Hardware Repair Course

Lesson 1 • Reading Schematics and PCB Layouts

Teaches standard schematic symbols and PCB layer interpretation. Enables students to trace signal paths and locate components on real boards.

Lesson 2 • Basic Circuit Theory

Introduces Ohm's Law, Kirchhoff's laws, and series/parallel circuits. Provides the analytical foundation for diagnosing faults in later chapters.

Lesson 3 • Tools and Workspace Setup

Introduces essential hand tools, powered equipment, and ergonomic bench organization. A properly equipped workspace improves efficiency and repair accuracy.

Lesson 4 • Electrical Safety and ESD Protection

Covers shock hazards, ESD damage mechanisms, and safe workspace setup. Prevents component damage and personal injury during all repair work.

Lesson 1 • Power Supply and Load Testing

Explains bench power supply controls, current limiting, and load simulation. Controlled power delivery protects components during fault isolation.

Lesson 2 • Multimeter Mastery

Covers DC/AC voltage, current, resistance, continuity, and diode testing modes. Accurate multimeter use is the most frequent diagnostic skill in hardware repair.

Lesson 3 • Oscilloscope Operation

Teaches probe setup, timebase, trigger, and waveform interpretation. Oscilloscopes reveal signal integrity issues invisible to a multimeter.

Lesson 1 • BGA Reballing and Replacement

Teaches BGA removal, cleaning, reballing with stencils, and reflow profiling. BGA work addresses the most common failure point in modern motherboard repair.

Lesson 2 • Desoldering Methods

Explains wick, vacuum pump, and hot-air removal for various package types. Clean desoldering prevents pad and trace damage during component replacement.

Lesson 3 • Soldering Iron Fundamentals

Covers tip selection, temperature control, flux use, and basic joint formation. Proper iron technique is the prerequisite for all subsequent rework skills.

Lesson 4 • SMD Soldering and Rework

Covers paste application, pick-and-place by hand, and reflow with hot air. SMD proficiency is essential for modern laptop, phone, and PCB repair.

Lesson 1 • Storage Interfaces and Devices

Covers SATA, NVMe, and eMMC interfaces alongside HDD and SSD internals. Storage knowledge enables accurate diagnosis of read/write and detection failures.

Lesson 2 • Memory Subsystem

Explains DRAM types, slot configurations, timing parameters, and common failure modes. Memory faults are among the most frequent causes of boot failure.

Lesson 3 • Power Delivery and VRM Design

Explains voltage regulator modules, PWM controllers, and power sequencing. VRM faults cause the majority of dead-board scenarios encountered in repair.

Lesson 4 • Expansion Buses and Connectors

Covers PCIe, USB, HDMI, and proprietary connectors with their signal requirements. Connector and bus knowledge is essential for peripheral and display fault diagnosis.

Lesson 1 • Thermal and Physical Fault Detection

Covers thermal imaging, cold-spray testing, and visual inspection for physical damage. Thermal faults often masquerade as intermittent logic or power failures.

Lesson 2 • Voltage and Signal Probing

Teaches systematic voltage rail checks, clock signal verification, and reset line testing. Probing confirms or eliminates power and signal faults at the board level.

Lesson 3 • Software-Assisted Hardware Diagnostics

Introduces BIOS diagnostics, memory test utilities, and drive health tools. Software tools complement hardware probing and confirm repair success.

Lesson 4 • POST Codes and Boot Failure Analysis

Covers BIOS POST sequences, beep codes, debug LED cards, and no-POST scenarios. POST analysis narrows faults to specific subsystems before physical probing.

Lesson 1 • Keyboard, Trackpad, and Port Repair

Covers keyboard matrix testing, trackpad calibration, and USB/charging port replacement. Input and port failures are frequent and highly visible to end users.

Lesson 2 • Smartphone Disassembly and Screen Repair

Teaches heat-gun adhesive release, digitizer separation, and OLED replacement. Smartphone screen repair is the single highest-volume mobile repair task.

Lesson 3 • Display and Backlight Repair

Diagnoses LCD, OLED, and backlight inverter faults and covers panel replacement. Display faults are the highest-volume repair category in consumer electronics.

Lesson 4 • Battery Testing and Replacement

Covers battery health metrics, safe removal, and proper disposal of lithium cells. Battery replacement restores device runtime and prevents swelling hazards.

Lesson 1 • BIOS and Firmware Recovery

Explains BIOS chip identification, in-circuit reading, flashing, and recovery procedures. Firmware corruption is a common secondary fault after power surge damage.

Lesson 2 • Power Management IC Replacement

Teaches PMIC and charging IC removal, pad preparation, and reflowing. Power management ICs are the most commonly replaced components in motherboard repair.

Lesson 3 • IC Identification and Sourcing

Covers IC marking decoding, equivalent part lookup, and supplier verification. Correct part sourcing prevents repeat failures from counterfeit or mismatched ICs.

Lesson 4 • Trace and Via Repair

Covers broken trace detection, jumper wire repair, and via filling techniques. Trace repair salvages boards with physical damage from drops or corrosion.

Lesson 1 • Repair Documentation and Reporting

Teaches fault description writing, parts logging, and repair report generation. Accurate documentation supports warranty claims and repeat-repair analysis.

Lesson 2 • Pricing and Turnaround Benchmarks

Explains cost estimation, parts markup, labor rate setting, and turnaround targets. Competitive yet profitable pricing is essential for a sustainable repair business.

Lesson 3 • Post-Repair Inspection and Testing

Covers visual inspection criteria, functional test checklists, and burn-in procedures. Systematic post-repair testing catches latent faults before device return.