Computer Repair Is A Tricky Business

Computer is a combination of analog and digital device which is used to compute complex mathematical problems. It is basically a programmable electronic device which performs high speed mathematical and logical operations. The main function of computer is to perform repetitive procedures very quickly and reliably.

The computer can be broadly divided in two sections; one is hardware and the other is software. The hardware is made of electronic circuits and components while ...
Computer is a combination of analog and digital device which is used to compute complex mathematical problems. It is basically a programmable electronic device which performs high speed mathematical and logical operations. The main function of computer is to perform repetitive procedures very quickly and reliably.

The computer can be broadly divided in two sections; one is hardware and the other is software. The hardware is made of electronic circuits and components while the software is the programs required to run the central processing unit or the CPU. Again the hardware is of four type i.e. CPU, input, output and memory device. Now a days looking at the vast uses of computer people are using computer at their offices and at homes for working as well as entertainment purposes.

As we all know that each and every electronic goods need repairing and computer is not excluded from that list. Whenever there is any troubleshoot in this whole procedure the computer seems to function improperly. As a result we need to repair our computer to make it function properly. It is very tedious to repair ones computer and beside that it is also time consuming if the problem is unknown by the repairer. But if anyone has sound information regarding computer repair then it would seem to be rather easier. There are several organizations with trained and qualified technicians to help you out whenever you have problem with your computer. There are also various computer selling organizations who give after sell repairing service completely at free of cost. While there are other computers organizations, which have good computer technicians, provide only repairing service. Each of these companies serves their clients with best technical services. There are also different books or guidelines to provide us various information regarding computer trouble shoot and how to repair them. There are also technical colleges and training institute for technicians to learn more about computer problems and their repairing.

There are computers of various brands such as IBM, HP, Compaq, Dell, Apple etc. in the market and they differ from each other in respect of hardware and software. Therefore their troubleshooting problems also differ from each other. So the technicians should know how to repair these different computers. A good computer technician is required to familiar with various operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, Macintosh, Linux, etc. A good technician must also know how to deal with different computer peripherals such as printers, scanners, fax machines, etc.

Here are few troubleshoots of computers which are very common. They are 1) Power Supply Failure, 2) Motherboard Troubleshooting, 3) Hard Drive Failure 4), CD and DVD Drive Troubleshooting, 5) Modem Failure, 6) Sound and Game Card Failure, 7) Peripheral Failure 8) Virus Threats and many more. At first the technician need to do a complete diagnostic checkup. Then he needs follow those Basic Computer Repairing rules to repair a troubleshooting computer successfully. Beside these computer requires regular update, virus cleaning and modifications. At last we can conclude that if computers are maintained and handled properly then we can prevent our computers from various troubleshoots as we all know that 'prevention is always better than cure'.

How To Recognize And Repair Power Supply Problems

The Power Supply convert's your regular household current into low DC voltage used by the computer. When this component fails,there is simply no activity going on wih your computer.Remember to do the easy troubleshooting first.Inspect the Power Supply for any damage.Double-Check all connections.

Learning how to check your power supply and how to replace it when needed can be a life saver if you're a computer buff or in business with the trusted PC.Don't take for granted th...


The Power Supply convert's your regular household current into low DC voltage used by the computer. When this component fails,there is simply no activity going on wih your computer.Remember to do the easy troubleshooting first.Inspect the Power Supply for any damage.Double-Check all connections.

Learning how to check your power supply and how to replace it when needed can be a life saver if you're a computer buff or in business with the trusted PC.Don't take for granted the simple pleasure of turning on your PC and everything works just fine.

We turned on one of our computers recently and in about one hour,it just re-booted itself.And it continued doing so about 10 times a day until we found out the power supply was the culprit.Things to look for when your power supply is going bad or just dies on you are the following.

NO POWER TO THE COMPUTER

Here you must first check the wall outlet for power by connecting another device such as a radio or lamp to be sure power is present.If the computer is connected through a surge protector,check it as well.

If the wall out has power,check the power cable going to the PC to see if AC voltage is making its way to the system unit.Do this with the use of a multimeter.

If there is power,you will have to open the PC and check for power from the power supply to the motherboard.

When using a multimeter to check voltage,be sure you have a good ground for the black lead of the multimeter.

RE-BOOTING PROBLEMS

One main problem you may face with an ailing Power Supply is that it may re-boot the computer without any warning.All information is lost and it seems as though this happens at the worst possible time.

