CHAPTER SIX (6)

PERSONAL COMPUTER, HARDWARE MAINTENANCE AND SOFTWARE INSTALLATION

LESSON OBJECTIVES
The student will be able to:
• Identify common problems associated with PCs and their suggested solutions.
• Perform routine PC maintenances.
• Perform basic computer system Trouble Shooting.
• Mount and set up a computer.
• Install and/upgrade software on a computer

PC DIAGNOSTIC
It is the method of testing a computer hardware device or software device to ensure it working as it
should be. This testing is mostly performed before a computer or computer related product is released to
the public.
COMMON PROBLEMS
Problems associated to the Personal Computer can be classified as a;
 Hardware Problem
 Software Problem
TYPICAL HARDWARE PROBLEMS
Common problems and their symptoms;
 CD/DVD: Does not read discs or will not work.
 Display Problems: Cracked/smashed screen, dim screen.
 Keyboard Issues: Missing keys, keyboard not working, stuck key.
 Case Issues: Case cracked or broken or not fitting together.
 Socket/Port Issues: Smashed, broken or loose.
 Mouse Pad: not working, working intermittently or is physically damaged.
 Hard drive: does not work at all or making a grinding noise when Pc is turned on.
 Power: Pc does not power on, power is intermittently.
 PC restarts or runs hot: randomly restarts or freezes.
 Wrong timing/dating Issues: bad CMOS battery.
 Pinter Issues: refuse to print.

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 SYSTEM TROUBLESHOOTING SKILLS
The more you know about why things go wrong, the better you can prepare yourself for that eventuality.
The root of all PC trouble is CHANGE. The goal isn’t to avoid change, but rather to be aware of its
consequences. It easier to troubleshoot and find the source of what’s going wrong. When you recall what
change. Those changes can be;

• Adding or removing hardware (Installing Device Drivers).

• Changing the default computer settings (Wi-Fi Network, Graphic Resolution, etc.).
• Installing a software.
PC TROUBLESHOOTING
It is the process of identifying and fixing problems. It may involve hardware or software and can
sometimes involve both at the same time.
The basic process of troubleshooting is to;
 check the most general possible problems first, and then
 gradually check for more specific problems.
TERMINOLOGIES
BIOS
“Basic Input Output System”. It a type of program built directly into the computer's system board itself;
this is what we call "FIRMWARE". It provides the interface between the actual hardware of the system and
the operating system of the computer. BIOS is stored on a memory chip called ROM.
You access the BIOS by pressing your F2/Delete key immediately after pressing the on button.
CMOS BATTERY & MEMORY
“Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor”. The CMOS battery does not store data. The CMOS
Battery ensures that the CMOS Chip, which does store data (BIOS Settings, Windows Configuration
Settings, User Login Information and Device Drivers), has power.
NB: The CMOS Chip is a portion of memory that will retain it settings even when the power is turned off.
BSoD (stop error)
“Blue Screen of Death”. It’s an error screen displayed on a Windows computer system after a fatal system
error, also known as system crash.
POST
“Power On Self-Test”. It is the diagnostic testing sequence that a computer’s BIOS runs to determine if the
computer’s internal and external hardware are working correctly.

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POST Errors
BIOS beeps – Single beep means POST completed perfectly and everything is ok. More than a single beep
and the system shut down means they is a problem (Check with the manufacture of the MOBO, check
their manuals and identify the problem. It can be memory, CPU, or power issue, etc.).
Hardware Errors – Not able to detect a basic essential hardware device (processor, memory, video, etc.).
This mostly shows on the screen specifying the specific issue.
SMART – Self Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology.

GENERAL RULE FOR TROUBLESHOOTING

1. Asses and Divide – Identify systematically what the problem could be. And we use this to isolate
one component of the computer or operating system away from others.
2. Verify – Check things out. Verify things including things that seems obvious.
3. Research – Why the components is faulty and not functioning properly.
4. Prioritize – What may be going wrong with the system. During this stage something else may be
found causing that component or the PC from operating properly.
5. Document – Record all the processes that you pass through in trying to troubleshoot the PC.

TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURE AND TECHNIQUES

1. Backup – Before you make any changes to the system make sure to back-up the most important
contents of the system.
2. Information Gathering – Get information about the computer brand, processor, memory,
operating system, symptoms (issues within the system), recent changes.
3. Identify the Problem
4. Isolate – these problems; audio, visual by checking basic settings.
5. Test Components – related.
6. Evaluate – Consult from colleagues or other aspects in the field.

TYPES OF TROUBLESHOOTING
1. Hardware Troubleshooting
2. Software Troubleshooting

HARDWARE TROUBLESHOOTING
The process of diagnostics is usually carried out by a process of elimination.
NB: In troubleshooting, you have to keep this in mind;
 Function keys: can be used to switched on and off the following; mouse pad, screen, number pad,
wireless card, sound, etc. Therefore, always keep function keys in mind when starting to
troubleshoot a PC as it can save you hours of time.
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  You can bypass parts to test them: The keyboard, mouse and monitor can all be bypassed by
inserting a USB Mouse or Keyboard. You can also put an external monitor into the video port and
this will bypass your laptop screen display.
 Always Test parts with other known good parts: This is the absolute basis of troubleshooting and
whenever possible you should do this before ordering a replacement.

COMMON PROBLEMS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS

NB: Check basic issues or settings first.
Troubleshooting PSU (Power Issues)
Symptoms: Computer won’t turn on, Spontaneous reboot (not delivering good clean consistent power),
Proper sizing, etc.
Cause: It may be a faulty UPS, it may be a faulty system fan, Due to upgraded system, etc.
Solution: Replace your UPS, Fix the system fan, replace the PSU with a higher version, etc.

Troubleshooting Video (PC Display Issues)

Symptoms: Dim screen, extreme colorcast, etc.
Cause: Alter of the On-Screen Display Control/Dim settings, Loose VGA cable, Bent/Damage PINS on the
cable, Outdated video driver, Incompatible application, Damage video card, etc.
Solution: Check and fix the OSD control settings, Check the function keys for a brightness control, check
your cable connection, Replace the VGA cable, Update the video card drivers, change the capability
settings for the app, Replace the video card, etc.

Troubleshooting Storage (PC Hard drive Issues)

Symptoms: PC is making a grinding noise when the PC is turned on, PC's hard disk is not allowing the boot
file to be loaded, running out of space, Accessing the wrong partition, etc.
Cause: Faulty hard disk, Corrupted hard disk, Full hard disk storage, Conflict between drive letters, etc.
Solution: Retrieve the data and replace the hard drive, Scan the disk [CHKDSK – run on CMD or use a
third-party application], Defragment hard disk and release storage space, Check drive letter or partition.
NB: In any of this case, backup the information on it into another hard drive.

Troubleshooting Memory
Symptom: May see the BSoD.

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Cause: Memory not well installed, Bad memory module, Application requesting more than the memory
space, Damage memory, etc.
Solution: Properly install Memory, fix memory module, Upgrade memory, Replace the bad memory, Run a
diagnostic tool, etc.

Troubleshooting Motherboard
Power – Not getting the right power to the motherboard.
Temperature – Too hot CPU, hence leading to consistent shutdown or restarting of the system.
BIOS – Upgrade the BIOS of the motherboard.
Solution: Check and fix the heat sink, Not Repairable (Integrated Motherboard), hence have to be replace.

Mouse or Keyboard Not Working

 Are the cables connected tightly?
 If it’s a USB device, try connecting to a different USB Port
 Reboot! Reboot!
 Make sure mouse is clean and on a solid surface
 Try a different mouse or keyboard to determine if it’s the device or computer problem.

PC CD/DVD drives.
 Does not read discs or won’t work: Check the connection, by removing the drive out of the PC and
re-inserting it again. If it still does not work, replace it.
 CD/DVD stuck in drive: Poke a very thin screwdriver or paperclip into the small hole found on the
drive face. This will manually eject the discs.

PC keys or Keyboard Issues

 Missing Keys: Can be replaced if the metal clips underneath is still intact.
 Keyboard is not working: 1. Try turning the PC on and entering the BIOS, if it works then your
keyboard is ok, unless a particular key. 2. If it does not work, try booting the PC and inserting your
spare USB Keyboard. If the external keyboard works then remove the keyboard and check the
cable underneath it, if is inserted properly.
 Stuck Key: You need to do a thorough clean-up of the keyboard.

