INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER REPAIR

From the advent of the first mass-marketed personal computer in 1977 to present time, computers have steadily and successfully become a very integral part of daily human life. With time, the affordability, portability and usability of computers has also been on a constant upward trend, with single individuals owning multiple computers in the form of desktop, laptop, netbook, handheld and cellular devices. With the increase in use of computer technology and devices, the incidence of their breaking down has also increased. Therefore, it has become crucial to have some knowledge about fixing computers so you, a: don’t get ripped off by a computer technician, b: you can fix your own computer, and/or c: you can fix computers for a living.

In this computer repair manual, you will find all the information you need to fix a computer. First we will talk about all the tools you need to prepare your computer repair toolkit. That would include both hardware and software tools that you would need to successfully troubleshoot and repair software and hardware issues. About 80% of all computer problems faced today by computer users are software-related, which is why you will notice most of the material covered in this book is software-related. When there is a hardware issue in a computer, we will talk about how to pinpoint the problem hardware component by running various tests using programs. When the problem is identified, you will then learn how to replace the malfunctioning or broken hardware component(s).

Most of the hardware tools required for your computer toolkit can be purchased from any local computer store. Even though most of the software tools mentioned can be downloaded free of cost from their respective websites, there are a couple that you would need to purchase from the software programmer’s/manufacturer’s website. Go to the respective software vendor’s website by clicking on the provided links and download the computer repair software required to carry out repair jobs.

So let us begin our journey into the world of computer repair. I assure you that it is not as scary as you think it is. Even those of you with tech-anxiety will find that fixing computers is not only fun but quite easy if you read the instructions and follow them carefully.

The most effective way of using this book is to keep it open on your computer screen as a reference guide while practicing different troubleshooting techniques and procedures mentioned. It is also a good idea to get your hands on an old desktop or laptop computer that you can practice on. It could be a machine that has been sitting in your attic or garage collecting dust or it could be a donated machine from a family member, relative or friend for your new computer repair endeavor.

I guarantee that this book will prove to be very useful to you whether you want to learn to fix computers for yourself, your friends and family, or use it as your computer repair bible for your computer repair business.