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Procedures in Planning and Conducting Maintenance Preventive maintenance can be described as maintenance of equipment or systems before fault occurs. It can be divided into two subgroups: Planned Maintenance and Conditioned-Based Maintenance. Planned Maintenance (PM) is any variety of scheduled maintenance to an object or item of equipment. Specifically, PM is a scheduled service visit carried out by a competent and suitable agent, to ensure that an item of equipment is operating correctly to avoid any unscheduled breakdown and downtime of an equipment. Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) is a maintenance strategy that uses the actual condition of the asset to decide what maintenance needs to be done. CBM dictates that maintenance should only be performed when certain indicators show decreasing performance or upcoming failure. Checking a machine for these indicators may include non-invasive measurements, visual inspection, performance data and scheduled tests. Condition data can be gathered at certain intervals, or continuously. The purpose of systematic inspection, detection and correction of existing / future problems is very important to maintain equipment / facilities in satisfactory condition before it may cause major problem. Maintenance, including tests, measurements, adjustments, and parts replacement, performed specifically to prevent faults from occurring. Maintenance is divided into two (2) general type. Preventive maintenance is given for maintaining equipment and facilities in satisfactory operating condition to extend the life of the equipment. Corrective maintenance is task performed to identify, isolate and rectify a fault so that the failed equipment or system can be restored to an operational conditions within the tolerances or limits. Common methods of determining what preventive (or other) failure management policies should be applied are: Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) recommendations, requirements of codes and legislation within a jurisdiction, what an "expert" thinks ought to be done, or the maintenance that is already done to similar equipment, and most important measured values and performance indications. Maintenance Procedures In preparing maintenance procedure, you also have to consider designing a systematic plan for both for hardware and software. This saves time, money and
frustration and ensures safe conditions to prevent injury to people and damage to computer equipment. Computer Inspection Planning Maintenance Procedures for Computer System and Networking: A. Design a systematic maintenance plan for hardware.
1. Design a monitoring, evaluating and updating plan.
2. Place your computer in a well-ventilated area.
3. Schedule the use of computer for its longer life.
4. Move the computer only when it is turned off and unplugged.
5. Treat your computer properly.
B. Design a systematic maintenance plan for your software.
1. Backup your files.
2. Install or secure passwords.
3. Delete temporary files.
4. Update anti-virus and spyware.
Design a systematic monitoring, evaluating and updating plan for hardware. Computers have significantly changed the working environment, simplifying and speeding up many tasks across many work areas. However, with these advances are some potential problems and maintenance issues. These guidelines describe how computer technicians, students and computer users can work together to achieve a productive workplace environment. The guidelines reflect current knowledge and best practice for the use of computers so you can achieve maximum efficiency and safety in your workplace. SAMPLE MONITORING PLAN Page | 1 S.Y. 2020 - 2021│Computer│Grade 10│Fourth Quarter
Unplugged Power Cable Treat your computer properly.
This means taking care of your computer. PCs and laptops should be
properly turned off.
Computer care Do systematic maintenance plan for your computer software. Back-up your files
Protecting your files means creating backups, storing your file backups
on your hard drive or any removable storage device regularly.
Backup Media Install or secure passwords.
Installing passwords makes your files more secure.
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Installing Passwords Delete temporary files. Deleting the temporary files on your computer will enhance its speed and will create more disk space for your files. Deleting Temporary Files Update anti-virus and spy ware. Regularly update your anti-virus for your computer protection against viruses S.Y. 2020 - 2021│Computer│Grade 10│Fourth Quarter Page | 4
Inside the System Unit
- RAM issues. Know your computer's specifications and its limits. RAM runs even the PC is running idly. It consumes RAM storages capacity making you difficult to open a program if RAM storage had been consumed. Random Access Memory
- Malware issues. Make sure that your anti-virus software is updated to be able to scan unnecessary files that enter your PC. Do not install programs that you’re not familiar with or if do not fully trust.
