsibility and pride in their
work.
Basics of Electricity
Direct Current (DC) is the first type of current because it was easy to pro-
duce. This is typo of current always flows in one direction. One of the dis-
advantages of using DC is the excessive voltage drop and power loss I the
power lines in a long distance transmission. Batteries are common sources
of DC.
Alternating Current (AC) is the solution to the problem of DC, AC allows the
flow of current in two directions. Today, it is possible to step-up electricity,
a power station, transmit it to any distant place and step it down to for
consumption. A transformer is the device used for stepping-up or stepping-
down AC voltage. Common source of AC are found in our AC outlet (Typical-
ly, 200 volts, in the Philippines).
Ohm’s Law and Power Law
Ohm’s Law states that, for a constant current, the current in a circuit is di-
rectly proportional to the voltage acting in the circuit and inversely pro-
portional to the total resistance of the circuit.
The Law may be expressed by the following equation if the current I is in

amperes, EMFE is in volts, and the resistance R is in ohms.
The relationship of the foregoing three variables was discovered by Georg

Simon Ohm, who theorized that current is in direct proportion to re-
sistance. The relationship is explained algebraically, using this formula:
R= E/I E= IxR I=E/R

Components of a Simple Circuit
A simple circuit contains the minimum thing needed to have a functioning

electric circuit. It requires the following:
 AC/DC source
Equipment that will operate on either an AC or DC power source.
Example:
Battery- a DC voltage source containing two or more cells that
convert chemical energy to electrical energy.
Cell-single unit used to convert chemical energy into DC electrical
voltage.
 Fuse
*In designing a simple circuit, it is important to include a fuse in the pri-
mary or secondary of a transformer.
Fuse is safety device used to protect an electrical circuit from the effect
of excessive current. Its essential component is usually a strip of metal
that will melt at a given temperature. It is
designed so that the strip of metal can
easily be placed in the electric circuit. If
the current in the circuit exceed a prede-
termined value, the fusible metal will melt
and thus break, or open the circuit.
It is usually rated in Amperes, which rep-
resent the maximum continuous current it
could handle without blowing.
The most popular type of the fuse is 3AG type. This code describes the
case size and material where “G” indicates a glass material and “A” indi-
cates that intended for automotive application. It measures approx.
32mm x 6mm.
 Wires and Cable
It is a single slender rod or filament of drawn metal. This definition re-
stricts the term to what would ordinarily be understood as solid wire.
The word “slender” is used because the length of the wire is usually
large when compared to it diameter.
 Conductor is a wire suitable for carrying an electric current.
 Stranded conductor is a conductor composed of a group of wire or
any combination of group of wires. It is usually twisted and not insu-
lated from each other.
 Cable is either stranded conductor or a combination insulated from
one another. The term “cable” is general and usually applies only to
the large sizes of conductor. Cables may be bare or insulated. Insu-
lated cables may be sheathed with lead, or protective armor.
 Switch and its function
 Switch is a device used to break an electric current or transfer it to
another conductor. It is commonly used to open or close a circuit.
It is mechanical device used to connect and disconnect a circuit at
will. It is manually operated device capable of making, breaking, or
changing the connection in an electronics or electrical circuits.
Switch Function
 When the switch is closed, the electron finds an interrupted
path in the circuit
 Open is the OFF position of the switch, while closed is the ON
position.
 When the switch is opened, the current delivered by the pow-
er supply is normally insufficient to jump the switch gap in the
form of an arc and the electron flow in the circuit is clocked.
 Load
A source drives a load. Whatever component or piece of equipment is
connected to a source and draws current from a source is a load on that
source.
Examples:
Light Bulb
Appliances
Common Electronic Component

Passive Electronic Component- A Passive Device is one that contributes
no power gain (amplification) to a circuit or system. It has no control ac-
tion and does not require any input other than a signal to perform its
function. In other words “A component with no brains!”. Examples are
Resistors, Capacitors and Inductors.
Resistor This is the most common component in
electronics. It is used mainly to control
current and voltage within the circuit. A
simple resistor is like simple cigar shape
with a wire lead coming out of each
end. It uses color coded bands to identi-
fy the value of the component. (meas-
ured in Ohms)
Capacitor Capacitors, or “caps”, vary in size and
shape from a small surface mount mod-
el up to a huge electric motor cap the
size of paint can. Whatever the size or
the shape, the purpose is the same.
Inductor
It is charged with the magnetic field and
when that field collapses it produces
current in the opposite direction. Induc-
tors are used in AC circuits to oppose
changes in the existing current.
Active Electronic Devices are components that are capable of control-

ling voltages or currents and can create a switching action in the circuit.
In other words, “Devices with smarts!”. Examples are Diodes, Transis-
tors and IC.
Diodes Diodes are basically a one-way valve for
electrical current. They let it flow in one
direction (from positive to negative) and
not in the other direction. Most diodes
are similar in appearance to a resistor
and will have a painted line on one end
showing the direction of flow (white side
is negative). If the negative side is on the
negative end of the circuit, current will
flow. If it is on the positive side of the
circuit no current will flow
Leds
Leds are simply diodes that emit light of
one form or another. They are used as
indicator devices. They come in several
sizes and colors. Some even emit infra-
red light which cannot be seen by hu-
man eye.
Transistors Transistor is possibly the most important
invention of this decade. It performs two
basic functions. 1. It acts as a switch
turning current on and off. 2. It acts as
an amplifier. This makes an output signal
that is a magnified version of the output
signal.
Integrated Circuits (IC)
ICs are complex circuits inside one sim-

ple package. Silicon and metals are used
to simulate resistors, capacitors, transis-
tors, etc. it is a space saving miracle.
Using Analog & Digital Multi-Tester

Initial Steps in Using Analog Multi-Tester
1. Connect the test probe to the appropriate jack. The red test probe to
the positive (+) jack and the black to the common (-) jack.
2. Check of the pointer rests exactly at the infinite zero position in ohm-
meter range.
3. Check the probes if they are in condition. Ohmmeter calibration)
 Set the multi-tester to corresponding selector resistance range
 Short the two test probes lead together.
 Make sure the necessary adjustments in the zero-ohm adjust-
ment knob
Resistance Measurements
1. Always do the “initial Steps in Using Analog Multi-tester”.
2. In tesing resistors, capacitors, diodes, etc do not touch noth test probe
lead, because our body also has resistance that could affect the reading
value of the electronic components we are testing.
3. If you do not know the value of the resostor to be measured, find the
ohmmeter selector setting until you have a clear reading in the
ohmmeter scale.
4. Select the desired resistance range scale with selector switch.
Voltage Measurements
Set the selector knob to the proper scale range. The chosen range must be
higher that the anticipated voltage to be measured. The settings for AC
and DC illustrates below and voltmeter scale where the voltage read.
Measuring DC Volt-
ages
Be careful in testing DC
voltages in polarity. Be
sure that the positive
test probe (red) is at
positive voltage supply
and the negative test
probe (black) is at the
negative or common
ground of the supply.
Measuring AC Voltages
Digital Multi-Tester
It is very different
compared to the
analog multi-tester in
terms of display. It is
purely electronic,
without any moving
element or coil.it us-
es Liquid Crystal Dis-
play or LCD which is
also in calculators
and digital watches.
Compared to analog mul-

ti-tester, digital multi-
tester is more convenient and easy to operate because of the digital dis-
play. The digital shows the exact value that you will need also you doesn’t
need to calculate the value.
Resistor Color Coding
TABLE 3.1 RESISTOR COLOR CODE TABLE

COLOR DIGIT MULTIPLIER TOLERANCE
0
BLACK 0 10 =1
BROWN 1 101=10 ±1%
RED 2 102=100 ±2%
ORANGE 3 103=1000 ±3%
YELLOW 4 104=10000 ±4%
GREEN 5 105=100000
BLUE 6 106=1000000
VIOLET 7 107=10000000
GRAY 8 108=100000000
WHITE 9 109=1000000000
GOLD 0.1 ±5%
SILVER 0.01 ±10%
NONE ±20%
From the figure 3.0 & Table 3.1

1st digit Orange 3
2nd digit Brown 1
Figure 3.0 3rd digit Red x100
4th digit Silver ±10%
Therefore:
31x100=3.1 kilo ohms (KΩ) ±10%
Resistor value
Power Supply Unit

What is a power supply and what does it do? The power supply unit (PSU)
in a PC regulates and delivers the power to the components in the case.
Power supplies contain dangerous voltages and should only be opened by
experienced and qualified engineers; there are no users’ serviceable parts
inside.
Standard power supplies turn the incoming 110V or 220V AC into various
DC voltages suitable for pow-
ering the computer’s compo-
nents.
Power supplies are quoted as
having a certain power output
specified Watts, a standard
power supply would typically
be able to deliver around 350
Watts.
The more components (hard
drives, CD/DVD drives, tape
drives, ventilation fans, etc.)
you have in your PC the
greater the power required from the power supply.
Always disconnect the PSU from the main supply before removing the cov-
er of the PC.
Power Supplies contain dangerous voltages and should only be opened by
experienced and qualified engineers; there are no user serviceable parts
inside.
By using a PSU that delivers more power than required means it won’t be
running at full capacity, which can prolong life by reducing heat damage to
the PSU’s internal components during long periods of use.
Always replace a power supply with an equivalent or superior power output

(Wattage).
Three Types of Power Supply in Common Use:

 AT Power Supply – still use in older PCs
 ATX Power Supply -commonly in use today
 ATX-2 Power Supply- recently new standard
Voltages produced by AT/ATX/ATX-2 power supplies are:

+3.3 Volts DC +5 Volts DC Standby
+5 Volts DC +12 Volts DC
-5 Volts DC -12 Volts DC
A power supply can be easily changed and are generally not expensive, so if
one fails (which is far from uncommon) then replacement is usually the
most economic solution.
Occupational Health and Safety
Precautionary Measures before Working with any Computer Equipment

 Wear shoes with non-conductive rubber soles to help reduce the
chance of being shocked or seriously injured in an electrical accident.
 Do not work on components that are plugged into their power source.
 Do not remove expansion cards from a computer when it is turned on.
 Remove all jewelries when working inside any computer related
equipment.
 Be sure not to mix electronic components and water.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

It refers to protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other gear designed to
protect the wearer’s body or clothing from injury by electrical hazards,
heat, chemicals and infections, for job-related occupational safety and
health purposes.
PPE can also be used to protect the working environment from pesticide
application, pollution or infection from the worker.
Anti-Static and Safety Precautions
The little shock you experienced while you are walking across a
carpeted floor or touched a door knob, table, counter or even another per-
son is a result of static electricity. Static electricity is the discharge of elec-
tricity between two objects with different electrical potentials. Humans
can’t feel a static shock until it is several thousand volts strong, but it takes
less than 30 volts to fry a sensitive computer component, such as a stick of
RAM or a processor.
Safety and Anti-Static Rules

 When possible, try to avoid working in carpeted areas. Carpeting
greatly increases static buildup within your body.
 Always use an anti-static wrist strap when working on a computer (ex-
cept on working on monitors)
 Always disconnect a computer from the AC power and from any pow-
ered peripherals while you are working on it.
 Always grasp a metal part of the computer chassis with your bare
hand before you touch anything inside. Do this even if you are wear-
ing anti-static wristband.
 Always handle electronic components by a non-conducting (non-
metallic) edge. Don’t touch the pins or other connectors.
 Never plug an ATX power supply into AC power unless it is connected
either to a computer’s motherboard or to a dummy test load.
 Always use UL-approved surge protector or an UPS that incorporates
surge and spike protection.
Assembling the Computer System

1. Remove the Side Panel. Before installing the motherboard, or any oth-
er component, we obviously need to open up the case. Most cases
have two or three screws holding the side panel on while others just
pop off. When removing screws remem-
ber top put them in a safe place so you
don’t lose them.
2. Take a look inside. Below is a picture of
the inside of an average ATX case. Every
case has mounts where you screw the
motherboard on. Feel free to find these.
3. Examine the motherboard. Make sure
you are grounded using an anti-static wrist strap. When handling a
motherboard on the static bag it came in. Don’t sit it on the carpet.
4. Set the Jumpers. Before you can continue you need to set the jumpers
on your motherboard. The best way to explain this is read your manual
for proper terminology and placement. Look for a section on setting
the jumpers. Some motherboards are jumper less while others are not.
5. Find necessary screw holes. Every motherboard has holes for screws.
We have circled the holes to easily locate them.
6. Align screw holes and mounts. After that is done, simply align the
screw holes with the mounts and insert the screws.
7. Plug in case connectors (system light, power button, and USB). This
step can be confusing at first. Look for a big block of pins on your
motherboard, usually located at the bottom. Most boards label the
pins, and most cases label the connectors. So simply match up the con-
nectors with the appropriate pins.
8. Plug in power connector. Since the actual computer is not plugged in,
we can go ahead and plug the power supply into the motherboard.
9. Double check steps 4 and 8. Always double check your work to ensure
you haven’t forgotten anything.
Installing the CPU

1. Put on Anti-Static wrist Strap. Attach it to your wrist and then ground
it to metal on the case. This isn’t completely necessary but highly rec-
ommended so you don’t damage any hardware. The slightest shock of
static can easily damage components.
2. Locate the processor socket

and lever. Look on your moth-
erboard and you should see a
socket similar to the image be-
low. This is where you will
place the processor. Attached
is a lever that locks the pro-
cessor in place. Lift the lever so it is vertical. This will prepare us for the
next few steps.
3. Locate placement arrow the

check processor. Most pro-
cessors have an arrow or a
cut corner. This simply tells
you how and where to insert
the processor. Also took on
the bottom of the processor.
Also look on the bottom of the processor to ensure no pins are bent. If
any are bent, contact the company and have them send you a new one.
Alternatively you can use a screwdriver and CAREFULLY bend them
back, though this is not recommended.
4. Install the processor. First, ensure the lever is lifted up or in the vertical
position. There is only one way the processor can be inserted so never
force it in; it should practically fall into place. Line the placement arrow
closest to the lever and drop it in. Slowly lower the lever until it’s all the
way down. The processor is now installed and locked in place.
Installing the heat sink
1. Locate thermal pad or apply thermal gel. Under the heat sink there
should be a thermal pad. Simply pull away and remove the plastic film.
If there is no thermal pad so you need to apply thermal gel.
2. Place heat sink on processor. Never tilt heat sink when installing it.
This could be damage the processor.

3. Heat sink should not touch socket when fully attached.
4. Attach clip to first plastic tab on socket.
5. Line up second clip with tab and attach. Check to ensure the second is
aligned with the second plastic tab. Using a flathead screwdriver and
without applying pressure to heat sink, push down on the clip and
away so it can move past the tab then slightly push inward to attach.
6. Plug in power lead. The power lead is usually located near the proces-
sor. Please refer back to the motherboard user’s manual for details on
its location. Look for a “Jumper &Connector Guide” section then look
for a free fan connector named “CPU Fan Power” or something similar.
Installing Floppy Disk
1. Remove second side panel from case. Using the same steps for remov-
ing the first side panel to remove the second. This will enable you to
screw the components in on both sides so its more securely in place.
2. Remove face plate and insert drive into floppy bay. On the front of
cases there are plastic plates. These just pop out, usually just push it
out from the inside. Slide the 3 1/2” floppy drive into the floppy bay as
shown below.
3. Screw in the floppy

drive. After you slide the
drive into the bay, line up the
screw holes and insert the
screws.
4. Locate the FDD Floppy

Disk Drive Cable. This is
the cable that attaches the
motherboard to the Floppy
Drive. The FDD cable looks
the same as a regular IDE
cable but is smaller in
width, has less pin holes,
and has a set of twisted
wires on it. It is usually in-
cluded with the floppy drive.
Installing the RAM
1. Locate notches in DIMM slots and RAM. These are essential when lin-
ing up ram to install it. Since there are different types of RAM, there
may be more than one notch. Below are examples of what you should
look for.
2. Line up RAM with DIMM slots. Ram can only be inserted one way so
simply line up the notch on the ram with the notch on the DIMM slot.
3. Install the RAM. After lining up the notches, insert the ram vertically
into the slot. Firmly press down on both ends until it snaps into place.
You need to give it some muscle but DO NOT force it in. if it doesn’t go
in, pull it out and ensure you aren’t putting it in backwards. Once it
snaps in, ensure the levers (on both sides) are locked into place on the
RAM.
Installing the Hard Disk Drive
1. Set the Hard Drive Jumper. Open your hard drive user’s manual to the
jumper section and read it if you haven’t already. If you only have one
hard drive, set the jumper to “Master” or “Single” depending on your
brand of hard drive. If you have two, set the one you are going to put
an operating system on the “Master” and the second to “Slave”.
2. Insert into Hard Drive bay. In most cases there are open bays below
the floppy drive. Slide the hard drive in.
3. Screw in Hard Drive. As you did with the floppy drive, line up the
screws on both sides to ensure its securely in place.
4. Connect IDE Cable to motherboard. Behind the FDD socket or near it is

the Primary ICDE socket. As with the FDD cable there is only one way it
can be inserted, it should line up similar to the image below. Once it is
lined up, firmly press down and it should slide into place. Like with all
cables, do not force it. If it does not go in the first time, you might have
it backwards.
5. Connect IDE Cable to Hard Drive. Use the same techniques from step 4
when connecting it to then hard drive.
6. Adding power. On the same power cable you used with the floppy
drive, there is larger 4 pin power lead. Plug this into the back of the
hard drive. Also like with the floppy drive, there is only one way it can
plug in.
Installing the CD ROM Drive
1. Set the Jumper on the CD-ROM. Grab your CD-ROM user’s manual to
the jumper section and read if you haven’t already. If you only have
one CD-ROM, set the jumper to “Master” or “Single” depending on
your brand of CD-ROM. If you have two, set one to “Master” and the
second “Slave”.
2. Attach audio cable. You can either do this step now and string the ca-
ble through the bay or wait until you have the CD-ROM installed. Using
the cable shown below, simply connect it to the back of the CD-ROM
drive. I will show you where to plug in the other end in our section.
3. Remove face plate and insert CD-ROM into bay. Similar to the floppy
drive, pop the face plate off and slide the drive into the bay as shown
below.
4. Screw it in. Once the drive is in the bay, line up the holes and inserts
the screws. Do this for both sides like you did with the hard drive and
floppy drive.
5. Connect the IDE Cable to motherboard. This step is the same as when
installing the IDE cable for the hard drive except you use a vacant IDE
socket similar to the one below in image A. Image B shows what yours
should look similar to once they are all connected.
6. Connect IDE Cable to CD-ROM Drive. Use the same techniques you
used to install the hard drive IDE cable when connecting it to the CD-
ROM drive.
7. Adding power. Locate an unused 4 pin power lead and plug it into the
back of the CD-ROM drive.
Installing Video Card
1. Remove unnecessary temporary metal plate. Only remove the metal
plate from the slot you are going to use. If you do not remove this, you
cannot install your video card.
2. Locate AGP Slot on Motherboard. Your AGP Slot should look similar to
the images below.
3. Line up and install Video Card in AGP Slot. Line up the video card with
the slot and gently press down on both sides until it slides in place.
4. Insert screw. There is only one screw needed to secure the video card
in place.
Installing the Sound Card
1. Remove any unnecessary temporary metal plate. Only remove the
metal plates from the slots you are going to use. If you do not remove
this, you cannot install any PCI components. Most either unscrew or
pop out.
2. Locate PCI Slots on Motherboard. Your PCI Slots should look similar to
the ones in the image below.
3. Line up and install Sound Card in PCI Slot. Line up the sound card with
the slot and gently press down on both sides until it slides in place.
4. Insert screw. There is only one screw needed to secure the sound card
in place.
Installing the Chassis Fan
1. Line up holes with fan. On the inside of the case there should be a se-
ries of holes similar to the one in the picture below. Line up the four
corner holes with the holes on the fan.
2. Insert screws. Once you have lined up the holes, simply insert the
screws.
3. Plug in power lead to motherboard. Grab your motherboard manual
and look for a “Jumper & Connector Guide” section. Similar to plugging
in the heatsink fan, look for a vacant fan connector named “System Fan
Power”.
Hooking External Parts

