Computer Maintenance and PC Repair Tutorial

Written by: Niche Content - Oct 13, 2008

A. Introduction

Over the last couple of decades, computers have become an integral, if not indispensable, part of our lives. We use them to create documents, play games and music, research topics of interest on the Internet, communicate with others via email or chat programs, develop a brochure or flyer, and much more.

However, like any other machine, computers need to be maintained, tuned-up, and repaired. For whatever reason – perhaps because we believe them to be more complicated than they really are – we tend not to provide the ongoing maintenance that our computers need. The result? Frustration with a system whose speed has slowed to a mere crawl, expensive repair bills, or the sometimes mistaken belief that the solution to the problem is to buy a new computer.

The purpose of this tutorial is to help you to perform the basic repairs, upgrades, and routine maintenance tasks that will keep your system running smoothly and reliably. Here’s what’s included in this tutorial:

1. Introduction
2. Safety
3. Tools Needed
4. System Overview
5. Backing Up Your Data
6. Hard Drive Installation
7. Hard Drive Maintenance Procedures
8. Upgrading Memory (RAM)
9. Installing a New Expansion Card
10. Updating Device Drivers
11. Speeding Up Your Computer
12. Cleaning Your Computer
13. Should You Repair or Replace Your Computer?

As you implement some of the above procedures, you’ll come to understand how your system works, how to effect basic repairs, troubleshoot problems, upgrade your hardware, and determine if and when you should replace your system. It’s not just a lot of fun to maintain and repair your own computer; you will also gain confidence and save money as you are transformed from ordinary end user to master of your computer system.

B. Safety

Repairing your own computer can be great fun, and can save you loads of time and money. But no amount of money saved is worth compromising your safety. Thus, some precautions are in order.

While the focus of this tutorial is on the hardware inside the case, it is worth mentioning that you should never, ever attempt to service a cathode ray tube (CRT)-based monitor (as opposed to the newer flat-panel LCD displays).

A charged cathode ray tube stores a lethal voltage that can electrocute you. Moreover, the vacuum tube itself can implode if broken or punctured, posing another level of risk to you.

There is also a device inside the case that you should not disassemble for servicing purposes: the power supply. The power supply is mounted in the inside corner of the case, and can be easily identified by the bundles of colored wires that are protruding from it. The power supply houses components that also store electrical charges. While it’s perfectly safe for you to work inside the case in the vicinity of the power supply, you should not attempt to repair it. The power supply should be regarded as a ‘black box’; when it fails, replace it.

In terms of your own safety, you should also make sure to turn the power off on the computer and unplug the unit from the electrical outlet.

There are other safety issues that have less to do with your own safety, and more to do with how you may inadvertently harm some of the components inside your computer. Certain components are highly susceptible to damage caused by electrostatic discharge (ESD), more commonly known as static electricity. While it takes about 3000 volts of static electricity for you to feel the discharge, certain electronic components can be damaged with as few as 30 volts of static discharge.

Two types of damage can occur. A catastrophic failure will damage the component beyond use, while an upset failure can degrade the performance of the component, thus making the problem more difficult to detect.

To protect your computer against ESD damage, you need to ground yourself before touching any electronic components, such as the hard drive, memory modules, processor, motherboard, or expansion cards. This is done using a ground bracelet or static strap, which is a strap you wear around your wrist. The other end of the strap is attached to a grounded conductor, such as the computer case or the ground connector of a wall outlet.

During a repair or upgrade procedure, components that you remove from the computer should be placed in anti-static, or static shielding bags to protect them against the effect of ESD. When you purchase a new device, it will be packaged in this type of bag. Be sure to save the bag. Otherwise these bags can be purchased at your local computer supply store.

Here’s what you need to do to reduce the risk of ESD damage:

• Wear a ground bracelet
• As you remove components from the computer, store them in anti-static bags
• Remove all jewelry
• If you have long hair, tie it back
• Wear natural rather than synthetic clothing
• Work on hard floors rather than carpeted surfaces

Remember, you can’t ‘see’ the damage caused by ESD, so it’s important that you take these safety precautions.