- Hardware issues. When something is not working properly, either diagnose the problem yourself and fix it, to prevent further damage or contact a professional and have them look at it for you. Take advantage of warranties on parts if they fail. Hardware S.Y. 2020 - 2021│Computer│Grade 10│Fourth Quarter Page | 6
- Warning issues. If the same error message shows up every time you log in, be sure to investigate it. Although unlikely, these errors could be important. Error Messages
- Usage issues. Give your computer a break. Believe it or not, your computer likes rest, too. Leaving it on all of the time wears out hardware, and puts unnecessary wear and tear on the hardware. Giving your computer a break also saves you money (electrical bills). Power Off
- Warranty issues. Always take advantage of warranties. Get a warranty to protect your hardware, so it can be replaced in case of failure. Warranty Sticker Page | 7 S.Y. 2020 - 2021│Computer│Grade 10│Fourth Quarter
2. Website Temporarily Offline What may seem to be a network problem connecting to the Internet is sometimes simply a Web site (or whatever server is on the other end of the connection) being temporarily offline. Action: Before assuming your Internet connection is faulty, try visiting several popular Web sites rather than just one. 3. IP Address Conflicts If your computer and another on the network both have the same IP address, the conflict between them will prevent either from working properly online. Action: To resolve an IP conflict, follow these instructions to release and renew your IP address. If your network uses static IP addresses, manually change your IP to a different number. Windows XP Step 1: Click Start > Run. In the Run window, enter “ cmd ” then click OK. Step 2: On the command prompt, enter “ipconfig/release” then press [Enter]. Step 3: Once the IP address becomes 0.0.0.0, enter “ipconfig/renew” then press [Enter]. 4. Computer Firewall Malfunctions Page | 9 S.Y. 2020 - 2021│Computer│Grade 10│Fourth Quarter
Firewall software running on most computers is intended to prevent unwanted network traffic from disrupting its operation. Unfortunately, these software firewalls can malfunction and start blocking valid Internet traffic. When two software firewalls, such as Windows Firewall plus a third-party product, are installed on the same computer, contention between the two can also incorrectly block traffic. Action : If you have recently installed or upgraded software firewalls on your computer, temporarily disable them to determine whether it may be the cause of Internet connection problems.
- Outside Wireless Signal Range The performance of Wi-Fi network connections depends on distance between the device and the wireless access point. The farther away a Wi-Fi device is, the slower the local connection generally runs, until it breaks altogether. Wireless signal interference in the area can also limit the effective range of a Wi-Fi connection. Whenever you are unable to reach the access point, you also cannot connect to the Internet, obviously. Action : Use one of the options written below to measure the strength of your wireless signal and try these ideas to expand the range of your Wi-Fi. Ideally, you should place the router at a height in some central location and away from other cordless devices. Make sure that the router is not placed near something metallic (like an almirah or window grills) as that will weaken the wireless signals. Avoid mirrors as they can reflect the wireless signals away from the desired direction. Wireless routers generally ship with omni-directional antennas but you can replace them with more powerful uni-directional antennas and that will keep the signal from getting broadcast in all directions. 6. Wireless Network Configuration Wi-Fi networks with encryption options like WPA or WEP turned on require computers to use matching security keys when connecting. If someone changes the encryption keys or password on the access point, devices that worked before will suddenly be unable to establish sessions and Internet connections. Likewise (though less likely), if the access point settings are changed to require using a specific Wi-Fi channel number, some computers may be unable to discover it. Action : Confirm that the Wi-Fi channel number and encryption keys on your router have not recently changed (check with the network administrator if necessary). When using a hotspot, follow the provider's instructors for signing in carefully.
- Broadband Router or Access Point Malfunctions Home networks that use broadband routers are easier to manage than those without one, but technical glitches with the router can also prevent computers from connecting to the Internet. Router failures are caused by overheating, excessive traffic, or simply a faulty unit. Typical symptoms of a flaky S.Y. 2020 - 2021│Computer│Grade 10│Fourth Quarter Page | 10
systems because this will guide you to carry out a particular job in a proper manner. Once you already identify the competencies, you must also acquire the appropriate skills to apply it in real time situations. This part will help you to find out some of the required procedures in computer system configuration. Some of them are intentionally not included so that you will have a chance to explore and learn through your own experience and study. The subsequent statements below describe the varied procedures in using Action Center in the Control Panel: Windows and other Microsoft products have their own built-in troubleshooting tools that bear little or no resemblance to the Fix It troubleshooters. Windows 7's Action Center Control Panel applet alerts you to system problems via an icon in the taskbar's notification area. You can also use the Action Center to view the machine's security and maintenance status. Go to the Action Center's link to the Control Panel's Troubleshooting applet to find about a dozen options for fixing problems related to program compatibility, hardware and audio, networking, security, Windows Update, performance, and power usage. (Information for troubleshooting Vista and Windows XP is available on Microsoft's TechNet site.) Here is how:
- Click on the Start Button.
- Choose Control Panel.
- Select System and Security.
- Choose Action Center.
- On the Action Center, browse and check all the options for systems check.