1. Just plug it all! Use the
diagram below to see
where each plug goes.
Some plugs (i.e. keyboard,
mouse, speaker) are col-
ored so match them up
with the correct color on
the back of the computer.
2. Plug everything into an
outlet. Hopefully you pur-
chased a surge protector.
Plug everything into the
surge protector such as
the system power cord,
monitor power cord,
speaker power cord…
etc., and then plug the
surge protector into the
wall.
BIOS and BOOT UP PROCESS
Firmware
There is software stored on every motherboard. The ROM circuits
contain important system routines which help to startup the PC and which
hold everything together.
 The BIOS and startup programs.
 The Setup program and CMOS storage.
PC startup
When you switch on the power to you PC, a lot of things happen.
You here the noise of the various cooling fans, and shortly afterwards, text
starts to scroll up into the screen. It is the firmware which is doing this
work.
Remember that the PC cannot do anything unless it receives in-
structions. Instructions are fragments of programs which are loaded into
the CPU, and the CPU starts
by executing the system
software which is stored on
the motherboard. Later,
once the PC is up and run-
ning, the operating system
can fetch instructions (pro-
grams) itself from the hard
disk; but during startup, the
CPU is fed instructions from the ROM code in the motherboard.
That is, the startup programs are stored in ROM circuits. ROM
stands for Read Only Memory. These circuits contain data, which can nor-
mally only be read. Thus the PC is “born” at the manufacturer with system
software stored in its hardware.
On newer motherboards, however, Flash ROM is used (so-called
EEPROM circuits). With these, the data can be changed by the user (BIOS
updates). For convenience, these circuits are still BIOS ROM.
BIOS is important system software, because it is only after these
programs have been loaded and executed that the PC’s operating system
can be loaded from the head disk (or alternatively, from a diskette or an-
other drive). This is called the boot process.
Checking the hardware
When the power supply is activated, the CPU fetches the first in-
structions from the ROM BIOS. Then the POST routine starts, which checks
the hardware devices. POST stands for Power On Self-Test, and this is quick-
ly accomplished. Text doesn’t reach the screen until POST has been execut-
ed.
If POST encounters a fault in the machine, the program will write a
message on the screen. If the screen has not yet been made ready, or if the
fault is, for example, linked to the video card, the program will normally
emit beeps using the PC speaker. The pattern of bleeps and beeps varies for
the different BIOS manufacturers, but the pattern indicates where the fault
is located. For example, 8 beeps from a BIOS from AMI can mean a fault in
the graphics system, while a constant series of short beeps indicates fault in
the RAM when using BIOS from Award. Some motherboards have built in
LED’s which can also signal faults. The fault messages are always explained
in the motherboard manual.
When POST has finished executing, you normally hear a single
beep from the speaker, and startup continues. Next the BIOS is loaded for
the video card. This leads to the first text on the screen, which is normally
the name of the BIOS supplier and the program version.
The startup program is now in the process of checking the various
hardware, and generally “bringing the machine to life”. You can make con-
tact with the Setup program at this time, for example by pressing the De-
lete key once. After this you will see that the “RAM is being counted “. You
can also read which CPU is in the machine. Any error messages (e.g. if the
hard disk is not connected properly) can now be seen on the screen.
Try to follow the startup process yourself when you switch on your
PC. You can stop the process by pressing the Pause key, so that you have
time to read the messages. Below you can see the startup messages for a
PC with Award BIOS, which has found 512 MB of RAM.
At the top of the screen you read that Award has supplied the
startup program.
The startup program installs the other system devices, such as floppy disk
ad ATA drivers, and locates the “logical devices” (such as COM, LPT, etc.).
The PCI bus is scanned for devices.
The last link in the startup process is that the BIOS looks in the
CMOS storage to find the chosen boot device. Normally it has to boost from
one of the hard disks, and the BIOS thus has to read the contents of that
master boot record (which is a particular sector on the hard disk). It then
continues by loading the operating system from the hard disk, and the
startup programs have played out their role.
CMOS and Setup
The startup program needs information about the PC’s hardware. However,
some of this system information has to be manually enteres. This includes
things like whether a floppy disk drive is installed, and the actual time and
date, etc. fortunately we don’t have to type in this information every time
we start the PC. It is done by the manufacturer, and the information is
stored in a small CMOS chip.
CMOS is a special type of RAM which excels at using very little
power. The chip is used as a storage area for the database of hardware
information). The database is necessary for he startup programs, ehich, for
example, use it as a list of the hardwarewhich has to be checked.
The CMOS storage holds something like 256 bytes, and is
maintained using power supply, all the information would disappear from
the CMOS.
You can correct the settings in the CMOS storage yourself. You might need
to do this, for example, if you install a new hard disk. That’s why we have
access to the CMOS via the Setup program, which is alsostored in the
motherboard’s ROM circuits. Setup can be activated during startup by
pressing a special key (e.g. Delete).
The Setup program is used to change the
settings in the CMOS storage. A quick look at
the Setup.
If you want to look at the facilities of
the Setup program, you have to activate it
while the startup programs are scrolling over the screen.
The setup program can look a bit different, from one PC to anoth-
er. Below is the opening menu from my PC.
Standard CMOS Features
This menu is one of the most fundamental of them all. Here you
can change the date and time. Floppy disk drives are so “unintelligent” that
the test program cannot check whether a floppy drive is installed or not.
This must therefore be specified:
Advanced BIOS Features
Here you can set which device should be used to boot from. It can be the
hard disk or the floppy disk, and if you have several built-in hard disk con-
trollers (ATA, RAID or SCSI), you specify which of them should perform the
boot operation.
Many of the menu choices allow you to either enable or disable activate or
deactivate) various functions.
This menu is linked to the chipset, which can be programmed in various
ways. For example, there are various advanced stings for the AGP and PCI
buses. If you use a USB-based keyboard you can specify that there. Then it
will work in 16- bit DOS mode (real mode) as well.
Integrated Peripherals. This menu contains settings associated with the
ATA and Super I/O controllers. For example, you can disable the floppy disk
controller (FDC), so that a flooppy disk drive cannot be connected. If the
motherboard has a built-in sound device you might be able to disable it
here.
Power management. This menu allows you to set how the various power
saving functions should operate. There is nothing to benefit from this. The
PC consumes the same energy with or without power management
activated. On the hand power management can be quite irritating in daily
use.
PnP and PCI Configurations. This menu allows you to allocated IRQ’s for
each PCI slot yourself. You can also change the PCI bus timing, should you
happen to want to.
PC Health Status. This gives you a report on the CPU’ current temperature
and voltage, and how fast the cooling fans are whiring (if they are
connected in the right way). This menu is used, for example, by
overclockers, who are very keen to know that the PC is not burning out.
Frequency/Voltage Control. This menu allows you to set the clock
multiplier factor fot the CPU, if it allows this, and adjust the voltage for the
processor core, AGP system and I/O bus.
PC Health Status provides an instant report on the CPU‘s physical state.
Set Supervisor and User password. These menus allow you to choose a
supervisor password, which is used to protect the Setup settings. This is
used in some schools, where certain students have a tendency to fiddle
with the computer’s setup options. Resetting the CMOS storage.
There are options there to reload the standard settings (Load Fail-
Safe Defaults and Load Optimized Defaults). You can make use of this if,
after playing around, you find that your settings no longer work.
If it gets right out of hand, you can always reset the CMOS. You
might need to do this, for example, if you set up password protection for
Setup, and then forget the password.
The motherboard has a jumper which erases the CMOS data. You
move the jumper, start the PC, and the data is erased. You then enter new
data and move the jumper back again.
Another method is to remove the motherboard battery. This main-
tains the CMOS data, so all the data is erased if you briefly remove the bat-
tery.
Operating System Installation
It is a software that manages computer resources and provides program-
mers/users with an interface used to access those resources.
It is a layer of software which takes care of technical aspects of a comput-

er’s operation. It shields the user of the machine from the low-level details
of the machine’s operation and provides frequently needed facilities.
Below is a listing of common operating systems available today, and who

developed them.
Operating System Developer
Corel Linux Corel
Linux Linux Torvalds
MAC OS 8 Apple
MAC OS 9 Apple
MAC OS 10 Apple
MAC OS X Apple
Mandrake Linux Mandrake
Ubuntu Linux Ubuntu.org
MS-DOS 1.x Microsoft
These examples of operating systems are used extensively foe stand-alone

systems. For networking terms, these are also able to provide peer-to-peer
architecture platform for sharing of files and resources. However, there are
systems that involve control over other terminals as to its resources and
files and application use.
Operating System Developer
Windows 2000 Microsoft
Windows Server 2003 Microsoft
Windows Server 2008 Microsoft
Windows CE Microsoft
Windows ME Microsoft
Windows NT Microsoft
Windows Vista Microsoft
Windows XP Microsoft
Windows 7 Microsoft
Windows 8 Microsoft
These systems follow the Client/Server architecture which is the nature of a

Network Operating System. For the purpose of this study, we will not touch
on that type of OS in depth. Instead, we will look at how to install and con-
figure a Windows computer, a computer having Microsoft Windows as Op-
erating System. While both MAC’s and Windows are proprietary, they are
not compatible with each other. Apple’s MAC OS are designed to be run on
Apple’s proprietary architecture Power PC chips. These microprocessors do
not have the same design as those used by IBM machines which is compat-
ible for Windows and Linux systems. We can install two or more Operating
System in one computer unit using multi-boot options and multiple parti-
tions. You can join two versions of Windows, a Windows and Linux, but not
a MAC and Windows.
INSTALLING THE OPERATING SYSTEM
Windows XP Installation
This procedure demonstrates how to install Windows XP Professional. The

procedure to install Windows XP home edition is very similar to the profes-
sional edition. Since Windows XP Pro is more advanced operating system, it
will be used to demonstrate the installation procedure.
The best way install Windows XP is to do a clean install. It is not difficult to

perform a clean installation. Before you perform the installation I recom-
mend that you check Windows XP Compatibility List to ensure that your
hardware is supported by XP. If your hardware is not on the compatibility
list you can check your hardware manufactures website to download the
drivers for Windows XP. Save all the necessary drivers onto floppy disks or
CD before you start the installation.
All versions of Windows XP CD are bootable. In order to boot from CD/DVD-

ROM you need to set the boot sequence. Look for the boot sequence under
your BIOS setup and make sure that the first boot device is set to CD/DVD-
ROM. You can then perform the following steps to install Windows XP:
(Part 1 of the Installation) Step 1 - Start your PC and place your Windows XP
CD in your CD/DVD-ROM drive. Your PC should automatically detect the CD
and you will get a message saying "Press any key to boot from CD". Soon as
computer starts booting from the CD your will get the following screen:
Step 2 - At this stage it will ask you to press F6 if you want to install a third
party Raid or SCSI driver. If you are using an IDE Hard Drive then you do not
need to press F6. If you are using a SCSI or SATA Hard drive then you must
press F6 otherwise Windows will not detect your Hard Drive during the in-
stallation. Please make sure you have the Raid drivers on a floppy disk.
Normally the drivers are supplied on a CD which you can copy to a floppy
disk ready to be installed. If you are not sure how to do this then please
read your motherboard manuals for more information.
Step 3 - Press S to Specify that you want to install additional device.
Step 4 - You will be asked to insert the floppy disk with the Raid or SCSI
drivers. Press enter after you have inserted the disk.
Step 5 - You will see a list of Raid drivers for your HDD. Select the correct
driver for your device and press enter.
Step 6 - You will then get a Windows XP Professional Setup screen. You
have the option to do a new Windows install, Repair previous install or quit.
Since we are doing a new install we just press Enter to continue.
(Part 2 of the Installation) Step 7 - You will be presented with the End Us-
er Licensing Agreement. Press F8 to accept and continue
Step 8 - This step is very important. Here we will create the partition where
Windows will be installed. If you have a brand new unformatted drive
you will get a screen similar to below. In our case the drive size is 8190MB.
We can choose to install Windows in this drive without creating a partition,
hence use the entire size of the drive. If you wish to do this you can just
press enter and Windows will automatically partition and format the
drive as one large drive.
However for this demonstration I will create two partition. The
first partition will be 6000MB (C: drive) and second partition would be
2180MB (E: drive). By creating two partition we can have one which stores
Windows and Applications and the other which stores our data. So in the
future if anything goes wrong with our Windows install such as virus or
spyware we can re-install Windows on C: drive and our data on E: drive will
not be touched. Please note you can choose whatever size partition your
like. For example if you have 500GB hard drive you can have
two partition of 250GB each.
Press C to create a partition.
Step 9 - Windows will show the total size of the hard drive and ask you how
much you want to allocate for the partition you are about to create. I will
choose 6000MB. You will then get the screen below. Notice it shows
C: Partition 1 followed by the size 6000 MB. This indicates the partition has
been created. We still have an unpartitioned space of 2189MB. Next high-
light the unpartitioned space by pressing down the arrow key. Then press C
to create another partition. You will see the total space available for the
new partition. Just choose all the space left over, in our case 2180MB.
Step 10 - Now you will see both partition listed. Partition 1 (C: Drive)
6000MB and Partition 2 (E: Drive) 2180MB. You will also have 8MB of un-
partitioned space. Don't worry about that. Just leave it how it is. Windows
normally has some unpartitioned space. You might wonder what happened
to D: drive. Windows has automatically allocated D: drive to CD/DVD-ROM.
Select Partition 1 (C: Drive) and press Enter.
Step 11 - Choose format the partition using NTFS file system. This is the
recommended file system. If the hard drive has been formatted before then
you can choose quick NTFS format. We chose NTFS because it offers many
security features, supports larger drive size, and bigger size files.
Windows will now start formatting drive C: and start copying setup files as
shown on the two images below:
(Part 3 of the Installation) Step 12 - After the setup has completed copying
the files the computer will restart. Leave the XP CD in the drive but this
time DO NOT press any key when the message "Press any key to boot from
CD" is displayed. In few seconds setup will continue. Windows XP Setup
wizard will guide you through the setup process of gathering information
about your computer.
Step 13 - Choose your region and language.
Step 14 - Type in your name and organization.
Step 15. Enter your product key.
Step 16 - Name the computer, and enter an Administrator password. Don't
forget to write down your Administrator password.
Step 17 - Enter the correct date, time and choose your time zone.
Step 18 - For the network setting choose typical and press next.
(Part 4 of the Installation) Step 19 - Choose workgroup or domain name. If

you are not a member of a domain then leave the default settings and
press next. Windows will restart again and adjust the display.
Step 20 - Finally Windows will start and present you with a Welcome
screen. Click next to continue.
Step 21 - Choose 'help protect my PC by turning on automatic up-

dates now' and press next.
Step 22 - Will this computer connect to the internet directly, or through a

network? If you are connected to a router or LAN then choose: 'Yes, this
computer will connect through a local area network or home network'. If
you have dial up modem choose: 'No, this computer will connect directly to
the internet'. Then click Next.
Step 23 - Ready to activate Windows? Choose yes if you wish to active

Windows over the internet now. Choose no if you want
to activate Windows at a later stage.
Step 24 - Add users that will sign on to this computer and click next.
Step 25 - You will get a Thank you screen to confirm setup is complete. Click
finish.
Step 26. Log in, to your PC for the first time.
Step 27 - You now need to check the device manager to confirm that all the
drivers has been loaded or if there are any conflicts. From the start menu
select Start -> Settings -> Control Panel. Click on the System icon and then
from the System Properties window select the Hardware tab, then click
on Device Manager.
If there are any yellow exclamation mark "!" next to any of the
listed device, it means that no drivers or incorrect drivers has been loaded
for that device. In our case we have a Video Controller (VGA card) which
has no drivers installed.
Your hardware should come with manufacturer supplied drivers.
You need to install these drivers using the automatic setup program pro-
vided by the manufacturer or you need to manually install these drivers. If
you do not have the drivers, check the manufacturers’ website to download
them.
To install a driver manually use the following procedure:
(a) From the device manager double click on the device containing the ex-
clamation mark.
(b) This would open a device properties window.
(c) Click on the Driver tab.
(d) Click Update Driver button. The Wizard for updating device driver pops
up as shown below:
You now get two options. The first option provides

an automatic search for the required driver. The second option allows you
to specify the location of the driver. If you don't know the location of the
driver choose the automatic search which would find the required driver
from the manufacturer supplied CD or Floppy disk. Windows would install
the required driver and may ask you to restart the system for the changes
to take effect. Use this procedure to install drivers for all the devices that
contain an exclamation mark. Windows is completely setup when there are
no more exclamation marks in the device manager.
Tips
 Don't forget to set your boot priority in your BIOS. On older sys-
tems, the BIOS is set to read Floppy, HDD, and THEN CD-ROM. You
will need to set your boot priority to load the CD-ROM before
Floppy and HDD.
 The setup generally takes 15 to 40 minutes depending on the
speed of your system. It's best to stay near, because throughout
the installation, it will ask questions such as the Time and Network
settings.
 If you encounter any difficulties installing, Windows Setup will give
you technical information about the error, which can help deter-
mine its cause. Check the trouble shooter on Microsoft's website
for assistance with common installation problems.
Warnings
 You can install Windows more than once on a single partition, but
this may lead to system instability in the future. Download soft-
ware such as Partition Magic 8, to safely divide the hard drive into
partitions for safe install.
 Do not attempt to install Windows on a system that does not meet
the minimum requirements.
 Be sure to Activate Windows within 30 days of installation, other-
wise the system will not allow you to log on until Activation is
complete.
 Some user's installing Windows XP from disks with Service Pack 2
or below experience issues during the early stages of install on
modern computers, characterized as never-ending reboot loops, or
a Blue Screen Error (BSOD). This is due to some disks lacking a driv-
er for SATA hard drives. In order to fix this, the user will have to
slipstream the drivers to a copy of the install CD, or put the re-
quired drivers on a floppy disk and manually add them to the in-
stall list.
How to Install Windows 7
This step-by-step guide demonstrates how to install Windows 7 Ultimate.

