Computer Maintenance and Repair

 

For

 

 

A+ Certification

 

 

 

 

First Steps

 

 

Daniel Berry

 

 

For Fall 2000 and Beyond!

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

Safety First

 

 

 

 

Hardware

 

 

Software

 

 

The objective of the first steps booklet is to introduce basic computer terminology, safety concerns, and microcomputer units to the new user.

 

 

Safety First with

Safety Concerns

 

Computers are electronic devices, which can discharge an electric current and therefore can be dangerous.  To safe guard ourselves from electrostatic discharges (ESD) and electromagnet interference (EMI), we must observe handling guidelines, grounding guidelines, and insulation methods.

 

The human body can build up static charges of over 25,000 volts. These build-ups can discharge very rapidly into an electrically grounded body or device.  If such a discharge flows though a CPU or computer adapter card, the current would actually fry those parts, without showing any signs of outward distress, the product may simply not work ever again or show performance changes over months or years!  This is called a soft failure and often shows intermittent error conditions.  

 

The following is a list of situations, which can build up an electrostatic charge:

 

Ø      Moving people

Ø      Low humidity

Ø      Improper grounding

Ø      Unshielded cables

Ø      Unsecured connections, which are live.

 

The guidelines are as follows:

 

ü      Touch a grounded metal object, like the computer case to discharge ESD safely though the outer frame of the case.

ü      Avoid rubbing cloths and dragging shoes across the carpet.

ü      Ware a static discharge wristband.

ü      Handle metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) computer parts by holding only their plastic green parts.

ü      Avoid holding MOS computer parts by their metal connectors.

ü      Rap unused MOS computer parts (adapter cards etc..) by placing them in anti-static bags.

 

EMI guidelines:

 

v     Do not operate the computer near devices, which create a magnetic field.

v     Keep magnets away from all computer devices.

v     Sources of EMI are high energy power lines, large electric motors, unshielded speakers, the ballasts of florescent lights, unshielded CRT devices (most TVs and monitors).

 

Avoiding Electric Shock

 

q       Use insulated shoes.

q       Unplug the power supply before opening the computer case!

q       Use only one hand.

q       Use safety goggles.

q       Do not attempt to open the power supply box, found inside the computer case.

q       Avoid making contact with the metal connectors found within the computer case.

q       Avoid working alone.

 

 

Hardware

 

Here is a list of computer components, which you are likely to encounter in the field.

 

Cases

 ATX form factor tower computer case.

 

Exploded view of a computer tower case

Open view of an ATX computer tower case

 

Power Supply

 AT 220 Walt power supply

 

Power Supply

 ATX  250 Walt power supply

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Motherboard

ATX P-III Motherboard, made by Abit

 

CPU

Celeron CPU Socket 370 PPGA

These came in speeds from 300 MHz to 600MHz

 

CPU

 

Pentium III slot 1

These come in speeds from 550 MHz to 1,130 MHz (1.13 GHz)

 

CPU

Pentium IV Socket design

These come in speeds from 1,400 MHz to 2,000 MHz and above.

 

 

CPU

AMD Duron in Socket A design.

These come in speeds from 600MHz to over 900 MHz.

 

CPU

AMD Athlon Thunderbird in Socket A design.

These come in speeds from 700MHz to over 1,400 MHz and above.

These CPUs are able to out-perform Intel CPUs of greater speed. The Thunderbird 1.3 GHz outperforms an Intel Pentium 4 1.7 GHz by over 20%.

 

CPU

AMD Athlon 4 in Socket design.

These are the highest performing CPU’s for their speed in the world.

 

 

 

 

RAM

30 pin Single In-line Memory Module or SIMM (used in older computers, such as older Macs, 386s, and 486s)

They came holding from 1 and 4 MB per SIMM.

 

RAM

A set of four 72 pin SIMMs (used in the Pentium Classics, Pentium MMXs, AMD K5s, AMD K6s, and older Power Macs).

They came holding from 4 and 128 MB per SIMM.

