COMPUTER HARDWARE REPAIRS

AND MAINTENANCE

Presentation By: Munawar Abdalla

October 9, 2022
Adama
Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 1
 Objectives

Knowledge of Computer Hardware

Identify computer hardware Issues/Problems
determine faulty Computer hardware
Know Basic computer troubleshooting tips
Knowledge of Operating System and
device Drivers
Identify hardware Peripherals
Basic knowledge of safeguarding hardware
Apply the knowledge to repair/maintain a
computer.
Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 2
Learning the COMPUTER Basics

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 3

 What is a Computer?

• An electronic device, operating under the control of

instructions stored in its own memory, that can:
– Accept data (input)
– Process the data according to specified rules (process)
– Produce results (output)
– Store the results (storage) for future
use.

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 4

What is a Computer?...

5
 Examples and type of computer

Desktop Tablet
Mainframe

Supercomputers

PDA Smartphone
Notebook
Wearable Computers

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 6

 Computer System is functional only if :

Hardware users

software

7
 Basic Hardware components
Hardware represents the physical and tangible components of a
computer i.e. the components that can be seen and touched.
Examples of Hardware are following:
Input devices: keyboard, mouse etc.
Output divices: printer, monitor, speaker etc.
Secondary storage devices: Hard disk, CD, DVD etc.
Internal components: CPU, motherboard, RAM etc.

8
Computer Hardware

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 9

 Hardware Components

Power Supply or SMPS(Switched Mode Processor & Fan. The processor is

Case/ System Unit. The computer case Power Supply). Converts AC voltage the main “brain” of a computer system
(also called a tower ) is the box that from the wall outlet to DC voltage the while the Fan help to prevent
encloses many of the parts/components computer can use. It supplies DC overheating of the various electronic
of the computer voltages for internal computer components
components and has a fan to keep the
computer cool.

Motherboard. The motherboard is a RAM (Random Access Memory NIC (Network Interface Card) used to
large electronic board that is used to short term memory that is used to store describe tools that allow your computer
connect the power supply to various documents while they are being processed. to connect and communicate with
other electronic parts, and to hold these The amount of RAM in a computer various input and output devices.
parts in place on the computer. determine the speed of a computer.
RAM attaches to the motherboard via
some specific slots.
Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 10
 Hardware Components cont…
Computer Hard disk are of two types, IDE(Integrated drive
electronics)-
Has a ribbon like cable with either a 40-pin or 80-pin
connector.
 The IDE data transfer interface runs in parallel.
SATA(Serial Advanced Technology A\achment)-
has a narrower cable with a split data and power
connections.
 It has a 7-pin cable and a much faster data transfer rate.
 Most motherboards now support SATA
 Well know hard disk manufactures are Seagate, Western
Digital etc.

Drives.
A computer’s drives are the devices
used for long term storage of
information. e.g. Hard Disk, Flash Disk
etc.
hard drive - Or hard disk, is a common
storage device for maintaining files
inside the computer, usually mounted
below or beside the floppy drive.
 CD drive –
 Holds disks (CDs) that have data, Peripheral hardware. NIC(Network Interface Card)
music, or software applications. Are the computer components that are (NIC) is a co mputer hardware
DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) drive - not found within the computer case component that allows a computer to
Popular alternative to a CD drive that connect to a network. NICs may be used
supports CDs as well as music and video It is defined as any auxiliary device that for both wired and wireless connections.
DVDs. connects to and works with the A NIC is also known as a network
 Flash Drive- computer in some way. E.g. mouse, interface controller (NIC) or network
microphone and keyboard, monitor, card, LAN card, network adapter or
Copmnri ptuetrearnHdasrpdewakaeresr network adapter card (NAC).
Reect [Link] and 11
 What is Computer Ports?
Port: Is a connector on the motherboard or on a
separate adapter that allows a device to connect to a
computer; these may include keyboard, mouse, serial,
parallel, network, sound, or video ports.
 Ports vary with the type of equipment that connects

to the ports.
 Ports have gradually changed over time as

computers have changed to become faster and easier

to work with. Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 12
 Port contd…

 Male ports – Have pins  Female ports.

that out from the connector and
protrude Have holes in the connector to accept the male
require a cable with a female connector. cable’s pins.

