4 Computer Service and Repair
The Author
For the past 35 years, Richard Roberts has been designing curriculum,
teaching Electricity and Electronics as well as Computer Technology, and
supervising technical teachers. Mr. Roberts is an accomplished programmer
and computer technician. He has experience as the system administrator for
Novell NetWare, Microsoft NT, and IBM Token Ring networking systems. He
possesses a Bachelor’s degree in Technical Education and a Master’s degree in
Administration/ Supervision. He also has CompTIA A+, Network+, iNet+, and
Security+ certifications and is a certified IT technician, remote desktop support
technician, and depot technician.
His computer experiences started as early as 1974 when he began
programming and teaching the Motorola 6800, which eventually evolved into
the Motorola 68000, once the core processor of the Apple Macintosh computer
system. Since then, Mr. Roberts has maintained his teaching status to both
instructors and students as the technology has evolved, and he has remained at
a state-of-the-art technical level through research, teaching, and applications.
He is currently an adjunct instructor at South Florida Community College
where he teaches PC repair, A+ Certification, Network Fundamentals, Network+
Certification, and many short workshops in various Microsoft business
applications. He also coauthored the textbook Electricity and Electronics as well as
designed and programmed the accompanying interactive CD-ROM.
In addition to his current position, Mr. Roberts has taught at Erwin Technical
Center and Tampa Bay Technical High School, and he has taught adults in the
military service. His time is now divided between computer consulting and
applications, teaching students and instructors, and writing textbooks and other
ancillary instructional materials. Occasionally, he goes fishing, but not too often.
Using This Text
Each chapter begins with a number of learning objectives. These are the goals
you should set to accomplish while working through the chapter. In addition to
your objectives, each chapter begins with a list of these new terms, which are
important for you to learn as you move through the chapter. When these words
are introduced in the text, they are printed in a bold italic typeface. At that point
in the text, you will find these terms defined in the margin.
As you read this text, you will also notice some other words or phrases that
stand out. File names that you encounter will appear like notepad.exe,
student.
txt, or io.sys. Any data you must enter, be it by typing at the command and
Run prompts or button/tabs/menus that you will click on with your mouse
are set out like
dir C:
or
Start | All Programs | Accessories | System
Tools. Any
Internet addresses within the text are in the traditional Web style and in blue,
such as www.g-w.com. Internet address listed under Interesting Web Sites for
More Information at the end of each chapter are in the traditional Web style,
underlined, and in blue, such as www.g-w.com. Be sure to read any A+ Notes,
Tech Tips, Warnings, Cautions, and Dangers that you encounter. A+ Notes
contain tips that will help you study for the CompTIA A+ Certification exams.
Tech Tips are useful tidbits that might come in handy in the field. Take heed
when you see Warnings, Cautions, and Dangers. Warnings alert you of minor