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Printer Issues
 Is it plugged in and turned on?
 Are you connected to the correct printer?
 Is it connected to the computer?
 Does it have toner/paper?
 Are there any messages on the display?
 Unplug, wait 5 minutes, plug back in
 Check printer settings to make sure it is online and not paused - start- control panel - printers &
faxes.

PC Runs Hot - Randomly Restarts or Freezes.

 Dirt: Freezing and restarting likely caused by dust gathering inside the CPU heat sink and blocking
vents. The solution is to clean it out, using a vacuum air blower to blow out the dust. Replace the
thermal paste on the CPU to ensure good heat transfer.
 Bad RAM (Bad Sector): Means the CPU can no longer write to the RAM (Memory). In this instance
the computer can restart itself or give you something called a "Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) in
which you will see a message telling you that it is beginning to dump off physical memory. Just
replace it.

Bad CMOS Battery

 Results in frequent wrong dating and timing. You will need to replace it with a working one.

SOFTWARE TROUBLESHOOTING
It is the process of scanning, identifying, diagnosing and resolving problems, errors and bugs in software.
Software problems can stem from a conflict with other
programs or simply from difficulties the software encountered
when starting up. Shutting the program down and restarting it
can sometimes resolve issues.

• General Troubleshooting
• Your first line of defence

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BASIC SOFTWARE TROUBLESHOOTING
 Unable to install a software program – Is the CD Readable? Does the computer meet the
minimum requirements of the software?
 Error during Installation – Verify the computer meets the requirements.
 Program or Utility does not load or has an error when it attempts to load – Make sure all other
applications are closed before installing. Verify your computer has the correct date. Make sure the
computer has been rebooted at least once after the program installation.
 Peripheral Device not working – Check the device drivers and make surely it installed and up to
date.

TROUBLESHOOTING OPERATING SYSTEM

This is problematic since it does not show as an error message.
Symptoms: Spontaneous restart of the system, Look-up (nothing works; keyboard mouse, etc.),
Cause: Corrupt drivers or registry, Virus, Heavy multitask, defective hardware, etc.
Solution: Driver Rollback, Try Safe Mode, System Restore (SR), Automated System Recovery (ASR),
Emergency Repair Disk (ERD), Upgrade System, etc.
NB: You can try and reboot the system.

WINDOWS INFORMATION TOOLS

• Task Manager
• Event Viewer
• Windows Reporting/ Error Reporting
• MSCONFIG

PC MAINTENANCE
It is the practice of keeping computers in a good state of repair. It describes various steps to keep your
computer functioning at an optimal performance level from a software and a hardware point of view.

PC MAINTENANCE ROUTINE
1. Clean your computer. Literally!
Static electricity makes computers a magnet for dust, dirt, and debris, and it may gather for months
before you even notice a problem. These particles clog up your cooling fans and keyboard.
HERE’S HOW:

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Each month, spray the compressed air making sure you blow away EVERYTHING that is not screwed down.
2. Do a full scan for malware
One of the easiest ways to take care of your system is to run conventional virus protection and spyware
detection software.
HERE’S HOW:
Every week, you should open up your virus protection software and manually run a full scan for viruses
and spyware.
3. Uninstall any programs you do not use
All of the programs installed on your computer, each one of them, is taking up memory and processing
time, so cleaning out your system will make some room for new programs and speed up your computer
too.
HERE’S HOW:
To uninstall programs, go to Control Panel and select Programs and Features to show a list of all programs
installed on your computer.
4. Create a system restore point.
A System Restore Point helps you restore your computer’s system files to an earlier point in time when
your system was working well.
It’s a safe way to undo system changes to your computer without affecting your personal files, such as
e-mail, documents or photos. Having a system restore point can significantly reduce your downtime.
HERE’S HOW
To create a system restore point, go to Control Panel and select Backup and Restore. Windows 7 users
click “Recover system settings or your computer”. Vista users select “Create a restore point or change
settings.”
5. Defragment your Hard drive.
Over the course of regular use, your files get fragmented or spread out all over your hard drive. So while
an MP3 or WMV file appears as a single file to you in Windows Explorer, small pieces of the file could
literally be spread across the entire hard drive.
Gathering all of these distant pieces back together into a single contiguous file makes file access faster.
Depending on how fragmented the data on your drive is, defragmenting it could make your system
noticeably faster.
HERE’S HOW:
Windows has a built-in defragmenter and check-disk utility. To access either of them just open Windows
Explorer and right-click on the drive you want to examine. Select Properties and then click on the Tools