Security (View Anti-Spyware Programs, update virus protection)
Maintenance (Perform System Maintenance, Check for Solutions for
unreported problems, Setup Backup)
Troubleshooting
Recovery
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Action Center Dialogue Box Windows Security Center can help enhance your computer's security by checking the status of several security essentials on your computer, including firewall settings, Windows automatic updating, anti-malware software settings, Internet security settings, and User Account Control settings. If Windows detects a problem with any of these security essentials (for example, if your antivirus program is out of date), Security Center displays a notification and places a Security Center icon Picture of the red Security Center shield in the notification area. Click the notification or double-click the Security Center icon to open Security Center and get information about how to fix the problem. When it comes to problems with Office applications, you are not likely to find much help in the programs' built-in help systems. (Note that Office 2007 apps include a built-in diagnostic routine. See the Microsoft Support site for more information.) You could attempt to sort through the links on Microsoft's support site for Office 2007 and 2010 or the equivalent site for Office 2003, but if the Office Fix It solutions do not help, your best bet may be to use the repair feature of the Office installer. COMPUTER SPECIFICATIONS What is Specification? The specification or ‘spec’ is a list of the key components that make up the computer. It is provided by retailers to help buyers decide which PC, and which combination of features, they need. When buying a PC you start by deciding what you want your PC to do. This tells the specification you actually need. When reviewing a computer specification, the most important component to take are the processor, the size of RAM and the size of the hard drive as these are central to the overall capability of the system. If it is planned to use specialized Page | 13 S.Y. 2020 - 2021│Computer│Grade 10│Fourth Quarter
The main working memory in a computer is called random access memory or RAM. The processor uses this memory to run programs. RAM is measured in megabytes (MB). Most modern computers use DDR 2 RAM. A minimum of 2024 MB (2GB) of RAM is recommended for general purpose PCs. 2048 MB (2GB) of RAM is also sufficient for PCs running multimedia applications, i.e., those on which digital music, digital video or high-end graphics are being created/edited. Storage – The Hard Drive The hard drive is the computer’s primary storage area. It stores the applications and programs that run on the PC, as well as any work created by users. From a school’s perspective, the capacity of the hard drive, measured in gigabytes (GB), is a key criterion and should be given due consideration when reviewing PC specifications. A hard drive capacity of at least 80GB is recommended for general purpose PCs. A hard drive capacity of 200GB or more is recommended if working with multimedia applications where large graphics and digital audio/video files are being created and stored. Other Specifications Monitors The older Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) have been largely replaced by Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) and Light Emitting Diode (LED) flat-screens. A 15” LCD/LED has the same viewing area as the older 17” CRT. Average entry-level PCs usually come with a 17” flat-screen and this is adequate for most general purpose applications. Larger 19” flat-screens are available and may be appropriate if video editing and advanced graphics work is being carried out. Teachers of students with special needs may want to consider using larger monitors with their students. Optical Drives CD R/W drives are standard on PCs and allow the information on a compact disc (either data or audio) to be read and written to by the PC. It is defined by its speed (i.e., 48x or 48 speed). DVD drives can read both CDs and DVDs. Standard on entry level computers are 48x DVD-ROM/CD_RW drives and allows you to copy blank CDs. High performance computer use 52x DVD-RWs. Educational software is being developed in both DVD and CD formats, but a DVD can hold over 25 times more data than a CD. Graphics and Sound Cards These cards are installed inside a PC and are responsible for determining the quality of the audio and visuals (graphics and video) output by the computer. They hold their own memory (in MB), which is why they add to a computer’s capability. Page | 15 S.Y. 2020 - 2021│Computer│Grade 10│Fourth Quarter
An integrated graphics card with 256MB of memory is recommended for general purpose PCs. Computers running high-end applications generally require a separate 256MB graphics card. A sound card generally comes as standard in most PCs purchased today. If students intend to work extensively with digital music, the school should consider getting a high-end sound card as this will create greater depth, complexity and realism of sound. Speakers and Headphones Most computers come with either built-in or external speakers. Schools may also consider buying headphones to control sound levels within a classroom or computer room. Cheap ‘headphone splitters’ can also be purchased — these enable two sets of headphones to be used per computer. Network Interface Card (NIC) It is recommended that all PCs be purchased with a suitable network interface card (NIC). A network card allows a computer to be connected to a network. A 10/100/1000 Mbps (Megabits per second) card is the standard network card today. Few school networks currently operate at speeds higher than 100Mbps. Operating Systems (OS) PCs are generally purchased with an operating system pre-installed. It is worth checking that your existing software will still work with the operating system of any new systems being purchased. It may be possible to choose a particular operating system and, if so, this may help standardize new