C. Tools Needed

Many computer problems can be diagnosed and repaired with just a few essential tools, which can be easily purchased as a kit at your local computer store. These kits normally include the following items:

• Flathead screwdrivers
• Phillips head screwdrivers
• Torx screwdrivers (particularly size T15)
• Insulated tweezers
• Spring-loaded extractor
• Chip extractor tool

The chip extractor tool is one that you will rarely, if ever use, since modern computers incorporate very few field-replaceable integrated circuit (IC) chips. The tweezers and spring-loaded extractor tool are handy for picking up debris or a fallen screw from a tight spot. Various sized screwdrivers are provided to remove internal modules or to remove the case cover itself. Some case covers are designed to be removed without any tools at all.

There are a few other tools that would add to the convenience of your repair procedure:

• Flashlight
• Small container or cup to hold loose screws
• Needle nose pliers
• Antistatic bags

Your collection of tools should also incorporate some diagnostic and utility software. Some examples of this would be anti-spyware and anti-virus programs, or diagnostic software that may have been included with some purchased or installed hardware, such as a video or sound card.

However, one of your most essential tools for troubleshooting your computer is a bootable rescue disk. This disk will allow for what is called a ‘clean boot’ – that is, any extraneous drivers and software that are normally loaded at startup will not be loaded. It will also allow you to boot up your computer in the event your hard drive fails.

These disks are generally operating-system specific, and may be available in floppy disk format or as a bootable CD ROM. Regardless of media type, an emergency boot disk is usually included with your purchased system. The bottom line is that you need an alternative way of booting your computer if you are not able to boot to the hard drive.

D. System Overview

The modern computer is a sophisticated machine that utilizes both hardware and software to accomplish a given task. While the term ‘hardware’ refers to the computer’s physical components, ‘software’ refers to the set of instructions that controls the hardware

All computer functions can be categorized as either input, output, processing, or storage. Here are some examples of each:

• Input: keyboard, mouse
• Output: monitor, printer
• Processing: central processing unit (CPU)
• Storage: hard drive, CD-ROM drive, floppy drive

For the purposes of our discussion, we’ll be primarily focusing on the hardware: the case and the components internal to it. Let’s begin with a hardware tour of the computer, beginning with the case, and then having a look inside it:

Case: computer cases come in a variety of styles, the main categories of which are the tower (mini-, mid-, full) and the desktop.

Power Supply: mounted on the inside corner of the case, the power supply supplies electricity to all of the devices inside the case. It can be identified by the multi-colored wire bundles protruding from it. The power supply poses a safety risk if opened; do not ever attempt to repair it. When it fails, replace it.

Motherboard: also known as the main board or system board, the motherboard is the largest and most powerful circuit board in the computer. It contains the central processing unit (CPU), expansion cards, memory, and other components.

Random Access Memory (RAM): these small circuit board modules, inserted into dedicated slots on the motherboard, are used to hold data and instructions as they are processed by the CPU.

Storage Devices: used for permanent data storage, they include the floppy drive, hard drive, and CD-ROM drive.

Expansion Cards: these circuit boards are plugged into slots on the motherboard and are used by the CPU to communicate with devices inside and outside of the case. Examples include the video card, sound card, network interface card, and so forth.

Cables: there are two types of cables inside your computer: data cables, which connect devices to one another (motherboard to the hard drive, for example), and power cables, which supply power. While power cords are small and round, data cables are usually flat and wide.

Cooling Fan: one of the most critical devices inside the computer is the cooling fan. The primary cooling fan is mounted to the power supply, and serves to keep the power supply from overheating. It also helps to expel warm air from inside the computer. Sometimes the addition of a case-mounted fan is necessary, and some devices, such as the CPU, have their own dedicated cooling fans to keep their operating temperature within an acceptable range.