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 13

 Ports…

• D-shell connector – A connector with more pins or

holes on the top row than on the bottom so that a
connected cable can only be attached in one direction
and not accidentally connected the wrong way;
generally represented with the letters DB and the
number of pins such as, DB-9, DB-15, or DB-25.
• DIN connector – Round with small holes and
normally keyed; the keyboard and mouse are usually
this type of connector with either 5 or 6 pins.
Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 14
 Parallel Port. (D-Shell Connector)
Serial Port. D- Shell Connector This long and slender port is also no
 uses pin connectors, longer commonly used, PS/2. DIN Connectors
Also known as a COM port) can be a The most common parallel port has Most desktop computers have two of
9-pin Female D-shell connector holes for 25 pins, these round ports for six pin connectors,
 Data travels at 115 kilobits per  Used for scanners and printers one for the mouse and one for the
second  Also called printer port keyboard.

TRS. TRS (tip, ring and sleeve) ports

Also known as ports for mini-jacks or
audio jacks. HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface)
USB. They are commonly used to connect provides an interface between any
 A 4-wire connector type of port audio/video source, e.g. DVD player, or
audio devices such as headphones and
Different models (USB 1.0, USB 2.0 and A/V receiver and an audio and/or video
microphones to computers.
USB 3.0), monitor, such as a digital television
 Connect all kinds of external USB (DTV),
devices e.g. external hard disk, printer, HDMI supports standard, enhanced, or
scanner, mouse, keyboard etc. high-definition video, plus multi-
Most of the computers provide two channel digital audio on a single cable.
USB or three USB ports as minimum.
Data travels at 12 megabits per
seconds GAME PORT.D-Shell Connector.
USB compliant devices can get power A 15 port pin used to connect games
from a USB port

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 15

 Modem Port
VGA Connects a PC's modem to the
 A three row,
telephone network. Game Port.
15-pin female D-shell connector for  Connect a joystick to a PC
newer VGA, SVGA, XGA, SXGA, or UXGA  Now replaced by USB
monitors
Connects monitor to a computer's
video card.
Similar to serial port connector but
serial port connector has pins, it has
holes.
IEEE 1394 ports –
A serial technology developed by Apple
Computer sometimes called the
FireWire port.
 A 6-wire cable/port (4 for data, 2 for
power) Ethernet Port
 speeds of 100, 200, 400, 800, and Connects to a network and high speed
1200 Mbps. Internet.
 Connect network cable to a computer.
Serial Port. Male D- Shell Connector  This port resides on an Ethernet Card.
 uses pin connectors,
Data travels at 10 megabits to 1000
 it is no longer commonly used,
megabits per seconds depending upon
It was used for printers, mice, modems
the network bandwidth.
and a variety of other digital
devices.
 Data travels at 115 kilobits per second

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 16

Arrangement of computer Components/ Ports

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 17

Computer Software

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 18

 What is a software?
Software.
Is a set of programs, which is designed to perform a well-
defined function. A Program is a sequence of instructions
written to solve a particular problem.
Types of software
 System Software
 The system software is collection of programs designed to
operate, control, and extend the processing capabilities of
the computer itself.
 System soft ware are generally prepared by computer
manufactures.
 System software serves as the interface between hardware
and the end users. e.g. Operating System, Compilers,
Interpreter, Assemblers etc.
Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 19
 Software Types and Categories…
Application Software:
 Application soft ware products are designed to satisfy a
particular need of a particular environment.
 Application software may consist of a single program, such as a
Microsoc's notepad for writing and editing simple text.
 It may also consist of a collection of programs, ocen called a
software package, which work together to accomplish a task,
such as a spreadsheet package. e.g. Payroll software, Student
Record software , Inventory Management software, Microsoc
Office Suite software, Adobe Premiere suites etc.
• Utility Software. Allow a computer to perform tasks that are
not part of the operating system, but are still practical and
useful. For example, a utility software might instruct a computer
on how to copy (burn) information to a CD-ROM disk, or it might
be an anti-virus program
Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 20
 Proprietary Software vs. Open Source Software

They are proprietary, which means

that their use and modification are Users who cannot afford proprietary
restricted. software or prefer software that can be
locally modified, can choose to use open
They can be quite costly to buy licenses source (ocen called free and open source
for. or FOSS) software.

they are not adaptable to meet local For most of the standard computer uses,
needs. an open source software option is
available. E.g. Linux family of operating
Some users, particularly in developing systems (which includes Ubuntu, and the
countries, illegally use unlicensed (also OpenOffi[Link] productivity programs.
known as pirate) copies of this software.
T h e S o u r c e F o r g e w e b s i t e
This is legally unwise, and can also keep ([Link]) is a good resource
the user from accessing important for finding and downloading open source
software updates. programs.

