Computer Maintenance

Computer Maintenance Manual

IT/280

February 17th, 2013

Computer Maintenance Manual

The following document is a computer maintenance and training manual designed for the new IT employees. This manual covers safety concerns, maintenance and cleaning of a computer, internal hardware installation and maintenance, basic principles for supporting I/O devices, and multimedia and mass storage devices.

For any corporation there are many safety concerns that must be covered when it comes to computer repair and maintenance. These safety concerns include environmental concerns, power protection, dust, statics, and heat issues, and the downloading of unauthorized software.

Every part in a computer contains heavy metals and therefor leads to environmental concerns when it comes to the disposal of parts that have been replaced. As a responsible company the parts that have been replaced cannot be disposed of in the trash the parts must be collected and taken to a recycling center so that they can be processed to remove the heavy metals before being disposed of. Failure to collect and take to a recycling center increases the risk of the heavy metals entering the soil and ground water at the rubbish disposal facility that the parts end up in.

Every computer must have a device that protects it from power surges that are present in today’s power lines. A power surge can cause as much damage to a computer as a static shock can cause to the internal parts of the computer. A power surge can destroy the power supply and the components inside the computer. The basic device that is used to protect the computer from power surges is called a surge protector. What this device does is monitor the power passing through it to the computer for dangerous surges in power. If a power surge is detected then a circuit that is located inside the surge protector trips and shuts all power to the computer down before damage to the computer can be done. Failure to have at least a surge...