The guide is similar for other versions of Windows 7 such as Home Premi-
um.
The best way to install Windows 7 is to do a clean install. It is not difficult to
perform a clean installation. Before you start the installation process I rec-
ommend that you check Windows 7 System Requirements list to ensure
that your hardware is supported by Windows 7. If you don't have Windows
7 drivers for all your hardware, it is a good idea to download all the driv-
ers from the hardware manufacturers’ website and save all the necessary
drivers on a CD-R or a USB drive before you start the installation.
Windows 7 DVD is bootable. In order to boot from the DVD you need to set
the boot sequence.
Look for the
boot sequence under
your BIOS setup
and make sure that the
first boot device is set
to CD-ROM/DVD-ROM.
(Part 1 of the Installa-

tion) Step 1 - Place
Windows 7 DVD in your dvd-rom drive and start your PC. Windows 7 will
start to boot up and you will get the following progress bar.
Step 2 - The next screen allows

you to setup your language,
time and currency format, key-
board or input method. Choose
your required settings and click
next to continue.
Step 3 - The next screen al-

lows you to install or repair
Windows 7. Since we are do-
ing a clean install we will click
on "install now".
Step 4 - Read the license terms and tick I accept license terms. Then click
next to continue.
Step 5 - You will now be presented with two options. Upgrade or Custom
(Advanced). Since we are doing a clean install we will select Custom (Ad-
vanced).
Step 6 - Choose where you would like to install Windows 7. If you have one
hard drive you will get a similar option to the image below. You can click
next to continue. If you have more than one drive or partition then you
need to select the appropriate drive and click next. If you need to format or
partition a drive then click Drive options (advance) before clicking next.
(Part 2 of the Installation) Step 7 - Windows 7 starts the installation pro-

cess and starts copying all the necessary files to your hard drive as shown
on the image below.
Step 8 - It will go through various stages of the setup and will reboot your
system few times.
Step 9 - When your PC reboots it attempts to boot from DVD as its the first
boot device. Do not press any key during the boot prompt so Windows
7 will continue with the installation by booting from the hard drive.
Step 10 - After the reboot your computer will be prepared for first use.
Step 11 - At this stage you need to choose a user name and computer
name. Click next to continue. The user account you create here is the Ad-
ministrator account which is the main account for your Windows 7 that has
all the privileges.
Step 12 - Choose your password and password hint just in case you forget
your password and need to jog your memory.
(Part 3 of the Installation) Step 13 - You can now type the product key that
came with Windows 7 and click next. If you do not enter the product
key you can still proceed to the next stage. However Windows 7 will run in
trial mode for 30 days. You must therefore activate Windows within 30
days otherwise you cannot access your computer after 30 days.
Step 14 - Help protect your computer and improve Windows automatically.
Choose Use recommended settings.
Step 15 - Review your time and date settings. Select your time zone, correct
the date and time and click next to continue.
Step 16 - Select your computer's current location. If you are a home user
then choose Home network otherwise select the appropriate option.
Step 17 - Windows will now finalize the settings for your computer and re-
start.
Step 18 - After the final restart Windows 7 will start to boot up.
(Part 4 of the Installation) Step 19 - Finally you have the logon screen. Just
type your password and press enter or click on the arrow to logon
to Windows 7 for the first time.
Step 20 - After you have logged on to Windows 7 for the first time, you will
see similar desktop to the image below. At this point you can start using
your computer. However it may not be fully configured. You need to make
sure that all the hardware is detected correctly and the necessary device
drivers are installed. This can be done from the device manager.
Step 21 - To go to device manager click - Start Menu -> Control Panel -> Sys-
tem and Security -> System -> Device Manager. You will see all your hard-
ware listed as shown on the image below. You need to check if you have
any yellow exclamation marks next to the name of the devices, similar to
"Multimedia Audio Controller" on the image below. This indicates that the
driver has not been installed for this device.
At this stage you can install the driver for this device. To do so, Right Mouse
click on Multimedia Audio Controller -> Update Driver Software...
Step 22 - You can choose to "Search automatically for updated driver soft-
ware" or "Browse my computer for driver software". If you have the driv-
er CD or if the driver is on a USB drive then choose "browse
my computer for driver software". Window 7 will search and install the
driver from the CD or you can locate the driver manually.
Once you have removed all the yellow exclamation marks from the device
manager your Windows 7 configuration would be fully complete.
Step 23 - Finally check if you have successfully activated Windows 7.

Click Start Menu -> Control Panel -> System and Security -> System. You will
get a window similar to the image below. Towards the bottom you will see
Windows is activated followed by your product ID. This shows that your
copy of Windows 7 is fully activated.
SYSTEM AND HARDWARE CONFIGURATION
On the next figure, you will find a chart that explains how the computer
hardware is made up of. Before delving into a more complicated configura-
tion process, it is better that you know how these hardware are classified.
Generally, we can classify a device as Storage, part of the CPU, Input or
Output.
HARDWARE
The physical computer
and its components
STORAGE DE- CENTRAL PRO- INPUT DEVICES OUTPUT DEVIC-

VICES CESSING UNIT Allow the user ES
Stores data and (CPU) to communicate Enable the com-
program instruc- Carries out pro- with the computer to present
tions gram instruc- puter information to
tions the user
Hard Disk Drave, Arithmetic Logic

Diskette Unit Keyboard Printer
USB Flash Registers Con- Mouse Monitors
Memory trol Center Joystick Speakers
CD Internal Bus
Hardware refers to the tangible (things you can touch) components of a

computer system. Hardware components are further divided into three
groups namely
 Input Devices
 Output Devices
 System Unit
Input Devices performs two most basic computing tasks issuing commands
and entering data. Common input devices are the following:
Keyboard is a
standard input
device of most
computers
 Mouse is a hand-clicked device used for pointing. The modern
mouse uses a ball for movement and has two to three buttons
Trackball is like a stationary, upside down mouse.
Joystick is an input device which is commonly

used for computer games
Light Pen is a device used to draw,

write or issue commands when it touches a special-
ly designed screen.
Output Devices. After processing the data fed into computer with the use
of input devices, the information must now be outputted in a form under-
stood by human beings. Output devices are classified according to the out-
put they can produce. An output which you can hold in your hand is called
hardcopy. Output types such as audio and video are referred to as soft
copy. The following are output devices
used.
 Printer is an output device that
produces text and graphics on pa-
per
 Video Monitors. The monitor, or
display is used to provide soft copy
output.
 Speakers play sounds transmitted
as electrical signals from the sound card
 Modem is a device that sends
and receives data over telephone lines
to and from computers
System Unit.
The system
unit is a part
of the com-
puter which
is responsible for accepting and processing the
data brought in by the input devices. It is also responsible for passing the
resulting information to the users via the output devices.
Main Circuit Board
 Main Circuit Board. Also called the “system board,” is the main
printed circuit board in an electronic device, which contains sock-
ets that accept additional boards. In a personal computer, the
motherboard contains the bus, CPU and coprocessor sockets,
memory sockets, keyboard controller and supporting chips.
 Port is a connection from the main circuit board to a peripheral
device such as a keyboard, a printer or a video monitor. The port is
also called an interface. Ports are arranged at the rear of the main
circuit board.
 Expansion Slot is a receptacle inside a computer or other electron-
ic system that accepts printed circuit boards.
 The Bus is
Expansion Slot responsible for
transporting elec-
tronic signals from
place to place or
predefined routes.
 The CPU is
the computer’s pro-
cessor, controller
and storage device
 Case and
Power Supply is also
known as the sys-
tem unit, the case or
system cabinet is the box that houses the processor chip (CPU), the
memory chips, and the motherboard with power supply, as drive,
and CD-ROM or DVD drive. It include a power supply unit and a fan
to keep the circuit free from overheating.
 Clock synchronizes the operation of all parts of the PC, and pro-
vides the basic timing signal for the CPU
 Memory has two fundamental types: The main memory and the
secondary memory.
 RAM (Random Access Memory) is a group of memory chips, typi-
cally of the dynamic Ram (DRAM) type, which function as the com-
puter’s primary workspace. The “random” in RAM means that the
contents of each byte of storage in the chip can be directly ac-
cessed without regard to the bytes before or after it.
 Video Card is a board that is plugged into a period computer to
give it display capabilities. It connects the processor’s output in-
formation into a video signal that can be sent through a cable to
the monitor.
 Sound Card enhances the computer’s sound generating capabilities
by allowing sound to be output through speakers.
 IDE and Floppy Disk Ribbon Cable. IDE stands for Integrate Device
Electronics. It shows how to connect an IDE cable to two devices
namely the top device (master) and bottom device (slave).
 Power Cables supplies power from the power supply to the drive.
The power cables are red, yellow and black. The yellow wire fur-
nishes 12 volts of power, the two black wire are ground wire for
each.
 CD-ROM/DVD Drive. A CD (computer disk) drive or its more recent
variant, a DVD (digital video disk) is a storage device that use laser
technology to read data form optical disks.
Secondary Memory (Storage) is the

memory where programs and data are
kept for a long term basis. Common
secondary storage devices are the flop-
py disk and hard disk, compact disk.
 Floppy Disk (or diskette) is a flimsy as a sheet

of paper but is protected by a sturdy square jacket that
encases it. It has a low capacity, and is very, very slow
compared to other storage devices.
 Hard Disk Drive is a storage device that store billions of characters
of data on a non-removable disk platter.
Other Peripheral Devices

A peripheral device is any component or piece of equipment that expands a
computer’s input, storage, and output capabilities. Peripheral devices serve
specific purpose, enhance a computer’s functions, or add new service or
additional resources.
 Microphone is a device that converts sounds to electrical signals by

means of vibrating diaphragm.
 Scanner is an input device that reads text or illustration printed on
paper, translates the information into a form that a computer can
use
 Digital Camera use a light sensitive processor chip to capture pho-
tographic images in digital form on a small diskette inserted in a
camera or on flash memory chips.
 Graphic tablet. Objects are drawn using a pen or a puck. The puck
is technically a tablet cursor, not a mouse.
SOFTWARE PACKAGES AND USE OF APPLICATION PROGRAMS

Software is the component of a computer system which refers to the set of
instructions written in a code that computers can understand and execute.
Another name for this set of instructions is program. The three types of
software are:
 System Software
 Application Software
 Programming Language
System Software. This software tells the CPU what to do, a more common
term is Operating System (OS). The most popular is in use for PC micro-
computer is Microsoft’s MS DOS. DOS for short is a collection of various
programs that help control your PC. Other operating systems are Microsoft
Windows (from the early Windows 95 and 98 to the current Windows Vista
and Windows8), MAC OS, UNIX, Linux and Apple’s OS 9.
Application Software. This is designed and written to perform specific per-

sonal, business, or scientific processing tasks such as payroll, processing,
human resource management, or inventory management. Common appli-
cation software are the following:
 Word Processor. A word processor is an electronic device or com-
puter software application that, as directed by the user, performs
word processing: the composition, editing, formatting and some-
times printing of any sort of written material.
 Spreadsheets. A spreadsheet is an interactive computer applica-
tion program for organization and analysis of data in tabular form.
Spreadsheets developed as computerized simulations of paper ac-
counting worksheets.
 Database Programs. A database application is a computer program
whose primary purpose is entering and retrieving information from
a computerized database.
 Presentation Software. A presentation program is
a software package used to display information in the form of
a slide show. It has three major functions: an editor that allows text
to be inserted and formatted, a method for inserting and manipu-
lating graphic images, and a slide-show system to display the con-
tent.
 Desktop Publishing Software. Desktop publishing software can
generate layouts and produce typographic quality text and images
comparable to traditional typography and printing.
 Reference Software. Reference software is software which emu-
lates and expands upon print reference forms including
the dictionary, translation dictionary, encyclopedia, thesaurus,
and atlas.
 Graphics Programs. Graphics software or image editing software is
a program or collection of programs that enable a person to ma-
nipulate visual images on a computer.
 Educational Software this includes tutorials and electronic lessons
that give students knowledge or training in a particular subject or
skill, such as Math or Science or in gardening or cooking.
 Computer Games. These are programs that stimulate real games
or provide entertainment and adventure to users
 Network Software. These are programs that make it possible for
computers in different area to be connected, allowing their users
to communicate with each other.
Programming Language Software. This provides programmers with the

necessary tools to write programs and instructions to computer. Program-
mers use this software for making computer programs.
MULTIMEDIA SYSTEMS
A Multimedia System is a system capable of processing multimedia data

and applications. It is characterised by the processing, storage, generation,
manipulation and rendition of Multimedia information.
Multimedia refers to content that uses a combination of different content

forms. This contrasts with media that use only rudimentary computer dis-
plays such as text-only or traditional forms of printed or hand-produced
material. Multimedia includes a combination of text, audio, still images,
animation, video, or interactivity content forms.
Multimedia presentations may be viewed by person on stage, projected,

transmitted, or played locally with a media player. A broadcast may be a
live or recorded multimedia presentation. Broadcasts and recordings can be
either analog or digital electronic media technology. Digital online multi-
media may be downloaded or streamed. Streaming multimedia may be live
or on-demand.
Multimedia games and simulations may be used in a physical environment

with special effects, with multiple users in an online network, or locally with
an offline computer, game system, or simulator.
DEVICE DRIVERS
A device driver (commonly referred to as simply a driver) is a computer

program that operates or controls a particular type of device that is at-
tached to a computer. A driver provides a software interface to hardware
devices, enabling operating systems and other computer programs to ac-
cess hardware functions without needing to know precise details of the
hardware being used.
A driver typically communicates with the device through the computer bus
or communications subsystem to which the hardware connects. When a
calling program invokes a routine in the driver, the driver issues commands
to the device. Once the device sends data back to the driver, the driver may
invoke routines in the original calling program. Drivers are hardware-
dependent and operating-system-specific. They usually provide the inter-
rupt handling required for any necessary asynchronous time-dependent
hardware interface.
COMPUTER NETWORKING AND CONFIGURATION
A computer network or data network is a telecommunications network that

allows computers to exchange data. In computer networks, networked
computing devices pass data to each other along data connections. The
connections (network links) between nodes are established using either
cable media or wireless media. The best-known computer network is the
Internet.
There are three major type of computer network:

 LAN (Local area Network)- that means its boundary in a local office
or room
 WAN (Wide area Network)- Its boundary is wide spread over the
world best e.g.: internet
 MAN (Metropolitan area network) - It spread over a city
Advantages of Installing a Network
1. Speed
Networks provide a very fast method for the exchange and transfer of files.
Without a network, the files by dragging them on memory cards or disks,
then take or send the disks from one computer to another split. This meth-
od of transferring files (as sneaker-net "called) can be very long.
2. Cost
Network versions of many popular software programs are substantial sav-
ings compared to buying individually licensed copies available.
3. Security
The files and programs on a network as a means to prevent "copy" are so
that you do not make the illegal copying of programs. Moreover, passwords
for certain directories can be created to restrict access to authorized users.
4. Centralized management software
One of the biggest advantages for the establishment of a network at school
is that all software can be downloaded to a computer (file server). This
eliminates the need for time and energy installing updates and tracking files
on independent computers throughout the building.
5. Sharing of resources
Sharing resources is another advantage of the educational networks. The
Most schools are unable to afford enough laser printers, fax machines, mo-
dems, scanners, CD players and for every computer. However, if these or
similar peripherals are added to a network, they can be shared by several
users.
6. E-mail
The presence of a network provides the hardware for a system of e-mail to
install. E-mail communication aids personal and professional school for all
staff and facilitate the dissemination of general information for school per-
sonnel. E-mail to a LAN to enable the students to communicate with teach-
ers and colleagues in their own school. If the LAN is connected to the Inter-
net, students can communicate with others around the world.
7. A flexible approach
Networks allow students to access their files from computers in the school.
Students may begin a task in their classroom, save part of it on a publicly
accessible area network, then proceed to complete the Media Center after
school work. Students can also work on the network.
8. Workgroup Computing
Collaborative Software allows multiple users to work on a paper or project
at the same time. For example may serve to help educators in different
schools in a community whilst helping their ideas for new curriculum for
the same document, spreadsheet or website.
Disadvantages of Installing a School Network
1. Expensive to Install. Although a network will generally save money over

time, the initial costs of installation can be prohibitive. Cables, network
cards, and software are expensive, and the installation may require the ser-
vices of a technician.
2. Requires Administrative Time. Proper maintenance of a network requires
considerable time and expertise. Many schools have installed a network,
only to find that they did not budget for the necessary administrative sup-
port.
3. File Server May Fail. Although a file server is no more susceptible to fail-
ure than any other computer, when the files server "goes down," the entire
network may come to a halt. When this happens, the entire school may
lose access to necessary programs and files.
4. Cables May Break. The Topology chapter presents information about the
various configurations of cables. Some of the configurations are designed to
minimize the inconvenience of a broken cable; with other configurations,
one broken cable can stop the entire network.
What is a Protocol?
A protocol is a set of rules that governs the communications between comput-

ers on a network. In order for two computers to talk to each other, they must
be speaking the same language. Many different types of network protocols and
standards are required to ensure that your computer (no matter which operat-
ing system, network card, or application you are using) can communicate with
another computer located on the next desk or half-way around the world.
The most common protocols are:

• Ethernet
• Local Talk
• Token Ring
• FDDI
• ATM
What is Networking Hardware?
Networking hardware includes all computers, peripherals, interface

cards and other equipment needed to perform data-processing and communi-
cations within the network. CLICK on the terms below to learn more about
those pieces of networking hardware.
This section provides information on the following components:

