Lesson 9 – PC Troubleshooting and Maintenance

Lesson Overview
This lesson covers various preventive maintenance procedures that can be regularly performed to
keep the system in good working order and avert many PC-related predicaments. Your personal
computer (PC) might have the latest features and might be using well-written software. Nevertheless,
it is possible that your system breaks down or that upgrades are required for some system
components. If the system problems are related to hardware malfunction, professional help would be
sought to troubleshoot the error. However, the best way to deal with a problem is to prevent it from
occurring at all.

Lesson Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the trainees will be able to:

 know how to protect PC from viruses, hackers or intruders

 know how to implement security in your computer
 describe the concept of preventive maintenance procedures
 describe the active and passive preventive maintenance procedures
 describe the methods for the preventive maintenance of printers
 troubleshoot printer problems
 describe the various ways of managing power consumption
 defragment your hard drive using the Disk Defragmenter
 compress the available data using DriveSpace
 optimize the hard disk by using Disk Cleanup
 troubleshooting other computer peripherals
 Computer security system
Virus attacks
Computer Virus - a self-replicating program that can infect other programs in your computer. So all
infected programs in your computer do not behave the way it is supposed to. Computer viruses can
crash your computer, which will lead to losing your important files and programs.

Anti-Virus (AV) Program - is being used for computer virus removal

and protection. AV's are using a virus definition table (list of
computer virus information) to identify and remove computer
viruses. New computer viruses are released almost everyday. You
should keep the virus definitions up to date to get the maximum
protection. Antivirus programs are allowing different methods to
keep the virus scanners up to date. Downloading updates from the
Internet is the most common practice.
 Computer security system

How do I know that my computer is infected?

 Computer has become noticeably slow.

 Strange PC behavior.
 An increase or decrease of data in a file.
 Pop up messages.
 Random graphics.
 Files being deleted.
 Computer security system

Tips for a PC Clean and Safe From Viruses

 Never open an E-mail with an attachment you were not expecting.

 Turn off the 'automatic preview' in your email program.
 Keep your web browser set to its highest security level.
 Don't download programs from the Web.
 Clean any virus, worm or trojan off your computer
 Install a Firewall
 Install and use a high-quality anti-virus program
 Computer security system
Computer is already infected. How to remove Computer Viruses

 Scan for viruses. Your antivirus program will scan the PC and detect infected files. Also it will
tell you what the virus names are.
 First try to quarantine infected files.
 If your anti virus program says "cannot quarantine" then select the "Delete" option.
 If your anti virus program says "cannot delete", then note down the virus name and visit the
website of your anti-virus software. Then search for the virus name.

Spyware and Adware - also called "Malware", are files made by publishers that allow them to
snoop on your browsing activity, see what you purchase, monitor your emails, record your credit
card numbers and worse. If you're like most Internet users, chances are you're probably infected
with these files. Simply surfing the Internet, reading email, downloading music or other files can
infect your PC without you knowing it.
 Hard-Drive Checkup

 Windows XP offers a rudimentary evaluation of your hard disk's health with its
error-checking utility:
1. Right-click the drive's icon in Windows Explorer and select Properties,
2. Tools,
3. Check Now. (Windows can fix errors and recover bad sectors automatically if
you wish.) If the check discovers a few file errors, don't worry, but if it comes up with
hundreds of errors, the drive could be in trouble.

 Many hardware and software designers humbly assume you want their program
running on your PC all the time, so they tell Windows to load the application at startup
(hence, the ever-growing string of icons in your system tray). These programs eat up
system resources and make hardware conflicts and compatibility problems more likely.
To prevent them from launching, just
1. click Start,
2. Run,
3. type msconfig, and press Enter.
4. The programs listed under the Startup tab are set to start along with Windows.
Uncheck the box at the left of each undesirable program to prevent it from
starting automatically.
 Starting windows in safe mode
Safe Mode - uses Windows default drivers and settings, this helps users correct issues
so they can get back into normal mode.

Procedure
1. Click Start and then click Shut
Down.

2. In the drop-down list of the Shut

Down Windows dialog box, click
Restart, and then click OK.

3. As your computer restarts but

before Windows launches, press
F8. On a computer that is configured
for booting to multiple operating
systems, you can press F8 when the
boot menu appears.

