Basic Computer

Maintenance/Servicing

Lesson 3 & 4
Quarter 1: Week 2
 This module deepens your understanding of the Basic https://www.minitool.com/backup-tips/computer-
Computer Maintenance and Servicing. maintenance.html

OBJECTIVES:

Identify and explain computer safety precautions when

handling computer parts;
Differentiate the types of computer maintenance;
Discuss the computer maintenance tips; and
Apply the essential procedures for maintaining a computer.

In doing this module, please

follow these reminders…
1. Take the pretest before
working or answering the
module.
2. Perform the activities as
suggested.
3. Answer all the exercises. Prepared by:

4. Check your answers

against the Key to MARIA JOAN M. ULANDAY
Correction. DCNHS-JHS
5. Take the Post Test.

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 Activity No. 2
a. 2
b. 3
Pre-Test: Post-Test: c. 1
Direction: Write True if the statement is correct and
1. True 1. False
2. False 2. False a. 3 False if the statement is not correct. Write your
3. False 3. False b. 1 answers on your answer sheet.
4. False 4. False c. 2
1. Hold component by its edge to avoid touching any
5. False 5. False d. 6
terminals or parts.
6. True 6. True e. 5
7. False 7. False f. 4 2. Always grasp a non-metal part of the computer chassis
8. False 8. True with your bare hand before you touch anything inside.
9. True 9. False a. 3
b. 1 3. Do not assemble parts other than those specified in the
10. False 10. True
c. 5 procedure.
11. True 11. False
12. True 12. False d. 2 4. Always use a UL-approved surge protector or an
13. False 13. False e. 4 Uninterruptible Power Supply that corporates surge and
14. False 14. True spike protection.
15. False 15. True Activity No. 1
5. When working outside your computer, you must replace
1. route
Review: the chassis cover and secure it with the screws before
1. System Unit 2. edge
plugging in the power cable and turning it on.
2. Motherboard 3. static
3. Expansion Bus 4. disconnecting 6. When you work on a carpet where static electricity is
4. Adapter 5. grasp a metal likely to be generated, make sure take anti-static
5. Computer 6. damaged cable measures beforehand.
6. Video Card 7. components
7. Always use an anti-static wrist strap when working on a
7. Ports 8. aligning
computer and on monitors.
8. Power Cord 9. incorporates surge
9. Audio Port 10. generated 8. Take care when disconnecting or disconnecting cables.
11. working A damaged cable can cause a short in the electrical
12. chassis cover circuit.
13. anti-static bag 9. When disconnecting a cable, always pull on the cable
14. position connector or strain-relief loop, not on the cable itself.
15. store
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10. Always handle electronic components by a conducting
edge. Don't touch the pins or other connectors.
11. Keep any component in an anti-static bag until you
actually install it to the computer.
12. Prevent damage to the connectors by aligning
connector pins before you connect the cable.
Misaligned connector pins can cause damage to system
components at power-on.
13. Turn on and disconnect all peripherals.
14. Label any cable connectors before connecting.
15. When uninstalling a cable, route the cable so it is not
pinched by other components and is out of the path of
the system unit cover.
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10. When you work on a carpet where static electricity is
likely to be generated, make sure take anti-static
measures beforehand.
11. Turn on and disconnect all peripherals.
12. Always use an anti-static wrist strap when working on
a computer and on monitors.
13. Always handle electronic components by a conducting
edge. Don't touch the pins or other connectors.
14. Prevent damage to the connectors by aligning
connector pins before you connect the cable.
Misaligned connector pins can cause damage to
system components at power-on.
15. Hold component by its edge to avoid touching any
terminals or parts.
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Direction: Write True if the statement is correct and Before finally moving on, try to test yourself on the
False if the statement is not correct. Write your previous lesson you’ve learned which is about the computer
system and ports and its functions. Good luck and I hope you will
answers on your answer sheet.
have some fun doing this activity.
1. When uninstalling a cable, route the cable so it is not
pinched by other components and is out of the path of
the system unit cover.
2. Take care when disconnecting or disconnecting cables.
A damaged cable can cause a short in the electrical
circuit.
3. Always grasp a non-metal part of the computer chassis
with your bare hand before you touch anything inside.
4. Label any cable connectors before connecting.
5. Do not assemble parts other than those specified in the
procedure.
6. When disconnecting a cable, always pull on the cable
connector or strain-relief loop, not on the cable itself.
7. Always use a UL-approved surge protector or an
Uninterruptible Power Supply that corporates surge and
spike protection.
8. Keep any component in an anti-static bag until you
actually install it to the computer.
9. When working outside your computer, you must replace
the chassis cover and secure it with the screws before
plugging in the power cable and turning it on.