Booting errors when the computer first start's up is another indicator of this component going on the blink.

POWER DISTRIBUTION PROBLEMS

When the power supply begins to fail,you may receive power at one device and not another.For example,the Hard Drive may receive power but the CDROM Drive has nothing at all.

Another headache with would cause re-booting is the intermittent power going to the drives or the motherboard itself.Follow the steps below to check your power supply should you experience some of the above problems.

CHECKING THE POWER SUPPLY

If the wall outlet,and the power cord are good,make sure the connection at the motherboard is secure.Then you may have to face the fact that the power supply itself is bad.If you have a Multimeter you can test the power supply output before purchasing a new one.Simply follow these steps.

Turn off the PC,but do not unplug it,open the system unit. Set the multimeter to read DC volts in the next range higher than 12 volts.Locate a power connector similair to the hard drive,or cdrom drive connector that is unused and turn on the PC.

You can also unplug a drive connector and use it as well.Turn on the PC and insert the BLACK probe into the power connector on one of the BLACK wires.Touch the RED probe to the YELLOW wire on the power connector.

The multimeter reading should be +12 volts Now touch the RED probe to the RED wire and the reading should be +5 volts.If no readings or different readings occured,you'll have to replace the power supply.If the readings were correct,you should check the P8 or P9 connectors at the motherboard. These connectors may also be named P4 and P5.To check these connectors,perform the following...

Insert the BLACK probe into P8 at one of the BLACK wires. Insert the RED probe into the P8 connector at the RED wire. The reading on the multimeter should be +5 volts

Check the power going to the Motherboard connections by inserting the RED probe into P8 at the YELLOW wire and you should get +12 volts.Leave the BLACK wire touching the black wire at the P8 connector.Check the BLUE wire and the reading should be a -12 volts.

Now move the BLACK probe to the BLACK wire on the P9 connector.Test the WHITE wire by inserting the RED probe and the reading should be -5 volts.Check the RED wires on the P9 connector and you should get +5 volts on each red wire.You won't get exactly 5 or 12 volts but the readings will be very close, such as 5.02 volts.

If the Power Supply is a couple of volts off,in either direction,such as when the RED wire should be reading -5 volts but it reads -8 volts,or if there are no readings,replace the power supply.

DO NOT remove the power supply from the system unit case when performing these tests.DO NOT perform these tests if you do not feel comfortable.Be sure to remove any and all electrical static build-up from your clothes and body BEFORE touching any parts inside the system unit.And NEVER open the power supply case for any reason,since high voltage may be present.

How To Recognize And Repair PC Mouse Problems

The Motherboard is the largest component in your PC and the Central Processing Unit is its brain. But when your input devices go on the blink, you're shut down for awhile. When Computer Mice problems come, we don't panic as fast when we cannot access our hard drive.

When you grab your Mouse and either click or roll the buttons and nothing happens,your computing fun stops. Even though the mouse is a little input device, you will wish you understood its every aspect when it ...

The Motherboard is the largest component in your PC and the Central Processing Unit is its brain. But when your input devices go on the blink, you're shut down for awhile. When Computer Mice problems come, we don't panic as fast when we cannot access our hard drive.

When you grab your Mouse and either click or roll the buttons and nothing happens,your computing fun stops. Even though the mouse is a little input device, you will wish you understood its every aspect when it dies.

When input device failure occurs,the problem may lie with the computer's hardware,the mouse, the OS or Operating System. Let's take a look at what you should check when mouse failure occurs. If you need help with mouse components, http://www.ultimatepcrepair.com contains photos of every component in the computer.

When the mouse dies,you should be able to perform the same functions with the keyboard. It may be a little closer but you won't be shut down completely.

NO MOUSE MOVEMENT

First... If the mouse has no movement,first look at the mouse connection at the rear of the computer. Be sure it is plugged in completely.

Second..remove the plug and inspect for connectors or pins that may be broken or bent. The connector is color coded with green being that of the mouse.

If your mouse uses the USB or Universal Serial Bus connector,check the connectors for any damage and be sure it is plugged in.

MOUSE STOPPED DURING OPERATION

Should your mouse quit in the middle of computing, save your work immediately. Press the ALT key to access your program and save your work.

Check the connection in the rear to be sure it has not worked itself loose.If the connection is tight, inspect the mouse components for birt.