 

RAM

168 pin Dual In-line Memory Module or DIMM (used in Pentium IIs, Pentium IIIs, AMD Athlons, and newer Macs)

They came holding from 32 to 1,024MB per DIMM and worked at speeds of 66MHz, 100MHz, 133MHz, and 150MHz.

 

 RAM

184pin SDRAM Memory - DDR (double data rate) These are used in the newer Athlon motherboards and work at speeds of 200 MHz (PC1600), 266MHz (PC2100), and faster.

 

 

 

RAM

 RDRAM or RAMBUS Memory Module (used in Pentium IVs).   These came holding from 64 to 1,024MB per MM and worked at speeds of 600MHz, 711MHz, and 800MHz.

 

 

 

Hard Drive

Hard Disk Drive (HDD), IDE

Held from 10 Megs to over 4,000 Megs (4 Gigs).

Used in 486s and early Pentiums)

 

Hard Drive

Hard Disk Drive (HDD), UDMA, ATA 100 (Transfers 100 megs per second)

Hold from 4,000 Megs (4 Gigs) to 100,000 Megs (100 Gigs)

Used in AMD Athlons, AMD K7s, Pentium II and Pentium III machines.

 

Floppy Disk Drive

Floppy Disk Drive (FDD)

Hold from 1.44 Megs to 120 Megs (Super Disk)

Used in Macs, 286s, 386s, 486s, early PowerMacs, AMD K6s, Pentiums, AMD K7s, Pentium IIs, AMD Athlons, Pentium IIIs, and all others except iMacs, and G4s. 

 

 

 

 

 

CD ROM Drive

Internal CD ROM Drive

Come in speeds from 2X to 120X

 

Modem

ISA Modem (older technology)

Come in speeds from 9.4 Kbps to 56 Kbps

 

Modem

PCI   Modem (newer technology)

Come in speeds from 33.6 Kbps to 56 Kbps

 

Modem

AMR MODEM LEFT (newer technology)

This modem will only work on motherboard with AMR slot located at the end of the board (usually the ASUS board) If your AMR slot is located at the middle of the board (usually next to AGP slot ), you need AMR modem Right.

 

Sound Card

ISA Sound Card (older technology)

 

Sound Card

PCI Sound Card (newer technology)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Video Card

ISA Video Card (antique technology)

Showed up to 16 bit colour depth, 800 X 600 resolution with up to 4 Megs of Video RAM.

Common chips of this era were Cirrus Logic, ATI, Trident, and Number Nine.

Used in 8088s, 8086, 286s, 386, early 486s, Cyrix and early Macs.

 

Video Card

PCI Video Card (older technology)

Showed up to 32 bit (true colour depth), over 1,200 X 1,000 resolution with up to 32 Megs of Video RAM. Common chips of this era where ATI RagePro, nVidia TNT, 3DFx and Trident.

Used in later 486s, Cyrix MX, AMD K5/6/7s, PowerMacs, iMacs, and Pentiums.

 

 

 

 

 

Video Card

AGP Video Card (newer technology)

Showed up to 32 bit (true colour depth), over 2,300 X 1,500 resolution with up to 256 Megs of Video RAM for a real world gamming experience. Chips used include: 3DFx, nVidia TNT2 and GeForce2 MX with DDR memory.

Used in Pentium II, III, and AMD Athlons.

 

Software

 

The computers that we use today include a disk operating system in order to function.  Most systems have Microsoft Windows 9x installed, but other Operating Systems include Microsoft Windows NT, Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows ME, Lynix, Unix, Sun, and Mac OS.

When a new system is built, an OS needs to be installed before installing the applications, which the user will need for word processing, web surfing, graphic manipulation, video manipulation, and E-mail.

Normally a complete install of an OS takes about 15 minutes (Win98 SE on a P-III with a UDMA 72X CD ROM).  The process includes dropping the OS CD into the CD-ROM drive, answering a few questions for options, and letting the OS set itself up.

 

ã        2000, Daniel Berry of All Things Irish.

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