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 21

Relationship Between Hardware/
software

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 22

 Relationship between Hardware and software

Hardware and software are mutually dependent on each other. Both of

them must work together to make a computer produce a useful output.

Software cannot be utilized without supporting hardware.

Hardware without set of programs to operate upon cannot be utilized
and is useless.
To get a particular job done on the computer, relevant software should be
loaded into the hardware . i.e. a device driver is needed.
A device driver is a program that controls a particular type of device that is
attached to your computer. There are device drivers for printers, displays,
CD-ROM readers, diskette drives etc. When you buy an operating system,
many device drivers are built into the product.

Hardware is a one-time
expense. Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 23
 Relationship between Hardware and software

Software development is very expensive and is a

continuing expense.

Different software applications

can be loaded on a hardware to run
different jobs.

A software acts as an interface between

the user and the hardware.

If Hardware is the 'heart' of a computer

system, then Software is its 'soul'. Both are
complimentary to each other.
Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 24
Hardware or Software
Problem ?

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 25

 Tips for Distinguishing Between Hardware Problems and software Problems…

Note: Make sure you reduce possible

“external” problems before proceeding.
This means unplug any external devices
(such as hard drives, scanners or printers),
and remove any USB Flash disk, CD or DVD
disks from their drives.

 Were there any loud noises or smoke when the

problem first appeared? Then it is probably a

hardware problem, with the most likely culprit
being the SMPS(Switched Mode Power
Supply )unit.
Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 26
 Tips for Distinguishing Between Hardware Problems and software Problems …
 Is the computer entirely dead? Or the screen blank? Or the
screen showing a poor/incomplete picture? These faults are
probably also due to hardware problems.

 Does the computer produce a series of beeps? This is a code

that can be used to distinguish some hardware problems.

 Does the system give any error codes or descriptions while

booting? These can be due to hardware or software
problems. Take careful note of all information given in the
error code.

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 27

 Tips for Distinguishing Between Hardware Problems and software Problems…

 Do es the c o m p u t e r p r o d u c e e r ro r
information acer it has booted or only when you
open specific programs? These error codes are
probably due to software problems.

 Have any recent changes been made to hardware

or software (including BIOS settings)? If so,
these are likely culprits.

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 28

 Tips for Distinguishing Between Hardware Problems and software Problems…

 Has the computer been exposed to viruses or other

malware? This could be a cause of software
problems.
 Use the Device Manager.
The Device Manager will list
all of the hardware devices
installed on a PC. Any
device with a problem will
have a warning symbol next
to it, and double clicking on
that device would give
details and sug gested
remedies for the problem.

Warning symbol Computer Hardware Repairs and

31
Maintenance
 Computer Maintenance

NOTE: Prevention(maintenance) is better than cure(Repairs).

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 30

 Computer maintenance is necessary…

Check harmful materials e.g. dust , virus,

outdated software, faulty electrical Power/
gadget e.g. cables, sockets, extensions etc.

Check any malfunctions of peripherals.

Proper maintenance helps to keep the computer

running smoothly for years.

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 31

 Computer Maintenance…

Caution!!! •

These step are for the

experience and
professionals only!!

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 32

 Computer maintenance

Improving slow performance

Dust Control.
 Dust is very harmful for computer parts.
 Excess dust can cause mechanical failures, particularly on
computer components with moving parts.
 Computers should be dusted regularly by using compressed
air machines .

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 33

 Computer maintenance: Improving slow performance

Disk Defragmenter. Scan Disk/ Check Now:

Used to organize files on the hard For hard disk faults, use scan disk/
drive and optimize free space, im Check now to scan the hard disk for
pr ov i n g t he s p e e d a nd faults and even repair them if
performance of the computer. Some possible. This option will check the
applications may fail outright if the Hard disk for errors.
disk becomes too fragmented.

