DIAGNOSIS AND IDENTIFICATION OF FAULTY SYSTEM

More than 70% of all computer problems are related to cabling and connections. Ensure
all cables are connected and connected firmly. IDE and floppy ribbon cables and power
cables can often go loose. Ensure microprocessor, memory modules, and adapters
such as video card are inserted correctly and do not "pop-up" due to vibration.

Problem 1: System has no power at all. Power light does not illuminate, fan inside the
power supply does not turn on, and indicator light on keyboard does not turn on.

PROBABLE CAUSE DIAGNOSIS SOLUTION

Make sure power

Power cable is Visually inspect
cable is securely
unplugged power cable.
plugged in.

Defective power Visual inspection or

Replace cable.
cable try another cable.

Power cable and wall

Power supply Contact technical
socket are OK, but
failure support.
system is still dead.

Use different socket,

Faulty wall outlet;
Plug device into repair outlet, reset
circuit breaker or
socket and test. circuit breaker or
fuse blown
replace fuse.

Problem 2: System is inoperative. Keyboard lights are on, power indicator lights are lit,
and hard drive is spinning.
PROBABLE CAUSE DIAGNOSIS SOLUTION

Expansion card is Turn off computer. Using even pressure on

partially dislodged from Remove the cover of the both ends of the
expansion slot on the system unit. expansion card, press
motherboard. Check all expansion down firmly on
cards to ensure they are
 securely seated in slots. expansion card.

Defective floppy disk Turn the system off. Contact Technical

drive or tape drive Disconnect the cables Support.
from one of the floppy
drives. Turn on the
system, check to see if
the keyboard operates
normally. Repeat until
you have located
defective unit.

Defective expansion card Turn the computer off. Make sure expansion
Remove an expansion card is secure in
card. expansion socket.

Problem 3: System does not boot from hard disk drive, but can be booted from floppy
disk drive.

PROBABLE CAUSE DIAGNOSIS SOLUTION

Connector between hard When attempting to run Check cable running

drive and system board the FDISK utility form disk to disk
is unplugged. described in the HARD controller on the board.
DISK section of the Make sure both ends
manual you get a are securely plugged
message, INVALID in; check the drive type
DRIVE SPECIFICATION in the Standard CMOS
Setup (in your
motherboard manual).

Damaged Hard Disk or Format hard disk; if Contact Technical

Disk Controller unable to do so, the Support.
hard disk may be
defective.

Hard Disk directory or Run the FDISK program, Backing up the hard
FAT is scrambled format the hard drive is extremely
drive(See HARD DRIVE important. All Hard
section of manual). Disks are capable of
 Copy your backup data breaking down at any
back onto hard drive. time.

Diagnostic Software Tools

Diagnostic software is used to identify problems on a computer or piece of

equipment. These programs test the onboard systems for issues and help to alert users
of potential problems or breakdowns. Over the years, these programs have gone from
very basic to complex and highly specialized. With this increase in technology, the skill
required to use the software has actually decreased to the point where most people can
use this software with little or no training.

Programs that provide

diagnostic information are common
everywhere. Something as simple as
the oil light on a car dashboard is a
type of diagnostic software. These
hard-coded diagnostic tools usually
monitor one specific part of a larger
piece of equipment and typically are
always operating. While these types
of diagnostic programs are the most
common, they are usually the least
versatile. When people think of true
diagnostic software, they usually think Figure 149: Defragmentation and Optimization
of the types used on computers. of hard drive
These programs monitor the
computer for problems involving every aspect of the machine, from hardware to
software—far more complex and versatile than the change oil light.

Since the introduction of diagnostic software, it has evolved in many ways. The
original type could only find the most major of problems. There should be strong
indicators or physical damage in order for the software to recognize and report the
problem. When computers became more common in people's homes, particularly with
the rise of Disc Operating Systems, commonly known as DOS, diagnostic software
became more common. Small built-in programs, such as Checkdisk (CHKDISK),
allowed users to perform basic diagnostic routines on their systems. These early
programs would often output technical information and esoteric error codes instead of
readable information. In recent years, the output reports have changed considerably.
The basic outputs are now readable by most users, and they often contain tips or
warnings telling users what they should or should not do, all in plain language.