• File Servers
• Workstations
• Network Interface Cards
• Switches
• Repeaters
• Bridges
• Routers
File Servers
A file server stands at the heart of most networks. It is a very fast
computer with a large amount of RAM and storage space, along with a fast
network interface card. The network operating system software resides on this
computer, along with any software applications and data files that need to be
shared.
Workstations
All of the user computers connected to a network are called work-

stations. A typical workstation is a computer that is configured with a network
interface card, networking software, and the appropriate cables. Workstations
do not necessarily need floppy disk drives because files can be saved on the file
server. Almost any computer can serve as a network workstation.
Network Interface Cards
The network interface card (NIC) provides the physical connection

between the network and the computer workstation. Most NICs are internal,
with the card fitting into an expansion slot inside the computer. Some comput-
ers, such as Mac Classics, use external boxes which are attached to a serial port
on a SCSI port. Laptop computers can now be purchased with a network inter-
face card built-in or with network cards that slip into a PCMCIA slot.
Network interface cards are a major factor in determining the speed
and performance of a network. It is a good idea to use the fastest network card
available to the type of workstation you are using.
Switch
A concentrator is a device that provides a central connection point for

cables from workstations, servers, and peripherals. In a star topology, twisted
pair wire is run from each workstation to a central switch/hub. Most switches
are active, that is they electrically amplify the signal as it moves from one de-
vice to another. Switches no longer broadcast network packets as hubs did in
the past, they memorize addressing of computers and send the information to
the correct location directly. Switches are:
• Usually configured with 8, 12, or 24 RJ-45 ports
• Often used in a star or star-wired ring topology
• Sold with specialized software for port management
• Also called hubs
Usually, installed in a standardized metal rack that also may store net modems,
bridges, or routers
Repeaters
Since a signal loses strength as it passes along a cable, it is often nec-

essary to boost the signal with a device called a repeater. The repeater electri-
cally amplifies the signal it receives and rebroadcasts it. Repeaters can be sepa-
rate devices or they can be incorporated into a concentrator. They are used
when the total length of your network cable exceeds the standards set for the
type of cable being used.
Bridges
A bridge is a device that allows you to segment a large network into
two smaller, more efficient networks. If you are adding to an older wiring
scheme and want the new network to be up-to-date, a bridge can connect the
two.
A bridge monitors the information traffic on both sides of the network
so that it can pass packets of information to the correct location. Most bridges
can “listen” to the network and automatically figure out the address of each
computer on both sides of the bridge. The bridge can inspect each message
and, of necessary, broadcast it on the other side of the network. The bridge
manages the traffic to maintain optimum performance on both sides of the
network. You might say that the bridge is like a traffic cop at a busy intersection
during rush hour. It keeps information flowing on both sides of the network,
but it does not allow unnecessary traffic through. Bridges can be used to con-
nect different types of cabling, or physical topologies. They must, however, be
used between networks with the same protocol.
Routers
A router translates information from one network to another; it is sim-

ilar to a super intelligent bridge. Routers select the best path to route a mes-
sage, based on the destination address and origin. The router can direct traffic
to prevent head on collisions, and is smart enough to know when to direct traf-
fic along back roads and shortcuts.
If you have a school LAN that you want to connect to the Internet, you will
need to purchase a router. In this case, the router serves as the translator be-
tween the information on your LAN and the Internet. It also determines the
best route to send the data over the Internet. Routers can:
• Direct signal traffic efficiently
• Route messages between any two protocols
• Route messages between linear bus, start, and start-wired ring topologies
• Route messages across fiber optic, coaxial, and twisted-pair cabling
What is Network Cabling?
Cable is the medium through which information usually moves from one
network device to another. There are several types of cable which are
commonly used with LANs. In some cases, a network will utilize only one type
of cable, either networks will use a variety of cable types. The type of cable
chosen for a network is related to the network’s topology, protocol, and size.
Understanding the characteristics of different types of cable and how they re-
late to other aspects of a network is necessary for the development of a suc-
cessful network.
The following sections discuss the types of cables used in networks and other
related topics.
 Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable
 Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable
 Coaxial Cable
 Fiber Optic Cable
 Wireless LANs
Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable
Twisted pair cabling comes in two variables: shielded and unshielded.

Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) is the
most popular and is generally the best
option for school networks.
Categories of UTP Cable
Type Use
Category 1 Voice Only (Telephone Wire)
Category 2 Data to 4 Mbps (Local Talk)
Category 3 Data to 10 Mbps (Ethernet)
Category 4 Data to 20 Mbps (16 Mbps Token)
Category 5 Data to 100 Mbps (Fast Ethernet)
Unshielded Twisted Pair Connector
The standard connector for unshielded twisted pair cabling is an RJ-45

connector. This is a plastic connector that looks like a large telephone style
connector. A slot allows the RJ-45 to be inserted only one way. RJ stands for
Registered Jack, implying that the connector follows a standard borrowed from
the telephone industry. This
standard designates which wire
goes with each pin inside the
connector.
Shielded Twisted Pair (STP)

Cable
A disadvantage of UTP is that it may be susceptible to radio and elec-
trical frequency interference. Shielded twisted pair (STP) is suitable for envi-
ronments with electrical interference; however, the extra shielding can make
the cables quite bulky. Shielded twisted pair is often used on networks using
Token Ring topology.
Coaxial Cable
Coaxial cabling has a single copper conductor at its center. A plastic
layer provides insulation between the center conductor and a braided metal
shield. The metal shield helps to block any outside interference from fluores-
cent lights, motors, and other computers. Although coaxial cabling is difficult to
install, it is highly resistant to signal interference. In addition, it can support
greater cable lengths between network devices than twisted pair cable. The
two types of coaxial cabling are thick coaxial and thin coaxial.
Wireless LANs
Not all networks are connected in cabling, some networks are wire-
less. Wireless LANs use high frequency radio signals, infrared light beams, or
lasers to communicate between the workstations and the file server or hubs.
Each workstation and file server on a wireless network has some sort of trans-
ceiver/antenna to send and receive the data. Information is relayed between
transceivers as if they were physically connected. For longer distance, wireless
communications can also take place through cellular telephone technology,
microwave transmission, or by satellite.
Wireless networks are great for allowing laptop computers or remote comput-
ers to connect to the LAN. Wireless networks are also beneficial in older build-
ings where it may be difficult or impossible to install cables.
What is a Network Operating System
Unlike operating systems, such as DOS and Windows, that are de-
signed for single users to control one computer, network operating systems
(NOS) coordinate the activities of multiple computers across a network. The
network operating system acts as a director to keep the network running
smoothly.
The two major types of network operating systems are:
 Peer-to-Peer
 Client/Server
Peer-to-Peer
Peer-to-peer network operating

systems allow users to share resources and
files located on their computers and to ac-
cess shared resources found on other com-
puters. However, they do not have a file
server or a centralized management source.
In a peer-to-peer network, all computers are considered equal, they all have
the same abilities to use the resources available on the network. Peer-to-peer
networks are designed primarily for small to medium local area networks.
AppleShare and Windows for Workgroups are example of programs that can
function as peer-to-peer networking operating systems.
Advantages of a peer-to-peer network:

 Less initial expense – No need for a dedicated server.
 Setup – An operating system (such as Windows XP) already in place may
only need to be reconfigured for peer-to-peer operations
Disadvantages of a peer-to-peer network:

 Decentralized – No central repository for files and applications.
 Security – Does not provide the security available on a client/server net-
work
Client/Server
Client/server network operating systems allow the network to central-
ize functions and applications in one or more dedicated file servers. The file
servers become the heart of the system, providing access to resources and
providing security. Individual workstations (clients) have access to the re-
sources available
on the file serv-
ers. The network
operating system
provides the
mechanism to
integrate all the
components of
the network and
allow multiple
users to simulta-
neously share
the same resources irrespective of physical location. Novell Netware and Win-
dows 2000 Server are examples of client/server network operating systems.
Advantages of a client/server network:
 Centralized – Resources and data security are controlled through the
server.
 Scalability – any or all elements can be replaced individually as needs
increase.
 Flexibility – New technology can be easily integrated into system.
 Interoperability – All components (client/network/server) work to-
gether.
 Accessibility – Server can be accessed remotely and across multiple
platforms.
Disadvantages of a client/server network:
 Expense – Requires initial investment in dedicated server.
 Maintenance – Large networks will require a staff to ensure efficient
operation
 Dependence – When server goes down, operations will cease across
the network
Network Topology
Network Topology signifies the way in which intelligent devices in the network
see their logical relations to on another. The use of the term “logical” here is significant.
That is, network topology is independent of the “physical” layout of the network. Even if
networked computers are physically places in a linear arrangement, if they are connected
via a hub, the network has a Star topology, rather than a Bus Topology. In this
regard the visual and operational characteristics of a network are distinct; the
logical network topology is not necessarily the same as the physical layout.
BUS TOPOLOGY
It is often used when network installation is small, simple or tempo-
rary. On a typical bus
network the cable is just 1
or more wires with no
active electronics to am-
plify the signal or pass it
along from computer to
computer. This makes the
bus a passive topology.
When 1 computer sends a
signal up the wire all the
computers receive the
information but only one
with the address that matches accepts the information, the rest disregard the
message.
Advantages:
 Easy to use and to understand.
 Requires least amount of cable to connect the computers togeth-
er. It is therefore less expensive than other cabling arrangements.
 It is easy to extend a bus; two cables can be joined into 1 longer
cable with a BNC, Barrel connector making a longer cable and al-
lowing more computers to join the network.
Disadvantages:
 Heavy network traffic can slow a bus considerably as only 1 com-
puter can send a message at a time.
 It is difficult to troubleshoot the bus. A cable break or loose con-
nector causes reflection and stops all the activity.
STAR TOPOLOGY
In this kind of topology, all the ca-
bles run from the computers to the
central location where they are all connect-
ed by a device called hub or switch. Each
computer on a star network communicates
with a central device that resends the mes-
sage either to each computer or only to the
destination computer, example if it is a hub then it will send to all and if it is a
switch then it will send to only destination computer. When network expansion
is expected and when the greater reliability is needed, star topology is the best.
Advantages:
 It is easy to modify and add new computers without disturbing
the rest of the network.
 The center of the star network is a good place to diagnose the
faults.
 Single computer failure does not necessarily bring down the
whole star network.
Disadvantages:
 If the central device fails, the whole network fails to operate.
 Star networking is expensive because all network cables must be
pulled to one central point, requires more cable than other net-
work topologies.
RING TOPOLOGY
In this type each computer is connected to the next computer with the
last one connected to the first. Each re-
transmits what it receives from the previous
computer. The message flows around the
ring in one direction. The ring network does
not subject to signal loss problems as a bus
network experiences. There is no termination
because there is no end to the ring.
Advantages:
 Each node has equal access.
 Capable of high speed data transfer
Disadvantages:
 Failure of one computer on the ring can affect the whole net-
work.
 Difficult to troubleshoot the network
Making a Patch Cable
A UTP cable (category 5) is one of the most popular LAN cables. This
cable consists of 4 twisted pairs of metal wires (that means there are 8 wires in
the cable). Adding RJ45 connectors at both ends of the UTP cable it becomes a
LAN cable they usually use.
Preparation
You need a UTP Cable, Crimping Tool, RJ45, and Cutter
1. Remove the outmost vinyl shield for 12mm at one end of

the cable (we call this side A-side)
2. Arrange the metal wires in parallel (refer the each section’s wire arrange-
ment table). Don’t remove the shield of each metal line.
3. Insert the metal wires into RJ45 connector on keeping the metal wire ar-
rangement.
4. Set the RJ45 connector (with the cable) on the pliers, and squeeze it tightly
5. Make the other side of the cable (we call this side B-side in the same way).
6. After you made it, you don’t need to take care of the direction of the cable
(Any cable in this page is directionless --- that means you can set either of
the cable to either device.)
How to see the wire arrangement

Take the UTP cable with
your left hand and a RJ45
connector with your right
hand. Hold the RJ45 con-
nector in the way you can
see the contact metal face
of the RJ45 connector.
The tables below are for the case where the UTP cable consists of green/green-
white, orange/orange-white, blue/blue-white, brown/brown-white twisted
pairs.
10 Base T / 100 Base T Straight
10BaseT and 100BaseT are most common node of LAN. You can use
UTP category-5 cable for bothmode. (You can use UTP category-3 cable for
10BaseT, in which there are only 3 wires inside the cable.)
A straight cable is used to connect a computer to a hub. You can use it
to coonect 2 hubs in the case one of the hubs has an uplink port (and you use
normal port on the other hub).
Pin ID side A side B

1 orange-white orange-white
2 Orange orange
3 green-white green-white
4 Blue blue
5 blue-white blue-white
6 Green green
7 brown-white brown-white
8 Brown brown
10 Base T / 100 Base T Cross

A cross cable for 10BaseT and 100BaseT is used to connect 2 comput-
ers directly (with ONLY the UTP cable). It is also used when you connect 2 hubs
with a normal port on both hubs. (In other words, the cross cable is used rela-
tively in a rare case.)
Pin ID side A side B
1 orange-white green-white
2 Orange Orange
3 green-white orange-white
4 Blue Blue
5 blue-white blue-white
6 Green Orange
7 brown-white brown-white
8 Brown Brown
Configuring a Peer to Peer Network
Windows XP Networking
As in previous versions of Windows,
Windows XP provides a wizard for network
connection setup. Wizards break down a task
into individual steps and guide the user
through the steps one at a time.
The Windows XP New Connection Wizard
supports two basic types of Internet connections, dialup and broadband.
To access the network connection
setup wizard in Windows XP, navi-
gate through the Start menu to the
Connect To and Show all connec-
tions options as shown below.
The same feature is also accessible
via the Network Connections icon
in Control Panel.
Choosing either of the above
options causes a new window
to appear on the desktop as
shown below. On the right, this
window displays icons for any
per-existing connections. The
Create a new connection op-
tion on the left allows new con-
nections to be set up.
Clicking the Create a new

connection option from the
Network Connections dialog
activates the wizard as shown
below.
Clicking Next presents the

user with three main choices
for Internet and private
network setup as shown
below.
The Connect to
the Internet option
suppo=rts several types of
Internet connection setup.
This option allows the user
to choose from a list of
ISPs, use a setup CD-ROM
provided by their ISP, or set up a connection manually.
Connect to the network at my workplace supports a client0side set
up of both dialup remote access and VPN services.
The Set up an advanced connection option supports serial, parallel,
and infrared port networking setups. This option also allows the user
to enable certain types of incoming network connections.
Setting up an Internet Connection
The Getting Ready page presents three choices as shown below:
The Choose from a list of Internet Service Providers option gives in-
structions for setting up an account with an ISP, then making the Internet con-
nection through that new account.
The Set up my connection manually option sets up connection for
accounts that have already been opened with an ISP (username and password
are ready for use).
The Use the CD I got from
an ISP option should be used
when possessing an installation
CD-ROM from one of the services
providers.
By default the first option
Get online with MSN (Microsoft

Network) is selected. To set up a
new connection to MSN, click Fin-
ish. To set up a new connection to
various other ISPs, change the
radio button selection to the sec-
ond option and then click Finish.
MSN Internet Connection Setup
After choosing MSN and

clicking Finish, the Windows XP
network connection wizard closes and a new window opens as shown below.
This window leads to the MSN Explorer Wizard. Answering Yes to this
question creates a key in the
Windows Registry that allows
access to MSN email from the
Windows XP Start Menu. An-
swering No to this question
skips that step. After answering
either Yes or No, the MSN wiz-
ard launches automatically.
The MSN wizard sets up an MSN account and dial-up Internet connec-
tion but require a working phone line connected to a working modem.
Other ISP Internet Connection Setup
After choosing an alternative ISP and clicking Finish, the Windows XP

network connection wizard closes and a new Windows Explorer window opens
as shown below.
The first
shortcut launches the
MSN window shown
above. The second
shortcut launches a
new Internet Con-
nection Wizard. This
wizard dials a public
phone number to
obtain a list of ISP referrals from Microsoft. Obviously, the wizard will provide a
limited list of service providers and not necessarily the best ones for each indi-
vidual’s needs.
These shortcuts, installed in C:\Program Files\online Services, can be
accessed at any time from Windows Explorer. It is not necessary to navigate
through the Windows XP network connection wizard to execute them.
This wizard assumes an account has been opened previously. Manual
connections require the username (account name) and password from a work-
ing ISP service. Dial-up connections also require a telephone number; broad-
band connections do not.
The next step presents three options for creating a manual connec-
tion.
The Connect using a dial-up modem option works for phone line In-
ternet services (either traditional dial-up or ISDN).
The Connect using a broadband connection that requires a user name and
password option works for DSL or cable modem Internet services that use
PPPoE.
The Connect using a

broadband connection that is
always on option works for true
“always on” DSL or cable modem

services (those that do not require
a username/password) as specified
in their service agreement.
Microsoft added this option for informational purposes only. Service providers
normally create their setup CDs to include all of the necessary setup data for an
operating system in a self-contained package. Therefore, clicking Finish has no
effect other than to exit the wizard.
SOP in Computer Network Configuration

You have learned from Information Sheet #2.2.6 how to configure a Peer-
to-Peer network and XP connection with Internet. Now to check if the LAN
connection is ready working, you must try to share your resources and ac-
cessed shared resources of other computer. Make sure that you follow the
standard operating procedures in configuring network to achieve successful
operation.
Sharing Resources and Accessing Shared Resources
1. Open My Computer, dou-

ble-click the C: drive, and
create a new folder on the
C: drive. Name it Shared.
Right-click the Shared fold-
er and select Properties.
2. In the Shared Properties
dialog box, select the Shar-
ing tab. Notice that the Se-
lect the Share This Folder
button. Type the Share Name.
Click Apply and the computer
you are linked to should be able
to view your Shared Folder.
3. Right-click My Network
Places, which should be located
on your desktop. Select Proper-
ties. Right-click your connection
(look for a name like Local Area
Connection) and again select
Properties. In your Local Area
Connection Properties dialog
box, select File and Print Sharing
for Microsoft Networks and click
OK. If you don’t use an option
for File and Print Sharing, click
Install and select a service and then click Add. Now, select the File and
Print Sharing option.
4. Open My Network Places -double-
click the icon- and select the Entire
Network option under Other Plac-
es at the left of the window. In the
main (right-hand) pane, you
should see one or more options.
Double-click the Microsoft Win-
dows Network Icon.
5. You’re now at the main network
screen, where you should see what’s called a workgroup. A workgroup
is a basic group of computers connected to the same Ethernet network.
Double-click the workgroup to see all the computers connected to your
Ethernet network.
At this point, you can access any of the other computers and see what
folders they have shared. If you don’t see any computer but your own, just wait
a few minutes and refresh your screen. Then it’s time to troubleshoot the net-
work problems.
In a network, other peripherals such as printer and faxes could also be
shared. You could use one computer in a network of 10 computers. Click the
print command, when the dialog box appears click Find Printer. Then, click
Browse. Find the location of the printer you will use.
If you don’t have any printer installed in your computer, here’s the step on
how:
1. Click Start button, then point to Printer and Faxes.
2. A window will be displayed showing Click Add a Printer on the Taskpane (if
there are
printers already installed).
3. To continue, click Next.

