Hardware and Networking Service

Level-II

UC5- Maintain Equipment and Consumables

Module code: EIS HNS2 M05 1221

May,2015/2023
Fitche Ethiopia
• Clean equipment
• Replace and maintain consumables and supplies
• Maintain equipment
 Unit 1: Clean equipment
Accessing and verifying cleaning equipment and supplies
• Cleaning your computer components, and peripherals help to:
Keep everything in good working condition
Prevent germs from spreading
helps allow proper air flow.
General cleaning tips
1. Ever spray or squirt any liquid onto any computer
component. If a spray is needed, spray the liquid
onto a cloth.
2. use a vacuum to suck up dirt, dust, or hair around
the computer. However, do not use a vacuum
inside your computer as it generates static
electricity that damages your computer.
3. When cleaning a computer component turn it off before
cleaning.
4. Be cautious when using any cleaning solvents; some people
have allergic reactions to chemicals in cleaning solvents,
and some solvents can even damage the case. Try always to
use water or a highly diluted solvent.
5. When cleaning the back of the computer, if anything is
connected make sure to disconnect the plugs.
6. When cleaning fans, especially smaller fans, hold the fan or
place something in-between the fan blades to prevent it
from spinning. Spraying compressed air into a fan or
cleaning a fan with a vacuum may cause damage or
generate a back voltage.
7. Never eat or drink around the computer.
8. Limit smoking around the computer.
 Cleaning tools

• Computer cleaning products are substances

and tools used to remove dirt, dust, stains, and
clutter from PC, keyboards, and monitors
screens.
• While cleaning your computer Use:-
1. Cloth - A cotton cloth is the best tool used
when rubbing down computer components.
Use a cloth when cleaning components such as
the case, a drive, mouse, and keyboard. Don't
use a cloth to clean any circuitry such as the
RAM or motherboard.
2. Water or rubbing alcohol - When moistening a cloth, it is
best to use water or rubbing alcohol. Other solvents may be
bad for the plastics used with your computer.
3. Portable Vacuum - Sucking the dust, dirt, hair, cigarette
particles, and other particles out of a computer can be one
of the best methods of cleaning a computer. However, do
not use a vacuum that plugs into the wall since it creates
lots of static electricity that damages your computer.
4. Cotton swabs - Cotton swaps moistened with rubbing
alcohol or water are excellent tools for wiping hard to reach
areas in your keyboard, mouse, and other locations.
5. Foam swabs - Whenever possible, it is better to use lint-free
swabs such as foam swabs.
6. Air compressor (air blower)- Used to blow away dust and
debris from different computer parts without touching the
components.
 Why cleaning needed to computer hardware?
• Cleaning your computer's hardware makes the entire
system run more smoothly and keep it running longer.
• Regular cleaning protects not only your investment, but
the important data stored on it as well. Every few days
or so, give the screen a good wipe and empty the crumbs
out of the keyboard.
• Dust needs to be removed because it acts as an insulator
that prevents air from circulating over or through the
components and this can cause overheating.
• If dust contains conductive particles it can also cause a
short circuit, which can damage components or even
cause a fire.
 What is the importance of maintaining hardware tools?
• Proper care and routine maintenance of your hand
tools and power tools makes any home
improvement or repair project easier, safer and
more successful.
• Proper tool care also saves you money because the
better they're cared for, the longer they'll last.
• Cleanliness gives rise to a good character by
keeping body, mind, and soul clean and peaceful.
• Maintaining cleanliness is the essential part of
healthy living because it is the cleanliness only
which helps to improve our personality by keeping
clean externally and internally.
Removing Dust
• Dust can be removed using a household vacuum cleaner
with an appropriate attachment, although it is much easier
to use a purpose-built computer vacuum cleaner or keyboard
cleaner.
• For virtually any PC fan (case fans, graphics card fans, heat
sink fans, etc.), a few blasts of compressed air can remove
most loose dust. Just make sure that if you're cleaning a case
fan, you open up the case so that you can blow the dust out
into the environment and not back into the computer.
