UNESCO-NIGERIA TECHNICAL &

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
REVITALISATION PROJECT-PHASE II

NATIONAL DIPLOMA IN
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

Computer Hardware II
COURSE CODE: EEC 247

YEAR II- SEMESTER II

THEORY/PRACTICAL

Version 1: December 2008

1
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
WEEK 1.....................................................................................................1

Process of fault diagnosis

WEEK 2......................................................................................................9
Troubleshooting BIOS Beep Codes
WEEK 3......................................................................................................14
Troubleshooting Boot- Time Error Messages
WEEK 4......................................................................................................19
Checking the Power Supply
WEEK 5.....................................................................................................21
Software Diagnostic tests for hardware
WEEK 6.....................................................................................................33
Memory failure-Symptoms and Troubleshooting
WEEK 7.....................................................................................................41
Hard drive failure-Symptoms and Troubleshooting
WEEK 8.....................................................................................................50
Floopy drive failure-Symptoms and Troubleshooting
WEEK 9.....................................................................................................55
CD ROM failure-Symptoms and Troubleshooting
WEEK 10...................................................................................................60
Keyboard failure- Symptoms Troubleshooting
WEEK 11...................................................................................................63
Replacing the Add-on Cards
WEEK 12..................................................................................................69
Modems
WEEK 13..................................................................................................79
Sound failure-Symptoms and Troubleshooting
WEEK 14..................................................................................................84
Mouse failure-Symptoms and Troubleshooting
WEEK 15.................................................................................................92
Assembling the System
Computer Week
Process of Fault diagnosis

Before getting into the troubleshooting details, it is important to know about what goes on
during the startup process. The reason is, there are actually quite a few steps that occur in
between switching the power ON and hearing the familiar Windows 95, 98 or Windows
ME./XP startup sounds and seeing the Windows desktop. In fact, there are a whole series
of files that are automatically loaded one after the other when you turn your computer on.
The trick with troubleshooting startup problems is trying to figure out which of those files
(or what step in the process) causes a specific problem in the computer. If we know
approximately where in the startup process the problem occurs (Computer gets stuck), we
can diagnose the problem easily.

This chapter explains the various problems that occur in a computer and the
troubleshooting procedures.

BIOS

When your computer is first turned on, it automatically loads a program called the BIOS, or
Basic Input/Output System, which is stored on a special chip on your computer’s
motherboard. The BIOS is essentially a combination of software and hardware in that it
consists of software, but the contents of that software is stored in a hardware chip.

One of the first things we should see on your computer’s monitor when we start the PC is
some type of message like "Hit Esc to enter Setup," although instead of Esc it may say F2
or F10 or any number of other keys and instead of Setup it may say CMOS Setup or BIOS
Setup or just CMOS. Make note of the key required to enter the Setup program because we
may need that later (some startup problems can only be solved by changing some
BIOS/CMOS settings via the Setup program).

Power-On Self Test (POST)

The first thing that the BIOS does when it boots the PC is to perform what is called the
Power-On Self-Test, or POST for short. The POST is a built-in diagnostic program that
checks the hardware to ensure that everything is present and functioning properly, before
the BIOS begins the actual boot. It later continues with additional tests such as the memory
test and then it lists any devices that it finds attached to the computer’s internal IDE
controller(s). (that is seen on the screen of the monitor) as the boot process is proceeding.

The POST runs very quickly, and you will normally not even noticed that it is happening--
unless it finds a problem. You may have encountered a PC that, when turned on, made
beeping sounds and then stopped without booting up. That is the POST telling you
Computer Week
something is wrong with the machine. The speaker is used because this test happens so
early on, before the video is activated! These beep patterns can be used to diagnose many
hardware problems with the PC. The exact patterns depend on the maker of the BIOS; the
most common are Award and AMI BIOS.

BIOS Startup Screen

When the system BIOS starts up, you will see its familiar screen display, normally after the
video adapter displays its information. These are the contents of a typical BIOS start up
screen:

 The BIOS Manufacturer and Version Number.

 The BIOS Date: The date of the BIOS can be important in helping you determine
its capabilities.
 Setup Program Key: The key or keys to press to enter the BIOS setup program.
(This is usually {Del}, sometimes {F2}, and sometimes another key combination.
 System Logo: The logo of the BIOS company, or in some cases the PC maker or
motherboard manufacturer.
 The "Energy Star" Logo: This distinctive logo is displayed if the BIOS supports
the Energy Star standard, which almost all newer ones do.
 The BIOS Serial Number: This is normally located at the bottom of the screen.
Since BIOSes are highly customized to the particular motherboard, this serial
number can be used in many cases to determine the specific motherboard and BIOS
version you are using. Check out Wim Bervoets' BIOS site for a huge list of these
numbers

Troubleshooting BIOS Beep Codes

When a problem is identified with the system during the POST, the BIOS will normally
produce an error message. However, in some cases the problem is detected so early in the
test that the BIOS cannot even access the video card to print the message! In this case the
BIOS will produce a beeping pattern on the speaker to tell you what the problem is.

The exact meaning of the beep codes depends on the type and version of BIOS that you
have. The three most popular types of BIOS are those made by Award, American
Megatrends (AMI) and Phoenix. The beep codes for these BIOS products are described in
this part of the troubleshooter. If you are using a PC made by a company that writes its own
BIOS, you will have to consult your owner's manual

A single beep during the boot process, usually right before the BIOS startup screen is
displayed, is normal and does not indicate a failure as long as the boot continues on.
Computer Week

Beep codes can be in several different patterns, depending on the BIOS that you are using.
Some BIOSes use very simple beep codes in a pattern of varying numbers of short beeps,
while others may mix short and long beeps. The Phoenix BIOS is famous for its
complicated beep patterns that are actually in up to four groups--one or more beeps and
then a pause, followed by as many as three more patterns.

Introduction to Troubleshooting

The problems that occur in a PC can be categorized mainly into two.

1. Problem of booting or starting up of the PC

2. Problem occurring after the boot up.

For successful troubleshooting, we must always gather some vital information as listed
below:

 Description of the problem like what error message, unusual displays was seen
before the trouble
 When did the problem start?
 What was the situation when the problem started ?
 What software or program was running when the problem occurred?
 Was the computer moved in the recent times?
 Was there any electrical power (Mains) supply problem or a thunderstorm prior to
the trouble?
 Was any hardware, software or configuration changes made in the computer?
 Has someone else used the computer?

Next check if the PC is booting or not. If there is any booting problem follow the flowchart
shown below to diagnose the fault.
Computer Week

If
the screen is blank and entire system is "dead" nor lights, no spinning drive or no fan, then
there is obviously power supply problem.

Troubleshooting the power supply

First of all conduct a preliminary check as follows:

 check for any burnt parts
 Check all connections to the computer like the mains cord, monitor cord are loose
and ensure that they are well connected.
 Check if the switches of UPS, Extension cords etc., are switched ON.
 If the fan is not running, turn off the computer, open the case and check the
connections to the power supply.
 In newer ATX power supplies, a wire runs from the power switch on the front of
the ATX case to the motherboard. Ensure that this wire is connected to the
motherboard and the switch turned on before the power comes up.

o Check the output voltage from the power supply.

 If there is no voltage from the power supply or if there is a low voltage, remove all
non essential expansion cards (modem, sound etc.,) and check the voltage. If there
is no voltage still then the power supply unit is faulty.
Computer Week
 If the voltage is OK after all the cards are removed, Insert the cards one by one and
check the voltage. The voltage will fall or reduce when the defective card is
inserted.
 Using a soft brush clean the interiors of the case, slots etc., before putting the cover
back.

Trouble shooting of the Power supply unit

Some of the symptoms of the power supply failure in a PC are as follows:

 The PC sometimes halts during booting and after several tries boots successfully.
 Error codes or beep occur during booting but they come and go.
 The computer hangs or stops for no reason. Sometimes it might even reboot itself.
 Memory errors appear intermittently.
 Data is written incorrectly to the hard disk.
 The keyboard stops working at odd times.
 The motherboard fails or is damaged.
 The power supply overheats and will become too hot to touch.

Some remedial measures that can be carried out are as follows:

- An overheated system can cause intermittent problems. Use compressed air or an

antistatic vacuum to remove dust from the power supply and the vents over the entire
computer. Check the power supply fan and the fan over the CPU both work.
- If a system is upgraded with additional drives and accessories, the power supply unit
may be operating above its rated capacity thus causing reboots and intermittent
otherwise unexplained errors. Upgrade the power supply unit to withstand the
additional loads.
- An electrical conditioner (Protective device like Surge suppressor) might solve the
problem of intermittent errors caused by noise in the power line connected to the PC.
Computer Week
If all the above checks fail to correct the problem, then check the voltage at the pins of the
power supply connectors referring to the pin configuration given below:

Pin configuration for

ATX case
Computer Week
Troubleshooting the power supply fan

An improperly working fan causes power supply problems. Usually before a fan stops
working, it hums or whines, especially when the PC is first turned on. If this has just
happened , replace the fan or replace the power supply itself.

If the fan still does not work even after replacing the power supply then it is not the
problem with the fan. A short somewhere else in the system and drawing too much power
may be causing the problem.

Do not operate the PC if the fan does not work. Computers without cooling fan can quickly
overheat and damage the chips. To troubleshoot a non functional fan, which might be a
symptom of another problem and not a problem of the fan itself, follow the steps:

1. Turn off the power and remove all power cord connections to all components,
including the connections to the motherboard and all the power cords to the
drives. Turn the power back on. If the fan works, the problem is with one of the
systems that was disconnected, not with the power supply or its fan.
2. Turn off the power and reconnect the power cords to the drives. If the fan comes
on, you can eliminate the drives as the problem. If the fan does not come on, then
try one drive at a time till the drive with a short is identified.
3. If the drives are not the problem, suspect the motherboard subsystem. With the
power off, reconnect all power cords to the drives.
4. Turn off the power and remove the power to the motherboard by disconnecting P8
and P9 or P1. Turn back the power on.
5. If the fan works, the problem is probably not the power supply but a short in one
of the components powered by the power cords to the motherboard. The power to
the motherboard also powers interface cards.
6. Remove all interface cards and reconnect plugs to the motherboard.
7. If the fan still works, the problem is one of the interface cards. If the fan does not
work, the problem is the motherboard or something still connected to it.

Power problems with the motherboard.

The motherboard, like all other components inside the computer case, should be grounded
to the chassis. Look for a metal screw that grounds the board to the computer case.
However, a short might be the problem with the electrical system if some component on
the board makes an improper contact with the chassis. This short can seriously damage the
motherboard. Check for missing standoff (small plastic spacers that hold the motherboard a
Computer Week
short distance away from the chassis), the problem that most often causes these improper
connections.

Shorts in the circuits on the motherboard might also cause problems. Look for damage on
the bottom of the motherboard. These circuits are coated with plastic, and quite often
damage is difficult to spot.

Frayed wires on cable connections can also cause shorts. Disconnect hard drive cables
connected directly to the motherboard. Power up P8 and P9 or P1 connected but all cables
disconnected from the motherboard. If the fan works, the problem is with one of the
systems you disconnected.