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 34

 Computer maintenance: improving slow performance

Excess and Unused Files. Disk Cleanup:

As a hard disk becomes full, the computer’s The Disk Cleanup Utility can determine which files on your
hard drive may no longer be needed and delete those files.
performance is reduced.
In addition to freeing up potentially significant amounts of
It takes more time to find and access needed files.
hard drive space. Using this utility regularly can improve
Defragmentation is not as successful due to a lack system performance.
of free space to temporarily move files to while
they are being rearranged .

Therefore, it is wise for a computer user not to

keep files that are no longer needed.

Files that have been stored in a user’s

documents folder that are no longer needed (such
as extra photos or older versions of documents)
should be deleted.

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 35

A typical example of a fully loaded Local Hard Disk drive

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 36

 Computer maintenance: Improving slow performance

Deleting Browsing History.

 The browser stores the recent history of the web pages that the
user has viewed,
 This make it easier to find and load these web pages again.

 The browser also stores other small bits of information such as

data entered into forms and usernames or passwords if a user
has asked a web page to “remember me” (although this is not
a good idea for shared computers).
 This stored information can be easily deleted.
Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 37
 Computer maintenance: Improving slow performance

Startup folder
Some programs will automatically put a shortcut in the
Startup folder, forcing the program to automatically
launch when you turn the computer on or log in. Sometimes
this is desirable, sometimes not. Either way, this practice may
slow your computer down to various degrees, and with the
program running all the time, may slow down the performance
of your computer.
 Delete some of the programs in the Startup folder

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 38

Computer maintenance: Improving slow performance
software Inventory
Once the hard disk becomes full, a computer’s performance is
reduced. To avoid installing software that are not necessary,
system inventory will require you knowing what s o f t w a r e is
n e e d e d / w a n t e d on your computer.
Note:
Please use caution when uninstalling software. In order to
reinstall, you will need the original software installation files.

Computer Hardware Repairs and

41
Maintenance
Computer maintenance: Improving slow performance

Protect your PC from cyber-threats or Malware

The cyber-world is full of threats such as viruses, spyware, Trojans, Worms and etc.
These cyber-threats can cause huge dilemmas to your computer. These undesirable
programs, which are usually added without a user’s knowledge, can significantly slow
down the performance of a computer.

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 40

The best ways to prevent virus infections are:

 Keeping antivirus software up to date and running scans on a

regular basis
 Strict policies should be put in place to prevent virus infection
e.g. prohibiting the use of flash drives, or require Flash disk to be
scanned before use.
 Other policy to consider is the prohibition of downloading, since
unsuspecting users can accidentally download malware.
 A firewall may also be used to blocks dangerous downloads.
 Computer maintenance: Improving slow performance

UPDATING SOFTWARE
 It is important for a computer user to find and install software
updates in order to have well performing computers.
 Updating software can be done in a variety of ways,
Automatic Updates, Automatic Alerts for Updates, Manual
Updating, Offline Updating.

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 42

 Computer maintenance: Improving slow performance
Overheating
 Excessive heat can cause a significant decrease in computer

performance.
 In order to cool down an overheated computer processor,
avoid operating the computer if the case is in an enclosed
space. (such as a drawer or cupboard).
 Also cool the room with fans or air-conditioning.

 Also verify that all of the fans in the computer case are
functioning properly.

43
 Computer maintenance: Improving slow performance

Insufficient RAM
Computer need sufficient RAM to perform the desired functions
once the memory is not sufficient. The performance will be slow.

This problem is most likely if the computer is rather old and has
had a newer (and more memory demanding) operating
system installed.

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 44

 Computer maintenance: Improving slow performance

Endurance:
Lastly, one important hint to also keep in mind when
you are using a computer is to be patient. Sometimes
the computer has to “think” too!(process)

Note:

Avoid opening too many programs at a time. It will

reduce the performance of the computer.

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 45

HARDWARE REPAIRS

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 46

Preventive Maintenance
• Improve system availability by maintenance on a regular

• Video Display Unit (VDU)

• For CRT, keep away from strong or residual electromagnetic

• field such as motor, magnets to avoid colour change.