4. Use the arrow keys to highlight the

appropriate safe mode option, and
then press ENTER.
 Check for Disk Errors in Windows XP
The ScanDisk utility is not available in Windows XP. However, you can use the Error-
Checking tool in Windows XP to check the integrity of your hard disk. To check for
file system errors and bad sectors on your hard disk, follow these steps:

1. Double-click My Computer, and

then right-click the local disk that
you want to check.

2. Click Properties, and then click

Tools.

3. Under Error-checking, click Check

Now.

4. Under Check disk options, select

the Scan for and attempt recovery
of bad sectors check box

5. Click Start.
 Using Disk Defragmenter
Disk Defragmenter consolidates fragmented files and folders on your computer's hard
disk, so that each occupies a single, contiguous space on the volume

1. Double-click My Computer, and then

right-click the local disk that you want
to check.

2. Click Properties, and then click Tools.

3. Under Defragmentation, click Defrag

Now.

4. Under Check disk options, select the

Scan for and attempt recovery of bad
sectors check box

5. Click Start.
 Common PC Problems

Problem: Hard Drive or other drives not being found.

Solution:

 Make sure the IDE cables

themselves are installed
correctly.

 Look at the IDE cable itself

and take notice of how it is
keyed.

 The red line on the wire

should point to the power
connector on the hard drive,
CD-ROM, and even the
floppy.
 Common PC Problems

Problem: Memory not counting or not as much as I installed.

Solution:

 Make sure memory is seated correctly!

 Common PC Problems

Sound Card Troubleshooting

 One thing that a sound card is prone to is EMF.

 The electromagnetic signals from other components
in the system itself can cause problems.
 The best way to cure this is move the sound card as
far away from other components as possible.

Another note about sound cards (sound blaster compatible) is they need three things to run
correctly.

 IRQ (interrupt Request)

 Direct Memory Access (DMA)
 Memory Address
 If any one of these especially the IRQ are conflicted with on another device you will have
problems.
 The most common is an IRQ conflict. You may need to change the IRQ of the sound card. Or
even change BUS types if all else fails. An overloaded system can cut down on available resources
on a system very quickly.
 Common PC Problems

Troubleshooting a Video Card

Some of the most common problems associated with the Video Card are
refresh rates, resolutions settings, and color depth settings. Thankfully
most of these can be fixed by going into the control panel of Windows or
getting a better monitor to support your Video Card vice versa.

Now how do you tell if your monitor is getting too much to handle from
the Video Card? Here are some symptoms:
1. Image's appear scrambled of distorted
2. Shrunken or even multiple instances of an Image
3. High pitched whine from the monitor.. (Obvious)
4. Blank Screen

Solution:

1. With your mouse on the Desktop right click, choose properties.

2. In the Display Properties dialog choose settings
3. Click on drop down list where color palette exist, choose a lower resolution.
4. Click "Apply", you may be asked to restart computer if so restart.
 Common PC Problems

Problem: No signal to monitor?

Solution:

 Check cable.

 Make sure it is attached to the card and seated correctly! With system
shutdown and unplugged make sure Video Card is seated in its slot.

 Even the slightest movement can make it work incorrectly.

 Common PC Problems

Problem: Dark Screen

Solution

1. First check cable and insure it’s tight and secure to the
Video Card!

2. Is monitor on? Sounds dumb but you would be

surprised.

3. Shut system down and make sure Video Card hasn't lost
its seat. This can happen when system has been moved.

4. Try rebooting
 Common PC Problems

Problem: Monitor Interference

Caused by

 Uneven Electrical Currents

 Interference From speakers, fans, and telephones
 Bad connection through cabling
 Cabling over length
 Electrical currents, can cause some real strange problems as with the rest
of the computer. You may already know what a culprit surge protectors
or even the power supply of the computer can be.
 If you suspect that your power supply or surge protector is causing the
problems simply plug the monitor into the wall separately.
 Now in many offices that share power hungry devices on the same
circuit you can run into some real problems with your monitor, or system
itself.
 Find another less crowded power source. This can get so hairy you
might need to call an electrician to hook up more power to the home or
office. Another way to remedy this is to purchase a (UPS).
Uninterruptible Power Supply, this will take up the slack in the line. The
UPS can also help out in those power outage times.
 Common PC Problems

Troubleshooting Mice

Clean Rodent

1. Shut system down and unplug mouse from port.

2. While unplugging look and make sure no pins are broke or missing on
your connections.

3. Turn mouse over and twist ball plate. You may need to push down on
plate while turning.

4. Remove ball and clean with Alcohol

5. With Q-tip with alcohol on it, clean roller bars. Clean all the interior of
mouse and allow to dry

6. Place ball back in and put ball plate back together securely
 Common PC Problems

Troubleshooting Keyboard
 Keep all liquids off the desktop.

