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MODULE BASICS OF HARDWARE

Desktop PC repair & safety – I

OBJECTIVES
1. Follow safety basics and maintain a PC before starting to work
2. Identify the hand tools used in computers
3. Handle components to ensure their longevity.

REQUIREMENT

Tools/Instruments/Equipments • Crimper - 1 No.

• Screw driver - 1 No. • Iso-propyl alcohol - 500 ml.
• Needle nose plier - 1 No. • Hand blower/can of compressed air – 1 No.
• Torch light - 1 No.

PROCESDURE

❖ TASK 1: To follow safety basics and maintain the computer before working
There are the important safety basics to be followed • Moisten a cotton cloth with iso propyl alcohol,
when working on a computer and use it to clean the top and bottom of the
mouse.
1. Before working on a computer check your electricity
• If you have a mechanical mouse, remove the
connection for proper earthing.

Earthing Provides passage for leakage current to Fig 1

pass safely to the ground. Without earthing there
is a danger of suffering an electric shock by
touching any exposed metallic part of your
computer with bare hands or metal objects.

2. Cleaning the keyboard

• Unplug the keyboard form the USB or PS/2 port.

If the keyboard id plugged into the PS/2 port,
you will need to shut down the computer before
unplugging it.
• Turn the keyboard upside down, and gently tracking ball by turning ball -cover ring
shake it to remove dirt and dust. counterclockwise. Then clean the tracking ball
• Use a can of compressed air to clean bet ween the and the inside the mouse with a cotton cloth
keys. moistened with iso -propyl alcohol. (Fig 2)
• Moisten a cotton cloth or paper towel with iso
propyl alcohol, and use it to clean the tops to the
keys. Do not pour alcohol (or any other liquid)
Fig 2
directly onto the keys.
• Reconnect the keyboard to the computer once it
is dry. If you are connecting a PS/2 mouse,
connect it before turning the computer on. (Fig
1)

3. Cleaning the mouse

• Unplug the mouse from the USB or PS/2 port. If

unplugging a PS/2 mouse shut down t he
computer before unplugging it.

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MODULE BASICS OF HARDWARE
• Let all of the part dry before reassembling and
reconnecting the mouse. If you are connecting it
to a PS/2 port, connect it before turning the
computer on.
• Do not spray and liquid directly on the mouse.
4. Cleaning the monitor
CRT monitor
• Turn off the computer.
• Unplug the monitor from the power.
• Use a soft, clean cloth moistened with water to
wipe the screen clean. (Fig 3)
Fig 3
Do not use glass cleaner to clean a monitor. Many
screens have anti-glare coatings that can be
damaged by glass cleaner.
Do not spray any liquids directly onto the screen.
The liquid could leak into the monitor and damage
the internal components.
LCD monitor
Wipe with a soft, lint cloth lightly moisture with
LCD cleaner. Do not use glass cleaner or any
type of solvent.
5. Tip for cleaning other computer surface s
From time to time, you should clean your computer
case and the sides and back of the monitor to avoid
2
buildup of dust and dirt. Here are a few tips you can
use when cleaning their surfaces; (Fig 4)
• Dust is your computer’s main enemy. Use an
antistatic wipe to lightly dust your computer
casing. Don’t use furniture cleaners or strong
solvents.
• Use a can of compressed air with a narrow
nozzle to blow out debris from the air intake
slots.
Fig 4
• Spray cleaning solution (such as diluted
ammonia cleaner or glass cleaner) on a paper
towel or anti-static wipe. Clean the monitor
housing and case (not the monitor screen) by
wiping in a downward motion.
• A safe cleaning solution for computer surfaces
(not computer screens) is ammonia mostly of
ammonia and water (check the label).
Remember, the milder the solution, the better.
6. Check the cables connected to the computer
correctly after cleaning all the outside surface of a
computer. If found any loose connectivity, make it
sure and switch on the c omputer.
7. For cleaning contacts in add on card use iso -propyl
alcohol.
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❖ TASK 2: Identifying the hand tools used in computers

Refer the chart in theory then verify the tools given, write the specifications and uses in table 1.

Table 1

SI.NO. Name of tools Specification Used to Images

150mm Used to tighten or loosen screws

Flat head screw that have a straight, linear notch
1. driver in their heads.

