Btec National Diploma Level 3 1

IT Systems Troubleshooting and Repair

Hardware & Software Tools and Techniques

Btec National Diploma Level 3 2

Aims Discuss the types of hardware and software

tools

Look into what is the purpose of a multi-meter

and a loop-back plug

Discuss the terms BIOS, CMOS and POST

Look at diagnostic software

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Hardware tools and techniques

A technician’s toolkit should consist of conventional tools such as:

Screwdrivers and other basic tools Bootable disk Diagnostic hardware Manufacturer’s specifications of hardware

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Hardware tools and techniques

Electrical faultsThese faults could lie within a

PSU - power supply unit

Hardware component

Cabling

Connectors

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Hardware tools and techniques

What device can be used?

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Multi-meter

A multi-meter can be a hand-held device useful for basic fault finding and field service work or a bench instrument which can measure to a very high degree of accuracy.

They can be used to troubleshoot electrical problems in a wide array of industrial and household devices such as batteries, motor controls, appliances, power supplies, and wiring systems.

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Hardware tools and techniques

Self test routines

When the computer is switch on the boot process begins (BIOS).

Once BIOS starts to execute the POST process beings.

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Hardware tools and techniques

Self test routines Cont.

POST is a hardware diagnostic routine that checks the configuration in CMOS against the actual hardware configuration.

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Hardware tools and techniques

Self test routines Cont.

What is CMOS?

COMPLEMENTARY METAL-OXIDE SEMICONDUCTOR

Chip located on the motherboard – holds both the BIOS program and expected hardware configuration details.

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Hardware tools and techniques

Monitoring devices

Pinging

This is a test that can be performed by a technician to ensure something is there and responding.

Example will be given by your tutor.

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Hardware tools and techniques

Suitable Tools

ESD wrist strap

This is a strap that is connected to the computer’s chassis.

It is used to channel any static electricity away from the technician and to the ground.

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Hardware tools and techniques

Suitable Tools Touch Angled mirror – like you would

expect in a dentist Screwdrivers Cleaning materials Wire stripper/cutter Chip tools Paperclip – to test a connection

between one pin to another. Electrical tape

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Hardware tools and techniques

Suitable Tools loop-back plug

Can be used to isolate a problem with a port – performs a loop back test.

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Software tools and techniques

Diagnostics

Used to examine the computer and it records the

system’s current settings.

Measures the performance of the system

Checks for the presence of viruses

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Software tools and techniques

Diagnostics - Examples

BIOS POST SCANDISK AVG - ANTIVIRUS

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Software tools and techniques

Monitoring and error loggingMonitoring the computer can make sense of why the performance of the computer has decreased in someway.

Audit trail

Record details about each event that has occurred

Event viewer

Allows you to predict and identify sources of system problems by recording events in three logs based on type of event: security, system and application

Others include: Dr Watson and WinVNC

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Conclusion

Discussed the types of hardware and software

tools

Looked into what is the purpose of a multi-

meter and a loop-back plug

Discussed the terms BIOS, CMOS and POST

Looked at diagnostic software