 Now if you spilt a liquid on the keyboard you may want to remove one
key at a time and clean underneath them.

 Another common problem is keyboard isn't sending a signal to the

computer. Check connection first. If this seems to be okay then your
keyboard may be faulty itself.

 If your keyboard is a constant problem simply replace it and forget

about it.
 Common PC Problems
CD-ROM Troubleshooting

 Double check the cables on the CD-ROM. Check the power cable also. Is
it loose? Is there excessive heat is case? A bad power supply can also
cause some strange problems with the CD-ROM
 Check under windows to make sure that windows see's it. This can be
done in the control panel, then on systems, look at the device tab, click on
cd-rom and see if signs of worry.
 Check CD-Disc itself you are using. It may be bad.
 Clean the CD-ROM with some compressed air
 If you just installed it did you insure the master/slave settings are
correct?
 These are just a few to consider and apply to CD-ROM's and the like.
The biggest problem is to figure out if you have a hardware problem or is
it software? You can update the CD-ROM/Writer driver if all else fails.
 This can be done by going back to systems icon under the control panel.
Pick what drive you want and double click it. You will be brought to
another display with the properties of this device.
 Choose driver and click update. Make sure and have the installation
disk handy.
 Common PC Problems
Troubleshooting A Printer - Crummy Ink Jet Printouts
SOLUTION

1. The print head on your cartridges could be clogged with ink. Your printer driver likely includes a
cartridge-cleaning routine, which you can access from your printer's Properties dialog box. Click
Start, Printers (Printers and Faxes in XP), right-click your printer icon, and then click Printing
Preferences. Click on maintenance tab and run Head Cleaning.

2. For poor-looking pages that feature misaligned colors and blacks, faulty calibration may be the
cause. Try to calibrate the printer from the printer's Properties dialog box. Click Start, Printers
(Printers and Faxes in XP), right-click your printer icon, and then click Printing Preferences. Click on
maintenance tab and print head alignment.

3. If calibration fails, try physically opening the printer case and reseating the ink jet cartridges; one or
more could have become loose.

4. Old drivers or those unqualified by Microsoft for newer versions of Windows can degrade output.
Printing problems that crop up after you install new drivers likely stem from the drivers
themselves. In this case, go to the vendor's site and download a qualified driver made specifically
for your model.

5. Your printer's cartridges may be the issue. Over time, they can pick up dust or fibers that streak the
wet ink as the head moves across the page.
 Common PC Problems
Paper Jam in Kyocera FS-1920

Jam in paper cassettes

Pull out the paper cassette and remove
the jammed paper. Paper jammed in
the optional feeder (PF-60) can be
removed in the same way.

Removing jams from within the printer

Push the paper cassette back in. While pulling
the paper feed unit release lever, pull out the
paper feed unit.
 Common PC Problems
Paper Jam in Kyocera FS-1920

If the paper is jammed before the

registration roller, remove it as shown in
diagram A. If the paper is jammed
under the registration roller remove it as
shown in diagram B.

Removing paper jammed in the rear of the

printer
Release the paper cassette and paper feed
unit.
Open the rear cover and remove the jammed
paper.

Push the paper cassette and paper feed unit

back in and close the rear cover.
 Common PC Problems
Toner Replacement Kyocera FS-1920

1. Open the top cover all the way.

2. To release an old toner container from the

printer slide the green toner release lever to
the right.

3. Gently remove the old toner container from

the printer, keeping it as level as possible to
avoid toner spillage.
 Common PC Problems
Toner Replacement Kyocera FS-1920

4. Place the old container in the plastic

bag supplied with the toner kit. You can
safely dispose of the toner cassette by
putting it in the rubbish bin.

5. Take the new toner container from its

bag. With the label side down,
thoroughly shake the container (in the
direction of the arrow) ten or more times
to loosen and mix the toner inside.

