Chapter 1 Introduction to Computer Repair

Certifications Certifications May substitute for experience May get them an interview Shows they know the basic information for the job Does not demonstrate ability to think logically, troubleshoot problems, or deal with people in a professional manner Validates experienced technicians proficiency and up-to-date knowledge

A+ Certification & Comp TIA Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) Created in 1982 from representatives of five microcomputer dealerships. The A+ certification demonstrates competency as a computer technician. They have many more certifications The A+ Certification is a non-vendor specific industry standard certification. Does not guarantee someone a job Is required by a lot of companies and agencies Consists of two exams 220-701 A+ Essentials 220-702 IT Technician CompTIA states that it measures competencies for an IT professional with at least 1000 hours of hands-on experience in the lab or field.

Preliminary Safety Notes 02 01 Power Supply and CRT Monitor Computer Power Turn off and unplug the computer when taking the computer apart, installing parts, removing parts, or performing preventive maintenance. Do not take these components apart without specific training. They hold a charge and can hurt you. Computer power - A small amount of power is still provided to the motherboard when the power plug is attached to an electrical outlet and the computer. Turn off the computer AND unplug it when doing any work inside the computer. Power supply and CRT monitor – have capacitors that can hold a charge even when power is removed. A technician should not take these apart unless trained in electronics.

Overview Qualities Parts Ports Explore qualities of a good computer support person Qualities Discover the major parts of the computer Parts Identify ports seen on a computer Ports

A good technician… Technician Qualities Active listening Know technical terms, but explain in easy to understand words Active listening Good, positive attitude Humbleness Active listening – good eye contact, nodding the head periodically, take notes, avoid distractions (cell phone, other people, activity in the general vicinity), allow users to finish talking, ask pertinent questions. Technical terms – Know and understand, but use analogies and simple explanations. Be careful to not be condescending or sound like a know-it-all Humbleness – No technician can know all technologies. Be humble.

Traits of a tech Dependable Responsible Adapt Versitle Sensitive

Safety of the computer Electrostatic Discharge Anti-Static Tools Wrist strap Anti-static mat Anti-static bag And don’t drop the computer!

Beginning Terms Hardware Software Firmware The physical components Case, keyboard, power supply, mouse Software Operating systems such as Windows 7, Red Hat Linux, Snow Leopard Applications such as Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft PowerPoint Firmware A combination of hardware and software such as chips on an adapter (hardware) that contain software to control and customize the adapter or the BIOS on the motherboard.

Hardware and Software Interaction Notice how the operating system communicates with hardware through the kernel and the operating system. Another way the operating system communicates with hardware is directly through the BIOS (which is not shown). This is especially important for integrated components inside the computer. What’s the BIOS?

How the pc works Interaction of RAM, Processor and Hard-Drive What does the OS do? Memory management File management Process management What is a device driver? User Interface Utilities

Basic Computer Parts

Basic Computer Parts

Basic Laptop Parts

Basic Laptop Parts DC power port Media bay

Basic Motherboard Parts

Other Major Parts Motherboard Memory RAM Flash memory Expansion slots Adapters Memory RAM (Random Access Memory) Volatile or contents are gone if power is removed ROM (Read Only Memory) Contents cannot be changed Stores less than hard drives

Basic Ports DINs are notched/ keyed D-shell connectors are shaped like the letter D turned to the right. DB-25 (parallel) DB-9 (serial) DB-15 (game)

Video Ports DVI S-Video VGA Flat panel monitors, LCDs TVs, VCRs, cameras, external video devices 2 channel video VGA Older CRT monitors Lowest common denominator for all video cards

USB Ports 127 devices on a single port 1.0 2.0 3.0 But your OS/controller may not support 127 devices !! 1.0 1.5 and 12Mbps 2.0 Plus sign (+) 480Mbps 3.0 SS (SuperSpeed) 5Gbps Mini versions available Converters of all types are available Devices that can connect to the USB port include printers, scanners, mice, keyboards, joysticks, CD drives, DVD drives, tape drives, floppy drives, flight yokes, cameras, modems, speakers, telephones, video phones, data gloves, and digitizers.