Overheating Issues

If your computer hangs after it has been running for a while, you may have an overheating
problem. First, check whether there is air flow within the case. Open the case and make
sure the CPU and the power supply fans are turning and that cables will not fall into the
fans and prevent them from turning when you close the case. While you have the case
open, use an antistatic vacuum designed to be used around electronic equipment or a can of
compressed air. To blow dust off the motherboard and the CPU heat sink. Check the vents
of the case, and clear any foreign material that may be blocking airflow.

After you close the case, leave your system off for a few hours. When you power up the
computer again, let it run for 10 minutes, go in CMOS setup, check the temperature
reading, and reboot. Next let your system run until it shuts down. Power it up again and
check the temperature in set up again. A significant difference in this reading and the first
one you took after running the computer for 10 minutes indicates an overheating problem.
Try adding an extra case fan or more powerful fans than those you already have. When
adding extra fans, for every fan that blows air out of the case, use one that blows air into
the case. Also, you can monitor the temperature inside the case using a temperature sensor
that sounds an alarm when a high temperature is reached or uses software to alert you of a
problem.

Be careful when trying to solve an overheating problem. Excessive heat itself may damage
the CPU and the motherboard, and the hard reboots necessary when your system hangs
may damage the hard drive. If you suspect damaged components, try substituting
comparable components that you know are good.
 Computer Hardware Week 2

Troubleshooting BIOS Beep Codes - AMI BIOS

The AMI BIOS is one of the most popular in the PC world today, and fortunately is quite consistent in its use
of beep codes, across its many different versions. Please select the beep pattern you are hearing from the list in
the table given below.

Beep Explanation Diagnosis Troubleshooting steps

1 Beep: DRAM refresh failure This code usually means a problem either  Troubleshoot the motherboard.
The system is having a problem with the system memory or with the  Treat as an apparent memory
accessing the system memory motherboard itself. failure.
to refresh it. Refreshing is done
on all system memory to keep
its contents active.
2 Beeps Parity circuit failure This code usually means a problem with  Treat as an apparent memory
The parity circuit is either the system memory or the failure.
responsible for generating and motherboard.  Troubleshoot the motherboard
checking the parity bit on the
system memory when parity
checking is used. This circuitry
is not working properly.
3 Beeps Base 64K RAM failure The first bank of memory probably has a bad  Treat as an apparent memory
There is a failure of some sort memory chip in it somewhere. It is possible failure.
within the first 64 KB of that there is a failure related to the
system memory. motherboard or a system device as well.  Troubleshoot the motherboard.

4 Beeps System timer failure This is usually a motherboard failure.  Troubleshoot the motherboard.
There is a problem with one or
more of the timers used by the
system to control functions on
the motherboard.
 Computer Hardware Week 2

Beep Explanation Diagnosis Troubleshooting steps

5 Beeps Processor failure There is a problem related to the processor or  Troubleshoot the processor.
motherboard. Note that this doesn't mean that  If the processor is not at fault,
The system processor is the processor is necessarily dead; with a dead troubleshoot the
generating an error condition processor the system won't boot at all (it runs motherboard.
indicating a problem with it. the BIOS code that is used to start up the
PC.)
6 Beeps Keyboard controller / gate This is usually a problem with either the  Troubleshooting the keyboard is
A20 failure keyboard or the motherboard relatively easy; try that first.
 Troubleshoot the keyboard
The keyboard controller is a controller.
chip on the motherboard that
communicates with your Troubleshoot as a motherboard
keyboard. It also controls the failure
A20 gate that provides access
to the high memory area
(HMA). This component is
indicating a failure.
7 Beeps Virtual mode exception error There is a problem related to the processor or  Troubleshoot the processor.
motherboard. Note that this doesn't mean that  Troubleshoot the motherboard.
Virtual mode is one of the the processor is necessarily dead, since the
different modes that the system won't boot at all with a dead
processor can run in. The processor.
system is reporting an error
when testing this mode.
8 Beeps Display memory read/write This is usually caused by a problem with the  Troubleshoot the video card.
failure video card, or the memory on the video card.
It can also be a motherboard issue.  Troubleshoot the motherboard
The BIOS is unable to write to
the frame buffer memory on the Note: Unlike the other AMI beep codes, this
video card. one is "non-fatal". The system may continue
 Computer Hardware Week 2

Beep Explanation Diagnosis Troubleshooting steps

to boot despite this error.
9 Beeps ROM BIOS checksum failure The BIOS ROM chip on the motherboard is Troubleshoot the motherboard. It is
probably faulty. It could also be another possible to replace just the BIOS ROM
The read-only memory (ROM) component on the motherboard. chip but often replacing the
containing the BIOS program motherboard will make more sense for
(which is what is running when cost and simplicity reasons.
you turn on the PC and what
generates this error) uses a
checksum value as a double-
check that the ROM code is
correct. This checksum is
compared against the values in
the ROM each time the PC is
booted and if there is a
mismatch, this code is
generated
10 Beeps CMOS shutdown register There is likely a problem with the Troubleshoot the motherboard.
read/write error motherboard.

A component of the
motherboard is producing an
error interacting with the
CMOS memory that holds the
BIOS settings.
11 Beeps Cache memory error This usually means a problem with the  Troubleshoot the secondary
system cache. It may also be a more general cache.
The system has attempted to problem with the motherboard.  Troubleshoot the motherboard.
verify the operation of the
secondary (level 2) cache and
has encountered an error.
 Computer Hardware Week 2

Beep Explanation Diagnosis Troubleshooting steps

Continuous Memory or video problem This is usually caused by a problem with the  Troubleshoot the system
Beeping system memory, or possibly the video card. memory.
The system is producing The memory is more likely--the system  Troubleshoot the video card.
constant beeping in no complains long and loud if it can't find any  Troubleshoot the motherboard.
specific pattern, or a fast usable memory, as there is no way to even
"ringing" sound. start the boot process when this is the case.
The motherboard itself could also be the
problem.

Troubleshooting BIOS Beep Codes - Award BIOS

Award is the other major BIOS provider today, along with AMI. Award uses by far the fewest beep codes of any of
the BIOS manufacturers.

Beep Explanation Diagnosis Troubleshooting steps

1 Long Beep Memory problem The first bank of memory probably has a  Treat as an apparent memory
failure of some sort; this is usually just a failure.
There is a failure of some physical problem such as an incorrectly  Troubleshoot the motherboard.
sort related to the system inserted module, but may also mean a bad
memory. memory chip in a module. It is possible that
there is a failure related to the motherboard or
a system device as well.
 Computer Hardware Week 2

Beep Explanation Diagnosis Troubleshooting steps

1 Long, then 2 Video error This is usually caused by a problem with the  Troubleshoot the video card.
Short Beeps video card, or the memory on the video card.  If the video card is not at fault,
The BIOS is unable to It can also be a motherboard issue. troubleshoot the motherboard.
access the video system in
order to write any error
messages to the screen.
1 Long, then 3 Video error This is usually caused by a problem with the  Troubleshoot the video card.
Short Beeps video card, or the memory on the video card.  If the video card is not at fault,
The BIOS is unable to It can also be a motherboard issue. troubleshoot the motherboard.
access the video system in
order to write any error
messages to the screen.
Continuous Memory or video problem This is usually caused by a problem with the  Troubleshoot the
Beeping system memory, or possibly the video card. system memory.
The system is producing The memory is more likely--the system  Troubleshoot the video card.
constant beeping in no complains long and loud if it can't find any  Troubleshoot the motherboard.
specific pattern, or a fast usable memory, as there is no way to even
"ringing" sound start the boot process when this is the case.
The motherboard itself could also be the
problem.
Computer Hardware Week3

Troubleshooting Boot-Time Error Messages

The BIOS performs a power-on self-test (POST) when it starts up the system,
to check out the PC and make sure that everything is working properly.
Assuming that the BIOS is able to boot the system far enough to gain access
to the video subsystem, it will display information about the PC as it boots. It
will also use the video system to communicate error messages to the user. In
fact, most boot problems are displayed via video error messages.

An error message can be produced by various different parts of the system,

depending on how far into the boot process the system gets before it is
produced. Most error messages are produced by the system BIOS, as it is
responsible for most of the functions of starting the boot. However, other error
messages depend on the operating-system.

There are many thousands of individual error messages; some are more
common than others because there are only a few different BIOS companies
that are used by the majority of PCs today. However, since the exact wording
of an error message can be changed by the manufacturer of each system or
motherboard, there are a lot of variations.

In most cases, the messages are pretty similar to each other; Similar error
messages, those that really mean the same thing but just use different wording,
have their descriptions and diagnoses grouped together to make things
simpler.

Some examples of error messages are:

BIOS ROM checksum error - system halted

Cache memory bad, do not enable cache!
CMOS battery (has) failed
CMOS checksum error
CMOS display type mismatch
Disk boot failure
Disk boot failure, insert system disk and press Enter
DMA #1 error
FDD controller failure
Keyboard error
No boot sector on fixed disk - press F1 to retry boot Timer error
 Computer Hardware Week3

Some of the common error messages and their descriptions are listed in the table below:
Error Message Explanation Diagnosis Troubleshooting steps
BIOS ROM Checksum The read-only memory (ROM) The BIOS ROM chip on the Troubleshoot the motherboard.
Errors containing the BIOS program is motherboard is probably faulty.
protected by a checksum value as a It could also be another
double-check that the ROM code is component on the motherboard.
correct. This checksum is compared
against the values in the ROM each
time the PC is booted and if there is
a
mismatch, this code is generated.
CMOS display type The system has detected that the type The BIOS setting that controls the  Double-check and correct
mismatch of video card you have in the PC is display type for the PC is set the video display type BIOS
not the same as the one you told the incorrectly. Very rarely, there setting. It should be set to
system you had. could be some other bizarre "VGA" or "VGA/EGA" for
explanation for this problem. virtually all newer PCs.
 Troubleshoot the video card
if the BIOS setting is
correct and this problem
persists.
 Troubleshoot the
motherboard.
No boot device The system has attempted to find a All of the bootable drives in the  If this is a new system with
drive to boot the operating system, system are not functioning. a hard disk that has never
but has failed (the error message Normally this means that the been formatted before, you
itself may not always be very clear floppy disk drive is either absent need to boot from a floppy
that this is what has happened, or not functioning, or has no disk first, and partition and
especially the infamous "NO ROM in it, and the hard disk is either format the hard disk. Try
BASIC - SYSTEM HALTED"; see not connected or has no bootable that.
here for more on that error.) The active partition on it.  If you were trying to boot
system cannot start up because there from the floppy disk drive,
is no operating system for it to load. troubleshoot the floppy disk
 Computer Hardware Week3

Error Message Explanation Diagnosis Troubleshooting steps

The boot process will halt here. Some drive.
systems may give you the option to  If you were trying to boot
retry the boot or to enter setup at this from the hard drive,
point, as a convenience. Otherwise, troubleshoot the hard disk
you must reboot the PC. drive.