• Use compressed air and a lint free cloth to blow and wipe
any dust build up you can see.
• Pay particular attention to any crevices, plastic shrouds, and
heat sinks. Thoroughly clean any dust filters too. To clean fan
blades, hold them steady and wipe or blow each blade
individually.
• How to Clean a Dusty Computer
• Every computer slowly fills up with dust and
other loose debris as it filters air through its
hardware.
• While the goal of the fans found in any computer
is to cool off all the components that get hot, the
dust that clogs up a computer does the opposite.
• It’s important to try and get rid of the dust in
your computer with canned air and a microfiber
cloth on a regular basis.
• However, a deeper clean with rubbing alcohol
and cotton swabs might be necessary if it’s been
a while since your last dusting efforts.
 Precautions
Precautions are guidelines to be followed to prevent damage to equipment or
injury to people.
The following are very important precautions:
• Before cleaning any electrical equipment make sure that it is switched
off and unplugged from the mains.
• Allow certain equipment, such as monitors and laser printers, to cool
down and lose their capacitance before cleaning them for at least 1
hours.
• When cleaning inside the PC, or handling parts from a PC such as hard
disk or circuit boards, you should earth yourself using antistatic wrist
strap.
• Always refer to the manufactures manual before attempting to clean
any equipment, because improper cleaning or maintenance may be
dangerous and also may invalidate your warranty.
• Some equipment such as power supplies and monitors use voltages
and therefore should only be maintained by specially trained people. It
could be dangerous for any one else to open these up for maintenance.
 Recording and documenting maintenance actions

• Maintenance documentation is any record containing

information that you might need to complete maintenance
tasks and inspections. It tells you what you have, shows you
how to maintain it, and has records of all your past work.
• Maintenance record, as name suggests, is a document that
includes information regarding each repair and maintenance
work that is done on asset or equipment. In simple words, it
keeps tracks of assets failures and repairs.
• An equipment maintenance log is a document that
organizations use to record asset maintenance activities. It
enables them to monitor their system checkup processes and
track maintenance tasks performed by technicians, the exact
time the tasks were performed, and each specific task's
purpose.
 Cleaning equipment according to manufacturer specification

• Before cleaning the computer follow these

steps:
1.Shut down your computer and unplug it from its power source.
• Shut the computer down from the power control
menu on your operating system. Then, unplug
the computer from its power cord if it’s hooked
up. Make sure you power off the computer all the
way, and don’t accidentally restart it or put it in
"sleep" mode. If your computer is unresponsive,
you can do a hard shut down with the power
button on the outside of the computer.
2. Dust the computer’s casing with a damp cloth or paper towel.
• If you are cleaning a desktop, the outside of the case is
probably covered in dust. Unlike the sensitive inside, you
can just use some slightly damp paper towels or cloths to
wipe down the outside. Dust every side of the computer to
make sure it’s all clean.
• Try not to accidentally brush dust into any of the ports.
3. Unscrew the side panel to access the inside of a desktop computer.
• Typically, one side of a desktop computer is designated to
be opened, allowing easy access to the interior hardware.
Take a screwdriver that fits the screws and turn them
counter-clockwise to loosen them.
• Some computers have a different mechanism from screws.
Consult your computer’s user manual if you are unsure
how to open it up.
4. Use a damp cloth or paper towel to wipe down the access panel.
• Once you’ve removed the side panel, or whichever component of
the casing allows you to access the inside, you’ll want to give it a
quick clean. Just like the exterior parts, its okay to take a slightly
damp cloth or paper towel and wipe down the inside of this panel
after taking it off.
5. Take out the battery to clean out a laptop.
• To clean out a dusty laptop, you’ll have to remove the battery so
that you can blow out the dust from inside the tightly-packed
equipment inside. Unscrew the screws holding the battery under
the casing, or slide the battery out on its own, if your battery casing
has no screws.