• Turn off the intensity of the display if it is left unattended for

• long time or activate the screen saver to avoid memory effect and the
burn out of the phosphor coating.

• Clean the dust regularly to avoid flash over.

1. Power
Supply
What is a Power Supply in a Computer?

 A power supply inside the computer is the unit that converts alternate
current from your home or business wall outlet (assuming 110v) to direct
current.

 it's responsible for supplying power to the rest of your hardware

components
 Desktop Power supplies are often found in
the upper rear of the tower.
 Connector of Power
Supply
 A single 20-pin plug is set into a fitted receptacle
and secured with a catch on the side of the plug
that snaps over the fitting(MB Power Connector)

 Almost all computer power supplies have three voltage rails (3.3V rail,
the 5V rail, and the 12V rail).
 The wires on your power supply
means: BLACK GND
 ORANGE +3.3 V GREEN POWER-ON
 YELLOW +12 V
GRAY POWER-OK
 BLUE -12 V
 RED +5 V PURPLE +5 V STANDBY
 WHITE -5 V (this is sometimes not BROWN +3.3 V REMOTE SENSING
available on some power supplies)
 Molex connector. This is the most commonly
used power connector. It provides both 12-volt
and 5-volt power.
o Hard disk drives
o internal tape drives
o CD-ROM drives
o DVD (digital video disc) drives, and
o Older 5.25-inch floppy disk drives all
use this fitting
 Mini connector. Most power supplies
provide one or more mini connectors The
mini is used primarily for 3.5-inch floppy
disk drives. It has four pin-outs and,
usually, four wires
 SATA Power Connector. Some Power supply provide one or more SATA
Power connector, mostly used to give a power for HDD and optical drive
not for all the drive that can support SATA power connector and

 20 pin ATX main power cable, 24 pin ATX main power cable or 20+
4 pin ATX main power cable, Auxiliary power connector
 Power Supply Problems
 Power supply problems can come from both internal and external
sources.
 Component failure within a computer can cause a power supply to fail,
but the most common failures come externally from the power source
itself

 Power supplies are affected by the quality of

the local power source
 Common power delivery problems such as
spikes, surges, sags, brownouts, and
blackouts affect the stability and operation
of the main power supply and are passed on
to the computer
Surges/Spikes (voltage increase from Electrical noise can confuse system logic and
lightning, etc.) can damage damage electronic components, resulting in
equipment incrementally or random server lockups and premature board
catastrophically failure.
87% of power problems are caused by Blackouts, a complete loss of power, result in
brownouts, not blackouts lost productivity, time and money.
  Reasons a Power Supply
fails
 Power supplies fail for a number of reasons:
 Electricity and voltage spikes
 Dust
 Age
 Fan failure or heating issues
 Age
 Electrical (power spikes, etc.)
 Dirty (Cigarette smoke, house dust, etc.)
 Brown outs
 Overheating and/or ventilation failure
 Failure symptoms
 System is completely dead (no fan, no cursor)

 Power supply failures can be similar to the ones the motherboard has,

 Computer doesn't power on

 Computer turns on for just a few seconds

 Computer freezes or displays blue screens when booting or playing games

 Any power-on or system startup failures or lockups

Note:
 When your power supply fails, DON'T OPEN IT it's not worth your time,
usually when a power supply fails it's due to a voltage capacitor and it's
highly likely you don't have the capacitor to replace or the experience, my
suggestion is to replace this power supply with a new one.
 Monitor and power supply it have above 25000 volt
 Another thing you can do, is using a Multimeters to check the pin with the
Green cable and see if it has 5V, the power supply symptoms can be often be
confused with other hardware components, and the best way to know for
sure it's using a spare power supply.
 Steps to Troubleshooting Power Supply

 First we need to check if the computer turns on, check if the fans of your
power supply turn on (or creates air).
 Second, If the power doesn't come on, check the source (outlets or power
jack) to see if it does have electricity, this may seem like dumb, but we
sometimes forget it.
 Third, check to make sure the correct voltage (110V/ 220V) is selected on
the power supply. (power cable)
 Fourth, check that the 20 or 24 pin main ATX power connector and any
additional motherboard power connections, such as the 4 pin ATX 12V
supply (8 pin on some systems), are connected
 Fifth, You should be able to get your power supply running, if not you
may have a faulty device, you can always check the 5V cable with a
voltage meter, it should give you close to 5V if not, replace power supply
Note:
 The most common reason for power supply failures is overheating and
lightning. If you are a cigarette smoker or the computer is in a dirty
environment, rest assure you will likely be replacing your power supply
sooner than later.
2. CPU(Central Processing
Unit)/Processor
 A CPU is normally the most expensive part of a computer, due to it's
extreme complexity, research and development costs, and because a lot
of the tiny internal contacts are made from gold or gold plating, and other
expensive materials

