Preventive Maintenance and Upgrading

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Module 12

• Preventive Maintenance and Upgrading

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Preventive Maintenance Program

• The main goal of any preventive maintenance
  program is to pre-empt problems before they
  happen.
• There are three questions that need to be
  addressed when developing a preventive
  maintenance program. This means asking when, why,
  and how?
• When is the best time to prevent problems from
  happening?
• Why is this maintenance being done now?
• How is this system to be maintained?

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Tools and Equipment

• A technician should have a toolbox that contains
  the basic tools as shown in the graphic.
• A toolkit should also include the following
• Flat-head screwdriver
• Phillips-head screwdriver
• Nut drivers
• Needle-nose pliers
• Diagonals or crosscut pliers
• Mirror to help see in tight places
• Digital multimeter
• Flashlight

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Tools and Equipment

• The toolset should also include a digital
  multimeter (DMM).
• A DMM can perform electrical tests and measure
  voltage, amps, and ohms in both alternating and
  direct current.
• A DMM can be used to test power supplies, DC/AC
  voltage and polarity, resistance, diodes,
  continuity, coaxial cable, fuses, and batteries.
  

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Tools and Equipment

• Loop-back plugs provide important diagnostic
  information for troubleshooting serial and
  parallel ports.
• Loop-back testing works by sending out signals
  and verifying that the correct input is received.
  

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Guidelines for a Server Room

• In the server room, temperature is important.
• Operating temperature of 10 to 35 degrees C (50
  to 95 degrees F)
• Storage temperature of 4.5 to 40.6 degrees C (40
  to 95 degrees F)
• Relative humidity should be in the range of 20 to
  50 percent.
• The area around the server should be kept free of
  debris and clutter.
• The server should be locked in a closet with
  limited access.

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Disposal of Hazardous Materials

• Batteries
• recycle
• Monitors or CRTs
• Salvage or recycle contents
• Toner Kits, Cartridges, or Developers
• Laser recycle
• Ink Jet discard
• Chemical Solvents, Aerosol Cans
• Clear contents then dispose

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Material Safety and Data Sheet

• A Material Safety and Data Sheet (MSDS) is a fact
  sheet that summarizes information about material
  identification.
• MSDS is used to inform workers and management
  about hazards associated with the products and
  how to handle them safely.
• To determine if a material used in PC repairs or
  preventive maintenance is classified as
  hazardous, consult the manufacturer MSDS.

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Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

• Static electricity is the buildup of an electric
  charge resting on a surface.
• ESD is the worst enemy of the fine electronics
  found in computer systems.
• At least 3000 volts must be built up before a
  person can feel an ESD. If the discharge causes
  pain or makes a noise, then the charge was
  probably above 10,000 volts.
• Most computer chips run on less than five volts
  of electricity.
• A computer component could be damaged by less
  than 3000 volts of static buildup.

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Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

• Special packing materials are used with
  microchips and Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs).
• Do not remove any component from special
  packaging until it is ready to be installed.

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Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

• When working on a computer or the individual
  components, some tools should be used to reduce
  the risk of ESD.
• A grounding wrist strap provides a place for the
  static to go before it attacks a sensitive
  computer component.
• Note A wrist strap should not be worn when
  working with high-voltage equipment, such as a
  power supply or a CRT monitor.

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Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

• A good working area should include antistatic
  tile on the floors, grounded workbenches with
  antistatic mats, and wrist straps.
• The area should be clean, well lit, and the
  humidity level should be maintained between 20
  percent and 50 percent.
• All of these elements will significantly reduce
  the risk of ESD.
• Note Cool temperatures and low humidity increase
  the potential for ESD.

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Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

• It is very important to keep the inside of the
  computer clean.
• To properly clean inside the computer case,
  unplug the unit and move it away from other
  equipment.
• Use a can of compressed air to blow out all of
  the dust within the case.
• This process should be done at least once a year
  if an area is not very dusty and two or three
  times a year in very dusty areas.

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Cleaning Peripheral Devices

• When cleaning a display (monitor), make sure the
  device is unplugged from the wall.
• Use a damp cloth with a mild detergent to wipe
  down the entire display unit and remove any dust
  buildup.
• Dampen another cloth with water to remove any
  cleaner residue on the surface of the monitor.
• After cleaning the display, use a dry cloth to
  complete the job.

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Cleaning Peripheral Devices

• A mechanical mouse may not function properly if
  it becomes dirty.
• When dust settles on the mouse pad, it gets swept
  up into the moving parts of the mouse.
• This causes a buildup on the rollers inside the
  mouse.
• The fastest way to clean it is to remove the
  plate on the bottom of the mouse, remove the
  ball, and then gently scrape the dust buildup
  from the rollers.