4. Select what kind of printer
you are going to connect, Local
Printer or Network Printer.
5. Select Printer port.
6. Below Manufacturer,
Click on the name of the
printer’s manufacturer.
Manufacturers are listed in
alphabetical order and you
may have to click on the lit-
tle down arrow until the
manufacturer’s name ap-
pears in the list. Below Mod-
el, Click on the model of the
printer you will be using.
Model names are listed in
alphabetical order and you
may need to click on the little
down arrow until the model
name appears in the list.
Note: You can often find the
manufacturer and model
names by looking on the
printer itself.
7. Click the Next button. Windows will check to see if it has the software nec-
essary to communicate with the printer (the software your computer needs
to communicate with device like printers, monitors, and disk drives is

known as a driver). If so, it will install the software automatically.
Note: If you receive a message saying that Windows was unable to locate
the necessary files, you will need to get the necessary software before continu-
ing. Most often, the printer manufacturer’s Web site will have a section called
Drivers, from which you can download the software necessary to use their
products. If you are unable to locate the software on the manufacturer’s Web
site, inquire within your department to see if someone is in possession of a
software installation disk for the printer.
8. Assign your Printer name. Click Next. If you want to test page, click Yes.
Click Next.
9. Then Finish, Right-click on the printer you installed. Click Set as Default.
Windows 7 Networking
Microsoft Windows 7 provides a fast way to create a peer-to-peer net-

work. To use it, start Windows Explorer. Depending on the computer or
its manufacturer, in the left frame, you may see an icon labeled Home-
group:
If you see it, click it. A new window may come up:
Read the text and click Join Now. Another window would come up:
Click Next. You will be asked to provide a password.
Wireless Networking
If you plan to let some computers access the network wirelessly

(using a router that has wireless capability), you may need to use one
computer to set it up.
To do this:
a. Start the computer you will use to setup the

router (you should turn the others off):
b. Most, if not all, wireless routers come with

very easy to follow instructions. Most of
them usually ask you to first insert the disc
that accompanies the router, that is, before physically installing the
router. Consult the documentation (usually just one or a few pieces
of paper or a small brochure) and faithfully follow its disc's instruc-
tions. At one time, the instructions would indicate to you when to
connect the computer and the wireless router. To do this, you will
use a cable (usually supplied to you) to connect one end to the
computer and another end to the router:
Because the steps to perform depend on the router (or the manu-
facturer), we will let you perform as described by their documenta-
tion
c. After installing and setting up the wireless router, turn it off and
turn the computer off
d. For any computer that doesn't have a wireless network card but
has a wired network card, connect it to a port of the wireless rout-
er using an RJ-45 cable. The computers that have a network card
will not need a physical connection to the wireless router:
e. Turn on the router. After a few seconds, turn on the computers
one by one.
You may not need to check whether they work at this time or not.
Checking Network Connectivity
On the Taskbar of a computer that is a member of the network, you

should see the icon for the network connectivity. The icon may appears
empty:
That's good (this is not a guaranty that everything is alright but probably
everything is fine).
If the icon appears with a rotating cursor, the computer is probably look-
ing for a network:
In this case, you should let it continue searching.
The icon may appear with an orange ball:
Click that icon to show a list of available networks (from your neighbors)
and click the name of your network.
If the icon appears with a red X or any suspicious sign, it means some-
thing is wrong:
If the computer connects using a cable (wired connection), the first thing
you should check is whether the network cable is connected. If it's not,
connect it and check the icon again. If the cable is connected, the next
thing is to check whether the driver for the network card is installed and
up-to-date. To check it, click Start, right-click Computer, and click Man-
age. On the left, click Device Manager. Check how Ethernet Controller
and/or Network Controller appear. If either or both have an exclamation
mark in their icon, ...
... right-click the item and click Properties (you can also double-click it). A
dialog box would come up. It may display a message that the drivers are
not installed:
There are various ways you can get the drivers. One way is to get to the
web site of the manufacturer, download the driver, and install it. Then
check the icon again.
Network Discovery
Network discovery makes it possible for a computer to allow other com-

puters to "see" it on the network. If you have a computer that needs to
participate in a network, you should allow network discovery on it. To do
that, open Windows Explorer and click Network (you can click the Start
button and click the Network option). A message should appear under
the toolbar stating "Network discovery is turned off...":
Routine Operations of a Network
User Accounts
A peer-to-peer network, also called a workgroup, is a network where

each computer owns its own resources and can make them available.
Each computer may or may not present much security. One way to se-
cure a computer is to make sure that anybody who wants to use it must
be identified. That is, everyone who wants to use the computer must
have a user account on that computer.
To create a user account
a. Click Start -> Control Panel
b. Under User Accounts and Family Safety, click Add Or Remove User
Accounts
c. Click Create a New Account
d. Specify a user name
e. You have the option of making it a regular account (Standard op-

tion) or an account that can perform more advanced options (such
as managing other account and/or controlling various operations
on the computer).
When you are ready, click Create Account
f. To assign a password to the account, click the account to open its
properties
g. Click Create a Password
h. Type a password in the
first text box and press
Tab
i. Type the same pass-
word and press Tab
twice
j. Type something that
can help you remember
the password if you
happen to forget it
k. Click Create Password
Sharing a Folder
Probably the most fundamental way a computer can make a resource
available is to share one or its resources or files. Of course, you must first
create the resources.
Of course, to create a folder, open Windows Explorer or any file utility of

your choice. Select the drive. Right-click it or right-click the right frame,
position the mouse on New, and click Folder:
Give a name to the folder and press Enter
After creating a folder, to share it:
a. Start Windows Explorer and display the drive where the folder is
located
b. Right-click the folder -> Share With -> Specific People...
c. Click the arrow of the combo box:
d. Then:
i. If you want to control access of the folder for all user ac-
counts, click Everyone
ii. If you want to control access for a specific account and
that account is in the list, select it
iii. If you want to control access for a certain user but his or
her account is not listed, click Create A New User... and
create the new account
e. Under Permission Level click the down-pointing arrow for the ac-
count you selected
f. Select the desired permission

g. Click Share
h. Click Done
Accessing a Shared Folder
When a folder is shared in a computer, the other computers can access

it. To access such a folder from another computer, you must use an ac-
count that exists in the computer where the folder is shared.
To access a shared folder:
a. Open Windows Explorer

b. In the left frame, click Network.
The right should play the names of the computers of the same
network
c. Double-click the icon of the computer where the desired folder is
located
d. A Windows Security dialog box may come. In the top text box, type
the name of the computer that has the folder, followed by \, fol-
lowed by the user account you created in that computer
e. Press Tab
f. Type the password that was given to that account
About the check box:

o If you leave Remember My Credentials unchecked, the
next time you try accessing the folders of that computer,
you will be asked to provide the credentials (user name
and password) again
o If you check Remember My Credentials, next time, you can
access the folders of that computer
g. When you are ready, click OK
The computer should then show its shared folder(s)
You can then:

o Double-click the folder to see its contents
o Open a file that is in that folder
o Create a file and save it in that folder
o Copy files and put them in that folder
o Put various types of files (pictures, music, videos, presen-
tation, etc.) in that folder
o Etc.
Common Faults and Problems of a Computer
Today’s computers
have faster microproces-
sors, more memory and
bigger hard drives. When
you think about the differ-
ences between a Pentium 4
and 386, you have to con-
clude the improvement is
surrounding! But when
error attacks your comput-
er you have to do something for the computers to survive. Here are some of
the common faults and problems that you may encounter:
Why computer becomes slow?
You need more memory.
Don’t overlook the obvious. Up until recently not having enough memory
wasn’t a problem. With the price of RAM becoming very affordable, most peo-
ple were filling their computers with more than enough memory to do the job.
If your computer is slow and it has lower capacity of RAM, you need to add
more memory to speed it up.
Spyware and viruses
Spyware. It is a software program that is intentionally installed on the
computer by the user to monitor or spy on what the other users of the same
computer is doing.
For this program to be effective, you have to keep up to date. By up to
date, it means up to the minute.
Virus. A software program, macro or script that has been designed to
infect, destroy, modify or cause other problems with computer or software
program.
Background Program
When you install new software on your computer, often times you install it
to run in the background every time you start up. Most times you do this
without knowing it. Look at the bottom-right hand of your screen.
If you see several icons there, you have extra programs running and
stealing resources. Right-click on these and see if you have the option of closing
them. Many times, you can’t open the program and choose an option to keep
these programs from starting automatically.
Corrupted Registry
Any changes you make to your computer effects and actually, it corrupts
your registry even when you do something positive like remove spyware and
you end end up with a corrupted registry.
After months of corrupting ypur registry, it will become good. This will, in
its early stages, cause your computers to slow down. In its advanced stages, it
will freeze and crash and do more mysterious and troublesome things.
After I press the Power button…

Nothing happened
 Check mains plug switched on at wall
 PSU may have its own power switch – check if this is on
 Check if PSU-to-Motherboard cable(s) are correctly connected
 Check if front panel power switch is correctly connected
 Check if Reset button is not stuck ‘in’
 Check mains cable fuse
There was a loud bang (possibly with some) at the back of the PC case
 PSU was faulty or set to incorrect voltage for main supply system. Replace
PSU
PC is on but monitor shows no display and a sequence of beeps emits from

the PC
 Check fitting of CPU, RAM, Video card, etc. If necessary, remove and refit
these components
 Check the motherboard manual and perform a BIOS reset procedure
 This may indicate a faulty motherboard
PC is on but monitor shows no display and one beep emits from the PC
 Check monitor is switched on at the wall socket
 Check monitor power cable is connected correctly
 Check that monitor’s signal cable is connected correctly to both the PC and
Monitor
 Check that the monitor is switched on at its front panel
 This may indicate a faulty video card
PC is on but there are no power and/or HDD lights on the PC case front panel
 Check correct connection of front panel connectors to the motherboard
(see motherboard manual)
 This ‘may’ indicate a faulty Motherboard
PC is on but HDD does not spin up

 Check power connector to HDD is properly connected
 Check IDE ribbon cable is correctly connected to both Motherboard and
HDD
 This may indicate a faulty Hard Drive
PC is on but CD-ROM shows no lights/will not eject tray

 Check power connector to CD-ROM is properly connected
 Check IDE ribbon cable is correctly connected to both Motherboard and
CD-ROM
 This may indicate a faulty CD-ROM Drive
PC is on but the CPU fan/fans do not spin

 Disconnect the power immediately to prevent damage to the CPU from
overheating
 Check fan power cables are correctly connected to the relevant power
connector (in most cases, a motherboard FAN connector or one of the PSU
power connectors)
 Disconnect the power and carefully spin the fan blades with a finger. If
there is any resistance to this movement, this may indicate a faulty fan unit
On boot up, the monitor shows corrupted display

 Check settings of CPU, RAM, Video Card, sound card etc. If necessary, re-
move and refit these components
 Check the motherboard manual and perform a BIOS reset procedure
 This may indicate a faulty Motherboard of Video card
On boot up, display shows incorrect CPU type/speed

 Check the motherboard manual for the appropriate CPU jumper settings
(where applicable)
 Check BIOS settings for CPU type (see Motherboard Manual)
 Perform a BIOS reset procedure
 Perform a BIOS update (with an update BIOS, the Motherboard may sup-
port your CPU)
 This may indicate a faulty/old motherboard
On boot up, display shows incorrect RAM total

 Check correct seating of Memory Modules in slots
 In case of two or more modules, this may indicate a faulty module
 This may indicate a faulty/old motherboard
On boot up, display shows – FDD/Keyboard/Mouse not found (or similar)

 Check correct connection of device described, in the case of the FDD,
check its ribbon and power connections
 Check that the BIOS is configured correctly for device described
 This may indicate a fault with the described device or Motherboard
The Monitor shows no picture

 Is the power light on?
 Are the cables plugged in?
 Check brightness and contrast settings
 Swap the monitor with another one, reboot the machine and see if it
works. If the computer works, the monitor has probably gone bad. If it still
fails to work, something in the CPU perhaps a video card has gone bad.
Computer displays limited colors.

 Check display options for the monitor usually under control panel under
the display icon. Select at least 256 colors for standard display. If you had
16 colors selected, this may be why your screen displays limited colors.
Some programs such as FastCat require you to set display settings to 256
colors.
Signs of Video Display Troubles
If your screen is completely white or gray and you hear buzzing noises, this
could indicate video card troubles. Before you panic, make sure all cables are
secures from monitor to CPU. Try using another power card for the monitor to
see if this may be the problem.
If screen appears distorted around the edges and the color does not look right,
you may have incorrect display adapters. Select Start, Settings, and Control
Panel. Double click on System icon and select Device Manager. You will see a
listing of devices. Double click on Display adapters to view the type. If there is a
yellow exclamation point next to device, there is a conflict. To view conflicts for
a certain device, click on the device, select properties, and select the general
tab. There should be a description of the device and why it is not working
properly.
Printer Does not Print.

 Are all cables connected and is the printer turned on?
 Is the printer online?
 Is there paper in the tray?
 Is the printer an Inkjet/Deskjet or a Laserjet?
 If it’s an Inkjet, is the ink cartridge out of ink. Remove cartridge, hold up to
light or gently shake it to see if it is empty.
Do you have correct print devices installed? Find print devices under De-
vice Manager.
Check to be sure you have correct print drivers installed. Double-click
on System icon and select Device Manager. You will see a listing of devices.
Double click on the Ports button to view the type. If there is a yellow exclama-
tion point next to device, there is a conﬂict.
How to Speed up the Computer

1. Defragmenter utility: Au-
tomatically analyzes the
empty disk space on the
hard disk and defrag all
scattered files.
2. Shutdown or uninstall
unnecessary pro-
grams. Close all un-
wanted programs at
the Windows startup
and this will automat-
ically increase the
windows loading time
and speed of the
computer will also be
increased.
3. Increased memory:
Increasing the memory in the system will result to exceptional speed of
your computer.
4. Disk Cleanup: You can delete unwanted programs and files from your
computer and this will be helpful in increasing the speed
5. Empty Recycle Bin: Delete all the files and
folders from the recycle bin and you will get
the space of C drive for reusability.
Diagnostic PC Problems and How to Attack Them
Pc Diagnosing
Probably the most frustrating problem computer users run into are startup
problems, where your computer won’t boot. Equally annoying are error mes-
sages you constantly run into during your computer’s startup progress. In this
module you will be given a few tips on how you can avoid some of the most
common problems that happen right after your computer is turned on.
Troubleshooting Plan for Personal Computers
How to troubleshoot the Computer?
Here you will learn the basic troubleshooting.
 Trial and error: When you find a faulty component in your computer,
check it with the other computers so that you can make sure whether the
fault is in the component or not.
 Check cables: In case of any device failure, check all the cables of your
computer such as data cables, power cable, internal circuitry cables and
make sure that all these are plugged in and working fine.
 Hardware settings: Check the hardware settings in the CMOS and in the
device manager of the system and make all the devices drivers up to date
and all the cards are plugged in properly.
 Notice changes: When you notice a software or hardware error in your
computer, determine what was changed before the problem occurred.
 Event viewer: In the event viewer, you will find the error or warning mes-
sages associated with any faulty hardware or software.
 Make notes: Troubleshooting is a big learning option and we can learn a
lot when we face any kind of troubleshooting in our computer. Make notes
including the error messages and their solutions, so that you have a record
on how a certain problem occurred and how did you solve it.
Sample Diagnostic Plan
List down all possible components to be checked based on the symptoms.
Symptoms: Dead Computer

Good Defective Remedy
Monitor
AC Outlet
AVR
AVR fuse
Monitor Power Cable
Monitor Switch
Power Supply
Common Trouble shooting for Computer Units
1. Double check the power connections.