DMA Errors The system has detected an error This is most likely a motherboard  Troubleshoot as a generic
associated with the direct memory problem, but it might be caused expansion card issue.
access (DMA) controller(s) on the by a bad expansion card as well.  Troubleshoot the
system motherboard. If the DMA controller number is motherboard
supplied as part of the error
message, that might help narrow
down the DMA channel where the
problem was detected, if
applicable. DMA controller #1
handles DMA channels 0 to 3, and
controller #2 handles channels 5
to 7 (channel 4 is the cascade
between the two controllers).
Invalid media type The system tried to use a disk or This is one of those poorly-  Assuming that this is a new
other media that is of the incorrect phrased messages; what it almost hard disk you are setting up,
type. always means is that you tried to just format the disk and you
use a hard disk volume after are all set.
partitioning it but before  If an existing disk produces
formatting it. For example, if you this error, then it means that
are setting up a new system and something has seriously
you partition the hard disk, then corrupted the disk.
boot from a floppy and type Troubleshoot this here.
"DIR C:", you will usually get
this
 Computer Hardware Week3

Error Message Explanation Diagnosis Troubleshooting steps

message. The system looks for the
media type descriptor on the hard
disk and doesn't find what it
expects, and produces this
message.
Error with hard disk The system has detected a failure This is usually a problem  Troubleshoot the hard disk
controller related to the IDE hard disk related to the hard disk controller.
controller. The controller is a controller, of course, but it  Troubleshoot the hard disk
separate I/O card that plugs into the could also be the hard disk(s) drive.
motherboard on older systems. themselves.
Newer PCs have the controller built
into the motherboard.
Keyboard failure The system has detected what Usually this is a problem with the  Troubleshoot the keyboard.
appears to be a failure with the keyboard, such as it being  Troubleshoot the keyboard
keyboard disconnected from the PC, having controller.
a key stuck down on it, and so  Troubleshoot as a
forth. Could also be the keyboard motherboard failure
controller.
Error with hard disk The system has detected a failure This is usually a problem  Troubleshoot the hard disk
controller related to the IDE hard disk related to the hard disk controller.
controller. The controller is a controller, of course, but it  Troubleshoot the hard disk
separate I/O card that plugs into the could also be the hard disk(s) drive.
motherboard on older systems. themselves.
Newer PCs have the controller built
into the motherboard.
Operating system not The system found a boot device-- The most common cause of this  If trying to boot from a
found on boot device either a floppy disk or a hard disk-- problem is trying to boot a non- floppy disk, replace with a
or boot sector bad and tried to boot it, but could not start bootable floppy or hard disk, that bootable disk and try
(either hard or floppy the operating system because the is, a disk that has not been made booting again. See here for
disk) operating system files are not on the bootable using the "FORMAT /S" more on boot disks.
 Computer Hardware Week3

Error Message Explanation Diagnosis Troubleshooting steps

booted volume. or "SYS" commands. If this  If trying to set up a new
occurs on a disk that was already hard disk, first set up the
prepared to be bootable, it means hard disk so it is bootable.
that the operating system startup  If this type of error is
files have become corrupted. encountered in an existing
system, there is a good
chance that the disk has
become corrupted
somehow. Troubleshoot this
here.

Non-system disk or The system found a boot device-- The most common cause of this  If trying to boot from a
disk error; replace and either a floppy disk or a hard disk-- problem is trying to boot a non- floppy disk, replace with a
press/strike any key and tried to boot it, but could not start bootable floppy or hard disk, that bootable disk and try
when ready the operating system because the is, a disk that has not been made booting again. See here for
operating system files are not on the bootable using the "FORMAT /S" more on boot disks.
booted volume. or "SYS" commands. If this  If trying to set up a new
occurs on a disk that was already hard disk, first set up the
prepared to be bootable, it means hard disk so it is bootable.
that the operating system startup  If this type of error is
files have become corrupted. encountered in an existing
system, there is a good
chance that the disk has
become corrupted somehow
Computer Week
Checking the Power Supply

If the wall outlet, and the power cord are good, as well as the connection at the
motherboard is secure. Then you may have to face the fact that the power
supply itself is bad. If you have a Multimeter you can test the power supply
output before purchasing a new one. Simply follow these steps.

 Turn off the PC, but do not unplug it, open the system unit. Set the
multimeter to read DC volts in the next range higher than 12 volts. Locate
a power connector similar to the hard drive, or floppy drive connector that
is unused and turn on the PC. You can also unplug a drive connector and
use it as well. Turn on the PC and insert the BLACK probe into power
connector on one of the BLACK wires. Touch the RED probe to the
YELLOW wire on the power connector.

Figures below illustrate the procedure for checking the power supply in a
typical ATX power supply.

 The multimeter reading should be +12 volts. Now touch the RED probe to
the RED wire and the reading should be +5 volts. If no readings or
different readings occurred, you, will have to replace the power supply. If
the readings were correct, you should check the connector at the
motherboard.
Computer Week
 Refer to the power supply connector/voltage details shown in the
figure below and check the corresponding voltages.

Check the power going to the Motherboard connections by inserting the

multimeter probes into the connectors as shown in the figure below.

 DO NOT remove the power supply from the system unit case when
performing these tests Be sure to remove any and all electrical static build-
Computer Week
up from your clothes and body BEFORE touching any parts inside the
system unit.
Computer Week
Software Diagnostic tests for hardware

There are several diagnostic and maintenance tools provided in most of the
operating systems. Some of the most important diagnostic tools are:

1. Disk Error checking. Or Scan Disk

2. Disk Clean up.
3. Disk Defragmenter

1. Disk Error-Checking
Check Disk (Chkdsk.exe) is a utility which verifies the logical integrity of
a file system. In the event of the utility encountering logical
inconsistencies in file system data, it will perform the necessary actions to
repair the file system data.
The equivalent utility in earlier versions of Windows was referred to as
ScanDisk.
The following procedure describes how to perform error-checking of a
hard drive under Windows XP:
a) Launch disk error checking by double-clicking My Computer, right-
clicking the hard disk drive you want to have checked, clicking
Properties and Select the Tools tab.

Click Check Now.

Computer Week
The Windows 98 equivalent to the Windows XP disk error-checking program
(chkdsk.exe) is the ScanDisk utility, accessed via Start > Programs >
Accessories > System Tools.
This provides options for performing either a standard or thorough test of the
specified disk volume. The former checks files and folders for errors, while
the latter additionally scans the disk for physical errors.

Select the required option for the areas of the disk to be scanned. ScanDisk
usually cannot repair errors in the system area of a disk. If such errors exist,
your disk probably needs to be replaced.
Specify whether or not you want ScanDisk to verify that sectors can be read
from and written to, and/or have the utility repair hidden and system files on
your disk.

b) A dialogue box showing the Check disk options is displayed.

Select the options as appropriate and click Start.

Computer Week
c) If either of the Check disk options are selected, you'll be notified that the
check cannot be performed immediately, and offered the opportunity to
schedule this to occur the next time your system is booted.

d) Click Yes to so schedule the disk check.

The next time you start your system, the chkdsk.exe utility will be run
prior to Windows being loaded, examining all the metadata on the volume
in five separate stages:

 Stage 1: Verifying file data

 Stage 2: Verifying security descriptors
 Stage 3: Verifying indexes
 Stage 4: Verifying files
 Stage 5: Verifying free space.

When the utility finishes, Windows will continue to load as per a normal
system start-up.

2. Disk Cleanup

The Disk Cleanup tool helps you free up space on your hard disk by searching
your disk for files that you can safely delete. You can choose to delete some
or all of:

 temporary Internet files

 downloaded program files, such as ActiveX controls and Java applets
 the Recycle Bin
 Windows temporary files
 optional Windows components that you are not using
 installed programs that you no longer use.
Computer Week
The following provides step-by-step instructions on how to use the Disk
Cleanup tool under Windows XP.

1. Launch Disk Cleanup via

Start > All Programs >
Accessories > System
Tools.

2. A dialogue window will appear enabling you to select the drive you
want to clean up.

Select the required drive and

click OK.

3. The specified drive is examined and the amount of space that can be
potentially freed up calculated.
Computer Week

4. The results, showing the amount of space that can be recovered by

deleting different areas and files, are then displayed on the Disk Cleanup
tab.

5. One of the options that isn't checked by default is Compress old files.
Checking this will result in files that haven't been used for a while
being archived. With this item selected in the list.
Computer Week
6. Click Options to set a time limit for files to be compressed.

7. Check the boxes associated with the items you want to delete and click
OK.

The utility cleans up the specified areas and files.

8. The More Options tab provides further scope for freeing up disk space.
Computer Week

3. Disk Defragmenter

In older file system architectures, if a file could not be stored contiguously, it

could not be saved to the disk. Newer architectures intentionally divide files
into multiple pieces so as to make more efficient use of disk storage space.

Since files are constantly being written, deleted, and resized, fragmentation is
a natural and ongoing occurrence. However, it is also one that has significant
performance implications. When a file is spread out over several locations, it
takes longer to read and write. In fact, the effects of fragmentation can be
more widespread than that, causing long boot times, random crashes and
system freeze-ups.

Defragmentation
Computer Week
The process of removing wasted space between fragments on a hard disk by
reorganizing and rewriting files is called Defragmentation.

Defragmentation is a time-consuming process, the more so the greater the

extent of fragmentation. It is therefore important to terminate any programs,
including those running in the background like firewalls and anti-virus
programs - before starting the defragmentation process. Failure to do so will
mean that it is constantly interrupted, adversely impacting the time the process
takes possibly to the extent of it failing to complete.

The following describes how to subsequently defragment your hard drive

under Windows XP.

Note that we cannot defragment a hard disk that is completely full, and that
the less free space there is, the longer defragmentation will take. This is
because the defragmentation utility need some room in which to temporarily
store fragments as it reassemble files.

If the hard disk is relatively full, it is therefore good practice to run Disk
Cleanup before attempting to defragment a drive.

1. Launch the Defragmenter Tool, either through

Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools ........

Computer Week

or by double-clicking My Computer, right-clicking any hard disk drive,

clicking Properties ......

and selecting to Tools tab.

Computer Week
2. The resulting display will list your hard disk drives, showing the capacity
and amount of free space for each.

Select the drive

you want to
defragment and
click Analyse.

The drive is
scanned and a
visual
representation of
the degree to
which it is
fragmented
displayed.

3. Depending on the the results of the analysis, you will be advised as to

whether of not the volume should be defragmented.
Computer Week
4. Even if it's not strictly necessary, you can choose to Defragment.

The length of time the defragmentation takes will depend on the size of the
drive, the degree to which it's fragmented and the amount of free space it has.
Be prepared to to allow it to run for several hours, if necessary.

5. The dialogue box will indicate when the process is complete

Computer Week
A visual representation of the now defragmented drive is shown above.

6. Click View Report

Figure below shows a typical defragmentation report.

Computer Week
Memory failure – Symptoms and Troubleshooting

When the PC is booted up, it does not show that it is detected all of the
memory in the machine. Several megabytes, usually an amount equal to the
size of a memory module or half a memory module, are missing.

