LESSON 1: Understanding the Computer System

Hardware- the physical, touchable, electronic and mechanical parts of a computer system.

A. Major hardware components of a computer system

The following list represents a basic set of hardware found in most PCs.

1. System Unit- The main part of a microcomputer, sometimes called the chassis. It includes
the following parts: Motherboard, Microprocessor, Memory Chips, Buses, Ports, Expansion
Slots and Cards.

2. Motherboard / Mainboard / System Board- The main circuit board of a computer. It

contains all the circuits and components that run the computer.

3. CPU (Central Processing Unit) - The processor is the main “brain” or “heart” of a computer
system. It performs all of the instructions and calculations that are needed and manages the
flow of information through a computer.

4. Primary storage- (internal storage, main memory or memory) is the computer's working
storage space that holds data, instructions for processing and processed data (information)
waiting to be sent to secondary storage. Physically, primary storage is a collection of RAM
chips.

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 Two (2) Types of Memory
a. ROM – (Read Only Memory) ROM is non-volatile, meaning it holds data even when the
power is ON or OFF.
b. RAM – (Random Access Memory) RAM is volatile, meaning it holds data only when the
power is on. When the power is off, RAM's contents are lost.

5. Expansion Bus - A bus is a data pathway between several hardware components inside or
outside a computer. It does not only connect the parts of the CPU to each other, but also
links the CPU with other important hardware.

6. Adapters- Printed-circuit boards (also called interface cards) that enable the computer to
use a peripheral device for which it does not have the necessary connections or circuit
boards. They are often used to permit upgrading to a new different hardware.

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6. Power Supply Unit (PSU) - Installed in the back corner of the PC case, next to the
motherboard. It converts 120vac (standard house power) into DC voltages that are used by
other components in the PC.

7. Hard Disk Drive (HDD) - Also known as hard drive, is a magnetic storage device that is
installed inside the computer. The hard drive is used as permanent storage for data. In a
Windows computer, the hard drive is usually configured as the C: drive and contains the
operating system and applications.

8. Optical Drive- An optical drive is a storage device that uses lasers to read data on the optical
media. There are three types of optical drives: Compact Disc (CD), Digital Versatile Disc
(DVD) and Blu-ray Disc (BD).

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 9. Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) - Designed to optically access data stored on a DVD. A laser
moves back and forth near the disk surface and accesses data at a very fast rate.

B. Input Devices - Accepts data and instructions from the user or from another computer system.

Two (2) Types of Input Devices

1. Keyboard Entry – Data is inputted to the computer through a keyboard.
Keyboard - The first input device developed for the PC. Data is transferred to the PC over a
short cable with a circular 6-pin Mini-din connector that plugs into the back of the
motherboard.

2. Direct Entry – A form of input that does not require data to be keyed by someone sitting at a
keyboard. Direct-entry devices create machine-readable data on paper, or magnetic media,
or feed it directly into the computer’s CPU.
Three Categories of Direct Entry Devices
1. Pointing Devices - An input device used to move the pointer (cursor) on screen.
 Mouse - The most common 'pointing device' used in PCs. Every mouse has two
buttons and most have one or two scroll wheels.
 Touch screen- A display screen that is sensitive to the touch of a finger or stylus.
Used in myriad applications, including ATM machines, retail point-of-sale terminals,
car navigation and industrial controls. The touch screen became wildly popular for
smart phones and tablets.
 Light Pen - A light-sensitive stylus wired to a video terminal used to draw pictures or
select menu options. The user brings the pen to the desired point on screen and
presses the pen button to make contact.
 Digitizer Tablet - A graphics drawing tablet used for sketching new images or tracing
old ones. Also called a "graphics tablet," the user contacts the surface of the device
with a wired or wireless pen or puck. Often mistakenly called a mouse, the puck is
officially the "tablet cursor."
2. Scanning Devices- A device that can read text or illustrations printed on paper and
translates the information into a form the computer can use.

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 3. Voice- Input Devices - Audio input devices also known as speech or voice recognition
systems that allow a user to send audio signals to a computer for processing, recording,
or carrying out commands. Audio input devices such as microphones allow users to
speak to the computer in order to record a voice message or navigate software.

C. Output Devices - Any piece of computer hardware that displays results after the computer has
processed the input data that has been entered.

1. Computer Display Monitor- It displays information in visual form, using text and graphics. The
portion of the monitor that displays the information is called the screen or video display terminal.

Types of Monitor

a. CRT Monitors - Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT) were the only type of displays for use with desktop
PCs. They are relatively big (14" to 16" deep) and heavy (over 15 lbs).

b. LCD Monitors - Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) technology has been used in laptops for some
time. It has recently been made commercially available as monitors for desktop PCs.

c. LED Monitors (Light Emitting Diode) - A display and lighting technology used in almost every
electrical and electronic product on the market, from a tiny on/off light to digital readouts,
flashlights, traffic lights and perimeter lighting.

