Diagnosing And Troubleshooting Computer Hardware

What is Hardware?

Are these terms familiar to you? Monitor, RAM, CD drive, processor, graphics card, all the hardware, or more accurately, the computer hardware. These components make up a computer, working together with computer software to make computers work.

Simply put, the hardware is the tangible parts of the computer components, you can touch, feel, and so on.

Hardware Failures

As mentioned before, the hardware and software work together to form a fully functional system, theoretically. However, you rarely get a fully functional system of all time. There will almost certainly be a hardware failure, either in electronic circuits or even the entire component. Sometimes, the originating factor is not a hardware failure of the system components, but due to external factors such as environmental disasters such as fires, earthquakes and thunderstorms.

recovery of failed hardware components is not a big problem in itself. This is basically the identification and replacement of the problematic component. However, hardware failures are most deadly when it affects the daily routine and affecting critical personal or business data. This is especially true of the most important component of the computer system when it comes to data storage, hard disk drive.

The following is a list of common hardware failures:

• RAM Faults
  
• the power connector
  
• Hard Disk
  
• Overheating
  
• LCD Failures
  
• Motherboard
  
• USB Box

Bad RAM is somehow harder to diagnose as similar symptoms May be caused by software problems, other hardware problems or even motherboard failure. However, if you experience any of these symptoms, users should check the bad RAM before attempting any other troubleshooting.

Symptoms:

• : Windows does not start showing different error messages each time.
  
• Windows crashes (blue screen) or freezes frequently.
  
• Windows crashes as soon as you try to start the program.
  
• Unexplained random crashes and freezes with no error messages.

common weak point on any laptop is the DC jack. If someone trips over the cable adapter while still connected to the laptop, there is a strong possibility that the power jack will be difficult to damage.

On most laptops, the DC jack is soldered directly to the motherboard, and there are only three or four small pins holding it in place, which makes the power jack rather weak. Any sideways pulling cable, DC power supply while connected to a laptop will usually dislodge at least one of these pins, but the solder around it. Modern laptops use quite a lot of energy, from about 70W to 120W or even more. Poor electrical connection with a protruding pin will cause sparks and heating that will eventually burn a hole through the motherboard and can even be a fire hazard.

, which shows symptoms of a bad contact between the DC power jack and motherboard:

• The battery is not charging properly or stays at half charge despite having to use an adapter.
  
• on the screen flickers (brightness changes), while the power cord is plugged in. This is caused by the laptop switching between DC power supply (the screen is brighter) and battery power (screen is dark).
  
• DC plug gets hot after a few minutes of use and May, even the smell of burning.
  
• There are "scratching" sounds coming from the DC jack.

How to test for broken power jack:

1 Remove the battery 2. Join the 3 cables for power. 4 Start the laptop. Gently rub the DC power connector on the back of the notebook

If the laptop shuts down abruptly (losing power), find the dealer for re-soldering the DC jack or a change in the shortest possible time, as the motherboard has already started to burn around the dislodged pins. The manufacturer may offer to replace the entire motherboard,. But the price of a new motherboard along with the labor charge for installation will typically cost more than the current value of the laptop and can sometimes cost can cost more than a thousand dollars

Replacing or re-soldering the DC power jack is not an easy job. It usually takes several hours, depending on the damage and model of laptop. To reach the power socket, the laptop must be completely dismantled and removed a motherboard. Then, if the plate around protruding pin heavily burned, power jack must be de-soldered and the board has to be patched.

then different power outlet shall be installed, attached to the case of the laptop and connected with wires to the motherboard, as the patched board would not be strong enough to support the original type of power connector that is soldered directly on board.

hard drive

Hard drive failures are the most common computer hardware problems. And laptop hard drives fail more often than desktop hard drives for laptop portability compared to a rather stagnant laptop. If user knock hard or drop the laptop or even a few inches while the hard drive is accessed, or inflammation, damage can be done on the hard disk.

Symptoms:

• laptop starts as usual but when Windows starts to load it goes to blue screen with either "UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME", "hal.dll missing or corrupt" or "WINDOWSSYSTEM32CONFIGSYSTEM" (or similar) is missing or damaged. All of these error messages indicate a problem of file system. Sometimes it can be determined only by scanning the hard disk for errors. But more than half of these cases show that the hard drive starts to go bad and probably developing bad sectors.
  
• laptop starts as usual but Windows freezes on the initial "Windows XP" screen, although the blue bar continues to move, and users are able to hear feint but continuous clicking. Hard drives must be replaced.
  
• As soon as the laptop is started there are loud clicks or grinding sounds and Windows does not load. Hard drives must be replaced as well.
  