machines with existing school PCs. At present, Microsoft’s newer OS is Vista, which generally performs the same functions as Win XP. Microsoft XP Professional is still the most common and recommended OS found in schools that meets their general needs very well and is recommended for schools. As Vista operating system can come in various types and configurations, schools should check that the version of Vista will be suitable and compatible for the software and network infrastructure of the school. Vista Home or XP home versions are not recommended for use in schools, however when ordering computers schools need to specify a base operating system. The choice of base operating system should be made along with their choice of operating system license. Operating system license costs depend on a number of factors including type of school, or type of license, example once off purchase via Microsoft’s select agreement or purchasing software per year via Microsoft’s schools agreement. Linux is an open source free operating system which is not widely used by schools at present, though it may be suitable for schools who are aware of its capabilities. The most widely used open source data base is Ubuntu. It is a Linux based operating system and is distributed free along with the source code. Its desktop looks somewhat similar to that of Windows, with window controls and icons. S.Y. 2020 - 2021│Computer│Grade 10│Fourth Quarter Page | 16
In a network, computers and other devices are connected to share resources. Network connections vary in many ways depending on the setup the user would want to, availability of the network devices and the location or map area of links. One may either use wireless throughput or wired throughput. The next lesson will guide you on how to setup these connections. Router Basics Your router is the glue that holds your home network together. It connects all your computers to one another, either through Ethernet cables or a wireless connection. A router is different than a modem: your modem connects you to the internet, while your router connects your computers to one another. When you hook up your router to the modem, however, you are then able to share that internet connection with all of the computers on your network. Sometimes modems come with built-in routers. Devices that connect to your router—that is, the computers, tablets, smartphones, DVRs, game systems, and so on—are called clients. Each client on the network is given an IP address, which helps your router direct traffic. Clients within the network get a local IP address, while your modem gets a global IP address. Global IP addresses are like street addresses, while local IP addresses are like apartment numbers: one lets you find the building in relation to the rest of the world, while the other lets you find the specific location within the complex. These addresses make sure the right information from the outside world gets to the right computer on your network. Routers have a number of different features, so we'll go through some of the most common router specs and how they affect your home network. Most people have a mix of wired and wireless devices on their network, so most of the discussion will focused on wireless routers. Since wireless routers allow for both wired and wireless connections, you can wire up when necessary, and connect over Wi-Fi everywhere else. Wireless Throughput Throughput is the speed at which a router can transfer data. The transfer speed of your wireless connection is dependent on the wireless standard it uses. The most common standards today are 802.11g and 802.11n (also known as "wireless G" and "wireless N", respectively). Wireless N is faster than wireless G, though routers that support wireless N are also more expensive. Most new devices —like smartphones and laptops—support the faster wireless N. S.Y. 2020 - 2021│Computer│Grade 10│Fourth Quarter Page | 18
Wireless Throughput Wired Throughput The wired half of your router will come in one of two speeds: 10/100 Mbps and 10/100/1000 Mbps (also known as "gigabit"). 10/100 routers are cheaper, but will not transfer data between computers as quickly as gigabit routers will. If you are only using your router to connect to the internet, 10/100 is fine, since your internet connection is probably slower than 100Mbps, meaning you will not be able to actually take advantage of the router's full speed. If you are transferring data between computers, however, you may want to go with a gigabit router, since it will transfer that data much faster than a 10/100 model. Range Wireless routers can only reach a limited area of distance. If you have a big house and have the router on one side, you might not be able to access the network from the other side of the house. Your range, like your speed, is determined by the wireless standard you use. Wireless N has a longer range than wireless G, so if range is important you will want to use wireless N. That said, there are many other ways to connect to your network from afar. Wireless extenders (also called wireless repeaters) are products you can buy that do exactly what the manuals say to extend your network further. Alternatively, you can buy a powerline adapter, which lets you use your home's electrical wiring to hook a distant device up to your router with an Ethernet cable (and thus get a faster connection than wireless would allow for). Number of Ports Routers have two types of ports in the back: LAN ports and WAN ports. Your WAN port hooks up to your modem (which, again, is what connects to the internet), while the LAN ports hook up to your computers and other clients. Most routers have one WAN port, but you will need as many LAN ports as the wired devices you have. If you have more wired devices than can fit on a router, you can plug them all in using a wired switch. A switch is like a power strip for your router: it lets you plug in more devices than the router originally allowed. Page | 19 S.Y. 2020 - 2021│Computer│Grade 10│Fourth Quarter