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3. LCD Projectors- utilize two sheets of polarizing material with a liquid crystal solution
between them. An electric current passed through the liquid causes the crystals to align so
that light cannot pass through them. Each crystal, therefore, is like a shutter, either allowing
light to pass through or blocking the light.

4. Smart Board - A type of display screen that has a touch sensitive transparent panel covering
the screen, which is similar to a touch screen.

5. Printer - A device that prints text or illustrations on paper.

Types of printer
 Ink-Jet or Bubble-Jet Printer - Sprays ink at a sheet of paper. Ink-
jet printers produce high-quality text and graphics.

 Laser Printer - Uses the same technology as copy machines. Laser

printers produce very high quality text and graphics.

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  LED Printer- Similar to a laser printer, but uses liquid crystals or light-emitting diodes
rather than a laser to produce an image on the drum.

 Thermal Printer- An inexpensive printer that works by pushing

heated pins against heat-sensitive paper. Thermal printers are
widely used in calculators and fax machines.

6. Speakers - Used to play sound. They may be built into the system unit or connected with
cables. Speakers allow you to listen to music and hear sound effects from your computer.

D. Ports - External connecting sockets on the outside of the computer. This is a pathway into and
out of the computer. A port lets users plug in outside peripherals, such as monitors, scanners
and printers.

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E. Cables and Wires- A cable is most often two or more wires running side by side and bonded,
twisted or braided together to form a single assembly, but can also refer to a heavy strong rope.

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1.2 Software is the set of instructions (also called a program) that guides the hardware to operate
effectively. Software can be split into two main types:

1. System Software – Any software required to support the production or execution of application
programs, but which is not specific to any particular application. Common operating systems include
Windows, the Macintosh OS, OS/2 and UNIX.

2. Application Software – Designed to help the user to perform singular or multiple related tasks.
Examples of application software are as follows:

a. Word processing software - Creates, edits, saves, and prints documents. Example: MS Word,
WordPerfect, Ami Pro, MacWrite.

b. Spreadsheet software - An electronic spreadsheet consisting of rows and columns is used to

present and analyze data. Example: MS Excel, Lotus 123, Quattro Pro.

c. Database management software - Used to structure a database, a large collection of computer

programs. Data is organized as fields and records for easy retrieval. Example: MS Access, dBase, Fox
Pro, Oracle. LINUX WINDOWS MAC ICT- COMPUTER HARDWARE SERVICING 22

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d. Graphic software - Graphics programs display results of data manipulation for easier analysis and
presentation. Example: Macromedia Flash, Harvard Graphics, 3D Studio Max, Adobe Photoshop

1.3 People ware - Refers to people involved in the data

processing operations such as the system administrator, office
workers, students and others.

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 LESSON 2: USE OF TOOLS IN PC HARDWARE
SERVICING
Lesson2: Use of Tools in PC Hardware Servicing

To complete hardware repairs, it is important to have a toolkit that should contain all of
the necessary tools. As you gain experience, you will learn which tools to have available for
different types of jobs. Hardware tools are grouped into these four categories:

• Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) tools

• Hand tools
• Cleaning tools Diagnostic tools

Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) Tools

Static electricity is easily generated by friction on carpets, tile flooring, clothing, hair,
fabric, and etc. The friction of moving air alone will charge suspended particles and cause the
buildup of static electrical charges on people and objects in the environment. Grounded antistatic
work mats used with antistatic wrist straps provide the most basic means for the controlled
discharge of electrostatic electricity.

Examples of ESD Tools:

Anti-static wrist strap – Used to prevent ESD damage

to computer equipment.

Figure 29. Anti- static wrist strap

Anti-static mat – Used to stand on or place hardware on to

prevent static electricity from building up.

Figure 30. Anti- static mat

Hand Tools

A hand tool is a device for performing work on a material or a physical system using only
hands. Hand tools can be used manually or electrically powered, using electrical current.
Examples of Hand Tools are as follows:

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Table 3. Hand Tools
Tool Description

Flat Head Screwdriver – Used to loosen or tighten slotted

screws.

Philips Head Screwdriver – Used to loosen or tighten cross-

head screws.

Torx Screwdriver - Used to loosen or tighten screws that have

a star-like depression on the top, a feature that is mainly
found on laptop.

Hex Driver – Sometimes called a nut driver, is used to tighten

nuts in the same way that a screwdriver tightens screws.

Needle-Nose Pliers – Used to hold small parts.

Tool Description

Wire Cutter – Used to strip and cut wires.

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 Tweezers – Used to manipulate small parts.

Part Retriever – Used to retrieve parts from location that is

too small for your hand to fit.

