HOW TO TROUBLESHOOT, TUNE UP AND MAINTAIN PCS
In this seminar you'll learn...
Basic skills and safety
Resolving adapter conflicts
Upgrading your PC´s RAM
Registry editing and troubleshooting
And much more
In two days of hands-on training, learn how to troubleshoot system lockups, network errors and Operating system hangs. Find out ways to maximize your PC´s performance—from purchasing more RAM to tweaking the Windows® system Registry, plus ways to install and service major components.
WORKSHOP AGENDA
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Day one: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Troubleshooting essentials—tools, cases, cables and safety
Here you´ll learn the basics of professional PC troubleshooting ... and the steps you must take to get great results and keep yourself safe. We´ll cover why it´s important to unplug the power cord from the computer case rather than the power outlet, how to properly discharge static that can harm PC components, the tools you should have and how you can increase your chances for success even before you open the case. Plus ... Which components can be safely worked on and which store electrical charges that can be deadly
The essential hand tools and test equipment you´ll find in every PC repair kit
Important tips on cabling and card configurations so you´ll avoid mistakes that could seriously damage your hardware
Preparatory actions you can take before disassembling any PC to ensure the system works properly when it´s reassembled
Discovering the differences among case designs and step-by-step procedures for tearing down and inspecting each one
How to properly remove and reinstall components such as motherboards, power supplies and expansion cards for repairs or upgrades
From bus architectures to video adapters ... an overview of each PC component and its function
Troubleshooting skills for common and not-so-common PC problems
One reason professional tech support personnel can identify a problem so quickly is because of their experience ... and giving you that sort of insight and knowledge is what this session is all about. You´ll learn how to diagnose a variety of PC malfunctions ... the first things to look for and test when your PC acts up—and what to do if the computer fails to start at all. You´ll also find out how to quickly tell whether you´re dealing with a software or a hardware problem plus get some great tips for isolating tricky problems. You´ll also learn ... How to decipher common error messages to get to the root of the problem ... fast
How to use built-in system tools to identify and quickly diagnose problems
What computer resources such as IRQ, DMA and I/O addresses are and how they affect the function of your PC
A step-by-step guide to isolating and deciphering virtually any PC problem
Troubleshooting chips—testing and upgrading RAM, BIOS and processors
This session includes a close look at a PC´s Basic Input and Output System (BIOS) and covers how to use the Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) setup program to make sure that components function together and achieve maximum efficiency. You´ll learn the steps to take to get into the CMOS setup program and the settings that are common to most PCs. You´ll also find out what symptoms indicate a CMOS battery problem ... and how to install a new battery when it´s needed so you don´t have to modify your system settings every time the computer is powered up. Plus ... How to identify different types of memory chips and decipher the terminology that goes with them, such as PC133, DDR SDRAM, EDO, ECC, Rambus and others
Parity errors and other clues that point to bad memory chips—and how to locate and replace them
How the latest operating systems use RAM and virtual memory—and how to determine the optimal RAM configuration for your PC
The different types of processors that are available and how to determine which can—and which can´t—be used in your PC
How to determine when it´s necessary to upgrade your processor ... and the steps that are needed to install, test and troubleshoot a new processor
Those problem peripherals—troubleshooting and maintaining monitors, mice, keyboards and printers
This session will show you how to identify the exact cause of frustrating peripheral problems and avoid expensive "experimental" purchases. From balky monitors to misbehaving printers, you´ll learn exactly what you can and can´t fix and what precautions you should take with each. You´ll also learn ... Tips for keeping your mouse or other pointing device working correctly
Exploring alternative pointer devices—from touch pads to tablets—and how to install and use them with your PC
How to salvage a keyboard that´s had liquid spilled on it—plus troubleshooting and fixing other common keyboard flare-ups
Troubleshooting techniques for those frustrating printer issues—from garbled output to paper jams
How to access or share a printer on a network and troubleshoot networked printers
How to install, configure and troubleshoot multimedia devices
This session is designed to give you the tools you need to correctly install and configure multimedia devices, including sound cards, video capture cards, speaker systems and more. Plus, you´ll also find out how to select and purchase the right multimedia devices that will meet your needs today and well into the future. We´ll also cover ... How to troubleshoot non-plug-and-play sound cards ... and why some can be configured with software while others use jumpers
What to do if your plug-and-play sound card doesn´t work properly or isn´t detected by your PC
Steps you must take before installing a sound card ... including checking for resource conflicts that could cause a PC to crash
Why sampling rates make a difference in the quality of sound produced by a PC and why they might make a difference with newer Internet audio streaming technologies
What you really need to know about PC speaker systems and how to rule them out as a possible audio problem