Technological advances have even made Web page-based diagnostic software

available for home users. With minimal Web searching, nearly any home user can find a
wide range of websites offering to speed up their computer or diagnose problems. Many
of these sites are scams, so consumers should perform proper research before using
them. General Internet searches can provide a number of resources to check a
company's credibility.

Some Downloadable Diagnostic Tools

Yet Another Cleaner

Protects your PC from browser hijacker, malicious plug-ins, malwares,

adware, various viruses

ARO 2013
Repairs registry errors, remove "junk" files, and ensure your PC is fully
protected

RegDoctor
Improves your system performance and stability by repairing and cleaning
the Windows Registry

Wise Registry Cleaner

Cleans the registry portion of the hard drive

Advanced System Care

Tunes up and maintains your PC, with anti-spyware, privacy protection, and
system cleaning functions.

CPU-Z
Accesses various information's about your computer
 Advanced System Care Pro
Tunes up and maintains your PC automatically

Free Window Registry Repair

Scans, repairs, and optimizes your Windows registry

Disk management tools:

 Fdisk - creates and deletes disk partitions.

 Format - prepares a hard drive prior to use.

 Scandisk or Chkdsk - checks for physical errors on the disk surface.

 Defrag - optimizes use of space on a disk.

 Disk Cleanup - removes unused files.

 Disk Management - creates partitions and formats disks (GUI interface).

 System File Checker (SFC) – scans the operating system critical files.
Procedure in Cleaning Hardware Components

Cleaning your computer and its components and peripherals helps keep the in
good working condition and helps keep the computers from spreading germs.

How often should I clean my computer?

The frequency of how often you should clean your computer varies on several
different factors. To help you determine how often you need to clean your computer, we
have created the chart below. Check the appropriate boxes below that apply to your
computer’s environment to determine how often it should be cleaned.
General Cleaning Tips
Below is a listing of general tips that should be taken when cleaning any of the
components or peripherals of a computer, as well as tips to help keep a computer clean.

1. Never spray or squirt any liquid onto any computer component. If a spray is
needed, spray the liquid onto a cloth and then use that cloth to rub down the
component.
2. You can use a vacuum to clean up dirt, dust, or hair around the computer on the
outside case. However, do not use a vacuum for the inside of your computer as it
generates a lot of static electricity that can damage the internal components of
your computer. If you need to use a vacuum to clean the inside of your computer,
use a portable battery powered vacuum designed to do this job or try using
compressed air.
3. When cleaning a component or the computer, turn it off before cleaning.
4. Be cautious when using any cleaning solvents; some individuals may have
allergic reactions to chemicals in cleaning solvents and some solvents can even
damage the case. Try to always use water or a highly diluted solvent.
5. When cleaning, be careful not to accidentally adjust any knobs or controls. In
addition, when cleaning the back of the computer, if anything is plugged in, make
sure turn off the PC and unplug the power cable.
6. When cleaning fans, especially the smaller fans within a portable computer or
laptop it is suggested that you either 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 back voltage to be
generated.
7. Never eat or drink around the computer area.
Cleaning Tools

Although many companies have created products to help improve the process of
cleaning your computer and peripherals, you can also use household items to clean
your computers and peripherals. Below is a listing of items you may need to use while
cleaning your computer or computer peripherals.

Keep in mind that some components in your computer may only be cleaned
using a product designed for cleaning that component.