Beep Codes:

Error Code:

Causes of Memory failure:

Memory failure is generally caused by the following:

1. Using the wrong type of memory,
2. Incorrect installation, or incorrect configuration.
3. Putting the modules into the wrong sockets,
4. Forgetting to change jumpers that may be present,
5. Using unsupported technology or unsupported module sizes
6. Hardware failure of the memory itself

Remedial procedure
Some of the steps involved in the remedy of the Memory failure are given
below:

1) Check for possible general problems associated with new systems. One
of these could be causing the memory to appear to be bad when it is
not.
2) Make sure to carefully check the memory modules, which sometimes
appear to be inserted correctly when they are not. Make sure they are all
sticking up at the correct height from the motherboard. Ensure that the
modules have been pushed all the way into their sockets and that the
spring clips have snapped into position properly to hold them.
3) Check for loose connections within the PC.
4) One of the most common causes of unrecognized memory is using an
unsupported module size. Ensure that the size of memory modules you
have selected is supported. Some motherboards will not support certain
sizes of modules; in particular, 2 MB, 8 MB and 32 MB modules are
composite and will not work in some machines. Consult your
motherboard manual.
Computer Week
5) Make sure that you have used the correct sockets. Motherboards have
multiple sockets and putting modules in the incorrect ones will often
cause problems. For example, most Pentium motherboards have four
SIMM sockets, which make up two banks. If you put the SIMMs in the
middle two sockets then you have accidentally put memory into half of
the first bank and half of the second bank, and the PC will not boot.
Putting the memory into the full second bank instead of the first won't
work on many motherboards either (but it will on some).
6) Check the technology of the memory you are using. Use the type of
memory suitable for the motherboard. Using unsuitable memory in
some machines can cause the memory not to be recognized.
7) If you have an older motherboard, especially in a 486 or earlier system,
there is a chance that your motherboard requires jumpers to be set when
adding memory to the PC. If this is the case then failing to change the
jumpers may result in either the memory not being detected.
8) There could be a motherboard problem. If double-checking all the
settings and replacing the memory does not fix the problem, there may
be a bad motherboard or a problem with how it is configured.
9) There could be something wrong with the memory modules themselves.
Note that bad memory will often pass the BIOS memory test at boot
time. If you can, try the modules in another PC that uses the same kind
of memory. If you have performed all the checks listed in the points
above, and the memory does not work in another PC, the memory itself
may very well be bad. Try to replace the memory and see if the problem
goes away. The figures below illustrate the procedure for removing and
inserting a memory module.

a) Release the clips

holding the memory
module
Computer Week

b) Check the type of memory from its label.

c) Replace the memory module by gently pushing it on both the

ends and securing the clip.
Computer Week

Sound Failure Symptoms

Some of the problems associated with the sound in computers are as follows:

 No sound from the computer's speakers or headphones.

 A sound seems to be played, but not heard.
 A sound is played, but then stops suddenly.
 The sound skips or misses in some areas.
 The sound is distorted or scratchy.
 The computer stops responding (hangs) when a sound is played.
 The computer restarts when a sound is played.
 An error message is received when you try to play sound. For
example, you may receive any one of the following error
messages:
o MIDI output error detected.
o No wave device that can play files in the current format
is installed.
o The CD Audio device is in use by another application.
o WAV sound playback error detected.
o Your audio hardware cannot play files like the current file.

Troubleshooting procedure:

1. If you added hardware or software to your computer immediately

before the issue started, remove the added hardware or software. Be
sure to turn off the computer before removing hardware. As with
any problem that arises with computers, reversing a process that
started a problem may correct the problem.
2. Check the following points:
 Are the speakers turned on and have power?
 Try unplugging the speaker power adapter and keep it disconnected
for 30 seconds or so, then plug it back in.
Computer Week
 Try plugging a known working item (such as a lamp) to check the
wall outlet for power.

3. Check to insure that the Mixer Control volumes are set to 3/4 volume
and are not muted. Analog or digital can be set in the Mixer
Controls, depending on the type of sound card and speakers used.
4. Make sure that all connections to all speakers are fully seated.
Usually, these plugs click twice before the fully seat.
5. Try plugging in a known working set of head phones to ensure that
the sound card is functioning.
6. Try plugging in the speakers to a known working portable CD player
that will accept the same connection. This will determine if the
speakers are working.
7. Go to: Start>> Control Panel>> Administrative Tools>>
Component Services>> Services. Make sure audio is enabled.
8. Go to: Start>> Control Panel>> Sounds and Audio Device
Properties. Be sure that the "Mute" checkbox is unchecked.

Volume Control settings

The procedure for setting up the audio controls is outlined below:

Click on the Start button

and continue to the
Control Panel section of
the Start menu
Computer Week

Control Panel Window will appear

In the Control Panel

window find Sounds,
Speech, and Audio
Devices section, click
on it

The Sounds, Speech,

and Audio Devices
window will appear
In the Sounds,
Speech, and Audio
Devices window find
the Sounds and
Audio Devices
section, click on it
Computer Week

How to Change Playback Options

The Sounds and Audio Devices panel will appear

Find the Audio section tab (top line of buttons), click on it

The Audio Settings

section will open

In the Sound
Playback section
from the drop down
menu, select the
device

Click on the Volume

button below the drop
down menu

The Volume
Control panel will
appear

Find the Options

menu button, click
on it

Click on the
Properties section
Computer Week

The Properties panel will appear

Find the Show the following volume controls: section

Check in all the unchecked boxes

Click the OK button

Computer Week
Hard drive failure – Symptoms and Troubleshooting
Broadly speaking a hard disk can fail in four ways that will lead to a
potential loss of data:

1. Firmware Corruption / Damage to the firmware zone

2. Electronic Failure
3. Mechanical Failure
4. Logical Failure

Combinations of these four types of failure are also possible. Whether the data
on the hard disk is recoverable or not depends on exactly what has happened
to the disk and how bad the damage is. All hard disks also develop bad
sectors which can lead to data loss and drive inaccessibility.

1. Firmware Corruption / Damage to the firmware zone

Hard disk firmware is the information that is used by the computer that
allows it to correctly interact with the hard disk. If the firmware of a hard
disk becomes corrupted or unreadable the computer is often unable to
correctly interact with the hard disk. Frequently the data on the disk is fully
recoverable once the drive has been repaired and reprogrammed.

2. Electronic Failure

Electronic failure usually relates to problems on the controller board of the

actual hard disk. The computer may suffer a power spike or electrical surge
that knocks out the controller board on the hard disk making it undetectable
to the BIOS. Usually, the data on the hard disk has not suffered any damage
and a 100% data recovery is possible.

3. Mechanical Failure

Usually worse than electronic failure, mechanical failure can quite often
(especially if not acted on early) lead to a partial and sometimes total loss of
data. Mechanical failure comes in a variety of guises such as read / write
head failure and motor problems. One of the most common mechanical
failures is a head crash. Varying in severity, a head crash occurs when the
read-write heads of the hard disk come into contact, momentarily or
continuously, with the platters of the hard disk.
Computer Week

Head crashes can be caused by a range of reasons including physical shock,

movement of the computer, static electricity, power surges and mechanical
read-write head failure.

Mechanical failure can usually be spotted by a regular clicking or crunching

noise. It's not necessarily a head crash, the most important things to do if
you suspect mechanical problems is to switch off the drive immediately as
further use will make matters worse.

4. Logical Errors

Often the easiest and the most difficult problems to deal with, logical errors
can range from simple things such as an invalid entry in a file allocation
table to truly horrific problems such as the corruption and loss of the file
system on a severely fragmented drive.

Logical errors are different to the electrical and mechanical problems above
as there is usually nothing 'physically' wrong with the disk, just the
information on it.

Beep Codes:

Error Code:

Remedial procedure
Some of the steps involved in the remedy of the Hard drive failure are given
below:

1) The first thing to check for is whether or not the hard disk can be seen
by the hard disk controller; usually on a true hard disk failure, the disk
will not be detectable by the controller (but this is not always the case).
Assuming you have an IDE hard disk, enter the BIOS setup program
and use the IDE detection facility of the BIOS to see if the disk's
parameters can be detected. If the disk cannot be auto detected using the
auto detect feature in the BIOS program implies immediately some sort
of hardware problem.
2) If you can see the hard disk when you auto detect, the problem is more
likely to be software than hardware. Remember that you cannot usually
boot a brand new hard disk until it has been partitioned and formatted.
Computer Week
3) See if the disk will boot up. If it will not boot, then boot from a
floppy boot disk and then use the FDISK command (or other
partitioning software) to see if you can see the disk.
4) If the drive will boot up, then you should be getting a more specific
error message of some sort, or a more specific failure mode that
you can use for troubleshooting.
5) If the drive is detected in the BIOS setup but cannot be booted or
accessed when booting from a floppy disk, then there is a good chance
that the disk itself may be bad. If possible, try connecting the hard disk
to another system and see if the problem is present there as well.
6) If the hard disk is dead and needs to be replaced follow the procedure
given below:

a) Remove the screws that hold the drive in the bay.

b) Remove the defective hard disk

Computer Week
c) Remove the IDE
cable

d) Select a good hard disk, connect the IDE cable and replace the
hard disk.

e) Secure the hard disk on the drive bay slot by tightening the screws.
Computer Week
Scandisk:

This is a maintenance procedure built into the Windows operating system

that checks the hard drive to determine if there is physical damage or damage
to the file system.

If the computer reports that it has corrupted, damaged, or missing files and the
programs no longer operate properly, then this is the first step to try and fix
the problem. Also, if the computer seems to be running slower than usual,
sometimes this procedure will provide a fix. It is a good idea to perform this
operation often.

Scandisk procedure

1. Temporarily deactivate any screen saver. Click on START then

SETTINGS then CONTROL PANEL then DISPLAY then SCREEN SAVER.
Set the Screen Saver to NONE and click OK.

2. Click on START then PROGRAMS then ACCESSORIES then

SYSTEM TOOLS then SCANDISK.

NOTE - Depending on what version of Windows you are running the above
labels may be slightly different, but not so different that you will not be
able to find it.

The following window will open on your screen.

Computer Week

3. Be sure to select "C:" from the drop down box if it is not already chosen.
Then click on the radio button for Standard under Type of test. Next check
the box (click on it) labelled Automatically fix errors.

The Thorough test option should not be selected unless you suspect the
physical hard drive has been damaged. I suggest always running the Standard
scandisk option first. Then If you still have problems rerun it with the
Thorough option selected. Also, if you do not select Automatically fix
errors the computer will stop and wait for you to answer some rather
confusing questions.

4. Click on the button labelled Advanced... to launch the following sub-

window.

5. Be sure to click on all of the radio buttons and check boxes EXACTLY
as shown. Then press the OK button. This will return you to the former
screen where you can press START.

The Scandisk process usually does not take long unless there are serious
problems with the hard drive. Do not be concerned if the procedure restarts
itself.
Computer Week
6. When the entire procedure is completed, you can reactivate the screen
saver and then start working with applications. It is not necessary to restart
the computer.

Reformatting a Hard disk

This procedure explains how to setup a new hard disk.

Warning - if you are setting up a hard disk which contains data, the following
procedure would completely erase your hard disk and the data would be
unrecoverable.

Before a new hard disk can be used it needs to be setup. This involves
partitioning and formatting the hard disk. Windows 98 or ME boot disk
contains the required software to perform this procedure. FDISK.EXE and
FORMAT.COM are the files required in your bootable floppy disk.

1. Start the partition and format procedure by booting your PC using a

Windows boot disk.
2. Make sure you set the BIOS so that the boot sequence is set to detect
the floppy disk first. If your system has no problems booting you will
be presented with a Windows boot disk menu. This gives you the option
to start the system with or without CD-ROM support. Choose the
option to boot without CD-ROM support. You should end up in the MS
DOS prompt A: (A drive).
3. From A: command prompt type fdisk. You will be presented with
following message:
Computer Week
4. Choose "Y" to enable large disk support.You will now be presented
with the FDISK main menu as shown below.

