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| Regularly looking over the computer and its immediate environment helps keep the technician apprised of how dusty or dirty the equipment is, and how often it needs to be cleaned. |
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| Keeping the computer as up-to-date as possible is necessary for continued efficiency and security, as equipment and software that isn't up to date could potentially be exploited. |
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| Making sure all hardware on the system is using the latest drivers is vital to keeping them functioning at peak effciency. |
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| Firmware, or the programming that controls a hardware device from a chip built into the device (the CMOS chip in a PC is an example of firmware), is occasionally updated by manufacturers. |
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| Both Windows and Apple's Mac OS X have automatic update utilities built into them that can check for updates and download them without user interaction, though they can be activated manually as well. |
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| It is absolutely vital to have a number of security programs running on any machine that is connected to a network or share files with any other machine; at a minimum, a computer should have anti-virus software installed, at it's best the computer has anti-maleware/spyware software and a firewall installed as well. |
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| Scheduling preventative maintenance |
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| Many maintenance tasks on a computer can be automated, set to run when a computer isn't being used and thus run interrupted without affecting user uptime. |
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| Over time, as files are erased and added to the hard drive, the blocks of data that make up system and user files become fragmented, stored on different areas of the drive. |
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| Scandisk is an older version of a disk checking utility that scans a hard drive for bad sectors and marks them as such, so the system doesn't try to use them. It can fix data errors, but can't repair the sectors themselves. |
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| The modern version of Scandisk, introduced with windows 2000. Chkdsk can attempt to recover data from bad sectors, but can't fix the sectors. |
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| One of the most common drags on system resources is the inisertion of startup programs, which boot with windows and use system resources that put extra demand on the computer. |
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| Use of appropriate repair tools and cleaning materials |
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| When works in and around a computer, a technician needs to have the right tools and material to clean the work area, protect him or herself and ensure no damage happens to the computer. |
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| Compressed, or canned, air is useful for cleaning out dust and dirt from fans, cases, some drives and electronic circuit boards where the tech wants to minimize the possibility of electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage. |
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| Used where regular cloths might scratch or cause ESD damage to delicate components, these cloths are useful for using cleaner in areas where it can't be just sprayed on, such as over exposed circuit boards or CPUs that need old thermal grease removed. |
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| Computer vacuum compressors |
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| Regular vacuums generate excessive ESD, so in cases where canned air is insufficient or blowing the dust and dirt might worsen the issue, computer vacuums should be used to clean the area. Computer vacuums are handheld units made from antistatic materials, so they will not generate ESD, and they don't spread dirt and dust around, which makes them useful in tight quarters. |
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| Whenever possible, a computer should not be plugged directly into a wall socket; to protect against power spikes and blackouts, a computer and monitor should always be at least plugged into a power strip with built-in surge protector or line conditioner, wich evens out the current flow and prevents spikes that can destroy components. Another alternative is an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), which acts as a backup battery, allowing time to shut down the computer in a orderly fashion in case of power outage; they generally have surge protection and line conditioning properties as well. |
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| Ensuring proper environment |
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Definition
| Portable computers will work in a myriad of environmental conditions, but for best performance, it’s best to keep these machines in conditions that won’t damage the machine. Ideally, the operating temperature range will stay between 50 and 95°F (10–35°C); if the machine is in storage or not being used, the typical safe temperature range is between -4 and 140°F (-20–60°C). |
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| Before doing any work on a machine, the tech or the user should always back up the machine. Never work on a machine that hasn’t had its data backed up. If a backup needs to be setup, the tech should be sure to follow these general steps |
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Term
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Definition
| Decide on the backup media to be used, whether it’s tape, external hard drive, flash drive, optical storage or network attached storage (NAS) system. Make sure it’s accessible and has sufficient storage, and if possible, have it stored off-site |
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| Select the backup software to be used. Windows has a built-in backup utility, but there are several third-party solutions that offer an impressive array of capabilities and features. |
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| Set up a schedule for backing up. Full backups are unnecessarily expensive in time and media, so set a plan that does full backups every once in a while, and backs up only data that has changed on a daily basis |
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| Log the backups with time and date information, along with any other identifying information that will be needed if the backups are needed to rebuild a system |
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| Verify the backup set after creating the first one to ensure it captured what it should have and can be used. This can be done simply by deleting a file and recovering it from the backup set. |
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| Store the backup sets in a safe area, preferably off-site, and test them on a regular basis. Since sensitive data will almost certainly be on these sets, be sure to keep them in a secure location with whatever security measures can be implemented. |
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| Mobile computers can be powered by an AC adapter, which plugs into a wall socket or an internal battery(DC) |
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| Troubleshooting Power(start) |
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Definition
| Techs will want to ensure mobile computer is plugged into a working outlet, which can be checked with an outlet tester, a voltmeter or a multimeter to make sure the outlet is live providing the correct levels of power. |
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| Troubleshooting Power(Con't) |
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Definition
| Check the connections on the AC adapter at the outlet and the computer is next; if the adapter cord isn’t working, it needs replacement. |
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| Since mobile computers come with a display panel built into the unit, one of the quickest ways to troubleshoot video issues is to connect an external monitor to the system and see if the issue is apparent on the external monitor. |
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| The issue is not with the desktop or switching between the internal and external displays is next. than if it works fine(monitor) the problem lies in integrated LCD panel. |
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| The internal display fails displaying a white picture, but the external ,omitor works, the connector between the display and the motherboard might be loose. |
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| As with display issues, one of the most effectibe ways to troubleshoot keyboard issues isd connect an external keyboard to the mobile computer and test it by openning a simple text program. |
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| With most laptops, the track pad or pointer mechansim is part of the keyboard assembly, so the step to troubleshoot it are identical. Attaching an external mouse is the first step, and if it works-machine may need to shut down and/or rebooted,espically if using a PS/2 |
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| IF canceling or pushing the jobs does not help, the spooler can be entirely cleared by selecting,Cancel All Doc. from the Printer drop-down menu. Taking the printer offline from the same menu and bringing it back online can help as well; power cycling the printer may have the same effort |
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Term
| Print properties and settings |
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Definition
| After checking the jobs in the print spooler, the tech may need to check the printer properties and settings to make sure those are set correctly. The printer may need to be set to the system default pritner, |
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