• If your laptop is overheating, there’s a good chance it’s dusty on
the inside.
• Some laptops, including most Mac Books made after 2012, make it
difficult or impossible to open the backing without violating the
warranty. You may have to take these in for a professional cleaning.
Cleaning equipment Computer hardware peripherals
Keyboards
• The keyboard tends to not only accumulate a lot of dust and skin residue but
also some hair and lint form clothing. Loose matter can generally be removed
with the vacuum cleaner.
Mouse
• The mouse tends to accumulate a mixture of dust and skin residue from the
surface it rolls on. Therefore to properly clean the mouse:
1. Turn the mouse upside down and push down and away the roller-
opening hatch with two fingers until you see the panels open.
2. Use a soft, dry, lint free cloth to wipe the ball clean. Never use
cleaning fluid or solvent. Gently blow into the mouse housing to
remove any dust.
3. To clean the steel rollers carefully use a cotton swab to remove the
material buildup.
4. Replace the ball in it its housing, and then re-insert the retaining
panel. When the panel is in place push it down and backwards until
it locks firmly.
 Scanners and photocopiers
• The glass top flatbed scanners, like those of monitors
and photocopiers, can get pretty dirty with finger
marks. Usually you would use a lint-free cloth dabbed
with whatever chemical the manufacture recommends
to wipe it clean.
Monitors
• Carefully clean dust away from the vents in the
monitor's enclosure using a vacuum cleaner. Anything
other than a vacuum cleaner (e.g. a rag or air blower) is
likely to push the dust inside the enclosure where it can
lie on electrical components, causing failure. You should
clean the glass screen with one of the cleaners
described previously. If you use a spray to clean a
monitor you should be careful to spray the wipe.
Printers
• You will get the greatest benefit from cleaning a printer if you can
remove any dust from the paths of moving parts. To do this you may
need to remove covers or paper trays. However, at all times refer to
the printer manual. It will contain the instructions for removing parts
and may even have some tips on cleaning. Do not use any liquid
cleaner on a printer unless the manufacturer recommends it.
Laser Printers
• To clean laser printers:
• Switch off and unplug the printer, and wait at least 30 minutes for it to
cool.
• Wear disposable plastics gloves.
• Clean the outer casing of the printer using a dampened paper towel or
a lint-free cloth with a little detergent on it.
• Check for, and remove any loose bits of paper.
• Vacuum inside the printer using a static-safe vacuum cleaner.
• Use a lint-free swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to clean the corona
wire.
Power Supplies
• Maintenance for the power supply to PCs
includes: Vacuuming dust from the vent holes
Checking that the cables coming out of them are
not worn or broken Checking that the power
socket is clear of dust and dirt
Tape Drives
• Because tape drives are usually used for backing
up data, it is important that they are kept clean, so
that data is not corrupted by oils and other
contaminants during the backup process. You can
purchase cleaning tapes, or you can usually use a
lint-free bud.
 Unit 2 Replace &maintain consumables and supplies
Access consumables from storage points
• Consumables are goods used by individuals and
businesses that must be replaced regularly
• They are a goods that require recurrent replacement
because they are used up or transformed in their
use.
• Consumables are products that consumers buy
regularly, i.e., items which "get used up" or
discarded.
This is in contrast to the capital goods or durable goods
in the office, such as computers, fax machines, and
other business machines or office furniture.
• Example consumable materials
• Office supplies are such products as paper, pens,
scissors, file folders, post-it notes, computer disks,
toner or ink cartridges, fasteners, cable ties, and
tape
• Calculators.
• Envelopes.
• Whiteboard markers.
• Printer paper
• Cleaners
• A supply list can help track and categorize supplies
according to need and urgency
Difference between a consumable item and a
capital asset
Capital asset is more expensive than a
consumable item
 It is not something you would buy every day in
your business.
 It would also be useful to your business for 2
years or more.
• If you buy a computer and, separately, some
batteries to power it,
The computer would be a capital asset
The batteries would be consumable items.