5. From the menu, choose option 1 - Create DOS partition or Logical

DOS drive. Another menu will present the following options.

6. Choose option 1 - Create primary DOS Partition. FDISK verifies the

integrity of your drive and will ask you if want to use the maximum
available size of your hard disk to create the primary partition and set it
active. To keep things simple we will create one large partition.
Computer Week
7. Choose "Y" to use maximum available space. When the partition has
been created successfully you will be notified by the system. Your
drive is now known as C: (C drive). Press "Esc" to return to the menu.
Press "Esc" again to exit FDISK. You need to restart your system for
the changes to take affect. Leave boot disk in the drive.
8. When the system reboots, choose start without CD-ROM from the boot
disk menu. While booting from floppy disk you might get error
message like "Invalid media type reading drive C" this is OK for this
stage as the hard disk is not formatted.
9. From A: command prompt type format c:
10.You will get a message saying "WARNING, ALL DATA ON NON-
REMOVABLE DISK DRIVE C: WILL BE LOST. Proceed with
Format (Y/N)?".
11.Since you do not have any data in the new hard disk. Choose "Y". The
format will proceed showing a progress indicator. The time it takes to
format a hard disk depends on the size and speed of the drive. This
could be around 5-30 minutes. Restart system after format is complete.
12. Install an operating system.
Computer Week
Floppy drive failure – Symptoms and Troubleshooting

These are some symptoms that may be caused by the floppy drive

Symptom Remedy

 Check that the power connector is properly and securely

Indicator light never connected.
goes on  Check that the interface cable to properly and securely
connected to both the drive and the motherboard.

Indicator light never  The interface cable may be reversed. Check the
goes off connection to the drive and to the motherboard.

Drive type mismatch  Check for proper configuration in CMOS.

during boot  The floppy drive may need to be replaced.

 The floppy disk may be defective.

"Invalid media" or
 The drive may not be properly configured in CMOS.
"Track 00 bad" error
 You may be using the wrong floppy disk density for
when formatting
your drive.

 Refresh the view.

The same directory is  Reinsert the disk, making sure it goes in all the way.
displayed for different  Check that the interface cable to properly and securely
diskettes connected to both the drive and the motherboard.
 The floppy drive may need to be replaced.

 There is no disk in the floppy drive.

"Drive not ready" error  Reinsert the disk, making sure it goes in all the way.
 The floppy drive may need to be replaced.

 The disk in the drive is not formatted.

 You may be using the wrong floppy disk density for
"General failure" error
your drive.
 The drive is out of alignment.

"Sector not found" error  The drive is out of alignment.

Computer Week

Using scandisk utility for a Floppy disk

To use scandisk:
1. Insert disk to be scanned into the drive (A).
2. Click on "My Computer."
3. Use the *rightmost* mouse button to click on "A drive," (if disk is a
floppy, otherwise choose the drive as appropriate).
4. (Left) click on "Properties."
5. Click on the "Tools" tab.
6. Click the error checking button "check now."
7. Select both the "Automatically fix file system errors" and "Scan for and
attempt recovery of bad sectors" boxes.
8. Click "Start."

Scandisk will check the floppy or other disk for errors, and fix
them if possible.

Replacing a Floppy Disk Drive

Procedure Steps:

1. Remove the side cover of the PC

and remove the screws holding
the drive in the bay as shown in
figure.

2. Disconnect the power supply

connector.
Computer Week
3. Disconnect the ribbon cable
as shown in the figure.

4. Remove the defective drive from

the bay.

5. Replace the new drive on to the

bay slot as shown in figure,

6. Reconnect the Power supply

cable and the ribbon cable to the
floppy drive unit as shown ib
figure.

7. Secure the screws in the drive

bay as shown in figure.
Computer Week
Reformatting a Floppy Disk

How to Format a Floppy

1. On the desktop, double-click on My Computer.

2. Click once on the floppy drive to select it.

3. Once selected, right-click the floppy to access the right-click menu and
select Format...
Computer Week

4. The format dialog box (as shown in the

figure on the right) will appear. Leave
settings at default and click the Start button.

5. A warning dialog box (as shown in the figure

below) will appear. Click OK to format the
disk and erase all data on disk or Click
Cancel if you don't want to format the disk.

6. The bar at the bottom of the dialog box

shows the progress of the formatting.
Figure on the right shows the bar
indicating the progress of formatting.

1. Once completed a dialog box will appear

saying Format Complete. Click OK.
Computer Week
CD ROM failure – Symptoms and Troubleshooting

These are some symptoms that may be caused by the CD ROM drive.

Symptom Remedy
CD ROM drive can not  Check that the power and controller cables are securely
be accessed and the attached to the drive.
light does not go on  Verify that pin #1 of the controller cable is matched to
pin #1 on the drive and on the motherboard.
 The operating system may not be configured to use or
"see" the drive.
 If it never worked, verify that the jumpers on the drive
are set correctly.

CD ROM drive can not  The CD may be damaged or unreadable.

be accessed but the  Try removing and reinserting the disk.
light does go on  Try cleaning the CD.
 Verify that pin #1 of the controller cable is matched to
pin #1 on the drive and on the motherboard.
 If it never worked, verify that the jumpers on the drive
are set correctly.

The drive drawer does  Press the button once and wait at least a minute.
not open  In Windows, go to "My Computer", right click on the
CD-ROM drive and choose "Eject" from the menu.
 With the computer unplugged, you can open most CD-
ROM drawers with a unwound paper clip. Poke it, as
straight as possible, into the hole and push with
moderate force (the paper clip may bend a little) to force
the drawer open a half inch. Now pull the drawer the
rest of the way open.
 If the problem persists, check that the power connector
and controller cable are securely connected to the drive.
 A CD may be jammed or broken inside the drive.
Access may require the removal of the drive's outer
case. If this is necessary, it is very likely that the drive
will have to be replaced.

Spinning sound is heard  The CD may be damaged or unreadable.

and then stopping  Try removing and reinserting the disk.
repeatedly  Try cleaning the CD.
 Verify that pin #1 of the controller cable is matched to
Computer Week

pin #1 on the drive and on the motherboard.

 If it never worked, verify that the jumpers on the drive
are set correctly.

The drive seems to  Is the drive on the same controller cable as the primary
transfer data too slowly hard drive? If so, performance will be slowed because
only one device can communicate at a time. Move it to
the second IDE controller.

Replacing a CD ROM Drive

Incase the CD ROM drive needs replacement, The procedure for replacing a
CD ROM drive is as follows:

1. Remove the side covers of the PC and remove the defective CD ROM
drive as shown in the figure.
Computer Week

2. Adjust the jumpers on the back of the CD ROM (if necessary) as shown in the figure.

3. Replace the new CD ROM

drive by sliding it in to the bay
as shown in the figure.
Computer Week

4. Connect the power supply cable to the CD Rom drive as shown in the
figure.

5. Connect the ribbon cable as

shown in the figure.

6. Connect the audio cable (if

necessary) to the drive as
shown in the figure. Connect the other end of this audio cable to the sound
card.
Computer Week

7. Secure the drive in to the drive bay as shown in the figure and replace the computer cov

8. Power up the computer.

Computer Week
Keyboard failure – Symptoms and Troubleshooting
The keyboard is a fairly standardized component and not prone to many
problems. Repair is not really practical, replacement is typically the best
option. Some of the symptoms and troubleshooting procedures are outlined
below:

Symptom Remedy
The key repeats too fast  The character repeat rate or delay is set too fast. Go to
(or slow) the Windows control panel and click on "Keyboard" to
change the settings.
When one letter is
typed , it types several

The PC beeps or gives a  Turn off the PC and check that the keyboard connector
"Keyboard Error" is securely plugged into the back of the PC.
message  Make sure the keyboard is not plugged into the mouse
port.
 If you are using a USB keyboard, make sure USB is
enabled in BIOS and in Windows.
 Check that none of the keys are stuck or being held
down.

The keys are sticking  Turn the keyboard upside down and shake it vigorously
to dislodge any dust or debris.
 Try removing the key by using a paper clip as a lever to
pop it off. Check for debris or other cause of sticking,
clean with a cotton swab.
 With the key off, make sure any spring or mechanical
parts are properly positioned to support the key.

Keyboard Cleaning

1. Switch off the computer and unplug the keyboard.

2. There is a removable cover on the bottom of the keyboard. open all the
screws and remove the cover of keyboard.
3. Take an air blower of vacuum cleaner and blow the air on it. this
will remove all the dust from the keyboard.
Computer Week

1. Now take one of the cotton buds and

put a couple of drops of the cleaning
fluid on it, use the cotton bud to clean
the sides of the keys as seen in figure.

2. After cleaning the sides of the keys take your lint free cloth and dampen it
with your cleaning fluid (don't put the
liquid directly on the keyboard), give
the surface of the keyboard a good
wipe over using the cloth to trace the
contours of the keys as shown in
figure.
When you have finished give the
keyboard a wipe over with the dry
cloth/duster, you should now have a
nice clean keyboard, to clean it more thoroughly follow the guide below.

3. Carefully pry each key loose with a small screwdriver as shown in the
figure and place all these keys in to a container. open wider keys properly
which may have guide wires like
space bar, enter, caps lock and shift
keys. Now clean every key with a
dishwasher or rubbing alcohol with a
soft cloth.

7. Now clean the rubber components and the plastic cover of keyboard.
8. Dry completely all the keys, rubber and plastic covers.
Computer Week
9. Properly fit all the keys to the right place. you can take the help of the
paper map. cover them and tighten the screws.
Replacing a Keyboard

 If the keyboard uses a PS/2 connector or the older large 5 pin connector
turn off the PC first. If the keyboard has a USB connector, it may be
safely connected while the PC is powered on.

 If the keyboard connector does not match the connector type on the
PC, adapters are available for connecting the same.

 PCs with PS/2 connections will usually have two ports. One port is for
the mouse and the other is for the keyboard. Look for a small icon near
the ports to identify which is which. You may also inspect the
motherboard for a label that identifies the port. If all else fails, take a
guess and start the PC, if it beeps, won't start or otherwise behaves
strangely, then turn it off and interchange the wires.
Computer Week

Replacing the Add-On Cards

Sometimes we need to get better performance of our PC regarding video’s or audio’s. If

this is the case then it’s time to replace your VGA card or sound card.

The following picture (Figure 12) shows an AGP slot where we assemble a VGA
card and 6 PCI slots where we assemble sound cards, modems and other add-on cards.

Figure 12:AGP slot and six PCI slots on a motherboard

 Computer Week
Replacing a VGA card:

One may need to replace a video card if it fails or if he/she wants a newer one with
better specifications. The VGA card is very important in many software applications like
video-editing, animations, CAD, or else. When you decide to replace your old VGA
card you must know in advance that the newer one will meet your requirements and has
compatibility with the motherboard. The following are the steps of replacing a VGA
card.