Remove the retain and trackball inside the mouse. Clean the Ball with a mild solution and be sure all residence is removed.And clean the Ball Cavity with a cotton swab. Replace the ball and secure it with the retainer.

Connect the mouse to the system unit and boot the the computer.Try clicking a program to see if the mouse wotks.If the mouse fails,check the device driver for the mouse.

MOUSE POINTER MISBEHAVING

This problem may be the result of your computer be affected by a virus.Use your Anti Virus software to scan your sysem for viruses.

You can go to http://www.free-av.com to download a free version of anti virus software if you don't have anti virus software installed on your system.

A corrupt device driver can also cause the mouse to misbehave.Check the device driver by opening the Control Panel,and open the System folder.

Select the device driver tab and use the down arrow key to scroll down to the mouse. Expand the mouse to see if the driver is installed.

If you see a yellow icon,the mouse has a problem and you can try to re-install the device driver. First uninstall the mouse from Windows and reboot the PC.

After the system reboots,the operating system will find the mouse and re-install the driver. If you have a wireless or USB mouse, re-installing the special software may be in order.

A misbehaving mouse may occur when you install another device on your system.If this happens, the mouse and new device may be conflicting with each other by using the same address.

Unplug any hardware you installed and uninstall any software recently installed.See if the mouse operates properly.

Use the System Restore utility to set your computer back to a time when the mouse was working as it should.The Registry can be the culprit of the mouse behaving badly.

You can connect your mouse to another computer to verify it is bad.If the mouse works on another system,check the problems mentioned in the PC's operating system.

MAINTAINING YOUR MOUSE

To keep the mouse performing at its very best, you should take the time to clean the components of your mouse.Regularly clean the mouse, both inside and out.

Clean the outside of the mouse with rubbing alcohol. This solution is best since it does not leave any residue.Take the time to clean a small area first, to certain any damage to the plastic will not occur.

The components inside the mouse to be cleaned are the Rollers, as well as the Ball.These two parts are the most important to be kept clean and always take great care in doing so.

Carefully take apart the mouse by turning the retaining ring counter clockwise to unlock it. Remove the Ball and clean it with warm water and not alcohol.

The rollers inside the moise cavity can be cleaned with alcohol by dampening a Q Tip and wiping the rollers gently.

With clean hands,insert the ball back in the mouse and replace the retaining ring. Now enjoy your mouse and should it cause any problems,you're armed with the knowledge of how to diagnose and repair most problems.

How To Properly Troubleshoot Video Display Problems

When you have problems with your video display,it can be something as simple as having the brightness turned down to a bad controller on the motherboard.If you have not done,first learn to identify the components of the video display system.

When you look inside any open computer,see if you can locate the Video Card.Is your video card mounted in an adapter slot or is it integrated onto the motherboard.If the card is motherboard integrated,locate...

Troubleshoot Video Cards

When you have problems with your video display,it can be something as simple as having the brightness turned down to a bad controller on the motherboard.If you have not done,first learn to identify the components of the video display system.

When you look inside any open computer,see if you can locate the Video Card.Is your video card mounted in an adapter slot or is it integrated onto the motherboard.If the card is motherboard integrated,locate the jumpers that will allow the card to be disabled should you need to install another card.

The Monitor is the second component in the video display and it must be compatible with your video card.Be sure the maximumn resolution of your video card and monitor are the same.Its even better to your a higher resolution display on your monitor.

Go to http://www.ultimatepcrepair.com/photos.html to see a video card in an adapter slot and one that is motherboard mounted. Follow these procedures to correct any type of video display malfunction.

NOTHING ON THE MONITOR

As we first mentioned,chack the brightness and contrast buttons on the monitor to be sure they are not turned down. Yea,we know.This sounds a little silly to think this could be overlokked,but believe me,it really does.

And while we're talking about simple checks,be sure the monitor is receiving power.If the power indicator light is out,remove the power cable and look for any bent or broken pins or connectors.

Try to reboot the computer one or two times to be sure the system did not just lock up.If nothing happens,replace the cable with a known good cable to prove that the wall outlet or surge protector has power.

If the monitor has power but nothing is on the screen, check the data cable going into the rear of the computer. Be sure the cable is secure.If it is,Turn the power off to the system unit,remove the cable and look for broken, loose,or bent pins.