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tab. To defragment your HDD, go to the Defragmentation section and press the Defragment now button.
To perform a check disk, go to the Error-checking section and press the Check now button.
SETTING UP A COMPUTER
STEPS INVOLVED SETTING UP A NEW COMPUTER
1. Unpack your components
 CPU tower (System Unit)
 Monitor
 Mouse and keyboard
 Speakers - These are sometimes built into
monitor.
 Printer - Some systems come packaged with a
printer, though typically this is purchased
separately.
2. Place the tower and the monitor
Place your CPU tower (System Unit) and the monitor near its intended location with enough room for all
of the fans to move air. Avoid placing the tower between sets of drawers or inside of a cabinet.
3. Connect the monitor to the tower.
Plug the monitor into one of the monitor ports on the back of the tower. Monitors typically use DVI or
HDMI connections, but some older ones use VGA.
The monitor will also need to be plugged into a power outlet.

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4. Plug in the mouse and keyboard.
Virtually all mice and keyboards plug in via USB. If you are setting up an exceptionally old PC, you may
need to connect the mouse and keyboard via the PS/2 connectors. These are typically located at the top
of the back of the tower, and are colour coded to match the keyboard and mouse plugs.
5. Connect any speakers.
Plug your speakers into the back of the computer using the colour codes as guides. Ensure that all the
channels are placed on the correct sides, and that the speakers are plugged into an outlet if necessary.
6. Plug the tower and the monitor into an outlet.
If you can, plug it into a surge protector or uninterruptible power supply (UPS). This will help protect the
computer in the event of a power surge or power loss.
7. Turn on the computer.
Press the Power button on the front of the computer to turn it on. If you bought the computer with an
operating system such as Windows or Linux preinstalled, you will be guided through the first-time setup
process for the operating system. Follow the prompts on the screen to enter your location and create
your user account. If your computer did not come with an operating system preinstalled (this is rare), you
will need to install it yourself.
8. Connect to a network.
Before you can download any programs or start using the internet, you will need to connect your
computer to a network. You can either connect wirelessly if your computer has a wireless network card,
or you can connect to your router or modem via Ethernet.
9. Download any updates.
Chances are that your installed operating system and programs have been updated since the computer
was built. You may be prompted to download and install updates, which is essential for keeping your
computer secure and stable.
10. Install your essential programs.
Now that you are connected to the internet and Windows has been updated, you can start installing your
essential programs.
 Antivirus - This should be the first program that you install, no matter what. An antivirus helps
protect your computer against malware and other malicious software, and is essential if your
computer is connected to the internet.
 Favourite browser - Windows comes installed with Internet Explorer, but many people prefer
other browsers. There are a variety to choose from, including Chrome, Firefox, and Opera.

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  Word processor/productivity - Most people use their computers as a home office, which includes
installing a word processor and possibly a spreadsheet program. Microsoft Office is designed to
integrate into Windows, and you may have a trial already installed on your computer.
 Games - Everyone likes to relax once in a while, so consider installing a game or two!
11. Personalize the computer.
Once all the boring stuff is out of the way, you can start making your new computer yours. You can change
your desktop background, install new cursors, change the fonts, or even completely change the way
Windows is organized using special software.

INSTALLATION AND UPGRADING OF COMPUTER SOFTWARE

1. How to Install Windows 7 using;
• Installation DVD
• Flash Drive or External Drive
2. Upgrading Windows

INSTALLING WINDOWS USING A BOOTABLE DRIVE

1. Enter your computer's BIOS.
Turn off the computer on which you want to install Windows 7 and then turn it back on. When the BIOS
screen appears or you are prompted to do so, press Del, Esc, F2, F10, or F9 (depending on your
computer’s motherboard) to enter the system BIOS. The key to enter the BIOS is usually shown on the
screen.
2. Find your BIOS's boot options menu.
The boot options menu of your BIOS may vary in location or name from the illustration, but you may
eventually find it if you search around.
3. Select the USB drive as the first boot device of your computer.
Although this method may vary among computers, the boot options menu is typically a menu of movable
device names where you should set your USB drive as the first boot device. It can also be a list of devices
that you can set the order of their boot on.
4. Save the changes of the settings.
Press the button indicated on the screen or select the save option from the BIOS menu to save your
configuration.
5. Shut off your computer.