Day two: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Troubleshooting connectivity—modems, networks, cables and ports
One of the most valuable and useful features of PCs is connectivity ... usually for access to shared resources, including e-mail and the Internet. Because the information gained through these resources is so important, anyone troubleshooting, maintaining or optimizing PCs today needs to be able to handle connectivity issues as well. This session will give you the knowledge and confidence needed to tackle a variety of connectivity issues, from problems with a modem to a PC that won´t maintain a network connection. You´ll find out how to install and properly configure a modem and learn why its COM port assignment may mean the difference between hours of frustration and a simple plug-and-play installation. You´ll also find out about ... How to select and install the right network adapter so your system can grow with newer technology
The different ways to connect to network resources in a peer-to-peer, Windows® or Novell® network and which protocols to use with each one
Cabling fundamentals and tips for keeping cable and connector problems to a minimum
A step-by-step approach to isolating and repairing common problems that occur on a network system
How to troubleshoot common serial, parallel and USB port problems
How to use dial-up networking to make a remote connection
Troubleshooting software problems
Application problems are more common now than ever before, due in part to the ever-increasing size and complexity of modern computer applications. One of the first troubleshooting steps you´ll learn is how to differentiate between hardware and software failures. Then, this session will show you the special techniques for handling application problems ... including minimizing the risks of lost or corrupted data, correctly terminating nonresponding applications, troubleshooting operating systems and much more. You´ll also learn ... What a General Protection Fault (GPF) is and what this type of error might tell you about your system
How to use the export feature of the Registry editor to quickly isolate incorrect software settings in your PC´s Registry
What to do when the software failure involves your operating system and how to get around the problem by using alternate boot procedures to get up and running
How to recover from a corrupt Registry—even if you´ve never backed it up
Why you should consider upgrading to 32-bit applications ... and how to tell if your current applications are 16- or 32-bit
Tune up for maximum performance ... and fewer problems
Is an upgrade the only way to get better performance out of your current PC? No way! We´ll show you plenty of professional techniques that will help you squeeze every last drop of performance out of your PC. You´ll discover how to monitor performance by using the tools that come with your operating system, and you´ll learn how to prevent trouble from cropping up before and after installation of your operating system. Also in this session ... 6 ways to free up hard disk space without having to buy another drive
Virus Alert ... the best methods for protecting PCs
How to create an emergency boot diskette for common operating systems such as MS-DOS®, Windows® 95/98/NT(R)/2000 and Windows XP
8 actions you can take during setup to keep future problems to a minimum
How to use drive defragmenting tools to improve hard disk performance
Diagnostic assistance—how to get the most from third-party utilities
Modern operating systems come with a variety of diagnostic utilities to help troubleshoot common problems, but they´re not designed to handle all situations. And it´s with these tough-to-diagnose problems that third-party utilities can make the difference between hours of trial-and-error troubleshooting and getting back up and running in no time at all. This session will show you how to use—and succeed with—some of the most popular third-party software packages. You´ll discover ... How to use utilities like BCM™ Diagnostics and Pc-Check® to test every hardware device on your system
How to use Norton Utilities™ to check the status of your devices and optimize your PC for peak efficiency
Software programs that protect network data from accidental deletion
How software programs like McAfee®´s PC Medic® Deluxe can stop application crashes and save your work when GPFs occur
Troubleshooting, maintaining and optimizing mass storage devices
This session includes information on solving problems with modern mass storage devices, including hard drives, CD-ROMs, DVDs and others. You´ll learn how speed ratings are determined for each device and how to select the right one for each PC and each person´s work needs. You´ll find out how to troubleshoot the controller card—the interface between your CPU and storage devices—and what to do when the controller fails. You´ll also learn how to recover data from damaged drives, even if you can´t boot from them. Plus, you´ll find out about tools designed to recover lost data and those that can be used to maintain the health of your drive. You´ll also learn ... How to make sense of the terminology used to describe mass storage devices, such as cylinder ... head ... sector and others
How to partition your hard drive to achieve maximum performance and efficiency
The critical differences between FAT-16 and FAT-32 file systems
How to configure, install and troubleshoot floppy drives
The correct jumper and cable configuration for installing additional hard drives, CD-ROMs or DVDs
Four different ways to connect a tape drive to your system ... and which method has the quickest data transfer rates
US/Canada:
1-800-867-4340
United Kingdom:
0800 968254
Australia:
1 800 145 233
New Zealand:
0800 447 299
or e-mail us at:
onsite@skillpath.net
1-800-867-4340
United Kingdom:
0800 968254
Australia:
1 800 145 233
New Zealand:
0800 447 299
or e-mail us at:
onsite@skillpath.net