Finally,if you're blessed enough to have two computers, exchange the monitor with a good monitor to see if it works.Replace the old monitor if the new monitor works. If the new monitor fail as well,remove the system cover to inspect the Video Card.

MONITOR WORKS BUT NO DISPLAY

When the Monitor is known to be good but its screen is still blank,the Video Card is the most likely culprit.First inspect the card to be sure it is fullly seated in its slot if it is adapter slot mounted.

Check the jumpers of any motherboard mounted card to be sure a jumper has not been lost or loose.If you have been inside your system,its always a possibility to have moved the card.

MONITOR WORKS BUT POOR DISPLAY

If your monitor works but the images appear fuzzy,or flickering often,and the text are hard to read,it may be time to adjust the video card's resolution and the refresh rate.

Right click the desktop,select properties and open the display properties dialog box.Choose the tab for settings and adjust the slider to change your display resolution.Most 17-inch monitors will have a resolution of 800 x 600 but choose the best resolution for your eyes.

After adjusting the resolution,check the display to see if all flickering and other problems have vanished. If not,optimize the refresh rate.The refresh rate is the rate in which the video card redraws the screen.Lower refresh rates sometimes cause flickering.

To adjust this rate,open the display properties dialog box in the desktop, and choose the settings tab once again.Click the advanced button and choose the adapter tab if your operating system is Windows 98.

If you have Windows XP,choose the Monitor tab.And from there you can set the refresh rate to about 70Hz or 70 Hertz.Check your monitor's manual or web site to see the maximum refresh rate for your monitor.

To effectively maintain your video display,visit the supporting web sites for updated software patches and device drivers.Watch for new control software for your card that will greatly boost its performance.

Take the time to clean the system unit case which will allow air to flow freely.This in turn will help keep the video components cool which will allow the card the perform smoothly.

Rush over to http://www.ultimatepcrepair.com/photos.html and study the video components.Then open your PC ,locate the video card,and know if it is motherboard mounted or not.To learn much more in great detail, get the PC Super Pack with detailed video all about the video display system.

How To Add A USB 2.0 Hub To Your Computer

Digital and video Cameras, scanners, mp3 players, and just about every other electronic device are designed to be connected to your computer.

And all new computers make it simple to connect these devices with the use of the USB or Universal Serial Bus port. But with the many devices you may have,you can still run short of these ports.

If you find your computer using all of its USB ports, you can get your hands on a USB Hub. This hub contains several usb ports. So rather...
Digital and video Cameras, scanners, mp3 players, and just about every other electronic device are designed to be connected to your computer.

And all new computers make it simple to connect these devices with the use of the USB or Universal Serial Bus port. But with the many devices you may have,you can still run short of these ports.

If you find your computer using all of its USB ports, you can get your hands on a USB Hub. This hub contains several usb ports. So rather than unplugging one device to plug in another, a usb hub allows you to connect multiple devices.

To setup a usb hub on your computer you need to be sure your system allow you to connect the hub. If your computer was made before 1997 it most likely won't support a USB.

Check your computer to see if there is a usb port available. http://www.ultimatepcrepair.com/photos.html have photos showing what USB ports look like and where they should be found in any computer.

You should consider the reason you want to purchase a USB hub. This will help in deciding the type of usb hub you want to purchase. And research the device you want to connect, as not all devices can be connected to USB hubs.

The two types of USB hubs are the Self Powered which draws power from an external power supply and the bus powered hub which is inserted in an expansion slot and draws power from the motherboard.

Some devices that use large amounts of power work poorly with bus powered hubs. A scanner for example, will wotk much better connected to a self powered USB hub.

When connecting a device to the USB hub, see what version of usb it may be. USB 1.0 was the first version released and today the fast version is the usb 2.0 All USB 2.0 hubs are backward compatible. This allows them to run the slower USB 1.0 devices.

The price of a hub 2.0 hub varies from about $25.00 to $65.00 and comes in several brands. The price depends on the number of ports you want on the hub.

INSTALLING YOUR NEW USB HUB

Its always a good practice to backup your files before you work in your computer.Remove the hub from its packing and carefully inspect it for damaged and be sure all components are present. Stop and carefully read the hub manual for instructions such as turn the computer off first or that you must install the software before connecting the hub to the computer.

If you have a powered hub, plug the power cord in an outlet and connect the usb cable from the usb hub into an open USB port. With the hub connected place the cdrom that come with the hub and install the software onto the hard drive.