 Cloth - A cloth is the best tool used when rubbing down a component; although
paper towels can be used with most hardware, we recommend using a cloth
whenever possible. Caution: It is recommended that you use a cloth when
cleaning components such as the outside of the case, a drive, mouse, etc. You
should not use a cloth to clean any circuitry such as the RAM or motherboard
since they can generate Electro Static Discharge (ESD) that can damage
electronics.
 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.
 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. Over time, these items can restrict the airflow in a computer and cause
circuitry to corrode. Do not use a standard vacuum as it can generate a lot of
static electricity that can damage your computer.
 Cotton swabs - Cotton swabs moistened with rubbing alcohol or water are good
for wiping hard to reach areas in your keyboard, mouse, and other peripherals.
 Foam swabs - It is Always better to use lint-free swabs such as foam swabs.

Procedures in Cleaning Hardware Components

Case cleaning

Why do we need to clean the computer case regularly? It keeps the

appearance of the computer looking new. During cleaning, if ventilation locations are
found, these can be cleaned helping the case keep a steady airflow to the computer,
keeping components cool and in good working condition.

Procedures:
 1) The plastic case that houses the PC components can be cleaned with a lint-free
cloth that has been slightly dampened with water. For stubborn stains, add a little
household detergent to the cloth. It is recommended that you never use a solvent
cleaner on plastics.
2) Make sure all vents and air holes are hair and lint free by rubbing a cloth over the
holes and vents. It is also helpful to take a vacuum around each of the hole,
vents, and crevices on the computer. It is safe to use a standard vacuum when
cleaning the outside vents of a computer. However, if you need to clean the
inside of the computer, use a portable battery
powered vacuum to prevent static electricity.

CD-ROM, DVD, and other disc drive cleaning

Why do we need to clean disc drives? A dirty CD-

ROM drive or other disc drives can cause errors when
reading discs. These read errors could cause software
installation and other issues while running the
program.

Procedure: To clean the CD-ROM drive, it is recommend to purchase a CD-ROM

cleaner from your local retailer. Using a CD-ROM cleaner should sufficiently clean the
CD-ROM laser from dust, dirt, and hair.

CD and DVD disc cleaning

Why do we need to clean disc? Dirty CDs can

cause read errors or total malfunction.

Procedure: Cleaning CDs and DVDs should

be done with a cleaning kit but can also be done with
a normal clean cotton cloth or shirt. When doing this
with a clean cotton cloth or shirt, wipe against the
tracks, starting from the middle of the CD or DVD and
wiping towards the outer side as shown in the below
picture. Never wipe with the tracks; doing so may put
more scratches on the disc.

It is recommended to use water when cleaning a CD. However, if the substance

on a CD cannot be removed using water, pure alcohol can also be used.
Hard drive cleaning

Why do we need to clean a hard drive? While hard drives cannot be cleaned
physically, they can be cleaned with various utilities on the computer to help it run fast
and more efficiently. Disk Management is one of the utilities that will prevent the hard
drive from slowing down.

Procedure: Disk Management can be accessed in the Control Panel, look for
Administrative Tools, then double-click on the Computer Management icon. In the
System and Security window, click on the Administrative Tools. In the Administrative
Tools window, double-click on the Computer Management icon.

When Computer Management opens, click on Disk Management on the left side
of the window, located under Storage. After a brief loading period, Disk Management
should now appear on the right side of the Computer Management window.

Keyboard cleaning

Why do we need to clean the keyboard? The computer keyboard is often the most
germ infected item in your computer. Often, it will contain more bacteria than your toilet
seat. Cleaning it can help remove any dangerous bacteria. Dirt, dust and hair can also
build up causing the keyboard to malfunction.

Procedure: Before cleaning the keyboard, turn off the computer or unplug the
USB keyboard. Not unplugging the keyboard can result in causing other computer
problems as you may press keys that cause the computer to perform an unwanted task.

Many people clean the keyboard by turning it upside down and shaking. A more
effective method is to use compressed air. Compressed air is pressurized air contained
in a can with a very long nozzle. Aim the air between the keys and blow away all of the
dust and debris that has gathered there. A vacuum cleaner can also be used, but make
sure the keyboard does not have loose "pop off" keys that could possibly be drawn up
by the vacuum.