Video cards are pretty reliable, though some of

the newer ones run so hot that they have their
own cooling systems, and if the fan fails, the
video processor can't be too far behind. Almost
all systems you crack open these days will
feature an AGP video card, only the oldest
system have PCI video and only the very
newest feature PCI Express. The first step to
installing a video card is opening up the case,
which varies with non-standard systems, but for
a normal mid-tower, it means two screws at the
most. You want to remove the side that's above
the motherboard, which you can easily
determine by looking at the back of the case.
The I/O core at the bottom with the ports is
attached to the motherboard. As soon as the lid
is off, we remove the video card hold-down
screw.

There are few PC jobs easier than installing the video card. Most
AGP slots lack the latch that the cards were designed to accept on
the back edge. That latching point is clearly visible on the old
video card we're replacing, you can see the "L" shape under the
four video memory chips on the right side of the card. If the
motherboard had supported a lock, it would have closed over the
"L." In fact, the primary failure mode for AGP video cards is
when they pop partially out of the slot on their own (or because
the monitor cable pulls them up), so before you assume any video
card is dead, you should reseat it in the slot and give it another try.
 Computer Hardware Week 11

Our replacement 3D AGP video card is shown

here over the brown AGP slot.. You can see the
key slot in the card edge that with a few orphan
exceptions, will prevent you from installing the
wrong voltage video card in the slot. Only the
oldest 1X and 2X AGP video slots had any
compatibility issues. The 4X cards were probably
the most common, they are now being replaced
by 8X AGP, but PCI Express will take over soon,
so the majority of PCs in use will never feature
the 8X AGP cards. You usually have to replace
an AGP video card with the same speed since the
existing card will be the fastest the motherboard
could use. Handle the video card by the corners
and don't touch the gold contact fingers because
the oil from your skin can degrade the electrical
signals.

Once you have the video card positioned properly over the AGP
slot, seat it evenly by pressing down on the top edge at both the
front and back of the card (left). Once it's seated, install the
retaining screw on the back rail (below), then inspect the card to
make sure it's still fully seated in the slot. On poorly designed
motherboards or cases, installing the screw can cause the video
card to pivot on the back of the slot and lose contact with the front
of the slot. That pretty much covers how to replace an AGP video
card, unless you count installing the software drivers as a step.
Just use the CD that comes with the video card and hopefully
there'll be a wizard.
 Computer Hardware Week 11

Replacing other Add-On cards:

Sometimes we need to replace a sound card, a modem, or even a network card. In

modern systems, these cards all occupy a PCI slot on the motherboard so the procedure
for replacing one of them will the same for others.

Sometimes we need to replace a sound card if we want a better performance of audio

software. Also some sound cards have better audio quality, or support more channels if
we are using a subwoofer or a system of speakers.

Replacing a modem is required sometimes if we need a faster browsing of the internet

or additional features of the newer one.

Network cards have many different feature, one of the most important is the speed. So,
we need to replace it if it fails or if we need a newer one with better performance.

Here are the steps for replacing a sound card.

Sound cards don't have a particularly high failure

rate but they get replaced more often than any other
adapter, with the possible exception of modems. The
reason is that older PCI sound cards that came stock
with systems offered pretty lousy performance, so
gamers and musicians often find they have to
replace the sound card just to work with the
programs they buy. The first step is to unplug the
PC and open the case.. You only need to remove the
top lid on the average midtower - two screw, slide
back a couple inches, and off. You can see the
original sound card connectors in the center of the
adapter bay.
 Computer Hardware Week 11

The original sound card is secured in the case

with a single screw. If you've done this before,
you'll see that there's something missing along
the top edge. This PC was built without an
analog audio lead connecting the CD drive to the
sound card, which means it never would have
been able to play music CDs. This is an
extremely common issue with PC's that were
built without any quality control or a CD was
installed at a later date by somebody who had a
lazy attack. We remove the old sound card, and
also a blank bay cover next to it, because our
PCI 5.1 upgrade sound card needs two slots for
the SPDIF riser.

Speaking of the SPDIF (Sony/Phillips Digital

Interface), we now connect this daughter card, or
riser, to the new sound card. This connector is keyed
the top left hole on this 2x5 connector is blocked to
match the missing corner pin on the board
connection block. You can also see just above the
forefinger the 4x1 connector where we'll later
connect the CD audio lead. To the right of those
connectors is the silk screen explaining which is
which..

Here you can see the small SPDIF daughter

board held above the basic sound card. It's a 5.1
sound card, five regular channels (front left and
right, rear left and right, center) plus a low
frequency or sub-woofer channel. When you're
upgrading a sound card, a 5.1 is pretty much the
minimum I'd consider. Newer motherboards
come with 6.1 and even 7.1 sound built into the
motherboard, so this isn't anything you should
have to fool around with a newer PC. The game
port is quickly becoming obsolete, replaced with
USB game controllers, but many replacement
sound cards, like this one, still feature a legacy
game port.
 Computer Hardware Week 11

Whenever you install a sound card or other adapter

in your PC, you should be careful not to touch the
contact edge (the gold stripes) when handling the
adapter, and ideally, you should only touch them on
the metal bracket or unused real estate on the card.
You must seat this adapter in the PCI slot with even
pressure on the bracket and the back edge of the
sound card. Immediately after installing the sound
card, secure both it and the SPDIF riser with one
screw each through the bracket on the back rail.
That covers how to install a sound card, now you
have to get the internal and external connections
made right.

Now we attach the CD audio lead to the sound

card. Obviously, we have to attach the other end
to the CD/DVD drive or it won't do much good.
The other connector blocks on the top of the
sound card are for modem inputs, lets you play
your phone through the speakers or use a system
mike with a voice modem rather than plugging a
separate mike into the modem card.

The last mentioned steps are basically the required for replacing a sound card. May
be replacing other Add-On cards will take same steps but the specifications will be
different as mentioned above.

There is an important thing to remember after replacing an add-on card which is that
you must have drivers for the new ones. When you mantle a VGA card you must then
setup the drivers for it. Each operating system has a different driver for a specific card.
This also applies for sound cards, modems, network cards and other add-on cards.
Computer Week
Modems
The word "modem" is a contraction of the words modulator-demodulator. A
modem is typically used to send digital data over a phone line.

The sending modem modulates the data into a signal that is compatible with
the phone line, and the receiving modem demodulates the signal back into
digital data. Wireless modems convert digital data into radio signals and
back.

Modems came into existence in the 1960s as a way to allow terminals to

connect to computers over the phone lines. A typical arrangement is shown
below:

Modem standards

Most modem standards are referred to by a code assigned by the Consultative

Committee for International Telephony and Telegraphy (CCITT).

The standards fall into three categories:

1. Modulation (speed)
2. Error correction
3. Data compression

1. Modulation (speed) standards

Modulation (or speed) standards involve the rates and ways modems
communicate with each other, and how they negotiate the best
communication speed they can both use for the connection. These are
common modulation standards:
V.22.
The CCITT standard for data transmission at speeds up to 2400 bps.
Computer Week
HST
The USR proprietary standard for data transmission at speeds from 9600 to
16800 bps, depending on the model.
The reverse channel is much slower. If you are connecting to another type of
modem, the best speed you can expect is 2400 bps.
Hayes V-series
The Hayes proprietary standard for data transmission at speeds up to 9600
bps.
The reverse channel is much slower. If you are connecting to another type of
modem, the best speed you can expect is 2400 bps.
V.32
The CCITT standard for data transmission at speeds up to 9600 bps.
V.32bis
The CCITT standard for data transmission at speeds up to 14400 bps.
V.32terbo
The AT&T proprietary standard for data transmission at speeds up to 19200
bps.
V.fc
The Rockwell chip set proprietary standard for data transmission at speeds up
to 28800 bps.
V.34
The CCITT standard for data transmission at speeds up to 28800 bps.
K56flex
The Lucent and Rockwell proprietary standard for 56K modems.
x.2
The US Robotics proprietary standard for 56K modems.
V.90
The CCITT standard for 56K modems.

2. Error correction standards

Error correction standards provide a way of correcting errors that result from
outside interference, such as noise on the phone line. Error correction ensures
that data coming out of the receiving modem is exactly the same as data going
into the sending modem.
Error correction standards correct only those errors occurring between the two
modems. They cannot correct errors occurring between the modem and the
computer (a connection which is considerably more reliable when proper
Computer Week
cables are used and connections secured).

3. Data compression standards

Data compression standards provide a way of compressing data at the sending

modem, transmitting it across the modem link in compressed form, and then
expanding it at the receiving modem.
If the data can be compressed, data compression increases the effective
throughput. If the data cannot be compressed (for example, if it has already
been compressed with a utility such as Stuffit or PKZip), then modems with
data compression give little benefit.

Baud rate

The measure of how fast a modem transfers data. The faster the baud rate, the
faster the data transfer. If you divide the baud rate by 10, you get a rough
estimate of the number of bytes (or characters) transferred per second, and this
provides an idea of how long a file transfer will take.
For example, a 2400 bps modem can transfer about 240 bytes per second (that
is, about 1Kb every four seconds). Therefore, a 25Kb file would take about
100 (25x4) seconds to transfer.

Flow control and handshaking

Most high speed modems can still connect to older, lower speed modems.
When they do, they receive information from the compute at high speed, and
send the data out at a lower speed. Therefore, they may have to instruct the
computer to slow down periodically.
Flow control is the method a modem uses to control the quantity of data the
computer sends to the modem. It ensures that data is not lost if it is sent to the
modem faster than the modem can accept it.
There are two widely recognized standard methods for flow control. They are:

1. Software handshaking (using XON/XOFF)

2. Hardware handshaking (using RTS/CTS).
Computer Week
Installation of a Dial-up Modem

Procedure Steps:

1. Turn System Off and unplug it.

2. If your modem is a conventional type that uses jumpers to set the COM
port and IRQ number, you need to configure the jumpers according to
the instructions in your modem manual. If your modem is plug and play
(most newer ones are) then you do not need to configure any jumpers
on it.

3. Select an open expansion slot

(shown above), preferably away
from as many other components
as possible.

4. Unscrew and remove the metal insert on the back of the system case
that corresponds to this expansion slot.
Computer Week
5. Insert the card into the expansion slot carefully. You may have to rock
it back and forth from front to back to get it to go in. Figure below
shows a modem card and insertion of the card into the slot.

6. Secure the card by screwing it into place.

7. Connect one end of the phone cord to the back of the modem (in the
"Wall" or "Line" jack) and the other end to the wall socket.

Included with your new modem should be a CD (or perhaps a floppy

diskette) that contains the software the computer needs to recognize and
work with the modem. This small utility program is called a device driver.
Most computers come with preinstalled device drivers for a selection of the
most common modems, but it's best to work with the software the modem
manufacturer provides, as it is specifically created to match your modem.
(It also may be more up-to-date than that supplied with your computer's
operating system.)
Computer Week
8. When your computer starts up after the new modem has been installed,
you should see the Found New Hardware Wizard. Follow the
instructions on your screen, and the wizard will configure the
computer to work with the new modem.
9. Insert the disc into the CD (or floppy) drive on your computer when
the wizard prompts you to do so. When the installation is complete, the
wizard will ask you to restart your
computer.
10.If the Found New Hardware
Wizard doesn't start up, Follow the
steps given below (For Windows
XP)

a) Click Start -> Control Panel

b) Double click on the Printers and Other Hardware icon

Computer Week
c) Double click on Phone and modem Options

d) To install a new
modem, click on the
Modems tab and press
the Add button.
Computer Week
e) Click Next

f) Windows will now detect your modem.