USB “mini” Connectors Common on Cameras Digital media readers External hard drives Three types Mini-A Mini-B Mini-AB Mini-B USB Connector

Parallel Port Also known as a printer port DB-25 (25-pin) female port Replaced by USB Transmits data 8 bits at a time

Serial Port Also known as a COM, RS-232, or asynchronous port DB-9 (9-pin) male port and an older DB-25 male port Replaced by USB (Actually also serial transmission) Transmits data 1 bit at a time If a serial port is needed such as to configure a router, a USB to serial converter can be purchased. This is not a simple converter but requires a device and driver

Keyboards and Mice Wired Mouse types Keyboard types Mini-DIN or PS/2 port (not interchangeable) USB port Wireless Bluetooth RF Mouse types Mechanical (rubber ball) Optical (LEDs) Keyboard types Mechanical Cheaper, most common, more error-prone Capacitive More complex design Mouse Keyboard

Preventive Maintenance Mouse Cleaning kits Optical: damp, lint-free cloth for the bottom Mechanical mouse ball: clean with mild detergent, rinse, and dry thoroughly. For rollers, lint-free cloth with alcohol; otherwise, fingernail, small screwdriver, straightened paper clip. Keyboard Cleaning wipes Compressed air Cotton or lint-free swab between keys Upside down shake

Wireless Input Devices Infrared Shorter distances and cheaper Radio Interferences from other devices Troubleshooting Battery Line of site with infrared Move device or transceiver Interference Device recognized by operating system

Other Input Devices

Sound Card Ports Converts digital signals to sound (analog signal) and vice versa Can be on the motherboard or on an adapter

Sound Card Ports Commonly have symbols that designate the purpose of the port Standardized colors Orange – Center speaker or subwoofer Black – Rear speaker Light blue – Line in Lime – Line out Pink – Microphone Gray – Side speaker

IEEE 1394 Port 63 devices can connect to a single port (using hubs) Speeds of 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, and 3200Mbps Also called FireWire or i.Link Faster than USB Supports hot swapping

IEEE 1394 Port 4-, 6-, and 9-pin connectors 4-pin on consumer electronics 6-pin on computers 9-pin used on 800Mbps connections Newer standards support RJ-45 and fiber connectors 6-pin 4-pin 9-pin

Network Ports Connects a computer to other computers, a network, which could include a server and a printer among other devices. Two types Ethernet Most common type RJ-45 port Token Ring Not very common A Token Ring adapter has a 4/16 sticker on it commonly because it runs at 4 or 16Mbps.

Ethernet Ports Most common Types Connects to UTP cable BNC (old) 15-pin female D-shell (old) RJ-45 Connects to UTP cable Ethernet – These adapters are the most common type of network card with BNC, RJ-45 (most common today), a 15-pin female D-shell connector (sometimes called AUI), or any combination of all of them. Speeds include 10, 100, and 1000Mbps. Another way of showing 1000Mbps is 1Gbps.

Modem Ports A modem connects a computer to a phone line. Has one or two RJ-11 ports A modem can be an adapter or an external device. The adapter has two connectors for connecting the phone cables. Line port has a cable that goes to the phone jack on the wall. Phone port has a cable that connects to a telephone. An external modem connects to a serial port. Phone cables use the same ports as the internal modem.

Integrated Motherboards Mini- IEEE 1394 (FireWire) RJ-45 NIC RJ-45 NIC 6 audio ports Optical S/PDIF IEEE 1394 Mouse Keyboard Line in Line out Microphone 2 USB ports 2 USB ports 2 USB ports Center speaker Rear speaker Side speaker Coax S/PDIF 2 USB ports

Pros of Integrated Motherboards Fewer slots needed Saves on the number of expansion slots needed or used Ease of support Easier to troubleshoot and support Data to the port faster Gets data to the port faster than if the port was on an adapter Another “pro” of having an integrated motherboard that is not mentioned is that is reduces the total cost of the computer

Cons of Integrated Motherboards What if a port goes bad? You have to add an adapter or replace the motherboard. What if there is not an available slot? Quality??? The port may not be as high a quality as an adapter you might buy Waste of ports May have ports you don’t need or want

Docking Station A docking station allows a laptop to be more like a desktop computer. Commonly has connections to a monitor, printer, keyboard, and mouse

Port Replicator Similar to a docking station Does not include any expansion slots or drive storage bays. Attaches to the laptop and allows external devices such as monitor, keyboard, and mouse to be connected. A port replicator is for quick & easily taking your laptop on the go, a dock station is to make it like a desktop computer

Port Round-up Being able to quickly and accurately identify computer ports is a critical skill.

Questions???