Before removing the case cover, you’ll need to disconnect all cables and cords from the back of the computer. As you do this, make a note of the different types of connectors, plugs, and jacks that are integrated on the back of the case. The jacks into which the keyboard, mouse, USB printer, and other devices are plugged are generally referred to as ‘ports’, since they provide the communications pathway between devices inside and outside of the computer.

Exercise caution when disconnecting and reconnecting devices to these ports. The plugs are designed to be inserted only one way, so never force them. If you look closely at the shape of both plug and jack, it will be easy to get them properly aligned.

Now that you have an idea about what is inside the case, take a few moments and have a look inside your own system.

A word about case covers. Case design can vary greatly from one manufacturer to another. Some case covers can be removed without any tools at all, while others may take just a single Phillips head screwdriver to remove. Some case covers simply swing open, while others need to be completely removed from the body of the case itself. When the case cover is removed, be sure to note how it fits onto the body of the case so that it is not misaligned when you reinstall it.

Don’t forget to unplug your computer first, and wear your antistatic wrist bracelet. Enjoy your tour!

E. Backing Up Your Data

One very important task that is all too easily overlooked is that of backing up your files. The process of ‘backing up’ your files involves creating copies of your files and storing the copies in a separate location from where the originals are stored.

The files that should be backed up are those files that you create, modify, and store on your computer – files that would be difficult or impossible to replace, and files that you change frequently. This includes such things as photos, music, graphics, videos, documents, data files that you’ve created with any specialized application (such as tax preparation software), and so forth.

In addition to regularly backing up the data files mentioned above, you should also backup your files before making any significant system changes, such as updating drivers, adding new hardware or software, and so forth.

There’s no need to back up software programs because you can use the original application disks to reinstall them.

Why is it important to back up these files? Files can be lost, accidentally overwritten, corrupted by a virus or worm, or rendered inaccessible by virtue of a software or hardware failure, or at its worst, a complete hard drive failure. If any of these situations occurs and your files are backed up, you can easily restore those files. While there are companies devoted to data recovery, the outcome is not guaranteed and the process is very expensive.

Some people back up their files by searching for known files (example: all files with a .doc extension) or by browsing through Windows Explorer and manually selecting each file and folder, and then copying those files to a flash drive, CD, or secondary hard drive. However, this hunt-and-peck method is tedious and time-consuming, and you have to remember to backup all new and modified files and folders.

A far more reliable solution is to use the Backup wizard that is incorporated into the Windows operating system. The exact name of the utility can vary from one version of Windows to another, but it can be readily found through the Control Panel. In Windows Vista, for example, the path would be Start/Control Panel/System and Maintenance/Back Up Your Computer. With the backup utility, you can backup your personal data files, as well programs and system settings.

When using the Backup wizard, there are two approaches to backing up your files: manual backup and automatic backup. You can launch the backup utility any time at your convenience (i.e. ‘manually’), or you can configure your computer to run the utility automatically, at some interval/time that you specify.

When you use the backup wizard, Windows keeps track of which files and folders are new or have been modified. When you make a new backup, you can back up all data files on your computer or only those files that have changed since the last backup. If you configure your computer for automatic backups, Windows will run the backup utility without your intervention (assuming your computer is turned on at the scheduled backup time). Please note that not all versions of Windows provide the option of automatic backup.

The frequency with which you backup your files depends on how many files you create and how often you create them. You can choose to have your files automatically backed up daily, weekly, or monthly. If you create files that are irreplaceable, such as photos from a wedding or other special event, you should manually run the utility and back up the files right away.

With the Backup wizard, you can back up your files to a number of different destinations, including hard drives, writeable CDs and DVDs, and if you’re on a LAN (local area network), to a network destination. If a destination is not listed, you can’t use the utility to back up to it (e.g., you can’t backup to a USB flash drive).