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 C. Steps to Remove Unnecessary Software:

Lesson 3
Computer Safety Precautions
_____ a. Highlight program to remove
1. Always use an anti-static wrist strap when working on a
_____ b. Start | Control Panel
computer except when working on monitors. One end is
an elastic band that fits around your wrist and which is _____ c. Follow the instructions provided by the software
connected to an alligator clip by a wire. The clip connects for removal
to a metal part of the computer chassis.
_____ d. Select Add/Remove Programs
_____ e. Click Remove/Change

2. Try to avoid working in carpeted areas. Carpeting greatly

increases static buildup within your body.

3. Always grasp a metal part of the computer chassis with

your bare hand before you touch anything inside. Do this
even if you are wearing an anti-static wristband.

4. Always handle electronic components by a non-conducting

(non-metallic) edge. Don't touch the pins or other
connectors.

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 5. Always use a UL-approved surge protector or an Uninter-
ruptible Power Supply that incorporates surge and spike
protection.
Activity No. 2
 UL (Underwriters Laboratories) - is an independ-
Direction: Arrange the following steps according to its ent, not-for –profit company that tests electric and
sequence. Write 1 for the first, 2 for the second and so electronic products for safety.
on and so fort. Write your answers on your answer
sheet.

A. Steps to Delete Temporary Internet Files and

Cookies in Internet Explorer:
_____ a. Under Temporary Internet Files:
Click Delete Cookies to remove cookies
Click Delete Files to remove temporary files
_____ b. Restart Internet Explorer
_____ c. Select Tools | Internet Options

B. Steps to Delete tmp Files:

_____ a. In the search box type *.tmp
_____ b. Start | Search
_____ c. Select All Files or Folders 6. Never eat, drink, or smoke while working on a computer.
_____ d. Press Delete key
_____ e. Edit | Select All – will select all the tmp files for 7. When you work on a carpet where static electricity is likely
to be generated, make sure take anti-static measures be-
deletion
forehand.
_____ f. Click Search Now
8. Do not wear a wool or synthetic cloth to work with the
computer.

9. Take off any jewels (a ring, bracelet, or wrist watch) before

working with the computer.

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10. Keep any component in an anti-static bag until you 10. When you work on a carpet where static electricity is likely
actually install it to the computer. to be ________________, make sure take anti-static
measures beforehand.
11. Take off any jewels (a ring, bracelet, or wrist watch) before
____________ with the computer.
12. When working inside your computer, you must replace the
_________________ and secure it with the screws before
plugging in the power cable and turning it on.
13. Keep any component in an _______________ until you
actually install it to the computer.
14. Label any cable connectors before disconnecting. Note
where the connector goes and in what _____________ it
was installed.
15. To ___________ or carry any component, place it in an anti-
static bag.

11. Hold component by its edge to avoid touching any

terminals or parts.

12. To store or carry any component, place it in an anti-static

bag.

13. Turn off and disconnect all peripherals.

14. Do not disassemble parts other than those specified in

the procedure.

15. Label any cable connectors before disconnecting. Note

where the connector goes and in what position it was
installed.

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 16. Take care when connecting or disconnecting cables. A
damaged cable can cause a short in the electrical circuit.