6. Carefully pull the sealing strip off the toner

container keeping it as level as possible to
avoid toner spillage.
 Common PC Problems
Toner Replacement Kyocera FS-1920

7. Lower the toner container into the

printer.

8. When it is installed correctly, firmly

push the top of the toner container at
the ‘push here’ points until it locks into
position.

9. Close the top cover.

10. If the printer had previously displayed the

message ‘Replace Toner Clean Printer’ before
you changed the toner, it will display ‘Clean
printer Press CONTINUE’ afterwards. After
cleaning the printer - press the ‘continue’ key.

11. When replacing the toner container, you

should also replace the waste toner bottle.

12. Open the printer side cover.

 Common PC Problems
Toner Replacement Kyocera FS-1920

13. While holding the waste toner

bottle, press the lock lever, then gently
remove the waste toner bottle.

14. Securely fit the cap onto the waste toner

bottle and place it into the plastic bag
provided. You can safely dispose of the old
waste toner bottle in the bin.

15. Take the new waste toner bottle from the

toner kit and install it into the printer. The
bottle will lock into place.
 Common PC Problems
Toner Replacement Kyocera FS-1920

16. Ensure the waste toner bottle cap does not

obstruct the top of the bottle.

17. Please note that the bottle does not ‘lock’

into place. Closing the side door will ensure it
is kept securely inside the printer.
 Common PC Problems
Troubleshooting a scanner

Problem: Scanner installation or setup problems

Uninstall and reinstall the software

The problem might have occurred because of an incomplete installation. Try uninstalling and
then reinstalling the HP Scanning software. To reinstall the HP Scanning software, you must
have the HP Image Zone software CD.

To uninstall the HP software that came with your scanner, follow these procedures:
1. Click Start, click Settings, and then click Control Panel (in Windows XP, click Start,
and then click Control Panel).
2. Click Add/Remove Programs (in Windows XP, this is called Add or Remove
Programs) and then select the HP Scanjet software.
3. Click Remove.
4. Click Add/Remove Programs (in Windows XP, this is called Add or Remove
Programs) and then select the HP Image Zone software.
5. Reinstall using the HP Image Zone software CD that came with your scanner.
6. When you insert the CD, an installation interface launches automatically. Choose the
HP Image Zone software to install.
 Common PC Problems
Troubleshooting a scanner

Check the cables

Cable type Action

Power cable The power cable is connected between the scanner and a power outlet.
● Ensure that the power cable is securely connectedbetween
the scanner and a live electrical outlet or surge protector.
● If the power cable is connected to a surge protector, ensure
that the surge protector is plugged into an outlet and turned
on.
● Disconnect the power cable from the scanner and turn off the
computer. After 60 seconds, reconnect the power cable to
the scanner and then turn on the computer, in that
order.
USB cable The USB cable is connected between the scanner and the computer.
● Use the cable that was included with the scanner.Another
USB cable might not be compatible with the scanner.
● Ensure that the USB cable is securely connectedbetween the
scanner and the computer.
TMA cable The TMA cable is connected between the TMA in the scanner lid and
the scanner base.
Ensure the cable is securely connected in the back of the scanner.
 Common PC Problems
Troubleshooting a scanner

Problem: Scanner initialization or hardware problems

Reset the scanner

If you receive an error message similar to “Scanner initialization failed” or “Scanner not found”
when trying to use the scanner, use the following procedure:

1. Close the HP Image Zone software, if it is open.

2. Disconnect the cable that connects the scanner to the computer.

3. Turn the computer off, wait 60 seconds, and then turn the computer on again.

4. Reconnect the cable that connects the computer and the scanner (use a different USB
port on the computer if possible).
 Common PC Problems
Troubleshooting a scanner
Problem: Scanner has stopped working properly