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Cleaning Peripheral Devices

• Keyboards are also exposed to the environment,
  which allows dust to build up on the keyboard
  over time.
• Periodic cleaning of the keyboard will prolong
  the lifespan and prevent malfunction.
• The keys on a keyboard can be removed to allows
  easy access to the areas where dust collects.
• A soft brush or cotton swab can be used to remove
  dirt from under the keys.
• Compressed air can be used to blow out dust from
  below the keys.

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Cleaning Peripheral Devices

• Printers have many moving parts within them.
• They require a higher level of maintenance.
• Printers also produce impurities that collect on
  the components within the device.
• Over time, these impurities need to be cleaned
  out.
• Otherwise, they may cause the printer to
  malfunction.

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Utilities

• There are several utilities included with DOS and
  Windows that help maintain system integrity.
• If used on a regular basis, the following
  utilities can increase system speed and
  efficiency.
• ScanDisk This utility is used to check the
  integrity of files and folders or to thoroughly
  check the system by scanning the disk for
  physical errors.
• Defrag This utility optimizes space on the hard
  drive to allow programs to execute faster.
• CHKDSK /f This command is used to check the
  file system for errors and can be compared to the
  ScanDisk for Windows 2000 and XP.
• REGEDIT provides access to the Registry in a
  view similar to Windows Explorer.

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User Responsibilities

• There are a few things that the end user of a
  computer can do in order to make the system work
  properly.
• Using the system utilities are one way of making
  a system run smoother.
• Managing applications
• Managing files and folders
• Backing up the work

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Firewalls

• Security breaches on a home computer may allow a
  hacker to steal stored data or use the computer
  to hack into other computers.
• A home firewall can be used to prevent hacker
  attacks on a home computer.
• A firewall is a hardware or software system that
  is used to prevent unauthorized people from
  accessing sensitive data.

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Firewalls

• A typical home firewall system also includes the
  following features
• Closes the broadband connection after detecting
  any attempts to hack into a digital appliance
• Allows different family members to set their own
  levels of security
• Records all broadband Internet access events
• All data, video, and voice traffic between these
  two networks is examined by the firewall.

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Firewalls

• After installing a firewall, certain ports will
  need to be opened to use e-mail and the Internet.
  
• SMTP uses port 25 and POP3 uses port 110 to
  transmit and receive e-mail.
• Port 80 will also need to be opened for HTTP, the
  standard protocol that supports the exchange of
  information on the World Wide Web.

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Firewalls

• Windows XP has a built in firewall called
  Internet Connection Firewall (ICF)
• ICF is a software component that blocks
  unsolicited traffic from the Internet.
• ICF monitors all the outbound and inbound
  communications of a computer.
• If ICF does not recognize a packet being sent or
  received, the packet is dropped.

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Power Issues

• Computers components are vulnerable to various
  kinds electrical fluctuations and can be damaged
  by electrical discharges because of the delicate
  nature of the internal components.
• Blackouts, brownouts, noise, spikes, and surges
  are all examples of power interruptions that can
  cause system malfunctions or even complete system
  failure.

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Power Issues

• Blackouts Blackouts are the complete loss of
  power for any amount of time
• Brownouts/Sags Sags and brownouts are a drop in
  power
• A sag is a brownout that lasts less than a
  second.
• Brownouts occur when voltage on the power line
  falls below 80 percent of the normal voltage.
• Noise Noise is caused by interference from
  radio broadcasts, generators, and lighting.

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Power Issues

• Spikes Spikes are sudden increases in voltage
  that are much higher than normal levels. If the
  event lasts one or two seconds, it is called a
  spike. These are usually caused by lightning
  strikes.
• Power Surge Is a dramatic increase in voltage
  above the normal flow of electrical current. A
  power surge lasts more than 3 nanoseconds.

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Surge Suppressors

• Surge suppressors, also known as surge protectors
  can help guard against electrical surges and
  spikes.
• A surge suppressor works by diverting the extra
  voltage to the ground.
• Surge suppressors usually have a built-in fuse
  that stops excess amounts of power from flowing
  through the unit.
• A surge suppressor is useless during brownouts or
  blackouts.

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Standby Power Supplies

• A standby power supply (SPS) is equipped with a
  backup battery to supply power when the incoming
  voltage drops below the normal level.
• The battery is on standby during the normal
  operation of the unit.
• When the voltage slips, the battery kicks in to
  provide DC power to a power inverter, which
  converts it to AC power for the computer.

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Uninterruptible Power Supplies

• An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is
  comparable to SPS.
• A UPS runs off the battery power the entire time
  it is in use.
• The power coming into the unit recharges the
  batteries while they are in use.
• The power from the battery is sent to an
  inverter, which sends AC to the computer.
• A UPS can also help guard against power sags or
  brownouts.
• The reason most people would choose to have a UPS
  over an SPS is the switching time involved with
  an SPS.