After the dust, dirt, and hair had been removed spray a disinfectant onto a cloth
or use disinfectant cloths and rub each of the keys on the keyboard. As mentioned in
our general cleaning tips, never spray any liquid onto the keyboard.

LCD screen cleaning

Why do we need to clean the LCD screen? Dirt, dust, and finger prints can cause the
computer screen to project blurry images/texts.
 Procedure: Unlike a computer monitor, the LCD or flat-panel display is not made
of glass, it therefore requires special cleaning procedures.

When cleaning the LCD screen, it is important to remember not to spray any
liquids onto the LCD directly. Press gently while cleaning, and do not use a paper towel
as it may cause the LCD to gather scratches.

To clean the LCD screen, use a non-rugged microfiber cloth, soft cotton cloth, or
swiffer duster. If a dry cloth does not completely clean the screen, you can apply
rubbing alcohol to the cloth and wipe the screen with the damp cloth. Rubbing alcohol is
used to clean the LCD before it leaves the factory.

Monitor cleaning

Why do we need to clean the monitor? Dirt, dust, and fingerprints can cause the
computer screen to project blurry images/texts.

Procedure: The glass monitor screen can be cleaned with ordinary household
glass cleaner. Be sure to remove power from the monitor and spray the cleaner onto a
lint-free cloth so the fluid does not leak into the electrical components inside the
monitor. Vacuum off any dust that has settled on top of the monitor, and make sure no
books or papers have been placed on the air vents. Obstructed monitor vents can
cause the monitor to overheat or even catch fire.

Caution: We suggest using a cloth dampened with water when cleaning monitor
or a screen that is not made of glass or has any anti-glare protection on the screen.
Using ordinary household glass cleaner on special screens, especially cleaners with
ammonia can remove anti-glare protection or other special surfaces.

Other good cleaning tools

 Microfiber Towels
 Swiffer Dusters

Motherboard cleaning

Why do we need to clean the motherboard? Dusts can build up and corrode circuitry
causing various problems such as computer lockups.

Caution: When working with interior computer parts (e.g. motherboard), take the
necessary ESD precautions and avoid unplugging any cables or other connections.
 Procedure: Compressed air is recommended when cleaning the motherboard
from dust, dirt, or hair. When using compressed air, hold it in the up-right position;
otherwise, it is possible that chemicals may come out of the container that could
damage or corrode the motherboard or other component within the computer. Also,
make sure to always blow the dust or dirt away from the motherboard, or out of the
case.

Another good alternative to compressed air is to use a portable battery powered

vacuum that can effectively remove the dust, dirt, and hair from the motherboard
completely and prevent it from getting trapped within the case. However, do not use a
standard electric vacuum as it can cause a lot of static electricity that can damage the
computer. When using the vacuum, it is vital that you stay a couple of inches away from
the motherboard and all other components to help prevent contact as well as to help
prevent anything from being sucked into the vacuum. Ensure that you do not remove
any small components with the vacuum such as jumpers.

Optical Mouse cleaning

Why do we need to clean optical mouse regularly? A dirty mouse (mouse with a
ball) can be difficult to move. It can also cause strange mouse movement.

Procedure: To clean the optical mouse, you

must first wipe the bottom cover of the mouse. Turn the
mouse upside down to look at the lens.

If there is a smudge on the lens, gently clean the

area with a plain cotton-tipped swab. If there is debris in
the lens, gently blow the debris away from the area.
Check the surface on which you are using the mouse.

Note: Cleaning your mouse pad with a damp

cloth can also help improve a computer's mouse movement.

Why? To help keep a mouse clean and germ free it can be helpful to clean the mouse.

Procedure: Use a cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol or warm water and rub the
surface of the mouse and each of its buttons.
Printer cleaning

With some printers it may be necessary to

clean the inside of the printer to help keep the
printer running smoothly.