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Either turn off the computer by choosing the shutdown option in your current operating system, or hold
the power button until the computer powers off.
6. Insert the bootable drive into the computer and power on the PC.
7. Start your computer from the drive.
8. Choose your Windows Setup options.
Once Windows Setup loads, you'll be presented with a window. Select your preferred language, keyboard
type, and time/currency format, then click Next.
9. Click the Install Now button.
10. Accept the License Terms.
Read over the Microsoft Software License Terms, check I accept the license terms, and click next.
11. Select the Custom installation.
12. Decide on which hard drive and partition you want to install Windows on.
A hard drive is a physical part of your computer that stores data, and partitions "divide" hard drives into
separate parts.
 If the hard drive has data on it, delete the data off of it, or format it.
 Select the hard drive from the list of hard drives.
 Click Drive options (advanced).
 Click Format from Drive options.
 If your computer doesn't have any partitions yet, create one to install Windows on it.
 Select the hard drive from the list of hard drives.
 Click Drive options (advanced).
 Select New from Drive options.
 Select the size, and click OK.

13. Install Windows on your preferred hard drive and partition.

Once you've decided on where to install Windows, select it and click Next. Windows will begin installing.

UPGRADE
An Upgrade installation upgrades an older version of Windows on your computer (E.G. Windows Vista to
Windows 7.)
1. Start your computer normally into your current operating system.
2. Check to see if your computer is compatible with Windows 7.
The Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor scans your computer to see if you can upgrade it to Windows 7.

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3. Prepare your computer to install Windows.
 Scan your computer for malware. Malware can prevent Windows from installing correctly.
 Disable or uninstall any antivirus software because they may interfere with the Windows
installation.
 Uninstall some unnecessary programs to speed up the upgrade. You can install them after
Windows 7 has finished.
 Update Windows with Windows Update.
 Delete some unnecessary files to speed up the upgrade.
 Back up your hard drive in-case the installation fails and you lose your files. (optional).
4. Insert your Windows 7 installation disc into the computer at this point.
5. Start Windows Setup.
After the disc has loaded, click Start →Computer, double click the disc drive that Windows 7 Setup was
placed in, and double-click setup.exe on the disc. Allow Setup to start.
6. Click Install Now.
7. Decide whether to install updates for Windows Setup.
The updates are intended to fix known problems with Windows Setup and installing updates makes your
installation smoother and more stable. To get updates, click Go Online to get the latest updates for
installation (recommended). To skip updates, click Do not get the latest updates for installation.
8. Accept the License Terms.
Read over the Microsoft Software License Terms, check I accept the license terms, and click Next.
9. Select the Upgrade installation.

BOOT DRIVE OR DISK

Boot Disk/Drive
Is a removable digital data storage medium from which a computer can load and run an operating system
or utility program.
Alternatively referred to as:
• Bootable disk/drive

• Start-up disk/drive

• Boot disk/drive

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What do we mean by bootable?
A CD-ROM, CD-ROM, or USB Drive that contains its own operating system ready to load.
Bootable Disk/Drive
It contains special files required for the computer to boot into an operating system.
If the bootable disk/drive is removable media like a USB drive or CD-ROM, it usually bypasses the hard
drive depending on the settings in the BIOS.
How To Create a Bootable Drive
1. Command Prompt
2. Third Party Software (E.g., Rufus, PowerISO, etc.)
How to create a bootable USB flash drive using CMD
1. Insert a USB flash drive into a running computer.

2. Open a Command Prompt window as an administrator.

3. Type DISKPART

4. In the new command line window that opens, to determine the USB flash drive number or drive
letter, at the command prompt, type list disk, and then click ENTER. The list disk command
displays all the disks on the computer. Note the drive number or drive letter of the USB flash drive.

