Understanding

and Troubleshooting
Your PC
The Electrical System

 The most important component of the computer’s

electrical system is the power supply
 The power supply converts the power received from
a standard power outlet and reduces it to a voltage
that the computer can handle
 The power supply runs a fan directly from the
electrical output voltage to help cool the inside of the
computer case
 Motherboards and secondary storage devices include
connections for power cords

Chapter 1: Introducing Hardware 2

The Electrical System

Chapter 1: Introducing Hardware 3

Protecting Your Computer System

1. Make notes as you work so that you can go back

step by step to check your work later if necessary
2. When unpacking hardware or software, remove the
packing tape and cellophane from the work area as
soon as possible.
3. Keep components away from your hair and clothing.
4. Keep screws and spacers orderly and in one place.
Such as cup.
5. Do not stack boards on top of each other. You
dislodge a chip accidently.

Chapter 1: Introducing Hardware 4

Protecting Your Computer System

6. When handling motherboards and expansion cards ,

do not touch the chips on the boards.
7. Hold expansion cards by the edges. Do not touch
any soldered components on a card.
8. Always turn off a computer before moving it.
9. To protect disks, keep them away from magnetic
field, heat and extreme cold. Do not touch the disk’s
surface.
10.To protect both you and the equipment when
working inside a computer, turn off the power,
unplug the computer.
Chapter 1: Introducing Hardware 5
Protecting Your Computer System

11.Never touch the inside of computer that is turned on.

Chapter 1: Introducing Hardware 6

Protecting Against Electrostatic
Discharge (ESD)
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is an electrical
charge that can build up on the surface of
insulating materials
When two objects with dissimilar electrical
charges touch, static electricity passes
between them until the dissimilar charges
become equal
ESD can damage electronic components, or
cause total failure
Chapter 1: Introducing Hardware 7
Protecting Against Electrostatic
Discharge (ESD)
 Always ground yourself before touching electronic
components
 A ground bracelet is an antistatic strap you wear
around your wrist
 A ground mat provides a grounded surface on which
to place components with which you are working
 Whenever possible, lay computer components on
static shielding bags
 Unplug your computer before you work on it

Chapter 1: Introducing Hardware 8

Protecting Against Electrostatic
Discharge (ESD)

Chapter 1: Introducing Hardware 9

Protecting Against EMI
(Electromagnetic Interference)
 When electricity flows, it creates an electromagnetic
field in a radio frequency range
 Emissions from one device can interfere with other
devices, causing EMI
 EMI can lead to data loss, picture quality degradation
on monitors, and other problems with your computer,
or problems with radio and TV reception
 Always install face plates in empty drive bays or slot
covers over empty expansion slots
 Avoid having computers on the same circuit as high-
powered electrical equipment

Chapter 1: Introducing Hardware 10

Providing Surge Protection
and Battery Backup
Consider how the power coming into the
computer is regulated
Many devices are available to filter the AC
input from a wall socket to a computer and its
peripherals, as well as to provide backup
power when the AC fails
– Power Conditioners
– Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs)

Chapter 1: Introducing Hardware 11

Power Conditioners

A power conditioner (or line conditioner)

provides protection against spikes
It also regulates or conditions power by
providing continuous voltage during spikes or
brownouts
Power conditioners provide no protection
against a complete loss of power during a
blackout

Chapter 1: Introducing Hardware 12

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS)

conditions the line for both brownouts and
spikes, provides backup power during a
blackout, and protects against very high spikes
that could damage equipment
A smart UPS or intelligent UPS allows you to
manage the UPS using software installed on
your computer

Chapter 1: Introducing Hardware 13

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

Chapter 1: Introducing Hardware 14

Chapter Summary

In this chapter, you learned:

– That a computer requires both hardware and
software to work
– About the different hardware components that are
inside and connected to a computer
– About basic ways to protect yourself and your
computer system as you work on a computer

Chapter 1: Introducing Hardware 15

 Understanding
and Troubleshooting
Your PC
Chapter 1 Complete