2. Voltage Regulator and power supply
could cause power failure in the com-
puter unit.
3. Check the power cords and cable con-
nectors in your computer unit.
4. Unseated card. Loose cards could cause
malfunction.
5. Check the ink toners/cartridges in your
printers.
6. Check the boot sequence configuration
in the advance BIOS (Basic Input/Output Unit) setup.
Diagnosing Network Connection
Things to look for if a PC is connected to the Internet or network
 First check the cable connecting to the network card into the network hub.
 Check the back of the computer to see if the network card light is on
 Check the network cable
 Check the network HUB
Diagnostics Procedure of ATX Power Supply Failure.
1. The first step in power supply diagnostics is determining whether or not

the power comes on. How can you tell if the power is on? Can you hear
fans turning and drive motors spinning up? Can you see little lights on the
front of the CPU case or hear any beeps? if the system case is hot (if you
get a shock) pull the plug immediately - you have a ground failure and a
short. If your hearing is not good, you can always check to see if the power
supply fan is creating a breeze. Monitors are powered independently, so
unless you are looking at a notebook PC, a live screen does not indicate a
working power supply.
2. If the power does not come on, the first thing to check is that you have a
live power source. You do not need a DVM (Digital volt Meter) to check if
your power outlet is live. lust unplug the power supply cord and plug in a
lamp or a radio. if you are using a power strip, do not assume the socket
that you are using is good because the other outlets are working and the
power strip status light is on. Many power strips I have encountered in the
ﬁeld have at least one bad outlet, and working outlets have been known to
fail for no particularly good reason. Power supply cords very rarely fail, but
it is possible for the female connector on the power supply end to back out
of the socket. Make sure that both ends of the power supply cord are fully
seated in the outlet and the power supply, respectively.
3. Check to make sure the correct voltage (110V/ 220V) is selected on the
power supply. While this should never come up with a PC that is just been
sitting on the desk, if you have replaced the power supply or moved the
PC, it is always a possibility. This small red slide switch is located on the
power supply, usually between the power cord and the on/off override
switch on the back of the case. Unplug the supply and select the proper
voltage for your country. If you tried to power up with the switch set to
220V in a country using 110V, the system should be OK when you correct
the voltage. It you tried running on 11W in a 220V country, you have at
probably blown a fuse in the supply (at the least), or damaged the supply
and possibly other components.
4. If pressing your power switch do not immediately shut down the PC, that is
normal for ATX systems. The action of the power switch is programmable
and is controlled through CMOS Setup. The default operation for most
power switches requires you to hold the switch in for three to five seconds
before the system will power down. This allows use of the power switch to
wake the PC from some power saving "sleep" or "stand-by" modes, de-
pending on CMOS Setup power management settings. If the problem is
that the operating system cannot turn off the PC when you shut down, it is
likely a bad setting in power management or a corrupted file in the operat-
ing system.
One very good reason for the power supply to fail is an unconnected pow-
er switch. The power switch lead on a ATX PCs, often labeled PW or PW-
ON, runs from the front panel of the case to a connector block on the
motherboard. This issue should only come up if you have been working in
the case (the leads can pull off the connection block very easily), or if you
have replaced the motherboard. The switch is not polarized so it do not
matter which way it goes on the motherboard posts, but it must be on the
correct two posts. The proper location is usually printed right on the
motherboard next to the connector block, and you can also consult the
motherboard documentation. In cases where the documentation provided
with the system and the information printed on the motherboard do not
agree, I go with the motherboard.
5. Check the switch operator with a Digital Volt Meter on the continuity or
resistance setting. On all ATX systems, the power switch is really just a log-
ic switch that tells the motherboard, to which a trickle of live power is al-
ways supplied, to instruct the power supply to come fully alive. If your
power supply features a heavy cord running forward to a large switch on
the case front, with your connections, you have an old AT. Style supply and
potentially deadly live line voltage is present at the switch. These proce-
dures do not apply to the obsolete AT power supplies. When I’ am working
on an ATX system and do not have a tester handy, I short the two pins on
the motherboard with a screwdriver, where the logic switch from front
panel should be attached, and see if the system starts. This is a “live pow-
er” test. Do not do it if you may get startled and bash the screwdriver into
something should the system power up, because there is no way to repair
short-circuit or gouging damage once it is done. If the switch is bad and
you do not have a replacement switch, check for a reset button on the
front panel. You can usually get away with using the reset button for the
PW-ON logic switch, and live without the hard reset.
6. The power supply will fail to operate if power to the motherboard is not
connected. Check that the 20 pin ATX power connector and any additional
motherboard power connections, such as the 12V supply for P4 systems,
are properly connected and seated. The latching mechanism for the stand-
ard ATX connector is counter-intuitive. You have to push in on the latch
click in when the connector is seated.
7. Remove the power leads to the drives to ensure that you are not trying to
power up into a short. The motherboard power must remain connected to ac-
tivate the ATX power supply. If you have a DVM (Digital Volt Meter) and expe-
rience working around live circuitry, you can try DC voltage at the connectors
to see if they are live, or within 5% of the rated voltage. I am not advising you
to do this live testing, as it is much easier and safer to try swapping in a new
power supply. Unless you have a special testing fixture, you must leave the
connectors attached while checking, which requires an exposed connector sur-
face or a cheater lead. This is necessary because switching power supplies
would not operate properly without a load, either failing to come on or even
self distracting ( in extreme, low quality, instances). I just poke the DVM probes
in to the top of the 20 wire connector at the motherboard, since there is usual-
ly a room next to the wire to get down to the conductor.
ATX Version1.2 – 20 wire motherboard connector
The color scheme used for the voltages in the 20 pin connector holds for the
other ATX standard power supply connector. However, brand name
manufactures often build proprietary power supplies or make up their own
color coding, so I would not throw out a power supply that supplies 5V where
you think it should supply 3.3V. It is more likely a proprietry design than a
failure. The 5V or Pin 9 is always present when the power supply is plugged in.
This connector supplies power to the variuos PC circuits that operate even
when tha PC is turn of, such as “ Wake on Modem” or “Wake on LAN.” It is also
the reason you should never work in the PC with the power supply plugged in,
unless you can remember to turn of the override switch everytime. This live
power is supplied to the adapter slots, so replacing adapters with the power
cord plugged in may damage the motherboard or adapters. Even though the
drive leads are not powered with the system turned off, you might drop a
screw while working on a drive. If that screw lands in just the wrong place, like
an open bus slot, it could create a short and damage the motherboard.
8. Assuming your PC is connected to a monitor, the next question is, do

you have a live scene? Does text or a splash screen appear? A message saying
“Please connect monitor” or “No video signal detected” counts as a “No”
answer in this case. If the screen is live, but you see multiple images or endless
scrolling, the video adapter is providing signals that cannot be interpreded by
the monitor. This usually occurs when you attach an old monitor to a new PC
and the monitor doesn’t support the refresh rate at the screen resolution
selected in the Windows settings.
9. If the power supply comes on but you do not get a live screen, switch
off and try again. You may have to hold the power switch in for five or more
seconds before the system powers back down. If it fails to power down, you
can turn off the switch on the back of the power supply, turn of the power
strip, or unplug the cord. A PC that boots on the second or third try is most
likely suffering from a quick power ok (or power good) signal, coming on before
the power supply has stabilized. The presence of the power ok signal tells the
motherboard that the power supply is stable, while it absence tells the
motherboard to stay off to protect itself. It is possible the power supply isn’t
quite up to the current ATX standard or the motherboard is a little too
demanding about timing. Booting twice every time you want to turn on the PC
is not an ideal situation, so unless you leave it on all the time, look into buying a
higher quality power supply, ideally one recommended by the motherboard
manufacturer.
10. Beep codes are part of the PC’s Power On Self Test (POST) routine.
One beep means the system has passed the test and the BIOS believes that the
CPU, memory and video are functioning properly. All other beep codes vary by
BIOS supplier and system brand, but endlessly repeating slow beeps often
indicate RAM failure,so shut down and try reseating the video adapter. If you
are getting beeps with a live screen, the problem is unlikely to be power supply
related. Proceed to the Motherboard, CPU and RAM failure diagnostic.
11. If you do not get any beeps, make sure the case speaker is connected
and check for beeps again. If the motherboard lacks a connection point for a
case speaker near the power switch and LED block, it probably employse an
onboard piezoelectric speaker. If you have recently added any new
components to the system, they may be overtaxing the power supply or
causing a short circuit. This includes both addapters and drives. The first step in
any failure situation is to try undoing the last change you made. I recently
encountered a system which powered up but failed to initialize the video
adapter when the secondary IDE ribbon cable was connected backwards to a
CD drive! Although the component you just added may have worked in another
system, it does not mean you hooked it up properly, that it is compatible with
the current PC, or that it did not fail in the interim.
12. Common power supply problems unrealated to the boot process are
noisy operation and unstable voltages, both of which are a reason to replace
the supply. There are two common noise problems associated with power
supplies, noisy fans and whistling capacitors. Noisy fans can be replaced, but
only if you are a reasonably competent technician because you can really get
nasty zap from the stored energy in the capacitors even when the power
supply is unplugged. Make sure your noisy fan problem is not due to something
silly like a piece of paper poking in through the fan grille before you rush out
and buy a replacement. If your dog would not stay in the room when the
computer is turned on or if your kids hear a high pitched whistling that you
don’t, it is probably a capacitor. To determine whether the capacitor is in the
power supply or elsewere in the system will require a process of elimination or
some parts swapping. Unstable voltage problems are real ghosts in the
machine, and can mimic all sorts of other problems. If you get into the flaky
failure situation that you can not diagnose and yoou have already started
troubleshooting (i.e swapping parts), you may as well try a new power supply
as well. I have seen power supplies produce some really bizarre failures, like a
PC that reboots when you set your coffee cup down too hard on the table. The
most pervasive of the unstable power supply problems are random lockups or
spontaneous reboots. Modern motherboards have some ability to regulate the
power they receive, but it has to be within a reasonable range. When it starts
overshooting the limits, the system may freeze or shutdown the motherboard
to protect itself.
13. As soon as the PC power ups, you should able to hear the hard drive
motor spin the drive (like a very, very, quite jet taking off) and the read/write
head seeking (a gentle clunking sound). If you are absolutely baffled as to
whether or not the drive is spinning up, due to background noise or hearing
problems, you can resort to feeling the drive cover. If that still does not do, I
power down, remove the drive cage or the drive itself, and hold it firmly by the
edges (not touching any exposed wires or the circuit board on the buttom)
while powering up. The drive resists twisting movements like a gyroscope if it is
spun up. Don’t play with it. If you move too fast or touch the circuit board to
something that can cause a short, you’ll damage the drive. Just power down,
reinstall, and continue with the diagnostics.
14. If system power is coming on but the drive still is not spinning up,
make sure that your power lead is seated in the drive power socket. It does not
need to go all the way to the ridge stop on the connector, but it should go in a
good half inch or so. It does take a good deal of force to seat the cheaper leads
in some drives. Try another lead, even if you have to disconnect another drive
to get it. Try another drive. At this point it is still quite possible that the power
supply is defective, but if you have a drive that you know spins up, it is a good
way to eliminate one possibility. As long as you do not smell smoke coming out
of the drive you can test the drive in another system. If you are using SCSI
rather than IDE hard drives, check the documentation for a jumper that
supresses spin up on boot. SCSI drives offer this option because you can install
as many as 15 in a single system, and if they all tried to spin up at once it would
swamp any power supply. Normally, the SCSI host adapter will spin them up in
order of their SCSI ID.
15. If system power is not coming in, disconnect all drives, one at a time,
and try powering up afte each change. If the system powers up, you have found
a faulty drive or a faulty lead from the power supply. If the system won’t power
up with all drives disconnected, start removing adapters, one at a time, leaving
the video for last. Unplug power cord before removing each adapter, then
reconnect to power up. If the system powers up, replace all adapters except
the last one removed before power came on. If power still comes on, try the
last adapter you removed in different slot before giving up on it.
16. If you find an adapter that actually prevents the system from powering
up, it must be replaced. If this is your video adapter and it is an AGP type, for
which the motherboard only has one slot, it could be that the AGP slot is faulty.
Another possibility is that the adapter is keyed as universal but is installed on a
new motherboard that expects low voltageAGP adapters (AGP 4X or 8X).
17. Once you have eliminated the drives and the adapters, one of the few
remaining possibilities is a motherboard short. Remove the motherboard and
check for a standoff or screw located in the wrong place or rolling around
loose. I often build out systems on the bench without a case, supporting the
motherboard pn a static proof bag over a cardboard box or some similar
arrangement to give the adapters room to seat. This method eliminates any
case mounting issues form the diagnostics process, but it introduces all sorts of
risks, not the least of of which is absence of the case ground.
18. Normally, a short circuit will result in burnt smell and a