5. At the command prompt, type select disk <X>, where X is the drive number or drive letter of the
USB flash drive, and then click ENTER.

6. Type clean, and the click ENTER. This command deletes all data from the USB flash drive.

7. To create a new primary partition on the USB flash drive, type create partition primary, and then
click ENTER.

8. To select the partition that you just created, type select partition 1, and then click ENTER.

9. To format the partition, type format fs=ntfs quick, and then click ENTER.

10. If your server platform supports Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), you should format
the USB flash drive as FAT32 rather than as NTFS. To format the partition as FAT32, type format
fs=fat32 quick, and then click ENTER.

11. Type active, and then click ENTER.

12. Type exit, and then click ENTER.

13. When you finish preparing your custom image, save it to the root of the USB flash drive.

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 CMD
What is Command Prompt?
CMD, cmd.exe or Command Prompt is a command line interpreter application available in most Windows
operating systems.
Command Line Interpreter
Any program allows the entering of commands and then executes those commands to the operating
system.
What is the use of a command prompt?
It is used to execute entered commands. Most of those commands automate tasks via scripts and batch
files, perform advanced administrative functions, and troubleshoot or solve certain kinds of Windows
issues.
How do I access the command prompt?
1. Open the Start Menu,

2. Type command or CMD in the search field, and then

3. Press Enter or click on the Command Prompt shortcut.

To run Command Prompt as administrator,

4. Right-click on it and then click on the "Run as administrator" option from the contextual menu.

Most common commands use in CMD

• ipconfig - displays all current TCP/IP network configuration values.

• CHKDSK - verifies the file system integrity of a volume and fixes logical file system errors.

• Tree - displays directory paths and files in each subdirectory.

LESSON ASSESSMENT
OBJECTIVE

1. The process of reducing the size of data on a disk in order to save space, can be carried out by
A. Scanning the disk
B. Compressing data on the disk
C. Applying antivirus software
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 D. Deleting the data on the disk
2. The following information are stored on a computer’s CMOS chip except
A. Date and time
B. Memory information
C. Printer configuration
D. Hard drive configuration
3. Which of the following depicts that a CMOS battery is going down? The computer
A. Fails to boot properly
B. Gives a long beep sound
C. Starts losing information in memory
D. Starts showing incorrect date and times
4. The best way to prevent damaging personal computer with static electricity is to
A. Wear a rubber shoe
B. Wear an electrostatic discharge wrist strap
C. Place the personal computer on a rubber mat
D. Periodically touch the personal computer to discharge electrons
5. Your best insurance policy against data loss ………………………………
A. backing up your files
B. defragmenting your hard drive
C. updating insurance for theft and loss of equipment
D. installing software updates
6. You are installing an additional drive into a working computer. The computer wont power up at all,
no lights, no spinning drives, nothing. What’s most likely the problem?
A. Dead hard drive
B. Insufficient DC wattage provided by the power supply
C. Insufficient AC wattage provided by the electrical outlet
D. Dead power supply
E. Corrupted driver
7. You are explaining to Jim that if you don’t ……………………………………. it can cause PC parts to
overheat.
A. Clean the keyboard
B. Keep the humidity high
C. Use liquid inside a computer
D. Remove the dust inside the PC
8. When troubleshooting, what is the first step?
A. Check the obvious
B. Turn the computer on
C. Make assumption
D. Analyse the problem without making an initial determination
9. Your new laptop has built-in wireless but it isn’t connecting to the access point. Which of the
following could be the cause?
A. The NIC driver is incorrect
B. The NIC is turned off
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 C. The NIC’s encryption is not enabled
D. The NIC has shorted out
10. What is the first step in troubleshooting a printer or scanner?
A. Check the network
B. Go to the manufacturer’s website
C. Interview the user
D. Open the printer/scanner

SUBJECTIVES

1. A) What is PC Diagnostics?
B) Define the following terminologies;
I. BIOS
II. POST
III. BSoD
2. A) What is PC Troubleshooting?
B) State and define the types of PC Troubleshooting.
3. A) What is PC Maintenance?
B) State four PC Maintenance Routines.
4. A) What is a bootable drive?
B) State the processes involved in creating a bootable drive.
5. Accordingly, state all the steps involved setting up a new computer.

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