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Introduction
Support for personal computers (PCs) and mobile devices has evolved
into one of the largest service industries in the world. The demand for skilled
technicians to maintain, support, and upgrade PCs and mobile devices is ever
growing. It is a rewarding and challenging career that can take you anywhere
in the world. If you enjoy tinkering with computers or have ever wondered how
they work and what it takes to repair them, this course is for you. If you wish
to learn computer networking, programming, administration, or any of the
computer sciences, then this is the perfect place to start. A good foundation in
computer technology will provide you with a base of knowledge that will make
learning the other technical areas much easier.
Most computer troubleshooting is performed at the keyboard using
knowledge about the computer system. You need to have a good understanding
of how the components work hand-in-hand with the operating system software
rather than knowing how the electronic parts (transistors, resistors, and
capacitors) function. Computer repair started out as a domain dominated by
electronic technicians with thousands of hours of training. It has evolved into
a specialized field of PC and mobile device technicians requiring little to no
electronics background at all.
The actual concepts and mechanics of computer repair are quite easy. You
can show someone how to change the major components inside a PC very
quickly with very few tools. For example, the mechanics of replacing a hard
drive are extremely easy. Problems arise, however, if the hard drive doesn’t work
as expected and you start to read the technical manual specifications for help.
Questions and answers are filled with unfamiliar terms such as format, partition,
active partition, sectors, block allocation units, boot sector, system files, MBR, FAT16,
FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, system recovery disk, system disk, cable select, IDE, and SCSI.
This can prove very confusing to the novice. However, with a little effort, soon
you will be speaking “techie talk” like the rest of the technicians.
Computer systems are built better than ever before. The constant problems
caused by failing components encountered 30 years ago are seldom found today.
Computers still do fail because of bad components, but now the majority of
failures are due to software problems or they are caused by the computer users
themselves. Only a small percentage of computer failures require component
replacement. What is needed is someone who can diagnose the problem and
determine if it is hardware related, software related, or user generated. This is
the job of the computer technician. Remember that with computer repair, it is
important to complete all lab activities. They are designed to give you valuable
computer experiences and enhance the skills you are being taught. This will
better prepare you for the CompTIA A+ exams if you choose to take them, and
better prepare you for a career as a computer technician.
I wish you much success in your future.
Sincerely,
Richard M. Roberts