ruinedmotherboard, sometimes damaging any of the attached components
(memory, CPU, adapters) as well. In many instances, yoy will be able to figure
out which components is ruine by the presence of burn marks or a strong odor
of smoke coming from the component, though if it happens in a closed case,
the smoky smell can stick to everything. If you cannot locate a failed
component by visual inspection, you need to have access to a test-bed system
(an inexpensive but completely functioning PC for testing questionable parts).
Don not test parts that may be fried in a good system, because some types of
failures will cause damage to the next machine.
19. If you have reached this point without getting the system to power up,
you probably have a defective power supply or motherboard. Try replacing
power supply first since they are cheaper than motherboards. Repairing power
supplies requires a good knowledge of electronics as there are usually “no user
serviceable parts.” Even the power supplies are unplugged, they can give nasty
zap from stored power in the electrolytic capacitors. If the power supply or
motherboard is new, they may be incompatible with one another due to poor
adherence to ATX standards or support for different generations of the ATX
standard.
Flowchart for ATX Power Supply Repair
Warning! You must unplug your ATX power supply from the wall before
working inside the case. Click diamonds for troubleshooting details.
“Diagnostic Procedure of Video Adapter and Computer Monitor Failure”
1. Is the system power coming on? Can you hear fans turning and drive
motor spinning up? Can you see littlr lights on the front of the CPU
case, hear any beeps? We are talking about power here, not the
monitor power. If the system is not powering up, or if you are not sure
whether or not it is go to the Power Supply Failure chart now.
2. Does anything at all show up on the screen with the monitor power
on, or is it just as black as before you powered on the CPU? We are
not demanding any signs of intelligent life in this case, any sign of life
will do.
3. Assuming the sysytem power comes up, does the monitor powercome
on? Most monitors have a status LED on the front bezel that should
show green, orange, or blinking if the monitor is powered. You can
also hear most monitors power on with a gentle sound, though I
cannot descirbe it beyond saying it is the sound of a CRT tube warming
up. Make sure the monitor is plugged into a good outlet by testing the
outlet with a lamp or any other device that will prove beyond a doubt
that the outlet is good. Make sure that the power cord is either
permanently attached at the monitor end or that it is seated fully in
the socket, since partial cord insertion is the most common failure for
monitors with detachable cords. LCD displays do not make any sound
when you turn them on, but they do not have a simple power cord,
either. LCD monitors are usually powered by an external transformer,
which in turn is powered from a regular AC outlet. If the LCD display
do not show any signs of life, make sure that the cords into and out of
the tranformer are fully seated. Some transformers are equipped with
a status LED to show when they are operating, though you can also
check for live output with a DC voltmeter. The power connection to
the LCD display is often awkward to inspect, recessed into the back of
the display. The important thing is to make sure it is started correctly,
then seated all the way.
4. Few things related to computers are more embarassing than taking
your monitor for repair and finding out that the brightness was turned
all the way down. This frequently happens with exposed dials when
you pick up the computer monitor and move it, though a prankster
might also turn down the setttings when they are concealed behind a
pop-out door right under thescreen. Make sure that manual
brightness and contrast controls on the monitor are set somewhere in
the middle of their range, since it is not always obvious which way is
maximun ao minimun. If the monitor is alive, turning the brightness
and contrast all the way up will often result in the screen lighting up a
little. The easiest way to check if the monitor is good is to simply
attach it to another working PC.
5. If you see nothing but a single underline character blinking on and off,
usually in the top left-hand corner of the screen, there is probably a
problem with initializing the video adapter. That could be caused by
the adapter being improperly seated, the motherboard not initializing
the adapter properly, or any other motherboard related failure.
Continue with the diagnostic flowchart.
6. Most new monitors will display something such as “No signal source,”
or “Attach video signal,” as long as they arae healty, and powered on.
These messages should appear even if the PC or video adapter is dead.
This is actually one of the more useful innovations in monitor
technology, bacause it offers definitive proof that the computer
monitor or LCD display is alive and most likely capable of displaying an
image if a video signal was present. Unfortunately, it only proves
something by its presence, since older monitors and cheaper models
may not display anything at all.
7. Make sure the 15 pin video signal cable (3 rows of 5 pins each) is
seated squarely on the video port on the back of the video card. The
hold-down screws on either side of the connector should be screwed
in all the way, but not made up too tight. If the video cable is
connected correctly, remove it and inspect the connector for damage.
8. Look carefully at the pins in the connector to make sure none of them
are at an angle or flatterned against the bottom. Note that missing
pins in a video cable are the norm, usually the monitor ID pins. It is
great if you have a spare video cable and a monitor with a detacable
cable, but most monitors have an integrated cable (doesn’t detach)
and most people do not have a spare anyway. You will usually have to
settle for visual inspection for whether the cable may have been
crushed or breached. If you see that a pin in the connector is bent, you
can try to straighten it very slowlo with tweezers or fine needle nose
pliers. If a pin breaks, you can buy a replacement connector and solder
it on with a fine soldering iron and infinite patience. You’ll also need a
heath sink gun and tubing if you want to do it right. The last time I did
one it took me almost three hours, though I didn’t really have the right
soldering iron tip.
Video Connector Pinout
 1-Red
 2-Green
 3-Blue
 4-Monitor ID (Note: pins for ID bits often not presnt)
 5-Ground
 6-Red Return (coax shield)
 7-Green Return (coax shield)
 8-Blue Return (coax shield)
 9-No Connection
 10-Sync Ground
 11-Monitor ID
 12-Monitor ID
 13-Horizontal-Sync
 14-Vertical-Sync
 15-Monitor ID
9. Do you hear a string of beeps? Healthy PCs should beep once or twice
when they are turned on and pass their Power On Self Test (POST)
routine. While different BIOS manufacturers use different beep codes
to identify failures, a repeating string of beeps (three or nine in a row)
is a common indicator of video card failure.
10. To start trooubleshooting the video adapter, check if it is properly
seated. This is an in-the-box check, so make sure you unplug the
power cord to the system first. You can usually spot a poorly seated
video adapter, especially AGP adapters, as more as the contact edge
of the card is out of the socket towards the front of the case than the
back. This do not apply to motherboards with built-in video. Whether
or not the video adapter appears to be seated properly, reseat it.
Remove the video adapter hold-down screw, remove the adapter,
then reseat it in the slot, pushing down evenly. Be careful that putting
the hold-down screw back in do not lever the front edge of the video
adapter (the end away from the screw) up a fraction of an inch out of
the slot, because that’s all it takes.
11. If resetting the card do not clear up the beeps, it is either video
adapter failure or RAM on the motherboard. You can power down and
try reseating the RAM at this point, without going all the way through
the motherboard diagnostics. There used to be beep codes for all
sorts of component failures, but most of those components have long
since been integrated into the motherboard and can’t be replaced if
they fail.
12. Does the sysytem get as far as showing the BIOS screen and locking
up? By BIOS sceen, we are talking about the text information or brand-
name graphics that appear on the screen in the initial boot stages. A
system that freezes up at this point is rarely sufering from a video
failure, though a conflict between the video card and another installed
adapter is still possible.
13. Did you install any new adapters immediately before the video card
problem appear? With the power disconnected, remove any other
adapters, one at a time, and then reconnect power and attempt to
reboot after each removal. Locking up on the BIOS screen is often due
to an adapter conflict,but if removing the other adapters doesn’t solve
the problem, proceeds to motherboard, CPU and RAM Failure.
14. Do you get a live screen, or at least move past the BIOS screen,with all
the other dapters removed? If so, the problem is either a bad adapter
preventing proper operation of the bus or an adapter conflicting with
the video card. In either case, you can reinstall the adapters one at a
time, powering up after each one, troubleshooting the problem by
process of elimination. Do not forget to unplug the system each time
before taking any action inside the case.
15. If the motherboard is a new upgrade, try the video adapter in another
system before trashing it, since it could be a simple incompatibility. If
installing a new video adapter do not solve your “dead screen”
problem, it’s probably a motherboard related problem,even though
you got to this point without any beep codes. Proceed to
Motherboard, CPU or RAM Failure.
Diagnostic Procedure for Motherboard, CPU, RAM problems
1. Do you get a live screen? A message saying “No Video Signal” or any-
thing similar do not count as a live screen in this case. You need to get
at least as far as a BIOS screen, either the system BIOS or an adapter
BIOS loading.
2. Does the system power up? Do you hear any beeps, drives spinning
up, fans, etc. if the power is not coming on, proceed to Power Supply
Failure. If the power supply diagnostics sent you back here, follow
through these diagnostics as a double-check before giving up on the
motherboard.
3. If you have not performed the Video Failure diagnostics for a dead
screen yet, do so now. Do not ignore the obvious steps, like checking
the power cord and the outlet. If you skip the video diagnostics and
continue with the motherboard flowchart, you could easily end up
buying replacement parts for hardware that’s not bad.
4. One of the most common failures following motherboard or RAM up-
grades is improper insertion of memory modules. The levers should be
lowered before inserting the memory module, and should raise them-
selves up and lock in place when the module is correctly seated. If you
are using RIMM (Rambus Inline Memory MODULE) memory, the mod-
ules in a bank must be matched, and you must install CRIMMs (Conti-
nuity RIMMs) in the empty sockets. If you are using older SIMM (Single
Inline Memory Modules), each bank needs a matched pair. In both
cases, matched do not just mean capacity and speed, it also means
manufacturer. I have a new page up for upgrading laptop memory
with SODIMMs. For replacing regular DIMM memory, see the illustrat-
ed replacing RAM.
5. There are number of reason for a system with a good power supply to
refuse to power which were covered in the power supply diagnostics.
Another reason is a failed CPU insertion, whether it’s a slot or socket
CPU. With good lightning, using a flashlight if necessary, make that any
socket CPU is sitting dead flat in the socket, which means that the heat
sink should be perfectly parallel to the motherboard surface; the CPU
may be so totally hidden beneath some heat sinks that you cannot see
the edges. This problem should really only be relevant if you just up-
graded your CPU or installed a new motherboard, because the CPU
socket locks the CPU in firmly and the heat sink adds another level of
clamping. If a socket CPU is a new install, you have to remove the heat
sink and CPU to visually inspect it for damage such as crushed or bent
legs. A CPU will not seat correctly if the socket locking arm was not
raised all the way up before the CPU was inserted, or was not lowered
all the way down after. If your CPU would not sit down in the socket
properly, either the socket is faulty or you have the wrong CPU for the
motherboard! I have not seen a CPU creep out of a socket due to
thermal shock for over a decade. It’s pretty tough to tell if slot type
CPUs are seated by visual inspection, so when in doubt, I reseat them.
On the plus side, you can remove and reseat a slot CPU without re-
moving the heat sink, since they form an integral unit. Make sure you
correctly identify release levers on a slot CPU package, which are nor-
mally located at the top of the CPU package, to the inside of the
motherboard support structure.
6. A stone dead CPU is another reason for a system to fail. All modern
CPUs require a heat sink, and most of these are an active heat sink,
with a fan on top. You may encounter a heat sink without a fan in
mass-manufactured brand-name systems where the manufacturer
had the engineering talent in-house to do a thorough thermal analysis
and determined that the airflow over a passive finned heat sink was
enough to keep the CPU within the operating temperature range.
When there is a fan on the heat sink, it must be hooked up to the cor-
rect power point on the motherboard for the BIOS to monitor its con-
dition and turn it off and on. If you just installed a new CPU and pow-
ered the system up with no heat sink, it may have failed already. If the
fan on your active heat sink is not spinning up, replace it and hope for
the best. Make sure you see the new heat sink fan operating since it
could be the power point on the motherboard that is failed.
7. If you have a system that powers up, the next question is, do you hear
any beeps coming from the motherboard speaker. If your mother-
board does not have an integrated piezoelectric speaker but does
have a speaker connection next to the power and reset connections
(usually the front left-hand corner of the motherboard) attach a case
speaker. If you hear an unending string of beeps, it is often a bad RAM,
while a repeated sequence can be RAM or video. Other beep codes
have been largely abandoned since they pertained to non-user re-
placeable surface mount components. Beeps or no beeps, I always re-
seat the video adapter and the RAM, paying special attention to the
locking levers on the memory sockets.
8. Are your motherboard settings on the defaults? Whether you just put
in a new motherboard or have been fooling around with overclocking,
restore the default settings. This is often accomplished with a single
jumper or switch setting, but sometimes it involves moving several
jumpers or switches. Get the default values from the motherboard
documentation. If you cannot find the original manual or locate the
equivalent documentation on the internet, you may have to skip this
procedure. Sometimes, the silk screens on the motherboard are suffi-
ciently detailed to work out the defaults, but you need really good
eyes to figure it out. Although we are repeating a little of the power
supply diagnostics here, stripping down the system is the nest step in
a “no power-up” scenario. Unplug the power cord before each change
in the case. Disconnect drives, one at a time, reconnecting power and
trying power up after each. Next start removing adapters, saving the
video adapter for last, reconnecting power and retrying after each
change to ensure you discover which component is causing the failure.
9. Running the motherboard without a case is a common technique used
by technicians to eliminate any weird grounding and shorting issues or
mechanical stresses. It also makes it much easier to swap the CPU if
that is required. I normally do my bench testing on top of a cardboard
box, with a static free bag or foam between the bottom of the moth-
erboard and the cardboard. Do not walk away from a test like this or
you might come back to find the box on fire! If your motherboard
powers up on the bench with the same power supply that you used in
the case, you have a geometry problem. Ideally, you should have a
spare power supply for bench testing if you are going to do regular re-
pair and testing work. Make sure some standoffs are not higher than
others, putting acceptable stress on the motherboard. Check that eve-
ry standoff appears under a screw hole. The easiest way to be sure is
to count the standoffs, count the screws, and make sure there are no
screws leftover after you install the motherboard. There could be a
short caused by a misplaced standoff, a loose screw, metal chips from
shoddy materials. I have encountered standoff shorts that produce an
endless string of beeps like RAM failure, without damaging the moth-
erboard. There is also the possibility that the case geometry is so
messed up (out of square or level when the cover is forced on) that it’s
putting an unacceptable mechanical stress on the motherboard result-
ing in an open circuit. If you cannot find the cause of the problem, do
not hesitate to try another case and power supply.
10. If you still have a “no power” situation with the motherboard running
out of the case, there is always the last refuge of a scoundrel. Swap in
a known good CPU not forgetting to install a good heat sink and to
connect the fan, even just for a quick test. I try to keep around some
cheap old CPUs for this purpose, just in case the motherboard is a CPU
eater. It is another good reason to leave all the motherboard settings
on the default “Automatic” setting, so you do not have To fool around
with them at this stage. If your old CPU is bad and the heat sink fan is
dead, it is a pretty sure bet that the dead fan caused the CPU failure. If
the heat sink fan is working, determining whether the CPU failure was
due to poor heat sink contact, improper motherboard settings, or
lousy power regulation from the motherboard is a guessing game. If
the motherboard is older and you have a couple of bucks to spare, re-
place the CPU and the motherboard together. Replacing just the CPU,
even if the motherboard test is OK, is kind of-risky and usually tough
to justify from a price/performance standpoint unless the system is
practically new, say less than a half a year old. If you still have no pow-
er situation, not to mention no beeps and no video, you are probably
looking at a bad motherboard. Again, this diagnosis assumes that you
went through the Video Failure diagnostics, which would have forced
you through the Power Supply Failure diagnostics as well. I still would
not be in hurry to take a gun to the motherboard. Get your system
operating with a replacement motherboard and all the identical parts
that the old motherboard failed with before you make the trash can
decision. I just added some illustrate instructions for replacing a
motherboard to this site, including installing a new motherboard.
11. Does the system power light up, give a happy beep or two, and then
freeze on the BIOS screen? This can occur on an all text screen, during
or after memory count, while checking for drives, or the feared “Veri-
fying DMI Data Pool.” The problem is very likely due to a conflict, most
like between the adapters but also possibly between incompatible
drives sharing a bus.
12. Strip the system down to bare-bones, just a power supply, mother-
board, minimum RAM, CPU and heat sink, and video adapter. If the
system no longer freezes when it stripped down, but complains about
the lack of a boot device, proceed to Conflict Resolution.
13. Try swapping the RAM around, reordering the banks if you have more
the one bank of RAM installed or moving the only module installed to
a neighboring slot. If this does not cure the freeze-up, and you have
some suitable known good RAM from another system, try it. If the
RAM currently installed doesn’t meet the motherboard manufacturer
specs, you should not be using it; even if it seems to work until this
point. Improperly selected RAM can be the cause of problems ranging
from no-boot to intermittent lock-ups. Is the RAM seated correctly
and in the proper quantities (i.e., number of modules, addition of con-
tinuity modules, or CRIMMs, if you are using RIMMs)? Also make sure
that the system did not use tinned (silver color) contacts against gold
contacts, or the dissimilar metals will cause corrosion over time due to
a constant electrical current when the power is off. Replacing RAM at
this point is not a guaranteed proposition, but it is a good item to elim-
inate. Do not toss out the RAM you removed because you may find
out later that it’s actually good.
14. If you are not using the default CMOS settings, try restoring them all at
this point. You can usually restore this from a major CMOS menu item
like “Restore Default Settings” or “BIOS Default Settings.” The default
settings usually put everything on auto detect and use the recom-
mended timing for the RAM. This means if you are overclocking, stop
it, at least until you get the system running again. It does not matter
whether or not overclocking the exact same CPU or RAM in a friend’s
system worked without a hitch, you are exceeding the manufacturers
recommendations so it is a gamble.
15. An overheating will cause the system to quick lock up. Remove the ex-
isting heat sink and fan, make sure that the fan is working properly
and that the geometry of the bottom of the heat sink will bring it in
full contact with the exposed CPU die or the top of the CPU package.
See my illustrated guide for how to replace a CPU. Apply an approved
thermal grease or thermal tape before reinstalling the heat sink. Do
not put on too much thermal grease or you will just make a mess. The
thermal media is only there to fill the microscopic gaps between the
die surface and the heat sink. Do not improvise your thermal material,
go to a computer or electronics store and buy some.
Installing heat sinks can be frustrating, but this is not a “bash away at
it” process. You can damage the CPU if you start cracking the heat sink
against it in an attempt to get heat sink to sit right. Be patient, study
the mechanical connections, make sure you are not hitting some poor-
ly placed component on the motherboard and check that your heat
sink is not so oversized it just would not fit on the particular mother-
board. Make sure the fan on that heat sink spins up the second time
that power comes on. If it does not, despite being connected to the
correct power point (see the motherboard manual), replaced it with a
new active heat sink unit. Make sure the bottom surface of the new
unit will make full contact with the exposed CPU die or the top of the
CPU package. The only problem with replacing an active heat sink is it
may be too late for your CPU. CPUs have an unfortunate tendency to
damage themselves when they overheat. Some CPUs can go into
thermal runaway and destroy themselves in a matter of seconds with-
out proper cooling.
Diagnostics Flowchart
Motherboard, CPU, RAM
working inside the case. click diamonds for troubleshooting details.
Diagnostic Procedure for Hard Drive Failure.
1. Are all installed IDE drives properly identified by the BIOS and displayed on
the start-up screen? Any modern PC should be able to identify the drive by
model number, brand, capacity, and usually the transfer mode. Some
brand name PCs may not display a start-up BIOS registration screen, so you
will have to enter CMOS Setup to view the information. If the key stroke
required to enter CMOS Setup is not displayed on screen as the PC begins
to boot, you will need to look it up in the documentation or on the
Internet. Common keys used to access CMOS Setup at boot are, <DEL>,
<F1> and <F2>.
2. Any time two IDE drives share a single cable, the computer needs a way to
tell them apart. This can be accomplished by using jumpers on the drives
to set one to “Master” and the other to “Slave” or through selection by the
cable. The Master/Slave setting is fixed by a single jumper, usually on the
back end of the drive between the power socket and the IDE connector.
The labelling for the jumpers is usually in shorthand, “M” for master and
“S” for Slave. Some older drives include a jumper for “Single” (and spelled
out labels) for when the drive is the only drive installed on the ribbon.
Since all modern computers support both a primary and a secondary IDE
interface, it is not necessary with a two drives system to hang them both
on the same cable. The boot hard drive should always be the Master on
the primary IDE interface. If the CD, DVD, or any other IDE drive is to share
the same cable, its should be set to slave.
3. Most new IDE drives support Cable Select (CS) which means the pin 28
connection in the cable will determine which drive is Master and which is
Slave. The 80 wire ribbon cables that should come with all new
motherboards and drives support cables select and have color coded
connectors: motherboard IDE Connector – Blue, Slave IDE connector
(middle connector on cable) – Grey, Master – Black. Cable select is
supported by custom 40 wire ribbon cable and older drives; these are
usually found in brand-name systems. The jumpers on both drives should
be set to cable select if you aren’t setting one as Master and the other
Slave.
4. If the drives still do not register properly, make sure the power cable is
seated in the drive’s power socket, which can take a bit of force. The
ribbon cable connectors must also be seated all the way into the IDE port
on both the drives and the motherboard, or adapter card if you are using a
RAID adapter. The most common reason for a cabling failure if this sort is
that the connection was partially dislodge when you were working in the
case on something else. Try a nes ribbon cable. While cable failures are
rare, it can happen, and it is a favorite trick of investigative reporters
writing articles about computer repair rip-offs to intentionally introduce
them.
5. Does the hard drive spin up? We covered this in the power supply diag-
nostics, but I will repeat it here for convenience. When the PC power up,
you should hear the hard drive motor spinning up the drive and the gentle
clunking sound of the read/wrote head seeking. If I cannot tell whether or
not the drive is spinning up, even with my fingers on the drive’s top cover, I
run the drive in my hand. A spun up drive resist a slow twisting movement
just like a gyroscope. Do not flip it quickly or play with it or you may dam-
age the drive, not to mention touching the circuitry against a conductor and
causing a short. Just power down, put the drive back in and continue with
the diagnostics. If it is a SCSI drive, you are on the wrong diagnostics page,
but maybe some new IDE hard drive will adopt the SCSI practice of a jump-
er to delay spin up. SCSI drives offer this option since you can install up to
15 on a single controller, and spinning them all up at once would cause the
hardiest power supply to droop. Try swapping the power lead or running
the drive on another power supply. One of the reasons I always use four
screws in drives is so I can push hard on the power connector without the
unit shifting around and possibly damaging the circuit board. I have never
broken a power socket off the circuit board on a hard drive, but I have seen
it done, so do not go to crazy on it. Try the hard drive in another PC before
you conclude that it’s dead. USB enclosures are the easiest way to test hard
drives, and just put up a page for recovering laptop hard drive data with
USB enclosure.
6. Are the ribbon cable connectors and the IDE ports on the drives and the
motherboard keyed such that the cable can only go one way? Check the pin
1 location on all of the connectors and ports. On IDE drives, pin 1 is tradi-
tionally located next to the power cord, but it is not a 100% rule for all time.
Motherboards can be pretty strange about cable ports. I have even seen
one where the pin numbering on the floppy and IDE interfaces were orient-
ed opposite. The pin 1 location on the motherboard is normally marked
with an arrow, a dot, a white square anything to show one end of the inter-
faces as different from the other. If the motherboard won’t register any
drive you attach, even on the new cables, and if those drives spinning up, it
indicates that either the IDE controller is bad or all the drives you have tried
are bad. You can try running on the secondary IDE controller if you have
only been working with the primary, but the next stop is installing an add-in
IDE adapter or replacing the motherboard.
7. The troubleshooting procedures for IDE drives that are not recognized
by the BIOS are identical, whether they are hard drives, CDs, DVDs, tapes or
anything other IDE device. If the BIOS registers are installed IDE drives cor-
rectly and the drives you are having problems with is a CD or DVD, precede
to the CD or DVD Failure diagnostics.
8. Does the drive cycle up and down? Try swapping the power lead for a
spare or one used by another drive. Try isolating the drive on its ribbon ca-
ble, even if it means temporarily doing without another drive for the sake
of troubleshooting. If neither fix helps, try disconnecting the ribbon cable to
ensure that the drive isn’t receiving some flaky power down signal from a
bad IDE interfaces or crazy power management scheme. If it still cycles up
and down, the drive is probably toast. Test the drive in other systems be-
fore labeling it dead.
9. If you have an old drive that spins up but won’t seek (you never hear the
head move in and out), it is probably a mechanical failure. The last ditch
effort before giving up or sending it out for data recovery is tapping lightly
with a screwdriver on the cover of the drive, away from the circular section
where the disks are spinning. This might encourage a stuck head to get
moving. Just make sure you have your backup media prepared if you try
this, because it may work just the one time.
10. Does the drive make little clicking noises and fail to get going? Restart
the machine, with the reset button if you have one, and hopefully it will
boot. If not, try in a warmer room, or put the PC in direct sunlight to warm
up and then try it again. You can also replace a laptop hard drive; in fact, it
is the one of the few components that can be easily procured. It is far from
guaranteed, but this is the one of the few problems that can result from the
drive being too cold rather than too hot. If you do get it started, run Scan-
Disk. It does not hurt to reseat all of the cables on the drive and the ribbon
cable to the motherboard, since connections can also loosen up over time.
However, if you cannot get it going, it could be a legitimate drive failure. If
you mind losing all of the data onboard, try FDISKing and reinstalling the
operating system again.
11. Does the BIOS report the transfer mode correctly, ie, UDMA/100,
ATA/66? UDMA must be enabled in CMOS, or set on “Auto,” for high speed
transfer. All new IDE hard drives require the 80 wire ribbon cable, at lease
for the high speed operation. You can check CMOS Setup to see if there is a
manual override to select the higher speed transfer, though the automatic
settings should pick it up. Also try isolating the hard drive as the sole device
on the primary controller. If you are adding a new hard drive to an older
system, it is possible that motherboard / BIOS simply do not support the
faster transfer, even with the new cable. I’d be leery of flashing the BIOS to
try to get the speed up, even if the motherboard manufacturer supplies it.
12. Check the settings in CMOS and make sure the drive transfer rate is not
being turned down to some ancient PIO mode. CMOS may allow you to set
both the PIO mode and the UDMA mode for each individual drive. The de-
fault setting should be “Auto” for all of these. Check all of the operating
system related drive settings (catching, etc, varies like crazy with OS). Make
sure you have enough RAM installed for the applications you are running. If
the system bogs every time you open a new window or scroll a page and
you hear the hard drive seeking itself silly, you’re probably swapping out to
virtual memory on the hard drive too often. RAM is cheap; 256 MB is not
investment in your sanity.
13. Can you install an operating system, or access the drive with any gen-
eration of FDISK to create or view partitions? Check again if the ribbon ca-
ble is fully and evenly seated and there are not “read only” jumpers set on
the drive (normally only found on SCSI’s). Try a new ribbon cable. If it does
not work either the drives MBR is messed up, or there is a problem with the
way of software communicates with the BIOS, which really should not hap-
pen. If you do not mind losing whatever information in the drive, you can
try FDISK/MBR and see if it helps.
Hard Drive and IDE CD/DVD Troubleshooting Chart
working inside the case. Click diamond for troubleshooting details.
Diagnostic Procedure for Sound card – driver and hardware problem
1. Is sound enable in the operating system? In Windows, the basic

