1. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley The Complete A+ Guide to PC Repair Fourth Edition by Cheryl A. Schmidt Chapter 1: Introduction to Computer Repair

2. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-2 Chapter Objectives After completing this chapter you will be able to:  Identify common technician qualities  Understand basic computer terms  Identify common computer parts  Recognize and identify common computer ports

3. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-3 Overview  There are many skills a computer technician needs to be successful in addition to those required for repair of computers.  Standards relating to computer repair are important and technicians must be able to recognize both old and current standards, plus keep up with new ones.  There is no substitute for experience or for knowing the basics of how individual computers work.  The best quality a technician can possess is a logic.  Good technicians narrow a problem to a general area, subdivide the problem into likely culprits, and eliminate them one-by-one in a timely and logical manner.  Much like a detective, the technician is constantly looking for clues, using common sense and deductive reasoning, gathering information from the computer and computer user, and finally solving the mystery. 1-3

4. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-4 Overview  The A+ Certification is an industry standard certification that is important for technicians. It doesn't guarantee a job, but helps new technicians get an interview and more experienced technicians validate their proficiency and knowledge.  The A+ Certification consists of two exams: Essentials and a choice of one of three exams: 220-602 IT Technician, 220-603 Remote Support Technician, or 220-604 Depot Technician.  This book, The Complete A+ Guide to PC Repair Fourth Edition, by Cheryl A. Schmidt, covers all aspects of the four exams. 1-4

5. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-5 Safety Note  Poor Safety Habits Can Harm Both The Technician And The Computer!  To protect both yourself and the computer: –Make sure power is off when disassembling, installing or removing hardware, or doing preventive maintenance (cleaning). –Never disassemble the monitor or power supply unless you have been specifically trained on these components. 1-5

6. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-6 Technician Qualities  Two of the most important qualities a technician can have are active listening skills and attitude. –Active listening means that the technician truly listens to what the person (who is having the problem) is saying. –A good positive attitude is probably the best quality a technician can possess. 1-6

7. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-7 Basic Computer Terms  Computer systems are composed of hardware, software, and firmware. –Hardware is something you can touch and feel. –Software is the operating system and applications that make the hardware work; the software provides instructions for the hardware to carry out. –The operating system is an important piece of software that coordinates the interaction between hardware and software applications, as well as the interaction between a user and the computer. 1-7

8. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-8 Basic Computer Terms  A device driver is a special piece of software designed to enable a hardware component.  Firmware combines hardware and software into important chips inside the microcomputer that can be touched and felt like hardware, but have software written into them.  An example is the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) chip. 1-8

9. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-9 Basic Computer Parts  Microcomputer  Also called a computer or PC.  A unit that performs tasks using software and comes in three basic models: A desktop model that normally sits on top of a desk. A tower model that sits under a desk. A laptop model, which is portable.  A common handheld computer is called a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). 1-9 Figure 1.2

10. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-10 Basic Computer Parts  The computer consists of: A case (chassis) A keyboard that allows users to communicate with the computer A monitor that displays information A mouse that allows data input or is used to select menus or options 1-10

11. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-11 Basic Computer Parts 1-11 Tower Computer Figure 1.3

12. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-12 Internal Components  Power supply – Converts AC from wall outlet to DC the computer can use, supplies DC for internal components, and has a fan to keep the computer cool.  Floppy drive – Storage device for small amounts of data,  Hard drive – Common storage device.  CD/DVD drive – Holds disks (CDs or DVDs) that have data, music, or software applications. 1-12

13. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-13 More Internal Components Motherboard – The main circuit board that contains most of the electronics and is the largest electronic circuit board in the PC. All computer components connect to, or communicate through the motherboard. Adapters – Smaller circuit cards that normally plug into an expansion slot allowing other devices to interface with the motherboard. They also may control some devices. Expansion slot – A special connector on the motherboard that allows an adapter to plug in and connect to the motherboard. Riser board – A small board with expansion slots that plugs into the motherboard and allows adapters to connect at a different angle. 1-13

14. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-14 Basic Computer Parts 1-14 Figure 1.6 Dell Laptop Battery

15. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-15 Basic Computer Parts  Internal components of the computer also include: Memory – types are:  RAM (Random Access Memory) – Volatile memory that holds applications and user data while the computer is operating.  ROM (Read-Only Memory) – Non-volatile memory.  ROM BIOS – An important chip on the motherboard that holds the start-up software for the computer to operate, and software instructions for communication of the input/output devices and important hardware parameters. 1-15

16. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-16 Basic Computer Parts 1-16 Motherboard with Expansion Slots and Adapters Figure 1.9

17. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-17 Basic Computer Parts  RAM and ROM chips come in different styles: DIP (Dual In-line Package) DIMM (Dual In-line Memory Module) RIMM (a memory module developed by Rambus)  POST (Power On Self Test) – Is part of the software contained in the motherboard BIOS that performs a basic test of the individual hardware components when the computer is turned on with the power switch. 1-17

18. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-18 Basic Computer Terms  Turning the computer on with the power switch for a computer that is not running is known as a cold boot.  A warm boot is performed when a computer that is already on is restarted without using the power switch. 1-18

19. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-19 External Connectors  Port – A connector on the motherboard or on an adapter that allows a device to connect.  Integrated motherboards – Motherboards with ports built into them.  Male ports – Have pins that protrude out from the connector.  Female ports – Have holes in the connector to accept the male cable’s pins.  D-shell connector – A connector with more pins or holes on the top row than on the bottom. 1-19

20. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-20 External Connectors  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.  Keyed – A connector that has an extra metal (or plastic) piece or notch that matches an extra piece or notch on the cable, so it can only be installed one way. 1-20

21. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-21 Video Ports  Video port – The DVI port has three rows of square holes and is used to connect to flat screen monitors. 1-21 Video Ports Figure 1.11

22. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-22 USB Ports USB (Universal Serial Bus) port – A 4-wire connector that allows up to 127 devices to connect and transmit data at either 480Mbps, 12Mbps or 1.5Mbps. 1-22 Figure 1.12 Figure 1.13

23. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-23 USB Ports  Since the USB port is becoming so popular and since some manufacturers are NOT including some ports that have traditionally been standard.  A small USB port used on small devices such as a USB hub, PDA, digital camera, and phones is known as a mini-USB port. 1-23

24. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-24 Parallel Port  Parallel port – A 25-pin female D-shell connector used to connect a printer to a computer. Other parallel devices include tape drives, scanners, Iomega’s Zip drive, and external hard drives. 1-24

25. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-25 Serial Ports  Serial port – (Also known as a COM port) can be a 9-pin male D-shell connector (most common), or a 25-pin male D-shell connector. 1-25 Serial Ports Figure 1.17

26. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-26 Mouse and Keyboard Ports  Mouse port – Usually a smaller, keyed 6-pin DIN connector commonly known as a mini-DIN or PS/2.  Keyboard port – Normally a 6-pin mini-DIN like the one used for a mouse. 1-26

27. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-27 Mice  The two types of mice are mechanical and optical.  A mechanical mouse uses a rubber ball inserted into the bottom of the mouse.  An optical mouse has optical sensors to detect the direction in which the mouse ball moves.  A trackball is a replacement for a mouse. A trackball’s ball sits on top and a person uses his or her palm to move the mouse pointer. 1-27

28. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-28 Keyboard  The two types of keyboard are mechanical and capacitive.  The mechanical keyboard is: Has mechanical switches that close when a key is depressed.  The capacitive keyboard is: Uses a change in capacitance to detect when a key is being depressed. 1-28

29. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-29 Wireless Input Devices Many input devices now have cordless connectivity. Two common devices are the keyboard and mouse. Two types of technology is used with wireless input devices: Infrared or Radio. 1-29

30. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-30 Mouse Preventive Maintenance For an optical mouse, simply wipe the bottom of the mouse with a damp, lint free cloth. When the ball used in a mechanical mouse gets dirty and clogged with lint and dirt, remove the ball from the mouse and clean with a mild detergent, soapy water, contact cleaner, or alcohol. Rinse the mouse ball and dry completely with a lint- free cloth. Use a cotton swab or lint-free cloth with rubbing alcohol to clean the rollers. Clean the inside of the mouse with compressed air before replacing the ball. 1-30

31. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-31 Keyboard Preventive Maintenance  Simply turn the keyboard upside down and simply shake it to get out paper bits and paper clips.  Compressed air also helps with keyboard cleaning.  A cotton or lint-free swab can get between the keys.  Make sure the keyboard is completely dry before re- energizing. 1-31

32. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-32 Keyboard Troubleshooting  If a particular key is not working properly, remove the key cap. After removing the key cap, use compressed air around the sticky or malfunctioning key. 1-32

33. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-33 Other Input Devices  A variety of input devices are available that connect to the serial, PS/2, USB, or IEEE 1394 port.  Digital pen – Words written with the pen are translated for input into the computer, control the cursor, or used with a digital tablet.  Digital tablet –Allows graphical or desktop publishing information to be input.  Signature pad – Allows someone to sign his or her name to be stored digitally.  Touch screen – A special monitor that allows a finger or pen-like device to control it.  Trackball – A device that has a various size ball mounted in the center of the device. The center of the palm or fingertip is used to move the pointer on the screen.  Track pad – An integrated window on laptop computers that allows the pointer to be moved with the fingertip.  TrackPoint or Track Stick – A rubber point that is normally situated between keys in the center of the keyboard that controls pointer operations. 1-33

34. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-34 Sound Card Ports  Sound card – Or audio cards have several ports, but their main purpose is to convert digital computer signals to sounds (analog signals), or sounds to digital signals. Figure 1.20 Sound Card Ports

35. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-35 IEEE1394 Port  IEEE 1394 ports – A serial technology developed by Apple Computer sometimes called the FireWire port. Figure 1.21 FireWire Ports

36. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-36 IEEE1394 Port Figure 1.22 IEEE 1394 Adapter Ports

37. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-37 Network Ports  Network ports – Used to connect a computer to other computers, including a server and are available in two types- Ethernet and Token Ring; a network cable connects to the network port.  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.

38. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-38 Network Ports Figure 1.24 Ethernet Ports

39. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-39 Network Ports  Token Ring – Have two different connectors, both RJ-45 or 9-pin female D- shell. Figure 1.26 Token Ring Ports

40. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-40 Modem Ports  Modem – Connects a computer to a phone line and can be either and internal or external device. Figure 1.27 Internal Modem Ports

41. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-41 Pros and Cons of Integrated Motherboards Pros  Provides expandability because ports are built in and allow more room for expansion cards.  Built in ports are faster than those on adapters.  Computers are easier to set up because the manufacturer configures the ports.  Systems with integrated motherboards are normally easier to troubleshoot. Cons  Motherboard must be replaced when one port goes bad, unless it supports disabling the faulty port.  If ports cannot be disabled, there could be conflicts with adding expansion cards.

42. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-42 Pros and Cons of Integrated Motherboards Figure 1.28

43. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-43 Docking Station and Port Replicator  Docking stations and port replicators are used to add connectivity and expansion capability to laptop computers. A docking station is a device used to allow a laptop computer to function more like a desktop. The port replicator is similar to a docking station, but doesn’t normally include an expansion slot or drive storage bays.

44. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-44 Docking Station and Port Replicator Figure 1.29 Toshiba Laptop in a docking station

45. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 1-45 Common Computer Ports Table 1.2 Being able to quickly and accurately identify computer ports is a critical skill. Common Computer Ports