• Shortly after the start of the laptop appears (usually on a black screen) "SMART test failed. Backup data immediately and replace the hard disk" or similar. Well, that says it all. S.M.A.R.T. is a self-test that is built on the hard drive.

In almost all cases you can run a laptop with a "live" bootable CD and everything works normally. In rare cases, the hard disk PCB (printed circuit board) can be short-circuited, and even worse. In this scenario, the laptop will not start unless the hard drive is removed.

is a good tool to use to check the hard disk lifespan is ADRC's. It will scan your hard drive for bad sectors and notify you if the drive is still good usability.

Overheating

Overheating happens when inadequate airflow through the case outside the computer processor and motherboard and back out of the case usually via the power supply fan and other case fans.

After the disturbed air flow, heat builds up very quickly in this case. This causes components to either shutdown, if such protection is built and performs erratically. In the long term, overheating can irreversible damage components.

is also advisable to keep the computer in a dry and shaded room, which is clean and a little dust.

LCD Failures

The most common LCD or "Liquid Crystal Display" screen failure of the inverter, cable and backlight.

Symptoms:

• laptop starts as usual but the screen is black, if users move, this includes working properly. Failed cable.
  
• laptop starts as usual but the screen is very dark, although it changes color and a bit users can see a very feint image. Failed inverter or cable 90% / 10%.
  
• Immediately after the screen has dark pink / red color and darkens after a few seconds. Failed backlight.
  
• on the screen flickers a few times, but then turns dark, if users move him or gently press the sides, it flickers again. Failed cable or LCD 50% / 50%.
  
• screen is either black or white (not shown) and an external monitor works. Failed cable or LCD 30% / 70%.
  
• There are stripes on the screen (vertical or horizontal) that change when users move around the screen and tap it lightly on the side. Failed cable or LCD 10% / 90%.

Most motherboard related failures are due to "on-board" regulated supplies and component failure within those krugova.On-board power supply circuit partially collapsed, and the subsequent overloading of parts would be another problem with the capacitors that are defective in the first site.

motherboard failure on a laptop that is out of warranty would usually mean that it is time for a new laptop.Cijena new motherboard is usually higher than the current value of the laptop.

Symptoms:

Connect the power adapter and try starting the laptop.

• Nothing happens.
  
• "ON" light on, fan spins, but nothing on the screen (black), and you can not hear the HD working after 10-15 sec.
  
• "ON" light on, fan spinning, but after a few seconds the light goes out.
  
• After pressing the button "On" screen stays black and you can hear a faint high-pitched sound coming from the laptop.

Invalid or corrupt drivers can wreck havoc on the server, rendering the system unbootable in some cases. Drivers can also conflict with certain application programs and cause problems with the computer system.

As the Windows Vista easily made ​​a beginning, chances are some hardware is not supported or not supported fully by the new operating system.

Also, the system updates, driver updates can also fix your problems "hardware".

See

Also, it helps (sometimes) to call the appropriate support service to help the driver who is with the hardware.

Controller Failure:

controller failure can act just like a disk failure. However, when a drive fails, users can not access that particular drive,. When a controller fails, users can get access to all facilities, equipment and other components, which is attached to the controller

controller fails, because the component or components on the controller board fails. When users try to boot, you can get involved, view, access, or even get an hardware conflict.

controller errors due to one of the following reasons:

• device / component is not properly connected
  
  
  Make sure the cables are properly connected devices / components to the controller
  
  
  If the component fits into the slot, see that it is flushed, not the loosely connected.
  
  
  
• device / component is not set properly
  
  
  Verify that the devices / components to properly detect and display the appropriate screen for setting the controller
  
  
  
• Bad connections
  
  
  Replace the bad connections with the job they
  
  
  
• Bad components
  
  
  Replace the component
  
  
  
• Bad interface board or motherboard
  
  
  It is recommended that these parts be replaced or the computer will be sent to service
  
  

a big problem, as mentioned earlier, does not replace or repair non-functional hardware, but lost time, disruptions in daily routine (especially for businesses), and loss of critical data. If you need a system running at all times, have a backup system as a fail safe, or even two. If users want to ensure that none of their critical data is lost in case of hardware problems with your computer, there's only one way to do this -. Back up your data as often as

There are many different ways to ensure that data is backed up, as technology becomes advances, back up methods become much simpler.

Let's look at what moment to back up. Backing up computer files means that users are making copies of data to be stored somewhere other than on a computer. Everyone should always have a back up important files at least, as anyone would experience a hardware problem, they still might be able to access files.

Many people do not backup their files, because they do not know what they need to back up. Start with these files which can not be easily recreated. Then move the files that make frequent changes just in case you accidentally change something you should not have. Back up your music collection -. Because it can be quite expensive to replace in case of loss of data

In principle, the best practices of the backup files at least once a month or more often if users are accessing files on a regular basis.