Reasons for CPU fails

 Overheating
 A short circuit
 ESD
 The Primary Killer of CPUs is Heat
 Symptoms of a Bad CPU

 System fails to boot

 Distorted graphics on your computer screen
 Computer appears to boot, but screen remains blank
 System re-boots from time to time
 Illegal Operation
 Stop Error, (Blue Screen)
 Random crashes or reboots
To be Check for the solution
1. Check that all the fans are running
2. If it is dusty or there is a build-up of dust on
the fans and other components then you
should get a dust blower or vacuum to
remove the dust

3. Check the CPU heat sink compound, if there is not enough compound
or the heat sink compound is dry/flakey then it needs to be reapplied
4. Replace the Processor(CPU) if it is failed totally
 3. Motherboard(MLB)

 While each of them is very important for the performance of a computer,

all of them are linked together for proper functioning by one thing: the
motherboard
 A Computer Motherboard is one of the most hardest pieces of
hardware to troubleshoot, because the symptoms are too similar to other
pieces
Reasons a motherboard fails
 A Motherboard can fail for a number of reasons:
 Electricity and voltage spikes
 Dust, smoke
 Age
 Fan failure or heating issues
 Force or pressure
 Symptoms of a Bad MLB

 Motherboard failures can be similar to the ones the power supply has,

 Everything powers on but you can't see a live screen

 Computer turns on for just a few seconds then turns off

 Some peripherals work others don't

 System closes off randomly

 System completely dead

 Solutions
 There are two things that can be done to try to save your motherboard,
these things can be done whenever your BIOS fails to register a new
component and you are sure it's the motherboard:
 Check the cable connections
 Reset the CMOS
 Update the BIOS
 Check the jumpers
 Replace the MLB
 3. Hard Disk Drive(HDD)
 A Computer Hard Drive troubleshooting is fairly easy to detect, because
hard drive symptoms are unique, and most of the time it can be fixed with a
Windows System Restore or with a scan disk.
 Most of the time troubleshooting of a hard
drive doesn't require the replacement of the
component, just a format or a scan disk can
do the job to avoid spending your money in
a hard disk
 Hard disk drives could fail in any of the following ways

 Electrical Failure

 Firmware Failure

 Mechanical Failure

 Bad Platter Area

 Logical Failure

 Complex Failure Mode

 Electrical Failure
 Most HDD PCBs' failures are caused by Motor Controller Chip burnt, then
the TVS diodes burnt and Main Controller IC burnt.
 The PCB (Printed Circuit Boards) is the “middleman” of sorts, controlling,
communicating and coordinating to read and write data between the hard
disk and the computer. As such, if the PCB gets damaged due to power
surges or power spikes, you lose access to your data. Frequently, the pre-
amplifier circuit of read-write head may also be affected

 Symptoms
 Drive is powered, but shows no sign of function
 Disk Cracking as the motor fails to spin
 Clicking Sound as the heads search or initialize
 Mechanical Failure
 Mechanical damage normally arises as a result of impact or wear and tear.
 Internal components, like the read-write head and motors, can become
damaged without previous warning.
 Symptoms
 Clicking, grinding sounds
 Completely quiet due to " motor freeze"
 Logical Failure
 Logical failure refers to any other non-physical failure types.
It can be the easiest or the most difficult recovery job
depending on the circumstances that leads to logical failure.
 Some examples include: Accidental deletion, accidental format, file
corruption, software bugs, file system corruption, viruses and
malware, and many, many more.
 Firmware Failure

 Firmware is the software program normally only accessible by the disk

manufacturers. It is used to do low level disk testing and functions that

are directly responsible for the proper functions and healthy state of

hard disk.

