PC Hardware

Maintaining Computer Hardware

The best way to repair a failure is to prevent it from happening in the first place. It is a well-known fact of life that failures occur at the most inopportune times. A little preventive maintenance can minimize the impact by either catching and repairing the failure before it happens, or preventing it altogether. Likewise, safety issues are prevalently featured throughout the A+ certification exam. In fact, one objective (10 percent) of the core exam is devoted to this subject. Because of their importance, this tutorial focuses on reviewing and expanding upon these issues.

Lesson 1: Preventive Maintenance

The best way to repair a failure is to prevent it from happening in the first place. It is a well-known fact of life that failures occur at the most inopportune times. A little preventive maintenance can minimize the impact by either catching and repairing the failure before it happens, or preventing it altogether. The concepts of preventive maintenance and safety have been emphasized throughout this tutorial. Likewise, safety issues are prevalently featured throughout the A+ certification exam. In fact, one objective (10 percent) of the core exam is devoted to this subject. Because of their importance, this tutorial focuses on reviewing and expanding upon these issues.

Computers are, by design, very rugged and dependable pieces of equipment. However, like other machines, they age. Several basic procedures, when performed on a regular basis, can prevent premature failures. This lesson discusses how to keep computer hardware running smoothly and reliably.

After this lesson, you will be able to:
  • Extend the useful life of computer hardware.
  • Avoid major problems caused by unexpected downtime.
Estimated lesson time: 15 minutes

Before You Begin

This tutorial is, in itself, a review of many concepts discussed in previous tutorials. Therefore, you should review all tutorials on hardware before completing this tutorial.