Organizing Consumables and Supplies:
Store supplies in a orderly, organized manner to
prevent:
Loss
Theft
Damage
Deterioration
Keep its Inventory
• It is a list of supply items and quantities on hand.
• Keeping the inventory accurate requires
A. Careful planning B. Attention
 Replace consumables
• Consumables are goods used by individuals and businesses that
must be replaced regularly because they wear out or are used up.
• They can also be defined as the components of an end product
that is used up or permanently altered in the process of
manufacturing such as semiconductor wafers and basic chemicals.
Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges
1. Turn on your product.
2. Lift up the scanner unit.
3. Press the stop button.
4. Squeeze the tab on the cartridge and lift the cartridge straight up
to remove it
5. Before opening the new cartridge package, shake it gently four or
five times. ...
6. Remove the cartridge from the package.
 Can I replace just one cartridge?
• Printer cartridges can be replaced as needed!
• If one cartridge is running low, you do not have to replace the other colors at
the same time. However, you do need to have all of the printer cartridges
installed in the printer for it to work.
How do I clear the message replace toner?
• The message "Replace Toner" is intended to alert you that the toner
cartridge has reached the end of its expected life. It is recommended that
the toner cartridge be replaced. To clear the "Replace Toner".
Some steps of Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges
• Make sure you have your replacement cartridges handy before you begin.
You must install new cartridges immediately after removing the old ones.
Note:
• Leave your old cartridges in the printer until you are ready to replace them
to prevent the print head nozzles from drying out. Do not open ink cartridge
packages until you are ready to install the ink. Cartridges are vacuum packed
to maintain reliability.
• Turn on your product.
• Lift up the scanner unit.
Caution:
• Do not move the print head by hand; otherwise, you may
damage your product. Do not touch the flat white cable
inside the printer.
• Press the stop button.
• If a cartridge is low or expended, the print head moves that
cartridge to the indicator position. Press the stop button
again to check for additional low or expended cartridges.
When all cartridges have been identified, the print head
moves to the replacement position.
• a cartridge before it is low or expended, press the
stop button for 6 seconds. The print head moves to the
replacement position.
• Squeeze the tab on the cartridge and lift the cartridge
straight up to remove it.
• Note: Dispose of used cartridges carefully. Do not take the used
cartridge apart or try to refill it.
• Warning: If ink gets on your skin, wash it thoroughly with soap
and water. If ink gets into your eyes, flush them immediately with
water. If ink gets into your mouth, spit it out and see a doctor
right away. Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children.
• Before opening the new cartridge package, shake it gently four or
five times.
• Caution:
• Do not shake the cartridges after opening the packages, or ink
may leak.
• Remove the cartridge from the package.
• Caution:
• Do not touch the green chip or the small window on the cartridge.
Install the new cartridge immediately after removing the old one;
if you do not, the print head may dry out and be unable to print.
• Remove the yellow tape from the side of the cartridge
• Caution: Do not remove any other labels or seals, or ink will leak.
• Insert the new cartridge into the holder and push it down until it
clicks into place.
• Lower the scanner unit.
• charging the ink. This takes about 1.5 minutes. When the
power light stops flashing and remains on, ink charging is
finished.
• Caution:
• Never turn off the product while the power light is flashing or
you will waste ink.
• Note: If the ink light is on after the print head moves to its
home position or the power light is still flashing 3 minutes after
replacing a cartridge, an ink cartridge may not be installed
properly. Press the stop button, then press the ink cartridge
down until it clicks into place.
 – Dispose of consumables
• Dispose of used consumables (such as waste ink, pre-treatment solution,
cleaning solution, and the ink charging unit) and optional parts according
to your local laws and regulations, and always use an industrial waste
disposal company.
• Disposing: Here are 3 ways to dispose toner cartridges correctly:
• Locate companies in your area that will actually take in your empty toner
cartridges. Many aftermarket and remanufactured cartridge suppliers
recycle old toner cartridges and resell them. The components in old
cartridges are used in new cartridges that are thoroughly tested before
being resold.