If you choose to backup to a hard drive, that drive can be either internal or external. If you backup to an internal hard drive, it should be a second hard drive, not the same hard drive on which your operating system is installed. Use whatever method that is the most convenient for you to use, as long as it has the storage capacity you need. If you backup to CDs or DVDs, you may need to use several discs. Remember that in this case your computer must have a CD or DVD burner drive.

Another utility available through Control Panel provides the ability to create restore points. This allows you to restore your computer to a previous state in the event that some change that you make, such as adding new or updated drivers, causes your system to become unstable. Your computer will automatically create a restore point at some pre-programmed interval, but you can also manually create a restore point at any time you wish. Just be sure to do it BEFORE you make any system changes to your computer.

To set a restore point in Windows Vista, go to Start > Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Backup and Restore Center. In the Tasks panel on the left, select ‘Create a Restore Point or Change Settings’. In the System Properties window, select the System Protection tab, and then click on the ‘Create’ button to create a restore point.

F. Hard Drive Installation: Replacing/Upgrading the Hard Drive

In this section you are going to learn how to install a hard drive into your computer system. There are a couple of reasons for doing this. First, your main hard drive may have failed. In fact, if you keep your computer long enough, sooner or later, your drive WILL fail. This is one reason why it’s so important to regularly back up your data.

Aside from replacing a failed hard drive, you may simply want to add a second hard drive to your system. If you store a lot of large data files, such as graphics, video, or music, this is something you may want to consider doing.

While hard drive capacities continue to grow, they have not undergone any significant physical changes for a number of years now. So at least for now, we can count on a standard size, standard screw sizes, and easy adaptability to cases of various manufacturers.

What is beginning to change is the communications interface and bus technology used to store and retrieve data to and from the hard drive. The two main types of computer bus technology that is used to transfer data between the CPU and the bulk storage devices in your computer (hard drive and CD-ROM, or optical drive) are ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment) and SATA. The term SATA refers to Serial ATA, and while it is the newer technology, it does not yet dominate the marketplace. SATA was predated by ATA, which is now sometimes referred to as PATA, or Parallel ATA (when it was the only bus type available, it didn’t need to be distinguished from Serial ATA). Because ATA is still the norm, this tutorial will focus on ATA drive technology.

Another acronym you should be familiar with is IDE, or Integrated Drive Electronics. Technically, IDE refers to the interface itself (the design of the jack on the hard drive into which the cable plugs in), but the terms ATA and IDE are often used interchangeably.

While SATA drives transfer data at much higher rates than ATA drives, the main physical distinguishing characteristic between the two is the type of cable used to connect the drive to the motherboard. ATA drives typically use a wide, flat, 40-pin cable, SATA uses a 4-wire shielded cable that is considerably smaller than its ATA counterpart and takes up much less space in the case. If you wish to add a SATA drive to your computer, either the motherboard must provide the SATA socket, or you can add an SATA adapter card.

However, our focus will be on ATA, since it still represents the standard configuration available on most new computers. So let’s begin!

Preparation

1. Turn off all power to the computer, and disconnect the power cord from the computer. It will also be easier to work on your computer if you remove all other connectors from the back of the case.

2. Carefully remove the case and set it aside. Maintain a clear and clean workspace.

3. Wear your ESD wrist strap, with one end connected to a non-painted surface of the case.

4. Keep your new drive inside its ESD protective bag until you’re ready to install it.

5. When you remove or install a drive, handle it by its mounting case. Don’t touch the pins or other electronics on the drive.

6. Keep your drive away from sources of high voltage, such as vacuum cleaners or other motors (strong electromagnetic fields can wipe out your hard drive data).

Observation

Before removing/installing a new hard drive, it’s important that you spend a few minutes examining the interconnections between motherboard, hard drive, and CD-ROM drive. CD-ROM (or optical) drives and hard drives both fall into the category of IDE devices. You can typically install up to four IDE devices on your computer, in any combination you wish. Obviously, you want to have at least one hard drive in the mix so that an operating system can be installed on your computer.