Set the USB hub in a location where you can easily connect your scanner,modem,or other devices. Remember that your computer only runs at the highest usb speed.If your hub is a USB 2.0 but your computer only supports USB 1.0 then the 1.0 connection will be your max speed.

If your USB hub is self powered,install the card in an empty expansion slot by removing the system unit cover, removing the retaining screw and cover from the slot, firmly slide the card in the slot, and use the retaining screw to secure it to the motherboard.

Start your computer and your operating system should recognize the new device. Install any software that came with the hub.You may need to install a device driver to allow the computer to communicate with the hub.

Its that easy and why not make it something fun to do. Learn as you go and be in the state of mind to enjoy your task. You will look forward to perform other tasks in the same state of mind.

Do Computer Repair Classes Make Sense For You?

There is a lot to know if you plan on repairing computers for a living. Even if you simply plan on moonlighting with a computer repair business, the amount of information you are expected to know can be daunting. Computer repair classes may make sense for you if you have both time and some money to invest in some training.

The first thing you'll want to determine is what kind of training you will need. Do you need advanced training or are you looking for simple techniques?...
There is a lot to know if you plan on repairing computers for a living. Even if you simply plan on moonlighting with a computer repair business, the amount of information you are expected to know can be daunting. Computer repair classes may make sense for you if you have both time and some money to invest in some training.

The first thing you'll want to determine is what kind of training you will need. Do you need advanced training or are you looking for simple techniques? Knowing what kind of training you need can reduce the time it take you to find the right class for your training needs.

How much of a budget have you set aside for training? Most computer training takes money. The more advanced the training, the more money it will cost. The cost will also depend on whether you follow a course of study. For the computer repair industry, compTia's A+ certification is the one most recognized. Most computer training centers will offer a course on A+ certification.

Other training that makes sense for a computer repair technician includes computer networks including compTia's Network+, Microsoft's MSCE certification and CISCO certifications. You could also benefit from computer security certification like compTia's Security+, MCSE security, Cisco security and even an ethical hacking cert like CISSP training.

Know what you plan on focusing your energies on. If you plan on working for someone else, know what area you plan on concentrating on. If you plan on owning your own business, you should also know what your area of concentration is going to be. Don't take the MSCE certification if you intend to focus your business on Linux based products. While this may seem obvious to some, I've encountered people who were confused on this issue.

Bottom line, choose a computer training firm that has been around a while and is known for their thoroughness and expertise. There is nothing worse than paying big bucks for computer training that fails to prepare you properly for the field. Do some research, ask some people in the industry. In the end, if you've done your homework, you'll be fine.

Finding A Computer Repair Shop You Can Trust

Your have a computer repair that needs to get done right away. You are ready to take it anywhere. Question is, where should you take it? Does it really matter where you take it? I would suggest that it does. Here are some things you may have not considered before.

What kind of turn around time do they have? Some computer repair shops will take two to three weeks to return your computer to you. Are you ready to be without your computer for that long? If not, shop around. Th...
Your have a computer repair that needs to get done right away. You are ready to take it anywhere. Question is, where should you take it? Does it really matter where you take it? I would suggest that it does. Here are some things you may have not considered before.

What kind of turn around time do they have? Some computer repair shops will take two to three weeks to return your computer to you. Are you ready to be without your computer for that long? If not, shop around. There are computer repair shops that can get your computer back to you in as little as a few hours. Some of these faster companies can charge more but the speed is worth it if you are working on a big project that has to get done right away.

What do they charge for their hourly fee? Some companies charge really high fees and take a really long time to get the computer back to you. You want to take your repair to a computer repair shop that will be quick and will do the repair right the first time. Look for a computer repair shop that posts their prices. Most shops have a set price list for specific tasks. Look for a company that can give you a solid quote before they start their work. You should also make sure they will contact you for approval if there is any reason to increase their repair bill before they start the repair.

Is their staff A+ certified? The A+ certification doesn't guarantee that the computer technician knows what he is doing but it is generally a good indicator that they have invested the time into their craft to do it well. You should also find out if everyone on staff is A+ certified or only certain staff. Ask to have the certified staff do the work.

Trust your gut. If after talking with someone at the shop in person you don't get a good feeling about them, walk away. In any given town there are many people who do computer repairs. Don't be afraid of shopping around.