Activity No. 1 17. When installing a cable, route the cable so it is not
pinched by other components and is out of the path of
Direction: Read each statement below carefully and fill in the system unit cover.
the blank with the correct answer. Answers may be
more than one word. Write your answers on your 18. Prevent damage to the connectors by aligning connector
answer sheet. pins before you connect the cable. Misaligned connector
pins can cause damage to system components at power-
on.
1. When installing a cable, __________ the cable so it is not
pinched by other components and is out of the path of the 19. When disconnecting a cable, always pull on the cable
system unit cover. connector or strain-relief loop, not on the cable itself.
2. Hold component by its __________ to avoid touching any
terminals or parts. 20. When working inside your computer, you must replace
3. Try to avoid working in carpeted areas. Carpeting greatly the chassis cover and secure it with the screws before
increases __________ buildup within your body.
plugging in the power cable and turning it on.
4. When _______________ a cable, always pull on the cable
connector or strain-relief loop, not on the cable itself.
5. Always ________________ part of the computer chassis with
your bare hand before you touch anything inside. Do this
even if you are wearing an anti-static wristband.
6. Take care when connecting or disconnecting cables. A
_______________ can cause a short in the electrical circuit.
7. Always handle electronic ________________ by a non-
conducting (non-metallic) edge. Don't touch the pins or
other connectors.
8. Prevent damage to the connectors by _______________
connector pins before you connect the cable.
9. Always use a UL-approved surge protector or an Uninter-
ruptible Power Supply that ________________ and spike
protection.

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 Lesson 4
Computer Maintenance Procedures 6. Run Antivirus and Malware Scans Regularly; 7. Always
Run Your Firewall; 8. Uninstall Programs You Don’t Use;
Types of Computer Maintenance 9. Update Windows System and Programs; 10. Clean
Your Disk; 11. Use a Disk Space Analysis Tool; 12. Clean
When it comes to how to maintain a computer, you
Your PC System; and 13. Use a CPU and GPU
should consider this case: both hardware and software of
Temperature Monitoring Tool.
your PC should be maintained since they are important and
will have a decisive impact on the operation of the system.
So, computer maintenance is related to them.

Besides, there are four types of PC maintenance and

here is everything you should know about it.

1. Predictive Maintenance
This refers to using a diagnostic tool to anticipate
possible failures and avoid some possible issues. And one
common way is monitoring your computer system and
checking whether it works properly. This tool can control
and inform you of battery levels, the temperature of the
CPU, and other features.

2. Preventive Maintenance
This type is common and it is carried out to prevent
possible failures, improve the function of a system and
prolong the life of various computer components.
Preventive maintenance is useful since it can detect weak
points in the system, decrease the system downtime and
reduce the number of repairs.

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 16. Take care when connecting or disconnecting cables.
A damaged cable can cause a short in the electrical
circuit.
17. When installing a cable, route the cable so it is not
pinched by other components and is out of the path of
the system unit cover.
18. Prevent damage to the connectors by aligning
connector pins before you connect the cable.
Misaligned connector pins can cause damage to
system components at power-on.
19. When disconnecting a cable, always pull on the cable
connector or strain-relief loop, not on the cable itself.
20. When working inside your computer, you must replace
the chassis cover and secure it with the screws before
plugging in the power cable and turning it on.
When it comes to how to maintain a computer, you
should consider this case: both hardware and software of
your PC should be maintained since they are important
and will have a decisive impact on the operation of the
system.
There are four types of PC maintenance and here
is everything you should know about it. These are as
follows: Predictive Maintenance; Preventive Maintenance;
Corrective Maintenance and Evolutionary Maintenance.
Now you have clearly known the detailed
description of types of computer maintenance. In the
following part, some useful tips are offered to you and all
of them belong to one of these types. Here is the
computer maintenance checklist. 1. Clean Your Computer;
2. Don’t Block the Vents; 3. Keep Your Food and Drink
Away from PCs; 4. Don’t Overcharge Your Battery;
5. Create a Backup for Your Important Files and System;
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Preventive software maintenance usually includes
scanning and cleaning through antivirus, the creation of
backups freeing-up of your disk space and RAM. The
preventive hardware maintenance should refer to the
periodic cleaning of equipment and its components.
3. Corrective Maintenance
If the previous two types don’t work and a problem
occurred, you should perform this maintenance. In addition
to solving the failure problems, you should find the cause
and prevent it from happening again.
4. Evolutionary Maintenance
The last type is to develop the system of your
computer so it can perform more efficiently. This type
concerns both hardware and software, so you can update
Windows and change various parts of the PC for better
performance.
Computer Maintenance Tips
Now you have clearly known the detailed
description of types of computer maintenance. In the
following part, some useful tips are offered to you and all
of them belong to one of these types. Here is the computer
maintenance checklist.
1. Clean Your Computer
If dust is on your computer, it looks gross and the
PC will trap heat reducing its performance and lifespan.
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So, you can open the case (for a desktop) and blow the
dust out. Besides, use a damp cloth to wipe the case.
For a desktop, don’t forget the monitor.
Full Solutions to Monitor Not Displaying Full Screen
Windows 10
Is your monitor not displaying full screen in Windows 10?
This post will walk you through how to easily fix this
issue to make it full screen.
Additionally, dust can clog up your cooling fans
and keyboard. So, you should also clean them. A
compressed air canister is helpful. Moreover, don’t
neglect ports and crevices of a laptop and desktop.
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The following are the Computer Safety Precautions
1. Always use an anti-static wrist strap when working on a
computer except when working on monitors.
2. Try to avoid working in carpeted areas. Carpeting
greatly increases static buildup within your body.
3. Always grasp a metal part of the computer chassis with
your bare hand before you touch anything inside.
4. Always handle electronic components by a
non-conducting (non-metallic) edge. Don't touch the
pins or other connectors.
5. Always use a UL-approved surge protector or an
Uninterruptible Power Supply that incorporates surge
and spike protection.
6. Never eat, drink, or smoke while working on a
computer.
7. When you work on a carpet where static electricity is
likely to be generated, make sure take anti-static
measures beforehand.
8. Do not wear a wool or synthetic cloth to work with the
computer.
9. Take off any jewels (a ring, bracelet, or wrist watch)
before working with the computer.
10. Keep any component in an anti-static bag until you
actually install it to the computer.
11. Hold component by its edge to avoid touching any
terminals or parts.
12. To store or carry any component, place it in an
anti-static bag.
13. Turn off and disconnect all peripherals.
14. Do not disassemble parts other than those specified in
the procedure.
15. Label any cable connectors before disconnecting.
Note where the connector goes and in what position it
was installed.
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and degrade system performance. By removing this
software hard disk space is increased and system
performance is boosted.