• You can also directly get in touch with the toner cartridge manufacturer.
Many major brands have their own recycling plans which include taking
back old and used toner cartridges. It is best to contact your
manufacturer or supplier to find out more.
• Toner cartridges should always be disposed off in an appropriate
container or bin and should not be treated like a regular trash item. If
you live at home you can dispose of the cartridge in the ‘green’ bin.
Offices most likely collect old toner and then depending on your setup
they’ll get picked up or shipped to a facility that recycles them.
• Caution:
• Ink cleaning solution is classified as industrial
waste. Dispose of the cleaning solution
according to your local laws and regulations
such as entrusting it to an industrial waste
disposal company.
• When handing over the pre-treatment solution
to the industrial waste disposal company, make
sure you include the Safety Data Sheet found on
Epson's support website.
 Chapter 3 Maintain equipment
• Equipment is any tangible property (other than land or buildings) that is
used in the operations of a business
Equipment which require maintenance
Different types of Equipment
Printer
Monitor
Switches/hubs
Modem and Router
Optical Drives
Motherboard
Processor
AVR
Keyboard
Mouse
 What is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?
• Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to protective clothing,
helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect
the wearer's body from injury.
• The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical,
electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter.
• Protective equipment may be worn for job-related
occupational safety and health purposes, as well as for sports and other
recreational activities.
• "Protective clothing" is applied to traditional categories of clothing, and
"protective gear" applies to items such as pads, guards, shields, or
masks, and others.
• The purpose of PPE is to reduce employee exposure to hazards when
engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or effective to
reduce these risks to acceptable levels.
• PPE is needed when there are hazards present. PPE has the serious
limitation that it does not eliminate the hazard at source and may
result in employees being exposed to the hazard if the equipment fails.
 EYE AND FACE PROTECTION
• Goggles and face protection must be used when workers are at risk from flying
particles. Workers must also be protected from radiation of computer Goggles and
face protection must meet certain design criteria for safety.
FOOT PROTECTION
• Safety shoes with impact protection are required in work areas where heavy
objects or tools could be accidentally dropped on the feet. Safety shoes are
required when working to have foot puncture protection.
HAND PROTECTION
• Gloves are required to protect workers from cuts, scrapes, punctures, burns, or
temperature extremes. It is crucial that the type of glove being used is the right one
for the job since incorrect gloves may provide no protection.
Note: Pay special attention to working conditions or processes that can produce the
following Hazards:
• Falling objects
• objects that could puncture the skin
• Objects that could roll over workers' feet
• Toxic chemicals
• Heat
• Harmful dust
• Radiation
 Equipment Maintenance Procedure
Preventive Maintenance Products and Procedures
• Preventive maintenance is something that customers
often forget or do not believe is necessary.
• However, nothing could be further from the truth.
For example, suppose you have a customer who frequently
reschedules their preventive maintenance time. Because
you are unable to perform the maintenance, neither of
you would be aware that the fan in the power supply had
stopped working.
• As a result, instead of just having to replace the power
supply, the processor and some of the memory failed due
to the excessive heat. In addition, the unscheduled
downtime resulted in a loss of productivity and a larger
bill from you.
 Storing unused equipment device
• A UPS is essentially a battery that is designed to take over when there is a
power loss, in addition to ensuring that only the proper type and form of
current is passed on to the computer.
• When you need to store a UPS, you must ensure that is has not been
discharged. A discharged UPS that is stored for a long period of time may lose
some of its capacity to store power or may become unable to accept a charge
at all.
• To ensure that your UPS is stored in the proper manner, review the
manufacturer’s documentation for any other recommended procedures.
• With other computer components, you need to protect them from damage
resulting from electrostatic discharge (ESD).