“Sounds” menu is found in Control Panel. Sound events that have little
speaker next to them are enable. Enable sounds for some action that you
recognize (like “exit program” or “minimize”) and see if your speakers work
now. Note that operating system sounds don’t need to be enabled for mu-
sic CDs or games to work, but if you are here, we’re starting off with the
assumption that you are getting any sound out of the speakers at all.
2. Are the speaker plugged in to a power source? The volume control on

the speakers that do not offer amplification, in which case there would not
be any power cord, but do not expect much in term of volume or quality.
Really ancient speaker may be powered by batteries rather that a trans-
former, so if your speakers do not have a power cord, double checks that
they do not have a hatch for batteries.
3. Many older sound adapters and notebook computers have a manual

volume dial, as do most external speakers. Manual volume dials should be
adjusted to somewhere in the middle of the range, not at all the way to one
extreme or the other. Did you check? Check again. You do no want to invite
a friend over to help with your sound problem, only to find the volume is
manually turned down.
4. Have you loaded the best driver for the sound card? The best driver
means the most recent driver, so check the manufacturer’s website for an
update, because your sound card may have been sitting on a shelf for a
year before you bought it. If the sound is integrated on the motherboard,
check for an updates at your motherboard manufacturer’s web site.
5. Does Device Manager resister the sound card or integrated mother-

board audio and report that the device is working properly? Even if you
don’t have the proper driver, Device Manager will probably identify it as a
sound controller. Before you start stripping down the system or chase off to
conflict resolution, make sure the adapter is seated in the motherboard
slot.
6. If the Device Manager reports a resource conflict between any of the

audio devices and another device, look through all of your device reports
and figure out where the conflict is. It may be resolvable by changing the
setting in Device Manger, or it may take aggressive reshuffling of adapters.
If you get a”!,” “?” or “I” on the sound controller in Device Manger, proceed
to Conflict Resolution.
7. Check your documentation or the symbols on the sound card to make
sure you actually have the speakers plugged into the proper jack. On high-
end sound with front and rear speaker jacks, try the front speaker jack first.
Check that you audio patch cables are all plugged firmly into the proper
jacks and that that cables aren’t damage. If you have USB speakers, they
don’t jack directly into the sound card.
8. Software volume controls are the #1 problem with the sound, and a real
pain to figure out if multiple people use the system. Aside from the primary
volume control often found in your system tray, there are various other
mixer panels and volume adjustments that get installed with the driver and
are offered in various applications. All of these can cause a complete ab-
sence of sound if the “mute” box is checked, I do not have any magic meth-
od for finding the mixer panel or any additional volume controls in a typical
system. The Multimedia icon in control panel is a good place to start.
9. Does your sound system work properly with everything except music
CDs? If so, proceed to CD and DVD Playback diagnostics. One good test is to
try the speakers and cables on another system, or another device with a
speaker jack, like a portable radio. Make sure you first turn the speaker
volume control all the way down in the case the output is already ampli-
fied. If the speaker and cable don’t work anywhere, try swapping the cables
to find out which is faulty. If the speakers and cables are good, either the
sound card is blown or you did not look hard enough a hidden mute in
software.
10. If Device Manager only registers the sound card when you strip out all
the adapters except the video card, it’s definitely a conflict. If you have an-
other sound card lying around, it’s a good time to try it otherwise proceed
to Conflict Resolution.
11. If your only audio support is build into the motherboard, make sure it is
enabled in CMOS Setup. If you are using a sound card, make sure any
motherboard audio disabled in CMOS Setup. If you cannot get the operat-
ing system to recognize the sound card, which is sure to be plug-and-play,
shut down and unplug, remove all the other adapters except the video card
from the system, reboot and let the BIOS and operating system adjust.
Then shut down and unplug again, replace the sound card, and see if you
can get it going. If this works, you might still have problems whem you add
the other adapters back in, but if you do it one at a time, at least you will
find out for sure where the conflict lies.
Sound Card and Speaker Troubleshooting
working inside the case. Click diamonds for troubleshooting details
Diagnostic Procedure for Modem problem
1. The first troubleshooting question for a dial-up modem is, does your
modem actually dial the phone? If you have a desktop PC, there should be a
little piezoelectric speaker on the modem itself. Many people (and comput-
er vendors) turn down the volume for this in software, which you can find
on the “Properties” tab of the modems in Windows Control Panel. Note-
book computers will normally run the sound through the notebook speak-
ers, which means the volume controls in Windows and the volume dial built
into the notebook body, must both be turned up.
2. Does the ISP answer? You should be able to hear the ISP’s modem pick
up and whistle and his back at your the modem through the speaker. If not,
make sure you are dialing the right phone numbers and that the ISP is not
temporarily down. Just dial the number from a regular phone handset and
the ISP modem should pick up and whistle at you.
3. Make sure you have the area code and any prefix for an outside line cor-
rect, especially if you are dialing from the business. Dial-up lines in a busi-
ness must have a clean path through a business phone system (PBX – Pri-
vate Branch Exchange), just like fax lines. If the phone is always busy, call
the ISP’s tech support for help or try one of the other phone numbers they
provide. It could simply be that they don’t have enough modems available
for the traffic in your area at certain times of day.
4. If you hear the modem dial but the dial tone remain until an operator
picks up and tells you that your phone is off hook, you’re trying to use
“tone” dialing on a ”pulse” system. This problem is easily corrected in the
“Dialing properties” of the basic modem page in Control Panel.
5. Do you get an error starting that the ISP can’t negotiate a connection,
protocol, anything along those lines? Unfortunately, this error is too gener-
ic to help much with how the troubleshoot the problem. Even messages
telling you to check your password can be caused by just about anything.
Try redialing several times without changing anything to make sure you
aren’t just encountering an overloaded modem pool. While standards such
as V.90 and V.92 are backwards compatible, it pays to match your standard
to the ISP’s for both 56Kb/s performance and reliability.
6. Call your ISP help line to confirm your login information if it is the first
time you is dialing in. Re-enter your password, remembering the caps usu-
ally count. Assuming you have your username and password right, the odds
are any errors reported are not due to any protocol settings on your part,
especially if you have not changed the defaults. If the error crops up at ran-
dom, it is usually due to the weather and the time of day, as both play a
major role in the circuit conditions of the Telco infrastructure. Stormy or
damp weather can badly degrade the lines of older telephone networks.
Trying at different times of the day is also important for troubleshooting
modem problems, with the beginning of the business day, and a period in
the mid- afternoon usually being the worst times. I have actually run non-
internet modem applications on dedicates lines that showed a huge in-
crease of line noise during these period, whatever your Telco tells you.
7. Will your modem connect at lower speed? You can change the maxi-
mum speed the modem will try to connect at in Control Panel, but I have
noted that the settings do not always take effect, even after rebooting. You
can search on the internet for the modem control string to force your mo-
dem to V.34 compatibility, then insert in it Advance Settings for the modem
which can be accessed through the Modem Properties in Control Panel or
Device Manager. If you succeed in connecting at a lower speed, try going
through the Modem Performance troubleshooting.
8. Can you connect to a different ISP? The best test for eliminating modem
failure is to see if it will connect to a different service. If you can connect to
a friend’s ISP, it is definite proof that the modem is not bad. It does not
mean that the ISP you can’t connect to be at fault, it could be a question of
matching modem standard. By the same token, if you can’t connect to an-
other ISP, it doesn’t prove your modem is faulty; it could still be a problem
with line conditions. The current 56Kb/s standards are use are V.90 and
V.92 although some services still support K56Flex and X2.
9. If the software reports, “No Dial Tone”, make sure you have the patch
cord from the modem to the jack plugged into the “line” jack of the mo-
dem. The “phone” jack on the modem is for plugging in a regular telephone
to use when you are not online. If the wall jack is live, try changing the tele-
phone patch cord running from the “line” jack on the modem to the jack on
the wall. Check the phone jack at the wall with a telephone handset. If it
doesn’t work you need to troubleshoot the in-wall wiring or try a different
jack.
10. Does the operating system report the modem as present and operat-
ing? This information appears in Device Manager in Windows. If not, rein-
stall the driver for the modem. If an IRQ conflict is reported in Device Man-
ager, resolve it by either changing IRQ in software (with a plug-n-play mo-
dem) or changing the IRQ jumper on the modem for an old card. If you ab-
solutely cannot get around it, you may have an extremely unfriendly sound
card or the other adapter on the bus which is hogging the IRQ the modem
is capable of dealing with. Note that a modem can share an IRQ with a seri-
al port in some cases, though it can’t be used when a device is actually at-
tached to the port. If you cannot resolve the Device Manager problem, ei-
ther you have a hardware conflict, or the modem is bad. See the illustrated
guide for how to install a 56K modem. Proceed to the Conflict Resolution
chart.
11. Does the operating system or dialing software report the port is “in
use” when you try to dial? In Windows Control Panel > Modems, go to “Di-
agnostics,” select your modem, and click on “More Info”. Try shutting down
and rebooting. The “port in use” error is due to another active software
application claiming the port the modem is set on. You could get this error
if you are already using the modem but don’t realize it for some reason, but
it is more likely that you have recently installed software for synchronizing
a palm device or for a camera that is colliding with the modem driver.
Network Troubleshooting Flowchart
Warning! You must unplug your ATX supply from the wall before working
inside the case. Click diamonds for troubleshooting details.
Techniques for diagnosing computer system
Computer Diagnose
Rules In Diagnosing Computer System
Factors Causing Computer Failures and Defects
Problem Isolation
Component Isolation
Computer Diagnosis
Sometimes when the problem with a system is not totally apparent and
the problem may be intermittent, using a basic common diagnostic proce-
dure may help determine what is wrong. This procedure has a number of
steps that, if followed each time, can be of help.
Rules in Diagnosing Computer System
Know the facts
Educate oneself on all aspects and operation of computer parts.
Continue learning on computer technology.
Use your common sense
Focus on Field Replaceable Units
Identify the different types of FRU that can be used for replace-
ment or subassembly.
Proper assembly and disassembly
Factors Causing Computer Failures and Defects
People ware Firmware
Software Hardware
Static (ESD) Electricity
People ware
Untrained personnel would probably damage programs in PC.
Firmware
Programs or software burnt in chips may be corrupted.
Software
Corrupted operating system would cause the system to fail.
Hardware
Defective hardware components would lead to computer malfunc-
tion. Hardware conflict and viruses can hinder your computer performance.
Electro static discharge can easily damage sensitive components in
your computer.
Electricity
Income supply from AC outlet must be regulated; power surges can
damage computer units.
Problem Isolation
Problem isolation is a detective work in which you need to deter-
mine what is out of the ordinary by making detailed observation of what is
not working normally and record
any information as you proceed.
The information you will gather
will help you diagnose your com-
puter. You need to observe wisely.
Look for any abnormalities in the
unit, any change in smell or for-
eign smell, listen to all the sounds,
and error codes.
This section will aid in determining
components in your system which are failing. First, most systems have
three (3) major components; monitor, system unit, and printers. Some have
multiple external devices. To troubleshoot, you need to isolate major com-
ponents which are failing to operate.
Computer Parts Replacement

When replacing computer parts and peripherals, you need to consider the
following factors:
1. Compatibility of the components or part
2. Consider the component specification
Components from factor
Compatibility of the Component

When replacing computer parts should check if it is compatible with your
unit. Double check on your computer manual if the components you are
replacing is compatible or not with the unit because this may lead to sys-
tem crash.
Component Specification
This focuses on the specification of the component. Check if the voltage
rating, current rating, memory size and frequency matches you computer
unit.
Form factor
The components’ manufacturer should be considered. Check if the unit you
are trying to repair or upgrade is generic or branded units. Branded units
have their own set of components compatible only to their units, while ge-
netic types can be used only to generic types of units.
List of components Commonly Replaced in a Computer System
Memory- is technically any

form of electronics storage; it
is used most often to identify
fast, temporary forms of
storage. It is commonly called
RAM (Random Access
Memory)
Video Card- also referred to as

a graphics accelerator, is an
item of personal computer
hardware whose function is to
generate and output images to
a display.
Network Interface Card- is also

known as LAN card. A PC inter-
face to network cabling. It is a
piece of computer hardware
designed to allow computers to
communicate over a computer
network.
Hard disk drive- is fixed computer

storage medium.
Motherboard- is also known as
the main board. It contains cir-
cuits that performed various
function.
Processor- is also known as CPU

or the Central Processing unit.
General Safety Tips and Reminders

Observe good housekeeping in the area of the machines during and after
the maintenance.
Place removed covers and other parts in a safe place, away from all son-
nel, while you are servicing the machine.
Dress for the job

Keep your tool case away from walk areas so that people will not trip over
it.
Do not wear loose clothing that can be trapped in the moving parts of a
machine. Ensure that your sleeves is fastened or rolled up above your el-
bows. If your hair is long, use hair net or hair cap.
Insert the ends of your necktie or scarf inside clothing or fasten it will a
nonconductive clip, approximately three (3) inches from the end.
Do not wear jewelry, chains, metal frame eyeglasses, or metal fasteners.
After service, reinstall all safety shield, guards, labels, and ground wires.
Replace any safety device that is worn out or defective. Finally, reinstall all
covers correctly before returning the unit to the customers.
Electrical safety
Electrical current from power, telephone, and communication cables can be
hazardous. To avoid personal injury or equipment damage, disconnect the
attached power cords, telecommunications system, network and modems
before you open the server/workstation covers, unless instructed other-
wise in the installation and configuration procedure.
Precaution
Disconnect all power before:
Performing a mechanical inspection
Working near power supplies
Removing or installing main units
Before starting work on the machine, unplug the power cord
Never assume that power has been disconnected from a circuit. First, check
that it has been powered-off
Always look carefully for possible hazard in your work
Moist floor
Non-grounded power extension cables
Power surges
If an electrical accident occurs

Use caution
Switch off power
Send another person to get medical aid
Safety Inspection Guide

These steps will help you identify potentially unsafe condition on these
products:
 Check exterior covers for damage (loose, broken, or sharp edges)
 Power-off computer. Disconnect the power cord.
 The power cord should be appropriate type.
 Insulation on the power cord must not be frayed worn out.
 Remove the cover.
 Check for any obvious alteration. Use good judgment as to the
safety of any alteration.
 Check for worn out, frayed or pinched cable.
Check that the power – supply cover fasteners (screws or rivets)
have not been removed or tampered with.
RESOURCES
 http://www.buildeasypc.com/sw/windows_7/install_windows_7.htm
 http://www.buildeasypc.com/sw/windows_7/install_windows_7_p2.htm
 http://www.buildeasypc.com/sw/windows_xp.htm
 http://www.buildeasypc.com/sw/windows_xp_p2.htm
 http://www.functionx.com/networking/Lesson04.htm
 http://www.wikihow.com/Install-Windows-XP
 PC Hardware Servicing & TESDA NC II Assessment

Skills Training in Computer Hardware For ICT Teachers of Secondary School of DepEd Division of Bataan 2

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Skills Training in Computer Hardware For ICT Teachers of Secondary School of DepEd Division of Bataan 2

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Introduction

By the end of the seminar-workshop, the participant is expected to:

A computer is an electronic device

They are programmed to do repeated task and operations to pro-

Where can we use computers?

As of today, the use of computers is limited by the user’s imagina-

 Scientific / Engineering computations

What are the kinds of computers?

There are different kinds and types of computers defined in a vari-

Mainframe Computers. These are powerful computers, the biggest ones

What are the Components of a Computer System?

Computer systems are made of 3 components:

The hardware of a typical computer system, irrespective of its size, consists

 System Unit (Central Processing

 Operating System – is the basic software needed

Computer Software / Program

Some of the computer programming languages are:

Visual Basic, C, C++, Java

Classification of Computer Software

Operating System (OS) is the basic software responsible for interact-

It is the foundation on which user programs and application pro-

Two popular operating systems in use today are:

User Programs: Written by users or programmers for themselves or

Application programs is the catch-all name for all programs that

The PC System Case

Provides the aesthetics of the system.

Cover plays an important role in the cooling, protection and structure of

Front Panel in addition to providing

Mid-tower is a slightly shorter version of the full tower.

Midi-tower exist somewhere between the mid-tower and the mini-

Mini-tower this is the most popular case today. It provides slightly

Baby AT – though virtually obsolete by today’s standards, the Baby

What is a power supply and what does it do?

Standard power supplies turn

Power supplies are quoted as

The more components (hard

By using a PSU that delivers

Always replace a power supply with an equivalent or superior power output

There are 3 types of power supply in common use:

The voltages produced by AT/ATX/ATX-2 power supplies are:

The power supply connectors

ATX Power Supply Pin outs

Below are pin outs digrams of the common connectors in ATX

The motherboard, or mainboard, of a PC is a large printed circuit

Backplanes – are common in large PC network servers and on oth-

Motherboard Form Factors

Micro-AT Form Factor

ATX Form Factor

It was released by Intel

This is slightly smaller

NLX Form Factor

A new standardized form factor. The three primary focuses of the

Here is a list of criteria you should consider when evaluating your

CPU Socket and Slots

The reason the CPU is called a processor is because it can work

AMD Processor Intel Processor

First Generation: 8088, 8086,

Second Generation: 80286 and 80287 – it has a clock speed of 6 to 8 MHz

The Fifth Generation: Intel “P5” Pentium and Pentium MMX

MMX (Multimedia Extension or Math Matrix) improves internal

Pentium II is the Intel Pentium Pro with MMX Technology.

Celeron is used in desktop and portable computers and it

Pentium II Xeon is the successor to Pentium Pro but with