Steps to Remove Unnecessary Software:

1. Start | Control Panel

2. Select Add/Remove Programs
3. Highlight program to remove
4. Click Remove/Change
5. Follow the instructions provided by the software for
removal
It is recommended that only one software package be
removed at a time. This ensures that if there is a
problem with the removal of the software it can be
determined which software caused the issue.
2. Don’t Block the Vents
Like people, machines also need to breathe. So,
don’t block the vent, which aims to ensure your
computer can remain cool enough to work properly.
3. Keep Your Food and Drink Away from PCs
Don’t eat and drink over your laptop or desktop
since the consequence is serious. For example, your
keyboard can be destroyed after a single spill or food
residues penetrate the case of your device and damage
the internal components.

4. Don’t Overcharge Your Battery

Don’t keep your device plugged in at all times.
This is because unnecessary charging can retard the
regenerative capability of the battery. And the ability to

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hold a charge can drop off a year later. Usually, you can
make a setting for your laptop to let it not charge when
reaching 20%.
Note: Sometimes you find your PC is plugged in but not
charging. This is caused by your settings.
5. Create a Backup for Your Important Files and
System
As a computer owner, the most important thing you
can do is to back up the important data stored on your
hard drive. This tip is also a vital part of regular personal
computer maintenance since unexpected hard drive
failure, serious computer problems, viruses, etc. can
cause data loss. Besides, system also crashes and cannot
boot.
6. Run Antivirus and Malware Scans Regularly
This computer maintenance tip should go without
saying but we say it anyway. Any computer should have
conventional virus protection and spyware detection
software to monitor the system for threats in real time and
remove them to keep the PC safe.
In Windows 10, Windows Defender can offer you real-time
virus & threat prevention, account protection, firewall &
network protection, etc.
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Steps to Delete Temporary Internet Files and
Cookies in Internet Explorer:
1. Select Tools | Internet Options
2. Under Temporary Internet Files:
Click Delete Cookies to remove cookies
Click Delete Files to remove temporary files
3. Restart Internet Explorer
3. Empty Recycle Bin
When a file is deleted off a computer it is not
deleted immediately but stored in the recycle bin in case
it needs to be recovered later. While this feature offers
great data recovery protection if not emptied can clutter
the hard drive with unnecessary files.
Steps to Empty Recycle Bin:
1. Double click on Recycle Bin icon on desktop
2. Check to make sure there are no files that need to be
restored.
NOTE! Once the recycle bin is emptied there is no
method to retrieve the files.
3. Click on Empty Recycle Bin or File | Empty Recycle
Bin
4. Remove Unnecessary Software
Many systems have software installed that is no long-
er uses, such as preinstalled software or demo pro-
grams. Not only is the software taking disk space but
also can be loading components that use memory
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Essential procedures for maintaining a computer
Alternatively, you can install an antivirus or anti-malware
1. Delete Temporary (tmp) Files program on your computer, for example, Malwarebytes
Temporary files are created on the hard disk by pro- or Avast. Just run such a tool to perform a full scan for
grams to store information while the program is in use. Af- viruses, spyware, malware, etc.
ter the program is closed the tmp files should be deleted.
Unfortunately, this is not always the case and over time,
the hard drive starts to be filled with unnecessary tmp files.