Computer Week
g) Press Finish to complete the installation procedure.

Note: By following the instructions above, you can install the majority of the
modems that can be found in the market. However, if for any reason the
installation of your modem fails, you will have to consult the manual that
came with the modem for further instructions.
There is also a possibility that your modem gets installed automatically by
your O/S, since Windows XP uses the Plug and Play technology.

11. Set Up Your Modem

a) Click Start, Settings,

and Control Panel and
select Dial-Up
Networking.
Computer Week

b) Select the icon labeled

Make New Connection.
You will need to name
the connection (the ISP
name, for instance) and
supply the ISP's dial-up
information, as well as
the username and
password you use with
the ISP.

c) you can set up the connection by opening the Internet Options Icon on
the Control Panel. When you select the Connections tab, you will see a
button labeled Setup; clicking the button will guide you through setting
up your connection. You will need some information from your ISP to
do this, including the phone number to call, the names of the ISP's
email servers, the type of service, and your password for initial login.
Computer Week
Sound Failure Symptoms
Some of the problems associated with the sound in computers are as follows:

 No sound from the computer's speakers or headphones.

 A sound seems to be played, but not heard.
 A sound is played, but then stops suddenly.
 The sound skips or misses in some areas.
 The sound is distorted or scratchy.
 The computer stops responding (hangs) when a sound is played.
 The computer restarts when a sound is played.
 An error message is received when you try to play sound. For
example, you may receive any one of the following error
messages:
o MIDI output error detected.
o No wave device that can play files in the current format
is installed.
o The CD Audio device is in use by another application.
o WAV sound playback error detected.
o Your audio hardware cannot play files like the current file.

Troubleshooting procedure:

1. If you added hardware or software to your computer immediately

before the issue started, remove the added hardware or software. Be
sure to turn off the computer before removing hardware. As with
any problem that arises with computers, reversing a process that
started a problem may correct the problem.
2. Check the following points:
 Are the speakers turned on and have power?
 Try unplugging the speaker power adapter and keep it disconnected
for 30 seconds or so, then plug it back in.
Computer Week
 Try plugging a known working item (such as a lamp) to check the
wall outlet for power.

3. Check to insure that the Mixer Control volumes are set to 3/4 volume
and are not muted. Analog or digital can be set in the Mixer
Controls, depending on the type of sound card and speakers used.
4. Make sure that all connections to all speakers are fully seated.
Usually, these plugs click twice before the fully seat.
5. Try plugging in a known working set of head phones to ensure that
the sound card is functioning.
6. Try plugging in the speakers to a known working portable CD player
that will accept the same connection. This will determine if the
speakers are working.
7. Go to: Start>> Control Panel>> Administrative Tools>>
Component Services>> Services. Make sure audio is enabled.
8. Go to: Start>> Control Panel>> Sounds and Audio Device
Properties. Be sure that the "Mute" checkbox is unchecked.

Volume Control settings

The procedure for setting up the audio controls is outlined below:

Click on the Start button

and continue to the
Control Panel section of
the Start menu
Computer Week

Control Panel Window will appear

In the Control Panel

window find Sounds,
Speech, and Audio
Devices section, click
on it

The Sounds, Speech,

and Audio Devices
window will appear
In the Sounds,
Speech, and Audio
Devices window find
the Sounds and
Audio Devices
section, click on it
Computer Week

How to Change Playback Options

The Sounds and Audio Devices panel will appear

Find the Audio section tab (top line of buttons), click on it

The Audio Settings

section will open

In the Sound
Playback section
from the drop down
menu, select the
device

Click on the Volume

button below the drop
down menu

The Volume
Control panel will
appear

Find the Options

menu button, click
on it

Click on the
Properties section
Computer Week

The Properties panel will appear

Find the Show the following volume controls: section

Check in all the unchecked boxes

Click the OK button

Computer Week
Mouse
Mouse is a input device that controls the movement of the cursor or pointer on
a display screen.

The construction of a Wheel mouse is shown in the figure below: The

functions of the labeled parts
are:

1: Moving the mouse turns the

ball.
2: X and Y rollers grip the ball
and transfer movement.
3: Optical encoding disks
include light holes.
4: Infrared LEDs shine through
the disks.
5: Sensors gather light pulses to
convert to X and Y velocities.

Types of Mice

There are basically three types of Mouse

1. Mechanical Mouse - Mechanical Mouse also called the Wheel mouse

requires that the mouse be set on a flat surface. The distance and the
speed of the rollers inside the mouse
determines how far the mouse cursor
moves on the screen depending on the
software configuration. Figure shows a
mechanical mouse.

2. Optical Mouse - Optical Mouse requires a

special mouse pad which has a grid
pattern. A sensor inside the mouse
determines the movement by reading the
grid as the mouse passes over it while
emitting a light from an LED or
Computer Week
sometimes a laser. This type of mouse is much more accurate than the
ordinary optical mechanical mouse which relies on the traction between
the mouse ball and the rollers. Figure shows a Optical mouse.

New Optical Mice no longer have the disadvantages of earlier mice and
are capable of being utilized on any surface. In comparison to the
traditional Optical-Mechanical mouse, the Optical is a much better
solution for a computer mouse.

3. Optical-Mechanical - The optical-mechanical hybrid consists of a ball

which rolls a wheel inside the mouse. This wheel contains a circle of
holes and or notches to read the LED by a sensor as it spins around when
the mouse is moved. This mouse is much more accurate than the
mechanical mouse. This mouse is now the most commonly used mouse
with PC and Macintosh computers. See How a mouse works for an
illustration and a more in-depth explanation of how this mouse works.

Mice connect to PCs in one of the several ways:

1. Serial mice connect directly to an RS-232C serial port or a PS/2 port.

This is the simplest type of connection.
2. PS/2 mice connect to a PS/2 port.
3. USB mice.
4. Cordless mice aren't physically connected at all. Instead they rely on
infrared or radio waves to communicate with the computer. Cordless
mice are more expensive than both serial and bus mice, but they do
eliminate the cord, which can sometimes get in the way.

Mouse Cleaning

A good mouse will have to be smooth and working properly. A mouse that
sticks and cannot work properly is because of dust or dirt in the
mouse.Generally optical mouse don’t have this type of problem compared to
scroll mouse which has a mouse ball in it.
Computer Week
The procedure for cleaning a mouse is outlined below:

1. Switch off the computer and unplug the mouse.

2. Remove the cover and take the ball out.
3. Use soft tissue to clean the mouse ball.
4. Now look at the bottom of the mouse, there are three rollers within the
mouse casing. we have to clean dust and hairs from these rollers. Rubbing
spirit also gives good results.
5. After cleaning of dust and dirt from the rollers and the ball. put the ball
back in the mouse and replace the cover turning clockwise to lock it in the
right place.
6. Turn on the computer now. your mouse should be as good as a new one.
7. If you have an optical mouse then just clean the sensors of the bottom of
mouse. just polish the sensor with a soft cloth and remember to keep
mouse pad clean.

Installing a Mouse
A mouse or trackball connects to the computer through either a PS/2 or USB
port, which in recent years have replaced the older serial port pointing
devices. If the computer does not have USB ports but has PS/2, you can still
connect a USB mouse or trackball by using a USB-to-PS/2 adapter.

Step 1. Shut down your computer. If you are using a PS/2 mouse or
trackball, shut down Windows and turn off your computer. If you are
connecting a USB device, the computer does not have to be turned off, but it's
still a good idea to do so, especially because connecting a device often means
you must move the computer case so you can get to
the back.

Step 2. Unplug the other cables (optional). If you

find it difficult to access the PS/2 or USB port
because of all the other cables on the back of the
computer, you may need to unplug them. On many
computers the connections are color-coded, as
shown in the figure.
Computer Week

Step 3. Install the wireless device batteries. If you are connecting a wireless
mouse or trackball, follow the vendor directions and insert the batteries into
the device, making sure to correctly orient the positive (+) and negative (-)
ends of the batteries in the battery compartment.

Step 4. Set the wireless device channels. For a wireless mouse or trackball to
work, the receiver and device must be set to the same frequency channel.
Sometimes, there's a small A-B or 1-2 switch on each component that must be
set the same. In other cases, there's a Connect button you press once the
device is connected and the computer is turned on. For the specifics on your
device, check your manual.

Step 5a. Plug in the USB device. If you are installing a USB mouse or
trackball, connect it to a USB port on the back, front, or side of your
computer. If you have a USB keyboard, most include extra ports on either
side for connecting other USB devices, including your mouse or trackball.
USB ports are notched on one side, so the plug must be correctly oriented.

Step 5b. Plug in the PS/2 device. If you are installing a PS/2 mouse or
trackball, connect it to the PS/2 mouse port on the back of the computer, being
careful not to confuse the port with the PS/2 keyboard port. If you do
accidentally reverse the connection, your computer won't be damaged, but
your keyboard and pointing device won't work. As you plug in your device,
make sure to properly orient the PS/2 pins with the port.

Step 5c. Plug in the wireless receiver. If you have a wireless mouse or
trackball, connect the device receiver to either the USB or PS/2 port, as
described in step 5a or 5b. For the wireless pointing device to work properly,
the receiver should be positioned away from your monitor, large metal
objects, or florescent lights, as they all can interfere with the wireless signal.

Step 6. Reconnect other cables. With the pointing device connected,

reconnect any other cables that you unplugged.

Step 7. Install The Device Driver.

A device driver is a small program that tells Windows how to control a
Computer Week
particular piece of hardware. For devices such as printers and scanners,
drivers are a necessity that you install from a CD that's included with the
device, but with pointing devices, things are a bit different. Because the
mouse is such an important part of your system, Windows includes generic
drivers that work with most mice and trackballs. This means you can connect
the device, turn on your computer, and your mouse or trackball works
without installing any extra software from the vendor CD.

For a simple mouse or trackball that doesn't have extra buttons or options, the
default drivers that Windows installs are fine. However, if the pointing device
includes extra features, We may have to install the drivers included on the
vendor disc, to access those features.

Mouse failure – Symptoms and Troubleshooting

The Mouse is a device which is most frequently used in a computer and prone
to certain routine problems. Most of the times repair may not be really
practical, replacement is typically the best option.

Some of the symptoms and troubleshooting procedures are outlined below:

Symptom Remedy
Cursor does not move left or  Check the cable connection,
right.  Dirt clogged between the sensor and the wheel, Clean the
mouse.
 Computer Week

 Defect in the circuit board

The PC beeps or gives a  Turn off the PC and check that the Mouse connector is
"Mouse Error" message securely plugged into the back of the PC.
 Make sure the mouse is not plugged into the keyboard
port.
 If you are using a USB mouse, make sure USB is
enabled in BIOS and in Windows.

Left or right button  Switch must have failed, Check the micro switch
inoperative  Accumulation of dust/dirt, Clean the mouse.
 Defect in the circuit board

Button has no spring or  Switch has worn or broken internal spring, button plastics
click. jammed.

Mouse Cleaning

The procedure for cleaning a mouse is outlined

below:

1. Switch off the computer and unplug the mouse.

2. Remove the cover and take the ball out as shown
in the figure.

3. Use soft tissue to clean the mouse ball.

Computer Hardware Week 14

1. Now look at the bottom of the mouse,

there are three rollers within the
mouse casing. we have to clean dust
and hairs from these rollers. Rubbing
spirit also gives good results.