Flashlight – Used to light up areas that you cannot see well.

Cleaning Tools
Having the appropriate cleaning tools is essential when maintaining or repairing
computers. Using these tools ensures that computer components are not damaged during
cleaning. Examples:

Table 4. Cleaning Tools

Tools Description

Lint-free Cloth – Used to clean different computer components without

scratching or leaving debris.

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 Tools Description

Compressed Air – Used to blow away dust and debris from different
computer parts without touching the components.

Cable Ties – Used to bundle cables neatly inside and outside of a

computer.

Parts Organizer – Used to hold screw, jumpers, fasteners and other

small parts and prevents them from getting mixed
together.

Diagnostic Tools

Computers are easier to use and more dependable with each new generation of
hardware and operating system update, but that does not mean they are problem-free. Here are
the most popular tools for diagnosing your computer problems:

Table 5. Diagnostic tools

Tools Description

Multimeter – Used to test the integrity of circuits and the quality of

electricity in computer components.

Loopback Adapter – Used to test the functionality of computer ports.

Proper Use of ESD Tools

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 Proper Use of Antistatic Wrist Strap
1. Connect the cable to the metal chassis of the computer.
2. Wrap the strap around your wrist.
3. The connection will keep your body at the same voltage (potential) as the computer.
4. Attach the wire on the same side of the equipment as the arm wearing the antistatic wrist
strap to keep the wire out of the way while you are working.

Figure 31. Proper Use of Anti- static wrist

strap

Proper Use of Antistatic Mat

1. Lay the computer on the mat.

2.Connect the computer to the mat with the cable.

3.Connect the mat to a reliable electrical ground with

its cable.

4.Now, you and the computer are at ground

Figure 32 . Proper Use of Anti- static mat
potential.

Proper Use of Hand Tools

1. Use the proper type and size of screwdriver by matching it to the screw.
2. Do not over tighten screws because the threads may become stripped.

Proper Use of Cleaning Materials

To clean computers and accessories:

1. Use mild cleaning solution and lint-free cloth to

clean computer cases, outside of monitor, LCD
screen, CRT screen and mouse.
2. Use compressed air to clean heat sinks.
3. Use Isopropyl alcohol and lint-free swabs to clean
RAM.
4.Use hand-held vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to clean a keyboard.

Task 1: Name a Tool

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Directions: Name the tools presented below. Write your answers on the space provided before
each tool.

8.
1.

9.
2.

3. 10.

4.
11.

5.
12.

6.
13.

7.
14.

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Task 2: Performance test

Directions: Using the pictures above. Classify the tools whether it is an ESD tool, Hand tool,
cleaning tool or a diagnostic tool.

ESD TOOL HAND TOOL CLEANING TOOL

Task 3. Clean it up!!

Direction: Complete the computer cleaning chart shown below. Indicate the appropriate tools
to be used in cleaning the different computer components.

COMPUTER MAINTENANCE
COMPONENTS TO CLEAN CLEAN WITH:
Computer case
Mouse
Keyboard
Monitor
Speaker
Cooling fan
Heat sink

Lesson3: Occupational Health and Safety Procedures

Occupational safety and health (OSH) is a planned system of working to prevent illness and
injury where you work by recognizing and identifying hazards and risks.

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Three steps to manage health and safety at work:

(1.) Spot the Hazard (Hazard Identification),

(2.) Assess the Risk (Risk Assessment) and

(3.) Make the Changes (Risk Control).

1. Spot the Hazard

A hazard is anything that could hurt you or someone else.

Examples of workplace hazards include:

• frayed electrical cords (could result in electrical shock)
• boxes stacked precariously (they could fall on someone)  noisy
machinery (could result in damage to your hearing)
During working hours, you must remain alert to anything that may be dangerous. If you see, hear
or smell anything odd, take note. If you think it could be a hazard, tell someone.

2. Assess the Risk

Assessing the risk means working out how likely it is that a hazard will harm someone and
how serious the harm could be.

Whenever you spot a hazard, assess the risk by asking yourself two questions:
• How likely is it that the hazard could harm me or someone else?
• How badly could I or someone else be harmed?
Always tell someone (your employer, your supervisor or your health and safety
representative) about hazards you can't fix yourself, especially if the hazard could cause serious
harm to anyone.
For example, (1)Ask your supervisor for instructions and training before using
equipment, (2)Ask for help moving or lifting heavy objects, and (3) Tell your supervisor if you
think a work practice could be dangerous.

If you are not sure of the safest way to do something during work experience, always ask your
supervisor.

3. Make the Changes

It is your employer's responsibility to fix hazards. Sometimes you may be able to fix
simple hazards yourself, as long as you don't put yourself or others at risk. For example, you can
pick up things from the floor and put them away to eliminate a trip hazard.

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