You’ll notice that there are only two IDE cables. Each cable is designed to support two IDE devices. Thus, on each cable you will see three connectors: one connector that is plugged into the motherboard, and two other connectors that are plugged into your IDE devices. If you choose to install only one IDE device on a particular cable, use the end connector, not the middle connector.

There are some configuration options you will need to be familiar with, but first begin by observing where the two IDE cables connect to the motherboard. The IDE interfaces on the motherboard are not created equal. One is referred to as the Primary IDE interface, and the other as the Secondary IDE interface. The motherboard will be labeled in some fashion so that you can distinguish primary from secondary. The labeling scheme varies among manufacturers: you may see the words ‘Primary’ and ‘Secondary’, the abbreviations ‘Pri’ and ‘Sec’, or the numbers ‘1’ and 2’.

What’s important to note is that you can use the primary IDE interface without using the secondary, but not vice versa. If you have one IDE device, a hard drive for example, it must be placed on the primary IDE interface. If you have two IDE devices, such as a hard drive and a CD-ROM drive, you have two options:

1. Place both the hard drive and the CD-ROM drive on the primary interface

2. Place the hard drive on the primary and the CD-ROM on the secondary

If you opt to use both the primary and secondary interfaces, be sure that your boot device – the hard drive – is placed on the primary.

Aside from connecting your IDE devices to the appropriate interfaces, some additional configuration is required. Here’s why. If you have two IDE devices on the same interface (e.g. hard drive and CD-ROM drive or a second hard drive both connected to the cable of the Primary IDE interface), the CPU needs to know which device to address, since they’re both connected to the same cable. The way the two devices are differentiated is by designating one as what is referred to as the ‘Master’ and designating the other as ‘Slave’.

The way this is done is by using a small jumper that is already inserted onto a pin array that’s on the IDE device. To locate this pin array, you should have a look at the rear of the device.

Notice on the back of the hard drive, for example, the two connectors that are attached. The smaller one is the power connector, and incorporates several multicolored wires that terminate in a small connector that’s plugged into the rear of the device. This supplies power to the mechanical and electronic components of the hard drive (or optical drive).

The second connector is the data cable, a wide flat ribbon cable that is used to transmit data both ways between the CPU and the hard drive.

Adjacent to these two connectors is a small recessed pin array. If you look closely you will see that a small jumper block will be inserted across a pair of the pins. Just make the observation for now; you won’t actually set this on the new drive until you’re ready to install it. Further, until the old drive is out, you may not be able to ascertain which set of pins corresponds to ‘master’ and which to ‘slave’. This information is usually imprinted somewhere near the pin array, either on the plastic housing, or more frequently, on the circuit board that is attached to the bottom of the hard drive. There is also a ‘single’ drive designation; when a drive is the only drive on a particular cable, it can be set to either ‘master’ or ‘single’.

Before swapping out hard drives, there’s one more important observation you need to make. The socket on the motherboard into which the IDE ribbon cable is plugged has 40 pins, as does the corresponding socket on the hard drive. These pins are numbered 1 through 40, although due to space limitations, usually only pin 1 or pin 2 is actually labeled.

In order to make sure the communications path between the motherboard and the hard drive is synchronized, you must make sure that pin 1 on the motherboard socket is connected to pin 1 on the IDE device (hard drive or optical drive). While many ribbon cables are keyed so that they can only be inserted into the socket to assure this match takes place, some cables can be accidentally reversed. Thus, it’s critical that you locate pin 1 on both ends, and make sure the ribbon cable is connected such that pin 1 is connected to pin 1.

There’s a visual aid on the ribbon cable itself to assist you with this. Notice that there is one side of the cable with a wire that is colored differently from the other wires – often red, sometimes blue or green. The convention in the field is to be sure that the colored wire on the ribbon cable is used to connect pin 1 of the motherboard to pin 1 of the connected IDE device. You should abide by this convention.