Used to tighten or loosen cross-

2. Philips head screw 150mm head screws.
driver

100mm Used to tighten or loosen screws

3. Torx screw driver that have a star- like depression
on the top, a feature that is
mainly found on laptops.

100mm A hex driver, sometime called a

4. Hex driver nut driver, is used to tighten nuts
in the same way that a
screwdriver tightens screws.

5 Inch Needle-nose pliers are used to

5. Needle nose pliers hold small parts.

5 Inch Wire cutter are used to strip and

6. Wire cutter cut wires.

100mm Tweezers are used to manipulate

7. Tweezers small parts.

100mm Used to detect/ test the condition

8. Electric test pen of electrical voltage on various
electrical equipment, such as:
cables, sockets(plug) and other
electrical equipment.

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5 Inch A part retriever is used to

9. Part retriever retrieve parts from locations that
are too small for your hand to
fill.

5 Inch A torch light is used t light up

10. Torch light areas that you cannot see well.

A wire stripper is used to remove

11. Wire stripper - the insulation from wire so that it
can be twisted to other wires or
crimped to connectors to make a
cable.

A crimper is used to attach

12. Crimper - connectors to wires.

A punch down tool is used to

13. Punch down tool - terminate wire into termination
blocks. Some cable connectors
must be connected to cable using
a punch down tool.

A soft, lint-free cloth is used to

14. Lint-free cloth - clean different computer
components without scratching
or leaving debris.

Compressed air is used to blow

15. Compressed air - away dust and debris from
different computer parts without
touching the computers.

It is used as an inexpensive
16. Isopropyl alcohol - solvent for cosmetics, drugs,
shellacs, and gums, as well as for
denaturing ethanol (ethyl
alcohol).

Use to make these natural fil

17. ESD brush - brushes include wood, hog
bristle, horse hair and goat hair.
These materials can be used in
ESD sensitive areas as long as the
brush remains in a liquid
environment.

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Cable ties are used to bundle

18. Cable ties - cables neatly inside and outside
of a computer.

16 part A part organizer is used to hold

19. Part organizer screw, jumpers, fasteners, and
other small part and prevents
them from getting mixed
together.

240W A soldering iron is a hand tool

20. Soldering iron used in soldering. It supplies heat
to melt solder so that it can flow
into the joint between two
workpieces.

A desoldering pump,
21. De-soldering - colloquially know as a solder
pump sucker, is a manually-operated
device which is used to remove
solder from a printed circuit
board

A digital multimeter is used to

22. Digital multimeter - test the integrity of circuits and
the quality of electricity in
computer components.

A loopback adapter is used to

23. Loopback adapter - test the basic functionality of
computer ports.

A toner probe is used to trad

24. Toner probe - cables.

Used to diagnose a customer

25. External - hard drive or a computer that
enclosure does not boot. The external
enclosure can also be use to
create backups of a customer’s
hard drive.

An antistatic wrist strap is used

26. Antistatic wrist - to prevent ESD damage to
strap computer equipment.

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An antistatic mat is used to stand

27. Antistatic mat - on or to place hardware on to
prevent static electricity from
building up.

ESD gloves must be used in

28. ESD gloves - conjunction with a grounding
wrist strap in order to ensure the
absolute lowest possibility of
electrostatic discharge.

Used for storing electronic

29. Antistatic bag - components, which are prone to
damage caused by electrostatic
discharge (ESD).

It is used to troubleshoot
30. Post diagnostic - computers that do not start up.
card

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❖ TASK 3: Handling of components

• Place any removed component in an anti -static
bag until it is installed in the computer.
• Hold any component by its edge to avoid
touching any terminals or parts.
• To store or carry any component , place it is an
antistatic bag.
• Turn off and disconnect all peripherals, when
not in use for long period.
• Do not disassemble parts other than those
specified in the procedure.
• Label any cable connecting or disconnecting
cables. A damaged cable can cause a short in the
electrical circuit.
• When installing a cable, route the cable so it is
not pinched by other components and is out of
the path of the system unit cover.
• Prevent damage to the conne ctors by aligning
connector pins before you connect the cable.
misaligned connector pins can cause damage to
system components at power -on.
• When disconnecting a cable, always pull on the
cable

Fig 1

connector or strain -relief loop. Seen (Fig 1)

Do not remove connectors by pulling the cable itself

As shown in (Fig 2)

Fig 2

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