Sipna College of Engineering & Technology, Amravati.

Department of Computer science and Engineering

Branch: - Computer Science & Engg. Class:- III Year
Subject: - CLab-II Semester:- VIth

Teacher Manual

PRACTICAL NO: 9

AIM: To study about preventive Maintenance of PC and troubleshooting of Problems

THEORY:

Preventive Maintenance

Preventive maintenance is a fundamental, planned maintenance activity designed to improve equipment life
and avoid any unplanned maintenance activity. This maintenance includes:

 Systematic inspection

 Detection

 Correction

 Prevention of incipient failures

Prevnetive maintenance is the foundation of the entire maintenance strategy .Unless the PM program is
effective, all subsequent maintenance strategies take longer to implement, incur higher costs, and have a
higher probability of failure. The act of a regularly scheduled check of the computer hardware or software to
help ensure it continues to operate properly. Below is a list of some preventive maintenance steps you can
take with your computer or computer hardware :

1.Remove dust from fan intakes.

2.Remove dust from the power supply.

3.Remove dust from components inside the computer.

4.Clean the mouse and keyboard.

5.Check and secure loose cables.

6.Cleaning your computer hardware.

7.Downloading the latest drivers for your hardware.

8.Downloading the latest updates for your computer software.

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 Sipna College of Engineering & Technology, Amravati.
Department of Computer science and Engineering
9.Verifying you have the latest anti-virus protection updates on your computer.

10.Running disk software utilities such as Defrag and Scan Disk on your hard drive.

11.Deleting unused programs or other files on your computer.

12.If you don't turn off your computer it may be good to reboot your computer every few months, unless
the computer is a critical computer such as a computer server.

13.Keep the computer plugged into the wall but the power switch turned off when working with its internal
components.

14.Remember to hold on to the metal part of the computer's case when handling any electrical parts.

15.Before you reset, remove, or replace any internal components, arm yourself with a working knowledge of
computer components, what they do, and how they interact with one another.

Common Problems and Solutions

1: Computer is Slow

The most common problem of all. There may be several reasons for a slow computer; however, the
most common is lack of maintenance. Fragmented data, a corrupted registry, spyware and dozens of
unnecessary programs running at the same time, slows the speed and performance of your PC.

Keep track of programs. Remove those of which never use or shut them down when used them.
These initiatives will easily be able to maker PC up to 30% faster. Also, run Disk Defragmenter and stop
unwanted programs starting with Windows by running Msconfig.

2: Computer Freezes

Also a common problem, but it is far more serious than a slow PC. In most cases it is caused by
viruses, especially spyware that has been installed on your computer. It can enter via a click on a link to a
fake website from an email or so on.

The problem can also be caused by hardware - perhaps some memory you just installed - or recent
software updates, including Windows Update. Make sure antivirus and anti-spyware software is updated.
Most antivirus programs can be set to automatically to check for new updates. If we are sure that our
computer is spyware free, the problem may be due to outdated hardware drivers. Check hardware drivers for
updated versions. Outdated drivers can cause computer to stop responding and freeze.

If the problem is hardware related, we can try uninstalling any component you recently installed, or
try removing or unplugging unnecessary hardware one piece at a time then booting PC to see if the problem
goes away.
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 Sipna College of Engineering & Technology, Amravati.
Department of Computer science and Engineering

3: Backup the Data

Unfortunately, backup is still an overlooked security task for many home users - until the day it is
too late. Important documents, photos, music libraries and emails are automatically stored on y computer's
hard drive, which is a mechanical and electrical device. When it breaks down (and it is when, not if) this
data will disappear forever. Even if a warranty from the hard drive manufacturer, it does not cover data, it
only replaces the hard drive with a new one. Find a solution that automatically makes backup to an external
hard drive, server or cloud service. If we choose to back up to a hard drive, make sure that it is not placed
near our computer as in case of fire it will also be destroyed. Backup should preferably be an automated
process that operates independently of whether you remember it or not. Online backup solutions have the
advantage that we can access your data from anywhere in the world. They are not affected by natural
disasters, and most online services guarantees 100% security by providing backup to their backup.