Steps to Delete tmp Files:

1. Start | Search
2. Select All Files or Folders
3. In the search box type *.tmp
4. Click Search Now
5. Edit | Select All – will select all the tmp files for deletion
6. Press Delete key

2. Delete Temporary Internet Files and Cookies

When surfing the Internet sites that are visited store
temporary files on the local computer in cache or as
cookies. These files contain information about the site
including text, graphics and personal information. Over
time, the number of these files continues to grow taking up
disk space, and in the case of cookies, posing possible se-
curity hazards.
NOTE! Sites that store username and password
information for automatic login save the information
in a cookie. Before deleting cookies make sure to
have username and password information
recorded.
7. Always Run Your Firewall
Windows Firewall in the operating system is the
first line of defense against malware. It can filter some
information from the Internet and block potentially
harmful programs from installing. This tool should always
be running. It is pretty useful when you install new apps
from a third-party source other than the manufacturer or
developer.
Just go to Control Panel, click Windows
Defender Firewall > Turn Windows Defender Firewall
on or off and ensure the Firewall is enabled.

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8. Uninstall Programs You Don’t Use
When using a computer for a long time, you may
have installed all sorts of programs. Sometimes you may
forget or not realize you have installed them. These
programs slow down your computer over time and take
much disk space. Even some run in the background and
eat up the system resource.
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13. Use a CPU and GPU Temperature Monitoring Tool
As is well known, PC overheating can be a really
serious problem since it can cause data corruption and
PC components permanent damage. In your computer,
CPU and GPU are the parts that are easy to be heating.
Keeping an eye on the temperature will help you keep
them cool if needed.
So, using a CPU and GPU temperature monitoring tool
can be a good computer maintenance step.
Tip: In addition to these PC maintenance tips, there are
some other tips you can try – use a hard drive health
monitoring tool like CrystalDiskInfo, free up space
With cloud storage solutions, shut down your PC
properly, be careful with unfamiliar WiFi networks,
etc.
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12. Clean Your PC System
To ensure your PC stays fast and junk-free, you
can use a PC cleaning tool to clean some files like
cache, logs, fragments, temporary files, etc. from the
Windows system since these files can take up much
space, cause software errors and slow down the system.
CCleaner is one of the most excellent PC cleaning tools
and it can clean junk files wonderfully.
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Tip: Sometimes uninstalling programs via Control Panel
couldn’t completely remove the apps.
9. Update Windows System and Programs
One of the best ways to make sure your PC is at
the best state is to keep your operating system up-to-
date. For the Windows system, Microsoft always keeps
rolling out updates and security patches to improve the
overall user experience.
You can go to Windows Update, check for
available updates and restart the PC to install them.
Besides, ensure you install the latest driver software.
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10. Clean Your Disk
As time goes on, your PC is filled with a large
amount of unnecessary information including temporary
files, thumbnails, web pages, old Windows installation,
and more others. Much disk space is occupied and the
PC may turn slow.
Cleaning your disk is an excellent computer
maintenance tip. In Windows, you can ask Disk Cleanup
for help. If you are using Windows 10, you can go
to Settings > System > Storage to delete temporary
files.
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11. Use a Disk Space Analysis Tool
To keep your PC clean and free from un-required
data, understanding what is on your computer is helpful.
A disk space analysis tool can scan your PC and show
you all your data.
Here you can use MiniTool Partition Wizard since it
offers a feature called Space Analyzer to scan your
disk, let you know what is taking up your space, and
easily and intuitively display the result.
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