• ESD occurs when two charged objects come into contact with each other and
energy is transferred between them. This transference of energy happens to
equalize the charge between these two objects
• Example of ESD is when you grab a door knob, or other metal object, and get
shocked. Computer components are very sensitive to ESD and can even be
rendered useless. Whenever you store computer components, you must place
them in an anti-static bag to ensure their safety from ESD.
• Anti-static bags are designed so that static build-up is contained on the outside
of the bag rather than on the inside, thus protecting the delicate components.
 Manufacturer Suggested Guidelines
• Before beginning any preventative maintenance
procedures, it is critical that you consult the
manufacturer’s documentation.
• Vendors include the information on the proper
cleaning materials to use when cleaning or
maintaining their components.
• Failure to follow these guidelines could result in either
component degradation, complete failure, or avoided
warranty. Never assume that you already know what
you can use with what device; instead, take the time
to review the documentation. Remember that
customer service is not only solving a problem, but
also ensuring that you do not generate them.
 Troubleshooting Computer Hardware
• By taking logical steps and walking through the process
of troubleshooting you should be able to solve almost
any computer problem, software or hardware related. It
involves identifying the problem(s), finding the cause of
that problem, determining the solution, executing that
solution, and testing and checking that solution to see if
it solves your problem.
• Generally there are only so many steps you can take
before you solve the problem and everything is back in
order. Make sure that before you start testing and
swapping out parts that the problem wasn’t caused by
you changing a software setting in Windows or some
ambiguous option in the motherboard’s BIOS that
causes your problem.
 Determining Wear and Tear
• Computer peripherals are not only electrical components, they are
also mechanical components. These components wear out over
time and eventually fail. As a service technician, you should inspect
peripherals for signs of deterioration and replace any components
that are about to expire. By doing so, you will save the customer
time and money from untimely downtime when the component
finally fails. Signs of wear can include thin spots on belts, bends or
tear in cables, and moving parts that are only sporadically
functioning.
UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)
• Today’s UPS units are populating homes and businesses at an
increasing rate as the cost has decreased substantially from the
early days of computer history. The UPS is designed to protect your
computer from sudden lapses in power, power spikes or surges,
and "dirty" current. This is accomplished by several components in
the UPS, such as suppressors, noise filters, and surge protectors.
Each of these items are discussed in the following paragraphs
 Suppressors
• At times, your power outlet will experience momentary surges of
current, called spikes. Spikes can harm computers and their
components much in the same way as ESD damage. However, the
damage that results is usually on a much greater level, with
catastrophic damage becoming more frequent. A suppressor is
designed to either absorb or block the excess power and thus save
computer components from injury.
Noise Filters
• When someone refers to "dirty current," they are talking about the
noise present on the power line itself. This noise is caused by electro-
magnetic interference (EMI) and can stray, or leak, from the current
into nearby components. When EMI leaks from power current, it is
called a magnetic field and can easily damage computer components.
UPS’s contain a special filter, called a noise filter, that reduces the
amount of noise present in electrical current and eliminates magnetic
fields caused by noise, thus providing some protection to the
components that utilize the current or are nearby.
 Lasers and High-Voltage Equipment
• Whenever you work around lasers or high-voltage equipment, you must be
extremely careful not to injure yourself. These forms of equipment can cause
damage in the form of burns, eye-related problems including blindness, or
even death. There are procedures that should be followed whenever working
with either high-voltage equipment or lasers. These procedures are discussed
in the following subsections
Lasers
• Lasers employ a high-intensity light beam that can cause severe damage to
your eyes, including blindness. Never look directly into a laser beam. Some
lasers can cause severe burns when they come into contact with skin, or even
death depending on the intensity of the beam and the location on you.
However, the lasers employed in CD-ROM drives are Level 3 laser beams and
are of a significantly lower intensity than those employed in construction or
scientific applications. As a result, you will not get a severe burn from them but
should nevertheless be cautious when working with them.
• The laser that is employed in laser printers is also a Level 3 type of beam.