 Without the firmware code, no communication will be possible between

the PC system and the hard disk.

 Modern disks normally have their firmware codes located on data platters

and also the PCB board. If the firmware area of the platter is corrupted, the

drive will appear to have failed even all the electrical and mechanical

components are still fully functional.

 Bad Platter Area
 This is commonly created as "bad sectors" which are seen as
inaccessible data blocks or sectors during reading or writing operation.
The main cause is due to wear and tear of platter surface, head crash,
manufacturing defects and tracking errors.
 There are various levels of bad sector severity. Depending on the
situation, different techniques will have to used to "maximize" the
recovery yield.

 Symptoms
 Hard disk still accessible but appear to "hang" or
"slow"
 Constant Cyclic Redundancy (CRC) errors
 Unable to access folders or files which could be
seen
 Complex Failure Model
 Most often, hard disk may not fail in just any single mode. The failure
could cause by a combination of some or all the failure modes, normally
triggering by one to another.
 For instance, a read write head crash due to mechanical failure could
leave to logical file system damage as well as firmware code corruption.
Bad sectors development is also a natural by-product under such
circumstances.
 Reasons a hard drive fails
 A hard drive can fail for a number of reasons:

 Age

 Bad sectors in the disk

 Force, pressure or shock damages

 Not formatted or no operating system present

 BIOS unable to detect the hard drive

 Configuration
 Failure symptoms
 Hard drive has a number of unique symptoms, and
because it just controls the data, you should get a live
screen, here are some symptoms a hard drive may fail:
 BIOS isn't registering the hard drive  No bootable Found

 Failure to find operating system  Operating system not found

 Computer not responding when trying to find some files Unable to boot from drive
 Non system disk
 Unable to find boot disk/drive
 No boot media

Note: If this is your problem, then the fix is simply formatting the drive and
installing the operating system (Windows). Proceed installing the operating
system from the CD if the hard disk is detected in the BIOS.
 Solutions
 There are two things that can be done to try to save your hard drive, these
things can be done whenever your hard drive is giving you problems:
 See if you hard drive is properly connected to MLB
 See if your hard drive is detected in the BIOS
 Run scan disk
 Using system restore
 Format the hard drive
 Memory(RAM
)
1. RAM is Primary Storage, also called internal storage.
2. Functions as computer’s workspace, storing all or part of the program
that is being executed, as well as data being used by the program.
3. RAM stores the operating system programs that manage the operation
of the computer.
4. RAM is Volatile storage:
 Common Symptoms Bad Computer Memory (RAM)
Common warning signs to pay attention to:
 Blue screens (blue screen of death)
 Random crashes or reboots
 Crashing during heavy memory use tasks, such as gaming, Photoshop
etc.
 Distorted graphics on your computer screen
 Failure to boot (or turn on), and/or repeated long beeps
 Memory errors appear on screen
 Computer appears to boot, but screen remains blank
 Computer not booting at all
 beeping endlessly

 Solution
 Check the RAM if it is plug firmly/Correctly
VGA
 A video card also called a graphics card it's a piece of hardware that
controls and processes the graphics on a computer through a GPU
(Graphics Processing Unit).
 GPU (Graphic Processing Unit) is the processor of the card. It processes
data sent by your CPU and converts them into images and/or graphics. It
can efficiently handle, construct and extract video information sent by
system.
 VGA
 Is an expansion card which generates output images to a display. Some
modern high performance video cards are used for more graphically
demanding purpose DIV(digital visual VGA (15 female
VIVO(video in interface) port)
Video out)

 Video In Video Out (VIVO) for S-Video (TV-out), Digital Visual

Interface (DVI) for High-definition television (HDTV), and DB-15 for
Video Graphics Array (VGA)
 Symptoms
 Power is on, on the computer but no display on screen

 Solution
 Check the VGA port is plug or not to the appropriate position
 Check the VGA cable if it is connect to the port or not
 Replace VGA card if it is failed
 Replace The cable if it is not working
 Problem/Issues

Power on the Computer

Troubleshooting
Does a
Cursor NO Troubleshoot Video
Flowchart appear? or Power Supply Problem

Yes

Does POST Troubleshoot

pass NO POST error
successfully

Yes

Does a Troubleshoot boot device,

Computer Operating System or Application
boot NO loaded in the Startup folder.
successfully
?