4: Computer turns off by itself

Typically this is due to dying power supply, bad cable connections, defective battery or overheating
when the computer shuts down by itself to cool down. Check first of all that the cables are properly
connected. If the computer is very hot, check if the fan needs cleaning of dust. If it is a laptop, check
whether battery has deteriorated over time and may need to be replaced.

5: Computer makes noises

If computer suddenly starts to buzz or vibrate, it can be due to a hardware failure. High, whining
noises may indicate problems with the electrical components, while buzzing noises are often caused by lack
of ventilation. Clean the filter and fan for dust and make sure that all air inlets are free. If we have a laptop,
we can try to uninstall and reinstall sound drivers. If it is a desktop, it may be that the sound card needs
replacement.

What is Troubleshooting?

Troubleshooting is the process or identifying and fixing problems. Computer troubleshooting may
involve hardware or software and can sometimes involve both at the same time. The basic process of
troubleshooting is to check the most general possible problems first, and then gradually check for more
specific problems. This provides a logical approach to problem solving and can apply to multiple types of
products.

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 Sipna College of Engineering & Technology, Amravati.
Department of Computer science and Engineering
Basic Steps of Troubleshooting PC :

1. Back up system. If system is bootable but unstable, back up data as soon as possible. Computer
memory problems can result in data corruption, and you don't want to risk losing your data while you're
troubleshooting the issue.

2. Check hardware and system configuration. If we have recently installed computer memory, make sure
the new memory modules are compatible with system board and that installed them in the correct slots.
Check part numbers and confirm system components match documentation. Then check motherboard and
BIOS documentation to see if we need to enable any special settings before upgrading memory.

3. Reinstall the computer memory modules. Remove the memory modules from the system board,
examine them for damage, examine the system board for damage and reinsert them. While the modules are
removed, use a soft cloth to clean the contacts of the module using a cleaner called "FluxOff" or a similar
product. Use compressed air or a PC vacuum to remove dust from the memory socket. After reinserting the
modules, make sure they are the same height to ensure correct placement.

4. Swap or replace the computer memory modules. Swapping the position of the memory modules on the
system board, reinstalling identical computer memory modules or installing modules in another identical
system can be useful in determining if the issue is a bad module or socket.

5. Update the system BIOS. Don't assume BIOS is functioning properly if you're having issues related to
system memory. Upgrading system BIOS will refresh the system information, may resolve known
compatibility issues or even provide more in-depth troubleshooting information.

6. Test the memory modules. There are a number of software and hardware-based memory testing tools
available. Some of software-based programs are Memtest86, Gold Memory and Microsoft's Windows
Memory Diagnostic tool. Hardware-based testing solutions such as RAMCHECK, from Innovations Inc.,
are more comprehensive, but are also more expensive. Testing the modules will help to rule out if the source
of your problems is really a faulty memory module or if there are other issues.

7. Check online support sites for known issues. If we are receiving error codes from the system BIOS, an
application or the operating system, and haven't already checked with an appropriate support center, should
check now. Operating system bugs and poorly written software can lead to computer memory leaks, page
faults, and other errors. Major bugs and issues should be easy to locate on support Web sites or search
engines by typing in the specific error codes. In many cases, patches are available from either the software
vendor or Microsoft.

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 Sipna College of Engineering & Technology, Amravati.
Department of Computer science and Engineering
8. Run updated antivirus software. This is a long shot, but a few malicious programs masquerade as
system memory errors or cause computer memory issues themselves. Running an updated antivirus sweep
may identify these programs and resolve the issue.

9. Look for additional causes: If we've completed the previous troubleshooting steps, have effectively
ruled out faulty computer memory as the root cause of system errors. Faulty motherboards, failing power
supplies, deteriorating hard drives and environmental issues can cause similar symptoms and should be
investigated as alternate sources for system crashes, data loss and instabilities.

RESULT: Thus, we have studied how to take preventive Maintenance of PC and troubleshooting of
Problems

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