2. After cleaning of dust and dirt from

the rollers and the ball. put the ball
back in the mouse and replace the cover
turning clockwise to lock it in the right
place.

3. Turn on the computer now. your

mouse should be as good as a new one.

4. If you have an optical mouse then just clean

the sensors of the bottom of mouse. just
polish the sensor with a soft cloth and
remember to keep mouse pad clean.

Replacing he Mouse

1. Exit Windows and turn off computer.

2. Unplug the power cord and modem and network cables.
3. Disconnect the old mouse.
4. If you are installing a USB mouse, connect the mouse to a USB port
on the back of your computer as shown in the figure.
Computer Week 14

- OR -
If you are installing a Personal System/2 ® (PS/2) mouse, connect the mouse
to the PS/2 mouse port on the
back of your computer as shown in
the figure..

6. Connect the power cord and modem

and network cables.

7. Turn on your computer.

8. If you are replacing your keyboard or mouse with an identical device, you
can often change the keyboard or mouse without reinstalling the old device
driver. If the new hardware does not work, reinstall the device driver.
Computer Week
Assembling the system

Assembling the entire system might be a little tricky if you've never done it before. Some
things you will want near you while doing this, is a cold drink, plenty of light, computer
screws, all the manuals that came with the hardware you purchased, a screw driver and of
course, your sanity.

Oh and a word about static electricity. Make sure you de-static yourself (by touching your
computer's power supply or wearing a very expensive anti static bracelet), and it would be
a good idea to work in a non-static area, such as on a table, or a kitchen counter, and away
from carpet. Whatever you do, be very careful not to zap your components.

Configuring the motherboard jumpers.

Configuring the jumpers is the first thing that needs to be done. What you will want to do is
consult your motherboard manual on how to set everything correctly. There are just to
many motherboards out there that I can cover in this article. Most jumpers listed in your
motherboards manual are already set up for you. The main ones you will have to configure
are:

a) Power supply type. In the event that you have an AT/ATX motherboard you will need
to set this one correctly.

b) CPU external bus frequency. This is where you specify what bus frequency your CPU
is at.

c) CPU to bus frequency ratio. Look at the little box that contained your CPU, it will
show you the exact ratio (should be a number like 2x, 3.0x, 3.5x, etc.)

d) CPU voltage. It's really important that you get this one right, or else you'll end up with a
*really* hot CPU or a non-working board.

Inserting the CPU.

This one is really easy. Take the CPU, and hold it with your right hand. Look on your
motherboard for the CPU socket. With your left hand hold the motherboard with a
firm grip while you insert your CPU. Then connect your CPU fan. Easy isn't?

Screwing the motherboard to the computer case.

This process can be a little frustrating. A good thing to do would be to remove the piece
where the motherboard screws too, which is a large panel within your computer case.
Computer Week
Next you should have little plastic looking screws. Use these to secure all four corners of
your motherboard. Don't worry if you can't secure each corner, more often than not you
will only be able to get 2 to 3 corners.

Finally, you will see holes in the middle of the motherboard. You should be able to insert
two screws to secure the middle of your board. Screw these in, but make absolutely certain
that you have those little red rubber looking washers. This will protect your board from
damage that the metal screws can cause. Like the corner screws, it's really no big deal if
you can only screw in one center support screw.

Inserting your RAM.

Once your board is securely inserted within your case, you will want to pop in the
RAM. Here you will discover exactly how easy it is to perform the 40-50 dollar job that
CompUSA and other stores will charge you.

Look up in your motherboard manual exactly in what sockets your RAM has to go into.
Then insert your RAM slowly, but firmly into its socket. DIMMs can only be inserted in
one way. Simply align the indents found on the lower part of the DIMM to the indents
found in the RAM socket.

LED cords and the RESET Switch cord.

In the lower right part of your case you will see a bunch of cords ending with black heads.
These black heads will be labeled HDD, RST, PWR, TURBO, etc. If they are not labeled,
then good luck trying to figure out which goes where. I've actually had the chance of
trying to figure that out ... it took me a few tries, but basically it's trial and error.

Anyhow, take a hold of those cords, look up in your manual where the proper
connectors go to, and plug them in.

Connecting your power supply to the board.

You should refer to your computer manual as to how exactly the power supply cords
should be connected to your board, but generally the black cords of the two power supply
strips will be found in the center of the two connecting power supply outlets on your
motherboard.

Connecting your LPT, COM1 and COM2 cables.

On the outer edge of your motherboard, usually near the keyboard connector, you will have
3 outlets. The first two will be close together and are of the same size (small). This is
COM1, and COM2. Not to far from these you will see an outlet that is just a little bigger,
and this is your LPT outlet. Consult your board manual to find the exact location.
Computer Week
So you will have to take the gray ribbons with the red dots/stripe on the side and connect
them to the correct connector.

Make sure that the red stripe/dots face towards the left side of your motherboard (the side
where your power supply is).

These gray ribbons then go to a little metal bracket that holds another connector that looks
exactly like your printer port. You will have to screw these brackets into your case.

Installing your floppy drive.

Next, take your floppy drive, insert it into an available bay (in the upper right hand corner
of your case). Connect a power supply to the drive, which will be a thin cable coming out
of your power supply. Next, take your floppy drive gray ribbon (it's the only one that will
connect to the floppy drive). Connect one end to the floppy drive, and the other to the
board. Look in your manual if you're not sure where this is located. Like in the above step
(#6), the red stripe/dots must face towards the left part of your board.

Installing the IDE drives.

The IDE drives are the hard drives and CD-ROMs. Before putting them in their respective
bays, make sure you have their jumpers set up right (consult their documentation). You will
need your hard drive to be set as a master, or slave (depending on how many hard drives
you have).

Then connect the IDE gray ribbon (it's the only one that will fit to the IDE drives) to
the drives themselves and then to the motherboard. Like in the above step (#6), the red
stripe/dots must face towards the left part of your board.

Finally, connect the power supply to the drives.

Inserting your expansion cards.

Next you will want to insert your expansion cards into your motherboard. These are the
sound cards, video cards, modems, etc. Each one of these go into their correct slot (AGP,
PCI or ISA) with the metal bracket facing the left part of the case so you can screw them
in.

If you have an AGP card, this one will go into the AGP slot, which is brown, and there
shouldn't be more than one AGP slot on your board. Slowly but firmly insert the card into
the slot. You will know when it's all the way in.

PCI cards will go into the PCI slots. These slots are the smaller white ones.
The ISA cards will go into the ISA slots. These are the longer black slots.
If you got a sound card, which supports CD-ROM audio, now would be the perfect time to
connect the digital audio cord to your CD-ROM.
Computer Week
Booting up for the first time.

Now it's the moment of truth. Connect your monitor, mouse, keyboard and power cord to
the computer. Don't screw the exterior case cover just yet, because you might have to fix
something that doesn't work (let's hope not).

Now turn the power on. If you see something on your screen that matches your CPU
speed, then a Memory test that matches your amount of RAM, then you got it done!

Sure you may have to fix some problems, but you can rest assured you got the core
stuff done. If you don't see nothing, then you probably omitted one of the steps above,
or you didn't do it right. Consult your hardware manuals! They will explain to you
exactly how everything needs to be connected.

Setting up your BIOS.

Once you boot up, you will probably see a heading labeled "Press DELETE to enter
setup", or maybe "Press ESC to enter setup". Whatever the key, press it to enter your
BIOS.

First thing you will want to do in your BIOS is set up your hard drive. More than likely you
will have an option labeled "Auto-detect IDE devices". Use this to configure your BIOS to
use your hard drive(s).
You may also want to screw around with other items. I can't really help you there, but
grab your motherboard manual, and read what it says about your BIOS.

That's it! You're all done! Well at this point, if everything worked great, you deserve
a good pat on the back. It sure isn't an easy task to build your own computer.

Some people tend to "rush build" their PCs. Well unless it's a dire emergency, I
don't recommend this. You're better off taking each step one at a time, and to make
sure everything is securely screwed and connected.

Installing an Operating System (OS)

Probably one of the easiest steps of all is to get your newly built computer set up with
an operating system.

You have a very wide choice of operating systems: Windows 95/98/NT, Linux,
FBSD, OS/2 and the list can go on.

I'll be very honest right now. I will not explain how to install any OS except the main
basics of getting Windows 95/98 (they both install the same way) installed. If you want to
install a UNIX OS, Win NT or OS/2, then you probably know enough about computer to
do it without my guidance.
Computer Week
First, you will need to create yourself a system disk. Grab yourself a new or used floppy
disk, insert it into your current machine and format it.

To format, go to your desktop, open up the "My computer" icon, then right click on your
Floppy drive icon. Then select format. Make sure you select "full", and the "Copy system
files" option. Then hit start.

Once done, you may want to perform the following. With your floppy disk still in your
drive, go to a dos prompt. If you don't know how to go to a DOS prompt, or if you have no
clue what it is, well I'm sorry to inform you, that setting up an OS on your new computer
will be nearly impossible. Take an hour or two to learn about DOS ... do a little research
about it on the web (a great place to start is Webfreebees.Net of course).

Anyhow, once you get to your DOS prompt, simply type in: SYS A: You can then exit
your DOS prompt.

Next, go to your Start Menu, go to FIND then FILES OR FOLDERS.

You will want to search for the following items (no need to be in order):

a) FORMAT.COM
b) FDISK.EXE

Each time when the program file appears in your search window, right click on it, then
select the "SEND TO" option, then "send to" your 3 1/4 floppy drive icon.

Once both programs are copied, your all set to boot up your new computer again. Make
sure your BIOS is set to read your floppy drive first for the boot up sequence.

Installing an Operating System (OS)

Insert your floppy and turn the power on. Once everything is done starting, you will be at
a DOS prompt, that will look like this:

A:\>

What you will want to do now is type in FDISK.EXE. This will start the software required
to prepare your hard drives. The software is fairly easy to use with step-by-step
instructions.

If it allows it, I suggest that you enable large hard drives. This will save you the hassle
of having to split up your large hard drive into smaller partitions.

Once FDISK is done, you will need to reboot your computer again. Make sure you keep
the system disk in your floppy drive.
Computer Week
Once the system is done rebooting, and you find yourself to the great colorful A:\>
DOS prompt. Next task is to format your hard drive(s).

Simply type:

FORMAT /S C

Then your hard drive will be formatted. You will then want to reboot (take the system disk
out of your floppy drive).

Once you reboot, if all went well, you will now see a C:\> prompt. Now the next thing you
will want to do is install your CD-ROM for DOS. Refer to your CD-ROM instructions for
this.

You will probably have to reboot again, which is okay, since it will be one of the last times.

After you reboot, and you're back to the C:\>, insert your Windows95/98 CD-ROM into the
CD-ROM drive, then type in:

D:\>SETUP.EXE (replace the D:\ with the appropriate drive letter of your CD-ROM).

If the Windows setup starts, then you're all set, the rest is real easy stuff!

If not, you may want to load up HIMEM.SYS. Copy that file to your newly built
computer's hard drive (get it from your current computer) and make a CONFIG.SYS
file that will load up that memory device.