However, laser printers do generate an excessive amount of heat, and
components that reside inside these printers can cause severe burns. It is for
this reason that you should be extremely cautious when working inside a laser
printer.
 High Voltage Equipment
• You should exercise extreme caution when working around
any high-voltage equipment, including any equipment near
the computer itself. You can spot these items from one of
two types of labels on the equipment itself. The first type of
label is a Warning label that usually informs you of the
potential of equipment damage as well as personal injury.
The second type of label is a Caution that tells you of
possible personal injuries that can occur. Most labels refer to
a procedure or set of guidelines to be performed whenever
you work on the equipment, although some refer you the
equipment’s documentation for more information. It is
always important to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines
whenever working on or around high-voltage equipment.
Failure to follow these instructions to the letter can result in
severe burns or electrocution.
 Power Supply
• A power supply is the perfect example of high-voltage equipment. As discussed in
Chapter 1, these devices convert the alternating current (AC) that comes from
your regular power outlet into the direct current (DC) that your computer uses.
Therefore, you want to ensure that the computer is turned off and that the
power cord has been disconnected from the power supply.
• When the power supply performs the power conversion process, some of that
energy is lost and converted into another form of energy: heat. The heat
generated by a power supply can cause severe burns. Therefore, it is important
for you to ensure that the power supply has had sufficient time to cool down
before coming into contact with it.
• The first thing to do to diagnose your power supply is check the power supply
connectors, make sure everything is plugged into the motherboard and the
power cable is plugged into the power supply, you wouldn’t believe how many
people forget to plug in their computer. Many power supplies also have a power
switch on them so check to make sure that no one accidentally or purposefully
switched it off maybe for a prank. Check the fan to see if it is spinning at the
correct speed and if it’s dusty vacuum it out. Determine if the power supply
cables are giving out the right amount of voltage, if you computer will let you
boot you should be able to check them in the BIOS menu to see if the correct
voltages are being given. Normal power supplies give +3.3 volts DC, +5 volts DC, -
5 volts DC, +12 volts DC, and -12 volts DC.
 CRT
• Monitors are high-voltage components that should only be
repaired by experienced personnel. When working on monitors, it
is important to remember that extreme caution should be taken
at all times, as any built-up charge can be lethal. However, the
first thing to remember is never wear an ESD wrist strap when
handling monitors. After you have removed your wrist strap,
ensure that the monitor is powered off and disconnected from
the power outlet. This is an important step because you have to
discharge the monitor.
• To discharge a monitor, you need to have a jumper wire and a
screwdriver with a non-conductive handle. First, connect one end
of the jumper wire to a ground such as the screw on an electrical
outlet. Next, wrap the free end of the wire around the metal shaft
of the screwdriver. When you do this, make sure that the wire is
as far away from the shaft of the screwdriver as possible. This
helps to prevent any accidental contact between you and the
wire.
 Hard Drive Maintenance
• Before your hard drive kicks the bucket there is usually a few warning signs:
• Abnormally slow file transfers
• Problems with booting, especially when Windows is being loaded
• Corrupted files
• Disappearing files or folders
• Loud hard drive noise is a good sign that there is a mechanical problem going on
inside
• Because hard drives are sealed units that can only be opened in a "clean room,"
there is nothing you can do to clean the read/write heads. However, hard drives have
a tendency to become fragmented over a period of time or with excessive use and
should be defragmented as a part of normal preventative maintenance. To perform a
defragmentation, you can use a special software program that was designed
specifically for this purpose, such as Norton Utilities or Microsoft Disk Defragmenter.
• Another problem with hard drives is that the disk surface can become corrupted over
time. If the drive attempts to read or write to these corrupted sections, the computer
could crash or exhibit strange symptoms that are difficult to pin down. Some
software utilities, such as the Microsoft Scandisk utility, are designed to locate and
mark corrupted sections on the disk. The mark tells the hard drive to ignore this
section of the hard drive. This process should be performed on a regular basis in
conjunction with a disk defragmentation.