Items Needed

1. Phillips screwdriver and four mounting screws

2. Standard 40-pin ATA interface cable

3. An available power connector

4. Needle nose pliers for adding/removing jumpers

Note that in most cases the drive is mounted to the drive bay with screws, and is removed from the computer from the inside of the case. There are a few case designs that allow for spring-loaded removal of the drive from the front of the case. There’s also a high-speed variation of ATA called Ultra ATA which requires an 80-pin interface cable.

Removal Procedure

1. Don your ESD wrist strap!

2. Remove the power cable from the rear of the old drive

3. Carefully remove the IDE ribbon cable from the rear of the old drive (wiggle it out evenly)

4. Remove the mounting screws and pull out the old drive

Set the Jumpers on the New Drive

If the drive is the only drive on the IDE interface, set the jumper to the Master or Single setting. Use the Slave setting if the drive is an additional drive on the IDE cable and the original drive is set to Master.

Installation Procedure

1. Handle the new drive only by the edges of the drive frame.

2. Connect one end of an available IDE interface cable to the hard drive (make sure that you align pin 1 on the cable with pin 1 on the hard drive connector).

3. Locate an available power cable connector (coming from the power supply) and attach it to the 4-pin DC power connector on the hard drive. This connector is keyed so it can only be attached one way. Do not force it.

4. Slide the drive into the bay and secure with mounting screws.

BIOS Setup

In order for your computer to work properly, the hardware and software of the computer need to know about each other. Now that you’ve installed a new hard drive in your computer, you have to tell your computer about this new hardware, so that this information can be relayed to the operating system. This is done through what’s called the BIOS (Basic Input Output System) setup program (also called CMOS setup, or Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor).

Most new computers can automatically detect these new devices through the BIOS program. You may enter the BIOS or CMOS program by turning on your computer (or rebooting it) and entering the setup program. This is usually done by pressing a special key, such as DELETE, ESC, or F1 during bootup, but this varies from system to system. Refer to your computer manual if necessary.

Once in the setup program, locate the drive section and confirm that the hard drive (or ‘fixed disk’) is set for AUTO. Use the commands provided to exit the setup program, making sure that you save changes as you exit the program.

Partitioning and Formatting

With the BIOS setup now complete, the hard drive must be prepared to accept data. This is done through the disk management utilities known as partitioning and formatting. With these utilities, you can divide the drive into logical sections, assign drive letters, and physically prepare the disk to accept data. Most new hard drives have already been partitioned and formatted, but you should be familiar with how to use these utilities.

If the drive has already been partitioned and formatted, you simply need to install your operating system from CD, install your software applications, and restore your backed-up data.

If the drive has not been partitioned and formatted, how you proceed is determined by whether or not the new hard drive you have just installed is a secondary hard drive or a new primary hard drive. If the drive is a second hard drive in your system, you can use the utilities on the primary drive to prepare the secondary hard drive. If the new drive will be your primary drive, you need to access these utilities on some other media format, preferably the Recovery CD that is included with new computers as a matter of course.

How you access these hard drive utilities depends on the operating system you are using. Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista all have different access points, and may identify the folder in which these utilities reside by different names. So you may have to explore your own system to locate them (Control Panel or My Computer is always a good starting point). To help you understand the process, we’ll briefly outline the steps involved under the following conditions:

· The newly installed drive is a second hard drive

· The operating system is Windows Vista

You will have to be logged in as administrator in order to run these utilities. Note that the terms ‘partition’ and ‘volume’ are used interchangeably. Also, in Windows Vista, a new hard disk must be ‘initialized’ before it can be used. Proceed as follows:

1. Open the Control Panel (Start > Control Panel)

2. Click on ‘System and Maintenance’

3. Click on ‘Administrative Tools’

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