Why do we need to do this? Cleaning the outside of a

printer can help keep the printer's appearance
looking good; and in the case of a printer that is Figure 157. Printer Cleaning
used by many different people, it will keep the
printer clean and free from germs.

Procedure: First, make sure to

turn off the printer before cleaning it.
Dampen a cloth with water or rubbing
alcohol and wipe the case and each of
the buttons or knobs on the printer. As
mentioned earlier, never spray any
liquid directly onto the printer.Scanner
cleaning

Why do we need to do this?

Flatbed scanners commonly become
dirty with dust, fingerprints, and hair.
When a scanner is dirty, the images Figure 158. Scanner Cleaning
may have distortions. 

Procedure: Clean a flatbed scanner's surface by spraying a window cleaner onto a

paper towel or cotton cloth and wipe the glass until clean. As mentioned earlier, never
spray a liquid directly onto the component.

To clean the outside of the scanner, the same towel or cotton cloth can be used.

File and Printer Sharing

File Sharing is sharing of or offering access to digital information or resources, including

documents, multimedia (audio/video), graphics, computer programs, images and e-books. It is
the private or public distribution of data or resources in a network with different levels of sharing
privileges.
 File sharing can be done using several methods. The most common techniques include
the following:

 Removable storage devices

 Centralized file hosting server installations on networks
 World Wide Web-oriented hyperlinked documents
 Distributed peer-to-peer networks

Sharing Resources and Accessing Shared Resources

1. Open My Computer, double-click the C: drive, and create a new folder on the C: drive.
Name it Shared. Right-click the Shared folder and select Properties.
2. In the Shared Properties dialog box, select the Sharing tab.
 Notice that the Select the Share This Folder button.
 Type the Share Name. Click Apply and the computer you are linked to should be able to
view your Shared folder.
3. Right-click My Network Places, which should be located on your desktop. Select
Properties.
4. Right-click your connection (look for a name like Local Area Connection) and again
select Properties.

5. In your Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, select File and Print Sharing for
Microsoft Networks and click OK. If you don’t see an option for File and Print

6. Sharing, click Install and select a

service and then click Add. Now
select the File and Print Sharing option.
 Figure 102. Shared Document Properties
Windowthe icon- and select the Entire Network option
7. Open My Network Places- double-click
under Other Places at the left of the window. In the main (right-hand) pane, you should
see one or more options. Double-click the Microsoft Windows Network icon.

Local Disk (C:\PC 1)

8. You’re now at the main network screen, where you should see what’s called a
workgroup. A workgroup is a basic group of computers connected to the same Ethernet
network. Double-click the workgroup to see all the computers connected to your Ethernet
network.
 At this point, you can access any of the other computers and see what folders they have
shared. If you don’t see any computer but your own, just wait a few minutes and refresh your
screen. If you don’t see other computers, then it’s time to troubleshoot the network problems.

Printer Sharing

One of the primary reasons that networks were developed was to allow groups of
computer users to share peripheral devices such as printer. Sharing a single printer among a
group of users costs much less than buying a printer for each computer.
Low-cost printers usually require a separate print server to allow network connectivity
because these printers do not have built-in network interfaces. The computer that is connected to
the printer can serve as the print server. Most personal computer operating systems have built-in
printer sharing capability.

Setting up printer sharing is simple with Windows 7. The following steps enable a
computer to share a printer:

Step 1. Choose Start > Printers and Faxes.

Step 2. Right-click the printer, and choose Properties.
Step 3. Click the Sharing tab.
Step 4. Click the Share this printer radio button.
Step 5. Keep or change the share name.
Step 6. Click Apply.
 All the computers that use the shared printer must have the correct drivers installed.
Drivers for other operating systems can be installed on the print server.
To connect to the printer from another computer on the network, choose Start > Printers
and Faxes > Add Printer. The Add Printer Wizard appears. Follow the steps using the wizard.