If the scanner stops scanning, complete the following steps, in order. After each step, start a scan
to see if the scanner is working. If the problem continues, proceed with the next step.
1. A cable might be loose. Ensure that both the USB cable and power cable are securely
connected.
2. Unplug the power cable from the power source, wait 60 seconds, and then plug it back
in.
3. Reboot your computer.
4. A software conflict might exist on your computer. You might need to uninstall and then
reinstall the scanner software.
a. Click Start, click Settings, and then click Control Panel (in Windows XP,
click Start, and then click Control Panel).
b. Click Add/Remove Programs (in Windows XP, this is called Add or
Remove Programs) and then select the HP Scanjet software.
c. Click Remove.
d. Click Add/Remove Programs (in Windows XP, this is called Add or
Remove Programs) and then select the HP Image Zone software.
e. Click Remove.
4. Reinstall using the HP Image Zone software CD that came with your scanner.
5. When you insert the CD, an installation interface launches automatically. Choose the
HP Image Zone software to install.
 Common PC Problems

BIOS Beep Codes

BEEP CODE MEANING POSSIBLE CAUSE

1 Long, 2 Short Video adapter failure Bad video adapter

Repeating (Endless loop) Memory error Bad memory or bad connection

1 Long, 3 Short Video adapter failure Bad video adapter or memory

High freq. beeps (while running) CPU is overheating CPU fan failure

Repeating High, Low beeps CPU failure Bad processor

 How to scan your computer for a virus?

Note:

 If the infected machine is either the Printer Server or Billing Server, we can just
choose the “C:” drive to scan.

 If the infected machine is one of the client, you must do the following:

1. Shutdown the infected machine and remove the hard disk

2. Shutdown the Printer Server and remove the IDE cable connected to the DVD
ROM drive
3. Change the jumper setting of the infected hard disk to “Slave”
4. Connect the infected hard disk to available IDE cable
5. Turn on the Printer Server and make sure that you are booting the Printer
Server operating system, not the infected hard disk
6. Start the scanning and disinfecting process.
 Using Kaspersky
Step 1 – Right click on the icon on the lower right corner of your computer and choose “Scan”.
 Using Kaspersky
Step 2 – Choose the drives to scan by clicking the check box. Then Click “Scan”.
 Using Kaspersky
Step 3 - Click “Neutralize” to remove all detected viruses then “Close” the Kaspersky application.

Image 1 – Sample of image where no virus is detected

 Using Kaspersky
Image 2 – Sample of image where viruses have been detected.

Notes:

 Click “Disinfect”
if the detected virus
can be cleaned

Detected Click if the

 Click “Delete” if
viruses virus can
be cleaned
the virus cannot be
cleaned. BE
WARNED! This
option will delete
the file.

 If you are sure

that you want to
Click if the delete all detected
virus
cannot be
viruses, click the
cleaned check box “Apply
to all”
 Using AVG
Step 1 – Right click on the icon on the lower right corner of your computer and choose “ Launch
AVG Control Center”.
 Using AVG
Step 2 – Choose “Test Center” to start the scan window.
 Using AVG
Step 3 – Click the “Scan Computer” button to start the scanning process.
 Using AVG
Step 4a – If a virus has been detected, you will see an alert showing the virus inclusive of the
name.
 Using AVG
Step 4b – If a virus has been detected or you have seen a pop-up window(below) proceed to step 5 .
Or, if this window appears, click “Move to Vault” then perform the Kaspersky scanning.
 Using AVG
Step 5 – Once the system has finished scanning, you can click “Heal” if the virus can be removed by
AVG or click “Move to Vault” to quarantine or isolate the virus.

Note:
If the virus have been “Move to Vault” be sure to rescan the hard disk using Kaspersky.
 How to scan your computer for spywares
using SPYBOT?
Step 1 – Double click on the “Spybot” icon on the desktop.
 How to scan your computer for spywares
using SPYBOT?
Step 2 – Click “Check for Problems”
 How to scan your computer for spywares
using SPYBOT?
Step 3 – Wait while it starts to scan.
 How to scan your computer for spywares
using SPYBOT?
Step 4 – Wait while its scanning.
 How to scan your computer for spywares
using SPYBOT?
Step 5 – The Spybot application will detect spy bots on the system and as we can see,
it has also detected windows changes which should not be checked.

Note:

uncheck the “Windows Security

Center” detected changes.

Leave the others checked

 How to scan your computer for spywares
using SPYBOT?
Step 6 – Click the “Fix Selected Problems” then click “Yes”.

Note:

 remember to uncheck the

windows security center before
clicking fix selected items

continue if everything is
correct
 How to scan your computer for spywares
using SPYBOT?
Step 7 – If all problems have been fixed. Click OK