Yes

Computer HardEwnadre Repairs

57
and Maintenance
MALWARE

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 85

 Virus
Malicious software, is any software used to disrupt computer
or mobile operations, gather sensitive information, gain
access to private computer systems, or display unwanted
advertising. These malicious software find its way into:
• Boot sector
• File Allocation Table
• Partition table
• Com and .Exe. Files.

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 86

 Deadly effect of virus

 Delete files
 Change files,

 Steal important information,

 load unwanted applications

 Send documents via electronic mail (e-mail),

 Cripple a machine’s Operating system (OS), the basic

software that runs the computer.

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 87

 Virus warning signs

 The computer’s performance slows down considerably.

 Programs don’t function as thy should. They either don’t start, or if they start, they
stop or do not give the desired output.
 Computer fails to boot.
 Files and folders keep disappearing without anybody deleting them.
 The computer crashes or freezes indiscriminately such as program not responding
errors.
 The computer keeps showing out –of -memory space messages or strange dialog
boxes.
 Programs and windows popping up randomly.
 Disk can not be accessed
 New icons and programs get installed automatically.
 Printing doesn't work correctly
 Windows shuts down or restarts unexpectedly.
 A partition in the system disappears automatically.
 File size changes for no apparent reason
 An increase in the number of Computer
files on the system when nothing has been added. 88
Hardware Repairs and Maintenance
 A Good Virus Protection Program should:

Scan for viruses:

Should be able to check your drives for viruses, as well as the RAM
of your computer, and detect the presence of a virus.
Clean up the virus:
must be able to get rid of the virus it finds on your computer;
otherwise, it is useless.
Protect your System from viruses:
Must have the ability to load a piece of the program into memory at
boot-up time, to protect you from getting a virus in the first place.
Provide Automatic updates,
Must regularly and automatically check back with the manufacturer
Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 89
 CONCLUSION: Best Practices and Dos and Don’ts

 Always ensure that the power has been turned off before installing or
troubleshooting any hardware part of the computer.
 Before opening a computer case, always unplug the power cord from your
computer.
 Acer unplugging the power cord from your case, Hold the power bu\on in
for at least 5 seconds. This will drain any residual electricity from the
power supply
 Always ground yourself to the case frame while touching any inside
components. This can be done by touching the case frame with your bare
hand, or using a clamp-on grounding device made specifically for this
purpose

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 90

 CONCLUSION: Best Practices and Dos and Don’ts

 Keep all liquids away.

 Avoid installing components when the computer is in operation.

 When installing any, peripheral or device, always read the installation instructions
that come with the device. Never apply force to try and connect any plug/device.

 When fitting/handling processor on motherboard always wear gloves

 Always choose to shut down you computer by clicking shutdown. Avoid switching
of the power directly from the main switch.
 If electrical power is lost, switch off all computer devices from the mains to avoid
any problems due to power surge.

 Always “eject “USB devices from the operating system before disconnecting them.

 Upgrade the anti-virus regularly.

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 91

 CONCLUSION: Best Practices and Dos and Don’ts…

 Always use UPS(uninterruptible Power supply)-This will keep your computer from
crashing during power outages, and will protect your computer from low and high
voltage occurrences.
 Uninstall software by

– “Add / Remove Program” function in Control Panel

– uninstall function of applications

 Back up data, if possible, before making changes.

 Check to ensure that speakers is not muted through the Control Panel

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 92

 CONCLUSION: Best Practices and Dos and Don’ts…

 Maintaining the Battery for your Laptop

• Most laptop batteries will last at least four hours when fully charged. If not
maintained, however, the battery will require charging more frequently. for
maximum performance.
• Use the battery as your power source until the low battery warning emerges.
• Using your laptop with the AC adapter plugged into an electrical outlet will
overcharge the battery. Overcharging decreases the life of the battery. Eventually
the battery will be unable to hold a charge and will require a replacement.
Condition the battery for maximum performance
1. Discharge the battery – use the battery until the low battery warning emerges.
2. Charge the battery – use the AC adapter until the battery is fully charged.
3. Then immediately disconnect the AC adapter from the notebook. The
procedure above insures both maximum performance and long life for the
battery
Thank you

Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance 94